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I wanted to share our helmet journey with Otis. I get a lot of questions from people about his helmet and would love to take the time to dive into what led us to helmet treatment. I want to preface this that I am not a doctor and just sharing our personal experience and the things I have learned along the way. If you have any important questions please feel free to talk to your doctor. When we took Otis for his 2 month checkup, our doctor noticed his head was looking a little bit flat. She encouraged us to do more tummy time and that it would correct itself with time. After leaving that appointment Blake and I couldn’t stop staring at his head and could really visibly tell how flat he was. As a parent of a newborn, I feel like the last thing you are noticing is a flat spot on your child’s head because at this point you are just doing your best to stay awake through sleep deprivation and keep your child alive. We truly didn’t even notice until the doctor told us about it and then it’s all we could see. I talked with some of my other mom friends to see if this had happened to them and quite a few of them said they dealt with some flatness. Some of their flatness was due to muscle tension and they did physical therapy and were able to solve the flatness with no helmet treatment. So at this point, our doctor hadn’t suggested any more in depth treatment but my mama instincts kicked in hard and I knew I wanted to be proactive about this. I took it upon myself to do some research and ask around for any recommended children’s physical therapists. We found one that came recommended from a few friends and I quickly called to schedule a consultation with them. Our first appointment was when Otis was about 2.5 months old. At our first physical therapy consultation, the PT instantly noticed his muscle tightness. While she is not a doctor, she is trained in seeing these intricacies in the muscles and diagnosed Otis with Right Sided Torticollis. We started with weekly appointment to learn different stretches to help with his muscle tightness and range of motion. Because of this tightness, it was causing him to favor turning his head to one side and in turn was causing more flatness on that side. We did these stretches at home 5x a day and then when we went in for appointments the PT would stretch him out during our appointment. At the end of our first appointment, the PT also gave us a referral to a cranial technology company called Hanger Clinic. She suggested that if we were worried about his flatness that it wasn’t a bad idea to schedule a consult with them as they would be able to take head measurements and let us know how severe his flatness was to give us some treatment plan options. We went to the cranial tech when Otis was 3 months old. At this appointment, they took a 3D scan of Otis’ head shape (totally painless process!) and were able to compare his measurements with standard head measurements for other babies his age. This then gave us an idea of where he fell on the spectrum of flatness. His initial scan came back putting him in the 99% flatness. A combo of plagiocephaly and brachycephaly. These are more of the correct science terms but I will refer to it as flatness. Typically the normal range is 90-95% so his percentage put him on the edge of moderate to severe flatness. Because of this, she suggest that we do everything possible to keep him off the back of his head for 1 month to see if we would be able to help correct some of his flatness through keeping him off his head and then we would rescan in 1 month to see where we were at. This 1 month was a huge test for us. We needed to do our best to keep Otis off the back of his head as much as humanly possible. This would then let us know if we were able to see any improvement in his flatness, if it would stay the same, or if it would get worse. Otis was currently still sleeping in a swaddle and she suggested to transition out to encourage further development and rolling. So we transitioned out of the swaddle (you can read about that here) and started to encourage and help Otis to learn to roll both ways. Once he was rolling both ways, we transitioned him to his crib and allowed him to naturally roll onto his stomach for sleep. This would also take pressure off the back of his head when he was developmentally ready to sleep on his stomach. For that month, we put away all our swings and baby gear. Blake and I are lucky to be able to work from home and would wear him in a carrier (this one or this one) for every single nap he took to keep the pressure off the back of his head. This was ALOT OF WORK. We also used a positioning pillow for some supervised naps to gently have him lay on his side. He would need to be almost a sleep in order for us to place in him in this position so it was tricky to use this pillow. We basically tried everything we possible could. We also got this chair for him to sit in since we could no long put him in any of our other gear. This was a HUGE appointment for us. We were excited to see the scan and what progress we had made with all our efforts to keep him off the back of his head. We scanned Otis and got some bad news. His flatness had gotten WORSE. HOW WAS THIS EVEN POSSIBLE?! IT just goes to show that you could do everything right, go above and beyond, and in the end, it is not something you could have ever prevented. His newest head measurement (cephalic ratio) of 101% put him in the severe category. I have to say that our cranial remolding specialist is truly a kind woman. She reassured us that his flatness was of course not our fault and she applauded our efforts to try to help. She was very open to us in explaining what the process would be if we were to chose to do helmet treatment for Otis. So we scheduled our next appointment and went home to make the final decision about whether we would be getting Otis a helmet. We left and I am pretty sure I was crying in the car. A wave of emotions hit me. I was so defeated that our efforts actually did NOTHING to help Otis. We were trying with everything we had and it was just so discouraging to see no progress and for his flatness to get worse. I was then emotional thinking about the journey ahead. How would adjust to the helmet? How would we? Would he be happy? Such an emotional day. It was made worse when we got home and called our insurance company to find out that there is an exclusion in our coverage specifically for cranial helmets. So our insurance would cover no part of the cost even though he was in the severe category where they recommend treatment to correct it. The universe has a funny sense of humor sometimes. Let me tell you. They estimated the cost of our helmet to be around $2000. It’s WILD that insurance doesn’t cover something like this. Because of his asymmetry we decided we would pursue treatment. It’s a very personal decision that I know is not made easy by the outrageous cost of this. It’s not always about aesthetics because sometimes with severe asymmetry it can cause other growth issues in the jaw etc. So we were 100% committed to helping our little guy with his flat head. During this time period we continued with our physical therapy once a week and doing stretches at home. Otis was continuing to improve every week which was very positive news. This appointment was a pretty quick one. We came in to get Otis’ final head measurements with the 3D scanner so that they could build his custom helmet based on those measurements. The specialist also gave us some handouts on his schedule wearing it and how we would clean it etc. The goal was to get Otis in his helmet before he turned 5 months and we were going to hit that goal. It was Otis’ big helmet day!! I was pretty nervous going in that day. I kept snuggling Otis’ little head… knowing that soon I would not be able to just cuddle and kiss him in the same ways. I started to get really, really sad. Blake and I took Otis in and she brought the helmet out to show us. She sat and gave us a tutorial on how to take it on and off having us both practice before we left. What was amazing to see was that while he protested a little bit putting it on initially, he didn’t seem to be bothered by it much when it was actually on. We checked the fit to make sure it looked good and before we knew it we were on our way. Our little man had his helmet. I sat in the back of the car with him on the ride home. Eye welling up with tears. I have to be honest that this was likely the most emotional day of the process for me. I think the realization that this was going to be affecting our everyday and be a part of our lives for an extended period of time was really all sinking in for me. I just wanted him to be happy. That is all I wanted. You never know how they will react to a change like this so Blake and I were very curious if he would continue his rolling back and forth wearing the helmet or if it would stunt some of his abilities while he was learning to adjust to the helmet. We put him on his play mat with his toys and he INSTANTLY rolled over. Guess there were no problems there for Otis. I feel like I could instantly sigh a little bit of relief. The shocking thing about it all was that Otis just seemed completely unphased wearing the helmet. Yes, getting it on and off created a little bit of a fussy moment but all in all, he was completely fine with wearing it. Most importantly, he was his same happy self. Smiling, laughing, and loving just like he did before it. So many people told me that it would likely be a harder process on me than it would be for Otis and that is 100% true. Babies are so resilient and it was amazing to see that first hand. Otis was prescribed to wear his helmet for 23 hours a day. It could be taken off for 1 hour a day to bath him and simultaneously clean the helmet during the time off. We weaned him into the full day wear. Below is his schedule we followed to wean him into wearing it to help avoid any skin problems. We did notice that during his first week of wear he was extra sweaty which is totally normal. Their body is just adjusting so typically they can get warmer wearing the helmet and we dress him accordingly. Otis seemed to be unphased by wearing it which was the best news ever. His sleeping was also pretty much on track with a few hiccups. He was a little bit fussier than normal for the first night but pretty much still slept through the night for us. So all in all the helmet was not causing him any problems. About 1 week into full time wear Otis did get some heat rash on his head from the helmet. This is very normal and we were easily able to treat it with baby aquaphor and hydrocortisone cream. After that initial rash flare up, he has done pretty well skin wise and hasn’t had much further irritation. Otis does have eczema so his skin is occasionally bumpy from that but not from the helmet. We still kept our bath schedules to every other day as to not irritate his skin with any new routines. So either during bath time or for his 1 hour off, we scrub the inside of the helmet with rubbing alcohol on a cloth and then let the helmet air dry during that time as well. If we are more in a rush we might use a hair dryer and always make sure his head is not wet when the helmet goes back on. The main key is to keep it as dry as possible. For the most part, the helmet is pretty easy now that we are in the swing of things. Of course getting certain outfits on can be a funny challenge. Or soothing a fussy baby who i smashing their helmet into your face. It can be a strange new feeling to get used to but now, the helmet is part of him and when I snuggle up next to his head, I know he still feels that love. 1 Month into treatment we went back to get his first progress scan. WE WERE EXCITED!!! We could already see a visual change so we were excited to dive into the numbers. Otis was down to 97% from 101%!!!! WILD. I think both Blake and I looked at each other and smiled so big. After all the PT, after everything we did, the big decision to do helmet treatment… it was working. I could cry happy tears knowing that everything we were doing was working. It’s wild to see how their young skulls are growing and changing so much at this age. I will of course keep you all posted of Otis’ progress as we go through the rest of his treatment and update you when we finally finish treatment and what his numbers looked like. We each have a very unique and personal journey with this kind of treatment and I want to thank all of you for your kind words of encouragement and love toward Otis and our family as we have gone through it. I get so many questions, comments, and love for Otis and us as we have gone through this treatment and openly shared it on social media. I think that something that has been so special having this platform is being able to bring light to so many taboo subjects. Sharing our IVF journey was just the beginning of being able to use my platform to connect with so many of you to know you aren’t alone. It’s been one of my most important, personal, and fulfilling things I could ever do with what I have created here. Moving into motherhood from that experience, it’s clear that so much is not talked about. Everyone feels and experiences things differently which I 100% respect. We all mom differently, and there is one unifying thread between us all no matter our parenting styles: we f*cking love our kids so much and would do anything for them. While the helmet process was an emotional start for me personally, I thought that sharing our experience might help empower some other mamas out there maybe struggling with the idea of it. There are so many things about motherhood that test you. And I just want to let any mamas out there that might be worried about their babies head flatness to feel empowered to trust their mama instincts (like I did!) and know if you do have go down this path, YOU GOT THIS. And so does your baby. Because Otis has your back too. Because if you see the smile on his face in these photos, you know he is a happiest baby around. And he’s sending a little smile to any of you that might need it today. Here are some FAQ we have gotten about the helmet that hopefully can answer some of your questions. Feel free to always email me any questions or leave a comment on this blog post. Do you think restricting the baby’s movement using the Snoo was a contributor? No! I did actually ask both my DR, PT, and Cranial Specialist about this. Even in the snoo baby has the full range of motion moving head from side to side. Otis’ issue was his torticollis and the bassinet had nothing to with that. But this is a great question because I thought of this one as well. Is it something you could have prevented or was he born that way? There is nothing we could have done to prevent the muscle tightness that contributed to his head flatness. But because of our commitment to PT, Otis has graduated with a full range of movement and motion. Is he wearing the helmet for cosmetic reasons or was there some asymmetry? He does have asymmetry. It is typically known to be treated for cosmetic purposes especially for boys whose head shape is more seen if they have shorter hair etc. But asymmetry can also have the potential to affect other things. Again, I am not a dr. Just sharing what I have learned through this process and helmet treatment is not right for everyone. But Otis’ flatness was in the severe category in comparison to the norm so that is a big reason we decided to do helmet treatment. Did his doctor recommend helmet treatment? Or did you take him for a consult on your own? Our PT recommend we see a cranial specialist. And we went to see a PT on our own. So basically this whole chain of events was started on a mama hunch that I wanted to look into his flatness further despite my doctor thinking it wasn’t a big deal. Insurance didn’t cover any of it? Is it super pricey? NO! Treatment for us is around $2k and we have already appealed to our insurance company but it is not looking good. It’s so incredibly expensive but we are committed to Otis’ treatment. Does the helmet hurt him? Not at all! He is 100% the same happy guy he always is. Does it affect his sleep at all? No! He’s a great little sleeper and didn’t really have any issues sleeping through the night with it on. Day 1 was a little fussier than normal but overall no issues with any of his developmental achievements to date. Why do so many babies have it now? Seems like a new issue. The current standard for safe sleep to reduce the risk of SIDS is to place babies safely on their back in their cribs for all sleep. For this reason, babies are spending so much time on their back and its pressing on their growing and molding skull. They believe that his is why there is such an surge of flat spot issues. Years past babies were sleeping on their bellies so these issues were not as prevalent. Again, I am not a DR but this is what I have researched and been told by medical professionals. How does he like the helmet? Does he get fussy about wearing it? Not at all. He could care less about the helmet. 100% unaffected by it. Do you get funny looks from people when you’re in public with him? Sometimes. But I think it all stems from a lack of understanding. Sometimes people ask and it’s as simple as letting them know we are just fixing some flatness. It also is a great reminder to be kind to others. The helmets tend to be tougher on the parents than the babies. It’s an emotional process when you are doing your best to be a great parents and take care of your child. I know some people might not feel as comfortable as I do with sharing all of this and that is ok too. Just know that its not your fault if your baby has some head flatness. Be kind to yourself and know that Otis has your back 😉 I am so proud of my little helmet man. For how many weeks/months will he wear it? They estimated 2-4 months based on his severity but it all depends on his progress so we will have to wait and see. He wears the helmet 23 hours a day and we take it off for 1 hour a day for bathtime and to clean the helmet with rubbing alcohol.

2019-04-25T16:15:29Z

https://www.eatsleepwear.com/2019/03/20/otis-helmet-treatment/

I have a kind of love-hate relationship with the public transit system in Brussels. I love how easy and affordable it is to get around the city. I don’t like waiting outside on freezing cold winter mornings (though I did wind up investing in a super long, warm down coat this past winter, which is basically like walking around in my own personal down sleeping bag/cocoon. I think that the length is meant to go to just below the knees, but since I can wear capris as regular length pants that don’t need to be hemmed, this jacket keeps me warm nearly to my ankles! Sweet!). Navigating the transit system has been what my husband refers to as an opportunity for practicing your yoga and meditation. I remember feeling completely overwhelmed when I first arrived in Brussels. My husband would patiently look up directions for me (bless his heart) and then respond to my frantic texts with calm, grounding words of encouragement when I would inevitably freak out. It will all feel easier once it becomes more familiar, he would write in response to my panic. As with most of the wisdom that comes from cooling energy that seems to hover around my dear beloved, he was right. Allow me to digress for a moment to explain that the panic I seem to experience when encountering unfamiliar situations in foreign places sometimes comes as a surprise to me. I have traveled and live in many places where the culture and climate were uncomfortable and completely foreign to me, and I have learned that I can survive (and dare I say it, thrive) in challenging environs. It is therefore both interesting and somewhat surprising how quickly I fall back into learned habits of instantly panicking instead of pausing to evaluate a situation and determine how best to proceed in a rational, reasonable way. In college, I decided that I wanted to study French in a French-speaking country, but I didn’t want to go to Europe because it would be too easy. I chose Mali, a country in West Africa, which met this desire with fervent enthusiasm. I hadn’t even left the airport when I threw out my back trying to lift my very heavy suitcase instead of accepting help from the many very strong individuals around me. Let me tell you right now that Africa is a challenging place to be if you are suffering from extreme back pain. Everywhere I sat was uncomfortable. The public transit in Bamako, the capital city of Mali, consisted of ancient Volkswagen buses that had been gutted of comfortable seating. The replacement seating consisted of flat boards of wood that hugged the inside walls of each van in a kind of U shape with sharp corners. When you got on board, you looked around, saw people packed tighter than sardines, and thought, there is no way in hell there is room for one more person on this bus. Then, you walked to a corner, nodded to the people sitting there, and began slowly inserting one side of your body into the teaming mass of bodies. With patience and persistence, the waters eventually parted to let you in. Of course, fitting in meant a sort of sideways position in a kind of public transit sandwich. When the bus was approaching your stop, you just yelled out, Plac-y-la, Plant-y-ké (I have not idea how to spell this). The guy who controlled the opening and closing of the door would stand in the open doorway where a sliding door used to be. When he heard someone yell these words, he would slap the top of the van to let the driver know to stop. Sound a bit crazy? It was a bit nutty, but it worked. In Mali, I was in so much pain from my back that I had to constantly shift my position. People would comment on my strange behavior, noting how odd it was that I could never sit still. They had backs of steel in comparison to us softies in the West. These days, my back is in better shape, but I still seem to shift every few minutes. My husband says that it is my inner squirrel that keeps me moving, but in Africa it was just pain, pure and simple. Allow me to digress a bit further here to say that there are some philosophies (particularly those from the East) where it is believed that we choose our life path, our parents, and our family even before we are born based on the work we wish to do. This is work that perhaps we began in a previous life and intend to continue. It is becoming ever clearer to me that I chose a path that would help me learn patience in times of uncertainty and upheaval and that my pre-this life self wished to learn to create feelings of ease and acceptance in times of discomfort. Thanks, former self! A heads up would have been nice. Just a simple, hey, by the way, this round is going to be one hell of a bumpy ride. I don’t know if there is a rulebook for these transitions from one life to the next. Is there a pre-transition orientation that happens where the previous self passes information on to the next version? Do they share notes, insights, etc.? Is there a debrief at the end before the next transition takes place? If any of this does occur, perhaps they use something akin to the little doohickey they used in the movie Men in Black for erasing people’s memories to allow for a completely clean slate at the beginning of the subsequent life. I don’t remember my previous lives, but I often wish I could call up some memories that might help me make sense of my experiences in this life. I have heard that there are ways for a person to call up some of these memories – hypnosis or past life regression therapy, for example – but I have never tried it. I imagine part of the process (at least for a person like my self) is to uncover information on our own. Living in Africa was uncomfortable and challenging. Physically, my body hurt and it was super hot. I lived there at the end of the rainy, cooler season. As the months progressed, it became swelteringly hot and increasingly humid. I left just before the cooling rains began. Most of the city was comprised of open markets with all kinds of smells. The smell of dried fish was particularly noxious. There was dust and dirt everywhere and piles of trash, which I documented for one of my class assignments. Historically, throwing refuse out was not a big deal because it would decompose. The introduction of plastics from western influence (go, us), however, created a serious problem. For me, there was very little about life there that was particularly easeful. Everything I wished to do, including sitting, presented a challenge. One might go to the bank to change money, only to find that the teller had gone home sick. Will they be back tomorrow? The others student and I would ask. Maybe, the teller’s coworker would respond. We would go back for several days in a row without finding the teller back at their station. Then finally, we would give up and cash our traveler’s check in the street. Herein lies a trick I learn in Mali. Do not expect things to be easeful, and you will not be disappointed when things do not go as you anticipated. My fellow students and I created a phrase that we repeated often, as it was more often than not that we had to shift our expectations for how events would unfold on any given day for any given task we had set out to complete. C’est le Mali, we would repeat and laugh. It’s Mali. It just didn’t matter if the bank teller never reappeared. We found other alternate solutions. It was excruciatingly hot, and the van was packed? No matter. Everyone else was uncomfortable, too, and the ride was only temporary. Of course, I had the immense privilege that my discomfort was only temporary. I lived in Mali for a mere six months and had a much desired return ticket to the United States. I received many marriage proposals from Malian men hoping to take advantage of my status as an American woman. You can be my second wife, they would tell me and the other female students in my cohort. I’m already married, I would tell them. It wasn’t true, but it did seem to help a little. Slowly but surely, I became more comfortable with discomfort. My initial terror at having to haggle to purchase anything anywhere because most of the city was a big, open market eventually gave way to a thrill at seeing how low I could argue a seller down in price. They would tell me the price, which was inevitably many times higher than they would charge a local, nonwhite person. I would inhale in horror and offer an insanely low counter price. This would go back and forth, often with a lot of laughter. They would call me a Senegalese for being so cheap. I would claim that I was a poor student. Finally, I would throw my hands up and leave. Then, the seller would call after me and accept my lower price. At some point, I would realize that we were literally haggling over pennies in US dollars, but what I learned while I was there was that it was important to haggle for the lower price to maintain the tenuous balance in the purchasing economy. For example, there was an artisan market in Bamako where locals could no longer afford to shop because the artisans, knowing that tourists would pay top dollar without haggling. Top dollar in Mali was still very inexpensive for tourists traveling from western countries. These tourists believe they were doing a favor to the artisans by paying extra money. They were not doing a favor for the locals, who could no longer afford to shop in these places. I not only became more comfortable with discomfort, but I discovered that when I let go of expectation I gave life a chance to pleasantly surprise me. I met kind, generous souls. I made friends. I thrived. I ate so well that my Malian family started calling me a fatty, which was meant as a compliment because they would send me back to my American family healthy and rotund. I also learned a great deal about my own privilege and how I could deal with discomfort. When I left Mali and returned to the United States, I was overwhelmed by the emptiness of my own culture. I had a huge bedroom all to my self, which felt very empty and lonely in the absence of sharing a room with my four Malian host sisters. I have a vivid memory of my first trip to the grocery store. A staff person had built a pyramid of large, plastic bottles of Coca-Cola, and I remember feeling such shock at the decadence of this gesture. When people asked me about my experience, I would begin sharing my revelations, but it didn’t really seem that they wanted to hear anything beyond a surficial, it was great, response. Eventually (and far too quickly), I assimilated back into my western culture. For me, Mali was a time of discovery and learning. It was temporary. For people born there, it was a life sentence. Many people wanted a reprieve from this sentence, a chance for a more easeful life in the west. There were professors and other highly educated members of society who would seek jobs as taxi drivers in western countries and send money home to their families and community members in communities that were fall apart at the economic seams as a result of years of rippling effects of colonialism, globalization, and climate change. It is a huge privilege to be born into a country where the likelihood is quite small that you will die as a result of a doctor leaving a pair of scissors in your body after being operated on to remove an appendix, which is exactly what happened to a member of a student’s host family the semester before I arrived in Mali. My intestines will not be ravaged from a life of eating foods that are difficult to digest and hard on the body’s system. Healthcare in the United States may be expensive and not equitably accessible by all, but it is available and of high quality nonetheless. I will never forget my experience in Mali, however brief. It was life changing. My zone of awareness was broadened tremendously, and I had experiences I began to access in times of need. Those experiences have served as small reminders when I find myself in uncomfortable situations in my life. Remember Mali, I think, when I feel my temper rising over something insignificant. Coming back to public transit and my experience thus far in Belgium, I think this awareness and ability to access a rational, grounded corner of my psyche is the key for shifting my perspective in any situation to create ease in the face of discomfort. I have been through a lot of therapy, divorce, and difficult jobs with abusive bosses. I have traveled the world and lived in foreign countries. I have completed a PhD in self-sustainability, and I have been studying meditation and yoga for several years. All of these experiences amount to a heightened awareness of how the events unfolding all around me at all times impact my own sensitive system. If I were a superhero, I would be Super Sensitive Girl to the rescue, bringing my hyper empathy to people in need around the world. The more aware I become of my own inner self, however, the more I feel bombarded and vulnerable to different energies that come at me from all directions. I am conscious and very much awake, but I have not yet developed a plan for how to create ease and balance in response to this trend. My current method is to take everything in like a sponge, the kind without a rough solid edge on one side for protection. Most of the time, I feel like I am living in a pinball machine being played by a capricious leprechaun, my physical and spiritual selves being flicked around by the will of another being. Would that I were being played by Tommy, the Who, but that was not the path I chose for this life’s work. There is no wizard (at least, not one that I am aware of) studying all of the possible paths I can follow and carefully laying out a master plan. I am the one who must navigate how to respond to each new experience I am thrust into, and it is I alone who must determine how I feel in different situations and how I can create ease in the face of discomfort. Let me say right now that I am a slow learner. It has taken me at least six months of moving through extreme panic every time I try to get to a new place in Brussels at a pre-determined time while negotiating a foreign transit system to finally realize that maybe I should ask for help instead of diving into a situation that I know will place great stress on my system. There was the time I planned to pick my dad up from the airport. My husband looked up one possible route for me to take, and I left early so I would have ample time to get there. The trip began with promise of ease until I reached the bus stop to find the entire area had been completely raised for construction and all of the bus routes from this stop had been cancelled until the end of September. Instead of calmly reassessing my options, I succumbed to extreme panic. I walked around, frantically trying to find the bus stop that had to have just been moved to another area. I checked my transit app and watched the minutes pass until I had missed said bus. I swore. I wept. I texted and tried to call my husband, leaving panic-induced messages on his voicemail. Then, I bucked up. It was like a little light had come on inside, shedding insight into alternative options. I didn’t’ need to stand there suffering. I could simply find another path to the airport, which I was totally capable of doing. So, this is what I did. It did not feel easeful, but it did feel possible. Now, I know that I need to have backup plans for when plan A cannot be realized due to circumstances that are beyond my control. I know that I have only to calmly request assistance, and the universe will provide. I also realize that there is just no need to panic. If I get somewhere late, it’s fine. If I don’t get there at all, the world will not implode. After a recent stressful bout with public transit when trying to get to a yoga workshop in the midst of roads and trams being shut down for a marathon, my husband insisted that he sign me up for a villo bike (bikes you can check out like library books to ride around the city). On the way back from the yoga workshop (I did make it after nearly two hours of anxiety-filled effort), I realized that I would just miss the 94 tram once again by mere seconds. This has always driven me batty. I texted my husband that I was going to take the villo bike, 94 be damned. Take that, 94! he texted back. Yeah! I’ll show the 94. I’ll show ALL the trams. I hopped on the bike and headed off on the easeful path that had been created to run in a wide median between the two directions of travel for the main road. With a great big basked on the front of the bike and a design that had me sitting perfectly upright, I felt like the wicked witch in the wizard of oz. I could even hear her music playing as my own personal soundtrack. As with so many experiences in life, I have had to expand my aura of awareness with regard to public transit. I don’t have a car that I can just get into and go whenever I feel the urge. I have to look at maps and connections and timetables for tram, metro, bus, and sometimes train. This can get overwhelming, particularly when I don’t know how long it will take me to get to a destination and even more so when it’s a place I am going to for the first time. Regardless, I think it’s important, especially in the midst of a subtle line of complaint, to take a moment to recognize how much ease and privilege I have in my life thanks to the many people with foresight and dedication who worked diligently and likely determinedly to make it possible for me to travel for a pittance all over the city of Brussels. Thank you, nameless heroes of mine! Now, as I travel, I make note of villo bike stations, metro, bus, and tram stops, and all of the little details that comprise my current and ever-expanding (as I grow slowly but surely bolder) zone of existence. Sometimes, I still miss my car. I loved my Toyota Prius. We traveled together to many corners of the United States, from Alaska to Arizona to Massachusetts and beyond. We laughed and explored together. Sometimes, we cried together. I experienced heartbreak when someone hurt my dear car and will never forget the moment I went to get in and noticed the back window was gone. It took me a moment to realize that everything inside was also missing. The world has not always been kind to my car. In addition to the break in, someone knocked off the driver’s side view mirror. No sooner did I have it repaired but huge branches from a fell and broke the mirror and destroyed the roof of my car during an exceedingly powerful nor’easter. Living in Arizona, I nearly took the rear bumper off of my car when it got tangled with the run my husband had set up for his husky, Blue. Another time, I dented the side of my car trying to pull into parking spot and hugging a solid, unforgiving cement block a little too tightly on the right side. Then, husky Blue’s run got tangled in the roof rack and nearly took off the top of my car. Suffice it to say that our decision to move to Belgium marked a definitive end to our time with my Prius but likely has saved us quite a bit of money. I can say that it was an enormous relief when I sold my car. It was such a burden lifted that I swore I would never buy a car again. I tend to recommend erring on the side of caution when it comes to making extreme vows, and there are definitely times when I wish I could experience the ease of having a car here in Brussels. It would be so nice to just be able to get in, turn the key in the ignition, and go. Perhaps, it is part of an innate desire for manifest destiny that comes from being born in the United States, where the rite of passage for young people is to get into a car and drive across the country to a new place and a new life that awaits them on the other side of a distant mountain range. Speaking of extreme pledges, I seem to continue making them, despite everything I have learned in my life about operating from a place of moderation. We may have to buy this place, I told my husband last night at the end of a long day of moving our modest collection of possessions in five trips back and forth in a Zipcar the 1.3km from our old apartment to a new house. I am never getting off this couch! Please keep in mind that I have also sworn off ever buying a house again. I lived in the first (and ostensibly the last) house I bought soon after moving to Alaska for a permanent job with the national park service in the fall of 2010. When I left for a new job a year and a half later, I started a weary process (that I swear is the main reason for all of my silver hair) of intermittently renting and trying to sell my beautiful house, an endeavor that continues to this day. Maybe it is karma, but my husband and I have experienced the darker side of renting our homes. Come to think of it, our experience as renters ourselves has not been entirely easeful, but we haven’t given up hope for the surrender and release that comes after intense effort. I do think there is something to say for paying attention to how we effort. As Jaye Martin told us at his workshop, It’s pranayama, not trauma-yama. I am trying to pay closer attention to how I effort in my yoga practice and in my life. It can take a while sometimes, but I am practicing noticing when I am having trouble breathing and/or experiencing intense suffering and anxiety. When I notice, I can pause and reevaluate my next steps. I can consider what actions I can take to reduce suffering and relieve tension. Sometimes, non-action is called for because I have been trying too hard to make something happen that just is not going to happen the way I want it to. Jaye told us many stories in the workshop. One story that spoke to this idea of creating our reality with intention, awareness, consciousness, and humility was about his mother, who loves to go to garage sales (he is British and called them boot sales because people would sell things out of the boot, or trunk, of their car) in search of large puzzles she can piece together. Jaye’s mother works on the puzzle, often for days at a time. When she finds she is not making progress, she takes a break, has a cup of tea, and returns refreshed and ready to work again. As with most stories, there were layers of meaning to this one. The puzzle is a metaphor within a metaphor (shocking, I know). There is the metaphor of piecing the puzzle together, one piece at a time. While some pieces fit together with ease, others do not, and you can’t force them together (well, you can, but you will not create the intended image). Yoga can be a puzzle, Jaye told us. Each one of us is like a puzzle with no picture. Because we are alive, our puzzle is never really finished, but yoga teaches us that we are already complete as we are. Our puzzle box is full, but we don’t know what the picture will be. Your practice is to create a picture that honors the deepest longing of your heart. I have learned a great deal about my self and the world from the few decades I have spent wandering this planet, and I know enough to recognize how easy it can be to over effort, how difficult it can be to pause, and the even greater challenge of believing that I am complete already just as I am. My challenge now is to figure out how to funnel all of this information into my every day in order to do what Jaye told us in Savasana: invite conscious, easeful movement into the body. It is easy to make life far more difficult than it needs to be. We have only to shift our perspective, to exhale, and release tension to create a life with more ease than effort. This is why there is such great wisdom and simplicity in the puzzle metaphor. And as Jaye suggested, you don’t have to know the picture of the puzzle. You just have to keep doing the puzzle.

2019-04-22T05:13:28Z

https://howlingwolfyoga.com/2017/06/10/be-the-puzzle-reflections-on-life-learning-and-yoga-with-jaye-martin/

"Death is but crossing the world, as friends do the seas; they live in one another still. For they must needs be present, that love and live in that which is omnipresent. In this divine glass, they see face to face; and their converse is free, as well as pure. This is the comfort of friends, that though they may be said to die, yet their friendship and society are, in the best sense, ever present, because immortal." - William Penn, "More Fruits of Solitude" When I was first diagnosed and read the optimistic brochure the rheumatologist gave me, I told the world that fibromyalgia was a mere inconvenience and tried to treat it as such. I ignored the symptoms and went about my business as if nothing had changed, the theory being that positive thinking would fix me (some people STILL tell me that). The result was a major decline in my health over the next year. By late 2001, I was bedridden with severe bronchitis and my thyroid bottomed out. That's when I realized that my quality of life was going to be PERMANENTLY altered by fibromyalgia. This theory makes more sense to me than many I have read over the years. I can agree wholeheartedly that the medical community should look into ways to get the brain to put the "brakes" on pain on a neurological level. I did submit my latest book review ("Roadshow" by Neil Peart) to the site last week, but the editor is in the hospital for surgery, so it may be awhile before it shows up. Will post it here when it does. I wonder if science will ever find out for sure whether serotonin-altering medication can actually CAUSE fibromyalgia in some people? Because I am convinced this is what happened to me. "Our legacy is really the lives we touch, the inspiration we give, altering someone's plan - if even for a moment - and getting them to think, rage, cry, laugh, argue ... Walk around the block, dazed ... More than anything, we are remembered for our smiles; the ones we share with our closest and dearest, and the ones we bestow on a total stranger, who needed it RIGHT THEN, and God put you there to deliver." If this is really what is occurring, it would explain quite a lot about "fibro fog". The scary part is how often and in what circumstances I go completely blank. You would think being in the middle of a lively conversation would not allow one's brain to shut down, or while doing something that requires presence of mind such as driving or cooking. Talk about feeling like I'm not all there. Last week, President Obama fulfilled a campaign promise and killed Osama bin Laden. Well he didn't actually do the killing himself. It was carried out by a very brave and excellent team of Navy SEALs. Not only does Mr. Obama have the overwhelming support of the country, I think there are millions who gladly wish it could have been their finger on the gun that took out bin Laden. I want to point out that Barack Obama took two years to do what Bush couldn't do in over seven. That's the difference between STUPID in charge and SMART in charge. STUPID pursues two reckless wars, lets OBL escape from Tora Bora, keeps looking for him in caves and invades the wrong country. He bankrupts us to the tune of $1.2 trillion for the Iraq War (it will eventually actually be over $3 trillion), and worse, he cost us the lives of almost 5,000 of our troops, not to mention hundreds of thousands of civilian deaths in Iraq and Afghanistan – and, after all that, he STILL couldn't bring the perp to justice. In fact, in 2005, Bush closed down the CIA station that was devoted to looking for bin Laden! What does SMART do? He sends in a small elite strike force, no troops are killed, and the perpetrator is stopped for good. I was thrilled that the Osama bin Laden era was over. There was now an end to the madness. Being near Ground Zero that night, I decided to head over there and join with others who saw this event as a chance to have some closure. On 9/11, Bill Weems, a good and decent man I knew and worked with (we had just recently completed a shoot together in Boston), was on the plane that was flown into the Twin Towers. I dedicated 'Fahrenheit 9/11,' in part, to him. But before leaving to go to the former World Trade Center site, I turned on the TV, and what I saw down at Ground Zero was not quiet relief and gratification that the culprit had been caught. Rather, I witnessed a frat boy-style party going on, complete with the shaking and spraying of champagne bottles over the crowd. I can completely understand people wanting to celebrate – like I said, I, too, was happy – but something didn't feel right. It's one thing to be happy that a criminal has been captured and dealt with. It's another thing to throw a kegger celebrating his death at the site where the remains of his victims are still occasionally found. Is that who we are? Is that what Jesus would do? Is that what Jefferson would do? I was reminded of the tale told to me as a kid, of God's angels singing with glee as the Red Sea came crashing back down on the Egyptians chasing the Israelites, drowning all of them. God rebuked them, saying, "The work of My hands is drowning in that sea – and you want to friggin' sing?" (or something like that). I remember my parents telling me how, on the day it was announced that Hitler was dead, there was no rejoicing in the streets, just private relief and satisfaction. The real celebration came six days later at the announcement that the war in Europe was over. THAT'S what the people wanted to hear – not just the demise of one evil madman, but the end to all the killing. When the atom bomb was dropped on Hiroshima, people didn't pour into the streets to whoop it up. Yes, people were happy that it might help end the war, but there was not a public display of "Yippee! A hundred thousand Japs have been fried!" If they had done that, well, who could have blamed them after so many tens of thousands of their sons and fathers had been lost in the war (including my uncle, a paratrooper, killed by a sniper near Manila). But the sailor kissing the girl in Times Square was on August 14th, 1945, when the Japanese surrendered and the war was officially over. That's when America went crazy with joy – not over a killing, but over an announcement of peace. We are a different people now, aren't we? Well, sorta. There was no blood lust euphoria on the day Timothy McVeigh was executed. We were silent. The families of the Oklahoma City dead were silent, relieved. What is the difference between McVeigh and bin Laden, other than the number they slaughtered? I wonder. I think we know the answer. Meanwhile, we – me, included – get lost in the weeds of how this one madman was killed. The official story from the Pentagon changed four times in the first four days! It went from OBL firing on the troops with one hand and using his wife as a human shield with the other, to, by the fourth day, not single person in the main house, including bin Laden, being armed when killed. Instantly, this created a lot of suspicion about what really happened, which itself was a distraction. In a perfect world (yes, I would like to reside there someday, or at least next door to it, in Slightly Imperfect World), I would like the evildoers to be forced to stand trial in front of that world. I know a lot of people see no need for a trial for these bad guys (just hang 'em from the nearest tree!), and think trials are for sissies. "They're guilty, off with their heads!" Well, you see, that is the exact description of the Taliban/al Qaeda/Nazi justice system. I don't like their system. I like ours. And I don't want to be like them. In fact, the reason I like a good trial is that I like to show these bastards this is how it's done in a free country that believes in civilized justice. It's good for the rest of the world to see that, too. Sets a good example. The other thing a trial does is, it establishes a very public and permanent historic record of the crimes against humanity. This is why we put the Nazis on trial in Nuremberg. We didn't do it for them. We did it for ourselves and for our grandchildren so that they would never forget these horrors and how they were committed. And we did it for the German people so they could see the evidence of what their elected leaders had done. Very helpful. Very necessary. Very powerful. And for those who wanted blood back then – well, the majority of the Nazis all hanged in the end. So, it doesn't mean the bad guys get away – they still swing from the highest tree. My own spiritual beliefs do not allow for capital punishment, and I was raised in the state (Michigan) that in the 1840s was the first government in the English-speaking world to outlaw it. So, I'm just not inclined that way. I don't believe in "an eye for an eye." I know the old book said that, but I like its sequel better (a rare case in which the sequel – like Godfather II, Star Trek II, Terminator II – is better than the original). If you don't believe the way I believe (it's also the official position of the Catholic Church, for whatever that's worth these days), then that's your right, and I understand. Perhaps there was no way to bring him back alive – I sure as hell wouldn't want to be in that dark house trying to make that snap decision. But if the execution was ordered in advance, then I say we should be told that now, and we can like it or not like it. For nine years I wrote and I said that Osama bin Laden was not hiding in a cave. I'm not a cave expert, I was just using my common sense. He was a multimillionaire crime boss (using religion as his cover), and those guys just don't live in caves. He had people killed under the guise of religion, and not many in the media bothered to explain that every time Osama referenced Islam, he wasn't really quoting Islam. Just because Osama said he was a "Muslim" didn't make it so. Yet he was called a Muslim by everyone. If a crazy person started running around mass-killing people, and he did so while wearing a Wal-Mart blazer and praising Wal-Mart, we wouldn't automatically call him a Wal-Mart leader or say that Wal-Mart was the philosophy behind his killings, would we? Yet, we began to fear Muslims and round them up. We profiled people from Muslim nations at airports. We didn't profile multi-millionaires (in fact, they now have their own fast-track line to easily get through security, an oddity considering every murderer on 9/11 flew in first class). We didn't run headlines that said "Multi-Millionaire Behind the Mass Murder of 3,000" (although every word in that headline is true). You can say his wealth had nothing to do with 9/11, but the truth is, there is no way he could have kept Al Qaeda in business without having the millions he had. Some believe that this was a "war" we were in with al Qaeda – and you don't do trials during war. It's thinking like this that makes me fear that, while bin Laden may be dead, he may have "won" the bigger battle. Let's be clear: There is no "war with al Qaeda." Wars are between nations. Al Qaeda was an organization of fanatics who committed crimes. That we elevated them to nation status – they loved it! It was great for their recruiting drive. We did exactly what bin Laden said he wanted us to do: Give up our freedoms (like the freedom to be assumed innocent until proven guilty), engage our military in Muslim countries so that we will be hated by Muslims, and wipe ourselves out financially in doing so. Done, done and done, Osama. You had our number. You somehow knew we would eagerly give up our constitutional rights and become more like the authoritarian state you dreamed of. You knew we would exhaust our military and willingly go into more debt in eight years than we had accumulated in the previous 200 years combined. Maybe you knew us so well because you were once one of our mercenaries, funded and armed by us via our friends in Pakistan to fight the other Evil Empire in the last battle of the Cold War. Only, when the killing stopped, the trained killer, our "Frankenstein," couldn't. The monster, you, would soon turn on us. If we really want to send bin Laden not just to his death, but also to his defeat, may I suggest that we reverse all of that right now. End the wars, bring the troops home, make the rich pay for this mess, and restore our privacy and due process rights that used to distinguish us from any other country. Right now, our democracy looks like Singapore and our economy has gone desperately Greek. I know it will be hard to turn the clock back to before 9/11 when all we had to worry about were candidates stealing elections. A multi-billion dollar industry has grown up around "homeland security" and the terror wars. These war profiteers will not want to give up their booty so easily. They will want to keep us in fear so they can keep raking it in. We will have to stop them. But first we must stop believing them. Hideki Tojo killed my uncle and millions of Chinese, Koreans, Filipinos and a hundred thousand other Americans. He was the head of Japan, the Emperor's henchman, the man who was the architect of Pearl Harbor. When the American soldiers went to arrest him, he tried to commit suicide by shooting himself in the chest. The soldiers immediately worked on stopping his bleeding and rushed him to an army hospital where he was saved by our army doctors. He then had his day in court. It was a powerful exercise for the world to see. And on December 23, 1948, after he was found guilty, we hanged him. A killer of millions was forced to stand trial. A killer of 4,000 (counting the African embassies and USS Cole bombings) got double-tapped in his pajamas. Assuming it was possible to take him alive, I think his victims, the future, and the restoration of the American Way deserved better. That's all I'm saying. Come back to your ways, my good ol' USA. I do wish more actual MDs were more informed about fibromyalgia. Even in 2011, there are still too many who do not consider it a real ailment. On an interesting note, the banner to the left for Fibromyalgia Awareness Day was one that I created for Fibrohugs in 2002. But now it has been popping up on Facebook as other people's profile pics! Trying to find out where they got it. How do you KNOW you have M.E.? Stalkers on the "Jersey Floor"! My next article will likely be a book review as I tend to do them on alternate months. I have at least four books I have finished reading but have yet to comment upon. And maybe the month after that I'll write something about brain fog, if I can remember what I want to say, heh heh. If you have M.E., what might you experience? Proof! That the President has a sense of humor. And if you can't always have what you want, think about all the things you don't have that you don't want, heh heh. I can't remember who said that originally, but it's a good quote. I am relieved that President Obama opted to not put photographs of bin Laden's dead body on display. I don't need to see them. But I do realize that doubters all over the world will demand the opportunity to view proof, so it was a tough call to make. Just how debilitating is M.E.? Am intent on doing nothing, or as close to nothing as possible, tomorrow as I have appointments on Tuesday and Thursday of next week, the following week, and the week after that. Don't know yet if I will be doing more physical therapy until I have talked with the pain management doc on May 10th. It occurred to me today that perhaps the sleep medication I have been taking since November isn't getting me into as much restorative sleep as the previous med and that could be exacerbating the flares I've been experiencing? I have an appointment with my primary care doc on the 19th and will ask her if I should go back to my old med. First hand experience of M.E. 1. Introduction - Get Well from M.E. I will post the others after I've viewed them. Tonight was my first visit online since Saturday. The post-physical therapy exhaustion hasn't let up yet. ‎"Returning hate for hate multiplies hate, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that." I too am relieved the man is dead. But the news doesn't excite me the way it has others. I cannot bring myself to be excited about another human being's death, even when it is deserved and may stop thousands more from losing their lives. Killing someone is grim business. When I saw the footage of Americans dancing in the street on Monday as if their team had won the Super Bowl, I was nauseated because it looked eerily similar to the celebrations that occurred in the Middle East after 9/11. And I fear it may stoke the anger of those who want to do more harm to Americans. I know we need to acknowledge that the worst terrorist in the world has been vanquished, but could we please show a little decorum? I would like to think we are not barbarians. Even better than the cow jumping over the moon! Trying to get caught up on links and other goodies since that I've finished the article for April. Problem is, now it's MAY!

2019-04-23T02:29:04Z

http://browserlife.blogspot.com/2011/05/

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Background: Measurement of circulating insulin may improve the classification and management of diabetes mellitus and assist in treating people with insulin resistance. Methods: A work group convened by the American Diabetes Association evaluated results for a panel of 39 single donor sera measured by 10 commercial insulin methods from 9 manufacturers against an isotope dilution–liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (IDMS) measurement procedure calibrated using purified recombinant insulin. We used a candidate primary (pure substance) reference material, pooled serum, and single donor sera to evaluate approaches to achieve improved agreement of results between the routine and reference measurement procedures. Results: Four of 10 methods had ≥95% of individual serum results within 32% of the IDMS concentrations. However, the bias vs IDMS was more than 15.5% for 7 of 10 methods in 36%–100% of individual samples. A purified recombinant insulin preparation used as a common calibrator did not improve harmonization of results among routine methods but was not used as instructed by all participants. Calibration using serum pools achieved bias <15.5% for nearly all results in the concentration range covered by the pools (>60 pmol/L). Calibration using a panel of individual sera was the most effective to improve harmonization of results over the full measuring range. Conclusions: Agreement among methods can be improved by establishing traceability to the IDMS procedure using a panel of native sera. Pooled sera may be useful as trueness control materials. The usefulness of the pure insulin primary reference material [candidate reference material for insulin (cRMI)] requires clarification of protocols used by manufacturers. Measurement of circulating insulin concentrations in serum or plasma may improve the classification and management of diabetes mellitus and assist in treating people with insulin resistance. It is critical that research considered in the formulation of clinical practice guidelines be based on harmonized insulin results. Such harmonization will allow aggregation of information from multiple investigations, enabling evidence-based criteria to incorporate insulin concentrations consistently across assays and laboratories. Robbins et al. (1) reported in 1996 that research and clinical laboratory insulin methods were not adequately standardized to support comparisons among different methods. A work group of the American Diabetes Association in conjunction with the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, the European Association for the Study of Diabetes, the CDC, and the IFCC was established to develop guidelines for measurement performance requirements and to develop a standardization program to achieve sufficient agreement between methods. Recent evaluations (2)(3)(4) of routine methods for measuring circulating insulin concentrations concluded that although concordance could be improved, the current harmonization among methods represented an improvement from the earlier report (1). The workgroup previously reported (2) that (a) many routine immunoassays were specific for insulin and had negligible cross-reactivity with proinsulin and cleaved intermediate products of proinsulin conversion to insulin; (b) insulin concentrations should be reported in pmol/L; (c) agreement of results among routine immunoassays needed improvement; and (d) an isotope dilution–liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (IDMS)1 measurement procedure calibrated with recombinant human insulin should be used as the basis for calibration traceability. We report here an investigation of agreement of results for a panel of 39 single-donor sera measured by 10 commercial insulin methods from 9 manufacturers compared with results from an IDMS measurement procedure calibrated using purified recombinant insulin. We also report the effectiveness of a candidate primary (pure substance) reference material, pooled serum, and a panel of single donor sera to achieve improved agreement of results between the routine and reference measurement procedures. Details of materials and methods, including participating manufacturers, are available in a Supplemental Data file that accompanies the online version of this article at www.clinchem.org/content/vol55/issue5. Fig. 1⇓ provides an overview of the experimental design, and a brief description is provided below. Overview of the experimental design. The electrospray ionization IDMS procedure has been reported (3)(5). Highly purified, recombinant human insulin corporate standard provided by Novo Nordisk was used for calibration of IDMS, with verification using corporate standard from Eli Lilly and Company. A set of 39 single-donation sera were collected from donors, aliquoted, and frozen at −70 °C using a modified Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute C37-A protocol (6). Three pooled serum samples were prepared from frozen units of the single-donation sera, aliquoted, and frozen at −70 °C. The influence on insulin of freezing and thawing was investigated. There was no freeze-thaw effect for 9 of 11 methods; for 2 methods, however, an effect could not be ruled out (see online Supplemental Data file). Pure recombinant crystalline insulin was used to prepare a lyophilized preparation as a candidate reference material for insulin (cRMI) that, when reconstituted, had an expected concentration of 360 000 pmol/L. Each manufacturer was asked to prepare a set of cRMI-based calibrators, spanning the usual measuring range and mimicking the usual method calibrators in response. The high concentration of the cRMI was chosen to enable a near-complete change of buffer matrix around the insulin using each manufacturer’s normal calibrator buffer matrix. The manufacturers measured insulin in the set of single-donation sera, serum pools, and diluted cRMI working calibrators using each method’s usual procedure and product calibrators with a randomized sequence of samples that was defined for each run by the study protocol. The cRMI-based working calibrators were used to generate a second set of results for the single-donation sera and serum pools. After all results had been submitted to the study organizers, the IDMS results for 16 of the single-donor sera were provided to each manufacturer and used to recalculate results for the remaining 23 single-donor serum samples, thus establishing traceability to IDMS. We estimated the contributions from different potential error sources shown in Table 1⇓ using an error model for the differences observed between routine method and IDMS results (7). Error components and their possible sources. Fig. 2⇓ shows the first reportable result, of the replicate reportable results from each manufacturer, for each individual serum sample for each routine method compared to the IDMS mean result. Four of 10 methods (Alpco, Mercodia, Roche, Siemens Immulite) had ≥95% of results that were within the 32% total error allowance for desirable method performance based on biologic variability criteria (2). Abbott and Beckman-Coulter had acceptable total error over most of the measuring range, with lower concentration results exceeding the criterion. Siemens Centaur and Tosoh had a fairly consistent bias over the measuring range. Millipore RIA had consistent bias over much of the measuring range that became progressively larger at lower concentrations. Invitron had excessive imprecision at lower concentrations noted as individual results that exceeded both the upper and lower 32% criterion. Differences between the first reported result (singlet measurement) for each individual serum sample and the IDMS result for that sample compared to the IDMS result for that sample. The lines show the ±32% total error criterion. •, Abbott; ▵, Alpco; ▪, Beckman-Coulter; □, Invitron; *, Mercodia; +, Millipore RIA; ⋄, Roche; ▴, Siemens Advia Centaur; ○, Siemens Immulite; ♦, Tosoh. Fig. 3⇓ shows the bias of the mean of all replicate results for each sample using different calibration procedures for each routine method vs the IDMS mean result. Fig. 3A⇓ shows results using the manufacturer’s usual calibration. Alpco, Mercodia, and Siemens Immulite methods had 5%, 14%, and 18%, respectively, of individual sample biases (primarily at lower concentrations) that exceeded the 15.5% desirable allowable bias for insulin measurement based on biologic variability criteria (2). Seven of 10 methods (Abbott, Beckman-Coulter, Invitron, Millipore RIA, Roche, Siemens Centaur, Tosoh) had 36%–100% of sample biases that exceeded the criterion. Millipore RIA had an approximately constant bias over most of the measuring range, with a progressively increasing bias at lower concentrations. Difference between the mean of all results for each individual serum sample and the ISMS result for that sample compared to the IDMS result for that sample. The lines show the ±15.5% bias criterion. (A), Manufacturer’s usual calibration. (B), Working calibrators prepared from cRMI by each manufacturer. (C), Recalibration based on regression of results using each manufacturer’s usual calibration for 3 serum pools on IDMS results. (D), Recalibration by each manufacturer for a set of 23 samples using the IDMS values assigned to a different set of 16 of the 39 individual sera. Plot symbols are as described in Fig. 2⇑ ; for (B): ×, Millipore ELISA. Fig. 3B⇑ shows that when cRMI was used for calibration, Mercodia, Millipore ELISA, and Roche methods each had 97% of biases within 15.5% of the IDMS values. The remaining 8 methods had 41%–100% of individual samples that exceeded the 15.5% bias criterion. Note that Millipore ELISA results appear only in this figure and the online Supplemental figures, where calibration was based on cRMI, because the usual product calibrators were reported to be unstable by Millipore. Fig. 3C⇑ shows the results after recalculation of the individual donor results using the linear regression of the results for 3 native serum pools on their IDMS insulin values (50, 217, and 513 pmol/L) to harmonize results. All methods had biases within the 15.5% criterion for nearly all samples with concentrations >60 pmol/L. For concentrations <60 pmol/L, the Invitron method had a pronounced negative bias, and that method also had a poor fit for the linear regression of pool results on the IDMS values. For concentrations <30 pmol/L, 5 methods had progressively increasing negative or positive biases as concentrations decreased. Fig. 3D⇑ shows bias for a set of 23 samples after calibration by each manufacturer using the IDMS values assigned to a different set of 16 of the 39 individual sera. With this approach, 6 of 10 methods (Abbott, Invitron, Mercodia, Millipore ELISA, Roche, Tosoh) had 0 or 1 result with bias >15.5%, and the remaining 5 of 10 methods had 3–7 results (13%–30%) that exceeded 15.5% bias. Most biased results occurred at concentrations <60 pmol/L, and the percentage bias increased in magnitude as concentrations decreased. Fig. 4⇓ shows the bias remaining after the mean from each of the 39 individual sera was used to fit either a second- or third-order polynomial to the relationship between results using each manufacturer’s usual calibration and the IDMS results. A second-order polynomial was used for the Alpco, Beckman-Coulter, Siemens-Immulite, and Tosoh methods, and a third-order polynomial was used for the Abbott, Invitron, Mercodia, Millipore RIA, Roche, and Siemens-Centaur methods. Seven of 10 methods (Abbott, Invitron, Mercodia, Roche, Siemens Centaur, Tosoh) had 0 or 1 result with bias >15.5%, and the remaining 4 of 11 methods had 3–6 results (13%–26%) that exceeded 15.5% bias. Most of the biased results occurred at concentrations <60 pmol/L, and the percentage bias increased in magnitude as concentrations got lower. The difference between the mean of all results for each individual serum sample and the IDMS result for that sample compared to the IDMS result for that sample after recalibration by fitting either a second- or third-order polynomial to the relationship between results using each manufacturer’s usual calibration and the IDMS results for each of the 39 individual sera; plot symbols are as described in Fig. 2⇑ . The lines show the ±15.5% bias criterion. Table 2⇓ presents a summary of the error components for each method. Online Supplemental Figs. S3 to S17 show the difference plots for each routine method. The SDs of the error sources 6–8 in Table 1⇑ , sδ−known, were less than or equal to 0.03 for all manufacturers and gave a negligible contribution to the total error. Estimates of error components; all measures are for ln(concentration). Based on the error model, both Mercodia and Roche satisfied the total error requirement. For Abbott, Siemens Centaur, and Tosoh, bias was the only meaningful contributor. For Beckman-Coulter and Invitron, the bias and sample specific effects (sd) should be reduced. For Alpco, both sd and SD between runs (sb) should be reduced, and there may be important contributions from sources 9–11 in Table 1⇑ . For Millipore-ELISA, the sb should be reduced. For Millipore-RIA, there were meaningful contributions from bias, sd, sb, and random error within runs (se). For Siemens Immulite, bias, sd, and sb should be reduced. Alpco and Millipore RIA also had contributions to total error from inadequate calibrator concentrations or algorithms to fit the calibration relationship over the measuring range. Based on work reported anonymously (2) and manufacturers’ instructions for use, 2 of the methods had cross-reactivity with intact proinsulin or its split products that may have influenced the sample-specific effects observed. Total proinsulin, including intact molecule and its split products, was measured in the single donor sera using a Human Proinsulin ELISA (Mercodia AB) procedure. No meaningful correlations with proinsulin concentrations were found for the differences in insulin concentrations measured by a given method and the IDMS procedure (see online Supplemental Data file for details). Consequently, cross-reactivity with proinsulin was not likely to be an important influence on the overall differences between insulin results measured by the immunoassays and the IDMS procedures in this group of samples. A previous report (2) determined that desirable method performance based on biological variability consideration comprised a total error for a single measurement of ±32% and a desirable bias of ±15.5% compared with the reference method value. The biological variability criteria were based on measurement bias and imprecision and assumed there were no sample-specific interferences. It should be noted that small absolute differences at low concentrations will produce relatively large percent differences that may not be clinically meaningful. However, small differences at low concentrations (<60 pmol/L) may be clinically significant in the investigation of remaining β-cell secretory potential in type 2 diabetes or using mathematical models to assess insulin resistance across a broad spectrum of obese and nonobese patients. Measuring low insulin concentrations to at least 10 pmol/L is clinically important for the investigation of hypoglycemia (8) and derived indices of insulin resistance and β-cell function used in epidemiological studies (9). The higher insulin concentrations of 1000 pmol/L or more found in syndromes of severe insulin resistance are within the measuring range of most insulin immunoassays. We found that 4 of 10 routine methods using the manufacturer’s usual calibration had ≥95% of results for the first reportable result of several replicates (simulating typical laboratory practice where a single result is reported) within 32% of the IDMS values (Fig. 2⇑ ). When the mean of replicate measurements of each sample was used to minimize the influence of imprecision, we found that only 1 of 10 methods had 95% of individual sample biases within 15.5% of the IDMS values (Fig. 3A⇑ ). For most methods, the consistent bias over most of the measuring range should be correctable by appropriate traceability to a reference system. For those methods with increasing bias at lower concentrations, the source of the bias may be multifactorial and may include the number of manufacturer’s product calibrators, their concentrations, or the algorithm to fit concentrations to responses of calibrators. We investigated 3 approaches to achieve improved agreement between the routine methods and IDMS results. First, a common calibrator, cRMI, combined with a given protocol for the preparation and conformity validation of the working calibrators prepared by dilution of cRMI was used to calibrate all routine methods. This approach did not improve the harmonization of measured insulin results (Fig. 3B⇑ ). Some methods had improved agreement with IDMS, and others had poorer agreement. The reason for the failure was investigated from the conformity validation data reported by all participating manufacturers and from responses to follow-up questions (see online Supplemental Data file for details). That review indicated that the instructions and protocol for the establishment of the cRMI-based calibrators were not followed by all participants. Consequently, it was not possible to determine if cRMI could have been successful. Based on our findings, the usefulness of a common cRMI reference material cannot be ruled out. A second approach to achieve improved agreement between methods used the linear regression of results for 3 native serum pools on the IDMS values to recalculate results for each individual sample (Fig. 3C⇑ ). This approach was effective in reaching agreement with IDMS within the ±15.5% desirable bias criterion for insulin concentrations higher than approximately 60 pmol/L. At lower concentrations, use of serum pools was not effective, probably owing to inappropriate extrapolation of the regression relationship to concentrations below that of the lowest concentration pool. In the third approach to achieve improved agreement between methods, manufacturers were provided the IDMS values for a set of 16 of the 39 individual serum samples and asked to use those values to recalibrate the original results for the remaining 23 sera (Fig. 3D⇑ ). There were limitations in this approach, because manufacturers used different techniques for recalibration based on the native samples. Some used the serum panel as calibrators with the original measurement responses and the usual calibration fitting algorithms. Others used the serum panel to establish a mathematical relationship between the IDMS values and the original results, and used that relationship to recalculate the results for the remaining 23 samples. Five manufacturers used all 16 samples, 5 used 5–12 samples for various reasons, and 1 method with a 96-well format used 10 or 14 samples that were in a specific run. Similarly to recalibration based on the serum pools, this approach produced good agreement with IDMS for insulin concentrations higher than approximately 60 pmol/L. Below 60 pmol/L, use of a panel of 16 sera also failed to achieve the desired agreement, but was generally more effective than serum pools because concentrations were included that extended to the lowest measuring ranges. The results suggest that when designing secondary reference materials, they should have a wide range of concentrations to enable calibration algorithms to fit the complete measuring range. We used the mean results from all 39 individual sera to establish a mathematical relationship between each routine method and IDMS. Then, using that relationship, we recalculated results for each individual sample (Fig. 4⇑ ). Either a second- or third-order polynomial was required to obtain the best fit to the nonlinear relationship between results over the measuring range for each method. This recalibration approach should minimize calibration bias and analytical imprecision and show primarily the influence of other sources of variability. At concentrations higher than approximately 60 pmol/L, the 39 sera approach gave a similar improvement in agreement to that observed using only 16 sera or serum pools. In contrast, at lower concentrations, the improvement was better, which can be attributed to the larger number of data used to establish the mathematical relationship. Nevertheless, at low concentrations, residual variation of results remained, mainly owing to the combination of imprecision, sample-related effects, and limit of quantification issues. Note that removing the bias mathematically was not sufficient, and manufacturers need to consider additional investigation of their calibration approach in terms of assignment of the zero calibrator, number and distribution of the calibration points, number of replicates used for measuring the calibrators, and curve-fitting model. Finally, it should be noted that using the same data to both establish a calibration relationship and then examine the effectiveness of the relationship represents an idealized situation. However, the consistency with the 16 donors for recalibration and 23 donors for verification supports the observations based on use of all 39 samples for recalibration. An error model for ln(concentration) that allowed isolation and identification of the dominant sources of error (Tables 1⇑ and 2⇑ ) was applied to the differences in results between each routine method and IDMS for the individual sera. In principle, using cRMI as a common calibrator should reduce the contribution from differences in calibration. The requirement for total error for a single reportable results is <32% (with a probability of 95%). If, for instance, SD for an optimally calibrated method (sopt-cal) was <0.10 and the maximum bias within a run was <0.15, the requirement should be satisfied for the worst case (maximum value of both sopt-cal and bias). A necessary condition to fulfill the requirement for bias is that the random error between runs, sb, is <0.07. Overall, 2 methods had acceptable total error. Improvement was needed by 7 methods for bias, by 5 methods for sample-specific effects, by 4 methods for random error between runs, by 1 method for random error within runs, and by 2 methods in the calibration scheme. The results in this report and our previous report (2) suggest that improvements are needed in the calibration procedures for routine immunoassays to meet the desirable total error. All of the routine methods evaluated here claim to have calibration traceable to the WHO first international reference preparation (IRP), coded 66/304, a lyophilized impure preparation of human pancreatic insulin (see online Supplemental Data file) (10). Pure recombinant insulin should be more satisfactory as a primary reference material and allow reporting in molar units. Based on the available results, it appears that improved harmonization of results from routine insulin methods can be accomplished by using secondary reference materials that have been value-assigned by the currently available IDMS procedure calibrated with pure recombinant insulin. We investigated use of 3 serum pools and a panel of individual sera as secondary reference materials. The results suggested that either approach was satisfactory at insulin concentrations >60 pmol/L. The 3 pools were not adequate at lower concentrations, however, most likely because no pool had a concentration <50 pmol/L and the recalibration factors could not adequately correct for nonlinearity in response of some methods at the lower concentrations. The panel of individual sera was the more satisfactory approach because it included samples with low concentrations that approached the limit of quantification of the methods, and the greater number of samples allowed a better mathematical fit over the measuring range. It should be noted that if methods are correctly recalibrated based on a panel of individual sera, subsequent comparisons may show variation related to sample-specific effects, lot-to-lot calibration consistency, and quality control procedures of the manufacturers. A potential limitation to using serum pools was that an interfering or cross-reacting substance introduced from a donor may yield a different response among routine methods and could contribute to miscalibration for a method. The same limitation also exists with a panel of single-donor sera, but there are more data points to average and the influence of a single aberrant sample may be recognized and discarded as an outlier. Cross-reactivity with proinsulin did not appear to influence the conclusions of this report but is a potential source of error when using single-donor sera to establish calibration traceability of a nonspecific immunoassay to IDMS. The harmonization of results among insulin immunoassays can be improved by making several resources available to manufacturers. A panel of single-donation sera (secondary reference material) with concentrations that span the clinically important measuring range of approximately 10–1000 pmol/L and with values assigned by IDMS can be used to establish traceability of a manufacturer’s calibration system to IDMS. These panels will need to be made available on a periodic basis as a resource for continued surveillance of calibration procedures and traceability verification. At this juncture, a complete reference system (primary reference material; reference measurement procedure; secondary reference material) in conformance with International Organization for Standardization requirements (11) has not been established for insulin. The IDMS method used here represents the best available higher-order measurement procedure to determine correct insulin concentrations in different sample matrixes and can be used as a candidate reference measurement procedure. The IDMS procedure needs to be submitted to and accepted by the Joint Committee for Traceability in Laboratory Medicine (JCTLM). A pure recombinant insulin primary reference material needs to be certified by an internationally recognized standards organization. When available, the primary reference material needs to be accepted by the JCTLM. The primary reference material is essential for calibration of the IDMS procedure and can be used in a manufacturer’s system of establishing working method calibrators. Pooled native serum secondary reference materials value assigned by IDMS may be valuable as trueness controls. Such materials can be used in the manufacturer’s internal calibration verification procedures and for monitoring the stability of product calibrator value-assignment procedures. Employment or Leadership: P. Lindstedt, Mercodia AB. Consultant or Advisory Role: G. Nilsson, Mercodia AB. Stock Ownership: P. Lindstedt, Mercodia AB. Research Funding: This work was supported by the American Diabetes Association, which received a grant from GlaxoSmithKline that enabled funding of this work. We recognize Eli Lilly Co. and Novo Nordisk for their generous donation of pure recombinant insulin corporate standard. IFCC provided partial travel support for P.M. Clark and L.M. Thienpont. Acknowledgments: We appreciate the personnel at Solomon Park Research Laboratories, especially Mary Zimmer, who prepared the donor samples and pools. We thank the personnel at Mercodia who prepared the CRMI material. We greatly appreciate discussions with Myrlene Staten, Sue Kirkman, and Scott Campbell regarding the standardization initiative; with Sam Caudill for statistical design consultation; and with Dietmar Stöckl concerning the statistical and graphical evaluation of the method comparison results. 1 See Table 1⇑ . 2 se, SD between consecutive measurements within runs; sc, SD between different positions within a run; sd, SD for sample-specific errors; sopt-cal, SD for an optimally calibrated method; sb, SD between runs (calculated from sc and sB, the SD between runs reported by the manufacturer that includes both sb and sc); bias function, a systematic error component, δ(μ) in Table 1⇑ . Refer to the online Supplemental Data file for details. 3 No values of preparation uncertainty for the calibrators were reported by the manufacturer. A value of 0.05 was assumed. 4 No values of sB were reported by the manufacturer. The same values as for Millipore-ELISA were assumed. 5 No values of sB were reported by the manufacturer. A value of 0.1 was assumed. ↵1 Nonstandard abbreviations: IDMS, isotope dilution–liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry; cRMI, candidate reference material for insulin; IRP, international reference preparation; JCTLM, Joint Committee for Traceability in Laboratory Medicine. Robbins DC, Andersen L, Bowsher R, Chance R, Dinesen B, Frank B, et al. Report of the American Diabetes Association’s task force on standardization of the insulin assay. Diabetes 1996;45:242-245. Rodríguez-Cabaleiro D, Van Uytfanghe K, Stove V, Fiers T, Thienpont LM. Pilot study for the standardization of insulin immunoassays with isotope dilution liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry. Clin Chem 2007;53:1462-1469. Manley SE, Stratton IM, Clark PM, Luzio SD. Comparison of 11 human insulin assays: implications for clinical investigation and research. Clin Chem 2007;53:922-932. Van Uytfanghe K, Rodríguez-Cabaleiro D, Stöckl D, Thienpont LM. New liquid chromatography/electrospray ionisation tandem mass spectrometry measurement procedure for quantitative analysis of human insulin in serum. Rapid Commun Mass Spectrom 2007;21:819-821. Miller WG, Myers GL, Ashwood ER, Killeen AA, Wang E, Thienpont LM, Siekmann L. Creatinine measurement: state of the art in accuracy and inter-laboratory harmonization. Arch Pathol Lab Med 2005;129:297-304. Nilsson G. Comparison of measurement methods based on a model for the error structure. J Chemometrics 1991;5:523-536. Service FJ. Hypoglycemic disorders. N Engl J Med 1995;332:1144-1152. Manley SE, Luzio SD, Stratton IM, Wallace TM, Clark PM. Preanalytical, analytical and computational factors affect homeostasis model assessment estimates. Diabetes Care 2008;31:1877-1883. WHO reference reagent: insulin, human for immunoassay. 1st International Reference Preparation: NIBSC code: 66/304: instructions for use. Version 4.0, 2007 Nov 26. www.nibsc.ac.uk/documents/ifu/66–304.pdf (Accessed November 2008).. . International Organization for Standardization (ISO). In vitro diagnostic medical devices—measurement of quantities in biological samples—metrological traceability of values assigned to calibrators and control materials. ISO 17511:2003 2003 ISO Geneva. .

2019-04-20T10:22:28Z

http://clinchem.aaccjnls.org/content/55/5/1011?ijkey=556f87ea612e9f5c1402b86683b75d70c245a77a&keytype2=tf_ipsecsha

Ajay Gudavarthy explains why given the many forms of political violence in India, it is Maoists who are seen as the biggest threat to democracy. Ever since law enforcement agencies in India raided a clutch of human rights activists and arrested five of them on June 6 and another five on August 28, the State has held up Maoists and so-called “Urban Naxals” as signifiers of the grave threats that India’s democracy and society face. They are now touted as India’s internal enemy number one. On October 18, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh Chief Mohan Bhagwat stressed that the government needed to keep a constant vigil on the so-called “Urban Naxals”. For the Indian state, the Maoists have overshadowed Islamist terrorists, secessionists, those who kill in the name of the cow, those who target Dalits who assert their rights, or brazenly foment communal tension and violence. Whether Hindutva or Maoist violence, there is little doubt that India’s democracy has increasingly turned violent. This trend has been further reinforced by the role of the Indian state. Note, for instance, how the Uttar Pradesh police have become trigger happy. Given the many forms of political violence existing in India, why is it that the Maoists and their politics are seen as a threat to the nation and democracy? What explains the persistence of Maoist politics? What purpose have the Maoists served? The most recent book you edited, Revolutionary Violence Versus Democracy, has proved prescient with the arrest of human rights activists in August and the BJP linking them to Maoists. What would constitute a revolution in 21st century India? Revolution in India has to be cultural, a point [Dr BR] Ambedkar makes in his writings. It means transforming our social structures and social prejudices of caste, religion, gender, regional, urban-rural, etc. In our society, cultural idioms have a vice-like grip over the political. In India, a cultural revolution should inform what political and economic revolutions should look like. Maoists ignore the cultural part. Their problem is the primacy they give to the capture of state power. That is certainly not working. This is because the legitimacy for state violence, or authoritarianism, or fascism in India comes from cultural idioms. Ideas of hierarchy, social distancing, exclusion, and even justification for violence have deep cultural roots. It only follows that the legitimacy of the state as it exists today can be undermined only by working through the cultural idiom. The very title of the book suggests that revolution is not possible in a democracy such as India’s without a measure of violence. The book’s title encapsulates how Maoists perceive the political situation. In one of their documents, Maoists identify electoral politics and caste as the big challenges that [a quest for] revolution in India faces. What I am saying through the title is that the democratic ethos and revolutionary ethos are going in different directions and are becoming irreconcilable. Why are the democratic ethos and revolutionary ethos going in different directions? Though democracy is shallow and not delivering, yet it has spread the idea of equality and dignity across India. Even the last man, the last untouchable, has an aspirational imagination, which has him strive for equality and dignity. By contrast, neo-liberal policies have created massive inequalities, hierarchies, and stigmas in the material world. One way of looking at the spread of democratic ethos is to dismiss it in the typical Marxist way and say it represents false consciousness, and that it is an outcome of the ideological hegemony [of the ruling elite.] The other way of perceiving it is that the formation of these aspirations creates their own socio-psychological dimensions. Revolutionary idealism is partly on the wane because democracy keeps the hope of people [for a better and equitable future] alive. It is on the wane because a large segment of Indians are stranded, to use a phrase from your book, “in the waiting lounge of hope”. Yes, the interesting thing that Indian democracy has done is to create a middle class in every social group, whether it is Muslims, Dalits, or Adivasis, through reservation or development. Take the Dalit middle class, which is urbane, English-speaking, has access to resources and is part of institutional life. They have nothing in common with the rest of the Dalits. The writer Anand Teltumbde keeps repeating that reservation has benefitted only 6% of Dalits. But the Dalit elite also give confidence and hope to the 94% of Dalits. The elite become a role model. Yes, but it is not just symbolical. They provide the rest of Dalits with a sense of security. For instance, if there are attacks on common Dalits, the elite among them would speak out. Take liberal Muslims, whose lifestyle is very different from the majority of their community. When the 2002 Gujarat riots happened, the elite Muslims did speak out. Or take [Prime Minister Narendra] Modi’s portrayal of himself as chaiwalla. His popularity is perhaps the highest among the aspirational lower classes. They think they can become him. Some years ago, I was involved with a survey in Okhla and a pharmaceutical hub near Hyderabad, where girls and Dalits worked for 16 to 18 hours [a day]. They were paid poorly. The typical Left trade union view would have been that working hours and wages were exploitative. Yet when we interviewed the girls, they said it was liberating for them. They said that back home in villages they did not have a life of their own and were economically and sexually vulnerable. Despite the exploitative conditions, they said the Rs 50,000-Rs 60,000 they would save after seven years would provide them with a modicum of security. It was the same with the Dalit workers, who agreed they were exploited. But they said the urban life gave them anonymity, did not expose them to severe discrimination, and that they could least get their children educated in English-medium schools. So the issue before the Maoists is how they deal with this kind of self-perception and the idea of relative mobility that people have. Are Maoists opposed to democracy because it kindles hopes and, therefore, becomes an impediment to ushering in a revolution? Yes, in the sense that wherever complete hopelessness, exclusion and desperation do not mark people, revolutionary means do not work. It does in tribal areas, where, as for instance in the case of Operation Green Hunt [an all-out paramilitary offensive launched by the Union government in 2009] there was a clear programme of annihilation [of the local population]. What can revolution mean to a group that has not lost hope, which enjoys a certain degree of relative mobility? For them the cost of participating in revolutionary violence becomes very high. It is very high because they think they have a lot to lose. People come together to create revolution in a situation of utter hopelessness. Yes, you see inequality growing. But people do not see inequality in absolute terms. They do not compare themselves with the Ambanis. They compare themselves with the previous generation. Neo-liberal capitalism and democracy create among people a sense of mobility, which may seem grossly exploitative to us. But that is not their subjective experience. Obviously, democracy holds out hope to them. What else can explain the high voting percentage of 74% in the last election in Chhattisgarh, which is a Maoist stronghold? The wife of CRPF soldier Surender Thakur – who was killed in a Naxalite attack in Sukma, Chhattisgarh – cries during his funeral at his village in Himachal Pradesh in April 2017. (Photo credit: PTI). Isn’t the BJP’s focus on the Maoist threat ironical in the sense that Maoists do not pose a challenge to the Indian state and democracy as they did, say, even a decade ago? The Maoists were not a challenge to the Indian state even in their heydays of the 1970s. They were not a threat even when [former Prime Minister] Manmohan Singh identified them as India’s biggest internal threat. Their armed cadre is perhaps around 4,000-5,000; they cannot match the state in arms. Their strength is the deep social base they have. For instance, in Telangana in the eighties, their support cut across all classes, from the middle class to social elites, to lawyers, youth, tribals and peasants. Is the talk of Maoist threat a strategy to create anxieties that can be used for electoral purposes or is there a far sinister game afoot? The BJP’s strategy is to create the new other for fighting the 2019 elections. The other is no longer the Muslim. The BJP sought to create the perception that India faces the threat of global jihad. But people are no longer buying into that perception. The Muslim as the other has exhausted its electoral possibilities, not least because there has been no Muslim retaliation against the unprecedented and repeated violence against the community. The BJP cannot also fight the 2019 elections solely on development. Its failure to win the 2004 elections on the Shining India plank haunts them. It is for this reason they have evolved the new strategy of urban Naxal. They have given up on Dalit votes. So the Muslim, the Dalit and the Left together constitute the new, combined other, which is depicted as a threat to the Hindu majority. Who does it leave out? It leaves out the upper castes and the Other Backward Classes. These are the two groups with whose support the BJP plans to fight the 2019 elections. In fact, the human rights activists they picked up or raided were very carefully thought out. Are you saying that each of the activists who were arrested or raided served the purpose of facilitating the BJP’s messaging? Take Varavara Rao, who is a well-known Maoist sympathiser. People can believe that Rao might have been involved in the nonsensical allegation of buying rocket launchers from Nepal. Then you have Anand Teltumbde, who is a Dalit and whose brother is a Maoist area commander in Gadchiroli, Maharashtra. The idea here is to show a link between Dalits and Maoists. K Satyanarayana is an independent Dalit thinker, but he is also the son-in-law of Varavara Rao. Once again, you have the Dalit-Maoist linkage. What about Gautam Navlakha, who was arrested? He is a human rights activist with the People’s Union for Democratic Rights and is broadly sympathetic with the Maoists. But, more significantly, he has done a lot of work on Kashmir. Herein is the Kashmiri Muslim angle, which they have been trying to highlight from the time Rohith Vemula [the Dalit student of Hyderabad Central University] committed suicide, and the controversy surrounding the shouting of anti-India slogans in Jawaharlal Nehru University was triggered [in 2016]. The Indian Muslim is ineffective as a tool [for polarisation]. He has been replaced by the Kashmiri Muslim. After all, there is a secessionist movement in Kashmir, the violence there is visible. Navlakha serves the purpose of linking Islamic jihad to the Maoist-Dalit conspiracy. She has been working in tribal areas. She symbolises the urban part of the urban Naxal. The BJP is apprehensive that the Hindu middle class professionals are not consolidating behind it as its leaders had hoped. These lynchings and hate rhetoric do not appeal to the urban middle class professionals, who want stability, who want to enjoy their glass of wine after they return from office. But what they see on TV is that someone has been lynched here, someone has been bumped off there. For this class, you need a Sudha Bharadwaj to create a threat perception. Daughter of a JNU professor, Krishna Bharadwaj, Sudha voluntarily returned from abroad to work in India, looks like you and I, speaks English, is a professional, and yet she turns out to be a Maoist [in terms of the state’s portrayal of her]. She symbolises the Maoist threat reaching the urban landscape? Exactly. She could very well be your neighbour, and yet she is a Maoist. Such a threat can be felt acutely. My sense is that people, by and large, just did not believe the narrative that was sought to be created by raiding activists and arresting some of them. My sense is that had they not arrested Sudha Bharadwaj, the scenario would have been different. She never had anything to do with Maoist politics. People who petitioned the court, for instance [historian] Romila Thapar, [economist] Prabhat Patnaik, were colleagues of Krishna Bharadwaj. They know Sudha very well. People like Varavara Rao or Anand Teltumbde come from another background – they do not have Bharadwaj’s proximity to the class of intellectuals. They wanted to scare the professional middle class through the arrest of five activists [in August]. But the same class was alarmed by the arbitrariness of it. The middle class person felt that tomorrow it could be him or her or his or her children. The whole idea was so fraudulent that it gave people the courage to speak. In your earlier book, Maoism, Democracy and Globalisation: Cross-currents in Indian Politics, you describe Indian democracy as a violent democracy. On the face of it, violent democracy would seem an oxymoron. Is violence in a democracy such as India’s an outcome of democracy gone pathological? I think so. Not all violence is centralised or emanates from the State. There are different forms of violence in India. There is, obviously, state violence, repression, extra-judicial killings. You also talk of invisibilised violence in your book. It is the violence that emanates from the social structure. No one does physical harm, but it involves exclusion on the basis of caste, gender, religious, etc. It would include routinised exploitation of labour. It is so routinised that we do not even recognise it as brutal and unconscionable. Exactly, we think it is normal. Then you have lynching, caste massacres, engineering of riots, gender and domestic violence, honour killings, bride burning…There is a wide range of violence in India. But not all these forms of violence can be classified as political. No, but the political violence in India has a social-cultural base. There is consequently a justification for it. When Mohammad Akhlaq was lynched in 2015 [in Dadri, Uttar Pradesh], I told my Dalit students that they too should speak out as it was not just a Muslim issue. These students were first-generation learners from villages and belonged to a Dalit organisation. They said that I was getting agitated because of what I had seen on TV. But they said that lynching was a common experience for them, that they had seen Dalits being lynched on minor issues such as an argument over the balance of money the shopkeeper had returned after a purchase had been made. In other words, the political violence that we get agitated over is an everyday experience for a lot of people. The everydayness of many forms of violence existing in India creates a complex narrative. When we speak out against the lynching of Akhlaq or the killing of [journalist] Gauri Lankesh, the Right creates the narrative that we are being selective. Why is it that we did not speak on other occasions? For those who are witness to such everyday violence, even if they do not support the lynchings, they might feel our outrage is selective. This creates a plausible narrative for the rightwing mobilisation. Why is it that only the violence of Maoists is critiqued, challenged and suppressed? Is it because Maoist violence, unlike other forms of violence, seeks to reform or alter the structure of the Indian state? Absolutely, there is simply no doubt about it. The combined death toll of the 1984 anti-Sikh riots and the 2002 anti-Muslim riots in Gujarat would be far higher than the number of people killed by Maoists in, say, 30 years. Maoists have not indulged in genocidal killings or triggered big blasts. Their strategy has been of targeted violence – for instance, individuals whom they identify as their enemy or contractors. Yet Maoists violence is focused upon disproportionately because of the political vision behind it. And that political vision is about their violence being class oriented? Yes, that is why Maoist violence scares the ruling elite. It is not the firepower of Maoists or their cadre strength that scares them. What scares the ruling elite is the deep support base of Maoists. It is deep because the Maoists provide physical protection to Dalits, tribals and peasants [in a socio-cultural scape of extreme coercion], particularly the women. It is the Maoists who stood by them against their oppressors. The Maoist movement could not have survived the onslaught of the state, with its modern weaponry and technology of surveillance, without having a strong local base. So you do not think that time is up for revolutionary violence? In areas where they have a deep support base, revolutionary violence will continue. Obviously, there is also the alternative of development discourse, which is reaching these areas. People say they need the Maoists for protection, dignity and protection of their women. They also say they go out to vote because they need schools, hospitals and such things. As of now, it does not seem that development will trump Maoists. Why do you say in your book that “the relationship between violence and democracy is enabling rather than inherently oppositional”? Revolutionary violence has strengthened democracy because the ruling elite is being constantly told who are the neglected. The [Operation] Green Hunt was a primitive model of accumulation similar to what indigenous Indians in the United States were subjected to. The strategy behind Green Hunt was to carry out a massive displacement of tribals and appropriate their land for mining and big businesses. Credit the Maoists for protecting the tribals from extermination that would have been carried out at the behest of corporate interests. It is the same logic that had Gabriel Garcia Marquez hail the Cuban leader Fidel Castro for being the bulwark against the complete Americanisation of Latin America. Absolutely, my point is that Maoists have kept alive the debate on the invisibilised violence of the state. Ironical though it may sound, it has strengthened democracy. Maoist politics is a constant reminder to the state that India’s development model is excluding, consciously or by default, a segment of Indians. Maoists have the symbolic significance of legitimising protests, of creating spaces for it. While revolutionary violence is a reminder to us of the failings of democracy, Maoists cannot treat democracy as an impediment to revolution. They have to seriously take into account the self-perception of people. In fact, the Right takes the business of self-perception seriously. They, unlike the Left, are able to see the narrative through the lens that people see. So when people think they are relatively mobile and you go tell them that they are being exploited, the message is not in consonance with their lived experience. Revolutionary politics will have to tune in to the lived experience of people.

2019-04-22T20:38:58Z

https://scroll.in/article/897506/interview-why-are-the-bjp-and-rss-and-the-indian-state-obsessed-by-urban-naxals

19.03.2019 2.1.21.x Due to update of system core components, eliminated the facility to start applications running on Java JDK 1.7.x. 08.06.2018 - Modified description of keyStorePwd parameter of instance startup. Added the description of script used to restart the instance using OS tools if required. This script is used to protect the system from the leak of system sources (for example, memory leak) when restarting the instances during the system update (the instances should be restarted if there are changes in the system core). In the GUI version of RadixWare Server application, changed the format of displaying the information on ARTE instance loading. Trace page; unit dialog box | Trace page; ARTE instance dialog box), added the Save to file command of the context menu. To select several messages to be saved, keep Ctrl or Shift button pressed. To start up RadixWare Server, use the RadixWare Starter application (for details, refer to RadixWare Starter. Administrator Guide). To enable RadixWare Server to open the Oracle Wallet, the Oracle account must have the ALTER SYSTEM right. The document describes the RadixWare Server application and its startup procedure. 1 RadixWare Explorer. User Guide The document describes the RadixWare Desktop Explorer and RadixWare Web Explorer application facilities and methods of executing various operations. RadixWare Server is the application server of the RadixWare technological platform. The system can comprise several application servers. The running server copy is called an instance. For each instance, the administrator defines a set of units included in this instance. When starting up the server, it is necessary to specify the identifier of the instance to be started. Once the server is connected to the database, it loads the units described for this instance in the database. Each unit runs one or several OS threads. RadixWare Server executable components are loaded from the SVN repository defined in the RadixWare Starter startup parameters. The repository in use can be the main repository or its replication. For the replication settings of the SVN repositories, refer to Subversion documentation. Automatically. When the versions of the RadixWare Server components are updated in the SVN repository, they are updated on the application server automatically. This way is used by default. Manually. The RadixWare Server components are updated on the application server by the administrator command. To set up the system instance properties and describe a set of units for each instance, use the RadixWare Explorer application. On Windows OS, for the possibility of the rolling upgrade of the starter.jar file for different RadixWare Server instances, it is necessary to have a separate copy of starter.jar for each instance. On Linux OS, it is possible to use one starter.jar for several instances. If the instances are restarted manually, it is enough to update starter.jar once for the first instance to be restarted, the other instances will use the updated file. starter.jar should not be renamed since the auto update script contains the name of the file being updated (starter.jar). The URL of the used database. For the description of the used URL format, refer to the Java SE documentation. The specified user must be the owner of the used database scheme or have <SCHEMA>_RUN_ROLE, where <SCHEMA> is the name of the used database. At the startup, enables the sensitive data tracing and performs it until the time defined by the TIME parameter. The time must be specified in the yyyy-MM-dd-HH:mm format. The sensitive data tracing is enabled for a period not longer than 8 hours. At the startup, enables the detailed tracing of external libraries. The list of jar-files where to search for classes when compiling the user-defined functions. Disables the mechanism of ARTE instances protection against hangup during the long-lasting requests to the database. All RadixWare Server startup parameters are mandatory. It is possible to define these parameters in the dialog box that will open at the instance startup. The startup parameters defined in the command string are used in this dialog box as default values. The instance startup parameters can be described in the configuration file. For the description of the configuration file, refer to RadixWare Starter. Administrator Guide. The instance startup parameters are located in the [Server] section of the configuration file. The supported configuration file options are identical to the startup parameter names, except the initial "-" character. If RadixWare Server is started up using the configuration file, only the -configFile FILE startup parameter must be used. The other parameters must be defined in the configuration file. RadixWare Starter and RadixWare Server can use the common configuration file. At that, RadixWare Starter uses the configuration parameters of the [Starter] section, and RadixWare Server uses the parameters of the [Server] and [App] sections. For this purpose, the configuration file must be specified in the -configFile startup parameter of RadixWare Starter (for details, refer to RadixWare Starter. Administrator Guide). The use of dual control mechanism when managing the roles of system users/users group. During the first RadixWare Server startup, the parameters defining the passwords will be removed from the configuration file. At that, the passwords will be encrypted and saved to the file in parameters with other names. The security parameters define the minimum system security requirements. These parameters cannot be overridden by the system settings defined by means of RadixWare Explorer. If the -autostart or -switchGuiOff parameters are used, define (in the command line and configuration file) all the parameters required to connect to the SVN repository and database because the startup dialog box is not displayed in this mode. If the -switchGuiOff parameter is used, the RadixWare Starter -showSplashScreen parameter is not necessary because the startup screen is displayed when using the latter. Disables the check of compatibility between RadixWare Explorer and RadixWare Server versions. Applies the settings of the last startup. This parameter is used automatically during the normal instance restart. connection encryption must be set up on the Oracle Database server. Oracle Client must be installed and configured for encrypted connection on the computer where the RadixWare Server is started up. RadixWare Server must use JDBC OCI Oracle driver to connect to the database (DB URL of the jdbc:oracle:oci:@dbserver:1521:orcl type, where dbserver — the database server address, 1521 — the port used by the database server, orcl — the Oracle resource identifier). For details on how to set up the encrypted connection to the Oracle Database, refer to Oracle Database Advanced Security Administrator\’s Guide. The Keystore password parameter in RadixWare Server startup dialog box defines the password to the RSA key storage. The system supports key storages on PKCS\#11 devices and in JCEKS files. The used key storage is specified by means of the RadixWare Explorer application, in the settings of the server instance being started. To provide security of the data stored on the Oracle server, it is possible to use the encrypted tablespace. At that, the data on the Oracle server are saved in the encrypted form. The data are automatically encrypted when writing and automatically decrypted when reading it. This technology is called Transparent Data Encryption (TDE). The key for data encryption is stored in the special storage called wallet. The administrator must open the wallet when starting up the Oracle server (at that, the system asks to enter the password to the wallet). The administrator can open the wallet at any time. When the server is stopped, the wallet will be closed in any case. For details on how to set up the transparent data encryption by means of Oracle and how to work with the Oracle wallet, refer to Oracle Database Advanced Security Administrator\’s Guide. If the Oracle wallet has been closed by the time RadixWare Server is started up, the wallet opening dialog box will be displayed in the server startup dialog box at the attempt to expand the Instance drop-down list. In this dialog box, enter the Oracle wallet password and click the OK button. If the wallet opening error occurs, click next to the Instance drop-down list and repeat the attempt. To enable RadixWare Server to open the Oracle wallet, the Oracle account must have the ALTER SYSTEM right. RDX_STARTER_RESTART_EXIT_CODE. The process exit code indicating that the instance has stopped operating and will be further restarted as scheduled. If this variable is defined and the instance needs to be restarted, the instance will terminate with the specified exit code, and the restart script will allow for the instance restart. RESTART_ON_ANY_NONZERO_EXIT_CODE. The logical variable enables / disables the automatic restart of the instance after this instance process has terminated with any non-zero return code. In the dialog boxes of server and units trace if the -switchGuiOff parameter is not used. In the special database tables. It is possible to view the logs stored in the database by means of the RadixWare Explorer application. In the text files. The path to the directory where the log files must be created is specified in the instance settings. The level of detail of the logs displayed on the screen and registered in the database and file is specified by the system administrator in the instance settings and in the settings of particular units. If RadixWare Server has been started up without specifying the -switchGuiOff parameter, the instance will be stopped when closing the server trace dialog box (the user will be asked to confirm the action). sending the SIGTERM signal to the instance process. In Windows OS, RadixWare Server can be started up as a service. For this purpose, special toolkit is used. The toolkit is called java service wrappers. Two examples of using such programs (Java Service Launcher and Java Service Wrapper from Tanuki) are given below. To start up and stop RadixWare Server installed as Windows service, use the standard OS tools. Java Service Launcher is included in the RadixWare platform distribution kit (in the org.radixware/etc/Jsl/ directory). 1.Delete the strings defining the SVN_USER and SVN_PWD parameters. SSH_KEY. The path to the open SSH key. For example, SSH_KEY=/home/user/.ssh/id_rsa.pub. SSH_PWD. The password to the open SSH key. For example, SSH_PWD=1234. Configure the wrapper.app.parameter.* parameters according to the requirements specified in RadixWare Starter. Administrator Guide and in RadixWare Server Startup. Below see the example of the possible parameter values used to start up RadixWare Server from SVN. To check the service configuration, run the RadixWareServer.bat file from the bin directory. To install RadixWare Server as Windows service, run the InstallRdxSrvService.bat file from the bin directory. To uninstall the RadixWare Server service, run the UninstallRdxSrvService.bat file from the bin directory. After establishing connection to the database, the main window of the RadixWare Server application opens. Starting up RadixWare Server for the first time, also opens the dialog boxes of the units being started. The next application startup opens only those unit dialog boxes that were opened before closing the RadixWare Server application main window. Start Server. Opens the instance startup dialog box of the (for details, refer to RadixWare Server Startup). The menu item is inactive for the running instance. Stop Server. Disconnects the instance from the database and stops the instance. The menu item is inactive for the running instance. Update Runtime Components. Loads the last versions of RadixWare Server executable components from the SVN repository and uses them. In case of changes in the system core (the Kernel segment) or the database structure, the instance is automatically restarted. Refresh List of Units. Updates the current list of started units. Perform Instance Maintenance. Checks whether the new version of the application is available, re-reads the settings, resets the metrics data in the database. Reload ARTE Pool. Stops the ARTE instances in turn (with the average time interval of 10 sec.). Oracle Session Trace Options. Opens the dialog box with the settings for the Oracle session tracing on the database server (for details, refer to Oracle Session Tracing Setup). Enable Sensitive Data Tracing. Opens the dialog box with the settings for sensitive data tracing (for details, refer to Sensitive Data Tracing). Create Instance for Recovery. Opens the dialog box used to create the instance for configuration recovery (for details, refer to Creating Additional Instance for Configuration Recovery). The menu item is inactive for the running server. Create Configuration File. Opens the dialog box used to save the current server startup parameters to the configuration file (for details, refer to Creating Configuration File). About. Opens the dialog box with information about the versions of the running product layers. Trace page (for details, refer to "Trace" Page). Units page (for details, refer to "Units" Page). ARTE Pool page (for details, refer to "ARTE Pool" Page). When closing RadixWare Server main window, the user is asked to confirm stopping the instance. Server process ID (SPID). The identifier of the DBMS process to which RadixWare Server is connected. Dump files folder. The directory on the database server containing the Oracle trace file. This parameter is defined in the DBMS configuration. Dump file size. The trace file size restriction. The unlimited value means that the file size has no restrictions. This parameter is defined in the DBMS configuration. Global permission for sensitive data tracing. The current state of the global settings of the sensitive data tracing. It is possible to enable the sensitive data tracing globally by means of the RadixWare Explorer system settings. For security purposes, it is recommended to recall the global permission as soon as the tracing of these data becomes unnecessary. Sensitive data tracing end time. The date and time when the sensitive data tracing will be disabled. Enter the date and time manually or select it in the calendar ( button). The sensitive data tracing can be enabled for a period not longer than 8 hours. In case the user defines the time exceeding this restriction, the system displays a warning message. The sensitive data tracing will be performed only if the global permission on the tracing is on and the date of the local permission displayed in this dialog box has not expired. Instance control SAP address. The network address (the host name and port number separated by colon) that the SAP of the instance management service must listen to. EAS SAP address. The network address (the host name and port number separated by colon) that the SAP of the created instance EAS service must listen to. Specify the same address in the RadixWare Explorer connection settings to connect to the created instance. SCP name. The service\’s client profile. It is possible to select one of the client profiles defined in the database or the No SCP option. If the client profile is selected in this parameter, only the stations assigned to this profile can connect to the created instance. If the No SCP option is selected, only the stations that are not assigned to any client profile can connect to the created instance (but such stations can also connect to other SAPs of the EAS service). The host name must be localhost or one of the network addresses of the computer where the instance is started up (the IP address or domain name). Clicking the OK button in the dialog box creates a new instance and selects it as the one to be started. The instance is described in the database, therefore, the created instance can be used again later. If the parameter has a value at the moment, this value will be set automatically. The Preview field on the right pane of the dialog box displays the contents of the configuration file being created. Clicking the Save button opens the dialog box for the selection of the configuration file to be created. If the server has been started with the use of a configuration file, the file used at its startup will be selected by default. Once the configuration file is saved, the "Do you want to use this file as current configuration file?" question is displayed. If the action is confirmed, the Apply Settings from Configuration File instance command will use the settings from the created file (the command is executed in RadixWare Explorer). The page displays a table containing information on the events invoked by the instance. Right-clicking the title of any table columns opens a dialog box where it is possible to set up the columns visibility. Severity. The event severity displayed as an icon. Date, Time. The event date and time. Source. The subsystem where the event occurred. Context. The object that the event relates to. Some events do not relate to any particular object. Right-clicking the table row displays the context menu containing the Save to file command used to save the trace message to the file. It is possible to select several messages to be saved by keeping Ctrl or Shift button pressed. Debug. Shows all events including the debugging messages. Events. Shows the messages with the "events" severity and higher. Warnings. Shows the warnings (messages on abnormal but not critical situations) and messages with higher severity. Errors. Shows the error messages, including fatal errors. Alarm. Shows only the fatal error messages. This dialog box is used to set up the appearance of the trace dialog box. The appearance options dialog box contains the toolbar and two pages: Font and Color. The Font page displays the name of the font used to display the events and the Change button used to open the font selection dialog box. The Color page contains the buttons for selecting the colors used to display different types of events in the trace. The system administrator sets the trace profile for each server unit by means of the RadixWare Explorer application. Clicking the Show Trace Profile button opens the dialog box containing the current unit trace profile to be displayed in the trace dialog box. This dialog box enables to enter another profile. If the trace profile is changed, the Show Trace Profile button name will change to the Show Trace Profile (Profile Was Locally Overridden), and the icon will change to . Severity. The severity of the most important event of those contained in the unit trace. It is displayed as an icon. State. The current unit state (Unit Stopped, Unit Started, Unit Start Postponed, etc.). Double-clicking on the table row opens the unit selection dialog box (for details, refer to Unit Dialog Boxes). Clears a list of events presented in the trace of units included in the current instance. Opens the dialog box to set up the tracing level (the severity level of events to the displayed in the RadixWare Server main window) for the units included in the current instance. Severity. The severity of the most important event raised by the process. No. The ARTE instance ordinal number. State. The current instance state (free / busy). cpu. Time spent for system operations. db. Time spent for requests to DB. ext. Time spent for requests to external systems. other. Time spent for other actions. The information on the instance usage can be displayed as text (in this case, the information is displayed for the current moment) or as a diagram showing the instance loading for the last minute. To select the display mode, right-click the table header and set/unset the Usage as diagram flag. Double-clicking the table row opens the dialog box containing the event trace of the selected ARTE instance. Clears a list of events presented in the trace of ARTE instances included in the current instance. Opens the dialog box to set up the tracing level (the severity level of events to the displayed in the RadixWare Server main window) for the ARTE instances included in the current instance. Start Unit. Loads the unit and starts all the processes related to it. This menu item is inactive for the running unit. Stop Unit. Stops all the processes started by the unit and unloads the unit. This menu item is inactive for the running unit. Restart Unit. Stops the unit and restarts it. This menu item is inactive for the running unit. Abort and Unload. Closes all unit resources (DB connection, sockets, etc.), marks this unit in the DB as stopped, and unloads it from the server memory. Server-Side SQL Trace Options. Opens the dialog box to set up Oracle session tracing for the current unit (for details, refer to Oracle Session Tracing Setup). Each unit dialog box contains the Trace page that is similar to the Trace page of the RadixWare Server main window, but it displays the events raised by this unit. Moreover, additional pages are displayed for some units (for details, see below). The ARTE unit dialog box contains the additional Statistics page with the diagram showing the unit workload in time. The Speed slider enables to control the speed of the diagram movement. The Start and Stop buttons start and stop the diagram movement, respectively. The Job Executor unit dialog box contains the additional Statistics page with the diagram showing the unit workload in time. The control elements on the page are similar to those on the Statistics page of the ARTE unit (for details, refer to ARTE Unit). Active connections. The number of network connections set in the current channel. Double-clicking on the table row opens the dialog box containing the trace of events generated by the channel. This page was last modified on 19 March 2019, at 14:05. This page has been accessed 247,064 times.

2019-04-21T18:29:21Z

http://wiki.radixware.org/RW_Administrator_Guide/RadixWare_Server

Doklam, like other recent stand-offs in Depsang or Demchok, is not about a road: It is is a message about China’s ire at India building alliances with its adversaries in Asia, and with the US. Beijing seeks, through the threat of force, to instruct India on how countries ought to conduct themselves. Europe’s wars of the future, the Spanish general Manuel Fernández Silvestre y Patinga wrote in 1910, “will be concluded in one day’s hard fighting”. He had observed the Japan-Russia war, where armies fighting with new technologies like rapid-fire field guns and repeating small arms had become locked in entrenched, positional warfare. For him, like most contemporaries, the Japanese victory showed élan would overcome the machine: “The officers quit shelter with ringing shouts of Banzai,” wrote an enthused French observer, “wildly echoed by all the rank and file”. The general, the millions sent to their death in the First World War showed, had learned the wrong lesson: In fact, Russia had been brought to its knees by economic crisis and political revolution. Even at the battle of Mukden, the collapsing Russians inflicted 70,000 casualties while losing 20,000 to the attacking Japanese. Banker and part-time war theorist Jan Bloch, in an 1898 book, had predicted just this: “The future of war”, he wrote, “is not fighting, but famine, not the slaying of men, but the bankruptcy of nations and the breakup of the whole social organisation”. On Tuesday, the government of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe finalised an agreement to sell an 80% stake of the Hambantota Port's operations for $1.1 billion to China Merchant Ports Holding Company Ltd, which also has the contract for the Colombo Port. Inaugurating the first phase of the Magumpura Mahinda Rajapakse Port at Hambantota on his birthday on November 18, 2010, Rajapakse, who was then the President of Sri Lanka, said the port, named after him, symbolised Sri Lanka’s aspiration to be part of Asia’s emergence. “We have shown this by completing this stage of the Magumpura Port even before its target date. This was possible due to the total commitment of the people of China and Sri Lanka. The people of Sri Lanka offer their warmest gratitude to the people and government of China,” Rajapakse said. On Tuesday, the government of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe finalised an agreement to sell an 80% stake in the port’s operations for $ 1.1 billion to China Merchant Ports Holding Company Ltd, which also has the contract for the Colombo Port. Sri Lanka took this step to service the debt on the loan it took from Exim Bank China to build the port, the repayment amounting to SL Rs 9.1 billion ($ 60 million) annually. The cabinet paper on the agreement will be discussed in Parliament on Friday, and the agreement is expected to be signed on July 29. Will Donald Trump Privatize the Afghanistan War? Is the Trump administration going to hand over U.S. peacekeeping operations in Afghanistan to private mercenaries? This is now the big question in national security policy circles. It follows last week’s The New York Times report that Erik Prince, the founder of private security firm Blackwater, and Stephen Feinberg, the billionaire financier who owns defense contracting giant DynCorp International, have been lobbying the Pentagon to replace troops in Afghanistan with contractors. Feinberg’s plan, according to the Times, calls for more collaboration with the Afghan government, but it would also use private fighters—possibly even DynCorp employees—and would put the CIA in command. Both men pitched their ideas directly to Secretary of Defense James Mattis at the behest of Pres. Donald Trump’s advisors Stephen Bannon and Jared Kushner. The news is deeply troubling. There is an obvious conflict of interest in letting contractors devise a military strategy that relies entirely on contractors. In addition, the two pitchmen who stand to profit from it symbolize the worst aspects of outsourcing. KABUL — The United States' longest war doesn't look like it will end anytime soon. Sixteen years have passed. Nearly 2,400 U.S. troops have died. More than $700 billion has been spent. But talk of “winning” is scarce. The Taliban is present in nearly half the country's districts, and the group regularly attacks Kabul and provincial capitals. A fledgling Islamic State affiliate is proving hard to eliminate in the mountainous east. The popularity of the American mission here has eroded into cynicism as the war grinds on. Afghan civilians and security forces are dying in record numbers — and more than 600 civilians were killed by NATO or government-aligned forces last year. Casualties among Afghan security forces soared by 35 percent in 2016, with 6,800 soldiers and police killed, according to U.S. government watchdog SIGAR. Perpetual conflict and lack of opportunity are driving thousands of Afghan youths to either flee the country or join militant groups. Discontent with the government and the revival of ethnic rivalries are threatening to plunge the country into political chaos, or worse. Regional powers such as Iran, Pakistan and Russia advance their own strategic interests in Afghanistan, often at the cost of American objectives. Afghanistan’s mineral wealth could help kickstart the economy, but beware of the resource curse. In addition to Afghanistan’s geopolitical and geostrategic importance, its lucrative mineral resources — estimated to be worth between $1 and $3 trillion — could be one of the major justifications for the United States to remain in the fragile state. Afghanistan is considered to be sitting on one of the richest troves of minerals in the world. The abundance and wide range of natural resources in the country have the potential to provide the backbone for a sustainable economy. While strategic minerals may give Afghanistan a special advantage in attracting international investment, those mineral resources could turn into a resource curse as Afghanistan struggles with the hostility of its neighbors, internal ethnic fractions, rising insecurity, active insurgency, corruption, warlordism, absence of proper and effective institutions, and more importantly the absence of necessary precautionary measures. Afghanistan has long been a foreign aid dependent country. With the economy in very poor condition, there is one thing that can possibly shift Afghanistan’s unstable economy into a stable one: the proper exploitation of its mineral wealth. At the time when critics are frustrated with the United States’ role in Afghanistan after 16 years of war and billions spent in the country, there is a hope that Afghanistan’s untapped mineral wealth will kick-start the economy, reduce its dependency on foreign aid, and ultimately help the country stand on its feet. The revenue generated through commercial mining projects will pave the way for the country to end their reliance on foreign aid, promote industrial socioeconomic development, and engender positive economic conditions at the national level, which will undermine insurgency and provide alternative economic development while ensuring stability. The Trump administration would benefit from recalling the cautionary adage “All that glitters is not gold” when contemplating the theoretical wealth of resources hidden in Afghanistan’s hills. And indeed, Afghan officials push a similar line, emphasizing that mineral resource extraction could provide the kind of revenue that weans Kabul from foreign aid. But neither party in this debate is quite objective about the challenges, clear about their own intentions, or honest about the knock-on effects of attempting to reorient U.S. engagement in Afghanistan toward resource extraction. A new AI development plan calls for China to become the world leader in the field by 2030. On July 20, China’s State Council issued the “Next Generation Artificial Intelligence Development Plan” (新一代人工智能发展规划), which articulates an ambitious agenda for China to lead the world in AI. China intends to pursue a “first-mover advantage” to become the “premier global AI innovation center” by 2030. Through this new strategic framework, China will advance a “three in one” agenda in AI: tackling key problems in research and development, pursuing a range of products and applications, and cultivating an AI industry. The Chinese leadership thus seeks to seize a “major strategic opportunity” to advance its development of AI, potentially surpassing the United States in the process. This new plan, which will be implemented by a new AI Plan Promotion Office within the Ministry of Science and Technology, outlines China’s objectives for advances in AI in three stages. The skies may not be clear, but these days Europe's leaders are more relaxed than they were when the year began under foreboding clouds. Economic growth is gaining momentum and unemployment is slowly going down. More important, voters in France rejected candidates opposed to the European Union, and moderate forces will remain in power after September's general elections in Germany. But while things are relatively calm in the eurozone's two main economies, the next big challenge for the currency area will come from its third-largest member, Italy. The country has to hold general elections by May, and the vote will take place amid discontent with the status quo, which in many cases includes skepticism about the euro. Given the size of the Italian economy and the depth of its problems, the country's politics could have consequences far beyond Italy's borders. Italy was one of the founding members of the eurozone in the late 1990s, and its decision to join the bloc was controversial both at home and abroad. Some observers argued that Italy was not prepared to enter the currency area, while others warned that abandoning the lira, which Italian governments would often devalue to regain competitiveness in times of crisis, could adversely affect the economy. More optimistic commentators said eurozone membership would force the Italian authorities to be more fiscally disciplined. In the end, Rome made the geopolitically driven decision to be among the currency area's founders, in the same way it had been for the European Communities in the 1950s. Pyongyang knows there is no way to use their weapons for gain that would not immediately provoke massive counter-costs. Since the launch of a North Korean medium- to long-range intercontinental missile this month, there has been much anxiety about Pyongyang’s ability to strike U.S. cities. It seems likely that North Korea can at least strike Alaska’s largest city, Anchorage. Some analysts have suggested Pyongyang already has the capability to strike the east coast of the United States. Skepticism may be warranted. North Korea may have trouble with missile reentry, guidance, warhead miniaturization and other technical issues. But nonetheless, it appears quite likely that if Pyongyang does not yet have the ability to strike the lower forty-eight American states, it will soon. Last month, I suggested the United States is on countdown of sorts. North Korea is rushing toward a nuclear ICBM, and Americans will soon be forced to adapt to it, or fight. It seems that decision fork is coming sooner than many expected. Striking North Korea would be incredibly risky, and the United States has learned to live with other states’ nuclear missilization. Russia, China and Pakistan are powers whom Washington would almost certainly prefer were not nuclear. Yet the United States has adjusted. Each of those three, including Pakistan, has treated its weapons reasonably carefully. There has not been the much-feared accidental launch or hand-off to terrorist groups. All appear to think of their nuclear weapons as defensive and for deterrence purposes. Indeed, the offensive potential of nuclear weapons is curiously constrained. They would so devastate an enemy that conquest of said enemy would be pointless—who wants to take-over an irradiated wasteland? Plus, nuclear use would likely bring nuclear retaliation on the attacker, in which case any benefit of a war would be lost to the huge costs of nuclear destruction in the homeland. North Korea’s new coastal defense cruise missile is notable for more than its integrated all-terrain launcher. On June 8, 2017, North Korea carried out the first-ever test of its Kumsong-3 coastal defense cruise missile (CDCM) from near Wonsan, on the country’s east coast. The system, which is known by the U.S. government as the KN19 and was first seen at the April 15, 2017, parade in Pyongyang, is based on a much older ship-based Kumsong-3 anti-ship cruise missile (known by the U.S. government as the KN01), which is itself based on the Soviet-designed Zvedza Kh-35 anti-ship cruise missile. The new CDCM configuration is recognizable by its distinct integrated, all-terrain launcher, which features four missile canisters. North Korea has had a stockpile of Russian Kh-35 Uran missiles in its possession since at least the mid-1990s and has even exported it to third countries, including Myanmar, whose navy has incorporated Kumsong-3 launchers on its F11 Aung Zeya-class frigate. The Korean People’s Navy also features the Kumsong-3 as a primary weapon system on its new corvette and, in February 2015, Kim Jong-un observed a ship-based test launch. Despite the long-known status of this system, the June 2017 test of this system generated some attention, given the novelty of the caterpillar-treaded transporter-erector-launcher (TEL) configuration. You know when you stub your toe and involuntarily utter an expletive? You probably didn’t give it much thought, but you might have been on to something. As children we’re taught that cursing, even when we’re in pain, is inappropriate, betrays a limited vocabulary or is somehow low class in that ambiguous way many cultural lessons suggest. But profanity serves a physiological, emotional and social purpose — and it’s effective only because it’s inappropriate. Management vs. Leadership...Are they mutually exclusive? What is the distinguishing characteristic between management and leadership? Are they mutually exclusive from each other? The distinction between management and leadership has often been based on viewing management as “doing things right” whereas leadership is seen as “doing the right things”. Management is often described as a mechanical and administrative activity, whereas leadership is viewed as involving change and developing more effective organizations. Managers are often viewed as applicants of rational problem solving, sometimes referred to as “organizational engineers” who use objective technical criteria to achieve well-known goals. Leadership however, is viewed as the process of creating a social organism or “living enterprise” that is active, capable of changing, and responsive to the environment. Each of these views is incomplete in its description of the management/leadership role in real organizations. Each perspective emphasizes certain aspects of the management/leadership role while ignoring other interpretations. These incomplete views have inhibited our ability to understand the increasingly complex management/leadership process. A coalition of nations and non-government organizations recently concluded negotiations at the United Nations on the “Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons,” an internationally legally-binding document that would ban the signatories from developing, testing, producing, manufacturing, possessing, transferring, stockpiling, hosting, or using nuclear weapons. The treaty will be open for signature on September 20 and is expected to easily pass with one, make that, over 35 major caveats. No nuclear weapon-possessing state, or any state covered by the U.S. nuclear umbrella of extended deterrence, is expected to vote in favor of the treaty. The only state from this group to even attend the negotiations, the Netherlands, voted against the treaty language. When the treaty is formally adopted, it will indeed be a historic accomplishment. But, it will remain to be seen whether it will attain the historic fame of the Intermediate Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty — which successfully banned an entire class of U.S. and Soviet nuclear weapons — or historic infamy, like the Kellogg-Briand Pact — which (very) unsuccessfully banned war as an instrument of the state. The first US National Action Plan (NAP) on Women, Peace & Security (WPS) was issued in 2011, as a call to action “to accelerate, institutionalize, and better coordinate efforts to advance women’s inclusion in peace negotiations, peacebuilding activities, and conflict prevention and response; to protect women and girls from gender-based violence; and to ensure safe, equitable access to relief and recovery assistance in areas of conflict and insecurity.” The NAP substantively drew its goals from United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 (2000), passed with US support, and was updated in 2016. As the White House seeks to turn steel overcapacity into a national security matter, the issue is alienating not only China but America’s NATO allies. 'They're dumping steel and destroying our steel industry, they've been doing it for decades, and I'm stopping it. It'll stop. There are two ways: quotas and tariffs. Maybe I'll do both." Only days after China’s US Ambassador Cui Tiankai warned the US on “troubling developments" that could derail the bilateral relationship, US Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross said he would present Trump a range of options to restrict steel imports on national security grounds - even as Europe’s NATO leaders were already lobbying against the White House’s steel efforts. After the Trump-Xi Summit in early April, the US and China announced a 100-Day Action Plan to improve strained trade ties and boost cooperation between two nations. “This may be ambitious, but it’s a big sea change in the pace of discussions," Wilbur Ross said at the time. The service’s weapons are increasingly unsuited for tomorrow’s battlefields, but there’s too little time and money to start from scratch. One of the most confounding discussions in defense circles these days is how to go about modernizing the Army. Almost everyone supports it in principle, but several critical questions remain: What should the future of the Army be, why is that Army needed, how and when should we build it, and how can we afford it? This state of confusion is particularly dangerous because threats to land forces are growing even as the Army’s modernization program has been hit with a triple whammy: steep modernization funding reductions, vanishing investment in new systems, and a missed procurement cycle during the last buildup. The Army finds itself today at a precipice where it can no longer continue to underinvest in modernization without significant risk to tomorrow’s warfighter. Army leadership needs a strategy for modernization that establishes clear, compelling priorities for increased investment that can deliver more resilience, mobility, and lethality to Army units in the near, medium, and longer terms. Hyten Outlines STRATCOM Overhaul; Nukes Sooner For F-35? OMAHA: Strategic Command chief Gen. John Hyten today confirmed, more than two months after news first broke of a shift, that he’s ordered a series of sweeping changes at STRATCOM. Basically, he got rid of the Joint Functional Component Commands for space, global strike, cyber, integrated missile defense, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance and whittled them down to one for space, one for air, one for maritime and one for missile defense. (Actually, Congress got rid of one component for him by making Cyber Command independent). They are also now called Joint Force Component Commands, so we’ve got the same acronym but a different name. That will drive people mad until Hyten, with his crystal clear mind, realizes they must be changed. In addition to the JFCCs, Hyten abolished the six nuclear task forces that were responsible for airborne tankers, Atlantic and Pacific nuclear missile submarines, strategic communications, bombers and reconnaissance aircraft, and land-based ICBMs. Instead, they are grouped, logically, within the four commanders now responsible to him. The biggest command change involves Gen. Jay Raymond, the head of Air Force Space Command. As Breaking D readers know, the position was elevated to a four-star billet and became the space JFCC. A new report shows just how easy it is becoming to download designs for difficult-to-trace arms. In the darker corners of the Internet where search engines cannot go, black markets offer pistols, machine guns, even explosives — and most worrisome to security researchers, computer aided design, or CAD, files for 3D-printed guns. A new report from RAND looked at 811 weapons listings on a dozen dark-web markets, which continue to thrive despite the shuttering of sites like the Silk Road and, just this month, AlphaBay. Firearms were the top-selling category, with was 339 active listings, roughly 42 percent of the market. But the next-largest share, with 222 listings, was a variety of digital products, from build-it-yourself explosives manuals to CAD files. The researchers note such digital products pose “additional challenges,” to law enforcement. “While guides and manuals on how to make bombs at home were illegally circulating on the web well before the establishment of cryptomarkets, the level of accessibility provided by these platforms represents reason for high concern among policy makers and practitioners,” they write. Arms watchers have been fretting about 3D-printed guns for years. In 2014, European researchers with the Small Arms Survey presented a working paper to the United Nations that featured an entire chapter on the 3D-printed future. When the iPhone came around in 2007, there were many sceptics. Would people really spend so much money on a phone? Would the touchscreen interface really work? And would people be willing to adapt to life without physical buttons? Ten years later, buttons are a thing of the past, smartphones are at the center of many people’s lives and Apple is the most profitable company in the world. Our chart illustrates how Apple has changed since the iPhone release in 2007 by comparing key metrics for the company's fiscal years 2006 and 2016. The Trump administration isn’t making it a foreign policy priority. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson’s decision to close the State Department’s Office of the Coordinator for Cyber Issues and fold its responsibilities into the Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs has provoked widespread criticism. Critics often express two arguments. First, the decision signals that the Trump administration is downgrading cyber’s importance in U.S. foreign policy. Second, the decision means the United States will forgo the benefits a cyber-focused unit within the State Department can generate. Neither argument is persuasive, which undermines calls for the Trump administration to maintain the office. It was clear well before Secretary Tillerson’s decision that the Trump administration was not going to emphasize cyberspace in foreign policy as the Obama administration did. Closing the cyber coordinator’s office is consistent with the Trump administration’s marginalization of cyber issues in foreign policy. Nothing communicates this attitude better than the White House’s refusal to confront Russia’s cyber interference in the 2016 election and, instead, express a desire to establish a joint cybersecurity unit with Russia. Closing the office is also consistent with the administration’s marginalization of the State Department in its “America First” foreign policy. Why are the protocols and rules of engagement for defending cyberspace seemingly different than in the physical world? Especially when it comes to defending the private sector? During an appearance at an event hosted by the Aspen Institute July 18, Alexander outlined his vision for defending the nation in cyberspace, noting that the gist of this plan is what he briefed to President Trump during a recent meeting on securing the nation. Alexander explained that most agree the government and private sector own this responsibility; however, for the private sector, if they can’t see what or who is attacking them, they can’t ask for help. Practice makes perfect. For America's cyber teams, the last stage of their validation and certification to achieving full operational capability occurs at the annual Cyber Guard and Cyber Flag training exercises. While Cyber Guard games whole-of-nation defense in a simulated disaster. Cyber Flag is "a joint and combined military exercise focused on training and validating the Cyber Mission Force's capabilities and readiness to execute all phases of conflict across defensive and offensive capabilities of USCYBERCOM's assigned mission area responsibilities in support of Combatant Commands," according to U.S. Cyber Command. Identify how the military can include cyber effects in an operation. Determine if teams can identify characteristics of the terrain — either in an offensive or defensive environment, depending on the team's mission set. An April 2017 issue of The Economist headlined with the dire warning: “Computers will never be safe.” The headline seems especially prescient given the last few months, as reports of major cyber attacks have flooded international media. From Wannacry, Petya, and attacks on Ukrainian infrastructure to reports of Russian hacking attempts on U.S. nuclear reactors and electoral hacking, cyber vulnerabilities are outpacing our ability to defend against malicious cyber threats. The Department of Homeland Security’s Industrial Control Systems Cyber Emergency Response Team says it has never seen so many successful exploitation attempts on the control system layer of industrial systems. That means hackers are increasingly infiltrating the networks of major industrial operations all the way down to the sensors and systems that manage our digitized worlds. Major U.S. infrastructures — electric grids, dams, wastewater, and critical manufacturing — are vulnerable to physical damage from cyber attack. This has created a unique national security problem for the United States. For the first time in modern American history, a prolific set of adversaries can target the homeland with little warning and at low cost. This creates a soft-underbelly target for state and non-state actors motivated by greed, opportunism, radical beliefs, or good old-fashioned state coercion. That was his message to a roomful of county officials at the National Association of Counties Tech Town Hall on Saturday and in an interview with Route Fifty, a Defense One sister publication, afterward. Allen is no slouch on these issues. Perhaps best known for his command of the NATO International Security Assistance Force and United States Forces in Afghanistan over his 38-year military career, and service as Deputy Commander of U.S. Central Command, he has significant expertise on cyber warfare. He currently serves as co-director of the Brookings Institution’s Center for 21st Century Security and Intelligence. The zeal the United States and USSR had to outperform one another in the Space Race was beneficial to scientific progress. The Space Race between the United States and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics post World War II was a tipping point in the history of mankind. This superpower race intensified the Cold War rivalry because for the first time mankind was looking to compete in the arena of space. Dominance over space and the race to outdo one another became a matter of pride for both the United States and USSR. The competition to conquer space was so huge that a new benchmark was set by one of the two superpowers almost every year throughout 1950s and 1960s. There were many “firsts” during the Space Race. The first intercontinental ballistic missile in 1957, the first artificial satellite (Sputnik 1) in 1957, the first dog in orbit (sent by Sputnik 2) in 1957, the first solar-powered satellite, the first communication satellite, etc. The Space Race didn’t just leave an impact on the area of space research, it left a wider impact in the field of technology. The technological superiority required for the dominance of space was deemed a necessity for national security, and it was symbolic of ideological superiority. The Space Race spawned pioneering efforts to launch artificial satellites. It prompted competitive countries to send unmanned space probes to the Moon, Venus and Mars. It also made possible human spaceflight in low Earth orbit and to the Moon.

2019-04-21T23:04:12Z

http://strategicstudyindia.blogspot.com/2017_07_30_archive.html

Trupanion (NASDAQ: TRUP) is one of the bigger medical allowance providers for bodies and dogs with over 400,000 pets enrolled. However, that represents alone a baby allocation of the over 150 actor bodies and dogs kept as pets in the U.S. — a massive bazaar befalling that could spell years of advance for the 17 year-old company. In this interview, Tom Gardner and Andy Cross sit bottomward with Trupanion architect and CEO Darryl Rawlings and lath affiliate Dan Levitan to apprentice added about the adventure abaft this Foolish, fast-growing business. This account was originally recorded on Oct. 31, 2017. Tom Gardner: Well, I anticipate we accept about an hour together, which is absolutely great. If anybody should bead off afore again it’s absolutely understood, but anyone can jump in anytime. This is added of a chat than annihilation else. I’ll aloof bang it off with some array of formal-sounding beginning. Andy Cross and I are aing by Darryl Rawlings and a lath affiliate of Trupanion, Dan Levitan, who additionally was an broker in The Motley Fool activity aback from the backward 1990s advanced about a dozen years, so it’s abundant to be able to allocution to you both and accept a chat about Trupanion. Darryl, we were talking offline about the founding of Trupanion. Maybe you could aloof accord us a little account of what you were accomplishing appropriate afore you started the aggregation and what the agitator was for starting the company. The dog’s abdomen had askance and my parents didn’t accept the money. It was a abhorrent aftereffect for everybody. We larboard afterwards our dog. The veterinarian wasn’t able to do what [he was] accomplished to do. My parents not alone absent their dog and allotment of their family, but it was awkward and difficult that they weren’t able to account for this. It ashore with me. Fast advanced about 10 years later. I basic to alpha a business. I basic to alpha Trupanion. I had no money. The alone affair I [had] was a acclaim agenda I activate in my mailbox with a $5,000 limit, so I took that acclaim agenda and started a cigar business. I had my dog, Monty, [with me every day] architecture that business. He was alleged afterwards Montecristo cigars. I congenital that business for a few years and again awash that for about $500,000. That was in 1998. I took my gain from that and started Trupanion and issued our aboriginal action to my dog Monty in 2000. Gardner: And aloof for anyone who hasn’t apprehend our buy address — and I assume you all apperceive or I achievement you all apperceive — we alleged you in our Rising Stars solution that represents the 40 smaller-cap companies that we adulation the most. They’re all U.S.-domiciled companies [except for] maybe one or two alfresco the U.S. There are a lot of things we adulation about Trupanion and so we’re aflame to apprentice added about it. But for somebody who hasn’t apprehend that address from us, can you aloof breach bottomward how the business works? Rawlings: If you alpha at a aerial level, I’ve been aggravating to break the botheration that my parents faced, which was it’s absolutely difficult for pet owners to be able to account for the abrupt costs of aback and if their pet becomes ailing or injured. It’s complicated. How abundant money would you put aside? It’s alike added complicated aback you anticipate about all the altered breeds and aback you anticipate about all the altered costs of veterinary affliction in one burghal adjoin the other. So our artefact is appealing simple. We pay 90% of a veterinary balance if a pet becomes ailing or afflicted afterwards they get Trupanion. It’s connected coverage. We achievement to get pets enrolled as puppies and they break with us for the activity of the pet. And the basal bread-and-er bulk is we accept what the bulk is. I’ll use an example. [For] the boilerplate bulk of a Golden Retriever we add 30 credibility on top of that and that’s what we allegation to the pet owner. The acumen a pet buyer would appetite to pay the customs and, say, a 30% barrier is a pet buyer doesn’t apperceive if their pet is activity to be boilerplate or not. You could accept an afflicted Golden Retriever or a advantageous one. Alike if they end up with an boilerplate one, over their pet’s absolute activity they don’t apperceive about timing. You could accept all the problems in the aboriginal ages that you own the pet and accept no problems for the draft of its activity or it could all end up in the aftermost month. So we’re aloof aggravating to break that ambiguity and our artefact is advised to allotment that accident adequately amid pet owners. When I started, the aggregation we had four altered bulk subcategories, but over time we abstruse that Toronto was added big-ticket than Winnipeg. We basic to accept the aforementioned bulk hypothesis so we’ve done that, now, by over 1.2 actor subcategories. We’re appraisement bottomward to zip cipher levels every blazon of brand so that the pet buyer makes abiding that they accept the appropriate advantage and they’re actuality answerable a fair price. Gardner: Dan, aback did aback Maveron get complex with Trupanion and why? Dan Levitan: Well, basically Maveron apparent Trupanion in 2006. I took a cruise to a abode alleged Bowen Island alfresco of Vancouver and met the nine-person Trupanion aggregation at the time. It was a air-conditioned baby company. They had 5,000 pets that they insured at the time. And one of the bodies I talked to was a guy alleged David Rawlings. I said, “You’ve got the aforementioned name as the CEO. What’s your relation?” He said, “I’m Darryl’s dad. ” I said, “Oh, that’s interesting. Acquaint me about Darryl.” And the aboriginal chat out of Darryl’s dad’s aperture was Darryl has consistently basic to body a pet allowance company. One of the things that Maveron looks for as a clandestine broker [is] abundant people. And [finding] abundant bodies in abundant businesses afore they’re apparent is an advantage to the CEO who, for some reason, is not activity to abort and is aloof motivated to do something. We activate that out in 2006. We concluded up arch Darryl’s Series A annular in 2007 and we’ve had the amusement of actuality both on the lath and a actor for the aftermost decade. Gardner: And obviously, Dan, I apperceive how aing you and Howard Schultz are (the architect of Starbucks). My anamnesis is a little fuzzy, but I bethink Howard’s adventure about his ancestor and a bloom allowance affair [with his dad] that I anticipate arose in his childhood. Or maybe it was article forth the curve of a banking affair that came up. Levitan: You accept the adventure right. His ancestor got aching carrying something. [Howard] came home and saw his ancestor laid up with no allowance and that was an absurd motivator for [Howard]. I anticipate one of the things that accepting had the advantage of actuality complex with the Starbucks IPO in 1992, and actuality complex there somewhat in the aftermost 25 years, [is] we attending for accustomed capacity in these businesses. Abundant leaders who can abound and calibration over time, ample markets that are decidedly accessory to architecture ample businesses, a awful differentiated product, and an access to a bazaar and an actuality to bear that product. And as I anticipate of my career, whether or not it’s Starbucks in 1992, or in 1999 two absurd guys alleged Tom and David Gardner in a business alleged The Motley Fool, or Darryl Rawlings in a business alleged Trupanion in 2007; there’s a assertive affinity to the leaders, and to the alertness to booty a differentiated access on what the artefact and account is, and a bulk bulk hypothesis of actuality accurate to the end user/consumer. Andy Cross: Dan, that’s fantastic. This is Andy Cross. I assignment with Tom on Motley Fool ONE, the Rising Stars portfolios, and our Discovery portfolios. I’d like to dig a little added into the appropriate agency that you mentioned in your account at the end. Aback I anticipate about Trupanion and the business archetypal they’re architecture — the way you go about accouterment allowance and solutions to your barter (if you alarm them customers) or to your clients’ barter in a altered way — I’d like Darryl to allocution a little bit about the accent of aggravating to do things a little bit differently. I’ve absolutely been impressed. I achievement anyone who listens to us has a adventitious to go apprehend Darryl’s actor letters, because they’re absolutely alarming aback you anticipate about communicating to a actor base. They’re accounting in a altered way. Darryl, I basic to ask you to allocution a little about how important actuality altered and differentiating, abnormally in the allowance space, is for you. Rawlings: I anticipate the aftereffect is we anticipate actual differently, but not for the account of actuality different. We’re aloof aggravating to break the botheration and that’s affected us to anticipate differently. For example, best of our antecedent competitors would be aggravating to bulk out how to ascendancy costs. To advertise article for a assertive bulk point and again alive backwards from there. We addled that on [its] arch and said that if we accept the best basal bulk proposition, bulk is not an issue. Let’s awning what the pet buyer needs covered. That meant that over the aftermost 17 years we’ve had to apprentice specific data: the aberration amid a Golden Retriever and a Shih Tzu, and the aberration amid the bounded bulk of veterinary affliction in Manhattan adjoin Albany adjoin Boise, Idaho. We additionally don’t anticipate a acceding archetypal is any way for this class to grow, so we appetite to pay hospitals anon afore the pet buyer picks up their pet. There’s a accomplished agglomeration of things we do [in] aggravating to break the botheration for the pet buyer which is counterintuitive to best bodies in the allowance business. We rejoice [when] advantageous invoices because we apperceive aback pet owners accept an afflicted pet, they become our bigger spokesperson. And at the bulk of who we are, it’s about [enabling] the veterinarians [to provide] the akin of affliction that they appetite and are accomplished to do, and that the pet owners are accumbent with the veterinarian and that bulk is removed from that barrier. We’re the alone aggregation with a civic sales force calling on veterinarians. We’ve fabricated over 500,000 contiguous visits aback we entered the U.S. bazaar in 2008. A lot of these things differentiate us, but we’ve done it with the purpose of aggravating to break the botheration for the pet buyer and for the veterinarian. Gardner: Darryl, you accept 10 chips to place, let’s say, in a business message. You can abode those chips on communicating to a pet buyer about the accent of accepting allowance because they adulation their pet. That’s one. And the additional abode you can abode chips is you’re communicating with the pet buyer about the accent of a acute banking accommodation [when] accepting allowance accustomed the costs of veterinary care. Area do you abode the emphasis? What are pet owners cogent you affairs to them as they accomplish this decision? Rawlings: Let’s allocution about the admeasurement of the market. There’s about 176 actor bodies and dogs in Arctic America. Currently 1% to 2% of them accept some anatomy of medical insurance. But aback a veterinarian recommends it to their clients, and decidedly to bodies with a new puppy, new kitten, or a new five-year-old they aloof adopted from a shelter; one out of four bodies enroll. Our artefact is not article that happens infrequently. It’s not infrequently used. Aing to 15% of our audience accept an balance every distinct month. Pets become sick. They become injured. Pets are crumbling seven times faster than humans. A lot of us accept children. I’ve got two boys 10 and 12. Can you brainstorm not accepting to go see the doctor for 10 years? Well, that’s a year and a bisected in a pet’s life. So the bulletin is adage we’re aloof authoritative it easier for you to booty affliction of your pet. We’re authoritative it easier for you to account for them. Listen to your veterinarian and we’ll booty affliction of accumulated else. The veterinarian is a key allotment of our message. Over 60% of all our pets are referred by veterinarians. Aback we access a new market, that cardinal is afterpiece to 90% and again over time it is our absolute audience that are accepting acceptable adventures that acquaint their accompany which is our additional bigger lead. Cross: Darryl, a quick story. My sister-in-law is a veterinarian. Aback I asked her about Trupanion, she instantly raved about it. She and my brother accept bristles pets (dogs, cats, and all kinds of things). She said she had switched pet allowance companies four or bristles times afore she activate Trupanion. She said now she’s absorbed for life. It’s aloof the best band-aid out there, so acclaim there. The aftereffect catechism I basic to [ask] is article you wrote about in your 2016 anniversary letter beneath the branch “2016 Learnings”. [You wrote] that in America we adulation our pets so abundant and we accept such an affecting affiliation to our pets. Can you allocution a little bit about some of the abrogating reviews you may apprehend about on some of the added sites? Considering there’s such an affecting affiliation we accept with our pets, if addition has a [bad] acquaintance and they address abrogating reviews do you see some of those reviews? From the business and ability sides, how does your aggregation handle [negative reviews]? Rawlings: I anticipate what you’re talking about is online reviews, like a Yelp or article else. Anytime you apprehend article that’s not positive, it may aching at first. The best affair to do is if you can apprentice from it, go advanced and apprentice from it. Unfortunately, a lot of online reviews are not accurate online reviews, so aback somebody writes a review, it is as acceptable to be from somebody aggravating to abbreviate the b or from a adversary as it may be from a chump accepting a abrogating experience. Aback we see something, we try to yze [if we made] this mistake. Can we ability out? Is there a pet buyer that went through this band-aid and approved to break it? On the cast side, I anticipate the absolute cardinal of online reviews for Trupanion, if you aggregated every armpit together, would be 3,000 to 4,000. But to accord you an idea, in any accustomed ages we’re advantageous out over 70,000 invoices. We do centralized reviews in the consequence of about 10,000 chump reviews a month, and our accumulated array on that are abundant afterpiece to 10 than they are [to] 9, so aloft 9.5. We apperceive best of the time we accept abundant chump experiences. Occasionally we accomplish mistakes, but aback we do accomplish a aberration it’s an befalling to advance for every added chump in the future. Our all-embracing booty is we’re actual aboriginal in architecture this category. [We’re not babies. We’re toddlers]. We apperceive how to allocution but we abatement bottomward frequently and occasionally we still abrasion pull-up diapers because that would accomplish a blend in our pants. We are learning. I anticipate in 2025 we’ll be acceptable at what we do. We’ve got a bright band on the chump acquaintance we appetite to accept and the bulk proposition. We apperceive the abstracts we’re aggravating to build. We apperceive the relationships, one hospital at a time, that we’re aggravating to body and there’s 28,000 total. We don’t, for any moment, anticipate that we’ve got this nailed or that we’re perfect. We’re aggravating to accomplish connected improvements. Gardner: You’ve already accumulated one or two examples, but could you accommodate two or three added examples of accumulated from how you’re appraisement the allowance to how you’re architecture relationships with your vets or your sales force? Altered agency that you’re application abstracts to accomplish smarter decisions for your stakeholders. Rawlings: [To understand] the bulk of what we allegation to do we can go appropriate aback to the adventure about my parents. We’re aggravating to advice bodies budget. And to advice bodies budget, we allegation to accept what the boilerplate bulk is and we allegation to do that by a accomplished agglomeration of subcategories. It wouldn’t be fair for us to allegation the aforementioned bulk for a Shih Tzu as we do for a Bulldog. I own two Bulldogs. Bulldogs are the agnate of a 1976 Maserati. They’re not the best reliable but we adulation them dearly. A Shih Tzu is abundant added like a Toyota Corolla. We allegation to accept the basal costs. We add 30 credibility on top of it. About 10 credibility of that is for us to account our clients, so we’re 24/7. If a pet gets ailing at three o’clock in the morning, we appetite to pay veterinarians directly. We allegation to be able to advice them, so our chump account includes things like exceptional taxes, acclaim agenda processing fees, and accumulated it takes for us to accumulate a pet enrolled. We end up with about a 20% addition margin. In my actor belletrist I say that we’ve got a alleyway to catastrophe with a 15% ultimate allowance afterwards you accommodate our anchored expenses, which we’re still scaling. But that ends up cogent us what the chargeless banknote breeze is that we accomplish for a Bulldog, for example. Let’s say an boilerplate Bulldog is $100 a month. Our net allowance will be $15 afterwards we paid claims and serviced the pet. If we accumulate that pet on boilerplate for 70 months, again we apperceive what the lifetime bulk of that pet is. We apperceive what that connected advanced beck of banknote breeze is. [That] again informs us how abundant money we can absorb to access while accepting outsized centralized ante of acknowledgment for our shareholders. So the abstracts that we accept is not aloof actuality acclimated to advice us bulk added accurately. It’s actuality able to appearance us what the lifetime bulk of a subcategory of pets is. It could be New York. It could be Golden Retrievers or a breed. And again it informs us on how abundant money we can absorb to try to access that pet. We use the abstracts to advice acquaint us how adamantine we appetite to ability out for about-face rates. We use the abstracts to acquaint us how we can [add] advantage bales for our advisers so that they can accept abundant accomplishment while accepting acceptable returns. The abstracts streams everywhere central of our building. We run five-year plans. We’re currently alive on our 2020 affairs that we developed in 2014. We apperceive what assertive metrics we appetite to ability and we use our abstracts to acquaint us aback on a accustomed year area we are in that process, but added chiefly bottomward by anniversary administration how we’re advanced not alone by ages but by day and by minute. We’ve got TV screens adage how we are tracking at the acceleration of advantageous invoices, or how abounding pets are enrolling, or what our assimilation ante are. The abstracts tells us if we’re accomplishing a acceptable job. If we’re not. If we allegation to improve. Those are things we’ve been accomplishing for a cardinal of years. We accept paid over 2 actor veterinary invoices. That balance abstracts is giving us a alleyway to apprentice about claims automation and appropriate now, aback we pay hospitals anon which is our adopted method, they accept a animal draft and we’re accomplishing them in beneath bristles account 24 hours a day. Using our abstracts will acquiesce us, someday, to be able to automate a allotment (hopefully a ample percentage) so that we can alpha to pay things in 10 seconds. So actuality faster, quicker, and added able is a way that we can accord added aback to the chump and accept a bigger bulk proposition, which increases assimilation ante and increases about-face rates, which increases our lifetime bulk and allows us to advance added money to try to abound this category. So those are some examples of how we alive and anticipate about data, but they don’t fit in aloof one department. They’re cross-functional beyond the company. Gardner: Thank you. Some ample allowance companies accept taken a attempt at this class and exited. Why? Rawlings: This artefact is not like annihilation that they have. Let me alpha at aloof a aerial level. I mentioned afore that I accept two sons. They’re 10 and 12 years old. If I came home to my wife and said, “Honey, I aloof saw the cheapest bloom allowance for our children,” what do you anticipate would appear to me? Rawlings: … Caroline would be upset. Gardner: … a agnostic look. Rawlings: Yeah. This is not the blazon of artefact that you appetite cheap. I acquaint bodies in the architecture there’s two things you don’t appetite bargain in life: sushi and bloom insurance. We appetite bulk and accepting the basal bulk is alarmingly important in what we do. That’s not the archetypal mindset of a ample allowance company. Ample allowance companies are in absolutely commoditized articles area they’ve already congenital out a category, and the alone way they’d accomplish money, about for best curve of business, is by in their minds allotment lower accident and actuality able to bulk article cheaper. We are fundamentally the opposite. We appetite to be able to action the advantage that bodies need, in the bounded bazaar they allegation it, for the brand that they allegation it and accept all the coverage. We accept to accept the aplomb that aback we pay out seventy cents on the dollar for the boilerplate pet buyer that we’re able to pay out a college ambition than is acceptable by others. This agency we annihilate frictional costs. We own everything. We own our own allowance company. We don’t use reinsurance. It’s our own 24-hour alarm center. We accept our own civic sales force. Anytime we can annihilate frictional amount and accord added aback to the consumer, we do that. When acceptable allowance companies try to appear into the marketplace, they anticipate this is an acquaintance game. It’s not. This is an accepting game. Is it accustomed at veterinarians? Do they get abaft it? Do they accept in it? And accepting your own civic sales force calling on veterinarians. Accepting 17 years of abstracts to bulk at 1.2 actor categories. We accept about 500 advisers in our Seattle office. Over 300 of them accept formed for five-plus years in a veterinary hospital. We are vet-centric. We accept it. Those are not abilities that assignment if you advertise activity insurance, car insurance, or acceptable accountability insurance. Our accomplishment set is unique. It’s difficult for somebody to appear in and try to advantage what they have. Their bodies advantageous the invoices would not be able to apprehend a veterinary invoice, the actuaries don’t accept the abstracts to be able to price, and you allegation to be able to booty a actual abiding approach. [With] our business the big bets that we accomplish are bristles and 10-year decisions. Best companies are authoritative decisions that are one to three years old. So the types of things that we go after, that we’re advancing on, that differentiate us to body moats about us are 10-year moonshots. Architecture a civic sales force. We now accept over 100 bodies in the field. We’ve been architecture that for over 15 years. Integrating with convenance administration software so that we can pay them directly. We’ve invested able-bodied over $20 actor and we’re now about six or seven years into it and we’re still in the action of accepting deployed. So I anticipate the accumulated of our point of appearance — the acumen that we have, at any accustomed day 250 dogs in our appointment — and the actuality that we adulation our mission are all agency that differentiate us from a typical, ample competitor. This is not about who’s got the bigger wallet. This is not about who can put up the best acquaintance ads. It’s a accumulated of bulk proposition, relationships with the veterinarians, compassionate your data, and actuality abiding focused. Cross: That’s great, Darryl. Thank you so abundant for that overview. I appetite to ask a catechism about the altitude for your clients; specifically, for veterinarians and veterinarian hospitals. We saw Mars appear in beforehand this year, I believe, and buy up VCA. I’m ytical as to how alliance in that amplitude impacts you. Does that affect you? Is it a pro? Is it a con? Do you not anticipate about it? [Does it affect you] from a applicant perspective? Rawlings: At a macro akin there’s about 28,000 veterinary clinics or hospitals throughout Arctic America. The boilerplate hospital has about 1.5 veterinarians and about 2,500 pets that actively appointment that hospital. [The cardinal of] hospitals or vet clinics that are corporately endemic is a little over 2,000. Amid 2,000 and 2,500. The Mars ancestors is the bigger accumulated buyer of that 2,000. They accept endemic Banfield [for years], which has, I believe, about 800 to 900 hospitals. They own Blue Pearl, which is the bigger barometer and specialty hospitals [group] and really, I think, one of the admirable jewels that Mars owns. The assignment and akin of affliction they action is incredible. They accept addition accumulation alleged Pet Partners, which is about 150 hospitals and again they afresh purchased VCA that had about 700 to 800 hospitals. We were partnered with the majority of them, so we partnered with Blue Pearl, Pet Partners, and VCA afore the acquisition. There is clandestine disinterestedness money advancing into the amplitude area clandestine disinterestedness is affairs 20 hospitals here, 50 hospitals there. I anticipate Mars is a actual acceptable abiding owner. Accumulated I apperceive about them as a aggregation is they’re cerebration about 10 and 20 years. But the all-inclusive majority of our amplitude is independently-owned entrepreneurs. That’s 25,000 or 26,000 of the 28,000 hospitals. Those that are corporately endemic ability be a little bit added financially motivated and they’ve been affairs hospitals at maybe 12x EBITDA [or] 14x EBITDA. For those corporately-owned hospitals to get a reasonable or an bigger acknowledgment on their investments, the best affair that they can do is access same-store sales and the best apparatus for them to do that is to get added audience on Trupanion. So our audience visit, on average, alert as frequently as audience afterwards allowance and they absorb over alert as abundant money. The boilerplate applicant has an added $3,000 actuality spent on accidents and affliction over the pet’s life. So I anticipate we’ve got actual acceptable alignment with all the corporately owned. I anticipate if they appetite to get a bigger return, the added audience that are on Trupanion the better; but I anticipate as important or added important are the added 25,000 independently-owned hospitals. They’re small, absolute businesses that are activity to be aggravating to attempt adjoin the beyond accumulated ones, and a lot of acquirement is larboard to that channel. A lot of pharmacy has confused to places like 1-800-PetMeds or to the Wal-Marts of the world. If you anticipate about a lot of aliment it’s larboard the vet channel. So a lot of what was abetting acquirement to the vet is abrogation and they’re actuality larboard with accouterment good, regular, routine, bactericide affliction and actuality able to action abundant affliction if the pet is ailing or injured; and aback the audience don’t accept that banking barrier aback they accept Trupanion, we absolutely advice the business, corporately endemic or not. I apprehend the trend will abide that added corporately endemic will go bottomward the line, apparently led by clandestine disinterestedness and again maybe a brace of bodies rolling up from there, but I anticipate we’re able-bodied partnered and able-bodied accumbent with them. And ultimately bethink that we do not accept the 25% of pet owners who buy us aback recommended are bulk sensitive. We’re anticipate they’re bulk sensitive. The added veterinarians can do — the added veterinarians can allegation — absolutely increases the appeal or allegation for our product. Thirty years ago, an big-ticket veterinary balance ability be $1,000 and people’s disposable and arbitrary assets or their acclaim agenda ability accept been able to handle that. Today if you accept a pet that’s at a barometer or specialty hospital that bare anaplasty and had a multiday stay, you’re activity to be attractive at $20,000 to $25,000. So we are actual able-bodied accumbent with the added a veterinarian can do, the added barometer and specialty hospitals out there, the added advancements of affliction they do, the greater the appeal is for our products. And we’ve apparent our account costs go up on boilerplate 5% to 6% year over year for the aftermost 17 years that’s absorption that affectionate of inflationary bulk to veterinary medicine, and during that time we’ve had college about-face ante and assimilation ante reinforcing the actuality that pet owners are not examination their pets as disposable or discretionary. They’re allotment of the family. I’m wondering. With the advance and success of your business, what accomplish are you demography to enhance your ability as you abound and what challenges are you adverse in accomplishing so? Rawlings: I had a catechism about this a brace of canicule ago. The way that they asked the catechism was, “In the beforehand canicule adjoin now, what are the challenges in culture?” What afraid me was aback Dan aboriginal met me and I had beneath than 10 advisers alive with me, it was appealing accessible to accept the culture. We all sat in one room. We accumulated one bathroom. We formed together. We could apprehend everything. But what afraid me is that aback we had 30 or 40 people, the ability started to edger out those that were not aligned. Aback you accept bigger numbers and you’re absolutely focused on your culture, it makes it harder for bodies that become bureaucratic, or apathetic moving, or non-innovative, or in our apple not pet admiring or caring, or accept our mission, or are abstracts centric. They don’t fit in. I wrote about it, I think, in our 2015 actor letter. Our ability has ebbed and flowed over time. I anticipate what’s absolutely important for us is that we are spending a lot of time on apprenticeship and allegorical new bodies that appear into the aggregation what our bulk ethics are, because our ethics accept guided us through every adamantine atom that the aggregation has had for the aftermost 17 years. And authoritative abiding that bodies are empowered. That they accept the ethics of the aggregation and how that fits into our culture. In essence, I anticipate that’s our strategy, and aback it’s alive well, accepting ample numbers can absolutely help, but you allegation to consistently be focused on it. You can’t booty it for granted. I’m not abundant of a actuality that brand gardening, but I would anticipate it’s actual similar. It’s a lot easier to break on it circadian than to try to advance it already a month. It’s alarmingly important and our ethics drive us and adviser us through it. Gardner: Dan, if I apprehend the 14A filings correctly, Maveron owns added than 15% of Trupanion. Aloof for a affiliate of our account who’s become a actor of Trupanion and is maybe acquirements about the buying anatomy of a business and how a lath works, what does it beggarly for you and Maveron to own that ample pale of the business? Typically, we see VCs or adventure investors activate to abandon a brace of years into the accessible bazaar run of a business, but actuality you are on the lath arctic of a 15% pale if I do accept that correctly. Maybe allocution to us a little bit about your role, Maveron’s stake, and how you anticipate about it in the future. Levitan: I anticipate it’s apparently best to accord a little actual context. As I said, we had the advantage of arch the Series A in 2007 and so pre-IPO I anticipate we endemic 22% of the business. Article like that. As a adventure backer what you do is you accomplish an advance and you accompany the board. Darryl and I befuddled easily that he best me to try and advice him body this company. As we approached actuality a accessible company, the aggregation had developed a lot and the lath and the composure about him had developed a lot, also. The aggregation went accessible in 2014 and we’ve been actual boring distributing our stock. We accept no blitz to get out of these businesses and, frankly, cat-and-mouse has accepted decidedly financially rewarding, here. But I anticipate Darryl’s consistently had a able think-like-an-investor acclimatization about the board, so agnate to the way you guys acquainted about your lath at The Motley Fool, I anticipate Darryl has consistently basic a big articulation of the broker in the boardroom and that’s one of the roles that Maveron and I accurately play. Levitan: I’ll acknowledgment it. I’ll acknowledgment it. Gardner: I adulation it. Booty it, Dan. Levitan: One of the abounding affidavit why I invested in this business 10 years ago — one of the abounding affidavit why I haven’t awash a allotment that I’ve been advantageous abundant to get — is this is what Darryl was put on this planet to do and he’ll do this the aing 15 or 20 years. The acumen why I afield cut him off to acknowledgment that catechism is it’s one of the few things that I apperceive for a certainty. The abiding charge to accomplish a business assignment and the activity that I was put on this apple to do this is embodied with Darryl Rawlings. I anticipate he’s fabricated it bright that it’s his family, surfing, and Trupanion. Gardner: Darryl, aloof so you know, we’re demography that as a acknowledged acceding you aloof addled with us as alfresco shareholders, because as you may or may not know, our angle and my angle as an broker is to be a abiding owner, partner, and stakeholder in the business. I appetite the businesses that I advance in to advice me apprentice added about the world. To acquisition things that I accept in and to accumulation from it, as well. So, in our Rising Star service we’re mandated. We may not advertise any b in beneath than bristles years and what we’re accomplishing agreeable in this account now is anniversary division we’ll be abacus new basic to our 40 businesses. We won’t reinvest in all 40 of them and we will not reinvest appropriately in the ones that we do reinvest in, but we will not be affairs any of the shares of the 40 companies that we’ve recommended to our associates and invested in ourselves. So one of the things I’m attractive for is administration that has the aforementioned time anatomy as I do, and I’ve heard you say, Darryl, a brace of times Mars is an alignment we like because they allocution in 15 to 20-year periods and anticipate that way. Companies like Costco do, as well. Are there one or two businesses or business leaders out there that you’ve abstruse from and that are reaffirming for you in the way you anticipate about the charge you accept to Trupanion? Rawlings: There’s a lot of bodies I adore and I’ve approved to apprentice from. I’ve been advantageous abundant to accept interfaced with Howard Schultz and what he’s done with Starbucks is incredible. But at the bulk of what’s important is he’s cared about every abundance and the advisers in the stores. He’s ashore with his ethics from the beginning, so that’s been inspiring. Cross: A acceptable abode to go. Rawlings: What Bezos has done at Amazon and how he thinks about his P&L and reinvesting for abiding moats is incredible. I adulation leaders in companies that accept approved that they affliction about authoritative abiding that the chump wins and they get alignment forth there in authoritative those big investments. Those are three companies that are in Seattle, but I could accumulate activity bottomward the line. Rawlings: Aloof cerebration in bristles and 10-year chunks is altered than most. Cross: Darryl, we alone accept a few added minutes. Aloof two [more questions] from me. Obviously, there’s endless of befalling in this space, mostly about [pet owners of] bodies and dogs. I’m ytical about how Trupanion and the business thinks about insuring added pets and is that a bazaar for Trupanion? Rawlings: The abbreviate acknowledgment is we’re not yet as acceptable as we anticipate we should be on bodies and dogs. I anticipate we’re exponentially bigger than most, but we are not area we appetite to be there. Rawlings: And the bodies and dogs beddy-bye on our beds. I anticipate 75% of bodies and dogs beddy-bye on our beds, now, and if they’re not in the beds they’re sleeping on our couch. It’s a altered cerebral arrangement than a pet that’s in an aquarium or in a barn. It doesn’t beggarly bodies don’t adulation those. We absolutely affix with that band with the bodies and dogs, and we appetite to get acceptable at that first. I anticipate we’re added acceptable to add cartography (going to addition country) rather than aggravating to bulk out horse allowance or article else. Cross: My wife aloof told me about a crazy adventure she apprehend about addition who slept with their snake. I won’t go into that, but aloof a crazy story. Cross: Yes, exactly. My aftermost question. In your abundant 2014 letter you said your ethics are, “We do what we say. Simple is better. We do not abuse afflicted pets. We’re innovative, and fair, and we adulation pets.” My question, though, is [whether the ethics are] listed in adjustment of priority. Aloof a little accomplishments on how you anticipate about those bulk ethics and again how adamantine it was for you and your aggregation to accent those. What affectionate of altercation happened abaft the prioritization of those bulk values, because “we adulation pets” is aftermost in that list. Rawlings: Yes, they are because you could adulation pets but not do what you say, and that’s not activity to fly. If you anticipate about our product, I was actual appetent aback Steve Jobs was able to airing out assimilate a stage, cull the iPhone out of his pocket, authority it up, and say, “This abuse thing’s activity to be the best affair and it’s activity to change your world.” Bodies would buy it. They’d accessible that white box. It wouldn’t accept an apprenticeship chiral and central of 30 abnormal or a minute they’d accept it in their easily and they’d be cogent their accompany how air-conditioned it is. That’s the ogue of a actual product. We are the opposite. Our artefact is a agglomeration of words and a basic that absolutely bluntly cipher reads. Our artefact is accepting pet owners and veterinarians assurance that we’re activity to do what we say. That has to be the arch adviser for us. Admiring pets is a claim to get into the architecture but it’s not enough. Gardner: My final question, Darryl, is that a business biographer and thinker that I adore is Nassim Taleb who wrote Antifragile which is a admirable book, but in this case I’m activity to accredit all the way aback to The Atramentous Swan, which is [also] a admirable book. The explanation of The Atramentous Swan is The Impact of the Awful Improbable. And one of the things Taleb says is what bodies don’t apprehend is best of the atramentous swan contest are actual positive. It’s like you wouldn’t accept accepted Google to appear forth and draft up as it has. Of course, there are the atramentous swan abrogating events. That book was appear appropriate afore the banking crisis. I’m apprehensive if you could allotment with us what you see as a awful doubtful abrogating that keeps you up or a accident you’re aggravating to administer over the aing bristles to 10 years at Trupanion, and again what you anticipate a awful doubtful huge absolute is that could appear for Trupanion. Rawlings: At the bulk of our business we accept a actual large, underpenetrated market. Every one point of assimilation amount is about $1 billion in acquirement at our account costs. In Europe, for example, in the UK 27% of bodies and dogs accept medical insurance. In a lot of Western Europe it’s 5% to 15%. Australia and New Zealand. I’m not anxious about the admeasurement of our market. We’ve got a actual ample market. When I anticipate about our action of accepting accumulated captivated about the veterinarian, it is a adamantine strategy. Architecture a civic sales force is difficult, and architecture relationships one hospital at a time is difficult, but I’m absolutely assured that the strategies this aggregation has and the moats that we accept about our business are continued appellation and sustainable. What keeps me alive at night is aloof execution. Do we accept the appropriate bodies on the appropriate seats of the bus with the appropriate sets of tools? Accept we accumbent everybody so they acutely accept what we’re aggravating to do, how we’re aggravating to do it, and can we admeasurement it? Is our advantage archetypal accumbent with that? I anticipate our bigger accident is ourselves. It’s not the alfresco market. It’s not competitors. It’s absolutely about us actuality able to assassinate on our plan. I anticipate the bigger upside for us is we get a angled point area veterinarians beyond Arctic America change one simple affair that the dentists accept already done, and that is to ask every distinct applicant at check-in who your medical allowance is with. And if we can aloof accept that one simple catechism asked at 28,000 hospitals for every pet at every check-in like dentists do aback they ask who your allowance provider is or has it changed, again the acquaintance and accepting of our artefact will abound and our accession and our bulk hypothesis will acquiesce us to accept a good, advantageous bazaar share. Gardner: Well, we’re acquirements from you, Darryl, and from your company. We’re a allotment of article that we accept in — the assignment that you do — and we’re accepting an befalling to accumulation from it, together, over the aing bristles to 10 years. So acknowledgment so abundant for spending the hour with us Darryl and Dan, and to anybody that’s alive at Trupanion. We’re the alive actor of Trupanion. Not the alive trader. We’re the alive thinker about what you are creating. We absolutely adore what you’ve created and we’re acclaim for you, of course. Acknowledgment so abundant for spending the hour with us. Rawlings: Thank you for dupe us. Cross: Thanks, Darryl. Thanks, Dan. Gardner: We’ll see you all in Seattle. Rawlings: See you in Seattle. John Mackey, CEO of Accomplished Foods Market, an Amazon subsidiary, is a affiliate of The Motley Fool’s lath of directors. Andy Cross owns shares of Starbucks. Tom Gardner owns shares of Netflix and Starbucks. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Amazon, Netflix, and Starbucks. The Motley Fool owns shares of Trupanion. The Motley Fool recommends Costco Wholesale. The Motley Fool has a acknowledgment policy.

2019-04-21T04:06:04Z

https://www.realtyexecutivesmi.com/13-reasons-why-you-shouldnt-go-to-13-corolla-invoice-price-on-your-own-13-corolla-invoice-price/110473/

1987-12-01 Assigned to ECC INTERNATIONAL LIMITED, JOHN KEAY HOUSE, ST. AUSTELL, CORNWALL, ENGLAND PL25 4DJ, U.S., A BRITISH COMPANY reassignment ECC INTERNATIONAL LIMITED, JOHN KEAY HOUSE, ST. AUSTELL, CORNWALL, ENGLAND PL25 4DJ, U.S., A BRITISH COMPANY ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST. Assignors: GANE, PATRICK A. C., O'NEILL, GRAHAM P. There is disclosed a method for improving the rheological properties of a clay mineral which, when dispersed with water, either releases into solution or retains on its surface multivalent cations, which method includes the step of treating the clay mineral in aqueous suspension with an aluminosiliceous material having a cation exchange capacity of at least 50 meq/100 g, said aluminosiliceous material being employed in an amount sufficient to react with a significant proportion of the exchangeable cations in the clay mineral. Also disclosed is an aqueous suspension of a clay mineral, a method for preparing a paper coating composition and a method for improving the rheological properties of a clay mineral. This invention relates to a method of improving the rheological properties of clays, more especially kaolin clays, in water, to a pigment composition for use in aqueous dispersions, for example in paper coating compositions, and to a method of preparing an aqueous suspension containing from about 60% to about 75% by weight of a clay mineral and having improved rheological properties. Many varieties of coated papers are produced today. They are principally coated with a composition, sometimes known as the coating colour, which essentially comprises an adhesive, also known as a binder, and a pigment. A discussion of the constituents of paper coating compositions and of the methods of applying such compositions to paper is given in Chapter XIX, Volume III, of the 2nd Edition of the book by James P. Casey entitled "Pulp and Paper: Chemistry and Technology". The adhesive used can be, for example, starch, casein or a synthetic resin latex; the particular adhesive used will depend, for example, on the printing process to be used, e.g. offset lithography requires the adhesive to be water-insoluble. Generally, the pigment will consist of clay together with an amount, which may be up to 60% by weight, of one or more other constituents, for example, calcium carbonate, calcium sulphate, lithopone, barium sulphate, titanium pigments, talc or satin white. In certain procedures for preparing kaolin clay for use in industry, especially for use in paper coating compositions, and in particular in those procedures which are commonly adopted in the United States of America, the raw kaolin clay is subjected, in aqueous suspension, to various particle size separations. The thus beneficiated fine kaolin product is separated from the water by filtration and the filter cake redispersed in water to form a more concentrated suspension containing from about 50% to about 60% by weight of dry clay. At this stage two alternative methods are available to produce a final suspension which is suitable for transport and storage. In the first method the suspension containing 50-60% by weight of dry clay is spray dried and the spray dried product redispersed in water containing a dispersing agent to provide a suspension containing around 70% by weight of dry clay. In general a final suspension prepared by this method is found to have acceptable rheological properties under conditions of high shear. In the second method, however, the suspension containing 50-60% by weight of dry clay is not spray dried but instead is mixed with sufficient previously spray dried clay to increase the solids content to around 70% by weight. The final suspension prepared by this method generally tends to exhibit a higher viscosity under conditions of high shear than an equivalent suspension prepared by the first method. The present invention provides a way of overcoming the disadvantage of the second method. It has been discovered that certain raw kaolinitic clays, when subjected to purification and particle size separation to yield a product suitable for use as a pigment in a paper coating composition, give poor results when a paper coating composition containing the clay product is coated onto a base using modern highspeed coating apparatus, for example a trailing blade coater. Such clays tend to give a coating which, instead of being smooth, level and continuous, is marred by streaks, stipples and other defects, and it is known that defects of this type are generally due to the high viscosity of the coating composition under high rates of shear. EP-No. 0110036 A (Georgia Kaolin) discloses a method of processing naturally occurring kaolin clay in which ion exchange resins are employed to remove charged soluble impurities from the clay. This technique suffers from the disadvantage that the ion exchange resin must be separated from the clay after treatment if the clay is to be used as a paper grade pigment. According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for improving the rheological properties of a clay mineral which, when dispersed with water, either releases into solution or retains on its surface multivalent cations, which method includes the step of treating the clay mineral in aqueous suspension with a an aluminosiliceaous material having a cation exchange capacity of a least 50 meq/100 g, said aluminosiliceous material being employed in an amount sufficient to react with a significant proportion of the exchangeable cations in the clay mineral. According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided an aqueous suspension of a clay mineral which, when dispersed in water, either releases into solution or retains on its surface multivalent cations, and an amount of an aluminosiliceous material having a cation exchange capacity of at least 50 meq/100 g sufficient to react with a significant proportion of the exchangeable cations in the clay mineral. admixing an aqueous suspension of the treated kaolin clay pigment with an adhesive. According to a fourth aspect of the present invention there is provided a method for improving the rheological properties of a clay mineral which, when dispersed in water, either releases into solution or retains on its surface multivalent cations, which method includes the steps of blending a clay mineral having a solids content in the range of about 50% to about 60% by weight of solids with a spray dried clay mineral to increase the solids content to within the range of from about 60% to about 75% by weight of solids, and adding to the blend an aluminosiliceous material having a cation exchange capacity of at least 50 meg/100 g, said aluminosiliceous material being employed in an amount sufficient to react with a significant proportion of the exchangeable cations in the clay mineral. The aluminosiliceous material is preferably used in an amount of at least 0.1% by weight, based on the weight of dry kaolin clay. Preferably, no more than 2.0% by weight of the aluminosiliceous material should be used since greater than 2.0% may affect adversely the properties of the clay mineral. The aluminosiliceous material preferably has a cation exchange capacity of at least 200 meq/100 g, most preferably 500 meq/100 g. The method of the present invention has been found to be particularly suitable where the clay mineral is a kaolin clay. Hereafter, references to kaolin clay should not be construed as limiting the present invention to the treatment of kaolin clays only. The present invention is based on the discovery that one of the causes of poor high shear rheological properties in a paper coating composition containing a kaolin clay as the or one of the pigments is a relatively high content of water-soluble compounds containing multivalent cations, in particular calcium, magnesium, iron and aluminium, closely associated with the kaolin. Paper coating compositions generally contain the minimum quantity of water consistent with a fluidity which is just sufficient to enable the composition to spread over the surface of the paper. In such concentrated suspensions a dispersing agent must be provided for the kaolin. The dispersing agents generally used are alkali metal or ammonium condensed phosphate salts, for example sodium hexametaphosphate or tetrasodium pyrophosphate, or polyelectrolytes such as alkali metal or ammonium salts of poly(acrylic acid) or poly (methacrylic acid). Any multivalent cations which are present in the suspension tend to form complexes with dispersing agents of these types, thus reducing their effectiveness in maintaining the suspended particles of kaolin in a fully dispersed condition. The aluminosiliceous material may be natural or synthetic and may be, for example, a smectite clay, for example bentonite, montmorillonite, hectorite, saponite or fullers earth, or, more preferably, a zeolite, Smectite clays generally have a cation exchange capacity in the range of from 50 to 150 meq/100 g but zeolites may have cation exchange capacities in excess of 200 meq/100 g and up to about 600 meq/100 g. Examples of suitable zeolites are synthetic faujasites (zeolites X and Y) and the natural zeolites clinoptilolite, phillipsite and mordenite and an alkali metal ion exchanged form of chabazite. Especially preferred is zeolite 4A which generally has a cation exchange capacity in the region of 500 meq/100 g. If zeolite A is used as the aluminosiliceous material the amount required is generally smaller and will generally be in the range of 0.1 to 0.5% by weight. The cation exchange capacity of kaolin clays themselves is most commonly in the range from 5 to 15 meq/100 g. A zeolite 4A may be synthesised from a gel comprising sources of oxides of aluminium, silicon and sodium, but may also be prepared by treating metakaolin produced by calcining a kaolinitic clay with a sodium hydroxide solution under the conditions described, for example, in British Patent Specification No. 1603084. It has been found to be advantageous to use a finely divided zeolite having an average particle diameter in the range of from 1 to 4 micron. A zeolite 4A formed from metakaolin according to the process of British Patent Specification No. 1603084 will generally have an average particle diameter within this range but a synthetic zeolite may have to be comminuted to give a finely divided product having the desired average particle diameter. The aluminosiliceous material is preferably mixed with the kaolin clay before, or at the same time as, the dispersing agent is added. One of the advantages of the present invention, particularly when the aluminosiliceous material is a zeolite, is that it is not essential to separate the clay from the aluminosiliceous material after treatment therewith. It is, however, within the scope of the present invention to remove the aluminosiliceous material by means of, for example, a sieve, before the kaolin is contacted with the dispersing agent. Alternatively, the kaolin suspension could be passed through a column which was packed with zeolite granules and which ensured good mixing. The dispersing agent is preferably a polyelectrolyte such as, for example, an alkali metal or ammonium salt of a poly(acrylic acid) or of a derivative of a poly(acrylic acid) and the quantity required is generally in the range of from 0.05 to 1.0% by weight, based on the weight of dry kaolin clay. A paper coating grade kaolin was prepared by subjecting an aqueous suspension of a raw kaolinitic clay to particle size separations to give a final product having a particle size distribution such that 80% by weight consisted of particles having an equivalent spherical diameter smaller than 2 microns and 0.02% by weight consisted of particles having an equivalent spherical diameter larger than 10 microns. The final product was found by chemical analysis to contain 70 ppm (parts by weight per million parts by weight of dry kaolin) of water-soluble calcium and 18 ppm of water-soluble magnesium. An aqueous suspension was prepared containing 68.6% by weight of the dry kaolin product, sufficient sodium hydroxide to raise the pH of the suspension to 7.5 and 0.3% by weight, based on the weight of dry kaolin, of a sodium polyacrylate dispersing agent having a number average molecular weight of 1680. A second suspension of the dry kaolin was prepared as described above except that 0.2% by weight, based on the weight of dry kaolin, of a zeolite 4A having an average particle diameter of 2 microns and a cation exchange capacity of 550 meq/100 g was mixed with the kaolin before the dispersing agent was added. The paper coating of dry solids compositions were made up with water to about 62% by weight and sodium hydroxide to pH 8.5. The high shear viscosity of each paper coating composition was measured at a shear rate of 12840s-1 by means of a Ferranti-Shirley viscometer. Each of the two paper coating compositions was coated on to an offset printing base paper having a substance weight of 86 gm-2 and a caliper of 100 microns using a "HELI-COATER" (Registered Trade Mark) laboratory paper coater of the type described in British Patent Specification No. 1032536 rotating at a speed of 400 rpm. Samples of paper coated with each of the two compositions were dried and inspected visually. The paper coated with the composition which did not contain the zeolite 4A was seen to have a surface which was severely marred by pitting and streaking while the paper coated with the composition containing the zeolite 4A had a surface which was substantially completely free from pitting and streaking. Two offset paper coating compositions, C and D, were prepared according to the method described in Example 1. Composition C contained as the pigment the paper coating grade kaolin of Example 1 untreated with zeolite 4A. Composition D contained as the pigment the same paper coating grade kaolin as used in Example 1, but which had been treated by contacting an aqueous suspension of the kaolin with zeolite 4A granules which were removed after treatment of the kaolin by means of a sieve. This treatment procedure was then repeated using a second batch of fresh zeolite 4A granules, following which the dispersing agent was added. Each paper coating composition was tested for high shear viscosity by means of the Ferranti-Shirley viscometer at a shear rate of 12840s-1. Further suspensions of the same paper coating grade kaolin as used in Example 1 were prepared by the method described in Example 1, but containing differing amounts of a bentonite clay having a cation exchange capacity of 97 meq/100 g, instead of zeolite 4A. Each suspension was used to form an offset paper coating composition as described in Example 1 and the high shear viscosity of each composition was measured at a shear rate of 12840s-1 by means of the Ferranti-Shirley viscometer. Samples of coated paper were then prepared with each composition using the same base paper and experimental method as used in Example 1. After drying each sample was inspected visually. Kaolin slurries which contained 70% by weight of beneficiated kaolins, Kaolin A and Kaolin B were prepared in each case by blending an aqueous suspension containing 55% by weight of the beneficiated kaolin with sufficient of a particulate material which was formed by spray drying a suspension of the same beneficiated kaolin to increase the solids content to 70% by weight. Kaolin A was a paper coating grade kaolin having a particle size distribution such that 94% by weight consisted of particles having an equivalent spherical diameter smaller than 2 microns and 84% by weight consisted of particles having an equivalent spherical diameter smaller than 1 micron. Kaolin B was a paper coating grade kaolin having a particle size distribution such that 93% by weight consisted of particles having an equivalent spherical diameter smaller than 2 microns and 75% by weight consisted of particles having an equivalent spherical diameter smaller than 1 micron. It is to be noted that a full scale deflection on the Hercules Viscometer represents a measured torque of 18×105 dyne cm. For a given rate of shear (measured in rpm) a higher scale reading represents a higher viscosity and the viscosity generally increases with the rate of shear. It can therefore by seen that the high shear viscosity of both slurries decreases with increasing dose of zeolite 4A, although the low shear viscosity, as measured with the Brookfield Viscometer, tends to increase with zeolite dose. 1. A method for improving the rheological properties of a kaolin clay which, when dispersed with water, either releases into solution or retains on its surface multivalent cations, which method includes the step of treating the kaolin clay in aqueous suspension with a zeolite having a cation exchange capacity of at least 50 meq/100 g, said zeolite being employed in an amount of at least 0.1% by weight, based on the weight of dry kaolin clay. 2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the zeolite is used in an amount no greater than 2.0% by weight, based on the weight of dry kaolin clay. 3. A method according to claim 1, wherein the zeolite is zeolite A. 4. A method according to claim 3, wherein the zeolite A is used in an amount of at least 0.1% by weight, based on the weight of dry kaolin clay. 5. A method according to claim 3, wherein the zeolite A is used in an amount no greater than 0.5% by weight, based on the weight of dry kaolin clay. 6. A method according to claim 1, wherein the zeolite has an average particle diameter in the range of from 1 to 4 microns. 7. A method according to claim 1, wherein the zeolite has a cation exchange capacity of at least 200 meq/100 g. 8. A method according to claim 1, wherein the zeolite has a cation exchange capacity of at least 500 meg/100 g. 9. A method according to claim 1, wherein the kaolin clay is additionally treated with a dispersing agent. 11. A method according to claim 9, wherein the dispersing agent is selected from the group consisting of polyelectrolytes, alkali metal condensed phosphate salts or ammonium condensed phosphate salts. 12. A method according to claim 9, wherein the dispersing agent used is in an amount of from 0.05% to 1.0% by weight, based on the weight of dry kaolin clay. 13. A method according to claim 1, wherein the kaolin clay is separated from the zeolite after treatment therewith. 14. A method according to claim 1, wherein the aqueous suspension of clay is contacted with beads of the zeolite in a packed column. 16. An aqueous suspension according to claim 15, wherein the zeolite is used in an amount no greater than 2.0% by weight, based on the weight of dry kaolin clay. 17. An aqueous suspension according to claim 15, wherein the amount of kaolin clay in the suspension is in the range of from 40% to 80% by weight of the suspension. 18. An aqueous suspension according to claim 15, further comprising a dispersing agent. 19. An aqueous suspension according to claim 15, which has a pH of about 7.5. admixing an aqueous suspension of the treated clay with an adhesive. 21. A method for improving the rheological properties of a kaolin clay which, when dispersed in water, either releases into solution or retains on its surface multivalent cations, which method includes the steps of blending a kaolin clay having a solids content in the range of about 50% to about 60% by weight of solids with a spray dried kaolin clay to increase the solids content to within the range of from about 60% to about 75% by weight of solids, and adding to the blend a zeolite having a cation exchange capacity of at least 50 meq/100 g, said zeolite being employed in an amount of at least 0.1% by weight, based on the weight of dry kaolin clay. "Clay Mineralogy", 2d Ed., Ralph E. Grim, pp. 189 & 192. Hackh's Chem. Dictionary, 4th Edition, pp. 70, 83. Kirk-Othmer's Concise Encyclopedia of Chemical Technology pp. 772-773. McGraw-Hill's "Encyclopedia of Science", pp. 160-167.

2019-04-21T05:25:56Z

https://patents.google.com/patent/US4854971A/en

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This publication is part of the National Academy of Medicine’s Vital Directions for Health and Health Care Initiative, which commissioned expert papers on 19 priority focus areas for U.S. health policy by more than 100 leading researchers, scientists, and policy makers from across the United States. The views presented in this publication and others in the series are those of the authors and do not represent formal consensus positions of the NAM, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, or the authors’ organizations. We have a long way to go to strengthen the public health system to provide adequate protection for communities. Dollar for dollar our health care expenditures fail to provide us with good health at the most basic level as measured by life expectancy and infant mortality. The United States spends 18% of its gross domestic product—more than $8,000 per person per year—on the provision of medical care and hospital services. That is 2.5 times the average of industrialized nations in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), but by any measure our population is less healthy; US life expectancy at birth is well below the OECD average, and our infant mortality is higher than that of all 26 other industrialized nations. In fact, Americans are at a disadvantage at every stage of the life cycle relative to counterparts in peer countries (NRC and IOM, 2013). Recent events like lead contamination in drinking water in Flint, Michigan, and other cities across our country; the epidemic of obesity and related chronic diseases in the United States; outbreaks of new microorganisms in drinking water like naegleria and legionella; spread of Aedes mosquitos that carry tropical diseases like Zika, dengue, and chikungunya; the serious impacts of catastrophic storms like Hurricanes Katrina and Sandy; and the epidemics of opiate addiction and HIV that are reappearing across the United States are ringing alarm bells about our weak public health system. The World Health Organization has defined health as “the state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity” (WHO, 1948). Health of nations and other population groups can be compared via use of health outcome metrics that reflect both positive and negative states of health. Such metrics include: “1) life expectancy from birth, or age-adjusted mortality rate; 2) condition-specific changes in life expectancy, or condition-specific or age-specific mortality rates; and 3) self-reported level of health, functional status, and experiential status” (Parrish, 2010). The United States should be capable of meeting or exceeding levels of good health enjoyed by people in other countries. Most factors that influence health are embedded in daily life circumstances apart from interactions with the health care system. These factors have to do with social, environmental, and behavioral influences on health that affect everyone in the population. We need to address environmental factors that range from exposure to pathogens, harmful substances, and pollutants to the widely available and aggressively promoted sugary drinks; foods high in salt, fat, and sugar; tobacco; and alcohol products. Behavioral factors can be addressed, as in successful efforts to reduce smoking, but even in the case of smoking, efforts need to be intensified and directed more precisely to populations at greatest risk of tobacco-related chronic diseases. Addressing social, behavioral, and environmental factors that discourage healthy eating patterns or promote unhealthy exposures like smoking—public health—ensures conditions in which people can be healthy. In the face of our elaborate and expensive health care system, there is direct and undeniable evidence that there are major opportunities to improve population health that lie outside this system or require fundamental changes in how the system operates. There is strong evidence that investments in prevention at the population level, via public health expenditures, are very effective in promoting health and wellness and reducing costs of medical care (McCullough et al., 2012). People who have social and economic advantages have a greater chance of achieving and maintaining good health in spite of adverse environmental exposures compared to people who are disadvantaged by such factors as chronic poverty, lack of education, racial or ethnic discrimination, and geographic isolation. In part, the poor US performance on key health measures reflects the apparent greater effect of such disadvantages in the United States than in peer countries. Peer countries may mitigate social disadvantages better through institutionalized universal and targeted social and economic programs (McLeod, et al., 2012). Health economists are beginning to demonstrate that investments in social services (along with public health) also generate positive health impacts as assessed by a number of measures including obesity, asthma, mental health status, lung cancer, heart attacks, and type 2 diabetes (Bradley et al., 2016). Traditionally, the “public health” side of the US two-part health system has had the responsibility for populations in organizational and financial arrangements that are largely separated from the treatment side. Recognition of the need to bring these subsystems together has increased over time. The shift in thinking toward a more comprehensive approach to achieving population health and wellness was prominent in the advice of the Secretary for Health’s Task Force on Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Objectives for 2020 and in the character of the subsequent federal health objectives for this decade (Fielding et al., 2014). As noted below, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) included a number of provisions that support total population health approaches within the health care system, including both traditional public health efforts as well as efforts to better integrate total population health and health care. The many excellent efforts under way to revitalize, expand, and innovate in advancing the health of populations and communities indicate that the United States is at a critical inflection point for taking more deliberate and effective actions to improve public health and prevention capacity. Such efforts are both expanding access to health care and are extending outside the health sector and, if supported and expanded, create major opportunities for improving the health of populations and communities. These efforts include the establishment of the Prevention and Public Health Fund under the ACA, community needs assessments under the ACA, the establishment of minimum standards for state and local public health programs, support of community-based programs and coalitions, a new Office of Disease Prevention in the National Institutes of Health, and health and wellness programs in corporations. These recent developments have set the stage for making major improvements in population health in the United States. In addition, many far-reaching recommendations relevant to improving population health outcomes have emerged from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine in recent years. While supporting those longer-term recommendations, this paper identifies potentially transformative initiatives that can be implemented quickly with relatively little incremental expense. These initiatives are predicated on a vision of a healthy community as a “strong, healthful and productive society, which cultivates human capital and equal opportunity. This vision rests on the recognition that outcomes such as improved life expectancy, quality of life, and health for all are shaped by interdependent social, economic, environmental, genetic, behavioral, and health care factors, and will require robust national and community based policies and dependable resources to achieve it” (National Prevention Council, 2011). These recent developments set the stage for a number of specific opportunities to set the nation’s prevention and public health efforts on a new path (Figure 1). The achievement of health goals for communities—total populations—is quite challenging in that many of the factors that influence health are not, and never will be, controlled or directed by the health sector. Public health leaders exert influence in many ways, for example, with information and recommendations (e.g., successive Surgeon General’s reports), through influencing (e.g., First Lady Obama’s campaign to promote healthy eating and physical activity), and through work in local communities. The US Department of Health and Human Services’ (DHHS) Healthy People 2020 initiative, with input from thousands of members of the public and organized public health and health groups, culminated in more than 1,200 objectives, from which DHHS leadership identified a set of 26 Leading Health Indicators that are tracked at various government levels (Koh et al., 2014). That approach can support implementation of a recommendation of a recent consensus study of the National Academies that “The Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services should adopt an interim explicit life expectancy target, establish data systems for a permanent health-adjusted life expectancy target, and establish a specific per capita health expenditure target to be achieved by 2030. Reaching these targets should engage all health system stakeholders in actions intended to achieve parity with averages among comparable nations on healthy life expectancy and per capita health expenditures” (NRC and IOM, 2013). Building on this, a White House-led effort could bring to bear political leadership—across the entire federal government—to invoke more integrated action across sectors and investments in communities to achieve health via application of a Health in All Policies (HiAP) approach. Developed in Finland, HiAP has been adopted by the European Union and has been credited with resulting in an increased focus on population health in a number of areas, including social services, diet, nutrition and physical activity, alcohol policies, environmental and health consequences of transport, and mental health impact assessment of public policies (Puska and Ståhl, 2010). Within the United States the National Prevention Council (NPC) is an example of a HiAP-oriented initiative at the federal level. This Council, which is chaired by the Surgeon General, brings together representatives from 20 federal departments, agencies, and offices, including sectors such as housing, transportation, education, environment, and defense. The National Prevention Strategy (National Prevention Council, 2011), developed by the NPC with broad input from diverse stakeholders, needs to be raised to a much higher level of priority in the administration. This includes creating a stronger focus in the White House with adequate funding and decision authority to coordinate multisectoral population health and prevention efforts throughout the government and by vesting stronger authority at the highest levels in the DHHS to align all DHHS activities with population health and prevention goals. Such leadership in the White House could be achieved via strengthening the role of the Domestic Policy Council (DPC) in population health promotion, or via establishment of a new office. The role of the Secretary of DHHS and other leaders could be elevated. Of note, both the DPC and the Secretary of DHHS have congressional authority to undertake such an initiative already. Such efforts can build upon the NPC’s National Prevention Strategy. Finally, the administration needs to be a clear champion of the concept that investing in prevention has high priority and has a greater proven return than does other health care investment (McCullough et al., 2012). The HiAP approach has been supported by a tool called the Health Impact Assessment (HIA), which can be applied when a more formal assessment is required (Wernham and Teutsch, 2015). Many have suggested formal adoption of an HIA approach in the United States, and there is an emerging body of evidence for its applicability (IOM, 2014). By Executive Order the White House could require explicit consideration of health impacts (or benefits) for major federal expenditures. Specific White House coordination could help support activities to promote health in communities. Such an effort could build on the last administration’s “Sustainable Communities” initiative (which included housing, environment, and transportation but not health.) It could benefit from a number of initiatives that have been carried out by the private sector to address housing and economic opportunity, environmental health, and access to health services in communities to improve health (Acosta et al., 2016). Less obvious but perhaps of equal importance is tax policy. For example, there are corporate tax credits for affordable housing ($7.8 billion for 2016), wind power ($2.9 billion in 2016), and orphan-drug research ($900 million). There are exclusions and deductions for “research and experimentation” ($5.8 billion), domestic production ($13.2 billion), and charitable contributions to health organizations ($1.9 billion) (US Treasury, 2016). There are numerous opportunities in existing tax policies for the White House to enhance the health benefits for communities and promote a full-scale population health improvement strategy. The White House could also consider the development of an Opportunity Development Bank, a public–private partnership that is dedicated to infrastructure development and invests tax revenues at high rates of economic and social return. The investments could include early childhood interventions, preschool enhancements, juvenile justice diversion programs, high school counseling programs, adult job training programs, adult criminal rehabilitation, substance use prevention programs, housing support, and library expansions. Returns on such investment potentially can be extremely high (Washington State Institute for Public Policy, 2016). Some programs have a rate of return as high as 100%; the social returns can be even higher, perhaps $15 or $20 for every dollar invested. According to the National Academies, a minimum set of public health services is needed in every community (IOM, 2012). In 2012, it recommended that Congress “authorize a dedicated, stable, and long-term financing structure to generate the enhanced federal revenue required to deliver the minimum package of public health services in every community.” It also stated that “such a financing structure should be established by enacting a national tax on all medical care transactions to close the gap between currently available and needed federal funds” (IOM, 2012). Congress and the administration can work together to define the public health services that could be supported by the federal government and others and to enact legislation that would authorize and appropriate resources, including funding, for these purposes. Health care organizations and systems, both public and private, need support in expanding their missions and activities to include a focus on the maintenance of good health and well-being in the people and communities that they serve. The traditional focus on disease screening and treatment reinforces a focus on health problems at a relatively late stage in the process and is not cost effective (McCullough et al., 2012). It discourages accountability for overall community and population health and engagement in the large-scale community-based health-promotion and disease-prevention activities of which medical encounters are only one aspect. For many years the public health system has been engaged in providing access to medical care for underserved populations as well as promotion of clinical preventive services like immunizations, blood pressure screening, and cancer screening. Developments of the last few years are shifting many of these clinical preventive activities into the clinical care system; at the same time, until all Americans have access to health care, the public health system will continue to be responsible for safety net function. More recently, the clinical care system is seeking the achievement of the “Triple Aim” that was proposed by the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI, 2016), and seeks to simultaneously lower the costs of health care, improve the quality of health care delivery, and improve health outcomes among the populations that are served. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has embraced the concept of population health promotion under the triple aim and there is evidence of progress in several areas. Under the ACA, federal funds can be used for US Preventive Services Task Force approved preventive services without copay. The ACA has also permitted the use of federal health care funds for community-based prevention for the first time (the PH Trust Fund). Additionally, the movement toward Medicaid and Medicare managed care and increasing incentives for managed Medicare and Medical Homes are examples of financial incentives that are beginning to reward prevention activities in the context of individual patient care. All of these activities are laying the groundwork for more engagement of health care organizations and systems in advancing community and total population health. Community benefits requirements for nonprofit hospitals under Internal Revenue Service (IRS) 501(c)(3) regulations have foreseen the benefits of changes in progressive hospital and community systems (Rosenbaum, 2016). We would favor refining community benefits requirements to provide incentives to regional efforts and to ensure the inclusion of local health departments and public health schools and programs in analysis and planning efforts. Those efforts are accountable to hospitals’ community benefits obligation, except where community benefits funds are already subsidizing Medicaid or uncompensated care, and generate a large amount of revenue, more than $24 billion in 2011 (Rosenbaum et al., 2015). Such activities include generation of community demographic and health data and community engagement and participation functions. Specific policies could include erasing the distinction between community health improvement and community building, creating a new IRS category for priorities identified in total population health needs assessments, offering incentives for multi institutional pooling, and encouraging hospitals to move toward allocating the full value of their tax benefit to community health improvement and charity care. Accountable care organizations (ACOs) emerged as a component of the ACA as a means of encouraging health care providers to coordinate care throughout the spectrum of wellness, prevention, and treatment, with shared accountability and risk. Hundreds of ACOs have been formed, and some have led to better outcomes, lower total costs, and improved patient care and experiences (Kassler et al., 2015). Even so, ACOs as currently constructed entail only traditional components of medical care and have yet to develop comprehensive wellness models that incorporate other elements of prevention and wellness. For example, oral health services continue to be marginalized rather than embraced as a vital feature of population health, particularly in low-income and otherwise vulnerable populations, despite recognition by CMS in 2011 that “oral health [should be] included in . . . the Accountable Care Organization demonstration” and that the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation should “develop innovative scalable models for the delivery of oral health care” (CMS, 2011). Drawing from the initial success of many ACOs, the model needs to be more expansive in this and other fields, such as mental health. The principal role of Medicaid is to be the provider of health insurance for the poor. However, it also has a tradition of promoting health and wellness. As Medicaid continues to expand and evolve, state waivers are increasingly extending its reach to promote better health for the underserved. That affords an opportunity to test new models and partnerships between health care providers and community-based programs that have been shown to improve social conditions that promote well-being. CMS could be given more authority to waive Medicaid rules and work with states to accelerate the incorporation of prevention and population health into state Medicaid programs. Outcomes related to improved total population health and reduction in health disparities should be included as valid outcomes of Medicaid. Because no two communities are exactly alike, strong community engagement not only by local public health agencies and health care providers but also by housing, environmental, financial, transportation, and other sectors is needed to address social and environmental determinants of health. How we build and maintain our homes, buildings, and cities and the infrastructure for transportation, physical activity, drinking water, and sanitation has a critical effect on our health. Moreover, communities will not be healthy unless all are served equitably. Current fragmented approaches exacerbate health inequities, but multisectoral approaches improve equity. In many ways such efforts reflect application of the HiAP approach at a local level. To carry out the population health improvement planning and resource mobilization that we call for, the administration could stimulate and assist in funding of broad multisectoral partnerships that promote total population health. Many communities across the country already are creating community health agendas, leveraging assets, making health a locally defined issue in which everyone has a stake, and moving policy change at the local and regional levels. But too few health departments have the resources needed to lead such community efforts. A federal effort to support community multisectoral partnerships could be launched in 100 communities across the country in a 3-year program to establish national models. Effects measured should include educational, public safety, and economic indicators and health indicators already defined in Healthy People 2020. The brown water flowing from spigots in Flint, Michigan, is just the tip of the iceberg for the gradual breakdown in many of our drinking water systems, as well as our neglected transportation systems, sewer systems, and energy distribution systems. Large adverse health and economic consequences are already being felt directly in many communities (ASCE, 2013). We propose a multisectoral approach targeted to jurisdictions with older physical infrastructures that will engage them in an assessment of infrastructure weak spots so that they can plan for and fund community structural improvements—leveraging not only health assets but the Department of Labor, Department of Housing and Urban Development, and other relevant department efforts in a coordinated and collaborative manner. A multisectoral approach is important because much of the work could be funded by the private sector (gas, electric power, water, and sanitation utilities). In New York City, Mayor de Blasio’s Underground Infrastructure Working Group is an example of an effort to bring sectors together to coordinate infrastructure repair work so that it can be done more quickly and efficiently. Congress and the executive branch could pair the effort with existing job-training efforts to prepare people in low-income communities for work in the many sectors that are involved with maintenance and improvement of the physical infrastructure. Public health should inform these efforts so that infrastructure improvements address environmental health and safety issues that are critical for the health of communities. Rather than respond to the “disaster of the month” (Zika virus, Ebola, hurricanes, earthquakes, floods, and the like), we need efforts to enable communities to withstand and recover from myriad disastrous events. Such efforts need to anticipate threats, minimize adverse effects on health, and rapidly restore function after a crisis. Community preparedness planning is multisectoral, but public health has an important role to play in ensuring that those who are most vulnerable (such as residents of assisted-living facilities) are protected from health consequences; in strengthening community health systems and integrating them with community resources, including the private sector; and in integrating community preparedness effort with day-to-day planning to combat the health threats posed by daily living and the epidemic of chronic diseases and prevalence of untreated mental illnesses that are the causes of premature death, disability, and diminished quality of life. Collaboration between the private and public sectors could improve the ability of communities to plan, prepare, respond, and recover. It has been shown to work during the recent H1N1 influenza outbreak in which federal, state, and local partnerships addressed a serious epidemic. Public health preparedness systems need to be adequately resourced and sustained if they are to be able to identify the emergence of new health threats and respond to them effectively. Under White House leadership, broadening investment in human capital through new financial vehicles can be encouraged. We bring several ideas to the table to identify new ways to mobilize resources for total population health. Some of these could be led by the White House via consideration of tax and investment policies as described above. Others could emanate from local efforts. The partnership of the Federal Reserve Bank, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, and the Kresge Foundation has played a key role in connecting financial investment in commercial development and housing to improved health in communities. In several communities, it has facilitated loans in conjunction with philanthropic investment that addresses housing and economic opportunity, environmental health, and access to health services. Corporations can be involved in ways that go well beyond workplace wellness programs. Direct linkages between local public health agencies, business leaders, community groups, not-for-profit organizations, and the health care community can forge a common language and understanding of employee and community health problems and broaden participation in setting total population health goals and strategies. Corporations can work with government to gather, interpret, and exchange mutually useful data. They can use their knowledge of marketing and social marketing techniques to promote individual behavior and community change (IOM, 2015). Health care systems and organizations have a key opportunity to create environments for improved population health. If they leverage the entirety of their assets—for example, as employers, purchasers, consumers, and potential energy conservers—the effect of intentional business practices can potentially improve the health of a population more than actual delivery of services. Moreover, studies suggest that a large moderate-income workforce can have a greater role in generating income in a community than a smaller high-income workforce. When income disparities narrow in a community, population health improves. Advancing community and population health requires acting immediately on what we know even while we are setting research priorities and funding mechanisms to strengthen the evidence base of new population health interventions. The DHHS Advisory Committee on Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Objectives for 2020 identified where taking action on the basis of what we already know about interventions can improve community and population health. This includes evidence on what works and what does not work. The marked increases in the availability of health data to facilitate evidence translation and generation increase the practicability of use for prevention. The use of “Big Data” is an emerging field that may be key to the promotion of population health. The term “Big Data” refers to very large datasets obtained from a variety of sources that, if appropriately managed and analyzed, can yield a wealth of detailed information to support achievement of various population health objectives. All efforts related to assessments, planning, preparedness, and development of a common understanding of facts at very granular levels geographically can help to identify social and environmental determinants of health, and give a clearer picture of health status and trends in a number of dimensions (NASEM, 2016). Efforts like the County Health Rankings project, which ranks the more than 3,000 counties in the United States based on a model that combines health outcomes with health factors, provide a basis for identifying communities that most need health improvement efforts, and for rallying support for those efforts across sectors (Remington et al., 2015). Nationally, billions of dollars have been invested in efforts led by the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology to individual access to electronic health information as well as connectivity among systems so that information can be shared across systems while protecting data security and privacy (DeSalvo et al., 2015). No such strong national efforts have been undertaken to understand the data needs to support population health efforts. Such efforts should build on clinical data collection to support the broader advancement of population health by standardizing reporting of population health measures (for example, patient-reported measures of wellness and reported health conditions). They should also include geographic and, where possible, individual data relevant to environmental and social determinants of health. A later step would be to aggregate and release this information in a way that complies with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act to allow policy makers to address issues comprehensively among sectors that currently remain siloed (i.e., to integrate across data with regard to underlying physical and social environments, with data on health and wellness, to assist with community-wide prevention efforts). DHHS should expand early success in supporting public availability of health datasets and the development of informatics tools to facilitate aggregation and linkages with related datasets. Data.gov and similar efforts already have helped researchers to understand and policy makers to solve persistent problems related to health effects in association with physical and social environments, factors related to timing and identification of risk factors, and triggers of predictable events. It is of critical importance that public health researchers and policy makers work closely with the health care industry to improve its data so that it can maximize their use for population health. There are substantial opportunities for sharing and commingling of public and private datasets, which would advance the open-data movement to the next level. Community prevention activities are too often undertaken with a weak evidentiary base, largely because the support for such research is meager. Unlike clinical practice, the practice of public health has few opportunities for product development and promotion. The onus is on government to fund public health research. Involves a definable population and operates at the level of the whole person. Evaluates the application of discoveries and their effects on the health of the population. Focuses on behavioral and environmental (social, economic, cultural, and physical) factors associated with primary and secondary prevention of disease and disability in populations. CMS has recently funded a number of Health Care Innovation Awards, some of which support linkage between health services and community social services to support the broader needs of individual patients. They have announced an intention of expanding this approach via a recently announced 5-year, $157 million program to test a model called Accountable Health Communities. The CMS Innovation Center will use these grants to “test whether systematically identifying and addressing health-related social needs can reduce health care costs and utilization among community-dwelling Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries” (Alley et al., 2016). Such prevention research explicitly seeks to fund itself through health care savings. However, prevention research funded by other agencies also is an excellent investment even though the costs and savings are not directly linked within their budgets. A number of efforts have been made to encourage the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to fund more prevention research and these need to be intensified. There are other agencies whose research programs should be strengthened: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Environmental Protection Agency. Federal health research agencies need to focus not only on genetic but also social and environmental determinants of health, both discovery-oriented research about how these determinants cause ill health (or promote wellness) and translational research on how to apply this knowledge to improve health in communities. Such research needs to focus on the most vulnerable, for example, pregnant women, infants, children, the elderly, and those who are genetically vulnerable or immunocompromised. In the long run, health care expenditures need to help to support a Prevention Research Trust Fund to support Community-Centered Outcomes Research just as we now have support for the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) via the ACA. Such research could be housed in NIH or CDC as a freestanding institute on the model of or within PCORI. It should involve not only academic research but community participatory models that are directed especially to underserved communities and social and environmental determinants of health and that empower communities to manage interventions (Selby et al., 2015). The effort would generate the evidence needed for tackling the most serious public health problems at the community level via research that is difficult to fund through existing avenues in NIH and elsewhere. Priorities for the effort should be drawn from existing expert bodies, such as the Community Preventive Services Task Force recommendations, public health professional and government organizations, and National Academies report recommendations. The research should explicitly address both costs and benefits of prevention strategies. We have made a number of proposals, of which the most important are related to the establishment of clear points of accountability and leadership for total population health in the United States, both in the White House and in DHHS. The United States can have the best community and population health in the world, but that cannot happen unless such strong public health objectives are articulated and widely shared. We suggest that not only the public health system, but many other entities will need to play a role if we are to be successful. Health care organizations, both public and private, need to be held accountable for promotion of good health and disease prevention, not only for treatment of the illnesses. Communities need to be accountable for bringing public health agencies together with other sectors in a number of contexts to develop a shared sense of what can be done collaboratively to promote health and to address shortcomings in our physical infrastructure and community preparedness efforts that are increasing risks. The government and the finance communities need to be brought together to pursue new financing strategies for infrastructure investment and community development, including efforts that directly address the social determinants of poor health in communities. “Big data” needs to be harnessed to support public health and disease prevention efforts. Public health translational research is needed to move discoveries from fundamental bench science and social science to the development and testing of community and population-level interventions. Such research is unlikely to be funded unless a trust fund is created and a government entity is made accountable for ensuring that it is done. This paper has focused on opportunities to advance the health of the nation through a lens that considers whole communities and focuses on public health or population health approaches to creating or enhancing physical and economic environments for promoting health and preventing diseases. The approaches and opportunities discussed here complement those identified in other Vital Directions discussion papers. In particular, public health approaches can engender transformative changes in the systems and entrenched institutional policies and practices that lower our overall standard of living and perpetuate systemic social disadvantages for some demographic groups; and they can address the “social determinants” of health and achieve health equity (Adler et al., 2016), improve options for healthy eating and physical activity (Dietz et al., 2016), and foster good physical and mental health and well-being throughout the life course. It is essential to recognize the connections among these papers to find strategies that are compatible and mutually reinforcing. For example, many communities that have poor access to services have the highest burden of mental health and substance-abuse problems (Knickman et al., 2016). The United States has great opportunities to advance the health and well-being of communities and populations at large and to make progress both in saving lives and in reducing the cost of health care. We have identified a number of approaches for moving forward; at the core of all of them is the need to marshal and align forces across sectors and communities toward disease prevention. Achieving the highest possible level of health in communities and populations requires a rebalancing of our overall investment in ways that enhance disease prevention and wellness strategies throughout the lifespan and builds the strength and resilience of communities. Acosta, J., M. D. Whitley, L. W. May, T. Dubowitz, M. Williams, and A. Chandra. 2016. Stakeholder perspectives on a culture of health: Key findings. Santa Monica, CA: RAND Corporation. Adler, N.E., D.M. Cutler, J.E. Jonathan, S. Galea, M. Glymour, H.K. Koh, and D. Satcher. 2016. Addressing Social Determinants of Health and Health Disparities. Discussion Paper, Vital Directions for Health and Health Care Series. National Academy of Medicine, Washington, DC. https://nam.edu/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/addressingsocial-determinants-of-health-and-health-disparities.pdf. Alley, D. E., C. N. Asomugha, P. H. Conway, and D. M. Sanghavi. 2016. Accountable health communities—addressing social needs through Medicare and Medicaid. New England Journal of Medicine 374:8-11. ASCE (American Society for Civil Engineers). 2013. 2013 report card for America’s infrastructure. Reston, VA: ASCE. Bradley, E. H., M. Canavan, E. Rogan, K. Talbert-Slagle, C. Ndumele , L. Taylor, and L.A. Curry. 2016. Variation in health outcomes: The role of spending on social services, public health, and health care, 2000-09. Health Affairs (Millwood) 35:760-768. Dietz, W.H., R.C. Brownson, C.E. Douglas, J.J. Dreyzehner, R.Z. Goetzel, S.L. Gortmaker, J.S. Marks, K.A. Merrigan, R.R. Pate, L.M. Powell, and M. Story. 2016. Improving Physical Activity and Nutrition and Reducing Tobacco Use and Obesity to Prevent Chronic Disease. Discussion Paper, Vital Directions for Health and Health Care Series. National Academy of Medicine, Washington, DC. https://nam.edu/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/chronicdisease-prevention-tobacco-physical-activity-and-nutrition-for-a-healthy-start.pdf. Fielding, J., S. Kumanyika, and R. Manderscheid. 2014. Healthy People 2020—a strategy for improving population health in the United States. Public Health Reviews 35:1-24. IOM. 2014. Applying a health lens to decision making in non-health sectors: Workshop summary. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. IOM. 2015. Business engage¬ment in building healthy communities: Workshop summary. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. stakeholder organizations. Washington, DC: National Quality Forum. Kassler, W. J., N. Tomoyasu, and P. H. Conway. 2015. Beyond a traditional payer—CMS’s role in improving population health. New England Journal of Medicine 372:109-111. Kindig, D., and G. Stoddart. 2003. What is population health? American Journal of Public Health 93:380-383. Substance Use Disorders. Discussion Paper, Vital Directions for Health and Health Care Series. National Academy of Medicine, Washington, DC. https://nam.edu/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/improving-access-to-effective-care-for-people-who-have-mentalhealth-and-substance-use-disorders.pdf. Koh, H. K., C. R. Blakey, and A. Y. Roper. 2014. Healthy People 2020: A report card on the health of the nation. Journal of the American Medical Association 311:2475-2476. McCullough, J. C., F. J. Zimmerman, J. E. Fielding, and S. M. Teutsch. 2012. A health dividend for America: The opportunity cost of excess medical expenditures. American Journal of Preventive Medicine 43:650-654. McLeod, C. B., P. A. Hall, A. Siddiqi, and C. Hertzman. 2012. How society shapes the health gradient: Workrelated health inequalities in a comparative perspective. Annual Review of Public Health 33:59-73. NASEM (National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine). 2016. Metrics that matter for population health action: Workshop summary. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. National Prevention Council. 2011. National Prevention Strategy. Washington, DC: US Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Surgeon General. NRC (National Research Council) and IOM. 2013. U.S. health in international perspective: Shorter lives, poorer health, edited by Steven H. Woolf and Laudan Aron. Panel on Understanding Cross-National Health Differences Among High-Income Countries, Committee on Population, Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education, Board on Population Health and Public Health Practice, Institute of Medicine. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. Parrish, R. 2010. Measuring population health outcomes. Preventing Chronic Disease 7(4):A71. Available at http://www.cdc.gov/pcd/issues/2010/jul/10_0005.htm (accessed September 11, 2016). Puska, P., and T. Ståhl. 2010. Health in all policies—the Finnish initiative: Background, principles, and current issues. Annual Review of Public Health 31:315-328. Remington, P. L., B. B. Catlin, and K. P. Gennuso. 2015. The county health rankings: Rationale and methods. Population Health Metrics 13:11. Rosenbaum, S. 2016. Hospital community benefit spending: Leaning in on the social determinants of health. Milbank Quarterly 94:251-254. Rosenbaum, S., D. Kindig, J. Bao, M. Byrnes, and C. O’Laughlin. 2015. The value of the nonprofit hospital tax exemption was $24.6 billion In 2011. Health Affairs (Mill¬wood) 34:1225-1233. Selby, J. V., L. Forsythe, and H. C. Sox. 2015. Stakeholder-driven comparative effectiveness research: An update from PCORI. Journal of the American Medical Association 314:2235-2236. US Treasury. 2016. 2016 Tax Expeditures. US Treasury. Washington State Institute for Public Policy. 2016. Benefit-cost results: Public health. Olympia, WA: Washington State Institute for Public Policy. Wernham, A., and S. M. Teutsch. 2015. Health in all policies for big cities. Journal of Public Health Management and Practice 21:S56-S65. WHO (World Health Organization). 1948. Preamble: Constitution. Geneva: WHO. Lynn R. Goldman, MD, MPH, is Micahel and Lori Milken Dean, Milken Institute, School of Public Health, George Washington University. Georges C. Benjamin, MD, is Executive Director, American Public Health Association. Sandra R. Hernández, MD, is President and CEO, California HealthCare Foundation. David A. Kindig, MD, PhD, is Emeritus Professor of Population Health Sciences, Emeritus Vice Chancellor for Health Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Medicine. Shiriki K. Kumanyika, PhD, MPH, is Emeritus Professor of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Center for Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania. Carmen R. Nevarez, MD, MPH, is Vice President, External Relations, and Preventative Medicine Advisor, Public Health Institute. Nirav R. Shah, MD, MPH, is Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer for Clinical Operations, Kaiser Permanente, Southern California. Winston F. Wong, MD, is Medical Director, National Program Office, Kaiser Permanente. The NAM Vital Directions for Health and Health Care Working Group on Advancing Health of Communities and Populations wrote this discussion paper. Lynn R. Goldman chaired the working group. Elizabeth Finkelman of the National Academy of Medicine and Heidi Lindemann of the George Washington University assisted with coordinating the effort. The National Academy of Medicine’s Vital Directions for Health and Health Care initiative is sponsored by the California Health Care Foundation, The Commonwealth Fund, the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, The John A. Hartford Foundation, the Josiah Macy Jr. Foundation, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, and the National Academy of Medicine’s Harvey V. Fineberg Impact Fund. Medicine (the National Academies). The Perspective is intended to help inform and stimulate discussion. It has not been subjected to the review procedures of, nor is it a report of, the NAM or the National Academies. Copyright by the National Academy of Sciences.

2019-04-24T12:26:28Z

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Planning a trip using public transport services is the cheapest way to travel to Ladakh. Any other way will cost you way more than what you will pay while travelling in public transport. A friend of mine once asked me as a joke about travelling on a bicycle and if that will cost less. My answer was again a No because for going to Ladakh on a bicycle, you will have to first buy a mountain bike which will again cost you more than what you will pay using public transport. Total expenditure is one of the biggest factor people consider while going to Ladakh and with a bit of information, you can easily plan a budget trip to Ladakh, keeping the total cost involved at a minimum. When it comes to public transport services in Ladakh, the frequency is the biggest issue. There is a regular bus service to most of the tourist places in Ladakh but it is not daily. For most of the nearby places, the bus runs either once or twice a week or a few times in the month. However when and where there is no bus, the option of boarding a shared taxi is always open. If you are planning a budget trip to Ladakh, below is how you can do so by using public transport services. I will follow a most common itinerary as an example which if not precise, should still be able to give you an estimated cost of Ladakh trip. For the sake of this article, I will plan the itinerary from Manali and end at Jammu because if you are completing the entire Ladakh circuit, you will start from either of these two places and end at another. Depending on which part of the country you are travelling from, any cost incurred in reaching both these places will be in addition to what I will mention below. Before getting further in this article, I would recommend that you read the article below that provides more information on Bus services in Ladakh, fare and schedule. I will break the cost information in legs or segments that you can put together to form your own itinerary. I will mention the minimum charge that you will incur while traveling to that place and how much you may end up spending for accommodation and food. Depending on the number of days you have in hand and places that you are interested in covering, you can put together these segments to form your own itinerary. You will stay at Manali for the night before starting the next morning towards Leh. Manali is a famous tourist destination and there are numerous hotels here fitting in every budget. You can easily find a place to stay for the night for as less as Rs. 500. Same goes for places to eat as well. You can have a good enough meal without shooting it over Rs. 100. Your total cost until Manali will be whatever you spent reaching there from your hometown and the night stay at Manali. There is a regular HRTC bus that plies on this route. This is a 2 days journey with night halt at Keylong. Fare of this bus is Rs. 500 per person approximately. Keylong has multiple hotels and you will have no trouble finding one in a price range of Rs. 500-700. If you are travelling in this bus, then your total expenditure would be Rs. 500 for bus fare plus Rs. 600 (approx.) for accommodation + meals. A second way to do this journey is to catch the Delhi to Leh bus which starts from ISBT Delhi and goes all the way to Leh. Fare for this bus is Rs. 1365 per person. This bus does not halt at Manali but will halt at Keylong. If you are travelling in this bus, then your total expense would be Rs. 1365 + Rs 600 for accommodation + meal charges. However, this 1365 would save your travel charges from Delhi to Manali and your hotel rent for night stay in Manali. After reaching Leh, you may want to stay within the town for a day or more in order to rest your body, get acclimatized to high altitude and to arrange permits if you wish to visit any restricted areas. For moving around within the town, you will have no other choice but to rent a motorcycle. If you are low on budget, get an automated bike like Activa or Scooty, rent of which is Rs. 800 for full day and Rs. 500 for half day. Finding a place to eat as well will be no problem. Several places here where you will not spend more than Rs. 100 for one person’s meal. For any day that you stay in Leh, your total cost incurred will be Rs. 800 for scooty (if you rent one) + fuel charges + Rs. 500 for hotel + meal charges. This bus leaves from Leh main bus stand to Diskit at 8 am every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. The same bus returns from Diskit to Leh the next day morning so for return journey, it will be Wednesday, Friday and Sunday at 7 AM. There is also a bus to Sumur every Thursday and Saturday that leaves at 6 am from main bus stand and comes back to Leh the next day. Third way to go to the valley is using a Tourist shared taxis. These are usually run by the local tour operators. If you can afford a bit more, then this will be your best bet. A round trip using this service would cost you anywhere between Rs. 1500 to Rs. 2000, Leh to Nubra and back. To avail this option, you will have to contact any of the numerous tour agents in Leh and they will book you a seat in there next taxi going towards Nubra valley. Meals however can be a little costly if you eat at the hotel. In order to save money, your best choice would be to take a walk in the town and eat at any local restaurant/Dhaba. Like Nubra valley, again three options to travel to Pangong Tso and cost too is pretty much the same. A bus ticket would cost your about Rs. 600 for a round trip, Leh to Pangong and Back. Public shared taxi would cost about Rs. 1000 and Tourist shared taxi about Rs. 1500 – Rs.200 (both ways). The bus to Pangong leaves Leh every Saturday and Sunday at 6.30 AM. Another bus to Tangtse leaves at same time on Wed, Sat and Sun but doesn’t go all the way till Pangong. Fare of this bus is Rs. 250 per person. Both these buses take the return journey to Leh the next day. So using this bus, you can go to Leh on Wednesday (till Tangste), Saturday and Sunday. For return journey, you can chose Thursday (from Tangste), Sunday or Monday. A few other buses that you can board to reach Pangong Tso are the ones that travel towards Changthang valley. These buses take the same route that passes via Spangmik (Pangong Tso). Details of these buses are further in the article. Accommodation at Pangong is tricky when it comes to within budget. There is just one cemented hotel here which is highly overpriced and booked months in advance so you are better off just forgetting about it. Camp sites would cost anywhere between Rs. 2500 to Rs.5000 per person so that too is not an option when on budget. Best choice however is the Chadar tent. These are just huge tents with beds lined up one after another. Here, you can easily find a bed to crash on for the night for as less as Rs.200 to Rs. 400 (depending on your negotiation skills, I managed to get one just for Rs. 100). Best part is that these Chadar tents are also Dhabas that will serve decent enough but reasonably priced food. Travelling here is trickiest of all and you do not really have much of options except for Tourist shared taxis. The bus from Leh to Tso Moriri is only 3 times a month, on 10th, 20th and 30th of each month. Fare is Rs. 370 and it also takes the return journey the next day, means on 11th, 21st and 31st (or 1st of the following month). It leaves Leh at 6.30 am. So if you travel in this Bus, a return from Leh to Tso Moriri and back would cost you about Rs. 740 (could be slightly higher as well). It is a great option if your travel date is around the schedule of the bus. The only catch however is that it doesn’t give you much time to spend at the lake. Public shared taxis are not really that regular to Tso Moriri but if you are able to find one, then it would cost you anywhere between Rs. 1000 to Rs. 1500 for a round trip. Coming to the best available option, a tourist shared taxi. Same logic applies that I mentioned above. Contact a tour operator and they can arrange a seat for you. Cost would be about Rs. 2000 to Rs.2200 for a round trip. For accommodation, you can easily find a hotel at Karzok (Tso Moriri) for charges ranging between Rs. 500 to Rs.800. There are several restaurants / dhabas here where you can find food decent enough food without shedding too much money. There are really two aspects of journey towards Chushul. Either you just want to visit Chushul or Hanle or you want to travel from Pangong Tso to Tso Moriri directly. For visiting Chushul or Hanle there are several buses you can board. Two buses from Leh to Chushul travel very week, One starts at 6.30 AM every Wednesday from Leh, fare of which is Rs. 345 per person, and reaches Chushul via Tangste, Chilam and Harong. Another bus starts from Leh every Sunday morning at 6.30 AM and reaches Chushul via Man and Merak. Fare of this bus is Rs. 356 per person. There is a direct bus from Leh to Hanle every Saturday, fare is Rs. 492 / person, leaves at 6.30 am from Leh. Apart from Hanle, there is another small village in Changthang valley called Koyul. A small road bifurcates at Loma check post towards Koyul, close to the point where you take the turn towards Hanle. A weekly bus to Koyul starts from Leh at 6.30 in the morning every Tuesday, fare of which is Rs. 415 per person. This is another bus you can take to reach Chushul but if Hanle is the desired destination, you will have to find another mode of transport from Loma to Hanle. Another bus from to Nyoma leaves at 9 AM every Monday and Thursday.This is good too if you want to go to Man, Merak or Chusul but for Hanle, the problem will again be of finding transport from Loma to Hanle. There is another bus for Loma which actually goes to a small village called Mood. The location of this village is pretty much same as Loma and the bus will pass through the check post where you take the turn towards Hanle. This bus starts every Wednesday morning from Leh at 9 AM and the fare is Rs. 260 per person. A bus from Leh to Tsagha leaves at 9 am every Friday, Fare is Rs. 312 per person. However if Pangong to Tso Moriri direct is the idea, then it would be extremely difficult to do so by using public transport. There is no bus that goes from either Chushul or Hanle to Tso Moriri. There are no public shared taxis available as well on this route, and the ones that do run are extremely rare. Your best option to travel on Hanle circuit is to contact a tour operator and inquire if they have a cab scheduled on this rout that they can put you on. Your only choice of option at Man, Merak, Chushul is of paying guest. You will need to talk to the villagers asking if they can let you stay, charges will be nominal at around Rs. 500 per person including meals. There is a guest house at Hanle where you can stay for the night. Finding accommodation at Loma, Nyoma, Mahe or Sumo will be extremely difficult so do not plan on staying at either of these places. Public transport services in Zanskar valley is difficult to find. There is only one bus that starts from Leh, halts at Kargil and goes to Padum the next day. There is no direct bus from Kargil to Padum however there is a regular bus from Kargil to Parakchik, Panikhar and Sankoo. From all these three places, in order to get to Padum, you will have to board a public shared taxi. Visiting Zanskar using Public transport would be tricky. If you are however able to manage your timings as per the bus from Leh, then a trip from Kargil to Padum and back would cost you about Rs. 700 – Rs.800. Using public shared taxis, this cost would go a bit higher to Rs. 1000. At towns of Sankoo, Panikhar and Parakchik, locals have a few Sumo cabs that they use to commute to either Kargil to Padum but these are very few in numbers. Best way to cover Zanskar is to try and match your dates with the bus schedule. That way you can reach Padum by bus. For return journey, you can either come back the next day using the same bus or you can board a shared taxi to Panikahar and take the bus to Kargil from there. If you use a tourist shared taxi, the estimated cost would be around Rs. 2000. This will be the last leg of the journey, returning to Srinagar and returning home from there. Multiple options are available to do this journey. You can either catch a normal bus, a deluxe bus, a semi deluxe bus or a shared taxi. Like Manali to Leh, this too will be a 2 days journey with night halt at Kargil. Using a normal bus, fare per person would be Rs. 450. A semi deluxe bus would cost about Rs. 650 and a deluxe bus charge would be Rs. 1050. Private buses also operate on this route and their fare is Rs. 1000 – Rs. 1300 for Srinagar to Leh to Srinagar. A shared taxi for Leh to Srinagar would cost about Rs. 800 per person. For accommodation at Kargil and Srinagar both, you will have to hotel hunt a bit but should be able to find a hotel or guest house in price ranges of Rs. 600 – Rs. 1000. At Srinagar, I would suggest staying somewhere close to Dal lake. You will of course have to return to Jammu for your return journey so I will also include this in the article. There are regular and frequent buses running from Srinagar to Jammu, fare of which is approximately Rs. 500 per person. You can also travel in a shared taxi for Rs. 800 per person. Depending on how many days you have in hand and what all places you wish to visit, you can plan your itinerary with the cost estimates I mentioned above. So how much it will cost to visit Ladakh by Public transport? Overall, reaching Leh from Manali, visiting Nubra, Pangong and Tso Moriri, and returning via Srinagar in a 2 weeks trip would cost you somewhere close to Rs. 15000 including your travel, accommodation and meal expenses. I have not really stressed much about meals in the article because I believe that is highly dependent on an individual, like what you like to eat, where you like to eat and of course, how much do you like to eat (LOL). I hope this information regarding a budget trip to Ladakh was helpful. If you have any further questions, please feel free to ask in the comments section below and I would be glad to answer. If you have travelled to Ladakh by public transport, please do share some further knowledge in order to help others. Hi Rohit – If you are planning by public transport then I will recommend going in May or June if possible. April is a bit too early for traveling by Bus or other shared transport. Hello Mr. Vargis Khan. I have went through you blog regarding Leh Ladakh..I am from Bangladesh. Actually I am planning to travel Leh, Ladakh on 25th October 2018 for 3 days with my other 2 friends. Does sound good to travel end of October 2018? We have very tight schedule to see other parts of Indian after and before of this time.. day 01: arrive at leh and for for leh sightseeing. O/ N leh. Day 02: Pangong tso tour and return to Leh. O/N Leh. Day 3: Depart for manali……. Our preference is shared taxi service to see all. Hope you will help us to do our plan .. Don’t come this year Rafiqul. Permits for Pangong are not being issued to Bangladeshi nationals. You will have to get this from Delhi. Better plan for next year. So far this is the best article I’ve read about descriptions on how to travel solo using Public Transport. So, even I’ve planned for this trip by the end of October. I’ll be alone and will start the trip from Delhi. What would be the DOs and DONOTs for me during that time? Hi Aditya – Bus service to Ladakh is not available in October so you will not be able to travel entirely by Buses. Better plan it for next year. Permits in Ladakh are not being issued to Bangladeshi citizens this year. Thank you Vargis for such a detailed and helpful itinerary. I am following pretty much the same itinerary except for the last day when I have to travel to Srinagar through Kargil as my flight is from Srinagar . I am a solo traveller and would be travelling in August .I read your Blog on August travel to Ladakh . Very useful guidance on packing and other tips . I would be mostly travelling by shared taxis or public transport . On Day 4 , you have mentioned about visiting Thicksey monastery ,Druk School, Shey palace etc on the way to Pangong. Do the shared taxis stop to show this mid way tourist attractions. Do I get shared taxi for Tso Moriri from Pangong . Do I get shared taxis from Nubra to Pangong . Where to book the shared taxis in these places Like Nubra, Pangong and Tso Moriri. Shared taxi for Tso Moriri – Yes you will get it from Leh Bus stand easily but not from Pangong. May or may not get a shared cab from Nubra to Pangong, will have ask around in Diskit. No booking system available for shared cabs. I made a comment on one of your other blogs. Since you are looking at people’s itineraries and advising them, I’d love some advice on our trip. We are 2 friends joined by one later on, to volunteer in a remote monastery in Zanskar for 4 weeks and before and after our stay there we are planning to explore Leh, Nubra, Pangong, etc. 9th July – 12th July – Acclimatize in Leh – roam around – Magnetic Hill, Indus-Zanskar confluence, Shanti Stupa, etc. We wanted to explore Turtuk village too – will there be transport from Diskit/Hunder to Turtuk? Please let me know what you think. I am really worried about our transport from Kargil to Padum and back and our stay in Kargil. We are booking our Nubra stay soon at either Hunder or Diskit. Also, I’m kind of worried about our way back from Nubra to Leh. We are not doing 1 night but we are doing 2 nights. So will there be taxis in Diskit/Hunder to take us back? Hello – I must say that I really envy you being able to spend so much in Zanskar. I must ask though, volunteer at the monastery doing what? As for your itinerary, it looks good. You will be traveling in July august which is really the peak tourist time so finding shared taxis or buses to all the mentioned destinations will be no big deal. You will easily be able to move around. Me & one of my friend will be travelling to Ladakh on 16/9-26/9/18 but in budget costs. Awaiting for your kind replies. Hi Yee – Yes your plan is great. No change required. How is the weather during sep? below 10celsius? Days will be pleasant, close to 15-20 degrees Celsius but yes, nights will be below 10. Last Question. How much if we hire a private driver during these days? You can contact Nasir in Leh @ 9906229203. he runs his taxi there. Talk to him and he will be able to give you cost estimate per your plan. what about srinagar to leh driver? any recommend? Talk to Faisal in Srinagar @ 9596410670. Mid July is OK. Shared cabs are available from Leh bus stand early in the morning on a daily basis. We are two person travelling to leh on 13 – 20 july. if your still with your plan of travelling on mid july we can share the cab. Let me know.. Thanks for all the details. Your article was really helpful. Can you please tell me what would be the Best time to travel to ladakh,since we will be travelling next year… I will be travelling with 2 of my girl friends, so it’s gonna be a complete girls trip.. also please tell us if its safe there. Anything that we need to do, to prepare in advance, we will be travelling from delhi. Hello – July will be a good time to go or else September. From safety point of view, take a look at the article below. Written by a girl who traveled solo to Ladakh by public transport. your blog helped me a lot to plan a solo Ladakh trip. I shall reach Leh on 28th of September,2017. Will it be ok to travel to Nubra and Pangong at that time? and How I can booked the shared taxi for nubra and pangong. Please guide me. Hello Mr. Chakraborty – Yes it will be OK to travel to Nubra and Pangong at this time. Shared taxi is more of a on the spot deal, cannot book. Just reach the Leh bus stand in the morning and you will find multiple taxis there. Check out a few and board the one that seems better and comfortable. Greetings from Malaysia. Thank you Sir, your blog really gave much needed information for my solo travel to Ladakh in Sept 17. If you dont mind i would like to consult you on my planned itinerary for 13 days. Regards. Hello Mr. Rosli – I would be happy to assist in any way that I can. Please let me know what you plan is and I can suggest if any changes are required. 16 Sept (Day 4) – Kargil to Leh (Bus). Arrival evening. I will be travelling solo, after studying and reading your blog, my mode of transportation will most likely be tourist shared taxis/public shared taxis. (Since it’s hard to fit in public bus for my itinerary). Would it be difficult to get a shared taxis exactly according to my planned itinerary i.e availability on a daily basis or do i need to be flexible ? My overall ground budget excluding flight will be around 25~30k rupees. Your itinerary looks great, really no change required. You are going towards the end of tourist season so finding public transport may become a little challenging but you will still be able to find one. Just be a little flexible in terms of both places and mode of transport. If you find a bus, board it. Do not wait for a taxi and vice versa. Same thing applies to places as well. For exammple, if you were planning to go to Nubra on 18th but a mode of transport is readily available for Pangong, then do that first. Another important thing would be arranging your protected area permits for which you will have to go through a local travel agent. Have you made arrangements for that yet? Regarding the permit i havent arrange it yet. i assumed 3 permits are required? Nubra, pangong and tso moriri. You are right. You will need permits for all these three places. Please take a look at the following post detailing how you can get a protected area permit. I will not mind at all. As a matter of fact, I would request you to share the details of your travel. It will be good to know how you find the country. Bro as reading all your post I would like to cover both Srinagar and Ladakh with my wife. I’m from south India. So travelling mode is flight but want to make road travel between Srinagar-leh. Now I want to know Advantages and disadvantages of traveling between SRINAGAR LEH or LEH SRINAGAR.. TRIP BETWEEN 3 days road trip.. Hi Bala,, There is no disadvantage as such. A trip to Ladakh is best if done by road. I am not sure I understood the last line though, you are planning to do Srinagar to Leh and back to Srinagar in 3 days? hi..i will reach Srinagar 10th afternoon and depart delhi 20th May. Want to Cover Srinagar on 10th, Sonamarg on 11th, Kargil/some part of zanskar on 12th, Leh 13th, Nubra 14th, turtuk 15th, panggong/tsomoriri/hanle 16th and 17th, Manali 19th, Delhi 20th – is this doable? I am guessing booking a taxi at srinagar is not feasible since i will end in manali. So public transport till Leh/either bus or shared taxi. Is it possible to book a taxi for one week in Leh for say 3000 a day? whatever i have seen thus far is all point to point fares. Hi Arn – First, Sriangar Leh highway is still closed, expected to open sometime between 12-15 May so that is your biggest concern right now. You may have to spend a couple of days within Srinagar before tourists are allowed to travel towards Leh. From Srinagar, a shared taxi or private taxi is your only choice. Bus will probably not start until end of May or early June. For Leh, there is no per day cab booking. It is all point to point but what you can do is to contact a travel agent there and ask them to book you a spot in tourist shared taxi. It will cost you more than a bus of course but way less than a private taxi. thanks for this blog actually I am searching for this information for so long. I have one question, can i use my own tent for camping in all popular destination in Leh or need any kind of permission? You can camp on your own but will have to keep a few things in mind. Take a look at the article below detailing on how to camp on your own in Ladakh. It will be hard to find a public transport on the direct routes. For going directly from Nubra to Pangong, you will have to travel either on Aghyam Shyok road or across Wari La and there is no bus service on either of these roads. You will have to wait for a shared taxi but chances are you may not find one at all. Very few people on these roads. For Pangong to Tso Moriri direct, you can take the Chushul route but the bus is available only as far as Loma. From Loma to Karzok (Tso Moriri), you will have to board a shared taxi but the frequency is way too low. Sorry Vergis to disturb you again, but i have one more question, Is it possible to stay in any monastery and if possible how much will it affect my pocket? is it possible to have a stay in monasteries and if it is then which one also how much it will affect my pocket? Monasteries will be difficult Devendra, especially around Ladakh.It all depends on your luck, you may talk to the monks and ask if they will let you stay. It is only possible in remote areas though. Your itinerary looks awesome. I am planning for the same. We are travelling with our son who is 11yrs now, any word of advice. And we are planning for travel in may, maybe first week. Is it do able , or what is the best time to travel in may, as my son’s school starts in June. Thank you in advance. Thanks Charu. You can visit in May however you will not be able to travel on Manali Leh highway then as it opens only in June sometime. You will have to take the Srinagar Leh highway and return via the same route. Do not plan it in first week though, plan towards 3rd week of May at earliest as there is a delay expected in Srinagar Leh highway opening this year. Take a look at the article below about traveling to Ladakh with children. Travel in 3rd or 4th week of May would be my advice. The roads are quite bad immediately after the highway opens and BRO takes a couple of weeks to restore it. How are you planning on traveling? Driving, taxi, bus?

2019-04-23T22:10:27Z

http://vargiskhan.com/log/plan-budget-trip-to-ladakh-using-public-transport-services/

Obama has stepped into an unnecessary public relations disaster, once again. Last summer, he got involved in the Officer Crowley and Professor Gates event, and ended up permanently alienating many people who saw him transform from the post-racial healer into an old school, race-hustling politician. He acted like a bully, and it was very clear where his loyalties lay. Finally, Obama has condemned the Koran-burning Florida pastor, Terry Jones, with no genuflection to his constitutional rights, and instead, acted against him with a full court press. The Secretary of Defense, the Pope, the Secretary of State, plus countless media schills have piled on this guy. And, in the most development to date, FBI agents visited the Church, ostensibly to warn Pastor Jones of death threats. Jones, to his discredit, has backed down in the face of this massive public pressure, without any apparent change of ideas. In other words, he was not persuaded, but cowed. Pathetic. At one point Obama stated “This kind of behavior or threats of action put our young men and women in harm’s way. And it’s also the best imaginable recruiting tool for al-Qaeda.” I have no doubt there is some small truth to that, not least because Muslims are incredibly quick to anger. But why is all of his passion and all of his rhetoric addressed to an insignificant Florida pastor? Why not also say something to the other side of this transaction: the demented, hollering, wild eyed crazy people making these veiled threats in Afghanistan and elsewhere? After all, Jones is threatening to burn a book, but these Muslim crazies are threatening to kill Americans in response. In spite of the value of self-respect–which everyone from King David to General MacArthur demonstrate–weakness in the face of Islamic threats is displayed all the time by nearly all of our leaders and large institutions. The defense of ourselves and our culture is absent in the face of repeated Muslim blackmail. And, predictably, this feeds on itself, as Muslim incivility and violence is constantly being rewarded. It’s analogous to the lavish public funds bestowed on cities beset by race rioting in the 1960s; as a result, we have perrenial threats of a “long, hot summer” from the Al Sharptons of the world ever since if payoffs of various kinds are not given to the right shakedown artists. Islam has become the only religion in the western world protected from blasphemy due to a combination of threats, actual violence (such as the killing of Theo van Gogh), and series of weak-kneed responses by our leaders. I recognize, frankly, that some of these elected officials don’t love America and want to see it brought low by the Third Worlders. They identify with the outsiders and want to see the traditional American culture and people destroyed. I believe Obama is off this ilk. Some, however, clearly are just confused. For these that do love America and want to see it made stronger, they could learn from Officer Crowley and similar episodes that a little self-respect and defiance go a long way. Five years after Katrina, the event still captures the imagination, particularly its fears. I was living in Houston at the time Katrina hit. I was able to talk to many refugees at the time, including young people living on friends’ couches and with relatives, working as waitresses and cab drivers and the like. I also followed the news very closely. It was truly an epic disaster. This Did Not Happen and Your Eyes are Lying to You! It is perhaps not surprising that on the five year anniversary of Katrina, a major revisionist history effort is underway. Just as the LA Riots became a story of “12 Years of Neglect” and, last week, a single unrepresentative white crime against a cabdriver makes the national news, there have been hints of this revisionism regarding Katrina before. The real story, we’re told in the Nation and elsewhere, is of racist whites going on a rampage and not the “conventional wisdom” of mass black local government incompetence, collective poor planning by government and individuals, and an aftermath of largely black criminality. Isn’t this interesting? Were the stories, then, of shooters harassing rescuers and aid workers at the time all made up? Was the looting, arson, and mass chaos of the Superdome just an out of control myth? Was New Orleans, which had the highest murder rate in the nation, suddenly a peaceful idyll upon the mass desertion of the corrupt, but absolutely necessary, police force? The revisionists’ claims defy all common sense. I should note one thing missing from most of these stories are raw numbers. How many people were arrested following the storm? How many crimes were reported? How many bodies were found and what was the cause of death? And how reliable are each of these numbers; what interest would any of the authors have in redeeming a certain group of people, restoring New Orleans’ reputation, etc.? How do New Orleans’ numbers compare to Slidell, Lafayette, or neighboring Gulf Coast Mississippi? It’s rather obvious that the usual liberal efforts at distraction, changing the subject, and Orwellian revisionism are underway. And the reasons are familiar too: the goal here is to transform this event, which showcased a serious natural disaster exacerbated by corrupt black-run city and an explosion of black crime, into a tale of federal incompetence and white racism in the form of trigger-happy property owners and cops. While I have no doubt some stories were exaggerated and there was undoubtedly some overreaction by cops and property owners, I also know that some truths are being looked for very aggressively and others are actively avoided. The group doing the “rewriting” of Katrina–the liberal media–cares not so much about truth in matters of race as it does in events that “fit the script.” And that script is of evil white racists and innocent (or at worst misunderstood) black victims. Consider the showcase story in the Nation; a man claims he was shot for no reason by a racist white man with a shotgun. Is this possible? It certainly is, especially in the fear-ridden climate after Katrina. But what if he was a looter? What if his goal was criminal? Or what if it appeared to be so? Would he admit to that? Certainly not. Would the Nation reporter ask him? Probably not, or if he did, it would be a pro forma deference to professional standards. From everything I could see and hear and learn of from survivors while the event was happening, Katrina was terrible and its aftermath was the equivalent of the LA Riots with flooded streets, that crime of all kinds had exploded, that neighborhoods in Houston where Katrina refugees arrived en masse had become more crime ridden, that the 25+ more murders in Houston upon the arrival of the Katrina crowd was not an insignificant uptick in crime, and that any other outcome would truly defy all common sense based on New Orleans’ high crime rate pre-storm. Was there some trigger-happy overreaction by middle class New Orleanians? Almost certainly. But what was the cause of this? Could it be the reasonable fear of massive crime after the storm along with years of negative experience with New Orleans’ underclass? There’s no reason to think the universe went upside down during Katrina, and that people for many years who were violent criminals suddenly became angels. Racism is our secular society’s version of the “Hail Mary.” It wards off evil. It has magical powers. It is a word employed in the most dire of circumstances to provide explanation and excuse, from a major crime to a failing presidency. Shooting sprees are disturbing events, often perpetrated by angry, depressed, suicidal men. When they occurred a decade ago in public schools, “bullying” or “southern gun culture” were blamed. When that sicko shot up the LA Fitness in Pennsylvania, it was blamed on the nascent culture of “game” and the suspect’s deep misogyny. Sometimes idiosyncratic mental illness is blamed. But when the recent Connecticut shooter, Omar Thornton, who was black, blamed racism at his company, all of a sudden a new approach emerges. It’s considered a major mitigating factor. His white girlfriend has even, uncharacteristically, jumped to his defense. No one dares to ask if this claim was just a pretext, the delusional interpretation of innocent behavior by a sick-minded individual. And, even if true, his actions are no more justified than if he had murdered his coworkers for being cliqueish or denying him a promotion. Shooting up innocent people is crazy behavior by crazy, self-absorbed, and morally vacant people. And the media, so notable for its pat explanations in places like Littleton, Colorado or Pearl, Missisippi, all of a sudden wants to defend this messed up person, to make him an “avenging angel” whose actions, if disproportionate, are at least explicable. And we’ve seen this reaction time and again in the face of horrendous black crimes: in the LA Riots, in the Huey Newton affair, or even recently among the brutal Jena Six. “Racism” today has nothing to do with real racism. It is an incantation to promote black power and inculcate white powerlessness. It is used by both whites and blacks to shame and disorient individual whites caught up in such charges. Remember the ridiculous suggestion that Hillary Clinton was racist during the primaries. Yet it threw her off balance. And this kind of thing happens in great and small ways every single day, on the job, on the street, in educational settings, and in politics. Racism is widely perceived as the greatest sin of liberal society, greater even than the historical summum malum of murder. And, worse, it is a charge impossible to defend against, as there is now an alleged scourge of “invidious” racism that hides behind such seemingly anti-white and pro-black measures as affirmative action and the election of a black president. The only two ways our culture will negotiate this apparent contradiction is the utter subjugation of the white race or the mass rejection by whites of racism as a serious matter. The former possibility speaks for itself; we will become like the whites of Rhodesia or, increasingly, South Africa, useful at most for our technical expertise. Alternately, if this growing farce is rejected, “racism” will be relegated to the level of “foul language” or “intemperance” in the pantheon of sins because it would be seen as no longer having any relevance to the lives of either blacks or whites. It would be recognized chiefly as a means of character assassination agianst whites and excusing the inexcusable among blacks. Indeed, the increasing frequency of charges of racism and the draconian consequences of being “found guilty” of such a charge, coupled with the near complete undoing of real racism, may be the undoing of liberalism. After all, anti-racism (or more accurately anti “white racism”) has become central to the meaning of contemporary liberalism, but the injustice of the current state of affairs is more and more obvious to anyone with eyes to see. And there are 9 dead bodies in Connecticut to prove it. A rather forthright young lady at Harvard Law mistakenly thought the school was serious about its motto: Veritas. She calmly and dispassionately explained her views on racial differences, genetics, and various related social problems. She used no epithets or coarse language. A member of the Black Law Students Association, and similar associations at other elite law schools, responded by literally trying to ruin her life, in part, by trying to get her federal judicial clerkship yanked. This is utterly monstrous behavior by weak, thin-skinned, anti-intellectual, and evil people, whose feelings and belief structure is so incredibly fragile because it’s built on the very falsehoods which this young lady dared to challenge. But oh how the school and its professors and its students congratulate themselves on their intellectual daring and cutting-edge beliefs. Cutting edge 50 years ago perhaps. Liberalism is now the official religion of elite America, it takes no courage to embrace, and anyone that dares to deviate from its premises on equality, race, nature versus nurture, and much else is responded to not with sound argument and evidence but Soviet-style attempts to ruin one’s life and livelihood. Yet there is now the feeling that without an appeal to minorities, conservatism is at risk of marginalization. The recent election revealed a Republican Party — largely white, male and Southern — seemingly on its way to becoming a “regional” party. Still, an appeal targeted just at minorities — reeking as it surely would of identity politics — is anathema to most conservatives. Can’t it be assumed, they would argue, that support of classic principles — individual freedom and equality under the law — constitutes support of minorities? And, given the fact that blacks and Hispanics often poll more conservatively than whites on most social issues, shouldn’t there be an easy simpatico between these minorities and political conservatism? ‘Compassionate conservatism’ was clever — as a marketing ploy. But of course the reverse is true. There is an abiding alienation between the two — an alienation that I believe is the great new challenge for both modern conservatism and formerly oppressed minorities. Oddly, each now needs the other to evolve. Yet why this alienation to begin with? Can it be overcome? I think it began in a very specific cultural circumstance: the dramatic loss of moral authority that America suffered in the 1960s after openly acknowledging its long mistreatment of blacks and other minorities. Societies have moral accountability, and they cannot admit to persecuting a race of people for four centuries without losing considerable moral legitimacy. Such a confession — honorable as it may be — virtually calls out challenges to authority. And in the 1960s challenges emerged from everywhere — middle-class white kids rioted for “Free Speech” at Berkeley, black riots decimated inner cities across the country, and violent antiwar protests were ubiquitous. America suddenly needed a conspicuous display of moral authority in order to defend the legitimacy of its institutions against relentless challenge. I wrote something similar here in regard to the annoying, anti-American rhetoric of mainstream conservatives like Bush and Condoleeza Rice. As far as connecting the dots, I think its important for conservatives to revisit the standard, liberal-leaning account of our recent past and defend the past and the authority of our civilization and institutions, all the way to the Crusades, in order to avoid the unravelling tendencies or mealy-mouthed cheerleading. We need not defend every excess, but history, including evils in history, must be seen in their proper context and judged in light of the distinctly modern evils of our times. I think more narrowly as an electoral strategy conservatives must be magnaminous but must dump their fantastic hope that alienated people in a milieu that encourages and sanctifies that alienation will all of a sudden become stalwart defenders of our civilization and join in a movement so devoted. Grievance pays, as illustrated not least by the Obamas. Nowhere in any of the evidence [implicating the Jena Six], including statements by witnesses and defendants, is there any reference to the noose incident that occurred three months prior. This was confirmed by the United States attorney for the Western District of Louisiana, Donald Washington, on numerous occasions. The culture is sick. It is sick with misplaced guilt, alienation, disregard for standards, and confused priorities. The Jena Six is a great example. Two of their members, whose claim to fame consisted of pummeling a white boy who “dissed” them at school, were recently honored by BET and given recognition at a music awards show. At the same time, down the road in New Orleans, the District Attorney’s office in this crime-ridden city has been paralyzed by a huge judgment against the (black) DA for firing almost all of the office’s white workers some years ago. And yet in the face of these offenses–ranging from the violent to the merely venal–the media persists in its hoary view that white racism is still a major problem in this country. This aversion to unpleasant facts unfortunately enables an endemic culture of corruption and violence among the very Black Americans that the media is trying to help. This stupid denial of reality fuels a demoralized, cynical, and alienated division of blacks and whites even though most of the major evils of yesteryear–slavery, Jim Crow, lynching–were abandoned before most of us were born. One lesson is clear from Jena: Ignore the media at your peril. The military, prosecutors, Ken Starr, and many others have learned this lesson repeatedly. Talk to the media and they may distort what you say, but say nothing and you’ll get run over by opponents. CNN’s melodramatic focus on the “schoolyard fight” and the “wrong side of the tracks” in its special report on Jena, Louisiana added to the smokescreen set up by the defendants to distract us from what this case is really about: a brutal beatdown of a young man for “dissing” that had nothing to do with the infamous “noose incident” months earlier. Conjure the image of schoolboys fighting: they exchange words, clench fists, throw punches, wrestle in the dirt until classmates or teachers pull them apart. Of course that would not be aggravated second-degree battery, which is what the attackers are now charged with. (Five of the defendants were originally charged with attempted second-degree murder.) But that’s not what happened at Jena High School. The victim in this crime, who has been all but forgotten amid the focus on the defendants, was a young man named Justin Barker, who was not involved in the nooses incident three months earlier. According to all the credible evidence I am aware of, after lunch, he walked to his next class. As he passed through the gymnasium door to the outside, he was blindsided and knocked unconscious by a vicious blow to the head thrown by Mychal Bell. While lying on the ground unaware of what was happening to him, he was brutally kicked by at least six people. Imagine you were walking down a city street, and someone leapt from behind a tree and hit you so hard that you fell to the sidewalk unconscious. Would you later describe that as a fight?

2019-04-23T17:52:31Z

https://mansizedtarget.wordpress.com/tag/racism/

Mode of the Past or Promise for the Future? In today’s Global North, cycling – and e-biking for that matter – is promoted as a sustainable alternative to the private mobility of cars. In particular, policymakers in the US and Europe are placing high hopes on e-bikes as a sustainable urban solution for the future. Despite the green status of bicycles as ecologically sustainable vehicles, most people and governments embrace cycling for economic rather than ecological reasons. The urban bicycle – other than its touring or sports equivalent – has been a practical solution for working-class transit needs for over a century. Bicycles offer people great flexibility, low maintenance, fuel independence, and relative invulnerability when facing bad road conditions. In rural areas and small towns in many parts of the world, bicycles are the only form of fast, flexible, affordable, and reliable transport. And compared to walking, cycling enlarges people’s action radius almost fifteen times, giving access to job opportunities otherwise unavailable to the working poor. In many countries, however, cycling is still associated with poverty rather than being thought of as a sustainable mobility solution. China represents a particularly intriguing case. For half a century or so, communist China was known as the bicycle kingdom before its government began neglecting – and actively discouraging – cycling in the 1990s. Its vibrant cycling culture is under siege, despite the government’s ambition, formulated in 2013, to make China the world’s first ›Ecological Civilization‹, thus reconciling the contradictions between economic development and environmental issues. Chinese policymakers have not embraced the sizeable traditional cycling and e-biking culture for its potential as a solution for sustainable urban mobility. In the following, I will show how China’s case offers a unique insight into the dilemmas and contradictions of cycling when a country is facing economic, social, and ecological sustainability challenges. The first section discusses the reasons why the state made China a veritable bicycle kingdom, the first of its kind, between the 1950s and 1990s in order to sustain its economy. The second section describes China’s turn towards a car-based model of economic growth and middle-class lifestyle and its policy of discouraging cycling between 1994 and 2008. The final section maps the ecological and social sustainability challenges and contradictions of this policy. It explores how today’s planners associate cycling – and e-cycling in particular – with poverty and the past. The article concludes by asking whether China is ready to combine the bicycle’s social and ecological sustainability potential with the quest for green leadership underpinning its 2013 strategy to become the world’s first ›Ecological Civilization‹. For a few decades, China represented the world’s premier bicycle nation. In Western literature and travelogues, the tinkling of bicycle bells was firmly established as a familiar phrase to describe the downtown hustle and bustle. The trope of tinkling bicycle bells often denoted chaos in the streets, the disturbing sign of the presence of working-class and colonial peoples. In the Cold War context of China, however, the sound of bicycle bells acquired a special meaning. To sympathetic observers, the sound gauged the progress of communism. In the movie China: The Surprising Country (1966), the Australian educationalist, author, film-maker, and China enthusiast Myra Roper described the ›myriads of bicycle bells, twanging around us‹. Sinologist Ross Terrill similarly wrote appreciatively in his book 800,000,000: The Real China (1972) about the ›late afternoon rays, as Peking sang with bicycle bells of people riding home‹, and how ›among sounds, the cicadas compete with bicycle bells‹. Since 1994, when the party chose to follow the West in adopting automobility as an important engine for economic growth, bicycles have fallen out of favor with China’s central and local planners. The 1990s policy marked a dramatic shift from the state’s active encouragement of cycling. Unlike other countries in the world, China’s fame as a bicycle nation between the 1950s and 1990s was a product of the centralized communist state. Soon after China’s Revolution, the communists – despising the exploitation of workers embodied by the rickshaw – decided that the bicycle would be the workers’ modern machine for personal transportation. A persistent anecdote tells how in the 1950s, Mao Zedong asked science historian Joseph Needham for advice on whether ›his people‹ should have cars or whether he should make them stay on bicycles. The British professor, who cycled all around bicycle-friendly Cambridge, remarked that he used one himself and found it quite satisfactory. ›Fine‹, said Mao, ›then we’ll stick with bicycles.‹ The story is most likely apocryphal, but aptly symbolizes cycling’s pivotal role in post-revolutionary China. For the communist leaders, the pro-bicycle policy made a lot of sense. Their decision had little to do with ecological sustainability and more with their drive for China’s economic autarky. Bicycles had proven essential during the many years of economic crisis, war, and revolution when oil and steel were in short supply. These pedal-powered machines had proven indispensable when basic infrastructures collapsed. Not only did the US-led blockade force China to be self-sufficient; the authorities were also struggling to build a comprehensive public transit system. The country was poor, its needs large, and its resources limited. In this economic context, the state’s encouragement of cycling made strategic sense. Pro-cycling policies emerged between the 1950s and 1990s, when promotors of automobility in the industrializing Global North succeeded in decentering bicycles as a modern machine to demonstrate the inevitability of automobility’s surge and cycling’s decline. In the Global South, however, cycling expanded – as it did in China. Bicycles still maintained a favorable reputation as a modern form of transportation in 1950s China, and they were expected to last a lifetime. Bicycles were prized possessions – sold through factory cooperatives – and affordable only for the heads of households. Above all, the bicycle was a proven and reliable technology that, compared to cars, required relatively little dedicated infrastructure. In 1955, Mao began to encourage cycling as part of his New Democracy reform. That year, China’s pro-bicycle policy took off in earnest. The Communist Party expanded the domestic industry to bring the bicycle within the reach of working-class families. Between 1965 and 1979, the number of factories grew from 11 to 46. While in 1965, factories were producing 1.83 million bicycles a year, within two years, production almost doubled to 3.68 million; five years later, it had doubled again to 6.23 million. The economic reforms of the late 1970s brought decollectivization of agriculture, opened the country to foreign investment, and allowed entrepreneurs to start businesses, while most industries remained state owned. Deng Xiaoping’s 1979 policy of stimulating the country’s light industry shifted the bicycle industry into the highest gear. By 1983, the sector employed a quarter of a million workers and produced 28 million bicycles annually. Playing on the American dream of automobiles, Deng defined the consumerist goal of communist prosperity for all Chinese; bicycles played a key role in this vision for the future. ›Produce good quality products for a good life‹, read a 1981 poster with the prominent image of a bicycle as prized possession capturing the new consumer policy. This policy generated China’s unprecedented boom in the bicycle industry. With it, China established a global reputation as a bicycle kingdom at a time when many Western governments were investing heavily in the automotive industry and car infrastructures. More than any other Chinese-manufactured bicycle, the Flying Pigeon (Feige), domestically produced in Tianjin on China’s northeastern coast, came to symbolize communist China. The coveted bicycle cost about two to three times an urban worker’s monthly salary (or 150 yuan) in the 1970s. With little money to spare each month, a family would have to save for at least two years before the man of the house could buy one. Moreover, the rationing policy meant families had to be on a waiting list for several years; having good connections helped. The high-status Flying Pigeon became one of three desired possessions for any newly-wed couple: for her a sewing machine; for him a wristwatch and a bicycle. As the central government ended rationing, relaxed price controls, and set some quality standards for production, prices came down. Cycling boomed, not only because the state invested in the mass production of bicycles and lowered prices. Workers’ higher disposable incomes also explain the spectacular growth. For the first time, urban families could afford bicycles for their kids. It signified upward mobility. When Deng took over after Mao’s death in 1978, most urban families owned one bicycle – often the male heads of the household. Agricultural workers benefitted as well, when the reform policy included the countryside for the first time, not just the centers of industry. On the eve of the 1978 restructuring of the economy, the ratio of agricultural to urban families who possessed a bicycle was 30:102 per every 100 families. The new policy resulted in higher incomes for agricultural families. By 1990, city workers still owned more bicycles, but rural families were catching up: the ratio of bicycle ownership had shifted to 118:180. (Urban) women also benefitted from the new policy. The more lightweight ›Phoenix‹ offered women an affordable alternative to the sturdy ›Flying Pigeon‹. For most Chinese workers, like their counterparts elsewhere in the world a few decades earlier, commuting by bicycle replaced getting to work on foot. Traditionally, people worked where they lived – and walking served them well. Changes in spatial planning encouraged cycling. Now, authorities established new-town industries in rural areas. These industrial centers created longer commuting distances, and bicycles were better suited to bridging such distances than the customary practice of walking. The traditionally compact Chinese cities with their narrow lanes (hutong) facilitated cycling for short distances. In the early 1980s, city traffic statisticians discovered that 74 percent of the cyclists in the port city of Tianjin pedaled for less than 30 minutes to work (a maximum of about 10 kilometers). The lack of mobility alternatives also encouraged cycling. As a socialist administration, the regime expressed a commitment to mobility access for all: the party advanced collective forms of mobility by investing in public transit and low fares. Economically challenged as it was, however, China lacked the resources for extensive public transit like well-run bus systems, subways, and road construction to meet citizens’ mobility needs. Buses were crammed with workers trying to jump on. Cycling filled the gap. Some local authorities encouraged workers to commute by bicycle instead of by bus through a subsidy system set up to address capacity pressures. Thus, the Chinese communist party’s pro-bicycle policy offered an alternative to the over-extended public transit system, when the regime could not provide a comfortable commute for all. In short, China’s new status as the world’s bicycle kingdom from the 1970s to the 1990s resulted from Deng’s industrial policy encouraging bicycle manufacturing and from declining prices, higher disposable incomes, changes in spatial planning, the lack of mobility alternatives, and cycling’s high cultural status. As it turns out, the government’s positive attitude to cycling was short-lived. In 1994, the central government’s economic and urban planning radically shifted the equation for cycling, when policymakers opted for car production and urbanization on a grand scale. At this point, the planners seemed to have little awareness of the air pollution – even though examples in the US and Europe had shown the enormous ecological challenges and traffic congestion that urban automobility was causing in that decade. The party’s decision resulted from its desire to transform China into an economic powerhouse. If Deng fulfilled the Chinese dream of a bicycle for every household, he was also the leader responsible for China’s radical and fundamental shift towards cars. Thanks to economic reforms in the 1990s, China opened to the world economy and embraced capitalist development. The second phase of Deng’s reforms involved privatization, contracting out state-owned industries, and lifting price controls. Owning a car came to represent an ideal life. Just as once a bicycle had been desirable for a new couple, in today’s China, owning a car, together with an apartment, has become the symbol of a family’s success. Indeed, owning a car and a house makes a bachelor stand out in the marriage market. In July 1994 – only fifteen years after Deng had pushed the cycling industry – the communist party decided to encourage the automotive industry and allow workers to own private cars. Chinese leaders now touted cars as the vehicle of the future. Car manufacturing was to be a pillar industry and drive the nation’s economic growth; its subsequent two-digit growth rate impressed economists. This decision for car-based economic growth was not necessarily the result of a policy vision about people’s mobility needs. The Chinese planners sought technological parity with the West. Since the First World War, worldwide military planners considered motorized transport (trucks, tanks, and cars) a must for winning wars. Cars, moreover, were a sign of advanced technological knowledge in electronics as well as in manufacturing. Car manufacturing promised to be China’s engine for the economy at large. Such thinking was in line with standard ideas on economic growth everywhere in the Western world: economists and policymakers embraced this economic model. So did unions. Globally, the labor movement, interested in relatively high-paying jobs, supported the automotive industry and the economic vision it promoted. Moreover, social democratic leaders around the 1960s envisioned that these high-paid workers should have their own cars as well. In short, China’s 1994 choice fell in line with the dominant economic thinking. The party announced the shifting of economic gears, however, at the time when a strong countercurrent in the Global North was offering an alternative for more sustainable urban mobility. Building on this counternarrative, at least one critical voice questioned the shift. On 9 August 1994, a month after the party had resolved to invest in the automotive industry, the Beijing sociologist Zheng Yefu, who had studied history in China before doing his master’s degree in sociology at the University of Denver in the US, fundamentally questioned the wisdom of the party’s decision. He voiced his critique in an opinion piece, entitled ›Critique of Car Civilization‹ published in the famous Guangming Daily newspaper, Deng’s platform for his economic reform two decades earlier. Zheng asked: was the party’s decision motivated by profits and vanity or by a true desire to facilitate social life? Was the policy shift a wise move? To Zheng, the issue was not whether China was able to produce private cars for everyone – its industry certainly could, he thought – but whether the country should ›enter car civilization‹. For his opposition, Zheng mobilized American car critics like sociologist Daniel Bell and cultural analyst Lewis Mumford. The decision to shift to privately owned cars was not a matter of merely introducing a new technology. In his opinion, it required investing in large infrastructural support systems as well as in a massive energy supply. The sociologist pointed out to his Chinese readers that the US government spent half its revenues on car infrastructure. Although cars may once have been attractive, those advantages no longer existed, he argued. Motorists in New York travelled 6 kilometers per hour in 1913 – and still travelled at this speed in the 1990s. Why, then, did China want to enter a car society if there were so few advantages? Foreign companies and domestic industry had a stake in and were seduced by the potential profits of car manufacturing. Ordinary Chinese were lured by the car’s social status. The Beijing sociologist warned, however, that the car’s promise of individual freedom masked its gigantic hidden costs for society. The state would have to deal with issues like traffic congestion and accidents. Moreover, he predicted, the decision to invest in China’s car industry would set a precedent of divestment from public transit systems. Zheng argued that an automotive future was not inevitable in China’s march towards economic progress. He cited alternatives from abroad. Since the 1970s, Copenhagen’s citizens had launched a campaign to reduce cars and use bicycles instead. Birmingham, Leeds, Edinburgh, Amsterdam, and 34 other cities established ›car-free city‹ coalitions in 1994; and the Swiss had voted against foreign cars in the Alps in 1993. China should not adopt ›America’s old car culture‹, he insisted. He was not against the market economy and open competition as such. Nor did he contest the Chinese people’s right to buy cars. Instead, China should conduct a real cost-benefit analysis before investing in private car mobility; the planners’ guiding principle should be the economies of scale and calculating the real costs for society. That meant passing on to car owners the hidden social costs, he believed. Zheng urged that the state should invest instead in public transit and in bicycles. Zheng’s warning and suggestions for an alternative mobility path came as several bicycle consultants from the Netherlands travelled to Beijing in 1995 for a World Bank-sponsored conference on China’s urban transport development strategy. The Dutch consultants supported a bicycle-based future as part of the newly established national Bicycle Master Plan to solve their country’s traffic jams. In those years, the NGO Worldwatch Institute and the World Bank sponsored conferences and papers promoting the bicycle as ›The Vehicle for a Small Planet‹. In vain. Zheng – and the Western bicycle consultants, for that matter – lost the battle to the car-governed future. As Zheng had predicted, in order to fulfill the car-centered vision, the central state geared the nation’s resources towards getting more freeways and parking lots. The car-dominated modernist vision was a transnationally shared phenomenon. China was no exception. In the Shanghai and Beijing Planning Exhibition halls, gigantic scale models conveyed what would become Deng’s future vision and what Zheng was to so pointedly criticize. The Shanghai and Beijing scale models echoed General Motor’s Futurama exhibit at the 1939 New York World’s Fair with its corporate vision for a car-governed future in 1960: dividing traffic into fast and slow lanes. Although we associate these ideas with American cities, the vision was first blueprinted in the international civil engineering community at the Permanent International Association of Road Congresses (PIARC), in particular at its 1926 conference in Milan. In the urban planning community, Le Corbusier’s work inspired the Functional City at the Congrès Internationaux d’Architecture Moderne (CIAM) held on a ship bound for Athens from Marseilles in 1933. Chinese planners came to embrace the high-modernist vision with a passion. The car-dominated models entered planning circles, even when pedestrians, cyclists, and bus passengers far outnumbered motorists in the urban landscape. China also imported algorithms calculating flows and traffic models to maximize car circulation which ignored pedestrians and cyclists and were based on Western experience. A year after the party had adopted automobility as an important pillar for economic growth, the central government issued The Standard of Urban Road Traffic (1995) – the government’s first and only document giving explicit direction on how policymakers should deal with cycling. The manual declared that the high volume of cyclists on China’s road was a problem. The policy blamed cyclists for the conflicts between motorized and non-motorized vehicles, despite previously warning motorists to obey traffic rules. The 1995 national guidelines instructed large city authorities to improve the traffic situation by taking the speed of cars as its standard. The car-governed policy did not come from the central government alone. During the same period, some local authorities began adopting measures to reduce cycling in advance of the car’s arrival. In Guangzhou, for example, its 1993 Transport Master Plan already advised cutting back cycling’s share from 34 percent in 1992 to 13 percent by the 2010s. Shanghai and Beijing followed. In its 2002 report, the Beijing Transport Institute, a new planning agency within the municipal government, called for the ›continuous reduction of bicycles and other inferior forms of transport from their current overly high proportion‹. The same year, the White Paper of Shanghai Urban Transport Development sought to reduce cycling trips by 25 percent by 2005 compared to the 2000 level. The paper projected that cycling would only be useful for journeys of under 30 minutes and ignored the prevalence of long-distance commuting on electric two-wheelers. The forecast meant in the first instance sidelining the scores of cyclists to side roads to make way for the increasing – but still exceedingly modest – number of motorists on China’s streets. Indeed, between 1995 and 2013, all plans for new car-oriented roads were geared towards marginalizing bicycles through purposeful urban design. For existing streets, urban policymakers looked to create separate lanes for so-called ›fast traffic‹ and ›slow traffic‹ as a first step in phasing out cyclists. In the same year the party decided to invest in the car industry, the Bureau of National Technical Supervision issued a traffic manual, setting standards for road infrastructures that would enable cars (fast traffic) to be separated from cycles (slow traffic). Given that cyclists dominated all Chinese streets and traditionally cycled over the entire width of the road, the manual’s instructions to relegate cyclists to separate paths or on-street lanes downgraded their status. Implementing outright downtown bicycle bans represented another intervention in making way for the car-governed future. In 2004, for example, officials banned nine million cyclists from the main arteries of downtown Shanghai. The effect was immediate. The proportion of non-motorized trips in downtown Shanghai fell from 23.2 to 19.5 percent in five years. By 2009, the authorities had prohibited non-motorized vehicles like bicycles on 10 percent of Shanghai’s streets. Just like in countries in the Global North that had previously opted for car-governed cities, when automobility finally did arrive, bicycle and car-related fatalities soared. Shanghai’s traffic accidents almost doubled from 130,000 in 1994 to 243,000 in 1998. In the public discourse over road safety, the hotly contested issue was whose safety needed protecting and whose mobility would get priority. In the case of accidents, the blame began shifting away from motorists. The process of discouraging cycling and pedestrianism echoed the policies implemented in the US and Europe between the 1920s and 1970s to make way for cars. Policy and practice did not always match, however. Despite projections of its demise, in practice cycling at first continued to grow in the megacity Shanghai by an average of 9 percent between 1995 and 2004. Pro-car policies could also backfire. After local authorities in the harbor city Dalian had decided to blame the 1.6 million cyclists for obstructing car traffic and causing chaos, they made concerted efforts to get bicycles off the road. Celebrating their bicycle-banning policies, the authorities ranked Dalian in 2000 as the best city in the Ministry of Public Security and the Ministry of Construction ›Smoothing Project‹ – a translation of the car-based concept ›traffic flow‹ – to facilitate (›smooth‹) car flows and improve road safety. It called on other cities to emulate Dalian. Only three years later, the city faced its worst urban congestion. Once triumphantly declared China’s ›bicycle-free city‹, today Dalian is planning to rebuild its bicycle lane infrastructure and establish a public bicycle-sharing scheme. Policy and practice diverged in other ways as well. The image of clogged traffic on Shanghai’s elevated expressway, snaking through the downtown area, came to dominate most (international) reporting on China’s transition from a manufacturing nation to a consumer society. These narratives suggest that car-centered cities and traffic jams were just the inevitable price the country had to pay for economic advancement. Journalists often focused on cars in China to portray the nation’s rising middle class and its consumption. To cite just one example, the US-based journal Foreign Policy reported dramatically how since 1986, auto use had increased sixfold in Beijing and cycling plummeted from nearly 60 percent to just 17 percent by 2010. The decline in cycling, however, was neither a natural nor an inevitable phenomenon, as the US publication suggested. The declining figures, as we have seen, were the result of a deliberate policy to encourage automobility as the mode of the future and to discourage cycling as a mode of the past. Most significantly, the media focus on the staggering gridlocks and growth figures is misleading. The reports consistently ignore modal split statistics – the percentage of travelers using a particular type of transport (cars, bicycles, walking, and public transit). These are most instructive. A year after the policy shift, in 1995, China had 2.5 million cars. Seventeen years later, there were 93 million. That number is still far less than the many hundreds of millions of (e-)cyclists plying the streets. In 2011, for example, Beijing residents still overwhelmingly cycled (32 percent), walked (21 percent), or took public transit (26 percent) rather than drove (21 percent). Despite the pro-car policies, even in the port city Shanghai there was an even split between cyclists and motorists (20 percent each); most residents either used public transit (33 percent) or walked (27 percent). Or, to put it more starkly: motorized mobility made up only a fifth of all movements in both cities (21 and 20 percent respectively). Thus, news reports about China’s rapid growth in automobility and decline in cycling often mask these modal-split statistics. By quoting figures on growth rates for cars and cycling’s decline rather than modal-share figures, such reports reinforce a narrative of inevitable automobility and middle-class success. These accounts of inevitability conceal the real policy choices involved. Crucially, they ignore how policy crafted at the drawing table diverged from actual practice on the street. In August 2010, the international press highlighted the 10-kilometer traffic jam of trucks on the Beijing expressway to Mongolia that lasted ten days. It was a future Zheng had predicted when rejecting the old American model of automobility for China. Facing an air pollution disaster and clogged arteries of gigantic proportions, the country was standing at the edge of a precipice. In the preparations for the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, policymakers and many Chinese citizens realized that new policy measures were urgently required to deal with the staggering problems of urban traffic and pollution. In 2007, a report to the 17th National People’s Congress called for China to become the world’s first ›Ecological Civilization‹. The Central Committee adopted this proposal at the next congress in 2013. China’s central government issued a comprehensive law in 2016 to tackle air pollution. In developing the policy, city governments rather than the central government often took the lead. China’s central government introduced standards for air pollutants, modeled after European Union regulations introduced in 1992 and based on initiatives by the city governments of Shanghai and Beijing. On the other hand, the central government introduced environmental protection measures through legal and economic instruments that depended on lower governments for their implementation. With the adoption of the 2013 ›Ecological Civilization‹ blueprint, however, the environmental policy took center stage. That same year, the party’s ambition to become the world’s first ›Ecological Civilization‹ found its way into the area of urban mobility standards for the built environment. The government-mandated 2013 manual, Urban and Rural Housing Construction Unit Walking and Cycling Planning and Design Guidelines modified the car bias of the 1995 guide. In consultation with the NGO China Sustainability Transportation Center, the manual made important amendments to an exclusively car-governed attitude to traffic. It urged designers to prioritize road space for pedestrians and cyclists and to segregate traffic whenever faced with limited space. In existing streets, planners had to give priority to pedestrians, cyclists, cabs, and public transit stops, in that order, before allowing cars. Despite the official amendments, the conflicting objectives of urban mobility and sustainability have resulted in zigzag policies. While the central government issued guidelines restoring the role of cyclists and pedestrians at the expense of motorists, it continued to stimulate car manufacturing and sales, fueled by a rising middle class eager to acquire cars and the lifestyle associated with them. To deal with clogged cities and air pollution, local governments sought to curb car ownership and use, while continuing to issue bicycle bans and build urban highways. Equally contradictorily, banning bicycles to make way for cars ran parallel to policies to curb automobility: Shanghai has limited parking and the number of new car license plates to 50,000 per year since 1998, and also made it difficult to get a driver’s license. Beijing, Hangzhou, Guangzhou, Guiyang, and Tianjin followed suit. Cities have also been more pro-active. To combat automobility, most of China’s wealthiest cities have been investing heavily in mass-scale public transit at a breathtaking rate over the past decade. Guangzhou runs a rapid bus transit system larger than any other Asian city – a development that has become a model throughout the world. Since the Olympics in 2008, Beijing in particular has been rapidly extending its subway system. In facing the ecological challenges, however, the car-curbing and public-transit investment policies lack a comprehensive bicycle-based strategy to reinforce the commitment to sustainability. The omission is even more striking considering China’s continually thriving cycling culture and its position as the world’s largest bicycle manufacturer. The mobility initiatives ignore cycling’s enormous ecological potential, its near-zero emissions, small land use, little wear and tear to roads, cost-efficiency, speed, and flexibility. Local authorities have created only modest cycling policies, mostly in response to citizens’ demands. To fight air pollution, 200,000 Beijing residents pledged to reduce car use and go on foot or by bicycle in June 2010. Measures to ban bicycles from the center of Guangzhou by 2010 were scrapped after outraged citizen protests in the 1990s. Shanghai has revoked its 2007 ban of bicycles downtown and announced it would convert some car lanes back to the original cycling lanes. Recently, China’s Deputy Minister of Infrastructure ordered that cycle lanes be restored in those cities that once had had them. The police are cracking down on bicycle theft. Those modest pro-cycling measures in response to citizens’ demands have not prompted authorities to revisit their bicycle policy. Rather the policies are defensive and haphazard. Even the much highlighted bicycle-share programs are stand-alone initiatives. The famous historic and tourist city of Hangzhou with 7 million people, facing traffic congestion and a deteriorating environment, launched its own ambitious bicycle-sharing program in 2008, within a year of the public-private JCDecaux Vélib’ bicycle scheme’s introduction in Paris. Hangzhou’s system, with over 2,674 stations and 65,000 bicycles in 2012, is set to expand to 175,000 bicycles by 2020. Such initiatives neither amounted to a dedicated, fundamental cycling policy nor integrated cycling into a comprehensive mobility strategy to achieve ecological and social sustainability. The blind spot is widely shared. Twenty years later to the day, in 2014, sociologist Zheng revisited his original critique against automobility in his opinion piece entitled, ›Two decades of car debate‹. He had lost the battle in 1994 to his opponent Fan Gang, the automobility proponent who had a Chinese degree in Western economics and was professor at Beijing’s top business school with exposure to the US during a stint at Harvard University. To his regret, Zheng won the war two decades later. Having advised the city of Beijing to deal with its urgent transport issues since 2010, Zheng was most fierce in his critique of the policymakers who – besides not daring to speak out against the problems they faced in their own jurisdiction – had been clueless about the growing resistance from Chinese citizens. Beijing officials who only travelled by luxury cars should be forced to take the bus, he sarcastically wrote, if China was to have a fighting chance of creating a sensible traffic policy. Throughout his career, Zheng had written numerous articles arguing that investments should be made in dedicated bus lanes; parking should be financed through fees reflecting the land-use prices; and car owners should bear the real costs of road construction. Despite his earlier call for bicycles to be encouraged, his focus had shifted almost exclusively to public transit. He no longer mentioned the bicycle as a sensible solution. His omission was noteworthy because cycling, or, to be more precise, e-cycling was booming for long-distance commuting and delivery purposes. Underneath the elevated highways and flyovers that transport Shanghai’s middle classes and capture the attention of journalists, a kind of ›underground‹ pedestrian and cycling city still dominates. Here, as elsewhere in China, we find urban workers, peddlers, and rural migrants moving around on a rich variety of locally produced battery-powered bicycles or scooters. An estimated 300 million commuters and migrants rely for their livelihood on the quiet, battery-powered e-bikes. Otherwise unregulated, categorized as non-motorized, and allowed on bicycle lanes, e-bicycles and e-scooters provide commuters an affordable, flexible, and fast alternative to expensive cars, crammed busses, slower pedal-powered bicycles, and gasoline-powered motorcycles. Workers consider them a lifeline, particularly in many small and medium-sized Chinese cities with outdated bus systems and minimal investments in subways. The world of battery-powered bicycles and scooters in China is unique. The industry developed outside the official state policy venues as a bottom-up innovation – almost by accident. So did their use. A mere 40,000 were sold in 1998. Not counting the traditional pedal-powered bicycles, today there are close to 300 million electric two-wheelers – about twice the number of middle-class car drivers – plying the streets. By 2012, China accounted for about 93 percent of global e-bike sales. Their growth exploded when local governments banned pedal-powered bicycles because authorities found them too slow for the new automotive advance and small entrepreneurs seized the opportunity to offer an electric and faster alternative. The electric two-wheeler industry received another boost when the authorities banned gasoline-powered motorcycles for being too polluting and noisy – a ban initiated in Beijing in 1985, and adopted in 150 cities by 2015. Government restrictions thus unintentionally created a new – and unregulated – market for electric two-wheelers. The e-bicycles and e-scooters, however, have a low status in China today. Class is at the heart of the matter. Commuters from the countryside who depend on jobs and trade in the city, but cannot afford the high rents to live there, use electric two-wheelers as a welcome alternative to crammed busses and slower bicycles. It is the poor man’s car. Workers and migrants find electric two-wheelers can bridge the great distances of the ever-expanding city limits and consume four to five times less than gasoline-powered motorcycles. Electric two-wheelers, moreover, sustain the army of poorly paid deliverymen, who keep the ›wheels of e-commerce‹ running, quickly collecting and delivering online-purchased goods to consumers. Recently, a grass-roots movement of working-class commuters, migrants, and delivery workers put the issue of cycling back on the political agenda, if only temporarily, when authorities started to target the electric two-wheelers with bans. To the great surprise of the Shenzhen authorities, banning e-bikes to create an easy flow for car traffic brought the local e-commerce sector with its dependence on bicycle-bound deliverymen almost to a halt. In China’s third-biggest and newly-built city of Shenzhen near Hong Kong, local citizens supported by almost all the newspapers, including even the official, party-sponsored People’s Newspaper and the Xinhua News Agency, rose up against the anti-bicycle and anti-scooter policies in 2016. Citing concerns about road safety and battery-induced pollution, some local authorities have been skeptical about the e-bike development. Following Fuzhou and Zhuhai, Guangzhou became the third Chinese city to ban e-bikes in 2006. Beijing also introduced a ban, but quickly retracted the policy. The resistance to the 2016 e-bike bans in many Chinese cities brought to light a potential alternative alliance to the car-based coalition. The bicycle industry through the China Bicycle Association (CBA) claimed the sector was worth 28 billion euros. The sector included e-vehicle businesses like the Zhejiang Luyan Vehicle Company. Moreover, the coalition also served the e-commerce businesses, which depended on the army of foot soldiers on their cargo e-bikes for quick deliveries. In response to the 2016 bicycle bans, David Hon, a Chinese-American physicist and entrepreneur of folding bikes, questioned the wisdom of the bans directly in an open letter to the Chinese government. He focused on the social aspects of sustainability: how could the government ignore the people who could not afford a car but had the desire for upward mobility? The e-bicycle bans would cause ›people who cannot afford to buy a car [to] lose their job‹. And without their e-bikes, ›How can poor people become wealthy?‹ He insisted e-bicycles and public transit would offer the true solution to China’s ecological problems as an alternative to fossil-fueled vehicles. In Western parlance (but not in China), battery-powered bicycles have acquired green status. Both traditional bicycles and electric two-wheelers have little ecological impact on the community where they are used. When it comes to ecological sustainability, traditional bicycles win without a doubt on all counts; both their extremely modest production and their use create almost no ecological footprint. Electric two-wheelers’ footprint, on the other hand, depends on how factories produce the (lead) battery, how the e-waste is recycled, and whether the local community fires its power plants with coal, waterpower, or nuclear energy. Sustainable e-bike usage is contingent on investments in alternatives to coal-fired power plants and in more sustainable batteries like Li(thium)-ion and Ni-MH (nickel-metal hydride). Nevertheless, e-bike emissions, measured in terms of greenhouse gas (CO2), smog (Volatile Organic Compound, VOC), air pollution (Particulate Matter, PM), and ozone pollution (NOx), are much lower than those of gasoline-powered motorcycles, cars, and busses that are polluting both at the point of production and at the point of use. Thus, China’s sustainability challenge for mobility is not just a technical issue, but also a social one. In China, neither the term e-bike nor the ›green‹ association with sustainability has an equivalent, as David Hon, the Chinese-American entrepreneur, has pointed out. More significantly, in the planners’ minds, the subaltern world does not – or should not – exist. Authorities revert to bicycle bans in an automatic reaction to what they consider the ›chaos‹ in the street and cyclists’ ›undisciplined‹ behavior. The Chinese Communist Party considers these workers the representatives of old-fashioned mobility and their self-fashioned bicycles ›inferior forms of transport‹. To the planners, bicycles – battery-powered or not – are relics of the past standing in the way of progress. With this attitude, the planners embody the same technocratic outlook as their engineering and urban planner colleagues in Europe and the US earlier in the century. In China alone, government planning in 2004 was geared towards moving 300 million people from rural areas to cities by 2050. People’s mobility needs to shop, commute, and deliver goods for a living are being ignored and even brutally crushed. In the US and Europe, there may be high hopes for e-bikes as a sustainable solution for the future. The question is whether the distinctive bottom-up Chinese development of e-bikes can fulfill that role. In France, Germany, and the Netherlands, velopeds and scooters offered a transitional technology for cyclists as proto-car drivers in the period between the late 1950s and 1980s. Likewise, in China, after four decades of choosing a unique path, the country’s cyclists are offered an alternative in the form of e-bikes when they cannot (yet) afford a car, but could do so in the future with rising incomes. For most planners and ordinary Chinese, electric two-wheelers today represent – in the most positive scenario – merely a transitional technology towards automobility. Can this exceptional culture – born out of economic necessity and outside official planning policies – be turned into a sustainable alternative to China’s national commitment to cars or to urban governments’ investments in public transit systems? The future development of this mobility alternative largely depends on the policy for competing urban transit modes, including public transit and automobility. Institutionally and historically, cycling – as an individual form of mobility – regularly falls between the policy cracks in the epic struggle between automotive interests and public transportation systems. In this struggle, traditional bicycles and electric two-wheelers are a lifeline for those overlooked by the transportation grids. For more than a century, all over the world, urban cycling has thrived despite the lack of dedicated policies. Utility cycling often fills a gap when governments fail to provide the lower middle classes and the working poor with good, affordable transport systems – except in China, which did have a deliberate policy for a few decades. For China today, there are two possible scenarios when it comes to building on its cycling practice: e-bikes may provide a pathway towards sustainability or continue to function as a step towards automobility when income levels rise. China, as articulated in its 2013 ›Ecological Civilization‹ strategy and confirmed by its signing of the Paris Climate Accords in 2015, is committed to reducing energy use, combating air pollution, and solving the problem of congested cities, along with other ecological challenges. The thinking about sustainable mobility is still shaped by established notions of urban planning and a powerful car-based alliance. Indeed, the central government and local authorities have not decided how to deal with the new industry of this army of e-cyclists and their desire for upward mobility. Nor have they thought about how to exploit their ecological potential. A negative discourse accompanies (e-)cyclists at every turn in the road. ›These little locusts are such a pain for bus drivers‹, one such driver lamented, referring to e-bike riders. ›All too suddenly and often, they appear out of nowhere, fly across the street, and cut in line, regardless of how close they are to my bus.‹ In this image, cyclists – e-bikers in particular – are ›locusts‹, whose bikes’ soundless engines render them ›silent killers‹, endangering the safety on the streets. The discourse represents a car-bound vision of mobility, in which policymakers and traffic engineers respond with more rules and separate roads, insisting that ›fast traffic‹ is the future and ›slow traffic‹ a thing of the past. Over and against the negative image, Western observers and the emerging Chinese bicycle-oriented alliance are presenting cycling as China’s ›most sustainable [and] biggest adoption of green transportation in history‹. Similarly, as their ambitious eco-city prototype shows, China’s planners have captured neither the ecological nor the social sustainability potential of electric two-wheelers. The environmentally sustainable urban master plan for Chengdu’s Tianfu Ecological City to deal with the realities of air pollution, traffic congestion, and civic protest offers a hopeful alternative to the old urban planning model for a more sustainable future. It is a city where energy is to be cut by 48 percent, water use by 58 percent, waste by 89 percent, and carbon dioxide by 60 percent. In collaboration with the Beijing Vantone Real Estate Co., the Chicago firm Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture promises a compact city (15 percent taken up with parks), away from the suburban sprawl. In this blueprint, almost 25 percent is devoted to walking and road infrastructures. ›The city will be walkable within about 15 minutes, all but eliminating the need for most automobiles.‹ It is a city where half of the roads will be reserved for non-motorized traffic and electric shuttles. This 2015 prototype vision for a sustainable urban China is based on pedestrianism and mass public transit – not on cycling. There is no mention of (e-)bicycles as a sustainable alternative to automobility, nor does the Tianfu Ecological City blueprint include bicycles as commuter vehicles; bicycles are not envisaged as a possible solution for before-and-after transport connected to mass public transit (bike-and-ride). Most significantly, electric-powered bicycles do not feature in the vision for long-distance commuting either, ignoring over 300 million hardworking commuters, migrants, and delivery workers who depend on them. What does enter the visual frame of the green city is a lone male cyclist in yellow spandex getting some exercise to counteract his supposedly sedentary middle-class lifestyle. While this male figure references a new exclusive middle-class and masculine cycling culture of leisure in Beijing and Shanghai, you are more likely to see this sports-oriented cyclist in Chicago than in Chinese cities. More to the point, this culture denies China’s home-grown utilitarian e-cycling culture of the masses. Western policymakers may regard e-cycling as a possible avenue for sustainable mobility. In China, people’s mass-scale and unique adoption of e-cycling has occurred in spite of the government’s pro-bicycle or environmental mobility policies. The distinctive Chinese development of e-biking could be the missing link in an ecologically and socially more sustainable future, provided the e-bike phenomenon is incorporated into China’s plans for the future. Should Chinese planners embrace (e-)cycling, together with public transit, they would be pioneers in reshaping sustainable urban mobility worldwide. China could then fulfill its 2013 quest for green leadership by becoming the world’s first ›Ecological Civilization‹ in the area of sustainable urban mobility. I am very grateful to editors Christopher Neumaier, Helmuth Trischler, and Jan-Holger Kirsch for their comments. My special thanks go to SUN Qi for excellent comments, insights, and fact-checking and to XU Tao for locating relevant references to Chinese sources; to BAO Maohong, PAN Haixiao, WANG Zhen, XIA Mingfang, Stefan Landsberger, John Flowers, Louis Warren, Paul Sutter, Harriet Ritvo, and Peter Cox for their insightful suggestions and to the members of Works-in-Progress at the Rachel Carson Center for Environment and Society, Munich, Germany, for their careful reading of earlier drafts. The research has been supported by grants from the LMU Rachel Carson Center, 2013–2016. Myra Roper, China: The Surprising Country, London 1966, p. 128. Despite its ideological misgivings, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) did not remove rickshaws immediately. On 1 March 1956, as part of the so-called Socialist Transformation policy, the authorities sent the last two rickshaws to the Shanghai Municipal Museum. 上海公用事业志编纂委员会 ,上海公共事业志,上海：上海社会科学院出版社2000年版, 第281页。[Shanghai Public Utilities Compilation Committee (ed.), Gazette of Shanghai Public Utilities, Shanghai 2000, p. 281]. Robert Temple, Obituary: Joseph Needham, in: Independent, 28 March 1995; Tom Buchanan, East Wind. China and the British Left, 1925–1976, Oxford 2012, p. 12. Peter D. Norton, Fighting Traffic. The Dawn of the Motor Age in the American City, Cambridge 2008; idem, Four Paradigms: Traffic Safety in the Twentieth-Century United States, in: Technology and Culture 56 (2015), pp. 319-334; Ruth Oldenziel, Whose Modernism, Whose Mobility?, in: Robert Bud et al. (eds), Being Modern. The Cultural Impact of Science in the Early Twentieth Century, London 2018 (forthcoming). Ruth Oldenziel/Adri A. Albert de la Bruhèze, Cycling in a Global World: Introduction to the Special Section, in: Transfers 2 (2012) issue 2, pp. 22-30. Innovation scholars tend to concentrate on processes of emergence and stabilization rather than on those of disappearance, partial continuity, resurrection, and persistence. The global history of cycling is not an easy narrative of rise and fall, as the history of China shows. Rather it is one of endless rediscovery, remaking, and repurposing. See: Elizabeth Shove, The Shadowy Side of Innovation: Unmaking and Sustainability, in: Technology Analysis & Strategic Management 24 (2012), pp. 363-375. Edward J.M. Rhoads, Cycles of Cathay: A History of the Bicycle in China, in: Transfers 2 (2012) issue 2, pp. 95-120. 《中国轻工业年鉴》编辑部编：《中国轻工业年鉴（1949–1984）》, 中国大百科全书出版社1985年版, 第129页。 [Yearbook of China Light Industry (1949–1984), Yearbook of China Light Industry Editorial Office, Encyclopedia of China Publishing House, 1985 Edition, p. 129]. ›In the past five years, large shifts have taken place in rural China because of reform. […] many peasants in China now can afford bicycles, sewing machines, radios, and watches. […] a number of luxury goods have entered into the ordinary peasant family.‹ 邓小平, 《在武昌、深圳、珠海、 上海等地的谈话要点（一九九二年一月十八日——二月二十一日）》, 《人民日报》1993年11月6日。 [DENG Xiaoping, The Key Points of the Speeches in Wuchang, Shenzhen, Zhuhai, Shanghai, and elsewhere (18 January – 21 February 1992), in: People’s Daily, 6 November 1993]. Rhoads, Cycles of Cathay (fn. 8). Dan Koeppel, Flight of the Pigeon, in: Bicycling, January/February 2007, pp. 60-66; 梅丽霞,《全球化、集群转型与创新型企业：以自行车产业为例》, 科学出版社2010年版。 [MEI Lixia, Globalization, Clusters Transformation, and Innovative Enterprises, Beijing 2010, pp. 11-12, on China’s bicycle industry as a case study]. Rhoads, Cycles of Cathay (fn. 8), pp. 107, 109. Oldenziel/de la Bruhèze, Cycling in a Global World (fn. 7); Ruth Oldenziel et al. (eds), Cycling Cities. The European Experience, Eindhoven 2016. Rhoads, Cycles of Cathay (fn. 8), p. 107. 张文尝 , 马清裕,《城市交通与城市发展》, 北京,商务印书馆 , 2010年版。 [ZHANG Wenchang/MA Qingyu, Urban Transportation and City Development, Beijing 2010]; Victor F.S. Sit, Beijing: Urban Transport Issues in a Socialist Third World Setting (1949–1992), in: Journal of Transport Geography 4 (1996), pp. 253-273. Sit, Beijing (fn. 18); Andrew Spencer, Urban Transport in China: Whither the Bicycle?, in: Terry Cannon (ed.), China’s Economic Growth. The Impact on Regions, Migration and the Environment, London 2000, pp. 210-225, here p. 212. On the intimate relationship between cycling and public transit, see also: Ruth Oldenziel/Adri A. Albert de la Bruhèze, A Century of Urban Cycling, in: Oldenziel et al., Cycling Cities (fn. 16), pp. 7-16. Michelle FlorCruz, The Price of Happily Ever After: Negotiating Marriage in Modern China, in: International Business Times, 24 April 2013. Rhoads, Cycles of Cathay (fn. 8); 《汽车工业产业政策》（国家计划委员会 1994年2月19日）,《中华人民共和国国务院公报》1994年第15期, 第630-638页。 [Automobile Industry Policy (State Planning Commission, 19 February 1994), in: Gazette of the State Council of the People’s Republic of China 15 (1994), pp. 630-638]; 中国汽车工业协会、中国汽车工业咨询委员会：《中国汽车工业史(1991–2010)》, 北京, 机械工业出版社2014年版。 [China Association of Automobile Manufacturers/China National Consulting Committee of Automotive Industry (eds), The History of China Automotive Industry, 1991–2010, Beijing 2014]. World Bank, GDP growth (annual percent), URL: <http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/NY.GDP.MKTP.KD.ZG?locations=CN>. On the economic and consumer ideologies of automobility, see for example: Gijs Mom, Atlantic Automobilism. Emergence and Persistence of the Car, 1895–1940, New York 2015. Regarding the contradictions in socialist regimes: Lewis H. Siegelbaum, Cars for Comrades. Life of the Soviet Automobile, Ithaca 2008, and his The Socialist Car. Automobility in the Eastern Bloc, Ithaca 2011. See also: Bernhard Rieger, The People’s Car. A Global History of the Volkswagen Beetle, Cambridge 2013. ZHENG Yefu, 轿车文明批判 [Critique of Car Civilization: Way Back a Hundred Years], in: Guangming Daily, 9 August 1994. Anton D. Welleman/Cees J. Louisse/Dirk M. Ligtermoet, Bicycles in Cities, paper presented at the China Urban Transport Symposium, in: Stephen Stares/ZHI Liu (eds), China’s Urban Transport Development Strategy: Proceedings of a Symposium in Beijing, 8-10 November 1995, Washington 1996, pp. 213-251. Marcia D. Lowe, The Bicycle: Vehicle for a Small Planet, Worldwatch Paper No. 90, Washington, DC 1989; Michael A. Replogle, Non-Motorized Transport in Asian Cities, World Bank Technical Paper No. 162, Washington, DC 1992. Koeppel, Flight of the Pigeon (fn. 14). Warren Sussman, The People’s Fair, in: Helen A. Harrison (ed.), Dawn of a New Day. The New York World’s Fair, 1939/40, New York 1980; Cotton Seiler, Republic of Drivers. A Cultural History of Automobility in America, Chicago 2008; Ruth Oldenziel, CIAM and Cycling: Designing for Working-Class Mobility, 1930–1935, submitted for: Journal of Urban History (under review). Ruth Oldenziel/Mikael Hård, Consumers, Tinkerers, Rebels. The People Who Shaped Europe, Basingstoke 2013, chapter 4; Evelien van Es et al. (eds), Atlas of the Functional City. CIAM 4 and Comparative Urban Analysis, The Hague 2014. Spencer, Urban Transport in China (fn. 20), p. 220; Ruth Oldenziel, Accounting Tricks. How Cyclists and Pedestrians Were Thrown under the Bus, paper presented at T2M Conference, Drexel University Philadelphia, September 2014. ZHANG Hua/Susan A. Shaheen/CHEN Xingpeng, Bicycle Evolution in China: From the 1900s to the Present, in: International Journal of Sustainable Transportation 8 (2014), pp. 317-335. MA Xiaoyi, Enlightenment on the Variations in the Structure of Guangzhou Inhabitant Modal Share, in: Urban Transport of China 2 (2004), pp. 29-32. See also: 陆路、谭惠全、劳炯基、蔡穗声：《逐步取消自行车是解决广州市内交通问题的方向》,《开放时代》1990年第01期。 [LU Lu et al., Banning Bicycle Gradually is the Direction to Solve the Traffic Problems of the City of Guangzhou, in: Open Times 1 (1990), pp. 53-56]. Cf. Koeppel, Flight of the Pigeon (fn. 14), p. 65. 到2005年, 全市自行车出行量将比2000年减少25％；到2020年, 自行车出行控制在30分钟以内。. 上海市人民政府编,《上海城市交通白皮书》, 上海,上海人民出版社2002年。 [Shanghai Municipal People’s Government (ed.), White Paper of Shanghai Urban Transport Development, Shanghai 2002]. Bureau of National Technical Supervision, Code for Urban Transport Planning and Urban Roads, Beijing 1995, as cited in PAN Haixiao, Evolution of Urban Bicycle Transport Policy in China, in: John Parkin (ed.), Cycling and Sustainability, Bingley 2012, pp. 161-180, here pp. 163-166. Pan sees the new infrastructures as a positive development. In the first phase, cycling lanes downgraded the cyclists’ status; in later phases, these bicycle lanes gave in some cases protection, when the number of cars on the roads increased and cycling declined. Nevertheless, the design was intended to facilitate cars. See: Ruth Oldenziel/Adri A. Albert de la Bruhèze, Contested Spaces: Bicycle Lanes in Urban Europe, 1900–1995, in: Transfers 1 (2011) issue 2, pp. 29-49. Daniel Sperling/Deborah Gordon, Two Billion Cars. Driving Toward Sustainability, Oxford 2009, p. 219. 上海市城乡建设和交通委员会、上海市城综 合交通规划研究所、上海市第四次综合交通调查办公室：《上海市第四次综合交通调查总报告》2010年11月。[Shanghai Urban and Rural Construction and Transportation Commission, The Shanghai Institute of Integrated Transportation Planning, The Fourth Shanghai Comprehensive Transport Survey Office, Shanghai Comprehensive Transport Survey Fourth General Report, November 2010]. John Zacharias, Bicycle in Shanghai: Movement Patterns, Cyclist Attitudes and the Impact of Traffic Separation, in: Transport Reviews 22 (2002), pp. 309-322. Adri A. Albert de la Bruhèze/Frank C.A. Veraart, Fietsverkeer in praktijk en beleid in de twintigste eeuw. Overeenkomsten en verschillen in fietsgebruik in Amsterdam, Eindhoven, Enschede, Zuidoost Limburg, Antwerpen, Manchester, Kopenhagen, Hannover en Basel, Eindhoven 1999; Oldenziel et al., Cycling Cities (fn. 16); Norton, Four Paradigms (fn. 6); idem, Fighting Traffic (fn. 6). 潘海啸, 《中国城市自行车交通政策的演变与可持续发展》, 城市规划学刊 4 (2011), pp. 82-86 [PAN Haixiao, The Evolving Cycle Transport Policy in China and Urban Sustainable Development, in: Urban Planning Forum 4 (2011), pp. 82-86]. 芦群, 李晓龙, 《“无自行车城市”的交通问题浅析》, 长沙铁道学院报（社会科学版） 9 (2003), pp. 29-31 [LU Qun/LI Xiaolong, Mobility Analysis of Bike-Free City, in: Journal of Changsha Railway College 9 (2003), pp. 29-31]. ZHANG/Shaheen/CHEN, Bicycle Evolution in China (fn. 32). As cited in Will Doig, Carmaggedon is coming!, in: Salon, 23 August 2013. After 1994, China’s central government issued two more policies to promote the automobile industry: ›Policy for Automobile Industry Development‹ (1 June 2004) and ›Energy Saving and New Energy Automotive Industry Development Plan, 2012–2020‹ (28 June 2012). FENG Xiuxia, Changing China, in: China Daily. European Weekly, 22 November 2013, p. 31. Beijing Yearbook (2011), Beijing Transport Report (2005), and Shanghai Yearbook (2011), as cited in: Passenger Transport Mode Shares in World Cities, in: Journeys, November 2011, pp. 60-78. Jonathan Watts, Gridlock is a way of life for Chinese, in: Guardian, 24 August 2010; Ananth Krishnan, China’s 10-day traffic jam ›longest ever‹, in: Hindu, 24 August 2010. 《 中华人民共和国大气污染防治法》The People’s Republic of China Air Pollution Prevention Law, passed by the 12th National People’s Congress Standing Committee of the People’s Republic of China at the 16th Meeting on 29 August 2015, and with amendments, came into force after 1 January 2016. Sperling/Gordon, Two Billion Cars (fn. 37). BAO Maohong, The Evolution of Environmental Problems and Environmental Policy in China. The Interaction of Internal and External Forces, in: John R. McNeill/Corinna R. Unger (eds), Environmental Histories of the Cold War, Cambridge 2010, pp. 323-340, here pp. 323-339; idem, Environmentalism and Environmental Movements in China since 1949, in: John R. McNeill/Erin Stewart Mauldin (eds), A Companion to Global Environmental History, Malden 2012, pp. 474-492, here pp. 484-487. See section 12.2.2 of The Urban and Rural Housing Construction Unit Walking and Cycling Planning and Design Guidelines. 城市步行和自行车交通系统 规划设计导则住房城乡建设部 2013 年 12 月. On the background to the manual, see: China Sustainability Transportation Center, News: Chinese National NMT Guideline Issued, URL: <http://www.chinastc.org/en/news/24/380>. Sperling/Gordon, Two Billion Cars (fn. 37), p. 220. In pioneering new policies, Chinese urban governments have followed the global trend. See also: Benjamin R. Barber, If Mayors Ruled the World. Dysfunctional Nations, Rising Cities, New Haven 2013. For Beijing, see: 北京交通发展研究中心编, 《2015年北京市交通发展年度报告》, 北京交通发展研究中心网站 <http://www.bjtrc.org.cn>; for Shanghai, see: 上海市城乡建设和交通发展研究所编,《2015年上海市综合交通年度报告（摘要）》, 《交通与运输》2015年第6期, 第7-11页。[Shanghai Institute of Urban and Rural Construction and Transportation Development (ed.), Annual Report of Shanghai Comprehensive Transportation, 2015 (Summary), in: Traffic & Transportation 6 (2015), pp. 7-11]. Doig, Carmaggedon is coming! (fn. 45); Sperling/Gordon, Two Billion Cars (fn. 37), pp. 221-222. Thomas J. Campanella, The Concrete Dragon. China’s Urban Revolution and What it Means for the World, New York 2008, pp. 220-221. Sperling/Gordon, Two Billion Cars (fn. 37), p. 219. Koeppel, Flight of the Pigeon (fn. 14); Campanella, The Concrete Dragon (fn. 56), pp. 220-221. ZHANG/Shaheen/CHEN, Bicycle Evolution in China (fn. 32); Sherley Wetherhold, The Bicycle as Symbol of China’s Transformation, in: Atlantic, 30 June 2012. PAN, Evolution of Urban Bicycle Transport Policy in China (fn. 36). On the background of Vélib’, see: Maxime Huré, Les réseaux transnationaux du vélo. Gouverner les politiques du vélo en ville. De l’utopie associative à la gestion par des grandes firmes urbaines (1965–2010), Thèse de doctorat en Science politique, Université Lyon 2 Lumière, 2013. ZHENG Yefu, 郑也夫的博客: 轿车论辩二十年 [ZHENG Yefu’s Blog: Two decades of car debate], 7 August 2014, URL: <http://blog.sina.com.cn/s/blog_49ccddcf0102uxu2.html?tj=1>. LU Hongyong, China’s Relationship with E-Bikes: It’s Complicated, in: Sixth Tone, 3 May 2016, URL: <http://www.sixthtone.com/news/787/chinas-relationship-with-e-bikes-its-complicated>. Jonathan X. Weinert/Chaktan Ma/Chris Cherry, The Transition to Electric Bikes in China: History and Key Reasons for Rapid Growth, in: Transportation 34 (2007), pp. 301-318. JI Shuguang et al., Electric Vehicles in China: Emissions and Health Impacts, in: Environmental Science & Technology 46 (2012), pp. 2018-2024. Elliot Fishman/Christopher R. Cherry, E-bikes in the Mainstream: Reviewing a Decade of Research, in: Transport Reviews 36 (2016), pp. 72-91. Jonathan Weinert et al., The Future of Electric Two-Wheelers and Electric Vehicles in China, in: Energy Policy 36 (2008), pp. 2544-2555; Weinert/Ma/Cherry, The Transition to Electric Bikes in China (fn. 63); Sperling/Gordon, Two Billion Cars (fn. 37), pp. 223-224; 陈权, 《“禁摩令”存废之争》, 《法制与社会》2016年第5期, 第62-63页。 [CHEN Quan, The Debate over the Abolition of the ›Motorcycle bans‹ Policy, in: Legal System and Society 5 (2016), pp. 62-63]. Chris Buckley, Beijing’s Electric Bikes, the Wheels of E-Commerce, Face Traffic Backlash, in: New York Times, 30 May 2016. CHAI Hua/XU Wei, Shenzhen’s Clampdown on E-Bike Hits Courier Services, in: China Daily, 4 April 2016; Jon Khristian Maclang, Ban on E-bikes in 10 Beijing Roads Begins this Week, in: Yibada, 9 April 2016; Jan-Willem van Schaik, China Bans E-Bike Use in Major Cities, in: Bike Europe, 26 April 2016. Weinert/Ma/Cherry, The Transition to Electric Bikes in China (fn. 63). Christopher R. Cherry/Jonathan X. Weinert/YANG Xinmiao, Comparative Environmental Impacts of Electric Bikes in China, in: Transportation Research Part D: Transport and Environment 14 (2009), pp. 281-290. Cf. Schaik, China Bans E-Bike Use in Major Cities (fn. 68). Cherry/Weinert/YANG, Comparative Environmental Impacts (fn. 70). United Nations, World Urbanization Prospects, 2014, URL: <https://esa.un.org/unpd/wup/publications/files/wup2014-highlights.Pdfs>. 2014年07月24日, 国务院印发《关于进一步推进户籍制度改革的意见》国发〔2014〕25号, 提出“严格控制特大城市人口规模。”北京、上海等超过1000万人口的特大城市陆续在其十三五规划中分别提出了, 人口规模在2020年的目标, 上海市是2500万人, 北京市是2300万人。 On 24 July 2014, the State Council of China issued the policy no. 25 promoting a household registration system to ›strictly control the population scale of megacity‹. Cities with over 10 million people issued five-year plans for their 2020 population goals: Shanghai 25 million; Beijing 23 million; and Guangzhou and Tianjin each 18 million. Bruhèze/Veraart, Fietsverkeer (fn. 40). See also Steinbeck, who argues that in Germany the motorbike was used earlier, more widely, and for longer than elsewhere. Frank Steinbeck, Das Motorrad. Ein deutscher Sonderweg in die automobile Gesellschaft, Stuttgart 2012. I thank SUN Qi for this insight. ZHU Guangyao, Ecological Civilization: A National Strategy for Innovative, Concerted, Green, Open and Inclusive Development, United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), March 2016; ZHANG Chun, China’s New Blueprint for an ›Ecological Civilization‹, in: Diplomat, 30 September 2015. Quoted by LU, China’s Relationship with E-Bikes (fn. 62). See for example: Wade Shepard, Why Chinese Cities Are Banning the Biggest Adoption of Green Transportation in History, in: Forbes, 18 May 2016. For the Masterplan for Chengdu, see the architects’ web presentation: <http://smithgill.com/media/pdfs/Tianfu_Ecological_City_for_web_3.pdf>; Alex Davies, China Is Building a Huge Eco-City Where No One Will Need to Drive, in: Business Insider, 2 November 2012; Adrian Smith/Gordon Gill, Tianfu Ecological City, in: Architectural Worlds, 28 March 2013, pp. 112-115. Hilda Roemer Christensen, Is the Kingdom of Bicycles Rising Again? Cycling, Gender, and Class in Postsocialist China, in: Transfers 7 (2017) issue 2, pp. 1-20. Ruth Oldenziel, Mode of the Past or Promise for the Future? Cycling in China and the Sustainability Challenge, 1955–Present, in: Zeithistorische Forschungen/Studies in Contemporary History, Online-Ausgabe, 14 (2017), H. 3, URL: http://www.zeithistorische-forschungen.de/3-2017/id=5521, Druckausgabe: S. 465-486.

2019-04-18T18:43:54Z

https://zeithistorische-forschungen.de/3-2017/id=5521

How much future sea level rise? More evidence from models and ice sheet observations. Lots of press has been devoted to four papers in this week’s Science, on the topic of ice sheets and sea level. We’ve already discussed the new evidence that Greenland’s glaciers are speeding up. What is new this week is an effort to evaluate the impact of future warming on Greenland by looking at what happened to it last time it got very warm — namely during the Last InterGlacial (LIG) period, about 125,000 years ago. The same group of authors looked at this in two ways, using NCAR’s Community Climate System model (CCSM) coupled to a state-of-the-art 3-D ice sheet model. First, in a paper by Otto-Bliesner et al. they ran simulations for the Last Interglacial, and took a look at what happened to the ice sheets. They find that most of the icefields in Arctic Canada and Iceland disappear, and that the Greenland ice sheet is reduced to a steep ice dome in central and northern Greenland. These results are in very good agreement with the available ice core and other paleoclimate data evidence, which indeed show that the Canadian ice sheets disappeared during the LIG, and strongly suggest that much of southern Greenland was deglaciated. Second, in a paper by Overpeck et al., they examine the implications for past and future sea level rise. The results show that the Greenland and other Arctic ice sheets probably did not contribute more than 3.4 m to the LIG sea level rise. However, data from coral reefs exposed above sea level today, and other evidence, point to an LIG sea level at least 4 m and possibly as much as 6 m greater than today. This suggests that the balance came from the Antarctic ice sheet. This is turn implies a strong sensitivity of the Antarctic ice sheet to sea level rise and climate warming — an idea that goes back to John Mercer (1976) but that had until recently fallen out of favor in much of the glaciology community. Projecting forward in time, the implication is that our future will also see 4-6 m of sea level rise, and that — given the recent evidence for accelerated flow of both Greenland and Antarctic glaciers — this may occur much faster than we expect. In the model simulations, Greenland may already be warmer in 2100 than it was at the height of the LIG. The rate of sea level rise associated with the warming into the last interglacial was probably greater than 10 mm/yr* while current sea level rise is roughly 3 mm/yr. To the extent that the LIG is a good analog for our future, sea level rise is therefore rather likely to accelerate. Also in this week’s Science are two articles that further strengthen the case that ice sheets are quite sensitive to warming climate. A paper by Göran Ekström et al. shows that the increased speed of Greenland glaciers occurs in distinct lurches (observed as micro “ice-quakes”) that are strongly seasonal, with the greatest number occuring in late summer. This provides evidence that meltwater plays an important role in the acceleration of Greenland’s glaciers. Essentially, the idea is that surface melting that occurs in the summer can make its way quickly down to the glacier bed, lubricating the bed and allowing the glaciers to slide more rapidly. The “ice quakes” occur because the rough bedrock surface causes the glaciers to stick; they only accelerate when enough hydraulic pressure has built up to help float the glacier over the bumps. This is strong evidence that climate, not merely “internal ice sheet dynamics”, has contributed to the recent increases in Greenland’s glaciers. Indeed, a doubling of the rate of quakes has occurred over the past five years, just as the aerial extent of surface melting has increased. Finally, in a very nice bit of work Velicogna and Wahr use data from the “Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment” (GRACE) satellites to show that the Antarctic ice sheet has been losing mass at a rate of 150 +/- 80 km3 each year since 2002. That’s equivalent to about 0.4 mm of sea level rise each year. This is about twice other recent estimates, while IPCC 2001 actually gives negative 0.1 mm/yr. What is especially nice about Velicogna and Wahr’s study is that by using gravity measurements they have measured mass changes directly, avoiding the problem of virtually all previous measurements of ice sheet mass change, which usually measure either input (snowfall) or loss (calving, melting, or thinning of the ice), but not both at once. What does all this news mean in practice? Reading the editorials in Science, and quotations from various researchers in newspaper articles, one might be under the impression that we should now expect “catastrophic sea-level rise” (as Science’s Richard Kerr writes). Of course, what is catastrophic to the eye of a geologist may be an event taking thousands of years. In the Otto-Bliesner et al. simulations, it takes 2000-3000 years for Greenland to melt back to its LIG minimum size. And while we don’t advocate sticking with the typical politician’s time frame of 4 or 5 years, the new results do not require us to revise projections of sea level rise over the next century or so. This is because even with Arctic temperature continuing to rise rapidly, there will still be significant delay before the process of ice sheet melting and thinning is complete. There is uncertainty in this delay time, but this is already taken into account in IPCC uncertainty estimates. It is also important to remember that the data showing accelerating mass loss in Antarctica and rapid glacier flow in Greenland only reflect a very few years of measurements — the GRACE satellite has only been in operation since 2002, so it provides only a snapshot of Antarctic mass changes. We don’t really know whether these observations reflect the long term trend. *Note that we don’t actually have good constrains on the rate of sea level rise from the penultimate glacial period (~140,000 years ago) to the last interglacial (LIG, ~125,000 years ago). However, we have very good data on the more recent glacial-to-interglacial transition, between about 14,000 and 7,000 years ago. During that time, sea levels rose at an average rate of about 11 mm/year, and at rates much higher than that for short intervals. Does the rate of climate warming matter ? I have read recently that the rate of CO2 release by humankind is 30 times faster than natural means alone and that this is unprecedented in the history of climate on the earth. I didn’t see a mention of Antarctica’s temperature in 2100, which is also likely to be warmer than during the last interglacial — is this because the Antarctic ice sheets are assumed to be slower to respond, and won’t be as important by 2100? What are current estimates on sea level rise this century? Outside of the Pacific Island States, many of which will be lost, where else will there be major impacts? Curiously, what I find interesting is the all out assault against high Cirrus clouds (water vapour ice crystals formations)with chemical aerosols. I have made many ground observations of artificial cloud formation of high cirrus clouds being absorbed into chemical trails from jets. I think that untill a full disclosure of these practices and thier ramifications and data associated with such projects is discussed openly, then the truth of artificial cloud cover and infra red heat trapping in the lower level atmosphere can help expose the artificial and perhaps deliberate heating of clouds and atmosphere. This of course impacting the sea ice maximum and minimum extents. Also Dr. Dmitriev , a prominant russian scientist reports a new layer of mono atomic water vapour in earths atmosphere. Do you have any confirmation of this new gas layer? OK you people. Where do we go from here please? Thanks to Father William I have gone down this road to learning about our planet : thanks William. I really dont like what I am reading. I understand almost everything except the truly technical bits but even there I can cope with my knowledge of basic physical principles which serve everyone in good stead : understanding “Albedo” is a piece of cake with the reflectiveness of earth (and yes and by the way, I support more satellites properly positioned to measure that), or, add energy and everything expands and becomes more violent and unpredictable – good for children that, and I hope that Mr Beck has the energy and time to do a “Childs Guide” to add to his site. Mr Beck : I can do a consumer response survey with my grandchildren if you want. I dont really care whether the timescale is 50 years or 500 years : it is the outcome that is worrying and requires attention – the lead times for social action are often enormous. A number of my friends have been presented by me with the question : if you were to die today would you be able to say that the world is a better place today than when you were born? Not an unfair question but very difficult to answer. My mother, aged 83, when asked this paused for what seemed a long time and then said : “For medicine ; yes”. Well, it seems to me that that question, on improving the way we live together, is the real challenge. Leaving aside the question of sea level rises, what are the implications of increased icemelt for warming rate? Elsewhere on this site you pointed out that icemelt forcing creates greater feedback than CO2 forcing. So assume that the sensitivity total is 2.9 degrees, but icemelt is at a higher rate than projected so we get more feed back. Can you translate that into a sensitivity equivalent so that perhaps 2.9 degree sensity is the equivalent of a 3 degree sensitivity due to the increased feedback or whatever? Or is that asking too much of current modeling? Jim Hansen wrote in the UK daily newspaper The Independent, 2/17/06: “The last time the world was three degrees warmer than today – which is what we expect later this century – sea levels were 25m higher. So that is what we can look forward to if we don’t act soon. None of the current climate and ice models predict this.” When would he have been referring to? I’ve read about studies suggesting that sea levels reached over 20m above present around 420,000 – 400,000 years ago. But ice core study says that CO2 and CH4 are at their highest for 650,000 years, so presumably the warmer period described by Hansen was farther back still? So, if the evidence indicates that during the last interglacial most Arctic and some Antarctic ice fields melted, and ocean levels rose to 4-6 meters above present levels, does that not at least suggest that human contributions to the present warming act largely to increase the rate (not the extent) of warming? Is it not probable that the ice caps would melt eventually regardless of human intervention? Re #7: Robert Beck, according to orbital forcing the globe should be in a slight cooling trend now. So, on a long-run average, I would expect small increaes in frozen water. Have you looked into Coby’s site, listed on the sidebar: A Few Things Ill Considered? This might clarify some matters. The nineteen foot line is clearly visible in the Exuma Cays in the Bahamas. Has anyone published data on changes in particulate content and chemical makeup of the paleo ice cores? Seems to me that signifcant changes in these would have a huge impact on ice sheet melt rates but I haven’t seen any published information. I am thinking about a “dummy’s” guide, a children’s guide demands a bit more graphical artist skills than I have! Have you seen this site? Your grandchildren may appreciate that. Lately we have heard over and over again that the computer models have been wrong. Dr. Hansen recently was quoted as calling the computer models of Greenland’s glaciers worthless. That is a strong statement. The modelers say the models have badly underestimated the damage. The skeptics say the models are just wrong. This time, both could be right. So, why bother with models? Why not study nature and not computer programs? 1. The models are wrong. 1. The modelers have just made small errors in their parameters. 2. There are factors the modelers simply don’t know about or haven’t included in their models. 3. Some, or many, factors interact one with the other, making any attempt at modeling the weather a joke. You would think the modelers would be embarrassed by the failure of their models to “predict” the future. I haven’t noticed a lot of introspection from the modelers. Now, they will just tweak them a bit to make them comform to current measurements. Aren’t CO2 levels now much higher than they were in either of those periods? And only going to get higher? Why should the rates from either of those events be applied to the current situation? Come to think of it, wasn’t there also a period called the “topsy turvy century,” where truly fantastic sea level fluctuations occurred? Is that at all relevent to the situation we face now? Exactly how useful are either of the two periods mentioned to understanding the situation we have now? What exactly are your predictions for sea level rise over the next 100 years. Spell it out explicitly. 3mm a year is nothing. One century takes it .3 meters or 12 something inches. Over a century. No real estate developer has such a long term view of real estate unless it can be gotten for essentially nothing. If you can’t flip it relatively quickly it is meaningless. Insurance companies take a longer view, but it is more like decades, not centuries. And what the hell is a coastal manager? I’ve never heard of this office in my life. You certainly have some idea in your head of what you expect to see. Yet you managed to say very little in your article. Bland, inoffensive, nothing to inspire any controversy. But what exactly do you REALLY think will happen? Are you steering clear of coastal real estate? Looking for a position away from the coast? What? Threat of sea level rise overblown? Expect it to stay 3mm a year for the next thousand years? Rise to 5mm? What are you expecting? Seems like a pretty intelligent site. I have two questions. 1. Is there anything to the idea that an ice age could be created by scuttling a handful of ships loaded with iron filings in the Pacific Ocean? And 2. Regarding the calculations of how much we can expect sea levels to rise…do the calculations count only on the amount of water that derives from melting ice, or do the calculations also include the increased volume of seawater that comes from expansion due simply to heating of the oceans? And I guess a third incidental question: what are the relative contributions of melt water and heating expansion? I have watched the climate debate for more than 25yrs and I think the science has at last asserted itself over the politics ( even GWB agrees with the basic facts ). One of the side-effects of this “battle” is that the accepted science (IPCC) (looks like) it has underestimated the speed of the change. Maybe this a result of being extra conservative in order to fend off financially motivated and politically powerfull critics. Regardless of accuracy, I would like to congratulate all the scientists involved for defending and promoting the “republic of science” against the worst odds. A lot of attention has been given to sea level rises because of the direct and somewhat predictable affect on major cities. Theoretically if we can predict the extent of sea level change then we can plan our way around it without getting our feet wet. What bothers me is that a rapidly rising ocean is only the most visable symptom of a planet with a fever. The “birds and bees” are out of sync with each other already. If “the climate” was shifting ( say ) twice as rapidly as predicted by the IPCC, what is the likelthood of “symptoms” such as wide spread crop failures, disrupted fisheries, pasture into dust? Re #17. Once again people want to know the effects that climate change will have on their the environment in real terms but this is not necessarily the job of climate science to do that as making such predictions can be scientifically damaging to ones career as it does not have a scientific basis. Generally Science leaves the fortune telling to environmental groups and the like and it is this naming of scientific literature by environmentalists that seem to land science in hot water although I believe that Jim Hansen of NASA has stated that human kind could have as little as 10 years to avert serious climate change. How do you get paleoclimate data for an area that has been under ice for most of the past 100,000 years? Would you comment on the Davis et al study published in Science since i gives a little perspective to the Velicogna and Wahl article. Re No. 14 and Eric’s response to that post. Thanks to you for raising the chief question that I had which was “OK, Greenland and Antarctic ice are apparently declining more quickly that we once thought, but what does that translate into in terms of projected sea-level rise by 2100, provided the trends continue. I took a quick peek back at figure 11.12 referenced in Post No. 2 (the IPCC 2001 multi-scenario by AOGCM projections). Eric, these projections suggest a range of up to about 0.7 meters (2 feet) of SLR by 2100 for the A1Fi which is a rapid growth and fossil fuel intensive emission scenario. Even the most extreme combination does not yield 3 feet. I have three follow up questions (1) Eric, where does your estimate of 0.5 to 3 ft come from? (2) Can anyone comment on the current IPCC Fourth Assessment Report SLR projections and (3) Can the recent findings reported in Science be translated into a specific amount of increase in SLR projected for 2001? I note that Overpeck did not try to answer question 3 . . . I have not yet seen Kerr’s article. In the fijian news is a mention that sea level there has risen 8 cm in 13 years. That makes it 6 mm / year. Article indicates that also normal variability has some effect on this but web story is rather short on that and there is no link to in the news piece for the actual study as far as I can see. re #17 and #18. Alan has a valid point. There is lots of science regards species extinction and this may be the most salient aspect of environmental degradation, including AGW. There was a fine paper by Thomas et al. in Nature in the fall of 2004 suggesting that species extinction could be between 17 and 35% by 2050 based on mid range AGW models from the third IPCC report. Maybe Realclimate could host a guest post from a biologist on this impact. Humans need the services of coral reefs, fungus, ground hogs, pollinators, ocean fisheries, forests, and plankton to survive. Maybe we don’t need polar bears and seals, but what kills them can’t be too good for us. I think this is science. I would disagree with you about scientists being generally cautious and environmentalists getting them into trouble by doing their own ‘fortune-telling’. The most detailed climate impact forecasts I have ever heard come from the Hadley Centre – those are the only forecasts that could conceivably remind you of ‘fortune-telling’ (particularly the way they are consistently reported by the media with absolute certainty!) They put information to the public about likely rainfall changes (with exact percentage changes) between now and 2050 or 2080 in different regions within the UK. I presume that they really want to bring home the reality of what the most likely result of climate modelling will mean for people – they want people to understand that climate change is and will be real. I sometimes worry whether such precise forecasts could be dangerous – I have seen one Guardian science editor claiming that the current drought cannot be linked to climate change because climate change will make the UK’s winters wetter (I understand that is only the most likely scenario, and if we cannot say for certain that a record-breaking drought is linked to GW then at least we know that those droughts are becoming more common globally because of GW and we cannot rule out a link with the one in the south of England just now – at least that’s my understanding). In the UK many of the main environmental NGOs tend to be far more cautious than, say, the Avoiding Dangerous Climate Change conference last year! There is widespread fear that we should not make it look too scary but should promote positive messages (not my own way of thinking – I think everybody just needs to be honest about what is known and what is not known for certain but is not ruled out, rather than worrying about how other people might react). Personally, I do think that it is important for scientists to explain their own understanding in simple enough terms for ordinary people to understand (this weblog of course does a great job at explaining complicated science to lay people!). And if James Hansen is extremely worried that sea level rises may become far more dramatic than models suggest that I am glad to know. It’s a matter of saying ‘I am worried, this could happen, and this is why I cannot rule it that it will happen’ – and those messages really can only come from experts, not (credibly) from environmentalists (other than by quoting experts). This may be a reference to the same Hansen interview several recent posters have mentioned, saying they think Hansen said that modeling isn’t working – I haven’t found any original transcript or source, so I’m trying to figure out what he actually did say. Anyone got a first-hand source? I was surprised to learn that sudden glacier movements in Greenland were causing local earthquakes. What next, GW causes or contributes to volcanos?? I’ll believe it, if scientists find it’s so. Now ABC is wondering out loud why a huge portion the public think scientists are in big disagreement about whether or not GW is happening. Science is nearly always cautious and never uses language such as the press would use to justify something. Scientific personnel may offer predictions of future conditions here on Earth based on models but this is the press labelling it as truth to the wider public rather than the scientists themselves prophesizing for they cannot do that and peer review finds people out. Post 12. Coby how could you do that to me? The site is a disaster area. My offer still stands and if one sticks to basic and verifiable scientific principles one can go a long way with children/grandchildren – whom I may say are a very demanding audience. I see this site is now subject to AW too – not bad under the circumstances. Perhaps realclimate could set up a counselling service for all my aged and guilty friends and relatives. Another 40 cm? I recall that the ice in Patagonia and other locations different from Greenland and Antartica, if it were all to melt, would contribute 40 cm to the sea stand. So should we add another 30 cm or so to the guestimates given in earlier posts? So….it could be 6 inches, it could be 3 feet, or heck, even 6 feet. Is this not a case of “covering one’s bases” no matter what the outcome is? Such wildly divergent predictions seem to highlight the huge uncertainties in the science of AGW, not strengthen it. Re #31, #32: I recall the figure of 40 cm from T.M. Cronin’s “Principles of Paleoclimatology”. To repeat, this was his figure for the sea stand rise due to complete melting of all ice other than Greenland and Antarctica. Re 32 (me) oops, sorry, Please ignore my post. It contains bad, bad math; 0.4 mm/year by 100 years would be 40 mm, not 40 cm. Does increased melting mean an increased chance of slowing the Thermohaline circulation? Wouldn’t that have the effect of cooling the SE Greenland/Iceland area of the N. Atlantic? Is it possible to model the fastest allowable rate of melting that can happen before this negative feedback occurs? C. W. Magee, you might find this RC article helpful, particularly Stefan’s response to comment 4. This really is fantastic news! All that land currently buried beneath ice will become usable again. A vastly greater area than will be covered up by the rising sea-levels. So much more of the planet will have a comfortable climate. I guess the only risk to this wonderful scenario is that the fossil fuels run out sooner than anticipated and the greenhouse gases fall back into line. I am keeping my fingers crossed that that won’t happen. Re: #41, “This really is fantastic news! All that land currently buried beneath ice will become usable again. A vastly greater area than will be covered up by the rising sea-levels. So much more of the planet will have a comfortable climate. Look for comments by Matt; if he gets his web page together, you’ll want to visit. It is a shame the ice on Antarctica is so thick and at such high altitude, so that even with warming we won’t see the land mass of Antarctica for an awful long time, if ever. Is there anything that can be done about that? Drill lots of holes? Re #42: Start buying real estate in Greenland now! Let us know how your investment goes! Plan carefully though. Past deglaciations have involved a bit of flooding here and there. See, sarcasm might not always work here, ’cause when glaciers retreat, there is not much organic matter or critters an’ stuff in the soil, hence it’s not arable. So, some folks take it literally and might not take the statements for what they are: just short of comedy. You are trying a comedy routine, right? My speciality is information science, but I wanted to air an idea (or theory) in this arena. I have theorized that the Earth is akin to a giant capacitor in a closed circuit whose past climatic conditions were the result of the amount of oil underground. Simular to an oil filled capacitor in a closed circuit. Thank heaven for the dinosuars and species extinction! If my theories are at all correct, things will continue to worsten. Today, we are having a major impact on lowering those natural oil levels. It’s causing the Earth to loose its natural capacitance. Some have theorized a natural shift of magnetic poles may occur. But what if this purposed failure, or weakening, of the magnetized poles isn’t natural? What if the event is a natural response to the Earth’s loss of capacitance? What happens to a closed circuit when it’s oil-filled capacitor fails? My theory has many societal ramifications. I’m working on a basic Earth model incorporating my theories, but this will take time since there is a lot of data to simulate. I welcome input from you all. Goodness, some rather bizarre comments here. It’s not easy being a scientist. What many non-scientists don’t seem to quite understand is that uncertainty is, and always has been, a huge part of science. So much of what we take for granted in scientific knowledge and advancement only arose out of an ocean of uncertainty just as large as the uncertainty with which we are trying to struggle with global warming. A good (ethical) scientist will admit this and, as far as he or she is able, explain the limits of his or her knowledge, only a charlatan will seek to create certainty out of incomplete knowledge or data, and only a charlatan will seek to exploit this uncertaintly for their own ends. We see to 2100 with no more clarity than H G Wells for instance could see the year 2000. But that does not excuse us from ignoring what we can clearly see now. For humanity, I think it is now pretty easy. Anthropogenic global warming is a proven fact beyond any kind of reasonable doubt. The quality and quantity of change is under some debate, but as every year passes the warnings from the scientists are becoming more dire. As the whole 6 billions of humanity arose and throve in the climate we now have, which has remained pretty constant for the last 8 thousand years, no-one can then greet some new climate as anything other than the most dire threat to everyone’s existence. There is now a moral or ethical obligation to accept this on behalf of our future generations, every single other consideration is now of secondary importance – politics, economics, cost, comfort, convenience, social inertia, what you will. It will require an effort on behalf of mankind equivalent to fighting the Second World War, except this time no one has to die, be maimed or psychologically scarred for their whole life, nor do cities have to be destroyed or civilisations wrecked. We cannot leave this to people who seek to weigh the health of the world against these other considerations, there is no set of scales that can accomplish this measurement. But until we fully understand this moral imperative, the necessary action to deal with this issue will never, ever come. Sermon over. Sorry for a frivolous question, but very recently I was reading a post on some now-forgotten science blog about the accelerating melting of the Greenland ice sheet — and they either linked to or published a beautiful picture of a waterfall of runnoff falling from an ice shelf on Greenland with some people standing along the banks of the rivulet at the top of the fall. Does anyone remember this and have a link for me? Thanks!

2019-04-26T10:30:57Z

http://www.realclimate.org/index.php/archives/2006/03/catastrophic-sea-level-rise-more-evidence-from-the-ice-sheets/langswitch_lang/sp/

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While job prospects are decent, expect some competition. If you want to stand out above the crowd, learn as much as you can about 3D printing and virtual simulations. Mastering those two things will put you in high demand. Find a mechanical engineering program near you. Mechanical engineering offers an incredible list of career options. Robotic engineering: You’ll design and test robotics across multiple systems and applications. You will need a bachelor’s degree and internship to get into the field. Less than average growth is predicted for this $95K+ per year career. Heating and cooling engineering: This is a more advanced career in HVAC where you’ll need at least a bachelor’s degree. You will be designing systems for buildings such as residential, industrial, and educational. Expect an average salary of over $83K, with about average employment growth. Aerospace engineering: You’ll work on projects relating to national defense, such as aircrafts, spacecrafts, missiles, and satellites. To become an aerospace engineer, you’ll need to start off with a bachelor’s degree. The average salary is $109K. Nuclear engineering: You’ll be working with nuclear and radioactive equipment, from medical equipment to power sources. You must have a bachelor’s degree in nuclear engineering with knowledge in mechanical engineering. Employment growth is slower than average because of a decline in electric power generation. However, the research and consultation aspect of the profession will grow. Salaries are averaging $102K. Materials engineering: You will develop and test materials for products from nanomaterials to airplane wings. You’ll get a bachelor’s degree in material science and engineering, and like most engineering careers require, you’ll have to find an internship to gain hands-on experience. Once you’ve been a materials engineer for a few years, your salary will average around $93K. Petroleum engineering: Designing and developing oil and natural gas extraction from new and old wells will be a main focus of your career. You can major in petroleum, mechanical, or chemical engineering in college, where you’ll get your bachelor’s degree and participate in an internship/co-op ed programs. Your average salary will be $128K. Architectural and engineering managers: You’ll plan, direct, and coordinate day-to-day activities in offices, labs, or plants. You’ll need a bachelor’s degree in order to work in this position. The average salary is $134K. Drafters: You’ll use special software to transfer the designs of architects and engineers to technical drawings. An associate’s degree is the minimal requirement for this position, which pays over $53K annually. Sales engineers: You’ll sell technical and/or scientific products to other companies. You should have a bachelor’s degree in engineering to have working knowledge of the types of products you’re selling. Because your job is commission based, you may encounter job-related stress due to trying to keep your numbers up. Sales engineers earn an average salary of $100K or over $48/hr. Find a chemical engineering program. As a chemical engineer, your knowledge in math, biology, physics, and chemistry are pretty limitless. You help to propel the advancements made in the production or use of products such as food, fuel, and medications. You’ll also design the layout of many different types of manufacturing equipment. Chemical engineering is not only an exceptionally useful career but also highly rewarding and satisfying, because you know you’re doing good for humanity. Chemical engineer have a variety of job-related tasks. You’ll do research to improve processes, along with conducting tests and monitoring the results of these processes. You’ll also have to establish the safety protocol connected with the newly minted procedures. Checking equipment to make sure it is up to code and troubleshooting problems are part of your daily routine. Managing the funds related to your department may also be something you’ll be in charge of. An office or lab will be your work home, and you’ll need to work well with the others there involved with your project. You’ll be up to the task, though: Your education prepared you for everything involved with chemical engineering. If you are in high school and you know your calling is as a chemical engineer, then you need to stock up on chemistry, physics, biology, algebra, trig, and calculus classes. Aim for high grades in them as well. A four-year bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering is mandatory for this career. Some universities offer a five-year program that combines both the bachelor’s and master’s degree requirements. Whichever program you choose, make sure it’s accredited by the ABET, otherwise your credits won’t count if you decide to transfer or want to become certified/licensed. For some hands-on experience, get yourself an internship or join the co-op program relevant to the chemical engineering industry. To stay competitive, get at least a master’s degree. You may want to even consider a doctorate: Despite the fact that only a bachelor’s degree is necessary, most chemical engineers have more advanced degrees. One of the areas chemical engineering differs from most other engineering careers is that it’s not as common to get licensed, and it’s not mandatory for entry level positions. You can always decide to get your Professional Engineering designation later on in your career. As a chemical engineer, you’ll most likely be working more than the traditional 40-hour work week. You’ll have deadlines, targets, and problems that arise whose flames need putting out. However, the median yearly salary is $102K, making up for those days you work overtime. The highest paying industries for chemical engineers are waste management services, oil and gas extraction, computer systems designs, management of companies, and architectural, engineering, and related services. Top paying states for chemical engineering are Texas, Delaware, Arizona, District of Columbia, and Louisiana. Pay can range up to $111K-$143K, depending on the industry and location. Academia: The best people to teach engineering to college students are engineers. You will have a deep understanding of the subject and are more likely able to assist your students. Much like the duties of other teachers and professors, you instruct classes, give lectures, assign work, and grade assignments. You earn over $75K annually. Dyes, pigment, and ink chemist: You analyze, develop, and synthesize new pigments and dyes using a variety of different processes. You’ll definitely need a chemistry background, or a closely related field, for this career. A Ph.D. and post doctoral fellowship are also commonly sought by students going into dyes, pigment, and ink chemistry. Entry level positions can be had with a bachelor’s degree—you can work as a research assistant or technician. Chemists earn an average of $73K. Mining and geological engineer: Design mines and make sure they are operated safely for people and the environment. In high school, take loads of maths and sciences. There aren’t many schools that have mining or geological engineering specifically. Instead, you can look into chemical engineering with a strong focus on geology, physics, math, and mine safety. On top of your classwork, you’ll also have to do lab and field work. Getting a degree in civil engineering is another feasible way to enter this field. The average salary is more than $93K. Petroleum processing: As a chemical engineer working in petroleum processing, you’ll be testing samples from different drilling sites. Sometimes, travel may be involved. You’re needed to come up with different methods of separating and refining the elements making up crude oil. You also will be researching different additives and seeing their impact on humans and the environment. Earn an average of over $130K. Pharmaceutical manufacturing: New medication is constantly being created, and it’s chemical engineers who are at the forefront. Your skills are necessary in the pharma industry because of the research around the chemicals and their interactions with humans. Some chemical engineers focus on creating synthetic drugs that mimic what the human body does, such as thyroid medication that makes the body think the thyroid gland is working, even if it isn’t. They make $103K+. Environmental engineer: Weighty environmental problems are constantly arising. Environmental engineers try to improve pollution, recycling, waste disposal, and other environmental disturbances through a variety of sciences. An entry level environmental engineering position requires only a bachelor’s degree. If you want to be employed on higher levels, a master’s and Ph.D. are preferred. Median salaries are more than $84K. Find a civil engineering program near you. When it comes to engineering, civil is the oldest discipline. It can date back to when the first structure was erected or a primitive bridge was made from logs, all to make life better and easier. Of course, advancements have been made, and more complex buildings, bridges, and structures are developed, thanks to civil engineers. Civil engineers can be found in both the public and private sectors. If you choose the civil engineering path, you’ll plan, design, construct, research, and teach. Infrastructures will be repaired or created by you. Bridges, dams, roads, water systems, and airports are on your to-do list. Whatever the project you’re working on, you can rest assured it will be complex. But the end result will be present for you, and everyone else, to marvel at and use. The minimum requirement for civil engineering is a bachelor’s degree. However, you’ll probably only find entry level positions with that level of education, because employers are starting to favor advanced degree in the field. Expect to take a heavy load of math, statistics, engineering, and other courses related to civil engineering. You’ll have a mix of classroom, lab work, and field study throughout your college career. Co-op programs are an important piece of your education. There you’ll gain hands-on experience as you study your way toward your degree, and hiring managers do prefer it if you’ve participated in available co-ops. Make sure that whatever college you attend, that it’s accredited by ABET. Otherwise, you won’t be able to earn your PE credentials and all will have been for naught. While licenses are not required for entry level positions, to advance in civil engineering you’ll need to get your Professional Engineering (PE) license. Once you get your PE, you’ll be able to oversee others, approve plans, and sign off on projects. While you’re receiving your bachelor’s degree, you can take the initial Fundamentals of Engineering exam. This will earn you the title of Engineer in Training (EIT) or Engineering Intern (EI). Once you’ve had the required amount of work, you’ll be eligible to sit for the second exam, the Principles and Practices of Engineering. For every type of engineering license, each state has its own set of regulations. However, many states recognize licenses from other states as long as the requirements meet or exceed their own. The median annual salary for civil engineers is $84K. Entry level is $53K, and civil engineers who have been at it for a while earn an average of $138K yearly. Project directors usually work over the 40-hour work week, but most others have traditional hours. Employment growth is expected to be 11 percent, or over 32,000 jobs opening, through 2024. This is much faster than most other careers. Participating in co-ops while you’re in college will give you a better chance of being hired. Graduate education is also a plus. Top paying industries are manufacturing, oil and gas extraction, scientific research and development, instrument manufacturing, and aerospace product and parts manufacturing. Pay ranges from $109K-$144K. Top paying states for civil engineering are Alaska, District of Columbia, California, Texas, and New Jersey. Pay runs from $98K-$120K in these locations. Different career options with a degree in civil engineering include the following. Construction engineers: You’ll design, manage, and oversee construction projects, from buildings to roadway to bridges to mechanical workings. Basically, anything that makes up our infrastructure will have your fingerprints on it. A bachelor’s degree is the minimum educational requirement. Salaries average $84K annually. Geotechnical engineers: Earth’s materials are what you’ll be focused on as a geotechnical engineer. Construction and structures that interfere in any way with the earth are overseen by geotechnical engineers. Payscale.com places the median salary at $94K. Structural engineers: Structural engineers make sure projects such as bridges and buildings are structurally sound—that they can support themselves and other objects such as cars or humans. Your salary averages $66K annually. Transportation engineers: Streets, highways, mass transit, harbors, and other areas of transportation are designed, managed, and overseen by transportation engineers. According to Payscale.com, the average salary is just over $63K. As an electrical engineer, you’ll redesign old electrical-powered products and develop new goods. Calculate and set all the standards and specifications, along with the development, construction, and installation of said products. To join the ranks of these pioneers, you must have a deep understanding of electronics. You’ll be dealing with large-scale products to the most miniscule nano-product, all powered electronically. If you’re a high school student exploring electrical engineering options, think about focusing your studies on physics, math of all kinds, and drafting. These subjects will help prepare you for your college program. Once you start looking into university engineering programs, it’s important to choose one accredited by the ABET. A bachelor’s degree in electrical, electronics, or electrical engineering technology will be what you’ll graduate with. Some universities offer a 5-year program that will allow you to get both a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree. If your college offers a co-op program, get involved in it. Employers look for that type of experience when they are hiring. Otherwise, an internship will be just as beneficial. Entry level positions in electrical engineering do not require you to be licensed. However, you should definitely get the Professional Engineering (PE) certification a little further on in your career. The PE will allow you to move higher up the career ladder. To become PE certified, you will need to take the FE exam directly after completing your bachelor’s degree. Once you pass that, you’ll considered an Engineer in Training (EIT) or an Engineer Intern (EI). From there, after you’ve established enough work experience, you can then take the second exam which is called the Principles and Practice of Engineering (PE). Each state has different timing and requirements for certification eligibility, but once you’ve received the designation, most other states will honor it as long as their requirements are met or surpassed. Electrical engineers earn a median wage of $95K annually. The top 10 percent earn $150K, and entry level earn $59K. Average employment growth is expected through 2024. Because of how fast technology grows, many of the available jobs will be in research and development. The top paying states for electrical engineers are Alaska, California, District of Columbia, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island; these states have an average pay in the $106K-$122K range. States with the highest employment levels are California, Texas, New York, Michigan, and Massachusetts, with pay ranging from $109K-$115K. Here are some different career options for those with a degree in electrical engineering. Electronics engineer: As an electronics engineer, you’ll design and develop electronic products from handheld devices to larger GPS systems. This career is extremely similar to electrical engineering; the major difference between the two is that electronics engineers are more interested in the smaller parts, whereas electrical engineers are focused on the electrical systems. Salary is $77K-$123K on average. Computer hardware engineer: All the parts and pieces that make up a computer are designed and tested by computer hardware engineers. They are also known as hardware engineers. A bachelor’s degree in electrical or computer engineering is the minimal requirement. Employment growth is on the slower side of average for this career. Median salary is $115K. Electrical and electronics technicians: Electrical and electronics technicians: These are two separate careers, but they have similar duties. You’ll work alongside electrical or electronic engineers, helping them with their job duties. An associate degree is the minimum educational requirement, and you’ll also need training, as well. The average salary is $62K. Electrician: For a detailed look into becoming an electrician, please check out this career guide to electrician careers. You’ll need either an associate’s degree, an apprenticeship, or a combination of the two. The average salary of an electrician is $53K. Electromechanical technician: With this skilled trade career, you need an associate degree or higher, along with training. You’ll assist engineers with testing, as well as operate, test, and maintain a variety of electromechanical equipment. Job growth is a tad bit slow, and the average salary is $56K. More subdisciplines in electronic engineering are microelectronics engineering, signal processing engineering, telecommunications engineering, instrumentation engineering, and power engineering. All training for these careers starts out in college in the electronics engineering program. There are online engineering degrees available in a variety of disciplines including biomedical, civil, computer, electrical, and mechanical engineering. Online engineering degrees are available at all levels from certificate to doctoral. Online engineering programs allow prospective engineers to prepare for a career in the field in a more flexible school environment. Online programs are also beneficial for current engineers as they can use distance programs to further their training while continuing to work. It is important for online engineering degrees to be accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET). Most states require ABET accreditation before graduates can practice engineering or earn an engineering license. Attending an accredited school ensures you will receive a quality education, that credits will transfer, and that employers will recognize your degree. Find an online engineering program.

2019-04-23T21:55:55Z

https://careerschoolnow.org/careers/engineering

It's been a few years since I shared my favorite camera gear. Emma and I get a lot of e-mails asking for advice about camera and lens purchases. We keep a pretty simple lineup of gear around here. We don't have a ton of fancy equipment, and we use everything we own almost every day. So without further ado, here's what we use and why we love it! 1. Canon EOS 60D I've been using my Canon 60D for the past year. Emma recently upgraded to the same camera and is loving it. I love this camera, because it's high quality but isn't crazy expensive. We actually used this camera to shoot our entire photography book earlier this year. I always travel with it. In my opinion it's a good mix of practical and professional. I would highly recommend this camera to anyone shopping for a solid digital SLR. 2. Canon EOS 5D Mark III I had toyed with the idea of upgrading to a full frame camera for the past few years. I finally decided to take the plunge, because I felt we needed a full frame camera for indoor photos. When you are dealing with smallish rooms and limited space, the extra frame space is needed. I am in love with this camera. I've only been using it for about a month (mostly indoors), and it has made a world of difference in my home photos. I love that both our cameras can share lenses, but they capture such different images. If I would have known how helpful a full frame camera would be, I probably would have invested in one years ago. 3. Canon EF 35mm f/2 I use this lens most often. If you only want to invest in one lens, I would recommend this one. It's versatile and works great for indoor and outdoor photography. Sometimes it stays on my camera for weeks at a time. It's a staple! 4. Canon 40mm EF f/2.8 The 40mm is my newest lens. It was an impluse buy. I think it's great, especially for the price (which is awesome). I don't have as much to say about this lens, because I've only been using it for a few months. If you have notes feel free to add them in the comments. 🙂 5. Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 We love our 50mm lens for portraits, usually outdoor. It produces the most beautiful bokeh and flattering blurred backgrounds. It's also really nice for low lit photos. *I also own (and love) this wide angle lens Canon EF-S 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 . Before I owned a full frame camera, this lens was my only way to capture full room photos inside our home. It is also helpful for arm's length self portraits, although I usually crop out a lot of the distorted edges! 6. Camera Remote When we don't have someone available to take photos for us, we use a camera remote. It's great for self portraits or group photos when you want to include everyone in the frame. Of course, there is always the self-timer too, but the camera remote really speeds things up! 7. Wacom Bamboo Tablet Alright, now I am branching out from actual photography gear to other items that make our images possible. I have blogged about the tablet in the past (here + here). I use my tablet daily to edit photos, add handwriting and make collages. Other stuff we use and love: The iPhone. Honestly, I LOVE iPhone photos. If anyone ever asks me which point & shoot camera I recommend I always tell them to just buy an iPod touch (or iPhone). The photo quality is great and the editing options that apps can offer are truly amazing! Photoshop CS (we use CS5 and CS6). We sometimes use actions. We like Totally Rad Actions! as well as Formula Actions. These are mostly used to quickly tweak color in our images. My favorite toy cameras are the Fujifilm INSTAX Wide , the Fujifilm Instax MINI and the Golden Half Camera . And if you're looking to improve your photography skills check out our latest e-course! This is a great list and very helpful, thank you! Can you please give me a brief description on the difference between a full frame camera as opposed to the 60D? Thank you. So I just purchased my first eve DSLR, a Canon T4i and I see this post in my BlogLovin feed. Look at God! Thank you! Hugely insightful post! I’m saving up for a nice camera (currently using a gifted & used but new-to-me, point & shoot) and it’s really good to know what some of my favorite bloggers use for their beautiful photos! Also! Got a Bamboo tablet for Christmas and your posts gave me great tips for improving my own blog posts, obsessed! I’ve been on the hunt for a good SLR after putting it off for 2 years now and I’ve had my eye on the 60D. Knowing that both of you use this camera and love it, I definitely want to get it! If and when you do self portraits/group shots, do you use a tripod? If so, which one? Thanks in advance. Great equipment! I use Nikon camera. Also lovely photos. Here is a photog question but not an actual hardware question. I need to learn product photography and the “clean up” (photoshop, etc) actions that go along with it. Any ideas where I can begin my search to find resources to learn? I would like to get in depth with all aspects of it. lighting, placement, photo light boxes, editing, etc. Love this 🙂 Thanks for all the info! Hi Elsie! How do you feel about the Canon Rebels? I feel like they get so much hype, but I don’t know how they measure up to the ones you have. I’ve heard so many good things about the Canon EOS 60D – I might have to start saving pennies. Ever since I started blogging I find myself taking more pictures. My current DSLR is a Nikon P90, which isn’t much more than a larger point-and-shoot – you can’t switch out lens or anything. Not really what I wanted when I asked for a DSLR but oh well. And I totally want a camera remote! My blog, http://crazylovelyme.com, is relatively new, and I’d like to start doing some more self-portrait type of shots for fashion posts. I may have to go buy one of those! I have been wondering if I should buy a 35mm lens but thought it might be too similar to the 50mm I think I might get it now though. I’m looking for what camera I want to upgrade too. This is very helpful for that since I have no idea what I should get. Q: Can you please give me a brief description on the difference between a full frame camera as opposed to the 60D? Q: What camera remote do you use? A: Hi Katie! I looked on Amazon and I can’t find the exact one that we have (we’ve had it a while). This one looks pretty similar- http://www.amazon.com/Pixel-Digital-Wireless-Powershot-replaces/dp/B0049HKKPK/ref=sr_1_15?ie=UTF8&qid=1359432994&sr=8-15&keywords=camera+remote You’ll love it! Q: I am curious to hear your thoughts on the video function, if you use it. Just the general quality and functions, really. Q: If and when you do self portraits/group shots, do you use a tripod? If so, which one? A: Hi Jean! Yes- we have a very basic tripod that we bought locally. We don’t use it very often, but it’s good to have and useful for video too. Q: I need to learn product photography and the “clean up” (photoshop, etc) actions that go along with it. Any ideas where I can begin my search to find resources to learn? Q: How do you feel about the Canon Rebels? I feel like they get so much hype, but I don’t know how they measure up to the ones you have. YOU WOULD BE SUCH A LIFE SAVER IF YOU WOULD ANSWER THIS QUESTION: how did you get those photos to stick on the wall? when i was in college i put up hundreds of photos on my wall but they always fell. i tried everything and they would peel off in the middle of the night. what did you use?! i have a nikon d5000 for my dSLR. I Love it. As for travelling, I bring my Canon G12… It has some features of a dSLR without the heavy weight of a dSLR camera 🙂 Both produce great pictures. I recently purchase a Canon AE-1. Going old school. I can’t wait to play with it!!! I’m just getting a handle on my 50mm lens – But I’m loving it! I’ve been wanting to get a DSLR for years, but because I didn’t really know what to look for in a DSLR, I kept on putting it off. This year, I just couldn’t pass up the boxing day sale and got the Canon 60D. Wasn’t 100% sure I made the ultimately perfect choice for me and my photography needs, but judging from your wonderful photography, it seems I did! I would just about do anthing for that equipment! Great suggestions! Now I can’t wait for your photography book to come out! Thanks for the camera tips! I’m looking out to buy a nifty fifty lens for my camera, and maybe a remote control too. This is super helpful. I really appreciate you letting us in on some of your magic. I actually just (like today) received my wacom intuos 5 tablet! So so excited! I just upgraded to a Canon 60D last year and I’m in LOVE. I have a 50mm, but I’m still learning the best ways to use it (since it can be tricky with framing!), but I love how it makes me take a step back and really focus on what i want in the shot. I definitely need to try out your other lenses though – especially the 35mm! 🙂 Thanks for the tips. Thanks for the tips! I’m thinking of getting into photography 🙂 A lot of my friends dabble in photography, and a few of them even have these adorable plush camera lens from Plushtography! I think that’s dedication. Hm. A camera remote. I never thought of that. Might be a great little buy. Thanks for this list! Maybe this is stupid but could you explain a bit about the difference between a full frame camera and not? I’m assuming the full frame just shows more… but wouldn’t a wide lens do that too? What’s the benefit of not using full frame? Maybe a picture of the same space comparing the two? Savedddd!!! This is so helpful. My father wants me to invest in another lens, and I haven’t been able to tell him which one I should upgrade to. Gracias. Thank you for this! I always look around on the net for a good camera, but can’t decipher one type to another! And since I love your photography, I was super happy to see this! Would you mind giving us ballpark prices for each of these items? I know the price will vary depending on where one purchases them, but I’d love to start saving up for gear like this! Thanks for the info! Which lens do you recommend for food photography? WOW. This is awesome. Thanks for the advice! thanks for this information! i’m in serious need of a new camera, and your opinions are great to have. Thank you for a very useful listing and explanination. I don’t have tha much money and I’m always looking for advise and tips on the next purchase. This will be very helpful in deciding the next. Only just bought a zoom lens (Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 IS USM) for my action photography. thanks for this list, it’s really helpful! i have a couple of lenses but still learning my way around them before investing in others! This is not related to the camera stuff but I just love the photo of the little Doxie in the tub!! I love doxies!! great gear indeed. I want to upgrade my canon 1000D to the canon 60D too, as it’s not very heavy as a very-professional one. I also have the 50mm 1.8 and I love it, it’s a great set of lenses and very versatile. Love this wall of photos !! I love your photography posts!! Your shots are always so great and it’s nice to know what’s used behind the scenes 🙂 Thanks for sharing and keep up your wonderful and inspiring posts! Beautiful! For now I have only one digital camera semireflex (FUJIFILM FINEXPIX S3200) in Uruguay are expensive cameras but certainly when I upgraded I will follow the advice and buy Canon. kisses! I really like your picture! I practically shot for 2 years as a professional photographer using the 1.4 50mm – its the best darn lens you can have! This post is perfect timing for me! I am planning to invest in a DSLR camera this spring… and I don’t know much about it so this is very helpful! Thank you very much! Do you think Amazon is the best place to purchase one? can’t wait for your photography book!! thanks for sharing your equipment– it inspires me to save up for a full frame camera! Great post!! Thanks for your insightful and honest approach. I have been using the canon vixia hfs10 for video for the past year, and some photos as well- its an incredible and lightweight auto focusing camera best for video, of course! This year I am getting a DSLR! YES! I have been comparing the two models that you have and definitely prefer the 5D markiii, but I really wonder how much difference there is between the mark ii and the mark iii – besides the price and a few upgrades. Should I save and get the newer model or save and get the older one?! Thank you so much for this post, who would’ve thought a remote control for a camera! Here I’ve been struggling to do the whole self timer thing, duh! I NEED one of these. Thank you for inspiring me everyday. I really like your equipment – especially the tablet seems very useful. Can you recomment it? This is such a helpful post! I have a Nikon D3200 and I been going back and forth on trading it in for a Canon, what do you prefer? Love this post! I am always looking for more advice on camera gear since I am relatively new at it! Thanks! I would love for you guys to create a DSLR for new users e-course….or maybe this is what your photo book will be about? What do you use for shooting food? You READ MY MIND! I was just going to tweet you to ask you what lens I should get next. I have a 50mm and a 35mm also so this was such a helpful blog post! Thank you so much! I am falling in love with photography and want to keep getting better! Such fun! That Canon is my dream. I would like to have it. Have a great day. Ive been going back and forth between a 35mm and an 85mm, I want to lean more toward the 35mm after this post. Hi! Today I’m starting a continuing ed digital photography class. I had always wanted to get into photography during college but it never quite fit into my schedule, though I am currently working as a graphic designer and always thought the two skills really compliment each other and ultimately go hand-in-hand. I have to say your photography on your site definitely inspired me to search for a class where I could focus on photography and learn — I love the look of your photography and I’m now inspired to discover my own style. Thank you for the inspiration! Do you use a tripod when you’re using the remote for your camera? What size and brand of tripod would you recommend? I have bought the 50mm 1.8 to my boyfriend as a Xmas present. It is perfect!!! Do you have any tripod recommendations? great info! what kind of straps and camera bags do you use? i have an epiphanie bag, but am really wondering about some good straps and shooting bags. This is exactly what I was looking for! I’ve been looking for a camera to “beef up” the picture quality for my blog but was overwhelmed with all the details on the web. Thanks for making it easier to digest all this info. Love your blog! You are very generous with your info—-I like that about you ladies. I adore your blog. I think my favorite part is that it makes me contemplate my life. I read your blog and become inspired to try something new. Thank you for your time and dedication to making life beautiful. I love coming to your site every day! Thanks so much for this info. I’d love to get one of those tablets. I don’t have Photoshop (yet) and just use iPhoto right now. Do you know if I could use the tablet to add handwriting to my photos using iPhoto? Or would you recommend any other free (or at least inexpensive) photo editing software? Thanks! Man I am living vicariously through your blog/this post because I have been wanting a camera for like the longest time but I can’t afford one right now. Your photo wall is so great as well! Great post! I own the 60D and my favorite go to lens is my 50mm. Next purchase will more than likely be the 5D mark III. I’ve been hesitant because I’ve bee. So happy with my 60D. After reading your take on having both. I feel much more confident in taking the leap. Thanks! I so want the 5D MKII (yeah it will be years before I could afford the MKIII lol) but it’s out of my price range. I want to upgrade my T3 so bad so sometime this year I’m hopefully going to upgrade to the 60D. I was recently shopping for new lenses too and I saw the 40mm and I was really interested in it but I haven’t seen much of anything from the lens online so I opted for the 35mm f/2 instead as I already have the 50mm 1.8. I love, love, love my 35 though and it rarely comes off my camera now. I love it more than my 50 which is quite surprising lol. Such a great lens for tight spaces on a crop! Funny and timely that you posted this! I have been considering getting a new camera, my first DSLR. What exactly is the difference between the 5D and 60D, besides full frame? Most of my photos are indoors (of friends and family) and outdoors (vacation pics/touristy shots). Would a 5D cover my needs? And are these two options significantly better than a canon rebel? What a great great camera equipment list. I’m aiming for the 5D MarkIII for the next round, but I was able to get fairly good photos for my latest collection shots with my rebel t2i and the 50mm 1.4. Always learning and trying things out, so this was a helpful post for me. Thanks so much. Very helpful to read about which cameras you have and use. let’s talk about how beautiful emma is! these photos of her are outstanding. i was looking through a free people catalog from feb 2011, for outfit inspiration, last night. one of the model’s, had hair just like emma’s. the photo with her sunglasses looked like it could be her. so anyway, whenever you’re having an “i feel ugly day,” emma, remember you’re not. the end. Thanks for the advice. I have a canon 600D and the 50mm lense, it is amazing. Thanks so much for sharing!? Have you ever had any experience with tilt shift lenses!? I have been so curious about them!! I really need to look in to the 35mm…I could use that thing over here! been thinking about buying a camera! thanks for the post! will take a look at them. I love the wall of pictures! I have a question that’s more for your readers than it is for you both (since you use iPhones): How many of my fellow Android users use their phone as a camera? And if so, which phone in particular do you use? Can you suggest any apps (other than Instagram and other filter apps) for taking/editing photos? This might be a strange question, but do you get comission on the linked products? I wonder if my last comment was abrupt, I am looking to upgrade my canon and wouldn’t mind sending some business your way if it is the case! Emma, yes we do. Our Amazon links are affiliate links. That means that we get a small percentage for sales we send their way. THANK YOU for this post! I’ve been looking for a good camera which is in my budget and I think the Canon EOS 60D is the one!! (And the part about the remote control is so true.. It would be a good investment! I’m still a beginning and learning as much as I can by googling every question that comes up (since I don’t really have a photography mentor in my life). I’ve had a Canon EOS T3 for almost two years now. It’s my first DSLR, and I’ve been really happy with it. However, I’ve been using the kit lens this whole time. I’m thinking about getting a 50mm f/1.8 for portraits (which is mostly what I take), and other shoots for my blog (DIYs, food, outfits) but I’m wondering if I wouldn’t be better off getting something more multi-purpose. I don’t want to be changing lenses all the time if the portrait lens won’t work well for other things. But I really very rarely take photos with a deep depth of field, and I don’t use my zoom all that much either. I’m also thinking I might need a wide-angle lens, but again I’m wondering if I’ll be constantly needing to change lenses. I don’t have a ton of money to spend at the moment, so I need to go slow and not buy every possible lens at once. Where would you recommend I start? And would the 50mm f/1.8 be something I could use for every day? Thanks a ton for any advice! Hey Elsie! First off thank you for sharing your favorite gear! I did have one question: what editing apps on iphone do you use? I’m in love with afterglow and psexpress (photoshop express) but am always on the lookout for new things! I am experiencing serious camera and lens envy right now!! Lusting after the 5D MkIII and that 35mm. And it was one of your previous posts about adding handwriting to photographs that made me go out and get a Bamboo. Best. Thing. Ever! Hey, I’ve always liked your food photography. The somewhat desaturated colors and shallow depth of field. Which lens do you use to take them, any actions to get that look? aahh! this post is making me want to switch over to a canon!! i’ve been using a nikon for the past 6 years. i wonder if i should make the switch or not!! Thanks so much for sharing, I have been wanting to upgrade my camera to a Canon 60D for a while now but have no idea about the right lenses to get etc, so this is very helpful. How did you guys learn photography? Did you get some professional training or are you self taught? I have the same Canon 60D and I do agree that it’s amazing! I also like shooting with my 50mm f1.8 lens! My previous comment went to moderation, and never appeared here, so I’m trying this again. Love the list. I’m a Nikon girl, but really appreciate the lens and bamboo pad recommendations! Our favorite bags are shared here- http://www.abeautifulmess.com/2012/04/camera-bag-round-up.html My personal favorite is the orange Libby bag from Kelly Moore. 🙂 We don’t have a special strap to recommend. We just use what comes with our cameras. Thanks for the reply and the link, Elsie! I have an Epiphanie bag, and I was looking for something to travel with – the Libby bag at Kelly Moore is perfect!!! My friend and I are just now starting out blogging and are wanting to buy a better camera. What would you suggest as a good starter camera (inexpensive) but still great quality. We’d be doing outfit posts, baking and cooking, DIYs, ect. Question? Why separate lenses and not just something like an EF-S 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6 IS Standard Zoom Lens? Sorry…I’m lens illiterate…more of a point and shoot person looking for a better camera…and really intimidated by the “f” talk. Love your pics 🙂 Just got my 60D–love it! Also love my most recent lens purchase–Sigma 30mm 1.4 fixed. For the price it is FANTASTIC! In fact, the price for the lens just dropped significantly (by almost half!) so it’s an even better buy. This is very helpful as I’ve been shopping around for a camera. Just wondering, do you have any recommendations for a mirrorless interchangeable camera? I like how they’re smaller than DSLR so it’s great for traveling. thanks! Have you ever had problems with your Canon? I’ve just recently bought a Canon Rebel XS and its been giving me problems. I haven’t even had it for a year yet. The problem for mine is that it dies for no reason and wont turn back on. The battery is charged and everything is shut. If you know anything it would be great! Thank you!

2019-04-18T18:37:20Z

https://abeautifulmess.com/2013/01/a-beautiful-mess-camera-gear-list.html

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They play with a vital function in aiding patients get well as quickly as you possibly can and feel better. Turning into a pharmacist takes a substantial volume of teaching and education. Now you are ready to function as pharmacist. They still play with a valuable part in patient therapy Mainly because pharmacists are liable for managing the drug of patients. They could possibly be requested to work a variety including nights and mornings 365 days a year. They also may opt to earn a certification to demonstrate their higher degree of understanding. They are able to function in a multitude of settings that are professional. Many pharmacists spend a excellent large part of the evening in his or her own feet. Patient-centered good care is delivered by pharmacists. They need to offer medications efficiently. They’re regarded among the very most reputable occupations on earth. Moreover, he could be among the very most honored livelihood. Pharmacists are among the highest-paid specialists at the healthcare market. They truly have been responsible for making sure the validity of the prescriptions they fill. What distinguishes a superb pharmacist out of an outstanding pharmacist is the capacity to fix issues. Immunizations can be given by pharmacists, today. From pharmaceutical companies, they use standard doses with drugs. They truly are familiar with medication ingredients and also how they may connect to different drugs. They are regarded as one the most observable and one of the absolute most accessible medical care pros. He could provide services that are specialized based on this specific area. Pharmacists cannot be at front region of the retail store each of as soon as. In order to be always a pharmacist, a guy or woman needs to possess an Doctor of Pharmacy level and become licensed in his or her region. The letter is going to be filed in your personnel file, and you aren’t going to need access, Hurwitz stated. 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Ceative Resume Templates should be hailed using also a professional tone and a formal format. But it may not be possible for all for it right. Whatever you have to complete is customize the template to fit your specific needs. You can then customize the template that is selected by manually editing depending upon the needs you have. You’ll find lots more stuff you’ll be able to personalize to create your invoicing template together with your own style, the currency symbol is just one illustration that is simple. Down load A exact superior template might be searched online in which you might down load any samples you need for each and every contract you’ll tackle especially in regards to this compensation at which you must receive the ideal amount of every one the services and goods you might have contributed for your own customers. It saves you lots of time and effort. If contributing for the visitors through your invoices, the template gives you a professional advantage. There are a lot of types to choose from such as an unaffiliated bill template. The templates feature a simple design and are as for each one the crucial information which you will need to include. Our templates are quite easy to use and personalize. There are basically just two varieties of invoice template. Employing expert, invoice templates that are compliant will be a step towards correctly controlling your organization finances. To keep everyone apprised of one’s advancement, it’s far better to submit a duplicate of one’s invoice to customer and the attorney. For example, in the event the document is going to be printed, it must be formatted to be published on a standard size newspaper. To be able to email merge, you have to create the principal document with all of the information containing graphics, text and other details that are exactly precisely the exact same to most customers. Decide what you will use to make the invoice. Fees and charges paid off. Like wise don’t neglect to add the date that the statement was issued along side the date. None the less, the statement is able to allow you to develop the type of standing you want your customers to connect. Whatever the situation , the invoice will also comprise overall amount and the machine value that you’re getting to ask your consumer for services or the items which you have presented. The statement will consist of definite payment specifics such as the preferred payment system along with accounts facts. If you should be permitted to file your invoice through e mail then it is helpful to convert the invoice in order it cannot be changed. When you issue an invoice, there are. The statement is an evidence that the customer should display you were compensated by him. All your invoices need to have a statement amount. The first invoice could be placed to work with the self. Furthermore, a invoice will assure proper organization of your enterprise’s charging system. Invoicing is a tremendous portion of exactly what trading is about. Invoicing is an uncomplicated and easy method, however, it really is important get compliant and started with understanding just how to make. Make certain each statement is saved by you using also reference and a unique name. Each invoice needs to be referenced with amount or a statement identification that can create a particular entry in the books of consideration. Invoices supply a method for businesses to receive paid for his or her services also give the documents that are proper for customers to work with for taxation and budgeting reasons. A more frequent technique would be to prefix statements. Your consumer needs a time sheet to make payment as well as if you should be a builder, be sure that it’s authorized and incorporated with the statement. You may desire to electronic mail the buyer to spend less . In reality, the client wants compared to you personally. In case the buyer or agency isn’t going to pay then you must abide by the appropriate invoice cost approach to amass your debts and also the bad debts to your own personally. Will undoubtedly probably likely depend on your personal and firm requirements. You have to take into account and run through some case situations, when you begin some business. When you should be into a company, there is very a invoice template very important when you’re going to request payments from the clientele. Company is really just a great idea formulated by individuals using their minds searching for money-making techniques and working in business. Probably you run a business and do not desire to waste your own time and effort over-analyzing the billing process. Obtain. In addition, the absolute most common way is via using proposition templates in PDF format. Write down. Be aware the rule Whenever you’re aiming to really help make the sponsorship suggestion. The suggestion is all about the customer. An casual suggestion is really just a manner of defining a job when it comes to its own necessity. Some business job suggestions may be deemed as samples of informal proposals that were written. Organizing a suggestion involves meticulous research where your primary goal is always to gain because many information and statistical info in regards to the subject, phenomenon, or dilemma that you’re attempting to fix although ensuring you or your own company is still exceptionally knowledgeable in most facet of your argue. Students who wish to research a topic, or from specialists who would like to enlarge their own horizons by analyzing a particular issue might also write research proposals. You’ll need to compose a proposition should you prefer to indicate something on what steps to take to to commence doing something, or whether you have an idea. A proposal should have a budget that details about the expenses required throughout the operation of the undertaking. You’ve surely got to be sure you know what you’re currently searching for After creating a property proposal. Developing an excellent content could possibly be considered a catchy endeavor. Businesses often write An organization program and contributed to summit interest to investors like a way to receive financial backing when the firm would really like to try some thing brand fresh out. It might also be considered by a few to be always described as considered a”proposal,” particularly if the business plan has been made for the role of obtaining funding. Init, you’re need to incorporate your plan for how it’s going to grow on and the company enterprise. This material needs to be created in line with the condition. It’s finished, also it is within the practice of being uninstalled. To earn proposal content strong, it is vital to centre on this actions. Depending in your purchaser s needs solution and can select a template. You may additionally want touse an letter template to write an even more descriptive overview of the proposal and add it for example just a cover letter. You might need to think about starting off with a tall motivation letter template that is first-class. The task doesn’t will need to become daunting, although lots of individuals overwhelm. To deliver an extensive account of this means by. After composing an investment decision proposition, you are intending to convince someone to finance company or your idea. Examples that your case are fresh will be needed to by you and your thoughts may be useful for the audience. The cases persons generated as a guideline and they could not operate in your claim, must function. With all the help of the case, it gets very straightforward to write your proposition. Plus, the creates it feasible to begin preparing the proposals on your own own own because it is required to help you acquainted with all the arrangement of creating suggestions. Keep in mind that not everybody who gets to see and also rate your proposition is educated concerning the area or topic you are discussing. A simple proposal is something that should be sharp and clear. So, your proposal should be persuasive. All published proposals should contain a few essential elements in them being a way to make sure that serious concern is supplied to this idea. Assessing some sample that they will be able to let you ascertain what should be contained within a proposal. Creating a suggestion might be an important job. There’s one alternative remedy, but and that’s to compose a sponsorship suggestion. There are lots of types of sponsorship proposals in accordance with the basis of the event. Throughout sporting events and business suggestion, the absolute usual sponsorship proposals are. You can find a number. There is A proposition letter a kind of company letter that you employ to present somebody to your own ideas. A proposal letter can stick out. To earn a proposal announcement powerful, concentrate to the requirements of whoever will probably undoubtedly be granting your request, instead than your requirements. Creating a letter could be daunting process, but it will not will need to be. Keep in mind, in the event that you are not able to plan, want to neglect! As your organization program is actually a living, breathing document susceptible to change at any moment, you might find yourself tweaking your approach. You must manage your formal home based business plan therefore you’re in a position to identify writing just what your organization will reach and how income will be generated by it. If you should be an organization proprietor you have to possess discovered a firm strategy to approach your own industry. A business application is the same. Even a good small business program can permit one to get your company off the earth by acquiring commissions. Once you own a business application, the following step will be to promote and brand your small business. Therefore, it’s essential that your company plan is re-visited by you just at least at one time every year after your firm had been created. There is An organization program a framework laid out for a corporation or a upcoming path of actions for an existent person. The business program can be tailored to almost some form of internet or retail eCommerce business. Your business program won’t be exhibited into a single individual. An organization application comprises advice about your own company, such as for example its own mission and targets, sales and advertising and marketing and promotion strategies and is vital for every business. A wonderful business program is not ended. Possessing a fantastic small small business plan will be certain that your travel is a significant little smoother. Because you may know if it is working out for you understand through which you intend to be, For those who own a enterprise plan, you can spend money more . It truly is your duty to develop an all-inclusive plan, although A business program can cause a roadmap to profitability and corporation enhancement. Don’t expect every single you could send your business want that is online to read it entirely. Writing a little business application isn’t quick. Are you really wishing to find out more about the best way to write a small business program. In helping you compose a enterprise program think. Nevertheless it’s tempting to procrastinate, completing a enterprise application is one of the most vital measures to conducting a thriving shop. In a sense , your organization application, like your own company, will compete in the market against products, brands and competitors. Having a business application might appear daunting. Don’t don’t earn a plan to execute an advertising effort that is on-line, when inventing a little small business plan. You want to know howto build up a tiny business plan fit-for micro medium entrepreneurs. A business promoting program is a structured array of opportunities created to work with your own small business boosting budget into its own best advantage. Read on to find out how you’re in a position to stray out of any other vital ideas plus your company app. Without regard for the size of your own organization, there is a business enterprise program a significant element in aiding one to ensure your business has each possibility of surviving and prospering. For all small business owners, it’s center to your institution’s success. Your small small business plan is a tool which will allow you keep your company and to receive funds. Producing a wonderful small-small business plan demands skill, work and time in being in a position visualize the upcoming course of actions, outline the present and to elucidate details of this history. Now, there are two key forms of businessplans, and about the two may function as the conventional business application versus the business application, a simple ways to contemplate when they have names. You can make an everyday plan that serves primarily as a preparation program and also a system which is going to keep you on track if a little business application isn’t being used to solicit financing. It is one among the various tools you will need to develop your venture nonetheless it truly is an integral part. It is greater than only an important parcel of documentation. There is A very simple small business plan far superior than no plan at all for the corporation. Generating your small business application is certainly since it will act since the very first rock in starting your own organization. Possessing an exhaustive business that is small that is small application is likely to assist you receive that start up cash . Help can be provided by Constellation In the event you don’t know just where to start for the organization program. Business aims consist of factors that are fundamental that you’re in a position to tailor to your own organization. Your business application should also help you conduct your company efficiently. In addition, a business application might be useful in procuring. A viable business program that is small will help you decide the industry possibility of the issue and also the problem you are attempting to remedy.

2019-04-23T18:27:43Z

http://houseofthaicuisine.com/12-jak-napisac-podanie-o-prace/

The GnuCash project uses Git to manage the code, documentation and website sources. Git is a distributed version control system (VCS). If you are new to version control or to using git, you may find it useful to read An Introduction to Git for more information about specific git commands, how they are used in the process of modifying GnuCash, and how to submit changes for review using pull requests (preferred) instead of patches. will show you the manual page of that command. and most IDEs have plugins for it. While you enter most commands you are working on your local repository. To set it up, you need to connect it with one or more servers, which host the remote repositories and clone that onto your local computer or fork it into your personal github repository. code.gnucash.org is the server that hosts the canonical git repository, this wiki, Mailing Lists, IRC logs, the nightly builds of the documentation and API docs (via Doxygen) for both branches, and automated win32 builds. Access to this repository is limited to core developers who have been given ssh keys; contributors without commit permissions will not access this repository directly. GitHub is a web-based Git repository hosting service. These are updated from the primary repository by commit hooks, so barring technical problems changes appear in these repositories within a few seconds of being committed to the primary. gnucash-on-osx: Gtk-OSX moduleset, gtk-mac-bundler bundles, and ancillary files for creating GnuCash OSX Application Bundle. gnucash-on-windows: windows installer and build script moved here from gnucash/packaging. See the full list at github.com/Gnucash. Gnucash uses a variation of the Git Flow process for managing changes. Think of maint as "lower", unstable as "intermediate" and master as "higher". Branches are periodically merged "upwards", meaning that maint is merged into master. When unstable exists "upwards merging happens in three stages instead: maint is merged into unstable and unstable into master. Merges are done at least at every release but generally more often as it's much easier to manage merge conflicts when there are fewer commits. Developers are encouraged to merge upwards immediately after making a big change so that they can handle the merge conflicts with the new code fresh in their minds. When we get close to releasing a new stable series culminating the development on the master branch we make a new branch unstable from it and make releases with an odd minor number. For example, leading up to the 2.8.0 release we would have a release series 2.7.x. The releases allow users to help test the program and to try out the new features. unstable is between maint and master in the Git Flow hierarchy, so maint is merged into unstable when it exists and unstable into master. When we decide that it's stable we do a final merge of maint into unstable and delete the maint branch then rename unstable to maint as it's the new stable branch. is the default branch in git. New features and their documentation should be based on this branch. only exists when we're close to a new major release and will be used to make beta releases from. Anything required to get the beta code into shape for a release should be applied to this branch. Bugfixes, translations, improvements of the documentation should usually be applied on this branch. In its default mode, git pull is shorthand for git fetch (update your local repo), followed by git merge FETCH_HEAD resulting in an update of your current branchs working dir. to have multiple working directories. The simple form git cherry-pick [options] <commit>... will apply the changes from one or more commits on your current clean branch. But it is not so often used. Before you publish your branch you should often run git rebase [options]. This will inserts new commits from remote or one of your other branches in front of your commits (rewriting the deltas (diffs) of your commits). Finally usually core developers will git merge [options] your published working branch into the official branch. in the root directory of your local working directory to prepare them; then add the patchfile as an attachment to the appropriate bug report. If you are new to using git, you may find it useful to read An Introduction to Git for more information about specific git commands and how they are used in the process of modifying GnuCash. See https://github.com/Gnucash for further repos e.g. with OS/distro specific build scripts. Else the history gets broken and rebasing master on maint will produce strange results. If you have a Github account or wish to send #Pull Requests, you can use Github's fork feature to set up a clone of the one of the GnuCash repositories. Then, you would clone from that repository instead (note that this is your personal read-write enabled clone): git clone git@github.com:<YOUR-GITHUB-USERNAME>/gnucash.git. Note that this clone command takes the URL in a different format. . Later, you can issue a #Pull Request to have your changes incorporated into the project. If you prefer, you can use a GitHub Pull Request instead of attaching a patch to a bug. Fork the Gnucash/gnucash or Gnucash/gnucash-docs repo on GitHub. You'll need to create a GitHub account if you haven't got one already and set it up for ssh access. In the example below, we'll assume a GitHub userid of "Me". Substitute your real id. Now log in to your GitHub account, go to your forked gnucash repository, select working-branch from the pick list, and click pull request. It's above the "last commit" line on the right in the directory view. In the resulting form, give your pull request a title and describe its motivation. If it's associated with a bug, use the bug number and title for your title and paste the bug URL into the description. Note that GitHub descriptions use Markdown and that there's a preview tab to help you make sure that everything looks the way you want it. Click the Send Pull Request button to the right of the description block. amend your commits as necessary and force-push your branch. Don't make any changes to that working branch that aren't associated with the pull request! If you want to continue in between with something else create another branch. Bug fixes should branch off of maint unless the bug applies only to the unstable version. New features must branch off of master. The following example is for a new feature; substitute maint for master if you're doing a bug-fix. Use a particular working branch for only one bug or feature. This will make it much easier to make changes and generate new patches should that prove necessary. Open a bug in Bugzilla to attach your patch to if one doesn't already exist. Update the old register rewrite branch to work with the currently-released Gtk2. Use git rebase -i (interactive) as necessary to make a clean series of patches for complex changes. Attach the resulting patch(es) to the bug report. If a committer asks you to make changes, revise your original commit and make a new patch. Don't submit a patch to be applied on top of an old one. git-rebase -i can be very helpful if you have a series of patches. While it is possible for new developers to get write access, the project is quite conservative with giving out new SSH write accounts. For occasional changes, people are encouraged to use the procedures outlined above. People can get added as developers if they stick around, supply lots of patches, become highly involved in the project, hang out on IRC, and generally show some level of clue and prove some level of trust. Note: this set up presumes you already have commit access to the GnuCash repositories on code.gnucash.org. If you don't but believe you should, ask for this on the gnucash-devel mailing list. To set up ssh with the MSYS client, proceed exactly as here. You can use any name you like instead of "gnucash-key". You will also be prompted for a passphrase, with the option to leave it blank. If you provide a passphrase, you will be prompted to provide it every time you use your private key. If you don't, anyone who gains access to your private key can connect to whatever servers you protect with it. You will find your private gnucash-key and public gnucash-key.pub keys in ~/.ssh/. If something goes wrong with the next command, your IP will get blocked from all services running on code.gnucash.org for one hour. You'll get the usual ssh question about the fingerprint for a new host. It should be 20:23:3d:df:f3:13:34:c1:32:ca:11:77:24:21:98:01. If it is, answer "yes" to add it to your known hosts file. If you get a message followed by a list of repositories, your setup is correct and you can proceed. Next, you'll want to to configure your local ssh client to always provide this key when connecting to code.gnucash.org. In addition, ssh should always connect as user 'git'. 1. Use PuttyGen to convert your private key into Putty format. Launch puttygen, click the "load" button and select your private key file, then click the "save private key" button to save it in putty format. 2. Set up a Putty profile: Start Putty. Open Connection:SSH:Auth and at the bottom of the panel, for "Private key file for authentication" browse for the converted keyfile you made in the previous step. Open Connection:Data and enter 'git' in the "Autologin username" text entry. Return to the Session panel, enter a name (if you use code.gnucash.org configuring TortoiseGit will be less confusing) in the text entry named "Saved Sessions" and click the "save" button. Click "open". If everything is done correctly, a command window will open and you'll see that message about terminal sessions not being allowed. If you are instead prompted for a password, you have messed up the username or key somehow and will need to contact the server admin to get your IP address unblocked. Now clone the Github repository the same way as #Non-Committers. Since changes should not be pushed to the github repository, a good way to make sure that this doesn't happen by mistake is to use the same read-only URI given above for non-committers. Alternatively, fork the Gnucash repository to your Github account and clone that (use the read-write URI in that case). Next add the repository on code.gnucash.org as a second remote, for example as 'upstream'. That avoids confusion where to push and where to fetch. Right-click a folder in Windows™ Explorer and select TortoiseGit:Settings. At the bottom of the Network panel of the resulting dialog box, click the "Browse" button for SSH Client and navigate to C:\Program Files\TortoiseGit\bin\TortoisePlink.exe, click "open" in the file chooser, the "OK" to dismiss the Settings box. You should now be able to commit changes via TortoiseGit. These above commands are used to record your changes locally. Will push your changes back to the master repository. master is the development branch. All new features should be committed to this branch and this branch only. Unstable releases during the beta period leading up to a new stable release series will be tagged on this branch and the tarballs generated from the tag commits. Bugs reported against an unstable release should be checked to see if they exist on the stable release; if they do they should be reassigned to the stable release and fixed on maint, then merged. N.B. If for some reason a change is committed to master that should have been done in maint, cherry-pick that commit to maint. Merging master->maint would add all of the development changes into maint, which would be bad. maint is the current stable release branch. All bugs reported on the released version should have the fixes committed to this branch and then merged into master. Stable releases will be tagged on this branch and the tarballs generated from the tag commits. There are also archival branches, one for each stable release series no longer under development. Note that before 2.6 we used Subversion or CVS for version control and the practices were different, so you'll see different commit patterns when looking at historical branches. The gnucash repository contains an archive branch which tracks master up to the point that the last subversion feature branch (webkit, if you're curious) was merged, except that new merge commits have been added to link the feature branch merges. It shows the merge points in the right order, but the merge commit dates are all from early 2014. It is of historical interest only. There are several abandoned feature branches which were never integrated into GnuCash. They are also present for historical interest only. Bug fixes should always be rebased onto the maint branch then merged to master unless either they don't affect maint or they are not going to be fixed on maint because the required changes are complex enough that it would risk making maint unstable. New Features are always rebased or merged onto master. New features are not allowed on maint. Small changes, which can be completed quickly and in a single commit, do not require a feature branch. should be done on a private branch which is rebased onto the appropriate main branch before pushing the changes to the main repository. This helps keep the main branch's history linear, which in turn makes it easier to read and displays better in a graphical tool. should be merged with --no-ff to prevent them from fast-forwarding the main branch. # make changes, commit, test, fix, etc. # make && make check to ensure that you're not pushing a broken build! # write and test the first phase of your feature, committing often. # write the next phase and repeat until done. instead to remove everything not in the repository with a few exceptions (-e ...). Above exceptions are files, where Eclipse stores its settings. Just remove the markers and the wrong section with your preferred editor. Don't forget to run git commit -a to tell git, you are ready! Do not confuse -a = --all with --amend! Bug <bug number> - <bug title>. You can specify it as the first line if the commit fully fixes the related bugzilla issue, or mention it in the body of the commit message otherwise. Adding these references will make it easier for committers to use the git bz command while manipulating the commits. Because of our configuration with code.gnucash.org as canonical repository it is strongly discouraged to apply any changes directly to the mirror repositories on Github. Never use GitHubs merge or edit tools! Review the code for formatting, style, good coding practice, good commit message, etc. Make comments and get the submitter to make any necessary changes. Download and apply the patch to the appropriate branch. If the change is complex you may want to make a local branch to work in. Build and test. Discuss any problems with the submitter and get the patch in good shape, ready to commit. If the patch is on the maint branch, do a test merge onto master. Resolve any merge issues with the submitter; if necessary, get a "patch to the patch" to resolve the merge conflicts. Reset your local maint and/or master branches to remove any test merges. Pull them to get any commits others might have pushed while you're working. Apply the final patches or merge your working branch. When applying take care the patches are committed with the appropriate authorship. If the patches were created with git format-patch and hence applied using git am this should be ok. Also if the patches are in another repository or branch and you use git pull to apply them the author should be ok as well. If the patches came as ordinary diff files to be applied with git apply, you should commit these changes with git commit --author "name <email>" with the proper author name and e-mail filled in. Close the pull request or mark the patches "Committed" in Bugzilla. When processing a pull request it's safest to download the pull request as a (series of) patch(es). When you pull from the submitter's GitHub repository branch you risk conflicts because it hasn't been rebased to match the current state of the branch you're pulling to, though you can avoid that by making a working branch from the main branch commit that's at the base of the submitter's working branch. There may also be problems if the submitter has made changes to the working branch after making the pull request. Note that code review comments can be made inline from the Files Changed tab of the pull request page on GitHub: click on the commit, which displays the diff-patch, and hover over the code snippet which will bring out a '+' button to add a comment for a particular line. If master on code.gnucash.org has diverged from 0-wiz-0's master branch, this will trigger a merge action, otherwise it would be a fast-forward. I used to rebase non-fast-forward PR's to avoid the merge but have stopped doing so for all but the most trivial PRs. By not rebasing github will automatically close the PR as as soon as the merge result is pushed into the primary repo. After a rebase however one needs to manually close the PR on github. Also a rebase makes it harder for the author of the PR to sync his local repo with our primary one after the PR is pulled. There's an implicit bit of information as well, namely which [repo] the PR is targetting. Obviously you should work in a local repo for the same source base as in github. So if the PR is against gnucash-docs, you need to do the git-pull in your local gnucash-docs repo. I mention this, because you need this bit of information in your git-pull command as well. If it asks for a password you might have mistyped something. It's slightly more typing than clicking the fancy button on github, but avoids the need to make each new repo in a PR a remote. This technique can be used to pull from any other repository (online or not) as long as the git command can reach the other repository. So the repository URL can be a github url (https://github.com/...), but equally a url to another online site that hosts repositories, or even a file path to another repo on your own PC. For more info search the git help information on repo urls. With rare exceptions we don't want to clutter the master repository with feature branches, so how can two developers collaborate on one? There are several ways to go about it: You can pass patches between you over email, chat, or carrier pigeon; Git is designed to handle that easily (except for carrier pigeon transport, as that requires retyping the patch, which is a pain [Really?]). You can arrange for all of your repositories to be available on the net, and git pull amongst yourselves. Or you can use one of the public repositories like Github or Gitorious to manage your changes. There is a plugin, called git-bz, written for Git that allows it to talk to BugZilla and do things with bugs like attach patches, add comments, mark as fixed, etc.–all from the command line. See the git-bz page for details. An Introduction to Git has basic suggested work flow for modifying GnuCash and more details about what each git command does for those new to git. Documentation_Update_Instructions focuses specifically on documentation updates. GitHub Help in particular fork-a-repo. Git vs Svn has some background on conceptual differences between svn and git. This may help people with a strong svn background to make the switch to git. Git Migration tracked the required changes to our infrastructure and support code before we were able to switch to a pure git based workflow. GnuCash has been maintaining its source code in a hybrid svn-git system for a while. It has now moved on to a pure git environment. We had some documentation for this hybrid setup as well. The current page's history will reveal how a user had to configure her local setup, Git_Svn_Mirror explains what was needed on the server side. Other options exists as well; feel free to edit this wiki page. This page has been accessed 312,716 times.

2019-04-22T10:17:17Z

https://wiki.gnucash.org/wiki/index.php?title=Git&oldid=15084

How about a mountain bike that will be a perfect companion on interesting trails and around mysterious woods? The best mountain bikes under $1000 are reserved for riders who need solid performance at reasonable price. Fun and performance are guaranteed, especially when you look for the specific style. These bikes are usually equipped with 27.5 wheels, which is a good option for any kind of usual off-road exploration. Other wheel sizes are available for models with different characteristics. In most cases, you will get solid equipment and good handling options that are combined in the right way. What are the Riding Requirements? What Frame size and frame built is appropriate? What wheel size is appropriate? To do away with all the confusion below is a list of mountain bikes that fits the budget perfectly while providing features that are perfect for a range of users. These products are picked from a list spreading thousands according to their specs and user reviews. So, one can expect good value for money from these products. Diamondback doesn’t rest on their laurels. They constantly design and manufacture quality bikes. This time, we have the Diamondback Overdrive 29 Hardtail mountain bike. And it certainly deserves to be in this list. It has the tried and true 6061-T6 aluminum alloy frame. Being able to weld easily, this alloy ensures every piece of the frame joins neatly to the next, creating this masterpiece that holds all other parts of the bike together. Then, when you do go out, pushing this bike to its limit won’t deter the bike from taking you where you want to go. The 6061 aluminum is highly durable and ensures the Overdrive stands the test of time. We know you’ll be riding on rough terrain. That’s what mountain bikes are made for. Diamondback knows this as well and has designed a bike perfect for this kind of ride. The overdrive has impressive 29inch wheels. These wheels are unperturbed by obstacles. They don’t cower from rough terrains. Whenever you encounter a tree root on your path, the 29-inch wheels will effortlessly roll over it. And if it encounters tiny rocks, it’ll simply go over them as well. The wheels underscore the bicycle’s rugged pedigree. Keeping the ride bearable is the state of the art Suntour suspension fork. The bumpier the terrain gets, the more the suspension adjusts to ensure you remain as comfortable as possible. The fork absorbs the discomfort, so you don’t have to. And when you’re on asphalt and don’t need them, you can adjust the suspension to stiffen as you speed off on the smooth road. Still, the suspension forks don’t work alone. As Diamondback always do, they have fitted the amazing Shimano 8 speed drivetrain in the Overdrive. So, if you’re on a beaten track, there’s going to be a perfect gear for the terrain. If you’re ascending, simply select the appropriate gear and the Shimano will respond reliably, making the ascent easier. The 8-speed drivetrain adjusts instinctively as you select the gear on the handle. Everything works like clockwork, all to give you an enjoyable riding experience. To keep you in total control, the Overdrive has Tektro mechanical disc brakes which can bring you to a halt in a matter of seconds. And we know the difference between an accident and a close shave is only a few seconds. With these mechanical brakes, you could be at a staggering speed in on minute, only to ground to a halt in the next, avoiding possible injuries in the process. Lightweight and highly durable aluminum frame. SR Suntour suspension fork for added control. Tektro disc brakes for safety. Large diameter wheels to roll over bigger holes and help you avoid obstacles. Improved traction for climbs and steep trails. Seat is not very comfortable. Requires some assembly before it is ready for use. Mountain biking is all about getting the right gear. You need to make sure that you are buying the right piece of equipment that will combine stiffness with lightweight. The hand-built 6061-T6 aluminum alloy is the perfect material for a sturdy MTB that will last for long. You can rely on this amazing bike as it is designed to help you overcome obstacles wherever you want to go. The custom formed and butted tubing ensures that this bike will not weigh you down. It is the best MTB to buy if you want to feel free and explore wild terrains safely and comfortably. It comes with wide wheels of 27.5 inches in diameter. These are designed to provide quick maneuver in case of obstacles and will roll over big holes. You can rest assured that no matter how rough your trail is, you will be able to ride comfortably and in style. The knobby wheels are the perfect size that will provide maximum traction. The disc brakes are very responsive and will not disappoint you when you are trying to explore rough terrains on your own. The bike features a 4 inch Suntour suspension fork that delivers 80 mm of suspension for control. It comes with 3 gears in the front and 8 at the back. You can choose between 24 different speeds to travel freely. This MTB is designed to keep you confident, comfortable and safe as you push the limits. Whether you are looking for a great beginner’s bike or looking for a high-quality upgrade, this one should be on your list. Lightweight aluminum alloy frame that doesn’t bend or rust. Knobby wheels that will keep your bike stable. 24 speeds to choose from. There is an issue with quality control. You will have to adjust some parts before your bike is ready for use. The bike can be a little bit heavier than other models of the same size. This rather affordable MTB is the best option if you want to ride in style and still don’t want to break the bank. It comes in various colors that you can choose from, making it the best MTB for everyone in the family. Its lightweight frame will not break or bend. It is also very easy to control and this is why a lot of people believe that it is the perfect beginner’s bike. It comes with front and rear disc brakes for maximum safety and control. If you are not really sure about your mountain biking skills then this is definitely one of the bikes that you should consider. The adjustable front and rear suspension is the best to allow for maximum control. Regardless of the nature of the trail you are exploring, you can ride safely knowing that your bike is designed to keep you safe. It also comes with easy to use Shimano shifters that are very easy to use. You don’t have to be an expert to control and ride this MTB as it is one of the easiest and most comfortable bikes on the market. It also comes with double rim lightweight wheels that will withstand the obstacles you are most likely going to encounter. It features a comfortable seat that will not strain your muscles when you spend long hours biking. There is nothing complicated about maintaining this bike either. The front and rear wheels release quickly so you can easily change and fix them. It comes in different sizes to suit various body frames. Get the suitable one for you and everyone in the family and spend some quality time mountain biking and bonding. Affordable and lightweight entry level MTB. Front and rear brakes for better response. Double wall wheels that release quickly in case you want to change them. Different sizes and colors to suit various members of the family. No room for a kickstand or a water bottle. It is not designed for extremely challenging terrains or experienced mountain bikers. Diamondback Bicycles Recoil 29er Full Suspension Mountain Bike is another best one from Diamondback, which has got a surge in feature list and provided the best of everything. The 6061-T6 aluminum alloy body frame with tubing design makes the bike lightweight yet sturdy and durable enough for extreme rugged usage. The front and dual suspensions are at the place for making the rides as much comfortable as possible. Riding on rough terrains means control of speed that is taken care of by Shimano 24 speed gearbox with front and rear derailleur. 29-inch wheels provide better grips and speed while the safety lists check the box for Tektro Aires mechanical disc brakes at both front and rear of the bike. Tubing design for rugged use. Dual suspension for a comfortable ride. Front and rear disc brakes that allow you to stop whenever you feel like it. Big 29 inches wheels that provide better traction on rough trails. The bike is heavy compared to other products on the market. This is a budget friendly mountain bike suitable for beginners and people who want a responsive reliable ride. The full suspension frame is very lightweight yet durable and sturdy. You can rest assured that it will stay in shape even when challenged by various obstacles on the trail. It is the perfect MTB to absorb the shocks and bumps you will have to deal with as you experiment with mountain biking. This means that your upper body will not have to endure various shocks which allows you to ride your bike for longer periods of time. The bike features fast and smooth shifting with a wide gear range giving you various options while riding. It will give you the freedom to climb the toughest hills or dive through the deepest ravines knowing that you have got a piece of equipment that will not let you down. This is one of the best mountain bikes within budget, that you can depend on as you explore wild trails since it features front and rear brakes. The front disc brakes and rear alloy V brakes work hand in hand to stop your bike whenever you feel like it, ensuring that you have the most comfortable and safest ride even if you are not an expert. Although this MTB is not expensive, it comes with high-quality knobby tires with strong rims. These tires are durable enough to endure the conditions of every day riding in addition to the obstacles you might face on challenging trails. The Schwinn alloy crank offers the best gearing which ensures that you will spend less time and money on regular maintenance. Absorbs shocks to protect your body and allow for longer rides. Smooth gear shifting with various speeds. Doesn’t come with clear instructions for assembly. Heavy compared to other bikes of the same size. The Montague Paratrooper Mountain Folding Bike is one of its kinds. The design was conceptualized for deployment on the battlefield for paratroopers. The built quality one can expect from this kind of design is obviously unquestionable. Within 20 second its can be fold in 36?x28?x12 size. The bike sports a very lightweight body and super durability by its minimalized but compact frame. This bike sports 27-speed gears for fine tuning control and also 26-inch wheels enhance maneuverability across various terrains. To add to the safety factor, this bike comes with mechanical brakes and front and rear. Very practical design that folds for easy storage and better portability. 24 speeds for more riding options. Quick mechanical disc brakes for reliable response. Made using standard components for easy maintenance. Reliable suspension fork to overcome the obstacles. The beautiful curve of the tube. The spectacular large wheels. This bike makes a statement and is for those who are bold and outgoing. Diamondback gives us another outdoor machine; the Diamondback Recoil 29er Mountain Bike. And just as its name suggests, it has 29-inch wheels. These wheels give the bike a confident mien. They raise the Recoil to assume an assertive stance. You just have to trust that it can handle any situation in the rugged path you’ll take it. And it does. The wheels aren’t easily perturbed by obstacles. They will gracefully climb over them and still maintain a good comfortable ride. Working with these wheels to keep the ride smooth is the Suntour XCT suspension fork. As you ride along the rough and bumpy path, the Suntour XCT will work hard to absorb as much of the discomfort as it possibly can. And it does this with gusto, keeping your ride bearable. This fork provides 100 mm of effortless shock absorption. Working in cahoots with it is the rear suspension that munches up the bumps from rocks and tree roots that you’re most likely going to come across. You still have a say on how the ride feels like. The trusted Shimano 3 X 8-speed drivetrain hands you the power to select from the available 24 gears at your disposal. Make the shift and the front and rear derailleurs respond to transform your ride almost intuitively. All parts of the drivetrain work together to deliver a smooth ride no matter the terrain. Then, when you want to come to a stop, the Tektro Aires mechanical braking system responds at your command. These brakes are so efficient that they deliver a similar response in all weather conditions. Whether you’re reducing speed or coming to a complete halt, the Texters will keep you in total control. A sturdy MTB for those who like challenges. Big 29 inches wheels that will glide smoothly over various obstacles. Suntour XCT suspension fork that provides 100 mm of shock absorption so that you have a bearable ride in spite of the challenges. Quick gear shifting with 24 speeds available. Responsive brakes in all weather conditions. Seat is not cushioned enough. Coming in, right at the edge of the list is the premium quality BEIOU Toray T700. This can perhaps be categorized as a superbike. It’s made of a carbon fiber frame. Carbon fiber is a preferred material in making luxury car bodies. And here we are with a mountain bike under 1000 with the same build. But that’s not the only cause, and we love it. Carbon fiber is also a highly durable yet lightweight material. It gives the bike a durability that’s not found on other bikes in this list. It also grants you the capacity to push it to its maximum speed. Keeping you moving are the 26-inch wheels. These are attached to the hydraulic suspension forks. What this collaboration does, is they provide a smooth ride as you race along on rough terrain. The suspension forks will absorb the bumps as the ample wheels will simply roll over the stones, pebbles and rocks with ease. You, on the other hand, remain comfortably perched on the saddle. As you race along, there’ll come a time when you’ll need to come to a complete halt in an instant. To ensure you remain at the top of this, the Toray has a mechanical wire disc brake system that is known for its reliability in dry or wet conditions. Just by pulling on the brake levers on the handles, the bike immediately responds and alters the speed to keep you in total control. And, of course, this wouldn’t be a proper mountain bike without the right drivetrain. BEIOU have also done this properly. They’ve gone for the popular Shimano drivetrain system. And Shimano isn’t popular for nothing. This system provides 24 gear speed selections that work responsively on your shift command. Whether you’re ascending or descending or even on flat ground, you’ll find the ride to be spectacular thanks to the Shimano. Extremely lightweight and sturdy frame made of carbon fiber for maximum durability. Hydraulic suspension forks that work to absorb the shocks from the obstacles you encounter on rough trails. Wire disc system that works reliably in dry or wet conditions. 24 speeds to choose the most suitable one depending on the nature of the trail. 26 inches wheels that slide over small pebbles and rocks without disturbing your comfort. The fork is not extremely strong. Mountain bikers are always looking for something that will combine high-quality with durability. This mountain bike is built to last and doesn’t break the bank. It is the best bike to use on rough trails as it is designed to help you maintain your momentum. The manufactures of this bike understand that comfort is a great issue so they paid special attention to the suspension fork. The Suntour XCT suspension fork offers 100 mm of shock absorption that will smooth out your ride regardless of how big and challenging the trail might seem. Moreover, the big 29 inches wheels will slide over big holes and pebbles so you can rest assured that you will maintain your speed. This bike features 24 speeds and Tektro Auriga hydraulic brakes. These are extremely responsive and will allow you to stop your MTB in all weather conditions. With this strong stopping power, your bike will stop fast and precisely wherever you want it to stop. This is a great bike to buy if you are not an expert. It comes almost assembled and will take from 30 to 120 minutes to be ready for your upcoming ride. You can also take it to the nearest bike shop if you want to hit the trail fast. This is a good looking bike that will not disappoint you. Reliable suspension fork with 100 mm of shock absorption. Big wheels that roll over small obstacles easily. The fork doesn’t offer much rebound. Diamondback Bicycles Line Hard Tail Complete Mountain Bike comes under the list of best mtbs under 1000 but, in performance, this bike can compete with those in the few thousands bucks price range. The lightweight body is made of 6061-T6 aluminum alloy, light and durable with single front suspension design. The front suspension is a Suntour 120mm adjustable suspension fork that can easily take on rugged terrains with comfort. With the advantage of 1×9 gears, this is simple to operate, yet gives enough control for every type of city and off road rides. The wheels display 27.5-inch tires with 2.35-inch width, which provides ultimate control and maneuvering. The safety factor is taken care of by dual hydraulic disk brakes from Tektro flaunting 180mm and 160mm rotors for front and rear wheels respectively. Specially designed frame with a low center of gravity to keep you stable at maximum speed. Hydraulic disc brakes for better stopping experience. 5 inches knobby wheels that provide improved traction on slippery trails. Reliable suspension fork that offers 120 mm of shock absorption. Comes in various sizes to suit different body frames. Before buying a mountain bike, one needs to consider few things. These will not only help in prioritizing a choice but will also help in pinpointing the required features. The large choice of products in the market may confuse a buyer. The below points will help one decide easily. Decision for use is of utmost importance. Using a mountain bike for city rides and occasional off-roading is a common choice for users. For this kind of use, having dual suspension with dual disc brakes are not a necessity. At the same time is someone is purchasing a mountain bike for serious off-roading activities having the features mentioned here becomes a necessity. This can attract additional costing where budget may increase. This is one of the main factors behind making a selection. The more the budget is, one can expect better quality and features. Buying the best mountain bike under 1000 dollars will be easier since the budget is static here and all the bikes mentioned above comes with some of the best features and does not exceed the selected price range. Since mountain bikes can be used for many factors, the choice of build and weight does matter. Some bikes are made of metal alloys that are heavier than aluminum alloy bikes. Carbon fiber bikes are the lightest in bike category but also fetch way above the $1000 price range so that this choice can be eliminated. But within this price tag, several bikes offer durable, tough and yet lightweight build quality. It is always good to remember that with rising price, comes betterment in quality and features. One needs to consider what he/she will be using the bike for. There are two types of mountain bikes available. First is the hard trail mountain bike. This bike has suspension in the only front wheel. It is perfect for use on a daily basis city riding, occasional off-roading and other less rough usage. This is a perfect getaway bike for people who love to ride the streets with weekend fun. It’s lighter, simple and comes with a lower budget. Next comes the full suspension bikes. These have suspension at both the front and rear wheels. Of course, these are a little heavier but offers the most comfortable ride on rough terrains. These are perfect for beginner professionals and serious hobbyists. The frame is the main structure of the body. Frames are available in Aluminum, other metal alloys and carbon fiber. Aluminum has the advantage of being both lighter and strong while other metal alloys can be durable but on the heavier side of weighing scale. Carob fiber is very strong and ultra-light but fetches a higher budget which may exceed far above the $1000 price range. Wheel size is directly proportionate to how easy and fast one can accelerate and maneuver his / her bike. With increasing wheel size, maneuverability and control decrease while speed increases because, with each pedal, the wheel covers more area since the wheel size increases. Riding conditions: Smooth roads and rough terrains. 24 inches –This size is very easy to control and maneuver but less speed. 26 inches –This size has good control and normal speed. 27.5 inches – Best size for perfect maneuverability, control and speed. 29 inches –Used in high-speed bikes but harder to control on rough terrain. The brake system is available in two types: Rim brakes and disc brakes. Rim brakes are easy to maintain and work with but they are not efficient in muddy or wet conditions. While disc brakes are very efficient and provide higher safety than rim brakes but harder to service. Mountain bikes offer the choice of gear selection which ranges from as low as 18 speeds to even 27 speeds and more. Gears offer variation in speed as well as control when trekking on rough terrains where one needs to control the speed of descent rapidly. While mountain biking may be a hobby or a casual time pass for people, it is important to note that finding the right bike is a serious matter. User comfort and getting the intended usage from the bike depends on the selection of the right bike. This is the reason one needs to research and make up their mind about the choice. It is impossible to select through an inventory of a couple of hundreds and more bikes available. The above article will not only narrow down the selection but is also a guide for choosing what one might need for fulfilling their biking requirement. The above bikes have been selected from a huge list and are among the best mountain bikes under 1000 that gives the most value for money and also rated higher by the users of the bikes.

2019-04-18T12:20:31Z

https://www.mountainbikeslab.com/mountain-bikes-1000/

As King Arthur was backed by Lancelot, so too is Michael Katchen (Lancelot the Wealthsimple office dog). If Wealthsimple ever gets to realize its ambition to be a global fintech company geared to millennials, we can expect to hear many retellings of its very cool, and very millennial, creation myth. "This is my favourite part of the story," says Wealthsimple co-founder Michael Katchen. "The very first idea I had was not to create a business." After he and some friends came into some money, the now 28-year-old Katchen created a spreadsheet to show his pals how to pursue painless investing via low-cost exchange-traded funds (ETFs). And he did it in one night. "The feedback I got from my friends was, 'Mike, we're lazy. We love the system, but can you just please do it for us?'" he says. "And they became the first 10 clients of Wealthsimple." In September, 2014, Katchen and a handful of colleagues launched the automated online investment service—a so-called robo adviser—from a small warehouse space in downtown Toronto. Click on the app from your smartphone or computer, answer a few questions about your finances, goals and investing knowledge, and it spits out a recommended portfolio of ETFs—all within minutes. Open an account, and it will automatically manage your holdings for the rest of your life, if you wish. The goal is to corral millennials who may not be wealthy now, but could very well be some day, and who don't have the time or desire to deal with a human investment adviser. More than a dozen veteran Canadian venture capitalists were so impressed with Katchen's idea that he raised $2 million in seed funding in just over two weeks. Then, in April, 2015, he landed a whale of a backer: the Desmarais family's Power Financial Corp., which put in $10 million, and agreed to increase that to $30 million if necessary. Wealthsimple is now the biggest robo adviser in the country, with $500 million in assets under management, and growing. The buzz over the firm in the financial services and tech businesses also keeps getting louder. But is that mostly due to Katchen's promotional flair and the backing from the Desmarais family? Or will Wealthsimple prove to be a unicorn—one of those rare tech start-ups that delivers in spades on its promise? If it does, it means Canada's big banks will finally face some serious disruption. Identifying a vast untapped market is pretty much de rigueur for a winning pitch to VCs by start-ups, and Katchen often mentions the figure $1 trillion. He thinks that automated investing platforms could be managing that much money in Canada within 20 years—or less. He's not blowing smoke. As Katchen and other analysts point out, in 1990, before the national mutual-fund boom hit high gear, Canadians had just $25 billion invested in funds. The total now is $1.3 trillion. Yet if you look at potential consumers, only about half of all Canadian households deal with an investment adviser of any kind—either at a full-service dealer, an RSP adviser at a bank, an insurance agent, or an independent financial planner or sales representative. In a 2014 Ipsos Reid survey, 43% of Canadians said they had a financial plan, but among those who did, one-third acknowledged that their plan is "in their head." Millennials are particularly loath to deal with conventional banks and advisers—they tend to view them merely as salespeople. They also prefer to bank and move their money around online. And they want to be able to check on their finances instantly. High account minimums also scare millennials away from established investment dealers. Many advisers are under pressure to dump clients with less than $250,000 in savings. And that's not surprising if you do the math. Plans based on a 1% annual fee are now common. So, if a client is at the threshold, that's $2,500 for the adviser and the dealer. For that, they have to choose and rebalance client investments, keep records, send out statements, keep up with regulatory requirements and do a lot of one-on-one hand-holding—phone calls, quarterly meetings or lunches, rounds of golf and whatnot. It adds up. If it's bad for the adviser, it's worse for the client. The minimum means that "no 29-year-old can be a client," says Katchen. "But the young guys need help, and they've got their whole investment horizon in front of them." Can an automated platform take care of things more cheaply and efficiently, even for small accounts of a few thousand dollars? In the United States, several robo advisers have been doing it for years. They include Betterment, with $4.2 billion (U.S.) in assets under management, and Wealthfront, with $2.8 billion (U.S.). If you're trying to raise serious money to build a Canadian unicorn, it often helps to have a U.S. model. Of course, you also need an impressive track record. Katchen could have walked out of central casting for tech visionaries—he is that personable and inspiring. After graduating from Western University's Ivey Business School in 2009, he went to work at giant McKinsey & Co. as a strategy and marketing consultant in Toronto. Then, in 2011, he moved to Silicon Valley, where he co-founded 1000memories, which created an app that allowed users to scan photo prints with their smartphones. The start-up quickly attracted the attention of angel investors, and in October, 2012, Katchen and his colleagues got their windfall when Ancestry.com bought the firm for several million dollars. Katchen's 10 friends asked him what to do with their money. "They knew that I had been investing since I was 12, and that I loved to do it," he says. So Katchen told them: "The first thing you should do is not hire anybody to do it for you. Do it yourself." He then went home and built an Excel spreadsheet that showed them how to build and maintain a simple portfolio. "Buy a set of ETFs," he said, and he listed a handful in different sectors. "Once a quarter, go in there and rebalance. When you're ready to put more money in, use this spreadsheet—it'll show you how to rebalance. And that's it." At that point, Katchen says, "I thought there shouldn't even be an investment management business." To him, the basics of choosing investments and monitoring them should be easy. "But we discovered through this process that you could build something simple that created a huge amount of value for people who were never going to do it [otherwise]," he says. "It just automated it for them, and took that piece of stress out of their minds completely." In 2013, Katchen decided to move back to Toronto—partly for personal reasons, he says, but also because there were few robo advisers in Canada. And he figured he could scoop up enough programming talent to build not just a Canadian fintech leader, but a global one. "It's a turning point for tech in this country," he says. "There are some pretty amazing companies being built here." He also displayed a knack for finding influential backers and winning them over quickly. One of the first, in 2014, was Daniel Debow, who had hit the jackpot with two start-ups of his own: Workbrain, which was sold for $227 million (U.S.) in 2007, and Rypple, which was sold for $65 million (U.S.) in 2011. Debow referred Katchen to Joe Canavan, who was a pioneer during the mutual-fund boom of the 1990s, first with the Canadian division of Boston-based Fidelity Investments, then at his own firms, and finally at Assante Wealth Management. It took a couple of meetings for Katchen to land Canavan, but once he was in, another 13 backers signed on within just over a week. Canavan says that Wealthsimple and other fintech upstarts remind him of the early days of the fund boom. Newcomers have found huge gaps in the market. There is that estimated $1 trillion in unadvised money in Canada. Wealthsimple basically combines low-cost ETFs with automated advice. "Nobody in Canada has built the technology before," Canavan says. "It's not rocket science, but most successful businesses aren't." Among those other backers in Wealthsimple's first round was Som Seif, founder of Claymore Investments, a pioneering ETF provider that was bought by New York City-based giant BlackRock Inc. in 2012. Katchen also landed celeb business academics Roger Martin, former dean of the Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto, and veteran investment finance professor Eric Kirzner, who is John H. Watson Chair in Value Investing at Rotman. Kirzner also advises on investment strategy and process at Wealthsimple—which makes eminent sense. He was one of the first to write about and recommend North America's first ETF, the Toronto 35 Index Participation Fund. In 1997, he put together an Easy Chair asset allocation—20% cash, 30% bonds, 35% Canadian stocks and 15% U.S. stocks. Both were based on efficient markets theory, which teaches that it's almost impossible for an active money manager to pick winning stocks consistently. For most people, it's better just to set your asset allocation and diversify by buying the index—a so-called passive investing strategy. "Wealthsimple has basically adopted what I've been writing about for 40 years," says Kirzner. As for the biggest Wealthsimple backer, Katchen was introduced to Power Financial vice-president Paul Desmarais III by Seif in September, 2014. Seif and Desmarais were having lunch in Toronto and talking about Canadian fintech. Seif suggested they stroll over a few blocks to Wealthsimple's office, which then consisted of just Katchen and a handful of colleagues. "We basically spoke to every emerging platform at that time," says Desmarais, 34. But three things made Wealthsimple stand out. One was its engineering talent. "A lot of people outsource the building of the platform. They've done everything in-house," he says. The second was the company's product development ability. And third was its "authentic voice." Katchen and his team are resolutely focused on a mission of "bringing low-cost portfolio construction to the masses," he says. Desmarais decided to not only take his big early-stage plunge but to become chairman of Wealthsimple. He won't say how big a stake Power has. (Power itself, however, confirms that as of June 30, its position is actually a majority, at 60%.) Desmarais is clear about why he's made such a big commitment: "They can operate with the freedom to be innovative, but at the same time not worry about having to raise money every three months." Creating Wealthsimple's online platform and eye-catching marketing have been the easiest parts—or at least the firm has made it look easy. You hit the "get started" button on Wealthsimple's website, and then answer 13 questions. And voilà: a recommended portfolio of a handful of ETFs. You can do this in two minutes, then open an account in a few more. Fees are set low to attract millennials, even those with minimal savings. The annual fee is 0% for your first $5,000, 0.5% up to $250,000, 0.4% up to $1 million and 0.35% beyond that. Right now, Wealthsimple has about 20,000 clients, which means an average account size of just $25,000. Katchen concedes that the firm isn't profitable, but says it soon will be, even for small accounts, thanks to technology. Last December, Wealthsimple bought Canadian ShareOwner Investments Inc., a small Toronto online investment dealer, to do its actual transactions. "ShareOwner has enabled us to create a fully scalable platform," he says. Even with ShareOwner in the tent, Wealthsimple is a tiny, lean and focused operation compared with a full-service investment dealer. It has a staff of about 40, spread out over the third floor of a renovated warehouse on the far western edge of Toronto's downtown. They're mainly software developers and marketing people. But there's also a handful of "wealth concierges," qualified advisers whom clients can talk to by phone, if they wish. ShareOwner has another 10 people or so, who recently moved into the same building. Katchen at Wealthsimple’s Toronto office, prior to the arrival of a new batch of staff. Wealthsimple's website content and ads are targeted almost totally at millennials, with the message boiled down to its barest essence. The national TV spots and billboards—which are ubiquitous in some downtown hipster neighbourhoods in Vancouver and Toronto—feature two views of the same person: "you and future you," the latter aged about 30 years. The slogan is "Take care of yourself." Start-ups typically try to keep ad costs low and spread out their budgets. But Katchen launched the "Take care of yourself" campaign by buying TV commercial time during this year's Super Bowl in February. Bold, yes, but he argues that it was cost-effective too. Super Bowl spots cost just $170,000 in Canada, versus $5 million in the U.S., and they reach a greater proportion of the population here. Wealthsimple's Twitter feed has lots of posts about investing, but it also has had a guide to building a whisky collection, and recently ran an exclusive: "@KylieJenner Tells Wealthsimple Why She Buys Cheap Makeup And Rolls Royces." Very 2016. But the trouble is that those millennials are going to get older, not all of them will become wealthy, and the ones who do will require a lot more guidance and hand-holding—the kind that the banks and their full-service investment dealers give. For all its buzz, basically all Wealthsimple has done is automate a passive investing strategy for millennials. And even Kirzner acknowledges that the passive approach "isn't for everybody." Many investors still want or need to beat the index to reach their goals, either by investing in an actively managed mutual fund or by trying to pick stocks and bonds themselves. "Look, I teach a course in value investing that is exactly that," he says. The cost of pursuing an active strategy is also coming down. Competition and clearer fee disclosure are finally starting to squeeze the fees on actively managed mutual funds. The annual management expense ratio (MER) embedded in the popular Mawer Canadian Equity Fund is now 1.22%. That's still high compared to the biggest Canadian ETF, BlackRock's iShares S&P/TSX 60 ETF, which has an MER of just 0.18%. But average annual returns on the Mawer fund have beaten the S&P/TSX Composite Index by several percentage points over the past five, 10 and 20 years. Whatever strategy investors pursue, even Katchen concedes that they usually need more advice as they age. "If you need help with advanced tax planning, detailed financial plans, dealing with your family and so on, that's where a traditional full-service adviser can really add value," he says. The leading full-service investment dealers—the ones owned by the Big Six banks, plus the likes of Power's Investors Group—are, needless to say, much bigger than Wealthsimple. Each has thousands of advisers, and even National Bank Financial, owned by the smallest of the Big Six, has $75 billion in assets under administration. The banks aren't digging in their heels in the face of the fintech invasion, either. National and BMO Financial Group have already launched robo adviser platforms, and the other four giants are certain to follow. National was the first of the Big Six out of the gate with InvestCube, launched in October, 2014. BMO, Canada's fourth-largest bank, launched its SmartFolio service in January. Joanna Rotenberg, BMO's head of personal wealth management, says the bank's senior leaders concluded in early 2015 that "the market is going in a certain direction." Millennials, in particular, clearly wanted faster and better online services. Getting SmartFolio to market took six months and a team of 200. For a bank, that is speed. "It made us work very differently," Rotenberg says. "There were no passengers. It was a flat structure." She's also proud of the simplicity of the result. Signing up with SmartFolio starts with a 10-question risk assessment—it has more jargon than Wealthsimple's, but is almost as fast—and then gives you a model portfolio right away (whereas Wealthsimple actually allots the funds). Katchen smiles when comparing Wealthsimple's development process with the banks. "We push code to production many times a day," he says. "If you're a great software developer, having the chance to do it that often, versus once a month or once a quarter, is very good for our value proposition [as an employer]." But the banks also have vastly more technological firepower than Wealthsimple does, and they can deploy it in many more segments of the market. Cameron Fowler, group head for Canadian personal and commercial banking at BMO, says his team's current priorities include payment systems for retail and small business, lending processes, digital authentication and "more foundational platforms" such as blockchain, which organizes and secures transactions data. Fowler says BMO's clients want to speed up and simplify all aspects of their financial experience, and millennials, in particular, want to use mobile for just about everything. Yet the bank's surveys of its millennial customers also show that "77% of them think that it's important to have human contact and advice when buying a home, making investments and other big life choices," he says. So Fowler is not worried about being displaced any time soon. Technology will augment BMO's full-service advice. "I don't think there is an Uber moment going on in the financial services industry. I think there is a customer moment," he says. But he adds that Wealthsimple and other upstarts "are bringing some capabilities that the incumbents need to learn from." The banks' reach is important to major investors in tech, too. Take the case of Jim Orlando, managing director of OMERS Ventures, the venture capital arm of Ontario's giant municipal employees' pension fund. Fintech may be an expanding market segment, but Orlando says robo advisers don't look particularly attractive as venture or early-stage investments. In the U.S., robo-advisory services are already becoming a commodity. In Canada, "there's not a lot of opportunity in the area," Orlando says. "They're competing against the likes of the banks." Instead, he's looking for new fintech firms that develop genuinely innovative technology that they can sell to larger players. Even Katchen and Paul Desmarais III are careful in talking about long-term plans for Wealthsimple. Power has invested in several fintech start-ups, but Desmarais says it's premature to say if it will absorb any of them. "We're really focused on maintaining a careful balance between providing them the capital and the support they need, when they need it, but having Wealthsimple keep its flexibility to be innovative and disruptive." Katchen seems to be looking several moves ahead. He says Wealthsimple is fundamentally a tech company, rather than a financial services provider. "We see ourselves as an enabler to the financial services industry. We don't want to be seen as a competitor." To that end, in May the firm introduced a platform called Wealthsimple for Advisors. It's hard to see it making inroads at bank-owned full-service investment dealers, but at least it signals that Wealthsimple isn't an enemy. Katchen insists that he wants Wealthsimple to keep growing as a stand-alone entity—not formally part of Power. His goal is to take it public, and to build it into a Canadian-based global business. "Who knows if we'll get there," he says. "But that's certainly the ambition." But the history of financial services in Canada teaches that the banks and other big established players almost always adapt and prevail, and swallow competitors. Katchen often begins presentations and speeches by saying he co-founded Wealthsimple "to make smart investing simple, transparent and low-cost for everyone." He may succeed, but he may not be the one doing it in the long term. Wealthsimple promises to make investing simple and cheap—much cheaper than a traditional financial account. But fees are seldom simple, and even with Wealthsimple, some of them are hidden. To illustrate, let's assume that you're a modestly flush 29-year-old with $25,000 in savings to invest (Wealthsimple's average account size), and that you want to save for the long term (more than 10 years). Wealthsimple is up front about the fact that it charges a basic management fee of 0.5% a year for accounts from $5,000 to $250,000. Its software assembles a portfolio of exchange-traded funds (ETFs) for you automatically, whereas a full-service investment adviser might charge 1% to design a portfolio and guide you over time. Unfortunately, in addition to the fee you pay Wealthsimple directly, each of the ETFs has a fee embedded in it called the management expense ratio (MER). The Wealthsimple site plays down this fee, noting that it is not charged directly by Wealthsimple and that such fees on ETFs are "approximately 0.2%." So imagine our 29-year-old's shock when she answers the online "Get started" questionnaire, chooses to invest in a socially responsible fashion, and is provided with a portfolio of ETFs with an overall embedded fee amounting to 0.43%. Add Wealthsimple's 0.5% annual management fee and the total is 0.93%. That might not sound like much, but, at this point, Wealthsimple is effectively charging just as much as some mutual funds—for instance, the Mawer Balanced Fund, which holds both stocks and bonds. It has an MER of 0.94%, and it has outperformed global stock and bond indexes for many years. Wealthsimple offers some cheaper portfolios if you choose not to invest in a socially responsible way, but as this example shows, there's a fundamental problem here: One of the main advantages of investing in ETFs is their low cost, but after you add Wealthsimple's management fee to the embedded MERs, that advantage can all but disappear. Our 29-year-old might as well buy a low-cost mutual fund instead.

2019-04-21T18:55:48Z

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/rob-magazine/meet-the-28-year-old-ceo-terrorizing-bay-street/article32209836/

Last fall I interviewed John Kinsman of the Family Farm Defenders in a live talk-show type format at the Jane Addams Hull House Museum (check out the video here or listen to a recording from WBEZ). The interview is posted below and the booklet made of that interview along with other articles by and about John that I produced for FFD to use as a fundraiser is available here for download: kinsman booklet-final-singlepage-web. Thanks to Irina Contreras for the transcription. Daniel Tucker (DT): Your parents farmed during the Great Depression. You have said it was easier for farmers then than it is for farmers now. Why is that? John Kinsman (JK): At that time, we were diversified farmers. We had cows, pigs and chickens. We raised wheat, oats and barley. And when we didn’t have enough money to buy wonderful white bread, sliced white bread, my god we had to eat wheat bread, we took it to the mill and ground it, hated it and now we love it. And we are looking for it all over. So that is part of how we lived but it was not a problem. And it was a leisurely life, believe it or not. We never worked on Sunday. Nobody in the family had to work out [off farm] to support the farm. A farm now is almost a hobby for some people. The man and the woman have to get a job to support their hobby. My parents were able to go to the world’s fair Chicago in 1933 and this is during the Depression. And I remember my grandmother came and took care of us. I forgot how old I was but not old enough to run the farm. And they did that, my grandparents went to California. And I have a picture of that, my grandma with goggles on, she and Grandpa went on a flight in an open cockpit plane in California and so on. Well, anyway it was a more leisurely time. We ate berries everyday so we picked berries. Wild berries and a few tame ones. I remember the gooseberries especially because they were prickly. And my mother canned them. And now we know that berries are very healthy. But, we had berries for almost twice a day and we ate them fresh or canned. And so, it was a good life in spite of the so-called Depression. DT: You’ve said that you agree with a recent UN report saying “supporting low carbon and resource preserving small holder farms” is the only kind of agriculture that will cool the planet – in reference to global warming. You have farmed organically since the 60’s but you didn’t always. Can you talk about your transition to organic farming and what you have learned from this approach to agriculture? JK: Certainly. The UW Madison, the College of Agriculture was the best friend of my father and myself. And as time went on, it was like things were changing. We were getting into technology that we had questions about but we thought we had to do it. You know the story of the frog? You put the frog in water and you turn up the heat a little bit and a little bit more and pretty soon the frog is boiled and it doesn’t even jump out. And this happened to us. And I started using herbicides thinking “well, this will save me a lot of time”. And I ended up in the University Hospital with some serious burns. They would never say what it was because of the research going on. But the doctors said, “What’s your name? What’s your occupation?” “Farmer.” “When was the last time you used herbicides or pesticides?” And the same with the med students who examined me. Same thing, exactly. So I knew what it was and yet there wasn’t ever anything in the records that said what it was. DT: And these were herbicides that they had given you? Is that right? JK: This was what they promoted at the University and then we started looking…and I became organic overnight. That was almost 50 years ago. And I was in that direction but we were led away from it by the research. We didn’t know that these chemical companies were funding the research and the rest so we did a FOIA search one time and found out a lot of things . . . DT: So can you say a little bit more, just give us a sense of what your farm is like and what your farming practices are like? JK: My passion is tree planting and farming. Because I am a sustainable tree farmer and my family have planted over a 100,000 trees, but we have no place to plant anymore because every inch that there could be planted a tree is planted already. So, it’s just a joy to see what that does to the environment and becomes the most valuable part of what could have been cleared and so on. That’s part of it. What was the rest of the question? DT: And tell us a little bit about your dairy operation. JK: Okay. We have 36 cows; maintain that number and it’s an intensive rotational grazing. My cows get fresh pasture, green grass and clover every 12 hours. And if they don’t get it, they complain. So, but they spread the manure, they spread the fertilizer and they carry the milk in and they carry the fertilizer out. So we have a very low carbon footprint. Many farmers, especially the factory farms think I am not a farmer. In fact, the UW College of Agriculture doesn’t consider me a farmer because I am not running the tractor 12/14 hours a day. But, my cows are doing their work. And that’s where the cheese you will have today and so on. It came from my cows. DT: I want to step back a little bit in history and talk about some of your civil rights and anti-racist activism throughout the US and in Wisconsin, in particular. Project Self Help and Awareness or PSA is a 40-year-old organization that you became involved in very early on and played a lead role in. You coordinated other white Wisconsin families to host a visiting… hundreds of visiting Black children and teenagers from Mississippi for 3 weeks every summer. And this in an ongoing program. Can you tell us a little about the motivation behind these exchanges, this exchange program and how it related to the Civil Rights Movement? JK: It was actually 45 years ago. And, a Black woman, Eula Washington who hosted this man, Malcolm Gissen, who was a University student and was one of the freedom riders, and she said “now we can’t end this here. We have to continue in some way because this is the first time my children have ever had a good relationship with white people”. And so, they then patched this plan that was excellent and after about…we were in the 2nd year, and after that it became so difficult, he turned it all over to me. And so it was very difficult. We did 12 round trips with an old school bus that we refurbished to bring these children matched with coordinators in Wisconsin matched with coordinators in Mississippi to give them an experience that would raise their self-esteem. That was the whole part of it was to make them feel good about themselves and to not be a hand out. It was solidarity. It was a way to make them feel that they were equal; they could do anything they wanted. And the poverty was so great the first time I was there. I stayed in a home in Carroll County in the hills. Part of the house had a dirt floor. There weren’t no…no electricity. And this was typical of many of the rural people. And so I learned a lot. I cried a lot too. But you don’t make friends by crying so…they would say why are you laughing? You wanna see me cry? So, it was tremendous. So, these 12 round trips would bring these children up we started taking adults down and college students to do Headstart work and just to immerse themselves. That’s the only way. You can’t explain it of how great it is. I could see the courage and joy that the most poverty stricken state in the union and some of the most poverty stricken counties and some of them still are to see all of these people and celebrate and make you feel good. DT: You told me a story about how this was kinda transformative for you and an exchange you had with a woman named Rosie, Rosie May Hosey I think her name is. What did Rosie say to you? JK: Rosie was one of the people that her children came to Wisconsin. She lived a very tough life. Just an example, one of my neighbors hosted her children and so she went and stayed with Rosie for two days. And for breakfast, Rosie borrowed a hot plate from a neighbor and warmed up some fat back. And then for the noon lunch, they went to a local Juniors convenience store and divided a bag of Cheetos. Anyways, Rosie was always a happy person. And just a great person to be with. Wisconsin Public Television interviewed Rosie and I saw the documentary film. And in it, he asked Rosie questions. She went on and named a few. “And then there was John Kinsman, naw but he is one of us”. I will never forget that. That was one of the greatest compliments I have ever had. DT: Yea, that’s great. When we talked on the phone, you were telling me a little about your ancestry and saying that your ancestors were settlers. And that that was something you were critical about. And since you have done work in Wisconsin to defend Native land and farm sovereignty. Can you give us an example of these experiences? JK: My great grandparents came by covered wagon and oxen from the East. And they settled. But when I think about it now, there were people there. They were settlers and that’s not the way it is supposed to be. And, they took the land. The Native people, now and all over the world are…Landgrabbing is going on. And that was landgrabbing also but it was not named that. And of course, there were savages. In my grandmother’s diary, she and her younger sister who was Jeanette. She was 16 and my grandmother had just married, she was probably 20 or 21. They were going from one area to another and a band of Indians had moved in. And they went down to talk to them twice. They had no fear of these savages, so called. It was interesting. But, they were still settlers. DT: And what were some of the exchanges or activism you had around Native land in Wisconsin? JK: Well, we The Crandon Mine was a big mine about ten years ago proposed by Exxon in Native land in northern Wisconsin. And it would have destroyed their wild rice beds, headwaters of a beautiful river that went through the reservation. It was very destructive so we did a, a sort of a hearing. And I represented farmers of North America. The rest of them didn’t know it but eh…we had Native people, indigenous people from South America where they had a history of mines and all the way into the Southwest. This was on a reservation in northern Wisconsin and all the way to Canada, up to Alaska. Everytime, it was a path of destruction. They did not hire local people. They brought in people. They did not clean up. They just destroyed the community. There was prostitution. There were drugs. There was everything going on after they left. And there is another one we are fighting right now at the headwaters of another river, the Bad River that is on the Bad River Reservation. So, it’s never-ending. I am going to repeat this. The price of justice is eternal vigilance. And justice is just us. And so it’s something we have to think about. And there will never be peace unless there is justice. So Winona La Duke…Do you know the name? Winona ran for vice president under Ralph Nader at one time. She is a very good friend of the John Peck and myself and the Family Farm Defenders and she invited us to have our annual meeting on the White Oak reservation and it was tremendous. Tremendous to just be able to sit down with the people and help, exchange and do solidarity and do the battles with people. DT: And there is something else I am wondering . . .You mentioned Family Farm Defenders. I wanna jump off from Wisconsin and talk more about global work that you have done. In 1994, you were part of a group that started Family Farm Defenders. And through that group and the National Family Farm Coalition which is an umbrella coalition, you built international solidarity through another larger international network called Via Campesina, the international network of peasant farmers. And you have started to call yourself a “peasant farmer” and refer to yourself in those terms that Via Campesina has proposed. So I want to ask you about one of the groups that you have interacted with through these travels and that’s the Landless Workers Movement or the MST in Brazil. You have been to Brazil several times, met these organizers in other countries throughout the world. Can you tell me a little bit about your experiences with MST and how they influenced you? JK: They are a group of people that in Brazil that went through bloodshed to occupy un-used land that big landowners in Brazil took over and most of what was stolen from indigenous people, through landgrabbing. And it lay idle. And they had so many privileges that they did not produce anything. So these people simply took over and settled on their own land actually. They were so well organized in what they did over the time that they found they were recognized by the government after they went through a year and a half of living in a plastic camp with only dirt for floor. They’re impressive…The water was hauled in…that was another thing that always sticks in my mind. It was hot. It was under the trees and a man came out and set a chair under the tree and brought me a glass of lukewarm water. It was like giving a million dollars because that was all he had to offer. But, it was so grand to see that. And then we went to where they had built up the communities. Beautiful community centers. Everyone had a plot of land. There was a nice house. They had animals. It was diversified. And they are doing so well that now it’s moving, I think 300,000 people have been re-settled onto their land and are productive, producing food that the country needed. And now they are going into Africa with the same model. Via Campesina members have visited us many times [in Wisconsin]. And so we have organized tours of our farms and local entrepreneurs and things that work and some things that don’t work. They have been a big inspiration but I have to say that it started with the Bovine Growth Hormone. How many are aware of the Bovine Growth Hormone? The first genetically engineered product to enter the food chain. Well, it came to us 30, no 27 years ago in the University of Wisconsin had a gathering of scientists and telling us that farmers are not smart enough to understand it. That’s a mistake. Some of em’ aren’t but most of em’ are. So we could not get attention from the press, because one half of all the dairy products sold even in the University of Wisconsin cafeteria, even in their hospital came from that experimental herd. And the people did not know it. And we could not get press. And so, I had been to all these protests in civil rights era in Mississippi and so I made this crude sign that said “Are you aware that you are all guinea pigs or a product?” And I had handouts that were pretty crude at first and stood in front of the Memorial Union, the biggest concentration of students and faculty and staff. And immediately, we had international attention. There were cameras all over because of this information and the fact that we were standing up to it. And so within six months, I was invited on a ten month, ten day tour of Europe and speak on this because at the same time the people, the farmers, they had decided not to allow it in Europe. And they said it was so exciting [for them] to see the farmers marching on the university. I said, “Here I am”. All these students and all these other people and this big crowd [gathered on the tour]. And so, sometime if you don’t even know what you are doing, it works. And so, that’s how that got going. And National Family Farm Coalition did not accept it till Family Farm Defenders and myself had to practically drag them kicking and screaming to accept that you need to fight these things and look at what they are doing and who is paying for it? All the money and so that is the way it went. DT: And just to clear up the names one more time for everyone, Via Campesina is the name of the international network. And that’s how John ended up in Brazil and Europe through this international network of peasant farmers. And the National Family Farm Coalition is the US representatives or chapter of Via Campesina. And they are based in DC. And that is something that John Kinsman has been deeply involved with, networking on a national level. And Family Farm Defenders is the group that John works most consistently with on a regular basis and they are based in Madison, Wisconsin. And so through National Family Farm Coalition and Family Farm Defenders, you have done a lot. So you have done a lot of building with people on a national scale. A lot of the direct organizing and solidarity you have done has been on the scale of the US. You have sent farm equipment to farmers in the south after Hurricane Katrina. Most recently, you have been working on sending hay to farmers who have been experiencing drought in Oklahoma and Texas. And so I just want you to say a little bit about your decision to do this kind of direct service and direct action on the national scale. And any thoughts you have about food policy and what we can do here in the United States, on the turf that we exist on? JK: Family Farm Defenders became international like I say overnight because people, we had a message that was international because we could see the connections always. I have been to every continent except Antarctica. And these people paid my way and often, John Peck’s way to go these international meetings. I was part of Via Campesina when it was being formed. I have worked with these people for 26, 27 years. As far as locally just as an example. . .so I started, well myself and my daughter and a few others working locally around food. That was a common denominator: everybody ate food. Otherwise, it just didn’t work, it seemed like. And so we got to four local churches that were in a cluster. They had a “peace and justice committees” and the biggest thing they could do was a bake sale. They didn’t know what else to do. So, we just went on with that. And I was able to show them the “seven principals of food sovereignty”, which included “justice for workers”, which “organics” does not include. We have formed the fair trade neighborhood…so after these meetings with our local people, the Amish people were a tremendous part of it. And others, we would come home from the meeting and our heads were moving so fast at night, and we can’t sleep at night. But, this is really working. We are doing a lot of local foods; we did a community meal, last Sunday, in the community. It’s the biggest crowds we ever get. Monthly meals that we do maybe three or four times a year. All local. DT: And recently you had a chance to go to Iowa and you bumped into um, our buddy President Obama and had a chance to talk to him. What happened in Iowa? JK: This was the “rural economic summit and listening session” about two months ago. And we were [only] able to get another farmer Joel Greeno and I tickets because there were less than 100 people and half the staff of Obama. And somehow, I had a seat in the front, in the middle and Obama’s right there. I don’t know how I got that seat but we had fine seats…maybe he thought I should listen. It was good. They did campaign like we expected, a little bit and then they divided us into workshops sort of and different staff people like secretary of agriculture, secretary of transportation. I was in the one with Ray Lahood, Secretary of Transportation. DT: So what did you say to Ray Lahood? JK: So, I got his attention and I said, “I lived through the Great Depression. That was not as bad as this is.” And I told him some of the things I am telling you. And I told him I had lived through a number of these economic problems, downturns and emergencies. And I said they are all politically motivated. It’s big companies buying the government. . . I also [criticized] the FTA, the Free Trade Agreement you know they are trying to [start] in Korea, Panama and Bolivia and now Columbia. I was invited to South Korea three months ago. And so I could say [to Ray Lahood that] ‘I was in South Korea two months ago talking to these people. It’s going to put 40% of their farms off the land. Don’t you think it’s better that we work to cooperate instead of trying to compete? We’re competing with the whole world. How can we compete with China and India? And I know people from India. . . [like]Vandana Shiva, you know her? She says “we were self sufficient, and our population was stable before colonization”. And she said these free trade agreements are another form of colonization’. So I asked the whole group, “isn’t it more important to make friends than to try and compete for the lowest”? And that’s what they do. It’s a race to the bottom in prices, wages and environmental degradation. And so, with a big silence. [But] I can take as much time as I want to cuz I have lived through all the things I was talking about. And there was more of course. And so they didn’t know quite how to stop me. It changed the way this whole conversation went. A woman, a lesser staff person, a Black person said, “my father’s farm is being is in danger of being lost”. [There was] Silence. And then the Future Farmers of America were invited, the officers of three or four states because that looked good, to have FFA. And so, I was sitting next to one and I talked to him while we ate and then [someone called on him to speak] and he said, “I want to farm but I can’t because the prices are so low and the conditions are or the expenses are so high”. And he said, “Not one person in my FFA chapter is going to farm”. Of course they didn’t want to hear that. Then the guy next to me spoke out. He says, “My passion is farming. I want to farm. But, I can’t.” Not only I can’t but I am going to have to move out of the community. And they didn’t want to hear that either. So, there was a lot of good testimony. Meanwhile, my friend Joel was in another extension where Obama came in and he gave him the whole thing. . . Joel just gave him everything. And Obama stayed there too long. Joel wouldn’t let him go. And the secretary of agriculture [Tom Vilsack] was there and Joel said, “Do you know me?” He said, “I sure do”. And he took a long detour around me that day too. We confirmed that. DT: What you said about emphasizing cooperation over competition is pretty essential especially as you are describing the entire disillusion of the farms across the US and the farms across the world. I wonder what note you would like to end on? JK: So what I am saying is what counts is local foods…if we all demand to know where our food comes from, if you can’t find your farmer that’s producing and know them personally…at least question where your food comes from. And we want to change policies. One woman is on our executive board, an urban woman [from Milwaukee] and they did. She asked about where does her milk or cheese come from [and if the] cows were injected with Bovine Growth Hormone. Well, the grocers don’t know. She says well, I’m sorry we will just have to go somewhere else and buy our groceries. No, no, no, come back. And so, they came back in a couple of weeks and they changed their policy. It took two people to ask that. I will just repeat the price of justice is internal vigilance and there will be no peace without justice. And John Peck and I have both received awards because of what we are doing and we never talked about peace but it is this kind of thing that will bring peace. You are all part of it. And you can all make a difference. It only takes one or two to rattle the whole cage. Thank you.

2019-04-26T07:46:02Z

https://miscprojects.com/2012/01/23/john-kinsman-booklet/

THE MODERATOR: Welcome, everyone, to today's IndyCar media teleconference. On Friday, Harding Racing announced that two standouts from the Mazda Road to Indy will graduate to the Verizon IndyCar Series for this weekend's IndyCar Grand Prix of Sonoma. We're pleased to be joined by Harding Racing president Brian Barnhart and the 2018 Indy Lights presented by Cooper Tire champion Patricio O'Ward, and little later we'll be joined by Colton Herta. First we'll start with Pato and Brian. Welcome to the call. Patricio was crowned the Indy Lights champion in 2018 after a stellar season that saw him win nine races and a series record nine poles as well as a series Rookie of the Year title. He tested in IndyCar for the first time with Harding Racing last Thursday at Sonoma. Pato, I know after racing in Indy Lights all season and finally getting to drive an IndyCar, you probably can't wait until Friday when you get to practice and join the rest of the field. PATRICIO O'WARD: You are totally right. I honestly am really grateful for the opportunity that presented in front of me by Harding Racing, and I got to drive an IndyCar a few days ago in Sonoma, and I also really loved, loved the car. It is fast. It is very grippy, and it's basically like an Indy Lights car, just so much faster and so much more grip. I honestly couldn't be more excited for my first Verizon IndyCar Series race. It's going to be my debut, and I was really, really satisfied and happy with the testing, so I'm looking forward to the weekend. THE MODERATOR: You're a graduate of the Mazda Road to Indy, you raced in Pro Mazda, you've raced in Indy Lights. What has the racing in the Mazda Road to Indy meant to you and how well has it prepared you to make your IndyCar debut? PATRICIO O'WARD: I think it's an awesome ladder system. I think it really prepares drivers, most of all -- basically to learn about setting up a car, learning how to work with your engineers, learning all those different kind of things that drivers have to go through, but it really helps to develop your outside skills of the race car. So if can be media, it can be communicating with the team, it can be communicating with just important people, and it really, really helped me development and as a driver and as a person. And speaking of just the Indy Lights parts of the IndyCar, driving-wise it is very, very similar. It really, really prepared me well, and it's just like a new car. I'm going to have to get used to the different things that the IndyCar has, but thanks to a lot of the things that IndyCar and Mazda Road to Indy offer, I got to -- I got basically just to play a little bit of catch-up into someone that hasn't been around the Road to Indy. Definitely a very, very big help for my development as a driver. THE MODERATOR: Brian, it's been an eventful first full season for Harding Racing in the Verizon IndyCar Series. You've raced with Gabby Chaves and Conor Daly and tested with both those drivers and Patricio and Colton. What did you see in both Colton and Patricio that made you want to add a second car for the weekend? BRIAN BARNHART: Well, what we were looking for here at Harding Racing is unfortunately we weren't getting the results early in the year, so we kind of identified some issues that we would like to address and try and set in place our plans for 2019 as soon as possible. And the challenges associated, we've talked a lot about this, with being a one-car team, the only one-car team participating on the full schedule of the Verizon IndyCar Series, it is a huge challenge. So about mid-season we made the decision to get some additional insight and some additional feedback from some different directions, so we've run Conor Daly in addition to Gabby, and we also are firm believers in the Mazda Road to Indy program and the talent they've been able to develop and bring through, including current IndyCar Series champion Josef Newgarden, who graduated through there. So in keeping an eye, and while the car count was down a little bit in the Indy Lights series this year, clearly Pato and Colton demonstrated a ton of potential, some great racing craft, a lot of speed for the Andretti Autosport Indy Lights team, certainly caught our eye on that. So in addition to Gabby and Conor, we focused on trying to give some of the up-and-coming young talent a test. We were able to do Colton's test at Portland the first week of August, and after Pato secured the championship, as mentioned, we ran him last Thursday at Sonoma. Both of them very successful days. Really impressed by the maturity of both the kids. At 18 and 19 years old, they really demonstrated a high level of maturity with their thought processes, their feedback, their car control. Both of them did an excellent job. We ran a lot of miles both days. We were flirting with 200 miles on both days, so they both got ample laps and a lot of opportunity to run. I think Pato will probably will able to address -- he was talking about how fast the IndyCar is and how much grip it has, but I think he was also probably a little surprised at how much more physical the car is to drive than an Indy Lights car. The loads, the steering effort, probably be something both of them will be challenged with this week at Sonoma. They'll be longer races than anything they've ever done. They'll be involved in pit stops, which they haven't done in an Indy Lights car. So the physicality of the car itself, the loads and the forces combined with the length of the race and the pit stops is going to be a physically and mentally challenging weekend for them. But I think they're both going to be up to the task. Harding Racing really believes in the future of these kids, and I think they've both earned an opportunity to make their debut this weekend, and we're excited about it. THE MODERATOR: Adding a second car means adding twice as much equipment, twice as much crew, things like that. How difficult a process has that been for the team? BRIAN BARNHART: Well, it's been huge. It has been hats off Brian Hornick, "Cuz," all the guys, the mechanics all the way, Red and Shelby and Donny and Lenny and Chris and Jeff, we've had everybody just flat out in making the leap from one to two at a time, as well, when you're doing Pocono, St. Louis and Portland on back-to-back-to-back weekends. They've done an amazing job working twice as hard to get two cars prepared for these guys. We've gotten a ton of cooperation. Chevrolet has done a fantastic job and been very supportive, as well. Really appreciate everything Rob Buckner at Chevy and Wayne Bennett from Ilmor have done for us in helping in that process, as well. We've had some good assistance from the Andretti guys, who obviously had the contract rights to Colton and Pato through the process of when we were testing them, and they've been able to help us with some pit equipment and some timing stands. So it's been a huge, enormous task, and we certainly wouldn't have been able to do it without all those people's help. THE MODERATOR: At the end of the weekend, what are you hoping to achieve with both Colton and Pato and looking towards 2019? BRIAN BARNHART: Well, I think the biggest thing we want to do is focus 100 percent on the debut of both those guys in their Verizon IndyCar Series careers. We think they both have very promising and high potential for long-standing careers in the Verizon IndyCar Series. We at Harding Racing are just exceptionally proud that we're getting the opportunity to provide their debut for them both, so we're focused 100 percent on this weekend, and we'll see what we can do from there, and then we'll do what we can to try and see how that develops into potential programs for 2019 for Harding Racing. Our goal would love to be a two-car team in 2019, and with the feedback that we've gotten between Gabby and Conor and after this weekend, Colton and Pato, we'll make decisions moving forward after this weekend. Q. Quick question for Pato. A year ago at this time you were probably getting ready for one of the last couple of sports car races you were doing in the Prototype Challenge. Maybe explain how the last year has gone where you've won that, got an Indy Lights ride, won the championship, how you're making your IndyCar debut? Is that something you even would have considered a year ago? PATRICIO O'WARD: I feel like I'm a big believer in things happen for a reason, and circumstances from the end of 2016 kind of led me to the sports car path. Even though the year didn't look as competitive, didn't look as challenging as I would have liked it to be, I matured a lot as a driver, as someone outside of the race car. I learned some new things that I hadn't learned before like pit stops, fuel strategy, taking care of the car, you know, pushing to the limit, but just getting back that little bit just to save the car, make sure that you take it home, and working with other people, basically with an operation closer to the size of what an IndyCar team is than what a Mazda Road to Indy team is. From both sides, from a Road to Indy team side, I learned a lot, and I've matured a lot I feel like as a driver. You know, if you would have asked me, hey, do you see yourself in an IndyCar in the end of 2018? Honestly I would have told you no. The goal has always been to get to the IndyCar Series, but after this fantastic year that we had and this amazing opportunity that harding and team Chevy have given me, I want to make the most out of it, and I couldn't be more excited for my debut, honestly. Q. I would like you to comment on your experience last Thursday at Sonoma, especially on Turn 2 in the Bus Stop, when we saw you having some issues with the handling of the car, please. PATRICIO O'WARD: Okay, yeah. I got to test an IndyCar for the first time, and my first impressions were the car is just a lot quicker. But something that really, really impressed me was the amount of speed you can carry into the corners, the amount of stopping force the car has with the aero, with those Firestone tires. It really, really is just so much more than anything I've ever driven. And it was a lot of fun, honestly. I really, really enjoyed driving the car. I expressed that the car was very, very physical, and it was very demanding in that sort of way. I've heard from everybody that Sonoma is a very physical track. There's barely any time to rest, and it's a track where the fitness of a driver will get tested. So I feel like it's pretty cool to get your first experience in a car there because you know that it is somewhere where the track -- where the car will be hard to drive, where the car will be difficult to handle. But you just basically get a chance to test what the car can do in such elevations, in such fast corners. You know, just about the little moments that I had, different things that obviously they put the car sideways, it's all about learning, and it's all about just figuring out the car, figuring out what it can do, figuring out how the tires likes to be loaded, figuring out when the tire is going to give up after it loads. It's quite different from the Cooper that I've been used to so many years. So it was a very good test day to just figure out what the car likes, figure out what I like within the car, and test the limits at that are going to help me in qualifying sessions and during the race whenever the tires are old or new. THE MODERATOR: We'll welcome in Colton Herta, the driver of the No. 88 Harding Group Chevrolet for this weekend. Colton, welcome to the call. COLTON HERTA: Thanks. Sorry I was late. I just got my times mixed up a bit. But yeah, I'm here now. THE MODERATOR: Colton, you got to test an IndyCar with Harding Racing about six weeks ago. How long has the waiting been before finally getting your debut this weekend? COLTON HERTA: It seems like a century. Once you get a little taste of IndyCar, it's hard to go back to any other car. It's such a nice car, and I enjoyed it thoroughly. Yeah, super excited for this weekend. Really looking forward to it. THE MODERATOR: As I mentioned, Colton finished second to Patricio in Indy Lights presented by Cooper Tires this year, had four wins, including a historic sweep of the May races at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. When he debuts this weekend, Colton at age 18 will be the fourth youngest driver to race in IndyCar. Colton, as a product of the Mazda Road to Indy, what has racing in the Mazda Road to Indy meant to your career, and how much has it prepared you to make your debut this weekend? COLTON HERTA: It's prepared me massively, and I think it's a great ladder system, not only for drivers but for everybody involved, teams, team owners, mechanics, engineers, and it's obviously proven that it's worked. I mean, I know many people have said it, but I think like 25 out of the 33 starters last year in the Indy 500 came through the Mazda Road to Indy. Yeah, happy to put my name on that long list of drivers that went through that system, and I think it's helped massively. We got to race on a lot of the IndyCar weekends, and we got to see how the track develops over the weekend with the IndyCar rubber down and how much the track changes. It's a great stepping-stone, and yeah, it does an amazing job. Q. Brian, is there any -- I don't want to put the cart before the horse, obviously, but obviously you're very high on these two young men. Has there been any talk or is there any talk planned about possibly maybe working some kind of a deal or partnership with Andretti for next year to get one of them or potentially both of them into one of your cars next year? BRIAN BARNHART: Well, we're certainly interested. We've been happy with the assistance we've received from the Andretti group. Mike Harding, our owner, has a very good relationship with Michael, and we tried to be very transparent and began this process this summer when we were interested in at least getting the two guys an opportunity to test in the car. Before we even reached out to Colton or to Pato, Mike and I went straight to Michael and told him of our interest and certainly didn't want to cross any boundaries there without being transparent and open to Michael about what we were looking to do. He was nothing but supportive and has helped facilitate with a lot of the equipment and some of the pieces and parts to make it happen, and he's been very cooperative in getting the track time on there. We're very thankful to Andretti Autosport and Michael Andretti for what they've been able to do. They did a great job, obviously, with Colton and Pato in their Lights cars this year running 1 and 2 in the championship there. I don't know, I can't speak to a lot of what the future could hold on it. We're certainly focused on this weekend and then trying to identify what we can do to maximize Harding Racing's plans next year. Ultimately as we've said all along, we would love to be a two-car team, and a lot of that will be budget driven, and if we can make that happen, we think that's our ultimate goal. Q. You've always been a big-picture kind of guy, Brian. In your opinion, what or how will the Indy Lights program grow? Obviously we had seven teams or seven entries this year. How does the series grow next year, especially if either Pato or Colton or both go up to the IndyCar ranks? BRIAN BARNHART: Well, I think they've got some huge challenges on the IndyCar side because I think the Mazda Road to Indy is a vitally important program. The ladder system, feeder system has been very successful, and I think the best thing coming out of it could be even though they only had a seven-car field this year, we've identified two very capable drivers that we're really proud to give them their IndyCar debut this weekend, and a couple other guys were certainly on the radar, as well. So while the field didn't have a lot of depth, it certainly had a lot of quality. And if we can give these two guys a good weekend show here, and based on how they performed in both of their tests, they were on pace right away, we think it's going to certainly raise and continue the awareness of the Mazda Road to Indy program. I think IndyCar and Dan Andersen Promotions will focus on doing what they can to improve the car count on it and just keep attracting major talents like we have with Colton and Pato. Q. For both the drivers, a couple quick questions. First of all, how important was it for you guys to each get that seat time with the testing going into Sonoma as opposed to going in there cold out any time in the car beforehand? COLTON HERTA: Yeah, it's super important. Obviously you've learned so much after the first test. You get the first test out of the way, and you sleep on the test and you get back in the car, and you kind of know what to expect. So I think that's what we have going for us going into Sonoma. We kind of know what to expect from the car. Obviously still very little experience in the car, but having that one test day under the belt really, really helps a bunch. It brings you up to speed. You can expect a lot more from the tires and from the one-lap pace, and it's going to be super important in Sonoma. We see the tire deg seems to be pretty bad at Sonoma, and kind of your first lap, second lap is the best. So with having that experience in the car the first day, we can get up to speed quicker, and that should help a lot in Sonoma. PATRICIO O'WARD: Yeah, for me, just like Colton said, it's really a big help to get your first taste of what the car is, of what the car is going to do in certain situations before you just jump in straight to a race weekend because even though we've been prepared well, we've been learning from what we have seen and from what we accomplished and raced at Indy Lights this year, the car is a totally different monster, and it's a lot faster. The tire is different. Just like he mentioned, it really helps just to sleep on it, and when you come back, you know what the car is going to feel like. You know what it might do just in different corners or whenever the car is doing this or that and trying different setups. So it really helps you just communicate with your engineers better. It just helps you connect with the car better, and you feel more in with the car. These tests that we did I think are going to be a huge, huge help to what the weekend is going to be. Even though we honestly haven't had much time in it, one day is definitely the biggest step that a driver will do when getting into a new car than anything else. Q. What then would you consider a successful weekend for Sonoma? COLTON HERTA: I think a win. No, we just want to get some good experience. I mean, I can't speak for Pato, but for my side, just getting experience. There's not a lot of pressure on us to perform. I mean, we want to do well, but it's a tough track, and we're coming in at the end of the year, so it's always going to be an uphill battle. But I think if we can finish the race top 15, I'd be pretty happy, and really just progress with the driving, progress with the car and just learn as much as I can. BRIAN BARNHART: Yeah, that's a good answer for that one. I'm going to jump in there. I think from Harding Racing's perspective, our point of view is going to be experience for these kids. We want them to be on track as much as possible, seat time laps is important, giving them the opportunity for starts and restarts and pit stops and the length of these races. We're going to try and manage expectations, and we just want their debut to be a positive experience. We're also mindful of the fact that it's championship week for the Verizon IndyCar Series, and you've got a great battle up front with Dixon and Rossi. You've still got Newgarden and Power available. It's a double points weekend. So we'll make sure we are mindful of what we're doing and not interfering with the championship outcome, at the same time giving these guys a ton of experience for their debut weekend. PATRICIO O'WARD: Yeah, I think this weekend is going to be all about experience, all about learning. I feel like if we do anything better than honestly just like finishing the race, making a good race, good pit stops, anything better than a top 15 I think is just going to be a win-win situation for all of us. I think it's all about just learning everything, taking it step by step, and I feel like not many people should have very many expectations because the amount of time we had in the car is basically none compared to everybody else. So it's going to be a hard learning curve. It's going to be something really new to us even if we've already tested the car. But expectation wise I feel like if we're on pace with some top 10s or something, I feel like that would be really, really, really good. I don't really have as many expectations for me, and I think Colton, I don't know what he thinks, but how he explained, I think we're just trying to learn as much as we can. If we get to be within the top 10 with what we're doing, I think it's going to be great, but if not, we're just going to learn as much as we can and it's going to be really important for obviously the next years if we get the opportunity to be in the Verizon IndyCar Series. Q. Pato and Colton, obviously you're very excited about what's going to happen this weekend. What is the future for both of you? For next year specifically, if one or both of you get the opportunity to race in IndyCar, great; if you don't, will both of you both be in the Indy Lights series again? How are you kind of looking at 2019? PATRICIO O'WARD: I don't look at myself back in Indy Lights. I feel like I'm ready for the IndyCar Series, and I feel like I'd do a good job there, so I'm going to be working really hard to get something together for possibly a full-season ride for the next couple years. I think that would be ideal. COLTON HERTA: Yeah, I think we're both in similar situations where we're ready to move up and kind of just focus on this weekend, but during the off-season try and get a full ride. But if not, try and do a few races, try and at least do a 500, something of that nature, just kind of get experience in IndyCar, try and get some good results and maybe a door will open.

2019-04-22T20:09:48Z

http://autoracing1.com/article.asp?id=18342

This is the foreshadowing of a recession. We saw similar indicators prior to recessions in 2001 and 2008. Although there is potential for economic indicators to flip, the current momentum and indicators suggest that the U.S. economy will get worse before it gets better. But we now we have a sense of what the black swan will be for the economy: the weak consumer. Friday's retail numbers are very significant in telling us just how weak the consumer will be in the second quarter. It is the first critical pit stop on the road to either economic recovery or recession and gives us our first taste for where Q2 GDP will land. Consumers have been propping up the economy over the last two quarters, and as the first month of Q2, this number is the first indicator we'll have into the trajectory of consumer sentiment, and whether deceleration has continued. If the numbers fall below expectations, this will require a huge rebound over the next two months in order to move in the direction of economic acceleration in Q3. If numbers are good, this will be the first good sign that the consumer — and the economy — are making a comeback. Following the most recent jobs report that showed stagnant wage growth, there is reason to believe that retail numbers will not offer an optimistic outcome. Following yet another blow to the economy, there will be three key indicators that will most impact consumers (and the economy): wages, inflation and consumer sentiment. Average weekly earnings for nonsupervisory employees are only 1.3 percent above year-ago levels and slowing. Wage inflation has lost a full percentage point since the beginning of year, bringing us to the lowest rate of wage growth recorded since 2009, when we were bottoming out from recession. Consumers are somewhat protected by the fact that overall price inflation is down, so they are not faced with higher prices at the grocery store or gas pump, but most people's feelings about wealth are likely in nominal terms. Someone who doesn't get a raise feels worse than a person who gets a 5-percent raise, even if consumer prices are falling for the first person and are rising at a 6-percent rate for the second person. This lack of "nominal" wage growth can have impacts on consumer behavior and thought, and so far in 2016, we have seen deceleration in consumer sentiment, a big driver of future retail sales. People no longer feel better than last year, so why would they spend more? The critical factor that could tip things from cautious to very problematic is if price inflation starts to kick up. This hasn't happened yet, so it is a hypothetical, but given how much prices have fallen and that most commodities have developed some floor over the past six months, it wouldn't be unreasonable for prices to regain some traction in 2016. This is especially true with monetary policy all over the world being very loose and interest rates low. For example, oil prices finished their major decent last summer before settling at between $30-40 per barrel. Oil is the basis for other commodities; so while we saw food prices plummet in tandem with oil, we can expect food prices to rise or adjust with oil. Even if oil rises to $50 a barrel as high cost production is cut around the world, it is a 25-percent to 65-percent increase over this winter's prices. That could certainly move the needle on the consumer-price index and hurt the consumer. While many economists remain optimistic about the economy given the history of a weak first quarter over the past five years, we have clear indicators that our current economic scenario is not vastly different from the early stages in 2001 and 2008. Consumer sentiment will be key in determining whether we in the midst of a weak economy, or in fact on the road to recession. Even industry executives can't figure out what's wrong with retail. After posting their steepest quarterly same-store sales declines since the recession, management at both Kohl's and Macy's said they were scratching their heads over the disconnect between the improving economy, and a pullback in traffic and spending at their stores in the first quarter. During a conference call with analysts on Thursday, Kohl's CEO Kevin Mansell said the company is having a "hard time determining" how much of its 3.9 percent comparable-sales drop was related to company-specific issues versus the broader economy. In that vein, Macy's CFO Karen Hoguet on Wednesday told analysts that the management team at the department store, where comparable sales slipped 5.6 percent during the quarter, was "scratching our heads" regarding the chain's soft results. "I would say that we too are somewhat puzzled by the data that we're seeing on the consumer and the traffic were seeing," she said. Indeed, though the sales performance at these two retailers is conjuring up unwelcome memories of the most recent recession, the state of the consumer has substantially improved. In April, the nation's unemployment rate held steady at 5 percent, half of what it was during the throes of the recession in 2009. Stock markets — though they've had a shaky run in 2016 — are well off their troughs during the crisis. The housing market also remains on more solid footing. "I don't think they're [consumers] of the same mindset," said Ken Perkins, president of Retail Metrics. "The sky really was falling in '09." That, then, begs the question: Why are some retailers' sales performances reminiscent of that era? Pedestrians pass in front of Macy's flagship store in Herald's Square, New York. Economists pointed to several issues that are holding back spending on traditional merchandise. For one, though consumers are no longer in the dire financial straits that caused their spending to turn catatonic, the recession's lingering effects are still damaging their psyches, Perkins said. That has resulted in a higher savings rate, which has stayed at 5 percent or higher for the past four months reported. For another, consumer spending patterns have shifted away from a mentality of accumulating stuff, to one of need-based replenishment purchases, Perkins said. Not only that, but the costs of rent and health care have risen, causing Americans to spend more of their income on those needs, said Jack Kleinhenz, chief economist for the National Retail Federation, the retail industry's trade group. When consumers do dip into their discretionary income, they — particularly millennials — are opting to do so for things like services, concert tickets or dining out. More broadly speaking, they're also spending on home renovations and automobiles. "They have the ability to spend," Kleinhenz said. "People are buying big-ticket items and cars are still very attractive." Paul Ashworth, chief North American economist at Capital Economics, said there is no reason to suspect that there will be a big collapse in consumer spending. Though there have been some ups and downs in macroeconomic fundamentals, there have been some "fairly decent gains" in income over the past year, he said. "I'd expect that to continue," Ashworth said, saying that should translate into increased consumer spending. A shopper at a Kohl's store in Jersey City, NJ. An exterior view of fashion retailer Gap's Oxford Street store on February 11, 2016 in London. Perkins added that while some economists point to the higher savings rate as a negative for consumer spending, he would argue it gives shoppers more spending power in the future. Still, there are a few negatives that could depress consumer spending, though Ashworth said he hasn't seen signs of their impact yet. They include still-low but rising gas prices and a potential pullback in spending over political concerns. The squeeze on the middle class and lower pay for the millennial generation are also playing a role, Perkins said. Aside from macroeconomic concerns, analysts agreed that several of the woes retailers are grappling with are self-inflicted. Just check your inbox. It's likely filled with store promotions. The deflationary spiral department stores and others in the space are stuck in is denting their gross margins, Kleinhenz said. It also means a company has to sell more product to generate sales gains. These problems are exacerbated on retailers' bottom lines, thanks to a series of minimum wage hikes and competition for workers. "You're getting squeezed because you have to pay these people more... but then you can't sell your product at a higher level because it's highly competitive," Kleinhenz said. That retail earnings season kicks off in earnest with the major department stores doesn't help the conversation surrounding the sector. Whereas department stores such as Macy's and Kohl's have recently drummed up a heavy round of criticism, results from companies who are later to report — including Home Depot, Lowe's and TJX — tend to fare better. "Given that they're [department stores] the first ones out the door, they put a more negative spin on the whole retail landscape," Perkins said. He added that he expects to see better numbers come out of the aforementioned retailers when they report next week. "If they show some really weak numbers I would be much more alarmed," Perkins said, adding that he doesn't expect that to be the case. His firm expects Lowe's and Home Depot, for example, to report comparable sales growth closer to 5 percent. In the case of Kohl's and Macy's, both grappled with their own set of issues during the quarter. Kohl's management said poor marketing hurt its results, while slow tourism took a bite out of Macy's sales. And for both, unseasonable weather — which bore much of the blame for the industry's fourth-quarter weakness — played a role, as a chilly March and April held back spending on warm-weather apparel. Stop Blaming Consumers, They Can't Help It! World's Most Bearish Hedge Fund Manager: "I Think Something Has Changed" ... we cited fund CIO Russell Clark who observed the fund's dramatic -9.6% drop in the month of March, and made it clear that he wasn't going anywhere because he was confident that the move was nothing but a short squeeze, which - if anything - made Clark even more bearish. I can hear you say, how do you know this is just a short squeeze, and not the beginning of something much more substantial? While equities are trying to send a bullish tune, the 200 day moving average is now trending down for S&P, Dax and the Nikkei. This is not bullish. Furthermore, yield curves in the US, Japan and Europe have flattened. This is not bullish. Yen is rallying. This is not bullish. We have seen substantial covering by the market. This is not bullish. To my mind, if you want to be short, this looks about as good as it gets. One month later and not everything is working out according to plan because after last month's nearly 10% drop, the losses continued and Horseman lost another 4.3% in April and -5.1% YTD after being up as much as 10% in the first two months of the year. What happened? Well, as Clark puts it ever so well, "I think something has changed." Your fund fell 4.29% net last month. To lose 4.29% last month was a bit of a surprise to me, as most of the technical indicators I use indicated that the short squeeze was largely over at the end of March, and yet it continued into April. The question to be answered after a drawdown is always the same, “Has something changed?”. In this case, I think something has changed. The overwhelming theme of the market for the past 18 months or so has been that of a strong dollar. European and Japanese markets had performed well as their currencies weakened versus the dollar, and commodity prices were generally weaker. Furthermore the strong dollar put pressure on the renminbi and encouraged thoughts of a Chinese financial crisis. I was aware of the consensus in the market and put hedges in place to offset a weak dollar. I have had since last year long euro and long yen positions in the currency book, while having short Japanese and European exporters in the short book since last year. These hedges have performed very well, and have been the main reason that despite the drawdown, the fund has managed to hold on to most of the gains from last year. The message that I am getting from the market, the “something” that has changed is that the US dollar is no longer a strong currency. Typically the US dollar falls when its economic cycle begins to roll over. Many of the indicators that I look at show the US is either in or heading for recession. These indicators include; the US trade deficit ex petroleum products which is back to 2006 levels; US capacity utilisation peaking in late 2014 and declining rapidly ever since; and US high yield have generally been widening since 2014. Historically, a weak US dollar is good for commodity prices, and it is also good for emerging markets. This has played out this year, where we have suffered pain on emerging markets and commodity shorts, but have gained on Japanese and European shorts. Given that the US dollar could potentially fall significantly from here, it seems to me that we should take what have been hedges to our portfolio (that is long euro and yen, short Japanese and European equities), and make this the core of the portfolio, while our emerging market and commodity related shorts should become the hedges. Having realised this late in the month, we have already made substantial progress to making this change in the portfolio. We have increased our long euro position to 50% of the fund, and long yen to 30% of the fund. We have closed a number of emerging market financial shorts, and opened European financial shorts. We are now net short European financials. We have closed a number of US listed oil shorts and replaced them with shorted euro denominated oil stocks. It is possible that the US dollar could be so weak, that the US equity bull markets can continue, but it would probably lead to depression and crisis in Europe and Japan. At the beginning of the year, an investor asked me to sum up current central bank policy. I described it as a circular firing squad, where at best perhaps one economy could escape, but most likely everyone dies. The gun that they hold is competitive devaluation. We know now who is most likely to live and who is most likely to die, and are making the appropriate changes. Your fund remains short equities and long bonds. And so it does, because after realizing that the "strong dollar" thesis is no longer dominant case, did Horseman cover any shorts? Not at all, and in fact quite the contrary: as of April, the hedge fund is for the first time in its history more than 100% net short, something Carl Icahn would surely appreciate. The Federal Reserve is trying to send the markets a message, but one Deutsche Bank economist says people are just not getting it — there is a looming threat to the economy and it’s not another recession or a crisis. “Many clients I meet worry that the biggest macro risk on the horizon is another financial crisis,” said Torsten Slok, Deutsche Bank’s chief international economist. But the bigger threat, according to Slok, is accelerating inflation. “This is what the Fed is trying to tell us when they repeatedly point out that we are near full employment,” he said. Slok expects inflation to pick up in the coming months on the back of building wage pressure, but investors are mostly unprepared nor understand how it will impact the Federal Reserve’s monetary policy. “Combining the upward pressure on wages with the ongoing depreciation of the dollar, I think we will continue to see upward pressure on core personal consumption expenditures over the coming quarters,” he said. Wages have been ticking higher in recent months, with average wages up 0.3% to $25.53-an-hour in April, while hourly pay increased 2.5% in the past 12 months. Data also showed that the labor-force participation dropped for the first time since last fall to 62.8%. The decline in the labor participation rate is likely to be a consistent trend in the foreseeable future due to aging demographics, leading to a tighter labor market, according to Michael Pearce, global economist at Capital Economics. Meanwhile, the PCE index, the Federal Reserve’s preferred inflation gauge, rose 0.8% year-over-year last month, following a 1% jump in March. The consumer price index edged up 0.1% in March, on a seasonally adjusted basis, after slipping 0.2% in February. Cleveland Fed President Loretta Mester said Thursday that recent data support the Fed’s view that inflation will gradually accelerate over time, and noted that the PCE index rose 1% in the first quarter compared with 0.2% in the first quarter of last year. Slok isn’t the only economist to sound the alarm on inflation. Perma-bear Albert Edwards of Societe Generale likewise predicted that accelerated inflation is likely to force the Fed to resume its tightening cycle. But unlike Slok, Edwards believes this uptick in inflation is ephemeral and if the central bank does opt to hike rates, it will inevitably push the U.S. economy over the edge. “They will, like Don Quixote, tilt their interest-rate lance at some imaginary inflation windmills, which merely represent temporary end-cycle phenomena, before a slump into outright deflation in the next recession,” he said in a note. When unsold goods start piling up in warehouses, that’s a pretty good sign the economy is slowing down. And that’s what’s happening in the U.S. right now. The ratio of business inventories to sales has risen to near recessionary levels, according to data from the Commerce Department released Friday. “Simply put, this will not end well,” writes the famously bearish Zero Hedge blog, which flagged the new data on Friday. But Zero Hedge isn’t the only one seeing the possibility of a U.S. recession. Economists surveyed by the Wall Street Journal see an elevated chance the economy will shrink over the next year. The latest survey found a 20-per-cent chance of a recession in the U.S. over the next year. While those are low odds, they are still double the 10-per-cent chance economists saw as recently as last fall. “Decelerating employment growth, growing uncertainty and sputtering GDP growth does not portend well,” Chad Moutray, chief economist at the National Association of Manufacturers, told the WSJ. A U.S. recession, if it happened, would pull the legs out from under Canada’s rotation away from oil and likely drag the country into its own recession. Economists had expected that, as oil prices fell and the loonie dropped, Canada would see a boost in exports to the U.S., the country’s largest trading partner, offsetting the damage from tanking oil prices. But that trend is now fizzling. Canadian exports took a deep dive in March, pushing Canada's trade deficit with the rest of the world to a record high of $3.4 billion, up from $2.5 billion in February. That unexpectedly bad report caused many economists to lower their forecasts for Canadian growth. "Canada was never going to escape unscathed from a slowdown in U.S. imports, and for March that meant a 4.8 per cent collapse in exports," CIBC economist Nick Exarhos wrote. Still, many economists see this slowdown as a temporary blip. With the Canadian dollar expected to remain below the 80-cent U.S. mark for some time, “Canada's export sector should remain a key source of strength over the medium term,” TD Bank said in a recent client note. Most private sector forecasters are calling for GDP growth in Canada to come in around the 1.5-per-cent range this year. You are about to see a chart that is undeniable evidence that we have already entered a major economic slowdown. In the “real economy”, stuff is bought and sold and shipped around the country by trucks, railroads and planes. When more stuff is being bought and sold and shipped around the country, the “real economy” is growing, and when less stuff is being bought and sold and shipped around the country, the “real economy” is shrinking. I know that might sound really basic, but I want everyone to be on the same page as we proceed in this article. Just because stock prices are artificially high right now does not mean that the U.S. economy is in good shape. In fact, there was a stock rally at this exact time of the year in 2008 even though the underlying economic fundamentals were rapidly deteriorating. We all remember what happened later that year, so we should not exactly be rejoicing that precisely the same pattern that we witnessed in 2008 is happening again right in front of our eyes. A weak May jobs report raised concerns about the labor market. But a former McDonald's chief executive thinks the U.S. economy may be in worse shape than it seems. "I think we're in a small-business recession, and if we don't start opening up the opportunity for entrepreneurs to grow their business, we're going to continue see this drop in jobs. We need to energize small businesses," Ed Rensi told CNBC's "Closing Bell" on Friday. The U.S. economy added just 38,000 jobs in May, the Labor Department said Friday. The number came in well below economists' expectations for about 162,000, according to Thomson Reuters. The headline unemployment rate dipped to 4.7 percent. A more encompassing rate held steady at 9.7 percent. Those figures came after lackluster gross domestic product growth in the first quarter. Multiple factors could continue to drag on entrepreneurship and small-business hiring, Rensi said. He cited taxation, regulations and minimum wage increases, among others. A Cummins employee installs a wiring harness at the company's engine plant in Walesboro, Ind. The federal minimum wage is $7.25 an hour, though some cities and states have set a higher rate. Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont and others have argued for a $15-per-hour federal minimum wage saying it will increase consumer spending and lower income inequality. Rensi contended that technology has replaced workers for decades, and "will accelerate if these minimum wage rates end up at $15 an hour." However, he said states should regulate minimum wages because they understand consumers and economic demands of the area better. Just yesterday, when looking at the latest sudden drop in the US employment, JPM warned that as a result of the dramatic downshifting in the US economy, the bank's recession indicator had just hit a new cycle high of 36%. This is what JPM said: "This morning's employment report also raised the recession probabilities, although for counterintuitive reasons. We do not include the payrolls number in the recession model because it is subject to larger revisions than other labor market data. But the unemployment rate enters the model in two ways. As a near-term indicator, we watch for increases in the unemployment rate that occur near the beginning of recessions. So this morning's move down in the unemployment rate lowered the recession probability in our near-term model. But we also find the level of the unemployment rate to be one of the most useful indicators ofmedium-term recession risk. So the move down in unemployment raises the model's view of the risk of economic overheating in the medium run and raises the "background risk" of recession." So we have unemployment. However, a far bigger risk to the US economy is a topic we have flagged since last fall: peak, and now sliding, profits. If aggregate demand is steady, then slower employment growth could well stabilize or improve productivity. However, the rub as always is that workers are also consumers, so as fewer jobs are created (or jobs are cut), then aggregate demand tends to decline. As such, declining profits and a slowing work force (as the exodus from the labor force returns) is the worst possible feedback loop for an economy; it is the one that the US finds itself in now, ironically just as the Fed hopes to telegraph the all clear by continuing to hike rates and in doing so confirming just how misplaced the Fed's optimism has been all along. The broadest measure of operating profits is pre-tax corporate profits with inventory valuation (IVA) and capital consumption adjustments (CCAdj). As the first chart below indicates, this series shows substantial compression of corporate margins. As illustrated in the above charts, profits per worker have generally trended higher over time. This is a function of productivity gains and inflation. Notice that our ratio is measured in nominal dollars. In the current business cycle, margins peaked at $18,403 per worker in Q3 2014. This compares to a current ratio of $15,615 per worker as of Q1 2016. Margins have fallen because corporate profit growth has declined while private sector job growth over the intervening period has been very steady, running at around a 2.3% annualized rate. Within corporate profits, the majority of the decline has been in domestic rather than overseas profits. This means that recent margin compression has had less to do with the strengthening dollar, and perhaps more to do with weak domestic demand. From Q3 2014, when profit margins peaked, to Q1 2016, domestic profits have declined by a little over -$175 billion. As we can see in the charts below, this is nearly double the -$88 billion decline in profits from outside the US. Not surprisingly, the decline in profit growth has occurred alongside a deceleration in domestic demand. In fact, the year-over-year growth rate of real final sales to private domestic purchasers, our favorite indicator of underlying demand, peaked at 3.6% in Q4 2014 and has since slowed to 2.6% as of last quarter. If it were only jobs and profits, maybe the Fed would have some degree of control, even if it is reflexive. Normally tightening happens after companies start competing for scarce labor resources, generating cost inflation at which point the Fed raises rates to ease inflation pressures and un-compress cost pressures; only this time the Fed is putting the cart in front of the horse and is hoping that by tightening it will somehow prompt wage inflation which has been the biggest variable missing from the US economy. By way of reference, the last time the unemployment rate was 4.7% in November 2007, average hourly earnings were growing 3.1% Y/Y without a raise in the minimum wage; now wages are rising at 2.5% mostly thanks to the boost for the lowest-paid workers. However, what is very different this time, is that companies have taken on debt in the current business cycle. Make that lots of debt. As DB calculates, nonfinancial corporate debt has increased by $2 trillion from its trough in Q4 2010 through Q4 2015. And here things get interesting because as shown in the chart below, the ratio of nonfinancial corporate debt to nominal GDP is at its highest level since Q2 2009, when the economy was still in recession and nominal output was substantially depressed. As LaVorgna puts it, "this is one reason why the Fed needs to be very cautious with respect to the pace of policy normalization." An over-tightening of credit conditions would be problematic for a highly-levered corporate sector, especially if final demand were to remain weak. If capital costs were rising in an environment of declining margins, employers would at minimum slow the pace of hiring, and perhaps even cut labor outright. This may already be occurring, given the broad-based weakness of the May employment report. Which brings us to the question at hand: when will the next recession strike (if it hasn't done so already because according to most manufacturing indicators including factory orders, core capital goods orders, CapEx spending both macro and micro, manufacturing PMI and manufacturing employment, the US manufacturing sector has already been contracting for over a year). Profit margins always peak in advance of recession. Indeed, there has not been one business cycle in the post-WWII era where this has not been the case. The reason margins are a leading indicator is simple:When corporate profitability declines, a pullback in spending and hiring eventually ensues. Normally, margins compress because of cost pressures— namely the labor share of income rises relative to the corporate share of income. Put another way, when companies compete for scarce labor resources, worker pay is bid up. In turn, inflation pressures often surface. This typically induces a monetary policy response—the Fed begins raising interest rates to dampen inflation. As a reminder, profit margins peaked in Q3 2014. With that in mind, the historical data reveals that the average and median lead times between the peak in margins and the onset of recession are nine and eight quarters, respectively, which as DB concludees "would imply that the economy could enter recession as soon as the second half of this year." "as we can see in the table on the following page, the time period between the peak in profit margins and the beginning of recession varies substantially across business cycles. Margins can sometimes peak well in advance of the onset of recession, as they did in the 1960s and 1990s business cycles. In the former period, the peak in margins occurred 16 quarters before recession. In the latter episode, the peak occurred 15 quarters ahead of the economy’s entering recession. Conceivably, such a scenario could unfold now." "However, the current business cycle is already the fourth longest in the post- WWII period, and the corporate debt-to-GDP ratio suggests that imbalances are building." (Reported By Michael Snyder) What you are about to see is major confirmation that a new economic downturn has already begun. Last Friday, the government released the worst jobs report in six years, and that has a lot of people really freaked out. But when you really start digging into those numbers, you quickly find that things are even worse than most analysts are suggesting. In particular, the number of temporary jobs in the United States has started to decline significantly after peaking last December. Is America headed for another economic crash? From late 2010 through 2014, there was a gradual but steady increase in economic strength, with each year slightly better than the last. It was nowhere near good enough to completely undo the damage of the Great Recession, but it seemed like things were heading in the right direction. But in late 2015, progress began to plateau. The previous year, new job creation had averaged over 250,000 per month, but 2015 only managed about 229,000. Still, that was strong enough that the Federal Reserve decided it could raise interest rates in December for the first time since the financial crisis, thus slowing the economy to prevent future inflation. It's looking increasingly clear that this was a serious mistake. The Fed — and the rest of the government — needs to start thinking about what to do when the next recession strikes. Let's go through some numbers. Job creation has stalled badly in 2016, averaging only 150,000 per month thus far — worse than 2011's figure. May had the weakest jobs number since January of 2010. Other economic data are more mixed (compiled here by Ben Casselman), but overall not very encouraging. The unemployment rate is low, and job openings are up, but actual hires have fallen substantially from their most recent peak. After increasing moderately for most of 2015, wage growth has also stalled, far below a rate consistent with decent productivity growth and a stable labor share of national income. If you squint, it sort of looks like the economy is bumping up against full capacity. Employers are trying to hire, but they can't find the workers, right? However, the problem with this story is there is not a single whiff of moderate inflation. If the economy is hitting structural constraints, then we ought to see price increases as companies bid against each other for labor and resources. But not only has wage growth stalled, inflation has been consistently below target — for more than three years straight. Decreases in household net worth (when the line goes below the x-axis) tend to predict recessions (the shaded areas) because net worth is a key enabler of consumer spending. There is an entire industry that provides purchasing power to households through various debt instruments — credit cards, home equity loans, and so on. But if household net worth starts to decline, creditworthiness will decrease, leading to a decrease in consumer spending and thence to a recession. The Fed deserves at least partial blame for this. The basic problem with America's central bank, at least when it comes to monetary policy, is that it has confused timidity with caution. Whether a policy is cautious or not depends critically on the surrounding circumstances. If one is trying to enter the ocean on a rocky beach with heavy surf, it may be much more cautious to take a running leap and aim for the deep water than to do it timidly and be sliced to ribbons on the shallow rocks and barnacles. Similarly, constantly communicating a desire to halt monetary stimulus and to return to normal interest rates could directly bring about the unwanted outcome by creating an economy-wide expectation that the Fed will halt any economic momentum before it even gets going. A much more cautious strategy would be hyper-aggressive stimulus to get some real momentum going, only then followed by a raise in rates once full employment is firmly established. As Ryan Avent wrote over four years ago, "Try overshooting for once. Try it!" At any rate, it's clear that the Fed is completely incorrigible on this point. Absent new personnel or structural reform, they simply aren't going to listen to this reasoning. And that should be worrisome indeed. If a new recession strikes, the Fed will be in an even worse position than it was in 2008, when at least interest rates were fairly far from zero. Today, one minor hiccup and we'll be straight back in the zero lower bound sandpit we were stuck in from 2008-15. All that's left at that point is quantitative easing, and that manifestly doesn't work very well — particularly when done timidly, as the Fed has done. Help from other quarters is also hard to imagine. After the Great Recession, we were lucky enough to have some big Democratic majorities that could pass a large Keynesian stimulus that staved off the worst. But it's highly likely that Republicans will maintain control of the House of Representatives, and they loathe Keynesian reasoning. In April, presidential candidate and billionaire Donald Trump predicted a “massive recession“ and a “terrible time” to invest in the stock market. Whether it is Trump’s incessant belief that under his presidency he could erase the $19 trillion United States debt by imposing tariffs on goods originating in Mexico and China, his claim that the United States was once “a nice country because it was based on a gold standard,” or the extravagant décor in his Trump Tower residence in New York, Trump loves gold. A possible Trump presidency could be good for the precious metal and not just because he would need to redecorate the White House in gold. While economists have balked at the belief that a massive recession is imminent, and that Trump’s economic plan could erase the national deficit, others have postulated a Trump presidency would cause a recession instead of preventing one. The next leader of the free world may or may not be able to avoid a recession. Other signs persist that a recession is likely to greet the next president regardless of their party affiliation. What are these signs and what impact will this have for investors in precious metals? Economists at JPMorgan believe there is a 36% chance that a recession begins within the next 12 months, based on their proprietary model. This percentage is a new for the model that accounts for economic indicators like consumer sentiment, manufacturing sentiment, building permits, auto sales, and unemployment. Recently, the spot price of gold has gone up based on the disappointing news that U.S. companies added far fewer nonfarm payrolls than analysts were projecting. A recent article in Investopedia attributes uncertainty in Europe, issues within the Chinese economy, debt problems associated with student loans, a not so optimistic outlook on unemployment and hindered central banks as all indicating a recession is on the horizon. Economic data is beginning to mimic data before the previous recession. Retail and wholesale sales have dropped, real U.S. GDP growth is slowing, U.S. exports growth has weakened, and corporate profits are declining, all of which occurred before the recession in 2008. These may indeed be signs that another global recession is imminent. Historically, the U.S. experiences a recession every five years, our economy is currently in an eight-year recession free streak. China’s economy accounted for 34% of global growth but is may not be growing at all. The Chinese economy has ramifications around the world, but China in isolation would not bring about the next recession in the U.S. The real issue, according to Michael Pento of CNBC, is that incomes and GDP can no longer support equity prices and real estate values. The result is that first-time homebuyers are no longer able to afford to make the down payment, which causes a domino effect preventing existing home owners from moving up. The average market drop, peak to trough of the previous six recessions, has been 37%. With a similar drop, the next recession would take the S&P 500 down to 1,300. If a recession is inevitable, then it is important for investors to understand the impact a recession has on precious metals. Historically, during most recessions the spot price of gold is inversely related to the performance of the S&P 500. During the most recent recession, from December 2007-June 2009, the S&P 500 fell approximately 36%. In contrast, the spot price of gold increased 15%. According to the U.S. Gold Bureau, the market for gold is trending upward in the month of June, going from $1205.90 on May 30th to $1286.00 on June 15th. Contrary to popular belief, gold investors are not necessarily “doomsday preppers,” but regular retail investors who are looking to protect their wealth against another loss. Love or hate Donald Trump, his potential presidency likely has very little to do with whether or not the U.S. economy falls into another recession. Financial uncertainty in Europe, issues with the Chinese economy, and student loan debt issues are all contributing factors in the less than optimistic economic forecast for the United States. Now may be the right time to take a page from Trump and love gold. Profit-ConfidentialNew York, NY, June 22, 2016 – Profit Confidential (www.ProfitConfidential.com), an e-letter published by Lombardi Publishing Corporation, a 30-year-old consumer publisher that has served over one million customers in 141 countries, is warning that three key economic indicators suggest the U.S. is heading into a recession. “After years of quantitative easing and record-low interest rates, U.S. jobs growth should be robust. But it isn’t, and poor jobs growth is recessionary,” says Lombardi. “When new orders fall, it means demand in the economy is weakening, which is another recessionary sign,” says Lombardi. Goldman Sees A UK Recession, Shocked By A Fed "Tightening Cycle Unlike Any In Modern History" Starting off the year, Goldman was prodigiously optimistic, bullish... and dead wrong. Since then the bank has cut its rate hike forecast from 4 to 3 to 2 and, now in the aftermath of Brexit, it has just the excuse to say that "our forecasted path for the funds rate now looks quite unlike any tightening cycle in modern Fed history—one increase, followed by an extended pause, followed by gradual but steady increases over the subsequent three years." Which, quite simply, is another way for Goldman to say it was dead wrong. Again. Here is how Goldman throws in the towel on the whole rate hike thing. The decision of voters in the United Kingdom to exit the European Union will begin a lengthy process of negotiations with uncertain effects for both the UK and the rest of Western Europe. The trade linkages between Britain and the US are relatively modest (exports to the UK amount to about 0.7% of US GDP), so even in the event of a meaningful downturn, these spillovers are unlikely to derail US growth. Financial linkages are much tighter, however, and here we have already witnessed meaningful effects: our Financial Conditions Index (FCI) tightened by about 30 basis points (bp) today—enough to subtract around 0.2pp from GDP growth over the next year, if the FCI changes prove persistent. A lower baseline outline for the economy as well as risk management considerations are likely to keep the Federal Reserve on hold for longer than we previously expected. Before the British referendum, we saw a 25% chance that the FOMC would raise rates at its July meeting, and a 40% chance that it would hike in September. We now see the odds of a hike next month as less than 5%—it would take a sea change in financial conditions and exceptionally strong economic data for the Fed to act so soon—and the probability of a hike in September of just 25%. Beyond September, we would assign about a 5% probability to a hike in November, and 40% to a hike in December. In other words, we still think the FOMC will raise rates this year, but probably not before December. Our modal expectation has therefore shifted from two rate hikes in 2016 to just one. With these revisions, our forecasted path for the funds rate now looks quite unlike any tightening cycle in modern Fed history—one increase, followed by an extended pause, followed by gradual but steady increases over the subsequent three years. Although this pattern would be unusual, we continue to see a series of rate increases as more likely than the path for policy rates implied by market pricing. With the economy close to full employment and inflation firming, there will likely come a point at which the desire to support financial conditions and risk management concerns will no longer hold sway. And in a follow up note released today, Goldman just cut its 2017 UK GDP forecast from 2.0% to 0.2%, as well as predicting a UK recession next year. The direct effects of reduced access to the Single European Market is the smaller of the two channels. Negotiations on a withdrawal agreement and the separate agreement on the future relationship with the EU are multi-year processes. Some businesses, anticipating those changes, will cancel UK investment. But, in isolation, this does not precipitate a recession. Instead, the larger part of the transmission operates through the effects of uncertainty about what those trading relationships, and the regulatory framework that goes with them, will be. Policy uncertainties are reflected, and perhaps compounded, by changes in the leadership of the UK government and questions about Scottish independence. We have therefore revised real GDP lower in 2016 by 0.5pp to 1.5%yoy and in 2017 by 1.8pp to 0.2%yoy. We expect a recession – albeit mild by historical standards – in the first half of next year. The weaker outlook will also weigh on the inflation outlook. As we had highlighted in our scenario analysis for a Leave decision, the weaker inflation outlook could be offset by the effects of Sterling depreciation and its impact on import prices. Yet, the latter effect is temporary and Sterling's weakening since the Leave decision has not yet been large enough to threaten an overshooting of the inflation target. Needless to say, a UK recession means rate cuts, more QE by the BOE, and most importantly, it means no more rate hikes by the Fed, most likely every again. We expect over the next few weeks for Goldman to give up on its "one rate hike" call, followed shortly thereafter by the admission that the next Fed move is a rate cut, just as the market now expects... just as we predicted last summer. There is a risk of a global recession if politicians don't respond appropriately to Brexit, former Wells Fargo CEO **** Kovacevich said Monday. "If the rhetoric … is one of anger and punishment and retribution, I think people will be so concerned that the actual results will be negative," he said in an interview with CNBC's "Closing Bell." "It could cause the market to collapse, if you will, or go down much further than they are today." Stocks around the world have taken a hit after the U.K. on Thursday voted to leave the European Union. The Dow Jones industrial average closed down more than 250 points Monday, its lowest level since mid-March. Kovacevich believes there is a way to avoid a recession — if politicians act rationally and "kind of calm down." "This is about a political risk, not an economic risk." Therefore, political leaders should work together for an orderly exit of the U.K. from the EU, with different trade relationships being negotiated, not zero, he said. The United States also needs to speak out, and should possibly say the U.K. should be invited to NAFTA and included in the Trans-Pacific Partnership. The United Kingdom was hit with a credit downgrade Monday and a rout in global stocks deepened as investors and economists confronted the growing wave of uncertainty unleashed by last week’s Brexit vote. “I still think there are more losses coming — people are still trying to figure out what this means and I don’t think anyone really knows, because it’s a historic event,” said Sadiq Adatia, chief investment advisor at Sun Life Global Investments. In New York, the S&P 500 declined 1.8 percent to 2,000.54 , while in Toronto, the S&P/TSX Composite Index lost 1.5 per cent to close at 13,689.79. European stocks were once again hammered, with the Euro Stoxx 600 losing 4.1 per cent following a 7 per cent rout Friday. The fallout also included Standard & Poor’s announcement that it was taking away Britain’s vaunted AAA rating, downgrading the country to AA and changing the outlook from stable to negative. Economists Monday predicted the exit will have broad economic impacts, from harming the export-dependent manufacturing heart of Europe to potentially forcing the U.S. Federal Reserve to hold off on any additional interest rate hikes this year. U.S. Treasuries and the U.S. dollar have soared on the latter, with the 10-year note’s yield falling 12 basis points, or 0.12 percentage point, to 1.44 per cent per cent (yields move inversely to prices). Britain’s pound sterling again fell against the dollar, hitting US$1.3121 — a level not seen in more than 30 years — as the Yen and gold saw gains. More economic harm is expected from the Brexit in the coming months. The risk of stagflation in the U.K. has risen, warned Barclays in a note to clients, predicting that the unemployment rate in the country will rise to six per cent (from 5.4 per cent) while the price of goods will go up. Economic growth and domestic demand are expected to remain weak because of all the uncertainty the vote has created. “This decision to leave the EU … will exacerbate current elevated levels of uncertainty and thus amplify already slowing economic momentum,” said Fabrice Montagne, chief U.K. and senior economist at Barclays. There are also warnings of a potential “hard exit,” where negotiations between the European Union and Britain break down, hurting both European and global trade. This issue has analysts worried most, as 40 per cent of the U.K.’s trade is with the EU — and an acrimonious split would pummel both economies. The country’s exit is expected to have a sharp impact on the U.K.’s economy. Bank of America Merrill Lynch is forecasting that Brexit will shave off 2.5 per cent from gross domestic product in the next year, resulting in a three-quarter recession for the country. “The U.K. vote will likely trigger a recession in the U.K., a slowdown in Europe and a small drop in growth elsewhere,” said economists Ethan Harris and Michael Hanson in a note to clients. There is also the risk of contagion — the political risk that Britain’s exit will create financial panic in markets that have their own strong independence movements. Europe has seen contagion before — nearly-bankrupt Greece suffers from high borrowing costs because markets fear it is at risk of exiting the eurozone (the European Union’s collection of countries that use its common currency, the euro). Other countries that have weak economies and large deficits — including Spain, Italy and Portugal — periodically see their bond yields spike whenever Greece faces a situation where it can’t make a bond payments. Ward of HSBC said that “political contagion” will remain an issue in the years after Brexit, as bond yields of countries that show a growing exit movement of their own could rise, creating panic among investors and heightening volatility. Adatia said that while fears of the Brexit have raised questions about whether the market is seeing another Lehman-type event, he doesn’t think things will go that far. The fund manager said that while he expects more downside in the coming days, eventually, when markets get clarity on how the Brexit will be negotiated, investors will return to buying stocks. Piling on to Italy's growing mountain of worries, this evening the IMF itself warned that Europe's third largest economy would grow by less than 1% this year and only marginally faster in 2017, slashing its previous forecasts of 1.1% and 1.25% growth for the next two years, mostly as a result of the most convenient scapegoat available in Europe at the moment: Brexit (which has become to Europe as "cold weather" has been to the US for the past two years). Christine Lagarde's organization said Italy was “recovering gradually from a deep and protracted recession”, but said the healing process was likely to be “prolonged and subject to risks”. It used its article IV consultation – an annual economic and financial health check – to stress that Italy was vulnerable to a cocktail of threats that could have knock-on effects for the rest of Europe and the world. The IMF dour outlook may be overly generous. While economists have been racing to downgrade Italy's outlook since the British referendum, Italy's own employers' lobby Confindustria now sees growth of just 0.8% this year dropping further to 0.6% in 2017. Italy, long one of Europe's most sluggish economies, will struggle to close the gap with its peers even if recent reforms are fully implemented, the IMF report said. The punchline: only by around 2025 will Italian output return to its 2008 peak before the global financial crisis, according to the IMF. In the same period, growth among Italy's euro zone partners is expected to rise by 20–25% above their pre-crisis levels. In other words, Italy is now in the middle of what will end up being a two-decade recession. "The authorities thus face a monumental challenge. The recovery needs to be strengthened to reduce high unemployment faster and buffers need to be built, including by repairing strained bank balance sheets and decisively lowering the very high public debt," the report said. And speaking of Italy's weakest links, the banks, the IMF said that "risks are tilted to the downside," listing a raft of issues including the poor asset quality of Italy's banks, financial market volatility and the impact of a global trade slowdown on exports. "If downside risks were to materialize, regional and global spillovers could be significant given Italy's systemic weight," it said. In an assessment that will hardly help Italian bank stocks, the IMF said that the country's banks, which are saddled with some 360 billion euros of bad loans and whose share prices have fallen by more than 50 percent this year, are a particular threat to the economic outlook, the IMF said. "Unless asset quality and profitability problems are addressed in a timely manner, lingering problems of weaker banks can eventually weigh on the rest of the system," it warned. Finally, in keeping with the tradition of having political involvement, Lagarde sided with the side of Renzi and against Merkel and Dijsselbloem, both of whom have denied Italy's repeated pleas for a bailout, saying that If EU-wide stress tests show that financial stability is at risk, there is scope for Italy to use public money to recapitalize its banks, the head of the IMF's mission to Italy, Rishi Goyal, said in a conference call. To what extent this could be done without triggering losses to investors under newly adopted "bail-in" rules would depend on negotiations between Italy and the EU, Goyal said. It was also unclear just who would determine what conditions would define a financial system under stress. Italy's public debt, the highest in the euro zone after Greece's, will not fall this year as targeted by the government of Prime Minister Matteo Renzi, the IMF said. In a forecast made before the UK referendum, the IMF said Italy's debt would edge up to a new all-time peak of 132.9 percent of gross domestic product from 132.7 percent last year. Italy’s finance minister, Pier Carlo Padoan, vows there is not banking crisis. British accountants, meanwhile, said that confidence plunged just after the EU vote, while the Confederation of British Industry said on Sunday that firms expect economic growth to grind almost to a halt over the next three months. londonLONDON: British manufacturing shrank at its fastest pace in more than three years in July and business confidence tumbled following the Brexit vote, according to surveys that show an increased chance of a recession ahead. The news will give more impetus for the Bank of England to cut interest rates this week. Falling output and new orders pushed a closely watched index of factory purchasing managers to its lowest since February 2013, adding to signs that Britain’s decision to leave the European Union is hurting the economy. Sterling slid to a three-week low against the euro after the manufacturing survey. This all fuels the case for the BoE’s first rate cut since 2009 but also highlights the challenge it faces as sterling’s slide since the June 23 vote puts upward pressure on inflation. “The collapse in the total orders balance … signals that support from the weaker pound simply is not powerful enough to offset slumping domestic demand,” Samuel Tombs, chief UK economist at Pantheon Macroeconomics, said. Inflation remains very low, however. The Markit/CIPS UK manufacturing purchasing managers’ index(PMI) fell to 48.2 in July from 52.4 in June, below an initial “flash” reading reported in late July of 49.1 and its lowest since February 2013. Measures of output and new orders also fell below the 50 mark that denotes growth for the first time since early 2013 due to weaker market conditions at home and uncertainty related to the EU referendum. The output index fell to 47.8 in July from 53.6 in June, its lowest since October 2012, while new orders – which grew robustly in June – suffered their sharpest turnaround since 1998 and fell at their fastest rate in over three years. Barclays said the purchasing manager survey suggested Britain would enter a recession, contracting by 0.4 percent quarter on quarter at the end of September and by 0.3 percent in the fourth quarter. That would be followed by “a prolonged and shallow contraction”, it said. Average purchase prices rose at their fastest pace in five years, with companies citing higher commodity prices and higher import prices, the latter due to the weaker currency. Output price inflation was also the highest in nearly two years. The boost to exports from a weaker pound was less marked than previously estimated, Dobson said. Growth in new export orders slowed in July after hitting a seven-month high in June. When Britain last suffered a big fall in its currency during the 2008 financial crisis, inflation stayed above the BoE’s 2 percent target for rather longer than expected, while exports failed to gain much. But inflation in June was far below target at just 0.5 percent, and there has been little sign in recent years that one-off price shocks get baked in to long-run inflation trends. Since Brexit, there has been no official data shedding real light on the impact of the vote on economic output. But there are signs consumer confidence is struggling, and Markit said its earlier one-off “flash” PMI surveys were consistent with the economy shrinking by a quarterly 0.4 percent if they persisted. Malaysia's economic growth has slowed but economists do not foresee contractions in the GDP, contradicting Dr Mahathir’s view that Malaysia is in the process of a recession. PETALING JAYA: There is no concrete evidence pointing to an impending recession as claimed by former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad, says a think tank. Speaking to FMT, Socio-Economic Research Centre (SERC) executive director Lee Heng Guie said a period of recession was when there was a decline in domestic demand, output and economic activity and a high unemployment rate. “Our economic growth has slowed in the past two years but it is still positive and not in a recessionary mode. He added that while consumers at large were generally feeling the effects of the rising cost of living, that did not equate to an impending recession. Independent economist Azrul Azwar Ahmad Tajudin also disagreed with Mahathir’s view that the country was heading towards recession or that it was experiencing the “first stage” of a recession. Azrul said a recession was defined as a slump in economic activities as reflected by a contraction in GDP for two consecutive quarters. He said as long as there was no contraction in GDP for two quarters in a row, then there was no recession. Yesterday, in an interview with iMoney.my, Mahathir claimed Malaysia was on the way to a recession. The U.S. economy has taken some very interesting turns so far in 2017. At the beginning of June, the Labor Department's monthly jobs report for May came out with disappointing numbers. But instead of a downturn, the Dow Jones, S&P and Nasdaq all set record highs, reported CNBC at the time. Meanwhile, the American household debt set its own record in the first quarter of 2017, reaching $12.73 trillion and overtaking the previous high set in 2008, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. With stats like these, it has some people wondering: Are these signs that we're heading toward another recession? Certain economic behaviors — such as slow job growth and increasing debt levels — can point to the possibility of a looming recession. And sometimes, there are signs that might suggest the country is already in an economic downturn. Click through to find out what trends you should look for so you can prepare for the next recession. A rise in loan delinquencies can be linked to excessive credit growth and the build-up of household debt — which are both warning signs of a coming recession, said David Beckworth, a senior research fellow at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University. Although a large build-up of debt can be a warning sign, it's important to remember that delinquencies can also rise as a result of a recession, said Beckworth. Past patterns of delinquency rates and recessions are not encouraging. According to the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis data, noticeable increases in commercial and industrial loan delinquency rates occurred during the last three recessions. These days, many people are falling behind on their auto loans, reports CNBC. And, there has been an increase in subprime lending, which is when lenders issue loans to borrowers who have poor credit. The good news? Overall delinquency rates are low when compared to historical rates, reports CNBC. During an economic downturn, states typically see a decline in revenue, according to the Brookings Institute. In fact, during the fourth quarter of 2008 — during the Great Recession — state taxes began to fall, starting with sales taxes. State sales tax can be especially discerning of consumer confidence. A common reason sales tax revenue can come up short before or during a recession is because Americans aren't buying enough goods and services that the government can tax. And when consumer spending plunges, recessions usually follow. Investor Michael Burry, made famous by "The Big Short" book and movie, noticed significant increases in mortgage fraud as the housing bubble grew toward its peak before collapsing and initiating the Great Recession. "It is ludicrous to believe that asset bubbles can only be recognized in hindsight," wrote Burry, according to "The Big Short: Inside the Doomsday Machine" by Michael Lewis. "There are specific identifiers that are entirely recognizable during the bubble's inflation. One hallmark of mania is the rapid rise in the incidence and complexity of fraud..." Increasing rates of fraud, scams and similar misconduct can serve as a warning sign of a recession — and they can even indicate we're already in a recession. In May 2009, before the end of the Great Recession, TIME reported "the number of whistle-blowers reporting fraud, theft or the misuse of company assets" was increasing rapidly. Rising gas prices are always a headache to deal with. But they can often pose much greater dangers than just forcing you to pay more at the gas station. Rapid increases in oil prices are often due to what is called supply shock — specifically, negative supply shock. In this scenario, the supply of oil suddenly seems to dry up, forcing prices to soar very quickly because the demand for it has not gone down. And when there's an abrupt jump in oil prices, it tends to hurt consumer confidence. As a result, Americans cut back on spending and this almost always precedes recessions. For example, oil shocks in 1973-74, 1978-79 and 1990 all set the stage for the recessions that soon followed. You might already know how interest rates affect your finances. But you might be wondering how rising interest rates can be a recession warning sign — yet, also indicate growing economy. To understand this concept, you first have to know what the natural interest rate is. "There is an idea in economics called the 'natural interest rate,'" said Beckworth. "This is the underlying value interest rates would naturally take given the fundamentals of the economy. The Fed's job is to try and align itself with this unobservable rate." And that's the tricky part that can cause trouble for the economy. "What this means is that for interest rates to be raised too high and cause a recession, they have to be raised above the natural interest rate," he said. When home prices and values start falling, many consumers respond by cutting spending because they believe their wealth has decreased. The cutting back can get more extreme if homeowners find themselves in negative equity when they owe more on a home than what it's worth. And, per usual, less consumer spending can lead to a recession. The Great Recession is probably most identified with crashing home prices and values. Unfortunately for many homeowners, it seems that home values are still struggling to recover. A recent report by real estate website Trulia found that most home values in the U.S. have not recovered to their pre-recession peak. This might be an unusual warning sign, but it makes a lot of sense. Many goods are shipped in cardboard boxes and containers. So, if sales of cardboard boxes soar, that means businesses are producing and shipping more products, employing workers and times are good. But if cardboard box production, sales and prices start falling, it often reflects a decline in spending on consumer goods: the fewer things getting bought, the fewer things getting shipped. Hence, the reason why European cardboard box producer, Smurfit Kappa Group PLC, experienced huge revenue losses from 2007 to 2008, reported CNBC. Stock market crashes are probably the best-known warning signs of a looming recession. A stock market crash can cause a loss of consumer confidence, and thus a decrease in spending. But a loss of consumer confidence can also cause crashes and bear markets. Stock market crashes and bear markets frequently precede recessions or occur concurrently. Some notable stock market crashes include the 1929 Wall Street Crash before the Great Depression, the 1973-1974 stock market crash and the recession of 1973-1975. It might be indirect, but there's an interesting link between declining unemployment rates and a possible recession. "There is not a robust relationship here," said Beckworth. "[But] if unemployment drops too low, the Fed gets worried inflation will take off. So, it increases interest rates. If it raises rates too far then yes — it can spark a recession." The threshold for this to occur is very technical and defined by the Congressional Budget Office. The unemployment rate must fall to three-tenths of a percentage point or more below the non-accelerating inflation rate of unemployment. Temporary staffing companies tend to be the first businesses to witness growth after a downturn, reports Fast Company. Thus, when the hiring of temporary employees slows or outright declines, it can be a warning signal of an economic downturn. You could argue that a decline in temporary jobs could indicate a transition to full-time jobs. But take note that decreases in the employment of temporary workers are usually related to cost-cutting measures. It's important to note that predicting the next recession is not an exact science. In fact, one can argue that some signs are actually correlations. Still, knowing these potential recession indicators will only help you create a plan that will keep you afloat the next time the country experiences a downturn. The U.S. economy looks fine right now, but one top * believes a recession is coming. A recession might be lurking. "Soon we will be back in recession -- a recession is coming," Peter Schiff, CEO of Euro Pacific Capital told TheStreet. One black swan event Schiff sees coming is the notion of investors abandoning the euphoria over Trump's presidency, which helped fuel the stock market rally this year. The S&P 500 is up 10.5% since the start of the year. Schiff thinks the markets could easily correct 20%.

2019-04-26T16:02:35Z

http://www.investlah.com/forum/index.php/topic,76033.0.html

It is often said that our children make the best teachers and this week I have learnt some valuable lessons. Our eldest daughter started rehearsing this week for a pantomime she is appearing in over the festive period. Rehearsals are taking place in the studio above the theatre and so we have started daily trips into Leeds. Our girls are not used to the city having really only been to Leeds to appear in their annual dance show. For them the city is an alien place full of new sights and smells, with intrigue around every corner. Yet the thing that always attracts their attention and leaves them talking for weeks afterwards is the homeless. They cannot understand why there are people without homes and without someone to care for them and they also cannot understand why people with means walk by. This week was no different, so as H and I walked past a homeless man begging at the traffic lights and I clutched her hand a little tighter pulling her on, H stopped, stood still and very firmly pulled me back. “Mummy the gentleman is talking to you”. My heart was fearful. I didn’t see a man who was lost or lonely or in need, I saw a man who might be a threat to my child since I had no idea of his demons, assuming the worst and that he was haunted by addiction or by mental health problems. However, I saw the goodness in H’s heart and knew I could not deny that purity and that charity, instinctive in her as child. I also don’t want to teach my children to be fearful. So taking H’s lead, I relaxed and let her guide me back the few steps towards him. Now I genuinely did not have any cash with me, but H had the bag of popcorn she was clutching as a treat and she handed it straight over, no hesitation. Late that night as the lights of the city blurred in the raindrops on our car window, H quietly and persistently asked me questions about the homeless. Where do they sleep? Why don’t they sell things to make money? Why are the homeless? Where do they get food from? Why do all the many, many people in the city walk past them and ignore them? I explained that people are scared and that sometimes, something so wrong and sad is hard for people to look at and deal with. I also told H how proud I was of her that evening and that she had taught me something. That mummy was wrong to be afraid and wrong to turn the other cheek, that I had learnt from H that evening. Another lesson, as I thought about the assumptions immediately made with no named address, without the right clothes, without the right look. About the doors closing in faces which don’t fit and the deaf ears falling on stories with unhappy endings and unexpected twists and tribulations. Yet the thing that left me most heartbroken was this: although 5 minutes earlier H had asked to get two packets of popcorn so that she could keep one for herself, this time as we approached the theatre, she pulled me to cross the road in the opposite direction to avoid someone sat huddled on the floor…. What had I done? I knew I had gone too far….in the dark of the night and in the comfort of our leather seats as we sped back towards our warm, soft home miles out of the city, nestled in the affluent safety of our village, in Yorkshire’s celebrated Golden Triangle, I had planted seeds of fear in a heart which had been so generous and so trusting just hours earlier. When H had wanted to know why I was scared and why I thought a homeless man was a threat to my babies, I had talked to her about addiction and what it can do to you. But as we marched through Leeds, both heads down yesterday and as I write this blog today, I am aware that I have focussed on the wrong things. I am aware that I have generalised, stereotyped and judged, all with great neglect and with a superiority I don’t deserve. I have chosen to ignore the human story and chosen instead to be led by fear. I know as I write this, that the issues here are complicated and have many layers and many textures. I know that this article might offend in its simplicity. I know it’s not quite as easy as following the example shown by my 7 year old daughter, but how might it look if our charitable efforts were more than a donation, more than a pledge made on line or over the phone. How about if we also stopped to talk to someone, if we touched someone and recognised them? If we stopped judging and just acknowledged our own privilege and that a real person with a heart and with a story is standing before us? It’s not just the homeless…if I see images of crowds and crowds of refugees, or images of starving children, I am ashamed to say, I am the person who will turn off the TV. I cannot bear to look on the pain and the suffering; I hide away from the immensity of the problem and from the heartache. I allow myself to be de-sensitised, justifying it on the basis there is just so much pain on the news, I have seen too many deaths, too many wars, too much famine. Yet I have a friend whose wife, a doctor, every year gives up time with her family and young children to travel to work with those in need – using her holiday and her own resources to do so. What if we were all just a little bit more like that? My mission for the next couple of weeks is to stop the fear I have sown in my daughters head….yet even as I type that I know my actions will be measured, I can feel my fear calling. I need to take a step up myself and choose love not fear. This is a blog for those returning to work after a period of absence. This is a blog for when you feel frustrated and fearful and wonder if you still have it in you. This last two weeks at work has been positive and encouraging in many respects, I have signed a new contract with the law firm I work with, I had my first coaching session to help me on the blog, I have done some really interesting legal work, I have the beginnings of a new online venture and have kicked off discussions with potential partners and yet…..well, the actual work bit, has on the whole been a little bit dissatisfying. That old foe of the ‘balance being slightly wrong’ has reappeared on the horizon and has been inching ever closer. Less than a year ago, this would have been my signal to retreat, to take cover in the barracks of our love worn home and to declare I wasn’t ready. But not today. This time I want to make it work and I need to find a way. I’m loving what I am doing and want to protect my new ambition and new energy. This time I am prepared for battle and I am ready for the fight, advancing on two fronts. The first thing standing in my way, is my reluctance to be that super mum, that epitome of organisation. I like our relaxed way of life, I like that I have (almost) always cooked the children meals fresh and homemade that day, I like the slow time around the chaos of running from one activity to the other. I don’t particularly want to become a military operation, a smooth running machine scheduled and prepped with Sandhurst precision. I don’t want to spend my spare hours, meal prepping, filling my freezer, packing snack boxes and school bags ahead…even when I know in my heart that it would make the balance so much easier to manage. So I ask, what is the source of my resistance? Why do I continue to ignore the many working mum hacks tried and tested to make our days run that bit smoother? It is a question I have been asking myself a lot this week and I can only conclude that it is symbolic. I have to acknowledge that my reluctance to become more organised, more efficient, is simply a reluctance to take that final step away from my old life. Being a stay at home mum comes with its own challenges but the one thing you do have is the luxury of time (it’s all relative!) and by adopting a new stricter, timetabled approach it feels like I am putting on a new badge, officially recognising me as a working mum, which is a role I have spent a long time shying away from; a role I denied ever wanting. Yet here I am, in the new phase of our family life and I have to own up that I am enjoying it. Which means that if I don’t want the daily grind to chip away at the emergence of Kerry not just mum, then I am going to have to face the reality and pick up the tried and tested tools of the many women who have already walked this path! The second front on which I need to advance, is the realisation I am just not up to speed! Working around drop off and pick up means my working days are short and yet if I am completely honest one of the reasons that I am working so many evenings is that it still takes me a long time just to get in the zone. I would no longer call it procrastination, I genuinely want to knuckle down but just moving my head from mummy to lawyer/writer is taking so much more effort than I want it to. Then there has been a loan agreement this last week that I have literally being wrestling with and it has been winning! I have felt so disappointed in myself and so cross – it’s not even been that complicated or long – it’s something I would have done in a couple of hours once upon a time, yet it has taken me days. Why? What’s wrong with me – I know this stuff, I know I do, but ugh!!! It’s making me tense just thinking about it! I discussed it with my wonderful colleague and supporter and the words were, “you are just not match fit”. Words which (I am sorry G) were a bit of a blow….even though I know they were kindly meant. But again, there is such a difference to my reaction, as I do not feel defeated. With every step forward my resilience is growing and after the initial hurt, I have actually found comfort in the words, “I am just not match fit”. Is every champion immediately medal worthy simply on deciding that’s what they want? Of course not! They have to fight, push, train and determine their way to peak performance. So that’s what I am going to do and I am going to enjoy it. It’s all in the attitude – I would have felt absolutely beaten this time last year but with a new approach, I am taking pleasure in those moments when knowledge long forgotten pops up and allows me to make meaningful contributions. I am taking pride in rediscovering old methods and processes. I am starting to believe in myself and trust that yes, I still have the skills that will get me back to my very best, so long as I keep going. About Jo Pavey – the British athlete who ran her personal best at the age of 40, 8 months after giving birth to her second child. I heard her once on the radio and in her words, she just needed to get out of her own way….She just had to believe and practice with that belief. So here I am, warming up, exercising my old brain muscles, accepting I am a working mum, putting our systems in place and getting myself and our family match fit. I have a long way to go, but this time I am going to stay the course! Bring it on! Well that’s the second week after half term done and the lazy mornings and long slow days on the beach already feel a distant memory. That’s 10 weeks since the end of the summer holidays and the simple pleasures of just being, of spending time as a family with no-where to go and no timetable to stick to, feel imagined and out of reach. Not for the first time I find myself sharing nostalgic sighs with other mums longing for the next school holiday, so we can pause again and share time, just time, with our children and families. Time when we strip things back to basics, when we look inwards, shunning company to renew and regenerate. Complete in our own family units, tight and strong together. Absolutely ourselves and absolutely enough. So once again I find myself wondering why is it that we allow our lives to become so hectic? Why do we insist on ramming our schedules so full of activities, clubs, play dates, piano lessons, coffees, nights out, extra swimming lessons, when all that we really long for is down time together at home? Even the thought of our full weeks towards Christmas leave me exhausted and already counting the days down to the last day of school. And I know I am not alone, as we all plot and plan our holidays, for half term, for Easter, for May, for summer. Each of us wishing our time away. And I wonder too about the impact on our children. What lessons does it teach them? What about the importance of play, of time with siblings, of time to be bored? It cannot be without reason that most Sundays our children only want to stay home and have no desire for a fun day out. They need time in their nest, time to rest. Yet we all defend our crazy timetables on the basis that the children want to do everything – they want to do ballet, gymnastics, tennis, swimming, history club, football, piano, flute, beavers and of course if they then ask to do horse riding, who are we to deny them?! But who is the grown up in the relationship?! Isn’t it our job to defend the importance of rest and allow our children to experience the peace and joy of being and quietude? If we teach them that it is normal to always be busy, over-stretched, over stimulated even at the precious ages of 4, 6 and 7, then what sense of perverted normality will this foster in their lives as young adults and their ideas of success and achievement? When there is a growing unease at the pressures of the education system with its merciless testing and benchmarking of our infants and its effect on their mental health, why do we not recognise that we might be adding to the pressure on them with our own desire to give them everything? In a world where wellness, yoga and meditation are the buzz words of our years, how are we neglecting to pass these messages and their motivations to our children? There is an increasing awareness that we as a race are on the path to burnout and a growing desire that we all learn to thrive and not just strive. Let’s not let our children get to breaking point before we share the lessons we have learnt. We need to strip it back to basics for our children too. Their needs are simple – love, time and care. Yes, they need other things too but not at the expense of quality time together. When your small child insists on climbing into bed with you at night, it’s because they miss you not because they are trying to annoy you. When your children won’t get ready to go to the park, it’s because they just want one day where they don’t get dressed and when they can spend time with their things. This is a reminder to myself as much as a plea to you. I’m as guilty as anyone at signing the girls up to one thing too many. Though I do increasingly ask myself if it is too much, too soon. What do they have to grow into, to look forward to if they do everything now? And what does it say of our lives if the end of holidays wreaks such heartbreak? Instead of living for another day I want us and the children to love the here and now and nothing lights up our hearts and our souls quite as much as time together. ps thank you to Pinterest for the image. pps in the interests of being open and honest, my eldest is about to do a Christmas season doing pantomime over a 5 week run. I’m am not sure yet whether the benefits will outweigh the inevitable craziness it will bring. I’ll let you know. A year ago, I woke at 4.30 am, heart pounding, staring into the dark wondering how on earth I was 40, feeling every day of those years and fearful that I had not made the most of my time. I also felt disabled by the lack of any real plan or focus, let down by my failing ambition and tortured by a desire to do ‘something’ which would not identify itself. I genuinely felt that I had achieved nothing and had no idea what to do next. Of course, this unease had been growing over time but the morning of my 40th birthday threw a real focus on those feelings and meant I could no longer hide from them. When I tearfully declared it the worst day of my life, it was not for dramatic effect. I meant it. I swore to myself that I would not feel that way on my 41st birthday. No more excuses, no more hiding from the difficult questions, it was time for action. I had no idea what that meant but I knew I had to do something. And so my 41st birthday is here and how does it feel? I am relieved to say, it feels amazing. I went to bed last night looking forward to the morning and woke up with the excitement of a small child. Not because of the presents or my special day – today I am working and have turned down coffee with friends – but because I am so pleased and proud to say that I finally feel like I have a plan and that I am moving in the right direction. Not just that, it’s a plan which lights me up and which just feels right. Other than marrying my wonderful husband and holding my gorgeous girls in my arms, I really cannot remember the last time I felt like this and it feels so good! I am not making 6 figures a year with perfectly manicured nails and a row of perfectly straight bright white teeth, I am not clean eating, I’m not doing yoga in exotic locations or posting amazing and inspiring pictures on Instagram. But that is ok. Actually, it’s more than ok; it’s incredible. I am at long last on my way! I have worked really hard this last year to find a way of working and a way of fulfilling my itch to do ‘something’ and it has paid off. I’ve been reading personal development books, watching videos on you tube, considering my values and my inner desires – things and words that literally used to make me cringe. Cringe, why? Because I was afraid. Afraid to ask myself what it was that I really wanted because then I would be responsible for whether or not I had it. Because once I identified my dreams, I had only myself to look to. I and only I, am responsible for myself, my here and now and my future. No one else is going to fix things for me or give me what I crave, only I can do that. I don’t have it all figured out and it is early days but at long last I seem to have found a way to make being a lawyer work for me. I have found my spiritual legal home and am working with some inspiring and like-minded people. Yet I am still working from home, dropping the kids off at school and picking them up. Yes, I am working some evenings but that is a choice and I am enjoying the work. I have not posted on this blog for a while but that creativity and that new way of thinking which has filled my heart has not gone and today I had my first call with a success coach I have signed up with to hold me accountable to grow and develop the blog. To help me finalise a plan for it that satisfies my creative urge and delivers value to the people who read it. So today, I can say I am a multi-passionate entrepreneur who is creating the life she desires. Wow. I cannot tell you how far away that felt one year ago! I have no doubt that there will be stumbling blocks along the way. Equally, it has not been plain sailing to get to this point – I have tried various things that have not worked and I have even let people down too (which will always sit uncomfortably with me). I still don’t know exactly where I want to be in another 12 months but I do know where I don’t want to be and what doesn’t work for me and sometimes that’s half the battle. But the most important lesson that I have learnt is the importance of action. I have taken only baby steps forwards (and back) but they all add up and I am in a very different place to a year ago and I am delighted by it! I read somewhere that the only difference between those who succeed and those that don’t, is that successful people take persistent action. So today, I can congratulate myself on feeling successful, simply because I am moving. I also no longer measure success by how much I earn, or by how big my house is, but by living a life that feels purposeful and in line with the things most important to me. In so doing I have given myself permission to be ambitious again and I have the beginnings of a long-term plan and a vision of what our future will be. So, if you feel stuck in a rut, if you don’t know what next, if you feel there must be something different for you out there, all you need to do is make a start. Read a book, write something down, do something you wouldn’t normally do, try something you are terrified by. Then do it again and then some more. It’s amazing the cumulative effect of all those little things and I promise you, that even just consistently showing up for yourself, looking into your heart and asking yourself, what do I really want, will make all the difference – be patient and trust in you. Thank you to Pinterest for the image. So, it turns out that I am not alone: 40 and with a sense that I ought to be doing more, doing something. A feeling that I have not achieved all that I am capable of. But coupled with a big question mark – what the hell is it that I want to do? What is ‘the thing’?! Which means that today, I have been thinking about that nagging feeling itself and what really causes it. If we don’t know what else it is that we desire or what else it is that we want to do, why do we feel dissatisfied in the first place? Are we really missing something from our lives, is our happiness really incomplete, or is our understanding of achievement shaped by an inability to let go of what we think other people expect? Such that we cannot shake that sense of “I am 40, I ought to have land, drive a flashy Mercedes, go on exotic holidays and wear designer clothes”, when actually, if you look deep inside, you love your home even if it doesn’t have a play room or a cinema room; you love camping and hate the idea of sitting on a beach in the Maldives with nothing to do, and jeans are just jeans…. We are externally conditioned to always compare ourselves to others; we are eternally tempted to want bigger and better. Congratulations and admiration are so easily tinged with green – a feeling of jealousy and sometimes even resentment that you won’t admit but which speaks to you anyway. Yet isn’t this just part of the human nature; isn’t this what sets man apart from beast? The will to survive, to succeed. That ability to advance, that yearning to question and develop. Were it not for the human instinct to strive, we would not enjoy the quality of life afforded to us today. And if that’s the case, does that mean we are programmed never to be wholly content? Are we programmed to always be wanting more? Is that sense that we ought to be a better version of ourselves and achieve more, simply a biological reaction rather than something real and meaningful? Do I really want to be a writer or is it just a label I have given to my human instinct to always strive, because again, as a natural consequence of my human being, I hate the unknown; I need to explain everything? If I really want to be a writer why have I not taken more meaningful action? Why do I allow things to distract me and get in the way? Or is this whole conversation in itself, just a very convoluted way of inventing another excuse not to take action?! My conclusion today is that the nagging feeling which many of us share is real and needs listening to. It must be whispering to you every day for a reason. But the hardest thing for us to understand, is what it is calling us to do and that is because of the reasons above. It is astonishing that it is so difficult to hear what our hearts really want. The noise generated by comparing ourselves to friends and colleagues (by thinking we ought to live up to expectations defined by others and not by our own wants or loves), drowns out what we most desire. And because it is so challenging to find our way, we continue to ignore and neglect that calling. I have been consciously wrestling with this for almost 2 years and I am still struggling to define my true aspirations, but I am so glad that I started listening to my nagging feeling. I am so glad I started to explore the reasons why I felt uneasy. Asking the questions themselves and peeling back the years of experience, disappointments, judgments and expectations is uncomfortable; equally the steps I am taking towards my future puts me in situations I sometimes want to run from. However, I would rather be doing something than arrive at 50 and regret my inaction and another 10 years of drift. If I asked you what you wanted to be when you were little, what would your answer be? If I asked you, what kind of one of those you wanted to be, what would you say? An astronaut – the best…a dancer – world class, a racing driver – the fastest, a scientist – leading the field. I want to be ok, fair to middling, average said no child ever. This was what was asked of me and my colleagues last week by success coach Michael Finnigan. And it is such a clever way to set your soul on fire. If you ask yourself this every morning, it really is great motivation. What if you are not the best? Of course, it begs the question about what happens to us such that large numbers are content to settle for second place and are just muddling through. That said, the idea that we should all strive to be the fastest, the brightest, the best sits uncomfortably with me. In my blog, ‘Enough is Not Enough’ (https://kerrytalks.com/2017/06/10/enough-is-not-enough), I explored the notion of mediocrity and how I was fed up of being made to feel inferior, just because I was not the best sales person, the person striving for a bigger and better house, a faster car….Am I mediocre because I choose what I have, until lately, called a small life? Equally, we are not all as talented as each other – we cannot all be the best footballer, the best lawyer, the best teacher. Does this mean we are failing? That we are betraying our childhood aspirations? That we have forgotten how to be ambitious? For me, success need not be defined by what level of management or promotion you attain, and not by the material trappings of wealth you acquire, it’s about the value of the decisions you make. Indeed it’s about whether or not you make any decisions at all. As someone who is now 40 I have carried with me a growing sense of unease over the last couple of years, years in which I had all the love I could have ever hoped for with three beautiful children. But the point was, for the first time, I had no goals, no aims, I was just drifting. I had fallen into the humdrum and was sleepwalking through life. This doesn’t mean I want to leave it all behind and set off on a path of career driven wild ambition, nor does it mean I am going out and buying an inappropriate sports car. What it means is that I have decided to live my life with purpose and on purpose. I am choosing what is important to me, making commitments to what defines me, to what I consider my core values and I am looking to live with joy and with an appreciation of all that I have. It is not enough to say, for example, I want to be the best mum I can and a role model to the girls. If that’s what lights you up, take action, design and consciously decide what that means to you. Then act, move, take steps to do that to the best of your ability. This doesn’t mean that you need to bake cakes every day, sew your children’s clothes or become amazing at craft activities, it just means you have to do what is true to you with heart. Sometimes it’s not easy to know what you want, sometimes you might feel trapped by where you are. But it’s about setting your intentions and moving towards something. Heck, even the fact that you are thinking about what next, might be an improvement on where you were. Certainly, that is true for me. What I am trying to say is that 18 months ago, the questions asked of me by Michael Finnigan would have made me feel miserable. Like an abject failure. I have not become a dancer, a famous choreographer, I have not yet travelled the world and have not yet written a book. I am not the best at everything I do. But today, I am excited by the questions, they motivate me. Not because I am the best mum in the world. However, I am thinking really hard about what that means to me and about how I might be the best version of the real me and it has opened up my world. This means I am now self-employed, working flexibly on my own terms. I would never have imagined that to be possible. This means that I have started this blog and discovered a whole new level of joy and purpose. This means I am reading extensively and am consciously choosing the behaviour and life we model for three beautiful young girls. It doesn’t mean I have to be a multi-millionaire and world famous. It just means I need to make the most of who I am in a way that makes us all happy. Please don’t think for one minute I have it all figured out and that I am now living this perfect life. I still scream at the kids, I still drink too much red wine, I still faff about the house and waste time, I am overweight and don’t exercise enough, I don’t have a robust client base…but I am working on it and the fact that I have new drive and new purpose has significantly altered my happiness. Since Michael’s words last week, I have identified this as ambition and it is invigorating. Go find yours! Ps thanks to Pinterest for the images. On Wednesday night I attended a black-tie dinner in one of Oxford’s prestigious colleges and had the company of a semi-retired management consultant. In his 60s and having worked and travelled extensively all over the world, it took less than 10 minutes for him to share with me his divorce and impart words of wisdom to keep my marriage alive. This gentleman is wildly successful and yet his pain was palpable. He was very matter of fact but his story was full of regret and also shock. As he neared the point in his career when he was ready to return to London and to slow things down, he looked forward to a more relaxed life, enjoying simple pleasures with his wonderful wife who he adored. She had borne him their fabulous daughter and had followed him all over the world, sacrificing her career to care for them both. Yet when that time arrived, she asked for a divorce. He hadn’t realised, but over their 40 years, she felt he had never really been there – always consumed in his career. She felt like they were strangers. He also feels that during the time his wife put herself last and their family first, a quiet resentment grew and the target of that resentment became him. There had been no falling out, no anger, no heated confrontations; just a slow and steady erosion of the ties that had bound them: they had lost one another since neither of them was recognisable as the two individuals that first joined hands. The heart-breaking thing is that there is still love – the couple, though now divorced, meet at least once a week for dinner. My romantic heart hopes this is not the end of their love story…. In the meantime, my new friend urged me to think deeply about his story. My new friend looked me straight in the eyes and stated the importance of keeping yourself whole. Each of us needs to protect ourselves; to future-proof ourselves for when the kids leave home and for when your focus is forced inwards; to future-proof ourselves for a time when there is no noise to distract you and no-one else is calling on your time. Who will you be then? Will you be so lost that you do not recognise yourself? Sometimes, I think that is already my problem as I face 40 and move out of the preschool years. For my new friend, it was the same clichéd story: he wished he had been able to lift his chin up and that he had remembered to step firmly off the treadmill and be wholly present in his family life. It is not enough to be physically there – you must discipline yourself to quiet those thoughts which lead you back to business and learn to really feel the joy of your family. But more than that, he had neglected the man who had first met his wife; he had been so consumed with his career that even in times of leisure he talked of little else. What was it that had first made his wife laugh? What had kept them talking into the early hours? Certainly not his latest sales win! But mainly, my new friend was looking at me. I was open and honest about returning to work and finding it hard. He wanted me to keep going, to find a way to forge a new path that returned me in part, to the woman I had been before children. As parents, it is so easy to put yourself at the bottom of the list: there is always a reason to neglect yourself, there is always a job that needs doing, always a child wanting you to stay home. Certainly, I find it really tough – blimey, I no longer get any crackling from a roast pork dinner and my favourite chicken wings are long gone! All symptomatic of the many other sacrifices. I hear time and time again the importance of looking after oneself, making time to exercise, be with friends, go on date nights and yet the watery blue eyes of a stranger, an ordinary man sat next to me at dinner have really got to me. I’m not saying every stay at home mum needs to go to work, but I am urging those mums and dads out there who don’t carve out time and a ‘thing’ for themselves as individuals, to make sure they do. For their own sakes and each other’s. I would hate the girls to leave home and to find myself floundering and I certainly don’t want to feel resentment towards them or towards Dan. I know those whisperings would come unintentionally, and without apportioning any responsibility – I am in charge of my own decisions, but I also know that some things are hard to un-hear, even if it is only your own thoughts. In many ways I learnt nothing new, but to know that something dear was lost after so long and so many sacrifices and at so late an age, well, it scared me. I have often heard the analogy of being on a plane – you must put on your own oxygen mask before you can help your child. But in everyday life it’s easy to ride the turbulence without oxygen, but if you imagine that plane journey over years, it is easier to imagine the extent of the damage done. So, another nudge: another reason, I need to push on and re-establish my career. I know I need something and yet that tug, that feeling I am abandoning the girls just will not yield. Yet I need to remind myself of the importance of my own needs. I can and will be more than just a mother. I also need to give Dan more freedom to be more than the man who protects and provides for us. I’m good at saying go to the pub etc (though I know he (not so) secretly uses me as an excuse!); I am less good at saying, go to the football, visit your old friends, take the day. Just be you. In the meantime, thank you to my new friend for being so searingly honest and open. I will be forever grateful. Ps thanks to Pinterest for the image.

2019-04-24T14:09:53Z

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This is chart that shows a double top formation that occurred right around the previous highs. The markets tried to get through previous levels twice and couldn't make it. Now the markets are selling off in what is starting to look like a downward pattern of lower highs and lower lows. We don't know if that is how this will play out, but there are some strong bearish currents in the market right now. The financial sector (which comprises 20% of the S&P 500) is under extreme pressure thanks to subprime mortgage exposure. The energy sector -- which is one of the top performing sectors of the last year -- is taking earnings hits this quarter. Exxon and Chevron both reported sub par earnings. The point is there are plenty of reasons for the market to move lower right now. I just got back in town and I'm beat. I'll post on the markets tomorrow morning. Everybody relax and have a good Friday night. Total nonfarm payroll employment rose by 166,000 in October to 138.4 million, following increases of 93,000 in August and 96,000 in September. In October, job growth continued in several service-providing industries, while employment in manufacturing continued to trend downward. Construction employment was little changed over the month. Let's go back to the latest GDP report which had growth at 3.9% with an unbelievably low inflation level (.8%). Now, lets' approach the employment report from two angles. 1.) Let's assume the GDP report was correct and the inflation number was accurate. Then this number makes sense. With an economy growing at 3.9% you're going to see more job growth. It's that simple. 2.) Let's assume the GDP report was too high, largely because the inflation number was too low. Then this report is bit harder to swallow but it doesn't strain credulity. Let's assume that inflation is restated and takes the GDP report down to 2.5% -- which is a pretty large whack. Even at 2.6%, 166,000 isn't that hard to believe. While 2.5% isn't great, it's still growth and that means businesses will need more people to do stuff. In addition, employment figures have been low for the last three months indicating businesses may have been holding off on hiring and now have to hire because they have their "backs to the wall" as it were. In short, given the latest GDP number this report isn't out of line with the current environment. This is the three month chart of the XLF -- an ETF that tracks the largest financial sector stocks. Notice the following. 1.) The ETF is below the 200 day SMA and has been for the last three months. This is bear market territory. 2.) With the 20 day SMA crossing the 50 day SMA yesterday we now have a very bearish moving average picture. The shorter SMAs are below the longer SMAs and prices are below all the SMAs. In addition, all of the shorter SMAs are all heading lower. Add all of these elements together and you get a very negative reading for the financials market. In insurers ETF is also incredibly negative. 1.) The 10 and 20 day SMAs are both heading lower. 2.) The 20 day SMA is about to cross the 50 day SMA. 3.) The index is below the 200 day SMA. 4.) Prices are below the SMAs and prices have been unable to get above the 10 day SMA over the last few weeks. 5.) Starting at the end of October we have a pick-up in volume. That indicates selling pressure is increasing. The Broker/Dealers is in a bit better shape. The 10, 20 and 200 day SMA are bunched up. This indicates a lack of direction from either side of the market. While prices are below the 20 day SMA, they're trading around the index and have for the last month or so. This isn't so bad. However on the negative side we may have the beginning of a classic downward shifting market making lower highs and lower lows. The key to this possibility is is this leg gets below $49.74 or so. Citigroup (NYSE:C - News) may have to cut its dividend to lift its capital levels, said CIBC World Markets. Morgan Stanley and Credit Suisse also downgraded the financial giant. Stocks dived on the day's news. The Nasdaq fell 2.2%, while the S&P 500 and Dow slid 2.6%. The small-cap S&P 600 plunged 4.1%. Banks led the way, with the SPDR financial ETF crashing 5%. Citigroup fell 7% to a 41/2-year low. Credit Suisse (NYSE:CS - News) fell 5% after saying third-quarter profit fell 31%. It wrote down $1.9 billion in mortgage and leveraged loan losses. Bond and mortgage insurers such as MBIA (NYSE:MBI - News) and Ambac (NYSE:ABK - News) dived on worries that subprime defaults will keep soaring. Insurance giant AIG (NYSE:AIG - News) fell 6% to a 52-week closing low. The 10-year Treasury yield fell 11 basis points to 4.36%. After August's turmoil, credit markets had generally stabilized, and stock investors had begun to act as if the problems were over, driving stocks into record territory again. But beginning last week, with the $8.4 billion write-down by Merrill Lynch & Co., a drumbeat of bad news began to send a different message. Merrill's write-down, which was larger than expected and led to the departure of its chief executive, was significant in that it included fresh financial information from September. All of the other major Wall Street firms ended their quarters in August, so investors interpreted Merrill's news as a sign that markets had soured that month. Swiss bank UBS AG followed with a warning on Monday that the fourth quarter was likely to be weaker than it had projected. Bad news from mortgage and bond insurer Radian Group Inc. and from lender GMAC, which yesterday reported large third-quarter losses, added to worries that problems would persist at least through the end of the year. First, I have to add that I love the irony of an analyst at one financial company downgrading another financial company for problems that are industry wide. That scenario is just, well, really funny. But..on to more serious problems. All of the action quoted above (financials down, Treasuries up) indicates that investors are nervous about the financial implications of credit market problems. Basically we are returning to the central problem of credit derivatives: there are a ton of them out there and we have no idea what they are worth. Compounding that problem is that financial stocks comprise about 20% of the S&P 500. So -- the largest market segment has a huge balance sheet issue that won't be resolved for some time. That's the type of uncertainty that traders hate. One of the funny things about traveling is you realize that there are certain things you just can't live without. I use QuoteTracker as my market following program and for charting etc... I literally can't live without it anymore. Anyway, let's look at today's charts from a program that I know how to use. The SPY's gapped down at the opening and then traded in a range until about 2 PM. This is when the SPYs ran into upside resistance from the 50 day SMA. At this point volume picked up and traders literally ran for the doors. On the 5-day chart we have a complete technical breakdown. The SPYs were holding to a consolidation pattern above about 153 as they waited for the Fed. That broke down right at the opening with the markets falling further as trading went on. 1.) Today the SPYs fell through 3 SMAs -- the 10, 20 and 50. That means there are three SMAs that will now provide upside resistance to a rally. That's not good. 2.) The upswing that started on 10/22 is now gone. From a long-term perspective, we could be seeing the market move into a period of lower highs and lower lows. In other words a correction (at least) and a bear market (at worst). However, the bear market is a long way off at this point. I'm simply thinking out loud on what the downtrend that started on 10/8 could be starting to look like. The QQQQs on the other hand, are still in good shape. 2.) Closing prices are still above all the SMAs. 3.) All the SMAs are still headed higher. There may be some trouble brewing with the 10 day SMA, but we'll need a few more days of data for that. As I mentioned below, the biggest change today is that bad news is now bad news and not fodder for "the Fed will cut rates again." That means the floor the thought of a Fed easing is now gone from traders thinking. That means we could have some seriously rocky times ahead. This is part 1. After dinner I'll put up some more charts with more analysis to see exactly what is going on. Wow -- just one day after the Fed cuts rates the markets tank hard. So the question is -- why? Let's take a look at yesterday's Fed statement. Traders interpreted this to mean the rate cuts were over -- no more liquidity for the stock market. In addition, there was a ton of bad news today. An analyst report downgraded Citigroup and also speculated they would cut their dividend. The ISM manufacturing number was less than expected. Foreclosures doubled from year ago levels. In short -- it was a terrible news day. Looking at the 5 day SPY chart above notice a few things. First, the market opened lower but then consolidated. However, the market continued to sell-off in a big way at the end. That indicates traders are concerned about the news that will come out overnight. It also shows there was a ton of selling pressure late in the day. On the daily chart we have the following developments. 1.) We printed a big bar on heavy volume. That's not good. 2.) The market has reversed direction from the rally it started on October 22. Also not the market did not get above previous highs on the most recent rally. 3.) The 20 day SMA is slightly downward, indicating the short-term trend is down. 4.) The market is trading right at the 50 day SMA. Today's action did some technical damage to the index. For those of you who want to keep up with the real underpinnings of the oil market, read This Week in Petroleum. Its issued every Wednesday and it has the latest information on US stockpiles, reserves and oil production. The latest report has some pretty interesting charts. First there is this chart of gas prices. What this tells us is retail gas prices are at least 50 cents higher per gallon this year than they were at the same time last year. (But remember -- inflation is under control.) Gas prices are usually seasonal in nature; they rise before the summer driving season and fall after the summer ends. That's not happening this year -- at least not yet. At this point I have to wonder whether these prices are going to impact the holiday season's shopping plans. There are two other charts in the report that are very interesting. Oil stocks are decreasing. This is the amount of crude oil on hand that is used in the production of oil based products. US oil inventories have been declining on a consistent basis since mid-summer. Why this is I don't know. It's also important to note that we're at the top end of the historical inventory range, so we're far from crisis levels. But the consistent decline is interesting to say the least. Gas stocks -- the amount of gasoline that is on hand to sell to consumers -- is at a low level. I don't know why gas production is down, but it is. This is one of the reasons why are seeing retail level gas prices so high compared to last year. The low level of gasoline inventories should raise serious concerns going forward. The figures in general indicate something in the oil market is not working as it should. I don't know what that something is -- and it could just as easily be a combination of things. But, there is something not right at present. Tech has been "the" market of late, so it seems appropriate to look at the daily and monthly charts to get an idea for what is in store for the market. The daily chart is very bullish. 1.) There is s strong uptrend in place that started about 2 1/2 months ago. 2.) All the moving averages are moving higher. 3.) The shorter moving averages are above the longer moving averages. 4.) Although the RSI and MACD are high, both have some upside room to move. Considering the Fed just cut rates this seems possible. The weekly chart also has some very bullish points. 1.) Note the series of higher highs and higher lows. This is what a classic bull market chart should look like. 2.) The shorter SMAs are higher than the longer SMAs. 3.) All three SMAs are pointing higher. 4.) The only problem is from the technical indicators which are giving overbought indicators. Remember this is not fatal and it does not mean the market is going to drop. It could mean a period of consolidation. The weekly chart gives us some pause, as it indicates consolidation might be on the horizon. However, with the rate cut, that consolidation might not last to long. It's good to know I'm not alone in my questioning the GDP deflator number. Price Indexes for Gross Domestic Product was an astounding low 0.8% (Table 4). In other words, this report benefited as much from higher inflation as it did from true growth. I obviously take issue with that (as Crude Oil crosses $94 for the first time). To highlight the impact that this 0.8% price gain had on the reported REAL GDP: that 0.8% gain matches a level last seen in 1998; prior to that, the previous deflator gain of .8% was n 1963. Peter Boockvaar of Miller Tabak observes that "with the dramatic upturn in energy prices and other commodities, the decline in the Price Deflator is obviously unsustainable. The consensus today for Nominal GDP was 5.1% and came in today at 4.7%, thus weaker than expected. Q3 GDP was fine , but not as good as the headline report reads." The average of the price index since Q1 2004 to Q2007 was 2.98, ranging froma low of 1.7% to a high of 4.2%. Thus, if the deflator matched consensus, it would have generated a GDP of 1.9%; if it was at its recent 3 year average of 2.98%, GDP would be ~1%. As odd as it sounds, the government reported that inflation was at a four-decade low in the third quarter, primarily because import oil prices rose so much. If you don't understand that, welcome to the confusing world of national income accounting, where up sometimes is down, and where sometimes one plus one can equal zero. Because of the way the government counts and reports the numbers, real-life inflation was understated and growth was overstated. The economy didn't really grow 3.9%, and inflation really wasn't 0.8%. The numbers aren't as good as they look. I'm in the Charlotte, NC airport between flights. Thankfully I have a bit of time to stretch my legs after the two hour ride in the airplane cattle car. Anyway, the Fed cut ates. Here is a link to the statement. Let's look at this statement in a bit more detail. Today’s action, combined with the policy action taken in September, should help forestall some of the adverse effects on the broader economy that might otherwise arise from the disruptions in financial markets and promote moderate growth over time. It looks to me that the Fed is attempting to prevent further problems with this action. They are looking ahead and thinking there could be further problems. Their hope is liquidity will solve that problem. Readings on core inflation have improved modestly this year, but recent increases in energy and commodity prices, among other factors, may put renewed upward pressure on inflation. First -- recent increases in energy and commodity prices? Where have these guys been over the last few years? From now on, all Fed governors must demonstrate in a public forum that they can read a damn price chart. This statement dovetails nicely with some comments I received in the previous post on 3Q GDP. Some people were wondering why I though the .8% chained deflator was too low and others offered to help find out what was wrong with the particular inflation number. All these comments are appreciated, BTW. I have several problems with the inflation numbers -- most notably with the Fed's reliance on core inflation rather than overall inflation. In a period when food and energy prices are going though standard seasonal gyrations, the "we only watch core inflation" policy makes sense. However, we're not in that kind of environment right now. Largely thanks to India and China -- and their two billion or so residents who are seeing their incomes grow -- demand for commodities has really heated up. As a result we've seen a huge increase in commodity prices over the last 3-5 years. Oil (It should read a three-fold increase. Sorry -- airport blogging is a bit weird). All of these charts shows big price increases. And no -- this is not an ephemeral argument. Recent earnings releases from Kraft and P&G have both noted they are experiencing margin hits because of rising commodity prices. If the largest companies in their respective financial areas are experiencing price hits, then smaller companies that lack the bargaining power surely are experiencing worse. Now -- back to today's .8% increase in the chained GDP deflator. Here is a chart from the current release the shows the previous increases from the respective previous quarter. Now, let's ask a few questions that build on each other. Does the .8% increase make sense in light of the previous quarters rate of growth? (This is is the previously mentioned Sesame Street test -- one of these things is not like the other one). Especially in an environment when the economy is growing near full capacity (3.9%)? In light of the above commodity charts that show commodity prices have been increasing for an extended length of time -- as in years? At a time when productivity gains are shrinking? I'm not saying the small gain isn't possible. But in light of all the previous questions -- especially multi-year increases in commodity prices and declining productivity -- the number just doesn't add up. I should add -- as I hopefully always do -- I could be wrong in all of this. I've been wrong before and will be wrong again (I thought Madonna was going to be a one-hit wonder). But the number is just sticking in my craw as it were. I have about 10 minutes. I have one big problem with this report. The GDP price deflator increased .8%? That is really low and just doesn't add up. The second lowest deflator over the last few years is 1.7 in the fourth quarter of 2006. Aside from that number and this month's number, most deflators are over 2% (see table IV in the link above). Playing the Sesame Street game "One of these things is not like the other one", that number should raise a ton of eyebrows. Considering oil is near a record level, agricultural prices are in the middle of a multi-year bull run as are some metals, a deflator that low just doesn't add up. The price index for personal consumption expenditures rose by 1.7% after increasing 4.3% in the second quarter. But the much-watched PCE price gauge excluding food and energy accelerated, rising 1.8% after increasing 1.4% in the second quarter. Other price gauges in the report showed slowing inflation [BD's note -- really? Seen a chart of oil, agricultural or metals prices lately?], including the price index for gross domestic purchases, which measures prices paid by U.S. residents. It rose 1.6% after increasing 3.8%. The chain-weighted GDP price index increased 0.8% after increasing 2.6% in the second quarter. I'm traveling today. I'll try and post on the market had Fed action,, but I can't guarantee anything. This is a great example of a bull market chart. Notice the following. 1.) A series of higher highs and higher lows. 2.) The shorter simple moving averages (SMAs) are higher than the longer SMAs. 3.) All the SMAs are moving higher. That means the short (2 month), medium (2 1/2 month) and long term (40 week) trend is positive. 4.) Notice how prices have moved through previous highs over the last few months. These previous price levels also provide a ton of technical support when prices are decreasing, making it more difficult for prices to move lower. 5.) Although two technical indicators are at or near overbought levels (the RSI and MACD) that does not mean prices are going to drop. Notice from mid-September to mid-October that prices were also overbought and prices simply consolidated above previous highs. Overbought technical conditions can just as often lead to consolidation as a drop in bull markets. 6.) There are two upward sloping trend lines in place. Today's WSJ has an article on the oil market that seems to inherently admit the "peak oil" argument. This argument states (essentially) that most or all of the world's oil has already been found and the world is at or near the highest level of oil production we'll see. Because I'm not a petroleum guy I can't speak to the veracity of these arguments (which isn't to say they aren't true). However, for more information, go to the Oil Drum website for some really good discussion on the matter. Several leading oil experts, gathered here yesterday for an annual energy conference, sketched a near-term future in which mounting global demand and shrinking supplies push oil prices well past the $100-a-barrel mark. Consuming countries, they argued, will simply have to deal with the fact that new pockets of oil are getting far harder and more expensive to tap. That, combined with years of underinvestment by the industry, has led to a tapering off of new oil supplies that will continue for years, despite rising energy demand in Asia, the Middle East and some industrialized countries. Sadad I. Al-Husseini, an oil consultant and former executive at Aramco, Saudi Arabia's national oil company, gave a particularly chilling assessment of the world's oil outlook. The major oil-producing nations, he said, are inflating their oil reserves by as much as 300 billion barrels. These amount to hypothetical reserves that are "not delineated, not accessible and not available for production." A lot of production in the Middle East is from mature reservoirs, and the giant fields of the Persian Gulf region, he said, are 41% depleted. Global oil and gas capacity is constrained by mature reservoirs and is facing a "15-year production plateau," Mr. Husseini said. He predicted that supply shortages will continue to add $12 to the price of oil for every million barrels a day in additional demand. Global demand, now at some 85 million barrels a day, was on average 10 million barrels a day lower in 1999. Andrew Gould, the chairman and chief executive of Schlumberger Ltd., an oil-services company, expressed similar concerns, noting that 70% of the oil fields that now quench world demand are more than 30 years old. The growth in global demand since 2003, he said, has been roughly the equivalent of the daily output from two of the world's larger suppliers: the North Sea and Mexico. PMI Group Inc., the second-largest U.S. mortgage insurer, posted its first quarterly loss since its 1995 public offering as borrowers were unable to keep up with higher payments after their ``teaser'' rates expired. The company fell 10 percent in New York trading and a rating firm downgraded its debt. U.S. home foreclosures doubled in September from a year earlier as subprime homeowners struggled with payments, according to RealtyTrac Inc. MGIC Investment Corp, the largest mortgage insurer, also reported its first quarterly loss this month and predicted it won't be profitable in 2008. Mortgage insurers help reimburse home lenders when borrowers don't pay. ``The mortgage insurance industry at large is heading directly into the meat of the most challenging year or two in its history,'' said Seth Glasser, a credit analyst at Barclays Capital Inc. in a note to investors. He reiterated his ``underweight'' rating for PMI. ``The speed and the depth of the deterioration we saw in the third quarter, and in particular the month of September, was greater than we had expected,'' Smith said. Borrowers in California, Florida, Michigan, Indiana, Ohio and Illinois defaulted at rates exceeding the rest of the country, he said. Anyone who is even thinking about calling a bottom in housing right now is just not paying attention to the underlying facts. The SPYS opened lower and dropped. They rallied back to their opening, but then fell again near the close. Notice at the end the long candles and heavy volume. This indicates that traders were shedding positions before the close, not wanting to hold anything overnight. This indicates nervousness. Although the Fed won't release their interest rate decision until tomorrow afternoon, traders are probably concerned about an overnight fed related development. On the daily chart notice there are six straight small candles in a row. This indicates there is a lack of strong sentiment in either way pushing the market in any direction. Instead, it looks like traders started to become concerned about the upcoming Fed meeting and have decided to sit on the sidelines until after the Fed releases their interest rate policy statement. The QQQQs are on a different track. Because they are mostly related to technology -- and technology isn't mortgage related -- QQQQ traders are looking for further gains. However, like the SPYs we see a large sell-off at the end of the day on heavy volume. Unlike the SPYs, there are a lot of bullish points on the QQQQ chart. All of the SMAs are moving higher and the shorter SMAs are higher than the longer SMAs. In addition, prices are above the SMAs which will pull the SMAs higher. Also note that prices consolidated for about a week and a half. The only problem with this chart is the declining volume over the last few days as the market went higher. However, I think Fed nervousness is the primary reason for this. If the Fed cuts tomorrow, I would expect the QQQQs to move higher. P&G said gross margins are expected to be temporarily lower this quarter due to higher commodity and energy costs and investments needed behind its North America laundry initiative, in which it is offering concentrated formulas of Tide and other liquid detergents in smaller containers. P&G said it expects gross margins to recover in the second half of its fiscal year due to pricing and increased cost savings from restructuring projects. P&G officials said they plan to pass along some of the rising costs for oil and raw materials to consumers for some items, including Pampers diapers, Charmin toilet paper and Olay and Ivory personal cleansing products. Company officials said the price hikes planned over the next few months -- in most cases 5 percent or more -- come as competitors also are raising prices. A.G. Lafley, P&G's chairman and chief executive, noted that U.S. consumers are pressured by higher energy costs and the housing and credit crunches, but said P&G and its industry traditionally hold up during economic slowdowns. Cold weather hasn't hit the Northeast yet, but record heating-oil prices mean high heating bills are on the way for many residents. About eight million U.S. households -- largely in New England and the Central Atlantic states -- rely on heating oil to run their furnaces each winter. Last week, heating-oil futures hit a record of $2.36 a gallon, up more than 40% since the start of the year. Weather forecasters are predicting a colder winter than last year, despite the unseasonably warm October in the Northeast. That's going to lift heating costs no matter what fuel a homeowner uses. Consumers who use heating oil, though, will feel the most pain. Their winter heating bill for the season is expected to average $1,785, compared with $891 for households that use natural gas, according to the Department of Energy. Unlike crude oil, natural-gas prices have been relatively restrained in the U.S. this year. But remember boys and girls -- according to the Federal Reserve's policy board, energy and food costs don't matter. Yet some investors say such terrifying conditions are a great time to start buying stock in the financial sector. Their argument: Financial stocks in the S&P 500 have tumbled almost 10% in the last six months, while the broader index is up 2.75%. Financial giants like Citigroup (C), Bank of America (BAC), Wachovia (WB), Merrill Lynch (MER), and big insurer AIG (AIG) are all trading at or just above one- and, in some cases, two-year lows. For long-term investors, the beat-up financial sector may be the best place to look for bargains. The shares of some regional banks, in particular, are at levels that basically price in a "worst-case scenario" of a recession, says William Fitzpatrick, an equity analyst at Johnson Asset Management. Many banks are paying big dividends of 7% or 8%. On "any sort of recovery at all, these stocks are really going to rally," he says. But Fitzpatrick and other expert investors warn that financial stocks are at low prices for very good reasons. Things really could go from bad to even worse. Any title that implies financial stocks are in some way attractive right now is simply put really damn stupid. There are three years of resets ahead as the chart from the IMF below indicates. Calculated Risk has been posting on the declining ABS/CMBS indexes. Home prices are still dropping. Short version, the credit crunch is just starting and won't let up for some time. Countrywide Financial Corp. cheered investors last week by pledging a quick return to profitability, boosting the stock price that day 32%. ABX indexes, barometers of demand for mortgage-backed securities, have plunged again in recent weeks. They range from the highest-rated AAA slice of mortgage debt to the riskiest tranches, rated BBB-. The BBB- tranche from the second half of 2006 was worth just 17.94 cents on the dollar Monday, according to Markit.com. Some tranches eventually may prove worthless. "It's probably not a straight shot to zero but it's close enough for me to stay fully invested," Lahde said. Subprime loans from late 2006 are the worst of the worst. Lenders, desperate to keep loan origination strong, loosened their already-lax credit standards. Home prices were at or near their peaks. So these loans started going bad almost as soon as they were made — well before any interest rate resets. Foreclosure filings doubled in September from a year ago. They are set to rise even further, dumping more homes on an already bloated market. A record 17.9 million homes stood empty in the third quarter. It could get worse. Does it look like a financial company that is heavily invested in the real estate market is going to bounce back from problems quickly? Unlike the stock market rally of the 1990s, the latest rally is characterized by strong movements in basic materials. The reason is the growth of China and India. As these two countries have come on line -- and as they have developed their respective industrial bases -- they have demanded more and more raw materials. Hence, the run-up in the basic price of raw materials and the companies that extract them. Copper really took-off in mid-2005, when the price moved from 1.50 to about 2.20 by year end. By early 2006 the price again increase to about 3.60, but then sold-off of the 2.60 level. Copper again rallied at the beginning of 2007 and is currently consolidating around the 3.50 area. Simply put, this is a very bullish chart. There does appear to be upside resistance around the 3.75 area. On the bearish side, we could be seeing a double top forming. But for that to play out China and India would have to go off line. Considering they are currently growing over 10% year, that does not seem likely. There have been two price runs in aluminum. The first occurred from mid-2003 to early 2004 when the price increased from about .65 to .8. The next big price run occurred from mid-2005 to early 2006 when prices increase from .8 to 1.10. Prices have been in a consolidation range from 1.10 to 1.30 since. The point of the previous two charts is there is clearly money to be made in the raw materials/basic materials sector of the market. And the ETFs that trade in this area of the market have benefited. The five year basic materials chart shows a classic bull market chart. We have higher lows and higher highs -- always a good sign. There are also two strong upward slanting trendlines in play. Since mid-2006 the XLBs have used the 200 day SMA as downside support. All in all, this is a great long term chart. On the year long XLB chart there is a strong rally from November of 2006 to July of this year when the market sold-off. The XLBs traded down to their 200 day SMA and have rallied from that level. However, the previous highs set in mid0July seem to be giving the index a hard time right now. Notice that in early October prices bunched up around the previous high but had to retreat to retest those levels. While prices have advanced beyond the mid-July levels, the volume has been less than inspiring -- especially yesterday's total. Also note the position of the moving averages. The 10 day SMA is below the 20 day SMA and the 20 day SMA is almost horizontal. While these are not fatal problems, they do not inspire a extreme confidence going forward. I think a heavy sell-off is doubtful right now largely because the underlying fundamentals are incredibly strong. However, as noted in yesterday's IBD, 3Q basic materials earnings increased 0%. Considering the incredible bull run we have seen in this sector so far, I don't think traders will want to take all their respective chips off the table, instead opting for selling some of their positions in a weak market situation and waiting for fourth quarter results to come in. Not much really happened today in the markets. Basically we're waiting for the Fed to do something on Wednesday (or not -- wouldn't that be a surprise). Anyway, both markets opened higher and then found a tight range for the day. Crude-oil futures rose past $93 a barrel for the first time on Monday, getting a lift as bad weather forced a halt to production in Mexico. Oil futures were also boosted by a weak dollar, which touched the lowest level against the euro in eight years. Crude futures for December delivery rose as high as $93.20 a barrel in electronic trading. It also reached a new high of $92.56 in earlier regular trading. The contract was last seen up 59 cents, or 0.6%, to $92.45 a barrel. "The Pemex shutdown is only putting a further floor under the already surging oil price, weakening dollar concerns are also pushing crude higher," said Kevin Kerr, president of Kerrtrade.com and editor of Dow Jones MarketWatch's Global Resources Trader. The dollar dropped to $1.4438 per euro in early Monday morning, the weakest since the introduction of the 13-nation common currency in 1999. A weak dollar will increase the appeal of oil as an alternative investment. Analysts said the dollar may continue to trade near its all-time low versus the euro as markets gear up for the interest rate decision Wednesday by the Federal Open Market Committee. The central bankers are expected to reduce rates to 4.50% from the current 4.75%, while some say it's possible the rate could be cut to 4.25%. Lower rates by the Fed tend to hurt the greenback by lowering its appeal to investors looking for higher returns. As we approach another possible rate cut, it's important to look at what that might actually do to inflation. One of the Fed's basic problems is most major commodities are priced in dollars. If the dollar is dropping in value this is a de factor price increase in most commodities. Additionally, as noted above, a weaker dollar encourages traders to bid up commodity prices as an inflation hedge. First of all, the dollar is dropping. This drop in the dollar is partially related to the increase in oil. In addition, gold is increasing indicating traders are looking for an inflation hedge. What makes this incredibly ironic is the Fed only looks at core inflation (this despite the clear indication that commodity prices are increasing in a year over year basis). So if the Fed lowers rates again they will further weaken the dollar. This will encourage traders to bid up the price of commodities priced in dollars which will add to commodity inflation. But this won't really count because the Fed only looks at core inflation. This would be really funny ..... if it weren't something that would really hurt a lot of people. Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson on Monday repeated his mantra that a strong dollar is in the best interests of the US, even as the currency was hitting fresh lows against the euro. "I believe that a strong dollar is in our nation's interest and also that currency values should be set in a competitive marketplace based upon underlying economic fundamentals," Paulson said in response to a question about the greenback at a US-India CEO forum in Mumbai. Look -- if the US wants a "strong dollar policy" they have to act like a strong dollar economy. That means things like exporting more than they import and not issuing mammoth amounts of new debt every year. You just can't say it; you have to act in a way that leads to that result. 1.) The gains in consumer staples, health care and possibly telecom indicate more recession resistant economic areas are doing well. 2.) The cheap dollar is leading to rising exports which is helping industrials. 3.) Consumer discretionary is hurting. That indicates the US consumer may not be that healthy. 4.) Financials are taking a terrific hit from the subprime mess. 5.) I am completely mystified by tech's earnings gains. My main thought there is this is largely driven by growth in foreign markets, although any other observations would be great. 6.) the XLBs (Basic Materials ETF) is up 30.53% over the last year and 24.9% YTD. This ETF has been a market leader this year. But with earnings growth coming in at 0% so far this quarter, I have to wonder if traders will start to consider booking some profits for year end window dressing. The same can be said of energy (XLE), which is also a market leader of this rally, up 36.25% over the last year and 31.50% YTD. After the Fed's half-percentage-point interest-rate cut six weeks ago, major stock indexes rebounded, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average remains near its record high. But rising oil prices, mixed corporate profit reports and the spreading effects of a housing slump continue to fuel tumult in the economy -- and some underlying patterns suggest that stocks may have trouble maintaining their high-wire act. The S&P 100 bounced off its 50 day SMA on Friday printing a strong upward bar. The index also rose above the 10 day SMA. The 20 day SMA is currently offering upside resistance. While the moving average picture could be a lot stronger, the shorter SMAs are above the 200 SMA which is a positive sign. The 10 day SMA is below the 20 day SMA (which is bearish), but the move could be temporary as the 10 is barely below the 20 SMA. The Russell 2000 is trading around the 200 day SMA. In other words, this index is flirting with bear market territory. In addition, the Russell tried to break-out of this trading pattern in early October but couldn't hold above that technically important line. The moving averages are all bunched up offering no clear cut direction. In short, this part of the market looks fair at best. Financials are in terrible shape. They have been below the 200 day SMA for the last three months -- ever since the summer sell-off. Prices are completely below all SMAs -- a very bearish signal. These are important observations because financials compose about 20% of the S&P 500. This split nature of the market is concerning. It indicates the market is rallying on the backs of a small swath of stocks and sectors. That means the strength of the rally is questionable. The article linked to above also has a nice chart that shows earnings growth hasn't been there this quarter. What Do the Markets Think About the Retail Sector? With the Christmas season coming up, it seems like an appropriate time to look at the retail sector. Prophet.net is a great website for industry charts. The charts below are from the site. The sectors that are doing well are the conservative sectors -- areas of the retail environment that provide necessary goods and are therefore somewhat more resistant to a recession. Grocery stores have rallied off a mid-August low and are now above the 200 day SMA. Drug stores haven't done much since early May. While they didn't participate in the last part of the S&P rally, they were also somewhat immune to the mid-summer sell-off. Electronic stores are near their highs for the year. My guess is traders are expecting a new group of "must have" electronics for the Christmas season. I'm guessing the IPhone also helps out here. Discount stores tried to rally above the 200 day SMA, but they just didn't have the juice to stay above that crucial line. That is interesting because if the economy were slowing down these stores would be a natural beneficiary of a pinched consumer. Department stores are near their lows for the year. Traders are obviously concerned about the consumer's ability to continue shopping here. Apparel stores are also near their lows. This ties into traders concern about the consumers ability to continue spending on clothes in the current economic environment. Auto stores are also hear their lows. The Mail Order Business has bounced off its lows, but is still in bearish territory. Home improvement and home furnishings are obviously impacted by the housing slowdown. Out of 10 retail sectors, 6 are below their respective 200 day SMAs. Several are near their lows for the year. Two of the sectors that are doing well are recession resistant and one is dependent on the next cool thing. This tells us one very important thing about what the market is thinking: they are betting against the US consumer right now.

2019-04-19T22:48:25Z

https://bonddad.blogspot.com/2007_10_28_archive.html

2013 was a fun year for us here at Twisted Studio, and we are so very excited for what 2014 surely has in store. We’ve been splitting our time up between our two main projects; The Underground and Tecumseh. It’s been a lot of work with no immediate gratification, but this is the year that it all starts coming together. This year we aim to release two new printed books, one for each of our projects. Talks have already started with a printer here in Ontario, and we’ve begun our fundraising efforts to help us achieve our new goals. The Underground #2: Bad Seeds should see production this year. This is the third installment in The Underground series, taking place directly after Issue #0: Unearthed. So far in the story we’ve seen the unexpecting hero Cyrus lose his home, come face to face with an enormous Mole Cricket, and finally join up with the Zealots Elite. While the Zealots may have mixed feelings about the clumsy Ladybug, they’ve agreed to bring him back to see their Queen; the benevolent Azulon. Bad Seeds brings us into the ant city of Coryn, and also gives us a closer glimpse of the wicked Hive Shock Troops; the villains responsible for the decimation of Cyrus’ home. Tecumseh: A Heroic Tale of War and Shattered Dreams should see it’s first installment hit production this year. This first part of the mini-series “Tecumseh and the prophet” will introduce us to our hero Tecumseh, but also his brother Lalawethika. Windsor area residents should take particular interest as elements from Tecumseh’s life, and the War of 1812 are all around us. The books in the Tecumseh series step away from the standard comic book format, and feel more like historical reference books. Each portion of the story has been tirelessy researched, and each page is packed with hints of days gone by. That of course is just the tip of the iceberg, Twisted Fans! We’ve got plenty of goodies planned, and we’re looking forward to another awesome year. Be sure to like us on Facebook, and share us with your friends it’s going to be an exciting ride. A Very Special Twisted Birthday! Today is a very special day in the Twisted Studio family, our youngest member is celebrating his ninth birthday! That’s right, time sure flies. My son Ayden Reaume is growing into a strong, compassionate, and well mannered individual. He cares so deeply for those around him, and understands things on a level that I don’t think many adults do. What’s more, he’s a strong advocate for Twisted Studio, and any other project his old man is a part of. There are so many days that I come home from work, and Ayden is quick to greet me with his latest promotional piece for Twisted Studio’s use. “Do you like bugs? Then you have to read The Underground!” “Be on the lookout for Tecumseh!” His faith in me is inspiring, and it constantly pushes me to try harder, and persevere. Some would say that he’s my biggest fan, but truth be told, I’m his biggest fan. Happy Birthday Chief. I love you with all that I am, and I’m so very proud of you. Fundraising efforts have kicked off for our newest comic project, Tecumseh. Dave and I have worked out a system of rewards for those fans willing and able to donate to the cause. It’s pretty exciting, and includes some fun and exclusive swag. Beyond this though, as artist on the series, I wanted to talk about why I’m so excited for this project. Tecumseh is a project unlike any other I’ve ever worked on. It is a historical retelling of the War of 1812, and the death of Chief Tecumseh. Most importantly, the story has strong roots right here in Windsor and surrounding areas. Dave has worked tirelessly to amass a staggering collection of reference and source material for the project, and it shows in the finished script. I knew the challenge presented by taking on a historical story such as this. I recognized that a typical comic format would not do justice to the legend of Chief Tecumseh and the hours of time in research Dave had already devoted. So this idea of a sort of ‘art book’ began to evolve. The book would become a veritable collection of artifacts, trinkets, and images from 1812. The ‘panels’ of the story would resemble torn, scorched, and aged pages, and the artwork would be appropriately distressed to match. The gutters have been designed to depict an old wooden table upon which the torn paper panels have been set. Coins, arrowheads, and even drops of blood are scattered atop the panels adding to the concept of an archivists worktable. The timing is perfect for this project as well, when considering all of the commemorative 1812 events in our immediate area alone. These have provided us with countless research resources, and opportunities to raise project awareness. We’ve reached out to Fort Malden, Walpole Island and local reenactors; the response has been quite positive. For these reasons and many more, Tecumseh is a project like no other. I sincerely hope that you can show your support in some way, and join us on a journey back through history. We are proud to announce Twisted Studio’s first Open Forum Night! We’re very excited about this event as it will be a great opportunity to discuss our projects, and priorities with our followers. While we plan to have several of these nights, this first one will be focusing on The Underground, and what it’s next steps are. Thursday, August 29th 2013 @ 9:00pm. Put the kids to bed, and cue up the coffee machine! We’re ready to shoot ideas around, field questions, and clear up any confusion there may be in the air. We’ve always believed in the value of open communication. This goes for families, relationships, and businesses. We want to keep you informed as to what our plans are, and give you the opportunity to offer your thoughts, or ask questions. The Underground has just come off of their ‘less than successful’ RocketHub campaign, so this is as good a reason as any to dedicate a night to discussing where we go from here. We’ve also just finished restructuring the forum to better reflect and facilitate what our future plans are. Now’s the perfect time to pop in, say hello and get involved with our little community. Everyone! It’s an open forum because we’d like everyone to come out and participate. If you’ve got the time, we’d love to hear from you. So spread the word, come on out, share some wisdom! Twisted Studio’s first ever Open Forum Night is on the horizon. Twisted Studio’s most recent project is the story of local legend, Shawnee Chief Tecumseh. It’s a project that proves to be drastically different from anything we’ve produced before, or seen in the industry. For those twisted fans who may not be familiar with the legend, Tecumseh writer Dave Rocha sat down to answer a few questions on the project. Q: For those readers who are not aware who is Chief Tecumseh? A: The First Nations Chief who may or may not have been an actual chief was certainly a well respected, literate, Shawnee war leader who brought together all the tribes of the great lakes and even some to the south in opposition to the United States of America. Q: Why is the War of 1812 so important? A: It a tiny little war that was fought between two nations that forged the destiny of a entire continent for 200 years and beyond. Small in scale and yet bitter and hard fought that ended in a stalemate. Q: Why did you choose to tell this story, why is it so important to you? A: None of the war goals of the attacker were gained. No land was lost by either side in the peace terms and the defender only had to concede one of its peace demands. That one demand was of course Tecumseh’s dream of a First Nations homeland stretching from the southern shores of the great lakes south to north shore of the Ohio River and bounded on the west by the Mississippi River. How different would the last 200 years have been if that dream had been realized? … um I mean I grew up in one of the few areas the Americans occupied 200 years ago, Windsor or as it was in 1812, Sandwich. Q: How is the story laid out? Is it a one book shot? A mini-series? Or an ongoing series? A: We plan on doing a 6 issue mini-series that will end with the fate of Tecumseh. Plenty of war still happens after that fateful day in 1813 but if we still feel like writing and drawing about muskets, cannons and war at sea under sail and most importantly do “YOU” want to read it. Q: Who are some of the main characters we’ll be introduced to in the first book? A: Tecumseh of course and his brother Lalawethika/Tenskwatawa, Indiana Governor and future President, General William Henry Harrison, his First-Nations sub-ordinate and US Indian Agent Captain, William Wells (Apakonit in Miami meaning Carrot top) will be the main characters in this issue. A few more characters that are briefly introduced will become more prominent by Issue 2 as the British Empire enters the war. Q: What differences do you notice working on a Non-fiction based story as opposed to your history of working on Fiction titles? A: Not much to be honest, I like to keep all my writing grounded in some story from the written history of humanity. EVERY good story has been done before, as long as I can surprise the reader and make them want more, I have done my job. Q: Has it been a challenge encorporating historical facts? A: Nope, I love making things my own. It may be a historical account but rest assured it will be slightly …. TWISTED! Q: Lastly, are there any plans or concepts for other stories of historical relevance? That’s all for today, thanks Dave for your time, and thank you twisted fans for checking in! Stay tuned for more information on this exciting new series, and be sure to like our Facebook page for more updates. It did not take long, however, for Prime to grow into the impressive showroom it now inhabits at Plaza Ontario. From this humble and noble beginning, Prime Lighting design has succeeded in it’s mission and as of this writing in 2012 continues to “brighten” up the lives of home and business owners while continuing to help professionals by offering quality help and expertise. Prime Lighting Design is so much more than a retail location. From your very first visit to the showroom, you will be met with a truly unique experience. Their qualified lighting specialists take great care to ensure that your individual needs are being met, that your living space is reflecting your distinct personality, all while you enjoy a calm, soothing, and low pressure environment. Through individual consultations they can help you develop a cohesive lighting schedule for your home. Moving forward, Prime continues its effort to offer quality products, services, and advice to the local community. No longer do Windsor residents have to settle for adequate lighting. With a constant focus on growth, expansion, knowledge and evolving market trends, Prime has met the needs of countless clients and looks forward to the opportunity to do the same for you. Twisted Studio has had the pleasure since February of this year to work together with Prime to create and maintain their online presence. Being a Prime employee, Twisted artist Paul Reaume has put his creative skills to work with various marketing and promotional materials as well. Holding strong to the values of working close with those in our community, it has been a true pleasure building a relationship with our affiliate Prime Lighting Design. Theatre Windsor will be spooking it up with their Haunted House held at Tecumseh Mall throughout the dates and times listed below. Theatre Windsor, ‘a theatre for everyone’, is a non-profit community theatre group. If you’re in the area and in mood for a scare, pop in to the mall and show your support. Bring your kids in costume on Hallowe’en for some spooktacular treats at participating retailers throughout the mall between 5:30 & 7pm. Suggested donations of $2.00 for admission. I was sixteen years old, when first I used the Twisted “T” logo. At that time it was a gimmick, a tag I used on my comic portfolios. Every few months I would prepare a new short story, a new hero, and a new villain. I’d prepare a handsome little package, and send it off to comic book studios under the “Twisted Studio” banner. I remember a mideval plot called “The Dark and The Fallen”, “Outlaws 3″ a western tale, and my earliest “Gallar”. Eventually, I came up with one story that would stick with me. The Underground became a favourite of mine, and of those people closest to me. Still, no replies came from any of the industry executives. Through the years, I continued my work on The Underground, achieving some small amount of local acclaim. Continuing with this series and the Twisted Studio banner, I had two books published. The insectoid story was sold from Southern Ohio, to Niagara Falls. The story was revamped over the years, my accumulated creative team poured hours upon hours of research into the title. Every corner of the buggy universe was flushed out, and we found new ways to promote it and attract our audience. Still no big break to the industry came, and at some point my confidence began to waver. In spite of this the Studio continued, and even expanded to include a lifelong friend, and fellow creative-mind Dave Rocha. Dave came on to our team as writing support, and brought with him new passion, new inspiration. We pushed forward harder than ever with the Underground. We opened consideration for, and began production on another title for the Studio. Tecumseh became our second official title, though we still had not attracted the attention of the big comic book publishers. We did however, begin to attract other local entrepreneurs. Our promoting methods, our use of social media, and our passion for our projects was appealing to others in a way that we had not anticipated. Then it hit me. Our passion for own projects has brought us to opportunites to help with other local projects. What I may have viewed as failures in the past were really stepping stones. They were necessary lessons, to bring us to where we are today. Our progress is evident in the projects and ventures that we’ve been asked to assist. This is the greatest part of Twisted Studio’s journey so far, is the ability to utilize our skills to help others. We’ve learned from the portfolios of a sixteen year old, the early publications of The Underground, and the research we’ve completed for Tecumseh. We are stronger than we’ve ever been, and the future is bright. With plans for board games, card games, merchandise, and other comic book titles; Twisted Studio is gearing up for the next portion of its exciting journey. Personally I am thankful for the lessons I’ve learned, and relationships forged along the way. At the same time I can’t wait for what’s waiting round the next corner. The War of 1812: Who Really Won? Who won the war of 1812? That is perhaps the most complicated question you could ask concerning the war. There were four major participants in this war arranged into two sides. It was a war that the United States declared against Great Britain and her North American allies and colonies. The war and it’s result went down differently for each participant. The United States started the war and it’s aim was to stop Britain from impressing it’s sailors (A war time practice of boarding neutral ships and forcing any English speaking sailors into the royal navy), stopping trade across the ocean to France and inciting Native unrest in the Great Lakes region. The States aimed to stop the latter and increase it’s territory by wiping out Native rebellion and by invading Canada. By the time the war was over in 1815, the US boundaries were unchanged but impressment had stopped due to lack of need (Napoleon had been defeated in Europe). Native unrest was quelled for the most part and Tecumseh was dead but warfare with the tribes continued for 50 years. Canada had not been conquered. None of the American war aims were actually solved by the war. The one thing they did win however was a national identity. The victory at the Battle of New Orleans convinced the Americans that they could repel a full on British invasion despite it having occurred after the war was over. Directly from this forgotten war the United States also published a new national anthem which was written about the successful defense of Fort McHenry. In Great Britain and Canada they won steadfast allies in every global conflict in the next 200 years. Great Britain lost men and resources but little else. They maintained the status quo. The only peace demand they had to give up was the creation of a First Nations state buffer zone as proposed by Brock and Tecumseh. They won due to their successful defense of the Canadian Colonies. Their possessions in North America were unsuccessfully invaded several times. The only land in Canada that was occupied by the invaders were Essex and Kent counties in southwestern Ontario; which were given back in the treaty of Ghent returning the border to that of a prewar state. Canada did not have much say in this war as it was not yet a nation but the Americans and Loyalists living in Upper Canada at the time would identify Americans as invaders that burned down their houses and destroyed their crops. Canada was not conquered by the US and was allowed to develop into the nation it is today. By the end of the war Canadians did not yet have a country and didn’t really have much of a national identity as a result. What they did know is what they weren’t. They weren’t Americans. The First Nations had a unique culture that did not believe in land ownership as the Europeans and Americans did. Instead they believed in common ownership and use by the whole which lead to land loss and removal issues with the Americans. Under the leadership of Tecumseh, the majority of First Nations of the great lakes had joined the British in the hopes of gaining a permanent homeland surrounding the lakes. In negotiating the treaty of Ghent the only peace condition dropped by the British was the creation of this native state in “Indian country”. This land was absorbed by the United States which is now parts of Pennsylvania and New York as well as the entire areas of modern Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, Wisconsin and Illinois. Great Britain, Canada and the United States all came out of this war as winners in their own ways. The only real losers of the war were the First Nations. If you wish to learn more about Tecumseh’s struggle please stay tuned to www.twistedstudio.ca. It’s that time of year! The fall leaves crunch under your footsteps as you pass by storefronts adorned with ghosts and ghouls. Costumes are everywhere, and scary movies are on every channel. Yes, its Hallowe’en our favourite time of year. Nobody knows the season better than Windsor’s own Cash Wampum, and he’s proud to tell you about it on his web series Horror 101. Recently, Dave Rocha sat down to ask Cash some questions about his eerily entertaining episodes…. Dave: Can you tell me a little about what Horror 101 is? Cash: Horror 101 is an audio podcast out of Windsor, Ontario that focuses on some of the best horror movies from the last few decades that our listeners may have missed, especially hidden gems. It’s a mission to expose great horror. If even one person becomes a horror fan or falls in love with a horror movie because our show promoted it, then our job is done. Dave: Who are some of the big names you guys have featured? Cash: We’ve attended one convention as the crew from Horror 101 and we had a fantastic interview with Tony Todd who’s best known in the horror circle for playing Candyman. He was a great guy to talk to. Very knowledgeable and a fantastic actor. Dave: Where are you based? Dave: What’s some of the work you’ve done in the past? Cash: Before starting Horror 101 I was the videographer for a local paranormal investigation group called Spectral Solutions. I would follow the investigators around with the camera and edit a video, highlighting the event. This was challenging and time consuming but also a lot of fun to do. Dave: When is your next podcast and what is the topic? Cash: We just put out our 13th episode which aptly featured the first two Friday the 13th movies. Our next show should be out a couple of days before Halloween, which will focus on a true hidden gem of Halloween fun, a great little film called Trick ‘R Treat from 2007. We’ll be discussing why you should watch that one and we’ll also share some old personal Halloween tales.

2019-04-23T00:11:30Z

http://www.twistedstudio.ca/main/category/uncategorized/page/2/

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2019-04-25T18:43:51Z

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Wakanda Forever, the long awaited. I watched it with my peeps. It was a treat, my peeps are cooler than yours. The worst part was only one person was a committed follower of the Marvel series. That just means some of us, I won’t say who, kept on asking who that random guy, Captain someone or is it Dr. Someone was? You will get upset again when you read this, yes YOU. We were in agreement with the gals though that M’baku and T’Challa were ooooh so handsome…. Black Panther was really dope for me, I wish I could have some vibranium at my backyard. My gal Jo, was my valentine. I am telling you she sent me a bouquet of flowers and a beautiful hamper. So loved and spoilt. I might have blushed. And yes, I had to give the husband an explanation lest I was chujwad😂😂. He later took me out. On the parenting front, I was beginning to think about a new school for Nate. Something was off with his school, he had gotten totally disconnected. The teachers were changing so often, I once asked him his teacher’s name and he didn’t have any clue. Not good. The red Subaru, yes I am happy to listen to all you haters after this. Well, apparently it had spark plugs for a Rav 4. I won’t sit here and pretend that I would have even know them if they were handed to me now but the man verified, I promise 😂😂😂. It was quite an active month, I was happy. I remember that. I was in a good place. January was the usual, longest month, sun so hot I got the opportunity to rock my chiffon tops and sassy dresses. Of course, I sometimes had a light sweater coz I am conscious of my arms and mummy pouch, it’s still my excuse despite my daughter being 2.6 years old. I digress. This was an inspiring month for me coz my nanny’s daughter, Cecilia got to join form one. It was a special thing to me, because her mum did not think that she would get to high school a year back, finances and all. God’s grace was sufficient as Ritings and I were enabled by God to make it possible. I remember seeing her picture in uniform and feeling so proud. This was when I did my first newspaper interview, it’s the picture here. This was a bitter sweet feeling as it was the first time I was talking to someone I didn’t know about Hubby getting sick. Did I shed a tear? Yes I did, actually two and a half, nothing wrong with crying. My interviewer was a very nice lady called Jacqueline, who took it at my pace, listened really keenly and was a gentle soul. I was grateful for that. The article came out two weeks later, of course a couple of things omitted, I understood it had to be edited though as the number of words must have been approved. It also reminded me of being part of media training, where you are taught that you can not be in control of what comes out. The one thing I wish I did better, was dress up for that picture, then again this was just the first interview, I will look dope moving forward. Yes, I anticipate doing many more interviews. I will live my dreams and impact the youth. Clearly the notion of having utensils for visitors still remains, passed down from generations. I bought cups, while taking my lovely cousin utensils’ shopping. Who shops in January?? I also don’t know. The point is, we are now in December as I narrate this story. Those cups are in the box I stored them that last week of Jan. The next person who comes to visit me, kindly demand to use those cups. You are a visitor in your own right. My sister went to high school, so enthusiastic with a little fear that she tried really well to hide. I consoled her because my folks were sweet talking and so encouraging to her, as opposed to me who was told I would go to the school I had been called to, no discussion. Being a last born is so dope. My dad turned a year older, and he doesn’t discuss his age. If you have met him though, he looks 20 years younger than he really is. Oooops, did I let the cat out of the bag? Yap, that’s what I remember about January Revs the Subaru…. I am on a journey to proper self discovery. I say proper because I am being shaken and transformed in an interesting way. Things that would never be within my radar are now what I consider doing. A few months ago, I went to Two Rivers, sat in a restaurant and spent the next three hours reading a book. Don’t roll your eyes, I am for real. It wasn’t ever in me to hang out with myself, my company wasn’t attractive, at least not to me. What do you guys see? 🤔 The beginning of this season started when my hubby was sick (story for another day). It has grown in me for sure and currently ME TIME is something I crave and absolutely love and enjoy. I won’t bore you with the details, it’s just all about me. Anyway, I have been running from writing and I have no idea why. Procrastination is another horrible habit that I have. You are welcome to come help with the policing. Mr. Police, right this way… So I am challenging myself for this entire month. I will write a short Instagram / blog post daily with my experience monthly, through this year. As always good and bad. Its part of She Life Xperiences that I hope will encourage one, two or seventy seven humans, make you shed a tear, maybe laugh out loud or just get you reflecting. Most teens in urban areas are extremely conversant with technology. Ask me, my younger sister was born in 20** well let me just say she is a teen because she will might read this.. 🙂 They are able to use phones much better than we can. They have easier access to the lyrics of favorite songs and artists, heck they even have videos real time. Some of us would have to wait until Young Nation is published each Sunday, for us to cut out the lyrics section and stick it on our Kasuku exercise book. Most probably, it was the 32 pages one as you had to buy it from your savings. It would be placed right next to your bed, at the risk of being asked if all you do is just cram lyrics as opposed to reading. Reading then was considered the ultimate. It probably still is. From a big sister perspective, I am extremely proud of her. I celebrate her, her hard work, tough spirit and especially her belief in herself. She reminds me a bit of me with her bubbliness, loudness and the belief that she can do anything. In fact, that has given me a renewed spirit. As we grow older for whatever reason, we become more reserved, some of us, and we start doubting the belief that once had of ourselves. I know I have. So today, I am encouraged by that beautiful teen who totally believes in herself / himself and views the world as the place where they can grow their abilities and faith. For the ones who attained their desires, remember it’s easy to get to the top but maintaining it is tough. Keep at it. Put in the effort and follow your dream. In the same exam, there are other young girls and boys who are like me, when I was 13 or is 14. They feel a little or a lot disappointed that they did not make it to what they desired. Dear teens, we are gifted in different categories and talents. For some, the level of grasping is fast and simple while for others, we have to read a little more. For others, talents like playing football, singing, playing an instrument, cycling, public speaking among very many different talents come naturally. They will be others. Accept the marks but don’t let it pull you down. Let it be a motivator. When you are admitted to that high school, start a fresh. Put your best foot forward, yes in education but also in the talent you have, give it your best. Continue to believe in your dream and work hard for it. I believe in you and so do your parents, relatives and friends. Believe in yourself, it makes a difference and a big one at that. I know my audience may not be teens, but whether it’s a family member, a friend, a younger sibling, please encourage and celebrate them. Ladies and Gentleman, with that in mind, I am looking at setting up a forum before Christmas to celebrate and encourage these young ones before they go to high school. Do you have some words of encouragement, a story to share? Do you remember what you scored in KCPE? How did it make you feel? What are you doing today? In whichever field, employment or entrepreneurship. This will help them face their future with hope, self-belief and determination seeing people who have made it. Guiding them and walking with them through the journey of life. Kindly get in touch with me, click here to send me an email and let’s ensure that we make a positive impact to our upcoming generations. On a separate note and project, do you remember when we used to write letters to each other while in high school? Did you have a pen pal? I remember my grandmother would write letters to us, my cousins and I, and she would send the stamps inside the envelope so that we would not have to incur any cost of replying to her. This really helped with my writing skills, it also gave me something to look forward to while in school, especially high school, on the days we would receive mail. And yes, I mean an actual letter, hand written and put in an envelope with the receiver’s name written in calligraphy. Good old times. Anyway, we are in the process of setting up a local (by this I mean Kenyan) pen pal club, a place where our children, sisters and brothers, in high school will get to write actual letters, have pen pals. The main aim is to open up their minds, writing and communication skills to their age mates in different regions, environments, school and or counties. This will help them appreciate the various parts of our country, the magical places that each has grown around, the various sites that they have and enable them to be able to one day visit and be in the other teen’s shoes for a day or two. In addition, they will learn how to step just a foot away from that computer, tablet or phone and just do some old school writing. Maybe even have a pile of letters to show for it. Are you a parent of a teen and would be interested in growing these skills? Do you have a younger sibling or have a friend with a teen? Click here to send me your details and I will reach out you. A hearty congratulations to all the great teens that sat for their KCPE exams and may your dreams come true. Continue to work hard in both your education and talent. Above all, ALWAYS believe in yourself and thank the Almighty. You can do anything you set your mind to. I have had such an interesting time with the crazy feedback that my friends have gotten lately from the “new craze” app Sarahah. Before I get into my perspective, clearly most people have zero chills. I have gone through the couple of messages shared by friends and people I follow on my social media platforms. Popular questions have been along the lines of whether one is dating, when they will get married, why they are not allowing others to be involved in the planning of their wedding, (the funniest one yet) among others. Then there are the comments that you should definitely marry that girl or get married by that guy (nyakua mjamaa juu kuna shortage). From this, it shows people are quite curious to know what exactly is going on in one’s personal life, with others actually giving you the statement to go ahead and marry them. My main question, is this based on our posts and shares on social media that always portray a smooth, fun life with successes, zero failures, lots of love with bae and all things going perfectly? And no, I am not excluding myself, I am in this bandwagon. For people who probably believe social media to be where their whole world revolves around, this is a dangerous angle of looking at life. I have been in this situation as well, until not too long ago. Remember the way you use a certain cooking oil because your mum used to use it. That’s not necessarily a bad thing because mums are always right, right? Munchkin 1 and 2, I already know your answer is yes. I digress. I totally understand how you would appreciate and love how someone you have admired. One who has set a certain standard for you, one who has achieved great milestones, getting themselves to become forces to be reckoned with at work, in entrepreneurship, or through their talents. I just want to challenge us to work towards greatness – Yes, BUT thrive to do things differently, instead of “I want to be just like you,” dare to follow your own path, be the best version of yourself. I have at some point in my life wanted to be like someone I truly admire and one who inspires me. And until about a year ago, I wanted to do so many things as they had done them, heck I wanted my career to grow like them, to have my own home at the age that they had theirs, wanted to do my wedding in a similar way. I actually wanted to be just like them (this might have required going round the mugumo tree seven times, If this even works, anyone tried??). They were role model, they still are! I would never have been exactly like them. I can however, be the best version of myself. Learn from others, consult, read wisely, network, travel and expose yourself to the many opportunities and experiences that are available. Be inspired by the people who you consider exemplary, successful, those who have such an organized way of doing LIFE so to speak. However, open up your mind to different ways of getting there, heck your limit can be a different type of sky. Have that uniqueness that differentiates you from everyone else. Allow yourself to move from a Copy Paste situation into your own way of getting to the proverbial TOP. As I am about to leave, the other one that this app has brought out is matters regarding depression. An example of a message speaking about depression. A couple of us have gotten it asked or commented about on this platform. This is a very crucial matter that I would like to join hands with friends, who would be free to speak about it,to start a sort of group, a safe space that can help. It has happened to many of us, it can get really dark, but you can also get out of it. Friends willing to partner, hit me up. Finally the day has come to introduce my princess, my munchkin 2, Papa’s lookalike, the one who made me embrace pink. I remember how I found out I was with child. I would like to say it was planned and we totally knew when it happened, but that would not be true. The smell of my colleague’s designer perfume would automatically induce throwing up. And the issue was me, not the perfume. I would not even hold anything down. It was not a surprise though, as I experienced a similar thing with munchkin 1. One of my favorite memories of pregnancy was a friendship that humbled me. I will call her Miss Star. Miss Star would offer to give me her lunch or buy me lunch as long as it meant I would eat. And more importantly, that it would stay down. In fact she would sometimes ask what I wanted the next day and make it for me. This was a time where the smell of onions was terrible. It was at her cost. And she would almost pick a stick to beat me, to ensure I finished the food. That is how my munchkin got to 2.9kilos. The best craving I had was Java fruits with yogurt. I remember the first day her dad saw her in my tummy, when he accompanied me for one of the scans. He was extremely quiet. For those who know him, he is so chatty. This brought him to silence. At the point that we knew it was a girl, he at first felt unsure. He finally spoke. And he wanted a boy. I on the other hand was totally excited. I finally saw the hair dates, dress up and girl power. But clearly I had not seen the colors. When it came to shopping, I found it a challenge as I was so used to buying boy stuff. In addition, pink just wasn’t working for me, to the point that my friends got me a purple cake for my baby shower. Too cute. I digress. So back to shopping, two of my friends ensured I stayed away from blue and brown. As I continued to shop, the excitement grew and the reality of a girl finally settled in my mind. And I liked it, scratch that I loved it. Fast forward to delivery day, I was induced and felt encouraged that the second born would come out faster. Being the princess she is, she changed her position last minute and put her hand in front of her face. Don’t ask. It had to be an emergency C section. That was hard for me to reconcile with at first. I thank God it worked out because she had her cord wrapped around her neck thrice. Her father saw her first and I remember that’s where she got the nickname Papa’s look alike. And even though it’s hard to tell who the baby looks like on the first day, she did grow to be exactly that. I am so grateful for the Mister. He really helped with so much as the wound that felt like my upper body was completely disconnected from my lower body, healed. The sweetest thing was how he would come home to help bath her. And he would hold her close to the mirror, with their faces next to each other, and say for the umpteenth time, how alike they looked. He actually enjoyed doing it, other than pouring out the water from her basin afterwards, lol. The little princess had colic. She would cry and curl herself. This would sometimes drive me insane. I remember thinking I was getting depressed as I found myself feeling like I was going to put her down and walk away. This was after trying everything and she still would not stop crying. I would give her Bonnisan like it was juice. Thank fully great help from the nanny and the mister got us past it. Truly nothing ever lasts forever. Every day it went fading off until one day we realized she does not cry as much anymore. Today, I stare at a beautiful ten month old young girl, who loves herself like her dad, mum and brother combined. How dramatic she acts when she falls back on the seat from sitting to sleeping position. And especially considering it is not at all painful. I am proud as she is now getting independent. Now other people can carry her and she will not wail. She works well with out of sight, can watch cartoons, pinch her brother, laughs from deep within and has such beautiful eyes (those must be like her mum’s). She feeds really well but I have no idea where the weight goes to. One tooth is slowly popping out, but her toothless smile was so heartwarming. I will miss it. Her first word, wait for it, Baba. Did I say she eats her tongue like her mum? Ok. There we have it. Munchkin 2, the princess. In the early morning cold I couldn’t help breathing in the air and enjoying its freshness. The fact that it is a gift, that no amount is required to enjoy it, is rarely what people walking or driving to the office would think of. Sometimes, the hustles of life can make us forget that life is not guaranteed, that we are not special to be able to see this day, that it’s by the grace of the Almighty that we can walk, talk, see, hear and feel. Late last year, we went to a friend’s house to celebrate his first daughter, Shiru’s, birthday, as well as an addition to his family, his four months old second born, Jena. We had a great time at the party, children played while parents and friends caught up on their progress in life. At the end of the day, we thanked the parents for hosting and wished both girls the very best in life. On Monday last week, my friend and colleague Gerald, showed us pictures of his now eleven month old and mentioned how much she made him happy, how he loved her and how adorable she was. The gift of parenthood is so amazing, I thought as I fondly thought of my son as well. Little did we know that this was his instinct communicating a message. Two days later, his beautiful baby girl collapsed. Luckily, the nanny quickly called her mum, who wasn’t too far. She ran up the stairs and when she got into the house, one sight of her little baby girl and she knew things were bad. The mouth to mouth resuscitation, that she had been taught by a doctor, a while back ensured the baby was breathing, as a cab driver rushed them to hospital, where the father met them as soon as he could. The little one was admitted in hospital and was stabilized, but a day later her condition got worse. After analysis and scans, the doctors found that she had suffered a subdural hematoma, (a collection of blood outside the brain, under the skull), a term that I had previously only heard in medical shows. As the blood accumulates, the pressure on the brain increases. This led to an emergency surgery to drain out the blood. Baby Jena woke up well and began to take medication. She was in the High Dependency Unit at the Paediatric section, of the Aga Khan Hospital, Nairobi. As we speak almost two weeks later, this young little angel is now well into the road of recovery, with the kicking of her legs and responding to her name, a very emotional and grateful moment. Jena was moved from HDU to the normal ward on Wednesday afternoon. The constant prayers and visits by family and friends has held this family together and given them hope at one of the most difficult times. As Jena continues to recover at the Aga Khan Hospital, there is need to begin to raise funds towards a bill of over Kshs. 700,000. Having seen Jena smile and play, I would like to work towards ensuring that she is able to fully recover and that her parents are able to come out of this challenge victorious. However, they are not able to raise this amount of money, on their own. It is in this regard, that I would like to request for my family, friends and the community at large, to assist me in helping clear baby Jena’s bill. I would like to commit to running of errands, service at an event for both individuals or an organization, any chores, cleaning, planting, whatever is within my capability, that I can be able to do during this Easter season, for any donation that is available to assist my little niece and her parents to walk out of the hospital, hopefully next week, and continue the recovery process at their home. Let us help Jena, her sister Shiru, and her parents, Gerald and Schola continue to live and celebrate her turning one year this April, without this heavy load of Kshs. 700,000 plus on their shoulder. One thing I look forward to. is the day Jena will share her story with the world, of how she truly is a miracle baby, and with the assistance of well wishers, family and friends, she was able to make it out of hospital without owing a single cent. My appeal to Safaricom and Airtel Kenya would be to kindly give us a Paybill number that would enable well wishers to directly transfer funds into. A special thank you to the Doctors and Nurses, at the Aga Khan Hospital in Nairobi, for all their hard work and assistance towards the full recovery of Jena Muthoni. For any clarifications, kindly reach me on 0721415356.

2019-04-24T14:26:02Z

https://shelifexperiences.wordpress.com/category/uncategorized/

Find out why thousands of people like you are supporting Crowd Energy! How will this make my life better? What if you did not have to conserve energy? What if there was more energy than you could use? What if this new energy was cheap? What if this new energy did not fill your air with choking smog, your oceans with giant oil spills, and your drinking water with toxic chemicals? Homes, vehicles, factories all powered by Clean Renewable Ocean Energy. Imagine the joy of using as much energy as you need without the guilt attached of harming the environment. Now imagine how much better the lives of future generations will be because we stopped polluting the planet that they will inherit. These are the goals we are working toward but we need your help. We are asking you to do your part by enabling us to provide you and your family with a cleaner, smarter, more reliable, source of energy. The Ocean Energy Turbine is the first commercially viable clean renewable energy source that has the potential to compete with and eventually replace fossil fuels and nuclear energy dependence. Crowd Energy is a small collection of Engineers, Inventors, and Scientists. We have specialists in SubSea Engineering, Oceanography, Marine Ecology and Conservation, Electrical Engineering, Fabrication and Design. “Imagine nerds in wetsuits and flippers…” We have the experience, the technology, and the expertise to make this project a success. It has been our experience that the Corporate Investment, while easy to obtain, usually comes with hidden agendas. We are dedicated to making this project a reality without being bought and shelved by a competing energy provider offering lucrative funding. This is our main reason for looking to Crowdfunding until we are large enough to fight our own battles. We are in it for the science and the promise of clean limitless energy. We hope that you will be involved for the same reasons. I just donated to Crowd Energy because I had always wanted to do something to move the world away from oil and gas. I felt like the team at Crowd Energy was doing the right thing for the right reasons and I wanted to be part of that. We are destroying this planet with fossil fuels and anything I can do to help change that is a step in the right direction. Im excited to see this take off and Im a proud donor. As an early supporter I believe if we work together we can make this happen. An ocean full of clean energy and a plan to capture it, how could I resist. I make a point to tell everyone I meet about the project and why its so important. Giant Turbines on the seafloor that make clean electricity and fresh water, im completely geeking out over this. My home and electric car could one day be powered by the ocean, the future is now, and Im In! Skip the latte and dig the change out of your sofa, its time for everyone to support this project. I see so many useless things get crowdfunded and this was the first project worth donating to. I wish I had more to give. What do I get for Supporting Crowd Energy? Depending on what donation level you choose there are some amazing perks, including Crowd Energy Team Member shirts, jackets, hats, and other exclusive gear. You will also get exclusive Crowd Energy news and updates before anyone else. Most importantly you will get the satisfaction that you are directly responsible for developing a technology that could greatly reduce pollution and end the world dependence on fossil fuels and nuclear power. You will earn a permenent place in history as an individual who was willing to make a difference! Ok Im Intrested – Tell me more! • Can we actually replace Fossil Fuel and Nuclear Energy? • Where does all of this energy come from? • Why didn’t I know about all this energy? • Are you replacing Solar and Wind Power too? • Don’t we already have Hydropower from dams? • How would this help Humanity? • And they make fresh drinking water? • Are you going to put Wind Turbines on the Sea Floor? • How do the Turbines work? • Laminar Flow Test Tank? • How will you collect Data? • Where will the prototype be built and tested? • Maintenance and Sea Growth? Crowd Energy runs on Donations from caring people like you! Please Donate Here! When most people think of clean renewable energy, they think about solar panels first and wind turbines second. This is because wind and solar are the most easily accessible forms of renewable energy, so as a result they are the most common. Wind and solar energy have a number of applications where they excel but they are not a realistic solution to replacing Fossil Fuel and Nuclear Energy because they do not meet the criteria. Can we actually replace Fossil Fuel and Nuclear Energy? To replace Fossil Fuels and Nuclear Energy, a renewable energy source must meet four basic criteria. 1. Near limitless supply of energy – Energy that will not run out in the next 1000 years and comes from a source that has existed for the last 1000 years. 2. A constant even supply of energy – No periods of non-production , no spikes in production, no movement in energy location. 3. High energy density – Energy can be collected at one location with realistic commitment of technology and resources. 4. Survivability – Energy supply and collection is not disrupted by storms, natural disaster, war, etc. Ocean Current Energy is the only form of renewable non-polluting energy that meets all of these requirements and it is the only energy source with the potential to replace Fossil Fuel and Nuclear Energy. Where does all of this energy come from? Why didn’t I know about all this energy? It is not common knowledge. Very few people have spent extended periods of time on the sea floor. The people who truly understand ocean currents and have experienced their force first hand is a very small group of scientist and sub sea engineers. One of our biggest obstacles has been peoples lack of knowledge about the energy potential of ocean currents. One of our goals is to educate the world about the fact that the ocean is not still, it is an eternally moving flow of water and a near limitless source of clean renewable energy. Are you replacing Solar and Wind Power too? No.. We are big supporters of solar and wind power when installed in appropriate locations, but if the sun is not shining or the wind is not blowing you are not generating electricity. Ocean currents are always flowing at a constant velocity and ocean current turbines are always generating electricity at a steady even rate. Ocean currents provide reliable consistent energy. One issue with wind power is the light obstruction, noise, and vibration when wind turbines are located too close to populated areas. We have an advantage here because our ocean turbines run almost silent and no one will see them or hear them when they are installed on the sea floor. Invisible reliable energy. Don’t we already have Hydropower from dams? If you add up all the rivers that flow to the Atlantic Ocean you get 0.6 Million cubic meters per second of potential Hydropower in the US. The Gulf Stream by comparison reaches 150 Million cubic meters per second of potential Hydropower from its Ocean Currents. Now take into consideration that the flow of the Gulf Stream is a small fraction of the global Ocean Currents. The truth is, there is more power in Ocean Currents than we as humans could ever use, and this is a clean, non-polluting, eternal, renewable energy. It is time for us to make use of this limitless energy and end our dependence on Fossil Fuels and Nuclear Energy. We have the technology and we have the experience to make this a reality, but we need your help to make it happen. How would this help Humanity? The main benefit is to reduce pollution from Fossil Fuels and potential multi decade long contamination from Nuclear Energy. Ocean Current Energy is not going to put giant pools of oil in your ocean, and its not going to fill caves with leaking barrels of Nuclear sludge. The second major benefit is to greatly reduce carbon emission and global warming. There are less obvious benefits, like not having to go to war with our neighbors to protect our oil supply, and not having to rely on our neighbors for our oil supply. Ocean Currents not only represent energy independence, but they also represent energy reliability. Ocean Current Turbines are well protected sitting on the sea floor from dangers like Hurricanes, Typhoons, Tsunamis, Terrorist attacks, EMP from Solar Flares, etc.. We have a number of versions of the production scale design. One of the most interesting is a portable Ocean Turbine in a towable space frame that can be easily moved to a location off the coast of an area ravaged by natural disaster or war. This autonomous unit can be dropped to the sea floor and almost instantly provide a source of power and bottle quality drinking water for the affected area. And they make fresh drinking water? Are you going to put Wind Turbines on the Sea Floor? No, my friend.. That is a bad idea for a number of reasons; Thin cross section propellers commonly associated with wind turbines are designed for low energy density, high speed energy collection. They are an obvious choice but not a smart choice. We started from scratch to design a very high torque, very low rotational speed turbine that would be optimized for collecting Ocean Current Energy. One of our turbines can collect as much energy as thirty propeller style turbines in the same footprint. Our turbine is also optimized for Marine Conservation, because it has a specific acoustic signature and moves slower than the local marine life, allowing them time to swim around it. The turbine is composed of three sets of blades. The blades close when they are moving in the same direction as the flow of water. When the blades close they create an obstacle that the water has to push out of its path of flow. When water pushes on the closed blades it causes the main shaft and generator to rotate. This rotational energy is collected in the form of electricity from the generator. When the blades are moving in the opposite direction as the flow of water they open. When the blades open they create minimal drag in the oncoming flow of water. This design creates very high surface area and drag on the power stroke side of the turbine while creating very low surface area and drag on the returning side. This design has proven to be the most efficient for collecting ocean currents. The Laminar flow test tank will be 10? x 20? x 5?deep with an over tank work platform and a 30? x 60? viewing window in the side. The test tank will be built from a steel square tube frame lined with multiple layers of marine plywood and coated with a liquid rubber membrane. After pricing a number of “prebuilt” test tanks, we decided to build our own tank to conform to our limited budget. The water flow in the tank is generated by four 5hp pumps arranged to turn half of the tank into a eductor, so we can use a small fast flow of water to circulate a large volume of water in the tank. Once again, the improvised eductor arrangement was decided on to fit the budget. The tank will be built where it can be transported by Semi truck, and when we have completed using it for testing, we will donate it to the Florida Atlantic University Southeast National Marine Renewable Energy Center. The data collection and control will be analog / digital interface to a custom LabView application. If funds allow we will output real-time data to our website with a special page for monitoring turbine output. Where will the prototype be built and tested? At the moment we are being provided a workspace by a local manufacturer in Zephyrhills Florida, and while small, it is adequate for construction of the turbine prototype and test tank. As we grow we will need to look for a warehouse space near Florida Atlantic University and in close proximity to the Atlantic Ocean. We have been asked to provide additional technical details about the turbine and generator. We will be updating this section with ongoing specs and data. Eco Friendly Generator: The generator module has been specifically designed for the Ocean Energy Turbine. It is the result of eight years of research and testing. Its primary goal is to not create any negative impact on the marine environment. The second goal is to reach the maximum possible efficiency while providing decades of reliable service in a harsh ocean environment. To achieve these goals required development of new technology. Magnetically Shielded – The Ocean Energy Turbine’s generator is designed to be completely magnetically shielded. This shielding prevents the generator from producing any rotating magnetic fields or transverse electromagnetic radiation that could affect the surrounding marine environment. The power transmission lines are also shielded to prevent electromagnetic radiation. Every effort has been made to ensure the protection of the environment. Direct drive – By designing around direct drive technology we have greatly reduced the number of moving parts and greatly increased long term reliability. Direct drive drastically reduces service and maintenance intervals resulting in reducing potential down time. Direct drive is also an average of 30% more efficient than conventional transmission and variable torque power generation. Harmonic Damping – The Ocean Energy Turbine’s generator is designed to have one moving part that is precision balanced for the reduction of harmonic vibration. The absence of brushes, commutators, clutches, gears, and transmissions in the generator design allow the generator to produce maximum power without producing vibrations “noise” that could disturb the marine environment. CrowdEnergy is in the process of filing a number of additional patents covering technologies that are unique to the Ocean Energy Turbine and its generator. Q: What is the cost of one of those turbines to build and put into water? A: Crowd Energy would feel more comfortable answering that once we build the mid size turbine and install it at FAU. Q: Do you anticipate the cost of laying and maintaining power lines to these generators being prohibitive, especially with the corrosive effects of salt water? A: Not at all. The power transmission technology is the same as use by offshore wind farms which is an existing proven technology. We aren’t rebuilding the car, just the engine. Q: How are you able to finance such a massive project if your are not supported by the government or a large company? A: We are building and installing the medium sized production turbine at the Florida Atlantic Open Water Test Station that will allow us to attract enough investment interest to fund construction of the first full size production turbine. At that point we will need government / corporate funding. Q: How will you discourage growth and debris from being caught or jamming the turbines. A: In the past 10 years there have been great advancements in anti-biofouling non toxic mating coatings for materials susceptible to corrosion.One such coating is nano-carbon composite that creates a surface that marine organisms can not efficiently attach to. The only part of the turbine that will not be in constant motion will be the base column and it will be subject to marine encrustation. The base column becoming encrusted with marine organisms will not produce any negative effects on the operation of the turbine. Remember, we’ve been in the subsea business for quite a long time, this is all proven technology. Q: How do the materials stand up to the corrosion factors in the salt environment. Anything in the ocean eventually gains critters or debris on it, how does your material choices hold up to 5-10 years down the line? A: The majority of the components used in the production scale turbines will be non corrosive metals and high performance composite fiber. We are selecting proven materials that should provide for a minimum 25 year lifespan. However, It will last much longer with proper maintenance. Q: What degree and frequency of maintenance do you foresee for these units? A: Most of the systems on the turbines have been simplified to require as little maintenance as possible. Each blade module is composed of the blade, blade shaft, blade bearings, and blade bearing cups. Each blade module can be ejected and replaced by ROV. This system allows for almost all of the wear surfaces to easily be replaced in the field by robotics. Q: What’s the lifespan on the turbine while in use in the ocean. How do they stand up to sea life and disasters like oil spills and hurricanes? A: The turbines will be designed for a minimum 25 year lifespan. In regards to any outside variables, the turbines are installed at a depth that is completely unaffected by surface storms such as hurricanes and typhoons and surface debris like oil spills. Remember, these turbines are on the ocean floor, nowhere near the surface. A: All the coatings we use are state of the art non toxic marine coatings. Objects moving at greater than 4 knots typically do not suffer from marine organism encrustation. Marine organisms need a low water velocity in which to effectively attach to an object with their biological cement. The only part of the turbine that will not be in constant motion will be the base column and it will be subject to marine encrustation. The base column becoming encrusted with marine organisms will not produce any negative effects on the operation of the turbine. Q: How about seaweed? I have seen on the beaches and oceans of Florida and other states some pretty gnarly seaweed, long and strong that could easily wrap around your turbines and stop, maybe even damage them. Are they immune to this, or are you guys thinking of putting a fence around it to protect it against larger debris like that? A: No worries, a megawatt scale turbine would not be stopped by seaweed. We are working with marine conservationist to select areas where there is very little marine life and flat sandy bottoms. Additionally, the high velocity zones where we collect the most energy are usually devoid of marine life. Q: Have you done any long term testing in the ocean? If so was there any problems with bivalve, sea weed, algae, of similar stuff growing on the turbines? Q: How will you deal with bio-fouling (filamentous algae getting trapped in vents, barnacle/mussel/drill worm/algae growth, etc.)? I know scientists who have been working with biofilms & preventing growth on ships but don’t know if that research is useful for your project. A: In the past 10 years there have been great advancements in anti-biofouling non toxic mating coatings for materials susceptible to corrosion. One such coating is nano-carbon composite that creates a surface that marine organisms can not efficiently attach to. A: We will be able to slow down and stop the turbine to do any maintenance. Additionally, the ROV’s can be tethered to the turbine during maintenance if needed. Q: What process and mechanisms have you designed for recovery and recycling of failed or spent Ocean Energy Turbines? How would including the cost of “disposal” after use affect the cost of the Ocean Energy Turbine, in particular as compared with the as yet unincluded cost of environmental harm in fuel-generated power. A: The Ocean Energy Turbine is modular in design so each component is replaceable as needed. The Ocean Energy Turbine is also composed mostly of metals and composite fiber, both of which are 100% recyclable. Currently we are currently working with a company in the development of 100% electric support / maintenance boats. Q: Question about the basic design, as compared to other, axial-flow turbines: Are you worried about flotsam and small animals getting stuck between the louvers and preventing them from completely closing? Will the final version incorporate sensors to detect this? A: This will not be a problem. The production turbines will have a very large gap ( 4 meters / 13 feet) between blades when the blades are open. Also, 99.9% of all sea life would be able to pass through the open blades unharmed. The turbine rotates at the same speed as the current so for a marine creature to get stuck between blades would require that creature to deliberately maintain a position between the ballads as they were closing. Additionally as the blades close they produce a positive pressure ahead of the blades which would push out ( self clean ) anything between the blades as they were closing. Q: What are you doing to isolate your steel ball bearings from your aluminum frame? I can see that most of the parts are aluminum, but how will those not get gunked up in seawater. Is 6061 anodized the best choice for a corrosive environment? A: All dissimilar metals are isolated with a dielectric coating. Aluminum was the best choice for prototyping the test turbine. Larger turbines will be mostly stainless and composite. Q: Could these turbines be scaled to a size which could be attached to the hull of a ship below the waterline and reclaim part of the energy used to propel the ship? Q: How much energy does a turbine produce per hour/day/month? A: It Varies. For example an Ocean Energy Turbine with a 30 Meter blade span in 3 Meter per second flow will produce 13.5 Megawatts and power 13,500 average american homes. Q: What size is the generator of the current model? A: The first prototype is 52” in diameter. The production turbine will have 30 meter blades. There will be a number of different sizes of turbines for specific applications. Q: What is the anticipated capacity factor? A: the capacity factor will be very high because ocean currents produce a consistent flow 24 hours per day. The Turbine will operate at near full capacity all of the time. Q: What size generator do you hope to build in the “production” type model? Q: What is your goal in terms of $/MWhr, and what is your plan to get it there? Q:How will you transfer the energy from the turbine to the shore then to homes? A: Subsea power transmission cable manufactured by ABB to a shore base grid tie connection will transfer the power. Siemens and ABB have existing technology to safely transmit utility scale electricity underwater to shore. It is a product used in offshore wind farms. The shore grid tie system consists of grid tie inverters and output metering – all existing technology. Q: How does your prototype compare to other ocean energy prototypes currently under development? A: Our limited competition in the field of ocean energy has mostly tried to adapt existing wind turbine technology (propellers) to the marine environment. As water is 1000 times more dense than air, this has resulted in designs that are not optimized for collecting high density ocean energy, nor friendly to the marine environment. We decided to use our collective experience in the marine environment to design a turbine that was specifically optimized for collecting high density energy from ocean currents, while not damaging the marine environment. Our optimized high surface area design will allow us to collect up to thirty times the energy of propeller based designs in the same device footprint. This power density will make ocean renewable energy a financially feasible energy source. Q: For the US, do you happen to know roughly how many quad BTU’s could potentially be generated yearly, given the square footage of US controlled ocean floor? A: We do now know. Q: Are you not better off trying to develop an ocean current technology based on lift instead of drag? A: We have over the last ten years looked at other potential designs and from testing found this design to be the most efficient at converting ocean currents into usable electricity. Q: How do you plan on fixing it to the ocean floor? Will buyers be able to fix (anchor) it to any type of ocean floor? Muck? Or only solid rocks? A: This has actually been done before, and we will be using existing technology to mount the turbines. We will use pier, pad, or tension leg technology where needed similar to the mounting of an oil platform. Q: If there is power loss along the transfer wires, will these be located primarily near coastal cities? Q: How can your turbine generate as much energy as 30 propeller type turbines on the same footprint? Q: Will the temperature of the water affect the power output or current flow? Q: Why choose a 3 fin turbine? Q: Have you conducted a lifecycle analysis? Q: How will you distribute the energy to homes and places away from the coast? Q: Since there is a maximum fraction of kinetic energy that can be extracted from any flow, then if you try to extract more, the fluid has no energy left to go anywhere. Does this have any effect on the energy output? A: Water at depth acts differently than water at the surface because water at the surface can displace the air above it (move around objects with more ease). Q: What kind of numbers for power generation do you have from your test? A: The results are up to 15kw per square meter at 3 meter per second flow. And there is very little speed reduction. Q: How much does the turbine reduce the speed of the water behind it? Q: When this becomes a large scale operation and there are say a hundred of these turbines in an area, would it be possible that it could affect the ocean current flow to an extent that might be concerning? A: Not at all. You would run out of building materials on earth before you built enough turbines to have a negative impact on the oceans currents. Ocean currents are in part due to the gravitational pull between the earth ,the moon, the sun, and other planets. This makes it a truly renewable energy source. Q: If these are implemented on a massive scale in just one area, what is the potential impact of the induced drag on the current in that region? If not introduced homogeneously, is there a possibility for current shift? A:The turbines are not a static obstacle to a current they move with it. Additionally, you would not be able to build enough turbines to create a current shift. Q: Where will your salt go from desalination? How will it impact the nearby marine ecology? What is your projected data on the fresh water project and it’s effect on the ocean(near and far)? A: So we have two choices for this. Option 1: Because the turbine will be operating in high velocity current any brine produced by the Reverse Osmosis can be released downstream of the turbine through a diffuser system and will almost immediately be titrated into the water column without creating any pockets of abnormally high salinity. Option 2: The brine can be pumped to shore where it can be dehydrated and sold as a raw material. Q: Have you considered fail safes for wildlife interruption? In the matter of a worst case scenario involving electric current relinquished into the ocean, what kind of consequences would result? A: Salt water and the seafloor are inherently good paths to ground for any stray potentials. Stray potentials are typically not able to radiate in significant distance due to this fact. Ground fault interrupt power transmission systems will be used on the turbines. Q: Would the funders of this project be able to benefit before other people with no link in supporting this project? A: We are looking at the option of providing additional investment opportunities at a later stage of the project to the founding funders. +++ Bonus Item at checkout! Be quickly admired for your paced dedication! Be a Turtle and get a more prominent spot on our supporters page. Get exclusive updates and videos. You are an important part of our mission! Welcome aboard! Put the fear in polluters with your Killer Whale commitment to clean energy! Be a Killer Whale and find your name and Photo at the Silver Preferred level of our founders page. Make history and have your name and photograph laser engraved on a stainless panel attached to the Sea Trial Prototype. Make friends with the Team. Get a spiffy official looking Team Member jacket, golf shirt, and tool bag. Visit the Ocean Energy Turbine research facility. – travel and accommodation not included. Step up and save your planet! We know you have it in you! Tell the world it’s time for a change and lead by example. Watch the ecological groupies swoon at your dedication. Be a Mega Whale and find your name and Photo at the Gold Preferred level of our founders page. Make history and have your name and photograph laser engraved on a stainless panel attached to the Sea Trial Prototype. Make friends with the Team. Get a spiffy official looking Team Member jacket, golf shirt, and tool bag. Visit the Ocean Energy Turbine research facility. Be photographed and videoed underwater in the test tank with the prototype turbine holding tools and looking very scientific. – travel and accommodation not included. Whats in the Tool Bag??? The tool bag contains limitless booty and immeasurable swag. Few will know and there is only one way to find out! If you ever wanted to help save the planet but didnt know how, here is your chance to make a difference! We are turning the natural flow of the ocean into clean renewable energy to power your homes, vehicles, and industry. Capturing this limitless energy produces no pollution and does not harm the environment. Our goal is to utilize this clean energy source that nature has provided us to replace polluting fossil fuels and nuclear power.

2019-04-21T10:44:26Z

http://crowdenergy.org/indiegogo/

On a Tuesday morning back in August of the year 2000 something catastrophic and evil prevailed over the San Francisco 49er Training Facility in Stockton, California for 49er Center Chris Dalman was preparing to take place in practice drills on the field for the upcoming 2000 NFL season. After stepping out onto the field just after two whole hours Chris Dalman found himself lying with absolute stillness on the playing field at the University of the Pacific, straining to regain feeling in his extremities. Never in his whole life and playing career had he faced such an ominous and dark hour as he did on this day. Dalman suffered disk damage between the fifth and sixth vertebrae in his neck, which automatically threatened his whole existence as a player and his entire career. The films once taken proved negative, but a MRI later revealed the cervical disk damage. The 49er eight-year veteran and starting center was blind-sided in the side of his face while blocking in a team scrimmage. He slammed head first during a full-pads pileup, then fell to the ground and lay motionless for nearly five minutes before slowly rising with some feelings in his limbs and was carted from the field on a stretcher to an awaiting ambulance for X-rays. What complicated the injury even more was the fact that back-up center Ben Lynch, was out for at least two weeks with a recently diagnosed case of mononucleosis. That set the stage for the presentation of Guard Jeremy Newberry to take his place in conjunction with reserve guard Phil Ostrowski. “I’m concerned,” a somber coach Steve Mariucci said. “I don’t want to set off any alarms, but any time you are talking about disks, it’s not great news.” The center is responsible for calling out blitzes and adjusting the line according to the defensive front; this is what Dalman does extremely well. In fact, some players went to coaches and management in the off-season and implored them to resign Dalman because they felt he was indispensable for the smooth running of the offense. Chris Dalman was the very first starter in the 2000 off-season to restructure his contract to give the 49er’s more salary cap room, He was also returning from a February knee surgery. On November 1st, 1998 Chris went down in a loss to Green Bay at Lambeau Field in which Quarterback Steve Young was sacked nine times. He suffered torn medial collateral ligament to his knee. He continued to play off and on but re-injured the knee in the process. Chris Dalman was drafted by San Francisco in the 1993 NFL Draft in the sixth round (No. 156 overall). He stands 6-3 and weighs 292-pounds. He attended college at Stanford and while there he was a four-year starter on the offensive line where he was All-Pac 10 selection as a senior. He played in East-West Shrine All-Star Classic. Dalman while in college played various positions including guard, center and offensive tackle. He was red shirted as a freshman in 1988 and graduated with a political science degree. In 1993 his rookie year he appeared in 15 games, and saw action on special teams throughout the season. He also substituted for then All-Pro 49er Center Jesse Sapolu three different occasions during the season and appeared on special teams in two playoff games. In 1994 he played in all 16 regular season games, including four starting assignments after Guard Jesse Sapolu injured his left hamstring. In this year he made his first career start at center in place of Bart Oates who injured his left knee. In 1995 Chris saw action in 15 games primarily on special teams. He played in four games from scrimmage and replaced injured guards throughout the season. Here he gained valuable experience in snaps and special teams play. As he appeared in the NFC Divisional Playoff Game versus Green Bay on special teams duty (1-6-96). In 1996 he started all 16 games at right guard, and this was his first season as a full time starter. He led all offensive players with 1,019 snaps and joined Jesse Sapolu (1,000) as the only offensive players to take at least 1,000 snaps. On 10-27 he suffered a concussion in Houston but continued to play thereafter. He also started both NFC Playoff Games against Philadelphia (12-29-96) and at Green Bay (1-4-97). In 1997 Dalman played 14 games and made 13 starts at center. He missed first two regular season games after suffering a strained left knee against Seattle (8-9-97) in pre-season play. The 49er’s allowed 4.7 sacks per game with Dalman out of the starting lineup and 2.3 with him opening at center. He also helped the 49er’s rush for 175-yards in the NFC Divisional Playoff Game versus Minnesota on (1-3-98). In 1998 he started 15 games at center, he anchored a solid offensive line for a team that led the NFL in rushing with a Team Record 2,544-yards. Within this season he missed some time with another knee injury. As a center in a game versus Detroit on (12-14-98) he helped the 49er’s rush for a Team Record 328-yards and Running Back Garrison Hearst set a Team record with 198-yards rushing. He started at center versus Green Bay in NFC Wild Card Game (1-3-99) and paved way for Running Back Garrison Hearst’s 128-yards. He also started at center in NFC Divisional Playoff Game at Atlanta on (1-9-99). In 1999 he started at center Weeks 1-4 but suffered again some knee injuries throughout the season. In a game against Cincinnati starting at center on (12-5-99) he helped the offense produce season-high 542 total yards, including 437 passing and no sacks at the Bengals. He also had to leave a game due to irregular heartbeat and shortness of breath. This was the season San Francisco spiraled out of control to a 4-12 season missing the playoffs. As 2000 unfolded and pre-season set down in August so did Center Chris Dalman probably forever as we expect him to announce retirement after June 1st in order to do his last duty of good faith to San Francisco to free up cap room. I go on record, as saying Dalman was a professional and a rock in the middle of this offensive line. His knowledge and expertise in this position make him one of the best at the center position in the NFL bottom down; he came in to replace Jesse Sapolu who by all rights was a legend in himself. He did so with grace and agility I am proud to have had and observed his performances. Chris Dalman remains on Injured Reserve to this day but the prognosis is bleak at best, when he went down San Francisco 49er Guard Jeremy Newberry filled in and he never missed a beat. If anything he allowed this great offense to continue its tradition of being one of the premier offenses in this league today. When the San Francisco 49er offensive line took to the field in their very first regular season game in 2000 the line was reshuffled in this alignment. Jeremy Newberry, a 1999 starter at right guard, took over at center for Chris Dalman who was placed on injured reserve with a neck injury in training camp. Right Tackle Derrick Deese moved to Left Tackle, Dave Fiore, the starting left tackle in 1999, moved inside to right guard. And Ray Brown the lone holdover from the unit stayed at left guard. Scott Gragg then joined the 49er’s from the New York Giants and solidified the right tackle position. Durability was a big plus for the 49er’s offensive line this season and none were more durable than Jeremy Newberry was. The third-year veteran from California opened training camp as the starting right guard, but moved to center after the season-ending neck injury to Chris Dalman. Newberry settled right in and played in 1,000-of the team’s 1,001 offensive snaps (99.9%) this year. The only play Newberry missed was at Carolina (10-22-00) when he had to replace a shoe. In the 2000 season not only did a great job of protecting the passer, but they also lead the way for a solid rushing attack. The 49er’s offense rushed 416 times for 1,081 yards and 15 touchdowns this season. That is an average of 4.3-yards per carry, a number that ranked seventh in the NFL. The 49er’s averaged 112.6-yards per game. At Dallas on (9-24-00), the front line led the way for a 261-yard rushing performance and a 5.6-yard per carry average. The 49er’s led the league in rushing both in 1998-1999. San Francisco is the second rated rushing team in the NFL over the last three years with 6,440 yards. They are second only to Denver, which has 6,656 yards. California’s Jeremy Newberry was drafted by the 49er’s in the second round of the 1998 NFL Draft he stands 6-5 and weighs 315-pounds he was (No. 58 overall). In College he started 11 games and recorded a 93% blocking consistency grade, highest by any California lineman in the 1990’s. As a junior he made Second-team All-Pac 10 selection and recorded 113 knockdowns, 29 downfield blocks and allowed just one sack in 801 plays from scrimmage. Wow no wonder Jeff Garcia was protected. He anchored an offensive line that averaged 248.8 yards passing per game. Started 11 of 12 games as sophomore, splitting time at center and guard. He was named honorable mention All-Pac 10. He moved from defensive to offensive line one week into fall practice and within two weeks he had entered the starting lineup. As a freshman he started first six games of season before suffering a broken bone in his foot. He missed three weeks with this injury. He majored in social welfare. In 1998 He missed in his rookie year nine weeks of the season after suffering a torn ACL in off-season mini-camps. He was placed on Injured Reserve and was not removed from that list until (11-7-98). In 1999 he made his first start at right tackle and substituted some for offensive tackle Derrick Deese who suffered a left knee sprain. He was a solid contributor but struggled at times to contain onrushing defensive ends. His move to center in 2000 was a remarkable move as it highlighted his most valuable strengths and anchored the offensive line following Chris Dalmans season-ending injury. Newberry has even been involved in heavyweight wrestling while in college and was rated as being in the top five of his class. This in itself has helped him when being bull-rushed by opposing defensive tackles and linebackers. I feel Newberry is a solid and formidable center the question remains though should we switch him back to guard especially with veteran Ray Brown aging and having to be replaced probably following the 2001 season? Then comes the question of who would be our starting center? Well there is back-up three-year veteran Ben Lynch who has been a worthy reserve when called upon. Ben Lynch was drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs in the 1996 NFL Draft in the seventh round (No. 211 overall). He was released by the Chiefs on (8-20-96) and signed by Minnesota on (2-10-97). He was the First selection by Frankfurt Galaxy in 1998 NFL Europe draft. He played in the World Bowl and earned All-NFL Europe honors as center with Galaxy. He was signed as a free agent by the 49er’s on (5-4-99). Ben Lynch comes out of California and was a four-year letter winner as offensive lineman at California. He stands 6-3 and weighs 291-pounds. He closed his career there with 22 consecutive starts at center. He earned first-team All-Pac 10 honors as a senior. Was team co-captain, named most valuable lineman and received Roth award for courage, sportsmanship and attitude as a senior. Lynch spent his freshman and sophomore years as a reserve guard before switching to center as a junior. He majored in business administration. In 1999 as a 49er he has played on special teams and replaced center Chris Dalman due to knee injuries throughout the season. He gained very valuable experience as a pro in this beginning year. His credentials in NFL Europe also speak for themselves, I believe Lynch could become a starter especially when the time comes for Newberry to switch. Ben Lynch is an Exclusive Rights free agent, which means players with less than three years of experience; the 49er’s retain exclusive rights by tendering offers at applicable minimum salaries. The 49er’s have already tendered Lynch. The only emergency back-up center behind Lynch would probably be Guard Phil Ostrowski who is a restricted free agent who has not been tendered an offer as of yet and the deadline is April 16th. Will San Francisco consider drafting a center in this draft? I am not really sure although it is a position worth looking at because of the age inside the offensive line, youth has been the priority in the defense certainly the offense is next to come. Moving Newberry and Lynch and drafting a center is not too far-fetched. What scouts are looking for in a center. The NFL average for a Professional Center is a height of 6-3 and a weight of 290-pounds with a 40-yard dash speed of 5.10. The minimum is 6-1 in height, 280-pounds in weight and a speed of 5.30 in the 40-yard dash. All besides the left tackle on the offensive line the center is probably the most important position on the line. With most teams playing 4-3 defenses, today’s centers often have no one lined up directly across from them at the line of scrimmage. Therefore they must be able to reach the linebacker and block in space. Because of all this, a center must have good feet and be proficient as an angle blocker. Centers also need the range to help out in pass protection; in some instances, they can be relied upon to pick up an outside pass rusher. There is however one more factor that needs to be considered. Lot’s of teams are in the hunt for a athletic-position type center. Should he not have enough strength and bulk to hold his own against bull rushes or push the pile at the point of attack, than defenses, will adjust and put a big tackle on his nose neutralizing him in effect. This can create a mismatch and totally disrupt the running game. Even though athletic ability and good feet are very important, size and strength cannot be compromised. Centers also need intelligence and football instincts. In most cases, they make all of the line calls and have to react quickly, in manners of anticipation and recognition. Nebraska’s Dominic Raiola is the very top center in this season’s draft class he has a height of 6-2 and weighs 307-pounds, he also has a 40-yard dash speed of 5.10. He has been compared to Denver Bronco’s center Tom Nalen. Raiola will get serious consideration from franchises like Arizona, Baltimore and Jacksonville. Run Blocking: He is an absolute mauler in the running game. Has quick initial step, and fires out of his stance. Shows off great strength, and he can move the pile and finish once he locks-on a defender. He possesses the mobility and agility to reach linebackers. Overall he is a sound blocker who will excel against a nose head up or in space. Pass Blocking: Here he is not as proven as one would like; because he is a product of Nebraska’s run-oriented offense. Still, he has great strength at the point of attack. He can hold his ground against bull rushes. Shows sound footwork, and can shuffle from side to side. He us exceptional at providing blocking help in open spaces. If he has a flaw it is improving blitz-recognition skills. Initial quickness: He has an outstanding first step, and he has worked very hard to get much better. He fires out of his stance with explosive power. He takes good angles to defenders, and usually wins battles with great anticipation. Strength: Raiola has great strength, he plays with leverage, and uses his lower body to anchor. Is difficult for defenders to move, and he will push the pile in the running game; he has all the strength and NFL center would need. Mobility: Has good but not great mobility. Has quick feet, but he is not a great runner. He should be faster than he actually is. Shows great effort to get downfield and contribute to a play. But he is surely not going to beat anyone in a race. Has more quickness than speed. Bottom line: It is very rare that a center would leave school early, but this goes to prove that Raiola has real talent. He is leader with good football knowledge and a lot of great physical tools. He is projected to be a NFL starter right from day one and remain one for the next 10-years he is that good. Wisconsin’s Casey Rabach is another fine college center that will be listed high on the board when it comes to acquiring a center. He stands 6-4 and a half and weighs 298-pounds with a 40-yard dash speed of 5.30. He has been compared to one of the best Tampa Bay Buccaneer Jeff Christy. Run Blocking: He is efficient here, and can get into great position. He lacks great strength though, but plays with enough leverage to get the job done. He has shown both aggressiveness and toughness on the field. Pass Blocking: He shows an excellent ability in picking up the blitz. He has a real instinct for pass protection, and has great lateral movement. He does not possess great power, but he uses his hands well and holds his own against bull rushes. Initial quickness: Can get out of his stance quickly, but he has been observed being beat when playing head up on a nose tackle. He definitely needs improvement in this area. Strength: He is far from being a weight room kind of guy, he gets the job done with grit and intensity. Mobility: He is a decent athlete with good quickness to get by on. Has the ability to get to linebackers but lacks great speed. Bottom line: Rabach possesses great size and experience. However he does have weaknesses such as strength but he can be a dominating physical player with intensity and intelligence. He could sneak into the second round because of his consistency and productivity in college. Minnesota’s Ben Hamilton may be a bit of a project but he could come as a bargain for some cap starved franchise that needs someone to fill a void via this draft. Hamilton stands 6-5 and weighs 275-pounds and has a 40-yard dash speed of 5.25. He has been compared to New York Jets Kevin Mawae. Strengths: He has intelligence and he is a player with all the intangibles. He is a leader by example and plays with great intensity and confidence. He has a great frame, and gets in great position. He has been seen taking the right angles to defenders. Weaknesses: If anything he needs to add bulk and strength. He is too much of a finesse guy. He will not overpower someone from the point of attack, and has been seen getting pushed around against physical defensive tackles who line head up on him. Bottom line: Ben has been able to overcome his size and skill limitations with pure determination and football instincts. He is a work in progress and is a coach’s dream in terms of work ethic, mental capacity and his approach. He should be drafted higher than his skills warrant because he knows the details of the position. San Francisco is in a particular situation when it comes to the center position, do you address it now or wait until later? It will certainly warrant attention if not this season than next. Newberry has passed the grade with exceptional aptitude I am impressed with his size, agility and courage at the line of scrimmage. He has been influential in the protection of Quarterback Jeff Garcia and with the running game in clearing a hole when needed. Ben Lynch is certainly a capable and quality back up as long as he can remain healthy. Behind this there is little to talk about, bearing the need to consider a center in this years draft or a low-priced free agent. The Center is for all practical reasons taken for granted and are the lost cogs in the wheel when you stack up and analyze the offensive line, but without a intelligent and talented one average offensive lines never become impressive ones. Their importance on the field cannot be measured enough; from anything to reshuffling the line to meet defensive movements to snapping the ball in a shot gun formation, to picking up a blitz and communicating that on down the line we must emphasize their value.

2019-04-21T16:46:06Z

https://www.49erswebzone.com/commentary/55-49er-center-position-examined-life-dalman/

"Bone Broth Verified Coupon Printable December 2018 " If you Love Bone Broth Verified Coupon Printable December 2018 then you are at the right place!! Bone Broth Verified Coupon Printable December 2018 is made from pet bones and connective tissue-- typically livestock, chicken, or fish-- that have been steamed into a broth and sluggish simmered for 10 to more than 20 hrs with herbs, vegetables, and spices. So why is this seemingly straightforward liquid something you would certainly intend to drink every day Bone Broth Verified Coupon Printable December 2018 ? Also our hunter-gatherer forefathers recognized that alcohol consumption Bone Broth Verified Coupon Printable December 2018 resembled striking nutritional gold, as its earliest version dates back over 2,500 years. Getting rid of anything edible was out of the concern back then, so animal unguis, knuckles, bones, and various other connective tissues never went to throw away. Bone broth has a rich history of being used in traditional Chinese medication as a gastrointestinal restorative, blood building contractor, and kidney strengthener as a result of the high collagen material, bioavailable minerals, anti-inflammatory amino acids, and also healing substances that can only be discovered in bones and connective cells Bone Broth Verified Coupon Printable December 2018. Watch as celebrity wellness fitness instructor, Thomas DeLauer damages down the ins and also outs of what bone broth actually is. In just two minutes, he'll discuss what bone broth is as well as what it can do for your gut, joint, and skin health and wellness Bone Broth Verified Coupon Printable December 2018. Some phone call Bone Broth Verified Coupon Printable December 2018 meat water. We call it liquid gold. What makes this things so unique? The short response is collagen. Bones and connective cells are the only true nutritional resources of type II collagen-- a healthy protein that's known for maintaining skin smooth and flexible and teeth and also joints healthy, along with proclaiming lots of other health benefits. Along with collagen, bones are also filled with numerous anti-inflammatory amino acids, minerals, and compounds that can assist accelerate your body's natural healing processes from things like sporting activities injuries, joint inflammation, or dripping digestive tract. So, these "scraps" that most of us typically toss in the rubbish are significant dietary giants. But when was the last time you chowed down on an item of cow's knuckle? Or snacked on an ox tail? We'll think the answer is never ever. Considering that we do not consume bones in their entire kind, cooking them right into a broth that's simmered for 10 to 20 hrs (or even more) is the most effective way to launch their effective nutrients, as well as experience a whole brand-new level of health. REQUIREMENT A QUICK EXPLANATION ON WHAT EXACTLY IS BONE BROTH VERIFIED COUPON PRINTABLE DECEMBER 2018 ? Watch as Celeb Health And Wellness Fitness Instructor, Thomas DeLauer breaks down the ins as well as outs of what bone broth truly is. In just two minutes, he'll speak about what bone broth is as well as what it can do for your gut, joint, as well as skin health bone broth verified coupon printable december 2018. Bone broth has an abundant history of being utilized as a digestive tonic, specifically in traditional Chinese medicine some 2,500 years ago. Today, it's one of the leading recommended foods for boosting signs of chronic digestive system problems, such as Cranky Digestive Tract Disorder (IBS), Crohn's illness, and colitis. The reason for why bone broth is so recovery for the digestive tract goes back to collagen, which develops jelly when it's prepared down also additionally. Collagen and gelatin are not just rich in amino acids that minimize inflammation in the GI system-- such as glutamine-- they also have the unique capability to "seal as well as recover" holes in the digestive tract lining, which can trigger a problem called dripping gut disorder. Although study remains in the beginning, there's evidence to reveal that leaky gut is the key underlying reason for gastrointestinal problems. It's likewise a contributor to autoimmune conditions, clinical depression, mind fog, anxiety, allergies, eczema, acne, and chronic reduced energy. Worst of all, leaking gut can be quiet and reveal no signs in the onset. It's additionally believed to impact over 70% of the population. Bone broth is suggested on special intestine healing diet plans and also protocols, like the VOIDS diet, the SCD diet plan, and the Reduced FODMAP diet. Whether it's an injury, arthritis, or sore muscles, there's no far better method to nourish your bones as well as joints than by eating more of the nutrients currently located within them, consisting of hyaluronic acid, glucosamine, chondroitin, calcium, and also magnesium. Bone broth is loaded with every one of these nutrients, plus numerous amino acids that help in reducing joint pain as well as inflammation, like glycine as well as proline. It's for these reasons that bone broth is becoming a best recovery beverage amongst professional athletes. A fun fact: Kettle and Fire Bone Broth was born because our founder, Nick, tore his ACL playing soccer as well as needed a high-quality bone broth to assist accelerate his recovery time. (You can find out more on that below.). Adhering to a bone broth diet plan is excellent for lasting weight-loss. A bone broth diet includes eating Paleo for 5 days and also fasting for 2. During this timespan you'll drink bone broth regularly with an increase in use on the fasting days. The mix of intermittent fasting and also bone broth increases weight loss through burning fat extra effectively and limiting calorie consumption. When doing the diet, we additionally saw a reduction in cellulite. Fat-Burning Bone Broth Alcoholic Drink Bone Broth Verified Coupon Printable December 2018. With just a few components, this dish is excellent for a tasty and unbelievably simple fat-burning alcoholic drink that you can work up instantly on active early mornings prior to work or at nights post-workout. Even if you had actually never ever come across bone broth in the past, you've possibly heard of collagen, many thanks to the appeal sector. Several anti-aging skincare lines include collagen to their face lotions, moisturizers, and serums (and sell them for a pretty penny). However what many individuals do not recognize is that collagen particles are also big to be absorbed via the skin, which means these creams can not offer much in the way of results. Fortunately is that collagen can be taken in with your gastrointestinal system. As well as due to the fact that there's a direct link in between the intestine and the skin, including bone broth to your diet plan is going to have an even more powerful and lasting effect on the total appearance as well as health and wellness of your skin. Let's not forget hair and nails, which are comprised of proteins like collagen. Collagen helps reinforce nails, and urges hair to expand in thicker, quicker, and tackle a healthy and balanced luster. (Remember this for the next time you obtain a poor hairstyle!). Deep, peaceful sleep is something we might all use a little even more of. In fact, stats reveal the ordinary person gets much less than 7 hrs of rest per night, so it is essential to do everything you can to make those hours count. Bone broth is rich in glycine, an anti-inflammatory amino acid that deals with the Central Nerves (CNS). When taken prior to bed as a supplement, research studies show glycine can improve sleep quality and lower daytime sleepiness. It's even more effective when coupled with other sleep-supportive nutrients, like calcium as well as magnesium. All of the advantages you gain from bone broth, your growing baby will certainly experience, too-- consisting of healthy bones, joints, and a strong gastrointestinal system. When early morning sickness hits, it can be impossible to keep nutritious food down. However bone broth tends to be soothing for nausea, and is typically well tolerated. Best of all, bone broth offers numerous of the nutrients you and your growing infant need, including protein, and essential vitamins and minerals. As an added bonus, the slow-moving simmer time of the bones makes the nutrients in bone broth extremely bioavailable and less complicated to absorb than a nutritional supplement. Bone broth can likewise help enhance fertility, help you have an extra comfy maternity by nourishing stiff or agonizing joints, as well as might raise calcium degrees in breast milk. Bone broth is an excellent source of nutrition on the Paleo diet regimen, as well as is encouraged to consume during durations of periodic fasting. It additionally suits well with macronutrient demands on the keto diet, and also might help reduce signs of the keto influenza. " Not just can bone broth help you prevent keto influenza, however it's also loaded with minerals that heal leaking intestine and minimize swelling in your intestines." - Leanne Vogel, Author of The Keto Diet. The nourishment as well as healing capacity of bone broth is so powerful, that a whole diet regimen-- The Bone Broth Diet Plan-- has actually been created around it. The nutrients in bone broth make it an effective functional food that can benefit your whole family-- including your hair children. Bone broth is good for your pet's shiny layer, bones, joints, digestion, as well as teeth. Packed with healthy protein - Poultry is a wonderful healthy protein source and also very same goes with chicken bones. Pot & Fire bone broth comes packed with 10 grams of protein per serving Bone Broth Verified Coupon Printable December 2018. Lowers gut swelling - Bone broth helps heal and also seal a leaky gut which is the root cause for several autoimmune diseases. Loaded with amino acids - Comparable to poultry bone broth, the nutrients removed from beef bones have amino acids like glycine and also glutamine that improves digestion and also repair work your digestive tract lining. No. Plants are a fantastic resource of nutrients that can assist promote your body to generate its own collagen, however there is no known plant food that offers type II collagen, the kind that provides every one of the health and wellness advantages listed above. One point to consider regarding bone broth that establishes it aside from plant foods: Even if you do eat a variety of plants that are rich in collagen-boosting nutrients, if you have a damaged digestive system or leaking digestive tract, you may not completely absorb them. On the other hand, the collagen in bone broth is exceptionally very easy to absorb, even for those with endangered gastrointestinal systems. Of course, you don't simply have to consume it-- although we do have a cost-free and legendary downloadable bone broth sipping guide for when you do. You can mix bone broth into your environment-friendly smoothie mixes, make healthy and balanced collagen gummy bears, and utilize it in everything from rushed eggs, soups, curries, stews, breakfast bowls, and also tacos. Bone broth is an all-in-one superfood, loaded with nutrients that supply energy as well as inspiration, assist you sleep much better, make your skin appearance smoother, as well as can assist recover digestive system issues like leaking gut. Bones as well as connective cells are warehouses for important amino acids as well as minerals-- which are doing not have in several diet regimens today. Bone Broth is additionally a vital source of healthy protein, collagen and also jelly. It's not possible to eat whole bones or tissue, but you can still delight in these wellness benefits by sipping bone broth. Collagen is extracted when you simmer bones for an extended period of time. Commonly, the longer bone broth simmers, the more collagen you'll draw out. Making bone broth is an easy process, however one that needs plenty of time and perseverance. If time is not on your side we can aid you out with that. Bone broth is made by simmering animal bones and tissue for at the very least 10 hrs with vegetables, herbs, and also spices such as thyme, garlic, and bay leaves. Top quality bone broth starts with high-grade active ingredients, using bones from organic grass-fed animals as well as organic veggies. While any bone or ligament can be made use of, knuckles, hen feet, as well as femur bones tend to include the most collagen. Simmering bones for an extensive time period is what provides bone broth its wellness benefits, extracting the amino acids, minerals, and collagen. This is a Kettle & Fire-tested slow cooker chicken bone broth dish that includes natural poultry bones, sea salt, fresh vegetables like celery stalks, onions, and bell peppers, as well as herbs like parsley, rosemary, as well as thyme. Simply cooking bones (no meat) and also water is mosting likely to be mostly flavorless. Food preparation the blend for hrs at a time isn't mosting likely to make it taste any type of far better. The concept that you're getting tons of nutrients from the bones is a MISCONCEPTION that will not die, even though it has been exposed various times, consisting of through laboratory tests. The notion that adding vinegar to "release" those nutrients has actually likewise been exposed. You just end up with a watery mess that tastes of vinegar. Rather, purchase bones with meat on them. Then include veggies such as onions, carrots, celery, as well as simply enough water to cover everything (generally 8 or 10 mugs). Avoid the vinegar! Simmer for 3 to 4 hrs for poultry, somewhat longer for beef. Season according to preference. If you have an Instant Pot, 25 to 35 minutes is about right. What you will certainly get with this technique is a very savory broth that's possibly considerably a lot more nourishing-- consisting of lots of collagen-- as well as even more healthy than any bone broth, and also it will taste one hell of a great deal far better. You can either consume the meat and also veggies (it's called SOUP) or you can strain them out and also simply drink the broth if you prefer. Examine Ina Garten's recipe for hen broth. It's very comparable to this set and also has actually been used with mild variants by educated cooks for decades. There are 2 primary differences in between bone broth as well as normal broth or supply: simmering time as well as the component of the pet it's made from (bones or flesh). Normal broth and also stock are simmered for a shorter period of time than bone broth, approximately 2-- 6 hrs. The expedited food preparation procedure lowers the amount of advantageous jelly extracted from the bones, lowering its ability to increase the immune system, heal digestive concerns, and also lower the signs of dripping digestive tract. Before Kettle and Fire was birthed, one of our co-founders, Nick, tore his ACL playing football (ouch). His sibling Justin became aware of the advantages of bone broth for injury recuperation. As his schedule really did not leave much time to make bone broth from the ground up, he laid out to purchase a store-bought, top notch, grass-fed bone broth, given that both of their active timetables didn't leave much time to make the broth themselves. (You can learn more concerning our tale here.). No matter just how difficult Justin looked, the suitable bone broth didn't exist. He searched for one that was 100 percent natural, fresh-- never ever frozen-- grass-fed, as well as slow simmered (as well as one that might be shipped without wasteful, clunky packaging). So, Nick as well as Justin chose to create a high-grade bone broth on their terms, which is the recipe we're honored to supply you today. " Kettle & Fire gives a nourishing, high quality bone broth in a delicious as well as hassle-free shelf-stable style. I enjoy constantly recognizing that I have actually got fantastic broth available, without clogging up my fridge freezer or requiring defrosting." - Dr. Sarah Ballantyne, three-time NYT Best-Selling Author. The stunning thing about bone broth is that there's really no restriction to just how you can include it to your diet. Aside from soups, stews, and plain ol' sipping, bone broth blends surprisingly well into practically any type of recipe-- also smoothie mixes! Right here are our top means to get it:. Our bone broth tastes scrumptious enough to drink by itself, however you can seasoning it as much as match your palate. We produced our favored taste mixes in this totally free downloadable "Bone Broth Sipping Guide" (bone broth matcha lattes, anybody?). Get your cost-free duplicate here. Drinking bone broth doesn't need to be monotonous-- there are unlimited means to flavor it and sip it. Get instantaneous accessibility to over 15 of our favorite bone broth sipping combinations, including ginger as well as turmeric bone broth tonic and chili, as well as cardamom bone broth potion. Learn just how to utilize bone broth in your matcha cappucinos, gold milk, as well as tropical fruit smoothies. Our beef bone broth has a mild flavor, which enables it to mix quickly with practically anything, from shakes to healthy gummy bears. Our chicken bone broth as well as mushroom poultry bone broth boost the mouthwatering flavor of soups, stews, as well as risotto dishes. A few of our faves include:. The Bone Broth Diet plan not only enhances your intake of the healing nutrients and substances important for digestive tract, skin, joint, as well as bone wellness, however aids fight systemic inflammation, which goes to the source of the majority of Western ailments and also conditions. The bone broth diet regimen is a 21-day plan that's suitable for anyone struggling with a chronic health and wellness condition (such as an autoimmune problem), or anyone who wants to reset their digestion system and experience glowing health and wellness. Find out more concerning the 21-day bone broth diet regimen here.

2019-04-25T04:14:26Z

http://urbanhotlist.com/bone-broth/kettle-and-fire/coupon/Bone-Broth-verified-coupon-printable-December-2018/index.php

One of the best tools resume writers and career coaches have to market their careers industry businesses is content marketing. Sharing information and ideas with jobseekers can help them become prospective clients for your resume writing business. Content marketing is getting more and more important every day. People today are finding more and more content through social networks and less and less through search engines. That means that creating content people want to share is becoming ever more important. Here's how to use content marketing to your advantage. At the end of the day, the only thing that you have is your reputation. But a lot of people -- including resume writers -- fail to consciously build their personal brands. Yet this is truly one of the most valuable assets you have -- and it's one of the best ways to grow your resume writing business. By creating high quality, unique content for a certain market, you establish yourself as an expert. If you want to target a special niche of clients -- for example, sales executives, or equine professionals -- you can tailor general job search information to the specific needs of this audience, and increase your "know, like, and trust" factor with these folks. Jobseekers looking for help with their job search are more likely to trust someone who provides a lot of quality content rather than a website that just says "buy, buy, buy." There's something about consistency that really builds trust. Anyone can put up a website to start selling resume writing services, but if you're producing high quality content for six months, people will instinctively trust you a lot more. They'll think you'll still be around to help them six months down the line. One of my favorite books is Harvey Mackey's "Dig Your Well Before You're Thirsty." The same is true for resume writers -- build a list of prospective clients before you need them! Your platform is your list of clients and prospective clients who are interested in what you have to say. Let's say you want to launch a LinkedIn profile rewriting service. If you haven't been publishing content and building your mailing list, how will you find people who want this service? It would be very hard. But if you've already been publishing content for months, you'll already have a reader base you can use to launch your new service! Great content marketing is really as simple as focusing on providing good content, consistently. Good content should be compelling content. One of the best ways to create content is to use examples from your work with clients. People can relate to the struggles of your clients -- and learn from the lessons you teach them of how you helped those clients with their specific challenges. Don't be disappointed if it takes some time to build up your reader base. That's how it works: reputations take time to become established. Fortunately, once your reputation is established, it also builds momentum and can grow very quickly. It's not an overnight technique; so the sooner you get started, the sooner you'll start reaping the benefits. If you're interested in content marketing, check out "Using Content to Capture New Career Clients" (teleseminar recording and transcript) and the "Resume Writer's Guide to Article Marketing" (which is the July special report for Bronze members on BeAResumeWriter.com). The Academies is offering $200 savings off of three of their upcoming training programs. But you must register by Tuesday, July 31 to take advantage of the special pricing. How to reverse client perception that Facebook is “just for kids” or only valuable for personal networking. Tips for creating better profiles, fan pages, and company pages. How to build engagement and dialog and create community. How to leverage the social nuances of Facebook to build your clients’ online presence. Recommendations for managing time and messaging on Facebook. The Certified Tough Transitions Career Coach Program will give you a proven process and targeted techniques to help clients from unemployment, under-employment, or un-happy employment. You will be equipped and inspired to help even those making tough transitions to choose and market themselves wisely as they transition their careers or get back to work. Your new confidence and expertise will allow you to respond to clients at all levels, and build your business by coaching the growing number of people making tough career transitions! for entrepreneurs, proven practice-building strategies to attract your “choice” client … for career center professionals, techniques to help your clients understand the value of the services you offer so that they will “buy-in” with greater commitment and involvement. Want to find more training opportunities for professional resume writers? Visit the BeAResumeWriter.com Events page. I live in Omaha, Nebraska, in the middle of the U.S. However, for the past few weeks, I feel like we've been living in an oven. Temperatures routinely are in the upper 90s, and got up to 106 last Sunday! (The photo is a screenshot from my iPhone on Sunday morning -- it was already 91 degrees at 11 a.m.!) We finally got our first rainfall last night in about a month. Nebraska is officially classified in a "drought." (I can attest to this -- my yard is yellow and brown.) Yikes! When the temperature is like this, it can feel like there is no end in sight -- but the fact is, cooler weather will eventually be coming our way. It may be the same with your resume writing business. You may have lots of clients at the moment, with no end in sight ... but if you don't continue to market your business, eventually, you'll face a "drought" in your resume writing business too. If you're currently in a "drought" in your resume writing business -- or if you want to prevent one down the road -- there are some things you can do to attract new clients. In a resume writing business, it takes a constant infusion of new clients to keep your business growing. Here are some tips to help you begin to make a change right now, today, that will benefit your resume writing business. Become a social networker. Twitter and Facebook are valuable tools for resume writers who want to take their business to the next level. If you don't have an account with either or both, now is the perfect time to get started. If business is slow for you at the moment, social media doesn't require much money -- instead, you can invest your time in building your online profile. Advertise your business on your personal Facebook page. Do your friends know what you do for a living? Post links to new content on your website and other promotional links that friends and family can view and share. Just yesterday, I got a call from a new client who was referred to me by one of my best friends. This happens to me at least once a month, because I post careers-oriented content on my personal Facebook page. Also, create a fan page for your resume writing business. Encourage current clients to sign up and tune in for special information or offers that they won't find anywhere else. I use a tool called "Hootlet" from Hootsuite to share articles on social media. It allows me to schedule Facebook updates or tweets automatically so that I can find 3-4 articles to share while I'm surfing, but Hootlet will spread them out so they don't get shared all at once. Market yourself offline too. Even if your resume writing business is 100% virtual (operating online), that doesn't mean that your local market won't also benefit. Some offline tools include posting flyers, public speaking, appearing in local media (TV, radio, newspaper) and using promotional items (like free pens). Video marketing. People love to watch informative videos online. You can take what you know and turn it into a visual presentation that immediately gives new clients a picture of who you are and what you do. Create a press release. I mentioned getting local media coverage. The easiest way to do this is through a press release. (Bronze members of BeAResumeWriter.com can find sample news releases and pitch ideas on the "Public Relations Resources" page in the Paid Member Resources section.) You should also check out the "Feed the Media: How to Get Publicity for Your Resume Writing Business" teleseminar recording and transcript for more information and ideas. Remember -- your marketing efforts are cumulative. Sometimes a single drop can turn into a torrential rainstorm. Whether you're "hot" now and anticipating a cool-down later -- or if you're in a drought now and need it to "rain" clients, try these ideas. For more information, visit the NRWA website. I love "SWOT." It's a great tool for resume writers, and a great tool for our clients as well. Here are the basics of how to do a SWOT analysis. The analysis for the resume writer is in RED; the analysis for a jobseeker is in GREEN. How does the prospective employer's business compare to its competitors? Does its current employees provide a competitive advantage -- perhaps through years of experience or training? What does it do particularly well compared to others in its field? Is there a strength that can't be replicated by its competitors (or that can't be "stolen")? On the other hand, it's equally important to know what your weaknesses are. If you don't have an eye on your weaknesses, it's easy to get blindsided. If you're aware of this weakness, you can implement systems like a live answering service, live chat, virtual assistant or other such tools to help handle calls in real-time. For a jobseeker, identifying a prospective employer's weaknesses is vital. Companies hire employees to solve problems for them. Whether the job you're seeking is in response to an already-identified weakness (perhaps they are adding a CFO position because they realize they need to do a better job of handling cashflow and recordkeeping and reporting) or you uncover a weakness you're not sure they're aware of in the course of your research (like an untapped potential market, if you're interviewing for a sales position) -- understanding the company's weaknesses can help you understand the company itself better. Successful resume writing businesses focus on opportunities. What are the emerging areas where you can help prospective clients -- many resume writers have added service offerings to take advantage of these opportunities. Examples include LinkedIn profile writing/development, writing corporate bios for executives, helping clients practice for interviews, or negotiate salaries. For jobseekers, sometimes it's easier for an outsider to spot an opportunity than the business itself, because the company may be focusing on urgent problems, instead of "bigger picture" issues. In business, there's always going to be urgent problems that need immediate attention. It's the companies that can manage to stay focused on their opportunities that win out in the end. Look for opportunities with your prospective employer and identify ways you can take advantage of them. Resume writers: Keep an eye on your threats. There are constantly articles circulating that proclaim the death of the resume. While these are erroneous -- and, at the least, premature -- you also can't be complacent that technology is affecting the career services industry. Ignoring new technology like LinkedIn or even Facebook's rumored job board is to your detriment. For jobseekers, being aware of competitive threats is even more important. It may be unwise to hitch your star to a fast-growth company that doesn't have a solid foothold in a high-growth industry. I just read an article yesterday about how companies that created custom Facebook tabs/pages have lost hundreds of thousands of dollars because Facebook changed to the Timeline format and the emphasis on Facebook landing pages went away almost overnight. Understanding the competitive threats posted by new competitors, existing competitors, third-party technology, or even internal issues (like joining a family business where there is no succession plan in place) can be a threat to your career. If possible, do a SWOT analysis for each category. This will give you a very in-depth analysis of all the most important aspects of your business. For resume writers, a SWOT analysis should be performed at least every six months. For jobseekers, you should do a SWOT analysis before each job interview -- and even before each application. (Again, it will give you better insight into how you can be an asset to a prospective employer.) Upon completing a SWOT analysis, ask yourself: What's the #1 highest leverage arena I could compete in today? Craft an action plan around that answer. It could be based on leveraging a strength, fixing a weakness, exploiting an opportunity or mitigating a threat. Find the highest leverage activity and approach it head on. For resume writers, this is probably a blog post I should have written in January ... or May ... or even a few months from now, in September. Summer tends to be a bit slower time for resume writers. But while you have some time right now, you can implement some of the tools I mention below ... that way, when the normal "hectic" time comes around again, you'll be ready. Fear and doubt — fears and doubts start sneaking in. You doubt your skills, direction, and purpose. Moody — you feel tired, irritable, and frustrated. You may find yourself snapping at your children or family members and then of course feeling guilty about it. Exhausted — everyone gets exhausted from time to time. However, the exhaustion that comes from being overwhelmed doesn't "go away." Family members — when your family members start acting out or complaining that they don't see enough of you, then you know you've tipped the scales of balance in the wrong direction. Negative thoughts — when you start thinking, "I'm doing too much," "I can't do this anymore," "I'll never get this done," or "I'm not going to make it," then you're likely spreading yourself too thin. Spreading yourself too thin isn't all doom and gloom. It is a very useful sign that things need to change for you. And sitting down and assessing what isn't working is a great way to improve and grow — both professionally and personally. Truth be told, spreading yourself a bit thin can also be invigorating and fun — it's certainly better than being bored. However, to be productive and to get where you want your resume writing business to be, it's important to regularly assess if your energy is being put into the most productive tasks. For example, if you spend an hour filing and shredding every day, that isn't productive. You ideally want to spend your time on high priority tasks — tasks that make you money — like writing and client consultations. When you feel overwhelmed or that you're spreading yourself too thin, there are some very effective solutions. Create a schedule. Schedule your day. Put your high priority tasks first. Schedule time with your family and friends. And schedule downtime for yourself. If you cannot take care of yourself, then you can't take care of everyone else. Create a business plan. If you don't have a business plan for your resume writing business, create one. If you do have one, then use it. Set aside time each week, or month, and review where you are and where you want to be. Use your plan to help you stay on track. Finally, be confident in your decisions and use the word "No" whenever you need to. Don't be afraid to turn down opportunities, requests, and other things that take up time (time that you don't want to spend). This is your life. You're the boss of it and your business — take back your time and regain control! And if you're looking for ways to improve your efficiency in the actual resume writing process, check out "Write Great Resumes Faster." When you own your own resume writing business, there will always be a million and one things you can do with your time. Many of these things could seem important today, but -- in retrospect -- won't seem that important after all. Learning to prioritize projects -- and only spending time on things that will have an impact on either your resume clients or your bottom line -- is a crucial skills. The key question you should ask yourself is this: "How will this project impact my resume writing busines in six months?" There are many projects that could seem important today, but really won't have much of an impact on your business in the long run. For example, trying to chase down one particular sale probably isn't going to make a long term impact. On the other hand, there are projects that won't seem to make much impact now, but could have a profound impact on your resume writing business in the future. For example, setting up an autoresponder system and a rock solid followup system probably won't pay off in the beginning. It takes a ton of effort and the sales conversions won't justify the time spent right now. However, you know that in order to get your business to where it needs to be eventually, you need a followup system. In this case, it absolutely makes sense to build this system today. There are always going to be projects that seem urgent. There are always going to be problems that need to be solved "right now." The challenge for a great prioritizer is knowing when to put these fires on the back burner and instead focus on opportunity. If you can't do this, it'll be very tough to grow. Projects that help you achieve other projects better should be prioritized. These include projects that improve internal systems so you can get more done, educational systems so you can help jobseekers be more effective in their job search, and purchasing new equipment. These rules of thumb will help you prioritize projects so do what'll really help take your resume writing business to the next level.

2019-04-24T06:35:33Z

http://rwdigest.blogspot.com/2012/07/

"My Dad lived to be 100 because he had a bottle of our wine everyday!" A natural born storyteller, winemaker Neil McGuigan is no wallflower. His killer comedic timing, hearty laugh, and generous pours are welcome reminders that wine is meant to be shared and enjoyed. But you'd be foolish to consider his jolly-good-fellow nature an indicator of frivolity; as chief winemaker and CEO of McGuigan Wines, Neil is very serious about crafting quality wines that over-deliver at every price point. And he has the accolades to prove it - McGuigan Wines has been recognized a record four times as International Winemaker of the Year at the International Wine & Spirits Competition. They have also been honored as Australian Winemaker of the Year on three occasions. Founded in 1880 and based in Hunter Valley, for four generations the McGuigan family has been synonymous with Australian winemaking. Until now, they've had very little presence in the USA but that is poised to change thanks to their new partnership with the respected powerhouse importers, Palm Bay. McGuigan is smartly entering the market with two tiers of wines -- a fruit-forward, fresh and approachable collection deemed The Plan and their more complex wines, Hand Made and The Philosophy. Whether you're just grilling in the backyard or serving a gourmet feast, there's a McGuigan wine for for every palate and budget. The Plan pays homage to the McGuigan's family mission to share high-quality Australian wine with the world and to become internationally recognized as a winery of distinction. I have a friend who always jokes that the world doesn't need another Chardonnay, but I'd say there's room for this charming expression from South Eastern Australia. Just a little bit of oak adds a touch of warm vanilla spice to this juicy, fruit-forward, and slightly creamy wine. Have you been a little Shiraz-shy since over-the-top, sugary, jammy, high-alcohol wines with critters on the bottle saturated the US market not so long ago? That unfortunate trend certainly sullied the reputation of Australian Shiraz but things are starting to shift. McGuigan's The Plan Shiraz proves that an entry-level affordable Shiraz can still have integrity and balance. The grapes were sourced from their vineyards in South Australia, Victoria, and New South Wales. Fresh and not cloyingly jammy, The Plan is a straight-forward and enjoyable expression of the natural charms of Shiraz. Round, rich, and fruity with luscious blackberry and plum flavors, vibrant acidity, and a sassy kick of spice. Ready to step it up to an artisan next-level Shiraz? McGuigan Hand Made is a limited-edition Shiraz sourced from low-yielding vineyards in South Australia's Fleurieu Peninsula, just outside Langhorne Creek. Warm days are tempered by evening breezes that enable the grapes to reach optimum ripeness yet still retain good acidity. Voluptuous and velvety, Hand Made spent 18 months in oak before bottling and exhibits impressive grace and balance. The tasting notes describe it as "a rich full-bodied wine with a wonderful mix of dark cherries plum and spice - reminiscent of Christmas cake." A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (56%) sourced from the Seven Hills area of Clare Valley and Shiraz (44%) from Auburn in Clare Valley's southern edge, The Philosophy expresses McGuigan's belief that "as a winemaker, you need vision, strength, precision, and drive to craft exceptional wine." Aged 24 months in French oak and aged 2 more years in the bottle before release, The Philosophy is full-bodied and robust with tremendous finesse and nuance. Rich and plummy black fruit flavors meld beautifully with hints of spice and shrubby herbs. Absolutely delicious now, The Philosophy will age gracefully thanks to its pristine structure. If you're planning a visit to Australia, McGuigan's welcomes visitors for tours and tastings at their Cellar Door in the heart of Hunter Valley. Founded in 1900, Beaulieu Vineyard holds a storied position in the history of Napa Valley. BV Rutherford Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 2015 ($45) is a wonderful expression of the fine cocoa powdery tannins known as Rutherford Dust. Intense in color, aroma, and flavors, BV is a classic Napa Valley Cabernet that displays added nuance from dashes of Petit Verdot, Petit Sirah, and Merlot. Bold and intense with layers of flavor, this robust red shows impeccable balance between rich fruit and hints of warm spice and vanilla. Lively acidity keeps the wine graceful and not cloying. BV is big enough to wow your tastebuds but fresh and approachable enough to enjoy in the backyard with a juicy grilled steak! Delicious now, BV has the structure and vibrancy needed to age beautifully. To learn more about Beaulieu Vineyard, read my article A Wine Worth Waiting For: Beaulieu Vineyard Rarity 2013. Cabernet Sauvignon may trace its heritage back to France but this adaptable red grape is planted in vineyards around the globe. A natural crossing between Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon produces full-bodied red wines that are rich in color and flavor. Its excellent acidity and firm tannins also make Cabernet Sauvignon perfect for aging. A staple on any wine list, Cabernet Sauvignon is a crowd pleaser and although there are some common traits, the flavor profile can vary widely depending on the region and winemaking technique. Cabernet Sauvignon's versatility was perfectly expressed in both Don Melchor and Robert Mondavi. Considered one of Chile's iconic wines, Don Melchor is an outstanding example of Cabernet Sauvignon's capacity to express power and nuance. "A sense of place" is a common wine descriptor and although I've never been there, Don Melchor transported me to its Puento Alto (High Bridge) vineyard on the north bank of the Maipo River, at the foot of the Andes Mountains. Planted with vines imported from France, Puente Alto is grouped into seven blocks that are further divided into 142 parcels -- each parcel offers a unique expression that varies from year to year. Winemaker Enrique Tirado says that "Don Melchor is not a single Cabernet Sauvignon, but multiple expressions." That multiplicity is detected in the glass - Don Melchor is fruity and earthy, powerful and nimble. Its rich red fruit flavors are beautifully accentuated by hints of tobacco, earth, graphite, and cocoa floating ethereally on a pillow of velvety tannins. A relative newcomer to the wine scene, the first vintage of Don Melchor was released in 1987 but it has made an astounding nine appearances on Wine Spectator's annual Top 100 list, including this superb 2014 vintage (96 points) on the 2017 list. In any game of word association, Napa Valley leads to Cabernet Sauvignon which leads to Robert Mondavi. When he founded his eponymous winery in 1966, Mondavi didn't just take California winemaking to the next level, he elevated the reputation of American wines around the world. Mondavi passed away in 2008 but the winery remains committed to crafting wines that truly express Napa. Geneviève Janssens, Director of Winemaking, says "It is an honor to work in Oakville for the winery that really put this appellation on the map. Since the moment Robert Mondavi chose Oakville for his vineyards and winery, his vision of gracious living and world-class winemaking has extended all the way down into the soils." And what soils they are - Mondavi described his celebrated To Kalon Vineyard as possessing "ideal soils, sunlight, and rain" -- essentials for growing quality grapes. Mondavi's To Kalon Vineyard was originally planted in 1868 and was named Vineyard of the Year by the California State Farm Bureau. To Kalon means "the highest beauty" in ancient Greek. If someone asked me to recommend a classic bottle of Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, I would not hesitate to suggest this bottle of Mondavi. A wine that elegantly demonstrates the union between fruit and oak, its intense dark fruit flavors are heightened by spicy hints of vanilla, coffee, and nutmeg that were integrated into the wine via meticulous barrel aging. Not shying away from its power but still silky and seductive, this superb wine is unabashedly and quintessentially Napa. Are you ready to embark on your own Cabernet Sauvignon tasting journey? I recognize that both Don Melchor and Robert Mondavi Oakville are on the pricier side (and worth every penny). However, both producers have less expensive wines in their portfolios and you can conduct this side-by-side tasting with an endless selection of wines from around the globe. Go ahead - geek out, drink, and be merry! With Penfolds on the label you really can't go wrong. To call Penfolds legendary almost seems like an understatement. Founded in 1844, just eight years after the foundation of South Australia, Penfolds has been a trailblazing leader in Australia's winemaking history. More accessibly priced than their iconic and universally coveted Grange wines, the Penfolds Max's tier of wines are a tribute to former Chief Winemaker Max Schubert. Silky, savory, supple, and juicy; this rich Cabernet Sauvignon is a beautiful and nuanced red that elegantly expresses the Penfolds style. Balanced and rich berry flavors meld seamlessly with the perfect kiss of vanilla and warm spices. Buy two bottles, your friends will definitely want a second glass. Mother Nature is a winemaker's most influential collaborator. A forceful and fickle colleague, year after year her tempestuous changes in mood challenge even the most talented vintners. It is a relationship that requires tremendous patience but all of the angst is worth it when Mother Nature rewards a winemaker's tenacity with an extraordinary vintage. Winemaker Jeffrey Stambor of Beaulieu Vineyard in Napa Valley waited more than two decades for the perfect moment to craft their iconic wine Rarity. The newly released Rarity 2013 represents just the fifth-ever vintage bottling of the Rarities Collection and the first release since 1990. First bottled in 1968 by legendary winemaker André Tchelistcheff (aka "The Maestro"), Rarity is only bottled in remarkable vintage years. A protégé of Tchelistcheff, Stambor joined Beaulieu in 1989 and became director of winemaking in 2009 -- only the fourth person to hold this prestigious position since its founding in 1900. Beaulieu Vineyard holds a storied position in the history of Napa Valley. In 1900, when Georges de Latour's wife, Fernande, first laid eyes on the land that would become their original Rutherford vineyard, she named it "beau lieu," or "beautiful place." De Latour founded Beaulieu Vineyard with the vision of making Napa Valley wines that would rival those of his native France. That connection to France remains intact-- Stambor collaborated with legendary winemaking consultant Michel Rolland to perfect the blend for Rarity 2013. Rolland has also consulted on the blending of Georges de LaTour Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon since 2007. Rarity 2013 clearly has a fascinating legacy but the proof is in the sip and this superb wine lives up to the hype. Cabernet Sauvignon with a kiss of Petit Verdot (10%), Rarity 2013 strikes that desirable balance between power and grace. Stambor said, "This limited release wine celebrates the rarity granted to us by Mother Nature. 2013 was a spectacular vintage, with the earliest onset to harvest that I recall in my 28 years of winemaking at Beaulieu, and gave us some truly special Cabernet Sauvignon. By bottling Rarity only in magnums, we better ensure that this magnificent wine can reach its full potential with bottle aging and can be enjoyed for decades to come." Vibrant and voluptuous, Rarity 2013 has seductive aromas and flavors of blackberry, cassis, dark chocolate, and violet with subtle touches of vanilla and spice. Stambor describes winemaking as "a blend of art and science, and I tend to rely more on the artistic." His artistry is evident in this spectacular wine. Rarity 2013 is a once-in-lifetime wine and the price of $1000 reflects that. Each magnum is individually numbered and delivered in a bespoke box. For a more accessible, but also superb, taste of Beaulieu Vineyard, I recommend the Georges de Latour Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2013 ($145). Since its inaugural vintage in 1936, it has been widely recognized as the benchmark Cabernet Sauvignon from Rutherford. A beautiful expression of the exceptional 2013 vintage, it has layers of rich, dark berry and black cherry flavors with hints of bittersweet chocolate and toasted oak spices. I tasted through several older Georges de Latour vintages with Stambor, including a phenomenal 1970, and was impressed by how elegantly these wines age -- maintaining vibrancy and freshness as they develop the depth of flavor that maturity brings. These wines are investments but Beaulieu wine is a powerful connection to Napa's history that provides an authentic and gratifying wine drinking experience. If you're planning a trip to Napa, Beaulieu Vineyard welcomes guests for tastings. Napa Valley certainly needs no introduction for wine lovers. A craze for California wines was largely fueled by Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay from Napa Valley but sometimes we forget that Napa is home to a diverse group of wineries with distinct styles. Napa has no shortage of fans, but for the detractors I advise exploring wines from different producers to find the style of Napa wine that is right for you. If you like carefully crafted and balanced wines that emphasize varietal expression, give Sequoia Grove a swirl. Founded in 1979, Sequoia Grove is located along Napa Valley's esteemed Rutherford bench which is renowned for producing some of the finest Cabernet Sauvignon-based wines in the world. Michael Trujillo, head winemaker at Sequoia Grove, has more than 30 years of winemaking experience in Napa Valley and says "Rutherford is king of Cabernet." Sequoia's flagship wine, Cambium is a Bordeaux style blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc that showcases the best of the vintage with some of the finest grapes found in Napa. Named for the layer of cells in trees and grapevines that allows the plant to grow and imprints the quality of each vintage on its fruit, Cambium is complex but not pretentious. Voluptuous with a finish that seductively lingers, this wine wows the palate with exuberant and nuanced flavors of blackcurrant, blackberry, plum, and cherry that are enhanced by subtle hints of cocoa, graphite, and coffee. Deliciously drinkable now with velvety tannins, Cambium has the structure to age for 10-15 years. This vibrant sip will make you reconsider your request for "anything but Chardonnay!" Fresh and vivacious with plenty of personality, this elegant Chardonnay's citrus flavors are bolstered by touches of almond, a hint of cream, and crisp minerality. If you would like to sip these lovely wines among Sequoia Grove's namesake majestic trees, the winery welcomes visitors for tastings. Cheers! "Wine conveys a feeling of its source from within. The region in which the grapes are grown is embedded in the taste, aroma and color of the wine. Wine, therefore, has the power to embody the culture, language, scents and people of its region." Winemaker Victor Schoenfeld brings California swagger to Golan Heights Winery in Israel. A native of the Golden State, Victor earned his degree in Enology from the University of California, Davis and worked at wineries in California and France before being named as the head winemaker of Golan Heights Winery in 1992. Victor's talents and expertise have guided Golan Heights Winery to the upper echelons of Israeli wine producers and they were recently included in the Wine Spectator cover story dedicated to the growing prominence of Israeli wines. After planting their first vineyards in the Golan in 1976, Golan Heights Winery was founded in 1983 and represents an exciting chapter in Israel's modern winemaking history. Although Israel's winemaking traditions can be traced back thousands of years, a renaissance has been blooming in Israel's vineyards and Golan Heights Winery has been an integral part of this exciting new chapter. I recently had the opportunity to taste several wines from Golan Heights Winery's premier line of flagship wines - Yarden. Made from the finest grapes from their best vineyards, the Yarden wines reflect Victor's statement that "the key to quality is in the vineyard." Golan Heights' volcanic soil and cool high-altitude climate nurture the growth of high-quality grapes and this is evident in each sip. From crisp whites to bold reds, the Yarden wines express Israel beautifully and showcase world-class wines with universal appeal. Flirty floral flavors are kicked up a notch with exuberant touches of spice and lychee. Tropical with a hint of herbs. A refreshing apéritif and a winning match with spicy food! Winemaker Victor Schoenfeld describes "oak as a picture frame that focuses the attention" but does not overwhelm - balance is key. This philosophy is beautifully expressed in this wonderful Chardonnay. French oak enhances this full-bodied wine's flavors of ripe pear, lemon, and apple. Energetic acidity and a touch of flint make this a balanced beauty! Pair with salmon or roast chicken. Victor describes this velvety red as an "iconic Israeli wine." Intense and juicy flavors of blackberry and dark cherry are revved up with touches of black tea and herbs. Pair with steak, lamb, veal, and pasta with mushrooms. Visit the Golan Heights Winery website to discover more wines in their portfolio. If you're planning a trip to Israel, they welcomes visitors for tours and tastings. Cheers!

2019-04-26T15:01:34Z

https://www.blackdresstraveler.com/cabernet-sauvignon/

A surgical device for excising a tissue sample from a patient. The device includes a pair of articulable plates having blades mounted thereon. A collar is axially moveable along a rotatable actuating member such that the collar induces axial movement of the plates. Cam surfaces cause the plates to move radially inward toward one another, thereby bringing the blades toward one another so as to cut the tissue sample from the patient. The present invention generally relates to surgical devices, and more particularly relates to devices used to excise a tissue sample from a patient. For the diagnosis of cancer, or pre-cancerous tissue, it is often necessary to excise a tissue sample from a patient. One particular type of cancer where obtaining a sample is problematic is cervical cancer. Typically, a cone-shaped sample is removed for pathological analysis. During this procedure, generally called conization, a cone-shaped section of the uterine cervix is formed. This is often achieved by either cutting the cervix with a knife (termed the “cold knife” procedure) or cautery (burning) by a LEEP (loop electrosurgical excision procedure) or laser beam. Each one of these two methods is time consuming and produces an irregular cervical tissue sample. There are also other drawbacks with these techniques. With the LEEP or laser procedure, the margins of the cone shaped tissue sample may be subjected to burning. This burning may mask the true nature of the tissue and render the pathological diagnosis difficult. Accordingly, what is needed is a device that produces a tissue sample with regular margins and which does not cause burning of the edges of the tissue sample. In meeting the challenges outlined above and overcoming the limitations of the known technology, the present invention provides for a surgical device that may be used to excise cervical or other tissue. With the present invention, once the device is positioned relative to the location where the sample is to be obtained, a set of blades are rotated and advanced into the tissue. As the blades are advanced, the blades are drawn inward toward one another until the tissue is excised. As a result of the advancing and closing blades, a tissue sample is formed in a generally conical shape, with clean and consistent marginal sides. Additionally, the tissue sample is retained in the compartment formed by the closed blades until removed from the vicinity of the patient. The tissue sample may then be released into a proper specimen container. In one aspect, the present invention relates to surgical devices for excising a tissue sample, the device comprising a rod located in a sleeve, wherein the sleeve has portions defining articulating plates, the ends of which include cutting blades. The rod includes two angled arms that define cam surfaces extending at an acute angle from the rod. The arms extend through slots formed in the sleeve. A collar is provided on a threaded end of the rod and is engaged with the rod such that the collar can rotate relative to the rod. An actuator causes rotation of the rod, and relative rotation between the collar and the rod. Resulting from the relative rotation between the rod and the collar, axial motion is imparted to the collar, and this axial motion causes the cam surfaces to interact with the sleeve, thereby cause the articulating plates to move axially and to deflect inwardly toward one another. With inward and axial movement of the distal ends of the articulating plates, the cutting blades are able to excise a tissue sample that is generally conical in shape with a well-defined perimeter. FIG. 1 is an external side view of a device embodying the principles of the device shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 2 is a side view of the device seen in FIG. 1, with portions broken away to show internal components thereof. FIG. 3 is a side view of the device of FIG. 1 with the cylinder advanced and the blades brought towards each other. FIG. 4A shows the interior components, the rod, arms and probe, of the device seen in FIG. 1-3. FIG. 4B shows an alternative configuration for the ends of the arms seen in FIG. 4A. FIG. 5 is a side view of an actuator mechanism assembled with the rod and collar of the device seen in FIG. 1. FIG. 6 is a side view of a collar (nut), as used in the device of FIG. 5. FIG. 7 is a side view of a portion of a connection between the actuator and the rod of the device of FIG. 1. FIG. 8 is a side view of an alternative embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 9 is a view similar to FIG. 8 with portions broken away to show inner cylinder and first rod of the device. FIG. 10 is a side view of the device of FIG. 8 with the inner cylinder advanced and the blades brought together and towards each other. FIG. 11 is view of a portion of the first rod with two optional springs attached to the first rod of the device seen in FIG. 8. The present invention is a surgical device that, when actuated, has the ends of two substantially triangular plates move towards each other. Provided at the ends of the plates are blades and, as such, the device may be used to cut tissue. For example, the device may be used to excise tissue from a cervix for further pathological analysis. Referring now to the drawings, a first embodiment of a surgical device (20) according to the principles of the present invention is depicted in FIGS. 1-8. The device (20) includes, as it primary components, an actuation rod (22), a cylindrical sleeve (24), a collar (26) and a drive mechanism or actuator (28). The actuation rod (22) has opposing ends, one of which is threaded and herein referred to as the threaded end (30). The opposing end (32) has a slender probe (34) extending therefrom; the probe (34) has a diameter that is substantially smaller than the rod (22) itself. Adjacent to the threaded end (30), the rod (22) is formed with a keyed surface (36). The keyed surface (36) may have any desired shape and, in the figures, the keyed surface (36) is illustrated in its simplest form, a flat surface. As will be more apparent from the discussion that follows, the shape of the keyed surface (36) must be such that it allows the rod (22) to rotate with and axially slide relative to another component, the sleeve (24). Extending generally from the opposing end (32) of the rod (22) is a pair of arms (38). In this first embodiment, the arms (38) are angled relative to the rod (22) in a direction away from the probe (34) and toward the threaded end (30). The outwardly terminal ends of the arms (38) are provided with an enlargement or stop (40). The rod (22) is received in and extends through the sleeve (24). Where the rod (22) enters into the sleeve (24), the end of the sleeve (24) is formed with a keyed slot (42) whose shape is complementary to that of the keyed surface (36). In the illustrated embodiment, the key slot (42) is shown as a slot extending the full width of the sleeve (24). However, it will be appreciated that the keyed slot (42) may have a shape that is complementary with circumferential shape of the rod (22) in the area of the keyed surface (24). As noted above, the engagement and interaction of the keyed surface (36) and the keyed slot (42) allow for the sleeve (24) to rotate with the rod (22) while allowing for the sleeve (24) to move axially along the rod (22). The sidewall (44) of the sleeve (24) defines a hollow interior cavity within which the rod (22) is received. The sidewall (44) is further provided with two sets of cuts (46), extending longitudinally along the sleeve (24) from the end of the sleeve (24) opposite of the keyed slot (42). The two sets of cuts (46) divide the sleeve (24) into two pairs of wall plates (48, 50), wherein each pair is comprised of diametrically opposed individual plates and are herein referred to as side plates (48) and articulating plates (50). The articulating plates (50) extend beyond the terminal ends (52) of the side plates (48) and are generally triangularly shaped so converge toward a point at their own distal ends (54). As their name implies, the articulating plates (50) are intended to be moveable and for this reason the sleeve (22) if formed at a thickness and of a material (plastic or metal) that allows for bending of the articulating plates (50) toward one another. To facilitate the bending of the articulating plates (50) toward one another, the articulating plates (50) are further provided with slots (56), through which the angled arms (38) of the rod (22) extend. The stops (40) on the ends of the arms (38) are therefore located exteriorly of the sleeve (24) and may be larger in width than the slots and shaped to conform to the exterior surface of the sleeve (24). Being angled, the arms (38) define cam surfaces (58, 59), which are the surfaces of the arms (38) that define an acute angle α and an obtuse angle β with respect to the rod (22). When the sleeve (24) is axially advanced along and with respect to the rod (22), the cam surfaces (58) engage the ends of the slots (56). Further movement of the sleeve (24) relative to the rod (22), to the right in the figures, causes the ends of the slots (56) to ride downward along the closing cam surfaces (58) toward the rod (22). This action causes the articulating plates (50) to bend toward one another, as seen in FIG. 3. Axial movement in the opposite direction, toward the left in the figures, causes the opposing end of the slot (56) to ride upward along opening cam surfaces (59), thereby separating the distal ends (54) of the articulating plates (50) from one another. Optionally, a spring (60) and ring (62) may be provided on the arms (38), as illustrated in FIG. 4B. The spring (60) and ring (62) are located interiorly of the articulating plate (50) and assist in returning the articulating plates (50) to their outward or open positions. The articulating plates (50), at their distal ends (54), are integrally formed with cutting blades (64). The blades (64) may be unitarily formed as the ends (54) of the plates (50) or, alternatively, may be detachably engaged with the ends (54) of the plates (50) in a known manner. As seen in FIGS. 3 and 5, provided on the threaded end (30) of the rod (22) is a collar or nut (66). The collar (26) is internally threaded (68) and includes a pin (70) protruding from an exterior surface (72) of the collar (26). The internal threads (68) allow the collar (26) to engage the threaded end (30) of the rod (22) and, as further discussed below, the pin (70) is used to prevent rotation of the collar (26). Engaged in this manner, by rotating the rod (22) relative to the collar (26), the collar (26) is caused to axially move along the length of the threaded end (30). The direction of movement will accordingly depend on the direction of rotation of the rod (22). The collar (26) is shown individually in FIG. 6. The actuator (28) is a rotary actuator and is used to drive or impart rotation to the rod (22). It includes a motor (not shown) for rotating an output member or driver (74) and may be either battery, pneumatically or electrically driven. To connect the actuator (28) to the rod (22), the driver (74) of the actuator (28) is engaged with the end (30) of the rod (22), but not the threads on this end (30). To create this engagement, the driver (74) is provided with an inner bore (76) into which the end (30) is received. The driver (74) further includes an aperture (78) extending through the sidewall of the driver (74). When the end (30) of the rod (22) is inserted into the bore (76), a spring loaded detent pin (80) provided on the end (30) of the rod (22) is brought into engagement with the aperture (78), thereby interlocking the driver (74) with rod (22) such that rotation of the driver (74) will impart rotation to the rod (22). The actuator (28) is also connected to the collar (26). This connection, however, is configured to prevent rotation of the collar (26). To prevent rotation of the collar (26), a rail (82) extends between the collar (26) and the housing (84) of the actuator (28), generally with one end of the rail (82) attached to the housing (84) and the other end of the rail (82) attached to the collar (26). The rail (82) is further provided with a slot (86) and the pin (70) located on the collar (26) is slideably retained within the slot (86). Where engaged with the actuator (28), the rail (82) is similarly engaged with a pin (88) provided on the housing (84). Alternatively, the rail (82) may be engaged with one of the housing (84) or the collar (26), but not both, such that the engagement is a fixed engagement. Engaged in the manner, the rail prevents rotation of the collar (26). Upon rotation of the rod (22), the rail (82) will prevent rotation of the collar (26) and the threaded engagement of the collar (26) with the rod (22) will cause the collar (26) to move axially along the rod (22). Beginning with the device (20) in the position of FIG. 1, the probe (34) is inserted into the tissue where the sample is to be removed. The probe (34) therefore guides the device (20) to remove the sample from the precise area under examination. When the rod (22) is rotated, the collar (26) moves axially along the rod (22) toward the right in FIG. 1, the collar (26) will abut against the end of the sleeve (24). Since the sleeve (24) is also axially moveable relative to the rod (22), the sleeve (24) will be caused to axially move relative to the rod (22). This in turn will cause the ends of the slots (56) to engage the closing cam surfaces (58), forcing the blades (64) on the distal ends (54) of the articulating plates (50) toward each other. Since the sleeve (24) rotates with the rod (22), the blades (64) are rotated at the same rate as the rod (22) as they are brought together. This action, deflection of the articulation plates (50) towards each other while being rotated, will cause a cut in a tissue, such as a cervix, when the blades engage the tissue. At some point, the collar (26) may have traveled along the entire length of the threads (30) along the rod (22). At this point, the collar (26) stops advancing the sleeve (24) relative to the rod (22), thereby limiting advancement of the blades (64) into the tissue. The device (20) will now be generally described in connection with a conization procedure of the cervix. To employ the device, an initial evaluation of the size and shape of the subject's cervix and the required diameter of the desired cone (e.g., 1 cm, 2 cm, or 3 cm) is carried out. The cervix is thereafter dilated with common dilators used in the art. After grasping the cervix with a tennaculum, the probe (34) is inserted in the endocervix. After the blades (64) have been brought in close proximity with the surface of the cervix, the actuator (28) is activated and held in place (i.e., not moved) until the process of conization is complete. Upon activation of the actuator (28), the blades (64) will be automatically advanced a desired length (e.g., about 2-3 cm) and, as a result of the articulating plates (50) being deflected towards each other, the rotation of the blades (64) will result in a cut into the tissue, a barrel shape at first and then cone shaped, to a typical total depth off about 20 to 30 mm. The width between the blades (64) before conization is preferably in the range of 10 to 30 mm. The total width between the ends of the blades (64) after conization is preferably 0 to 3 mm. After completing the cutting of the tissue sample, the device (20) is then pulled out and the actuator (28) is reversed, opening and separating the blades (64) from each other. The cone shaped tissue sample is then removed from the probe (34) and pathologically evaluated for evidence of precancerous or cancerous tissue. A second embodiment of the invention is depicted in FIGS. 8-10. The device (120) includes, as it primary components, an actuation rod (122), a cylindrical inner sleeve (124), an outer sleeve (125), a collar (126) and an actuator (not shown). The actuation rod (122) has opposing ends, one of which is threaded (the threaded end (130)) and the opposite of which (the opposing end (132)) has a slender probe (134) extending therefrom. Adjacent to the threaded end (130), the rod (122) is formed with a keyed surface (136). The keyed surface (136) may have any desired shape and is simply illustrated as a flat surface. The inner sleeve (124) is received in the outer sleeve (125) and the rod (122) extends from the outer sleeve (125) through a keyed slot (142), whose shape is complementary to that of the keyed surface (136) on the rod. As with the prior embodiment, the keyed slot (142) may have a shape that is complementary with circumferential shape of the rod (122) in the area of the keyed surface (136). As previously noted, engagement and interaction of the keyed surface (136) and the keyed slot (142) allow for the outer sleeve (125) to rotate with the rod (122) while allowing the outer sleeve (125) to move axially along the rod (122). To facilitate the deflection of the articulating plates (150) toward one another, the articulating plates (150) include protrusions (158) that define cam surfaces. The protrusions (158) extend outwardly through openings (156) formed in the outer sleeve (125). The cam surfaces of the protrusions (158) are surfaces that are angled relative to the rod (122). When the outer sleeve (125) is axially advanced along and with respect to the inner sleeve (124) and the rod (122), the cam surfaces of the protrusions (158) engage the ends of the openings (156). Further movement of the outer sleeve (125) relative to the inner sleeve (124) causes the ends of the openings (156) to ride onto the cam surfaces of the protrusions (158), thereby deflecting the articulating plates (150) inwardly and toward one another, as seen in FIG. 10. Axial movement in the opposite direction, toward the left in FIGS. 8-10, allows the articulating plates (150) to resume their pre-deflected position, either by virtue of the inherent resiliency of the material forming the articulating plates (150) or a biasing member/spring (190) provided with the rod (122). The articulating plates (150), at their distal ends (154), are integrally formed with cutting blades (164). The cutting blades may be unitarily formed as the ends (54) of the plates (50) or detachably engaged with the ends (154) of the plates (150) in a known manner. As seen in FIGS. 8 and 10, provided on the threaded end (130) of the rod (122) is a collar or nut (126). The collar (126), its mounting to the rod (122), the actuator, and the actuator's engagement/operation with the collar (128) and the rod (122), is identical to that in the prior embodiment. In that regard, reference is hereby made to the discussion in connection with the prior embodiment. Accordingly, upon rotation of the rod (122) by the actuator, a rail (182) will prevent rotation of the collar (126) and the threaded engagement between the collar (126) and the rod (122) will cause the collar (126) to move axially along the rod (122). When the rod (122) is rotated, the collar (126) moves axially along the rod (122) toward the right in FIGS. 8-10. The collar (126) will abut against the end of the outer sleeve (125). Since the outer sleeve (125) is also axially moveable relative to the rod (122), the outer sleeve (125) will axially move relative to the rod (122). This in turn will cause the ends of the slots (156) to engage the closing cam surfaces of the protrusions (158), forcing the blades (164) toward each other. Since the both the outer and inner sleeves (124, 125) rotate with the rod (122), the blades (164) are rotated at the same rate as the rod (122) as they are brought together. This action, deflection of the articulation plates (150) towards each other, while being rotated, will cause a cut in a tissue, when the blades engage the tissue. Optionally, the rod (122) may include two or more springs (190), which protrude towards the probe (134) and laterally away from the rod (122). The springs (190) operate to bias the articulating plates (150) outwardly so that the plates (150) return to their outward position, with the protrusions (150) extending through the openings (156), upon movement of the outer sleeve (125) back to its initial position, as seen in FIGS. 8 and 9. 1. A surgical device for excising a tissue sample, the device comprising: an actuating member having a first and second ends; a cylindrical sleeve defining a hollow interior, said actuating member being provided at least partially within the hollow interior, said sleeve having portions defining at least two articulable plates having cutting blades provided on distal ends thereof, said plates being resiliently moveable such that said cutting ends of said blades are moveable inwardly toward one another when said actuating member is rotated, an actuator coupled to said actuating member, said actuator configured to cause rotation of said actuating member; and a collar threadably attached to an end portion of said sleeve opposite said cutting end portions of said blades for causing axial movement of said sleeve during rotational movement of said actuating member whereby said cutting end portions of said blades are moved inwardly toward one another so as to remove a tissue sample from surrounding tissue. 2. A surgical device for excising a tissue sample comprising: an actuating member having a threaded section, said actuating member further having a keyed surface provided adjacent to said threaded section; a cylindrical sleeve defining a hollow interior, said sleeve having portions defining at least two articulable plates having cutting blades mounted on distal ends thereof, said plates being resiliently moveable inwardly toward one another, said sleeve further including a keyed opening through which said keyed surface of said actuating member is extended, said keyed opening corresponding in shape to said keyed surface such that said sleeve is axially moveable along said actuating member and rotatable with said actuating member; an actuator coupled to said actuating member, said actuator connected to said actuating member to cause rotation of said actuating member; a collar threadably engaged with said threaded section of said actuating member and being fixed for relative rotation with respect to said actuating member, whereby relative rotation of the collar with respect to the actuating member causes said collar to axially move along said actuating member, said collar coupled to said sleeve such that axial movement of said collar induces axial movement of said sleeve; at least one arm extending outwardly from said actuating member, said arm having a cam surface, said cam surface configured to engage a portion of said sleeve during axial movement of said sleeve along said actuating member; and said actuator is configured to cause rotation of said actuating member and relative axial motion of said collar and said sleeve relative to said actuating member, said axial motion of said sleeve causes said cam surfaces to engage with a portion of said sleeve thereby causing said articulable plates to deflect toward one another moving said blades inwardly toward one another so as to remove said tissue sample from surrounding tissue. 3. The device of claim 2, wherein said collar is internally threaded. 4. The device of claim 2, wherein said threaded section of said actuating member is located toward a first end thereof. 5. The device of claim 2, further comprising a rail extending between said actuator and said collar. 6. The device of claim 5, wherein said rail slideably engages said actuator or said collar. 7. The device of claim 5, wherein said rail is configured to inhibit rotation of said collar with rotation of said actuating member. 8. The device of claim 2, wherein said actuating member is rod shaped and includes a second end opposite of said threaded section, said second end having a probe extending therefrom, said probe having a smaller diameter than said first end of said actuating member. 9. The device of claim 2, wherein each of said articulable plates has an opening formed therein and one of said arms of said actuating member extends through each of said-openings. 10. The device of claim 9, wherein said-portions of said articulating plates engaged by said cam surfaces of said arms are said portions defining said openings in said articulating plates. 11. The device of claim 2, wherein said blades define a retaining cavity for said tissue sample when said blades are brought towards one another.

2019-04-20T15:49:17Z

https://patents.google.com/patent/US9066715B2/en

Clostridium difficile associated disease (CDAD) has risen in incidence and the experience in the US military has not been described. We evaluated the U.S. military’s database and identified CDAD cases and demographic characteristics among affected military personnel from 1998 to 2010. 2,423 cases were identified. CDAD incidence was 13.2 cases (95% CI: 12.7-13.7) per 100 K p-yr and increased over study years. CA-CDAD and HA-CDAD incidence was 5.5 (95% CI: 5.2, 5.9) per 100 K p-y and 1.3 (95% CI: 1.2, 1.4) per 1,000 hospitalizations respectively. Females comprised a larger proportion of CA-CDAD than HA-CDAD (25.5% vs. 19.3%; p < 0.001) cases as did Air Force service (29% vs. 23.4%; p < 0.01). On multivariate analysis female gender, Coast Guard or Air Force service, and a married status was associated with CA-CDAD whereas Male gender and Marine Corps service were associated with HA-CDAD cases. CDAD has increased among military personnel, with female cases more likely to be community associated. Gender, marital status and branch of service had the strongest association with CDAD subtype. Further work is needed to evaluate the epidemiologic factors that have led to these increased rates in otherwise low-risk populations and associated sequelae. Clostridium difficile associated disease (CDAD) usually manifests as an inflammatory, cytotoxin-mediated enteric disease with a wide spectrum of severity which includes asymptomatic carriage, acute or persistent diarrhea, and fulminant colitis with sepsis . CDAD has increased in incidence and virulence in recent decades [1–4]. Recurrent disease and serious morbidity have also increased, especially among the elderly. Although the reasons for the increase are yet to be fully elucidated, emergence of hypervirulent strains, increased quinolone and other antibiotic use, as well as increased awareness and use of improved diagnostic tests have been implicated . Novel risk factors such as proton pump inhibitor (PPI) and other medication use may also increase risk and be associated with these trends [5–8]. No longer a strict nosocomial illness, incidence among historically low-risk groups such as community dwellers, pregnant females and children represent important epidemiologic changes which underscore a need to better characterize the epidemiology of CDAD in younger cohorts . US military personnel have full access to government paid medical care and are recognized to be a distinct population composed of younger and generally healthier individuals who also have unique exposures associated with worldwide military service. The US Department of Defense’s Armed Forces Health Surveillance Center (AFHSC) maintains comprehensive medical encounter databases on all service members as part of surveillance and public health efforts: the Defense Medical Surveillance System (DMSS) and the Defense Medical Encounter Database (DMED) . The objective of our study was to use available military surveillance and medical encounter data to examine the epidemiology of CDAD among active duty personnel over the last decade. A cohort of all diagnosed CDAD cases was constructed and cross-sectional analysis performed. C. difficile cases were identified from among active duty servicemembers from 1998 through 2010. Medical information and demographic data were obtained from inpatient and outpatient medical encounter and personnel databases by the Defense Medical Surveillance Center, The Armed Forces Health Surveillance Center, U.S. Department of Defense, Silver Spring, Maryland [inclusive dates:1998-2010; release date: March 2012]. All identifiable information was removed and subsequently provided to study investigators. The study protocol was approved by the Naval Medical Research Center Institutional Review Board in compliance with all applicable Federal regulations governing the protection of human subjects. Datasets were de-identified and therefore a waiver of informed consent was granted by the Institutional Review Board. CDAD cases were identified by extracting individual encounters with ICD-9 codes for clinician diagnosed CDAD (008.45). Setting of infection, community vs. healthcare-associated, was defined using modified Centers of Disease Control and Society of Healthcare Epidemiology of America (CDC/SHEA) case definitions . Community acquired CDAD cases were individuals without inpatient medical encounters in the twelve-week period prior to CDAD diagnosis. Healthcare associated cases were those diagnosed while inpatients or who had been admitted in the twelve weeks prior to diagnosis. Clinical and demographic characteristics were collected from all cases. Demographic comparisons between CDAD cases (CA- and HA-) were assessed using Chi-square test for categorical variables or Wilcoxon rank-sum (Mann-Whitney) test, as appropriate, for continuous variables lacking a normal distribution. Incidence rates and 95% confidence intervals were calculated using person-year denominator data for the study years for personnel in active duty service (CA) and hospitalizations (HA). Multivariate analysis of cross-sectional demographic and clinical variables associated with CA- vs. HA-CDAD was performed using log-binomial models to estimate prevalence ratios (PR). Covariates associated with CA- or HA-CDAD on univariate analyses were included in the final models using a stepwise selection approach with terms removed and added based on significance levels of 0.20 and 0.15 respectively. Re-hospitalization rates were calculated by identifying inpatient encounters for C. difficile disease which occurred after 7 days and within 60 days from the original C.difficile diagnosis. All statistical analyses were performed using SAS v. 8.2 for Windows (SAS Institute, Cary, NC) and Stata version 12 (Stata Corp LP, College Station, TX) for Windows and statistical significance was evaluated using an alpha = 0.05. A total of 2,423 active duty service members were diagnosed with CDAD (CA-1,018; HA-1,405) over the study period for an overall incidence of 13.2 cases/100 K p-yr (95% CI: 12.7,13.7). The baseline characteristics of cases are shown in Table 1. Demographic variables closely paralleled the composition of the military services. Study subjects were predominantly young (median age 30), male (77.6%), and Caucasian (69.6%). The largest proportion of cases (41.1%) was from the Army while less than 5% were from the Coast Guard. Among the HA-CDAD cases diagnosed in outpatient clinics, 338 (24.0%) had a hospitalization in the 12-weeks prior to diagnosis. †Wilcoxon Rank Sum (Mann-Whitney) test used for comparison of continuous variables (Age, Duration of Follow Up); All other categorical variables evaluated with Chi-Square test for comparison of frequencies by appropriate degrees of freedom. HA- vs. CA- comparisons. Females constituted a larger proportion of the CA-CDAD cases than HA-CDAD cases (25.5% vs. 19.3%; p < 0.001). In terms of branch of service, the majority of total and HA-CDAD cases came from the Army, while the Navy and Coast Guard cases were evenly distributed among HA- and CA-CDAD cases, and CDAD was more common in Air Force members (29% vs. 23.5%; p < 0.001). Among Marines, HA-CDAD occurred more commonly (11.9% vs. 8.9%; p < 0.009). There were no significant differences in the age, military rank or race of the CDAD cases. The duration of follow-up (end of active duty service) was longer for those with CA-CDAD than those with HA-CDAD. The overall incidence (Table 2) of CA-CDAD was 5.5 cases per 100 K p-yr (95% CI: 5.2, 5.9). Among the branch of service, rates of CA-CDAD were highest in the Coast Guard, Army and Air Force with lower rates in the Navy and Marine Corps. By age category and gender, rates of CA-CDAD were significantly higher among females (10.4 vs. 4.6 cases per 100 K p-yr) and increased significantly by age with the highest rates seen among those over 40 with 12.0 cases per 100 K p-yr (95% CI: 10.6, 13.7). During the study period, the overall incidence of HA-CDAD was1.3 (95% CI: 1.2, 1.4) cases per 1,000 hospitalizations (Table 2). The Air Force and Marine Corps had somewhat higher rates than the other services, excluding the Coast Guard from which detailed hospitalization rates were unavailable. By age category, rates of HA-CDAD were largely similar for the different age groups in our study population without a clear increased incidence among the oldest service members. By gender, rates of HA-CDAD were reversed and higher for males (1.7 cases per 1 K hospitalizations; 95% CI: 1.6, 1.8) than for females (0.6 cases per 1 K hospitalizations; 95% CI: 0.5, 0.7). CDAD incidence increased notably over the study period. While an overall estimated incidence of less than five cases per 100 K p-yr was seen in 1998-1999, by 2008 CDAD incidence had increased to greater than 20 cases per 100 K p-yr. The rise occurred in both CA- and HA- cases (Figure 1). Incidence trends by gender also revealed a rise for both men and women over the study period (Figures 2 and 3). Branch of service contribution to the CDAD cases changed somewhat over the study period with a larger relative incidence for Army in the later years (38-40% of all cases), and decreased for proportions from the Air Force (data not shown). CDAD burden among US military personnel, from 1998 to 2010. Incidence of HA-CDAD is expressed per 1,000 admissions (left Y-axis); incidence of CA-CDAD is expressed per 100,000 person-years (right Y-axis). CA-CDAD burden, by gender, among US military personnel, from 1998 to 2010. Incidence is expressed per 100,000 person-years. HA-CDAD burden, by gender, among US military personnel, from 1998 to 2010. Incidence is expressed per 1,000 hospitalizations. The hospitalization history of all CDAD cases was evaluated. Among the 1,405 HA-CDAD cases, 1,066 (76%) were inpatients at the baseline visit and for 728 of those (51.8% of all HA-CDAD cases) the baseline visit represented their only hospitalization on record. Among all HA-CDAD cases, if a prior admission was present it most often occurred in the 1 month prior to the CDAD diagnosis. Specifically, for outpatients and inpatients at the baseline visit, the median number of days from the last admission was 20 days (IQR: 35, 8) and 18 days (IQR: 38, 7) respectively (data not shown). Table 3 illustrates prevalence ratios associated with demographic variables for CA-CDAD vs. HA-CDAD after adjustment for potential confounders. In the models, female gender and Coast Guard service was associated with CA-CDAD after adjustment for potential confounders identified during univariate analysis. Among all CDAD cases, 1,451 (60%) subjects had subsequent CDAD-related medical encounters after the initial visit and of these, 582 (40%) had two or more visits during the follow up period. For a majority of both CA- and HA-CDAD cases, the last CDAD-related code occurred within a year after diagnosis. Of the 1,018 subjects identified as CA-CDAD cases, 519 had subsequent CDAD coded visits with the majority occurring within a month of the original visit, and 43 (4.2%) and 64 (6.3%) having a CDAD visit coded after 8 weeks and 4 weeks respectively. Among the 1,405 HA-CDAD cases, 932 had subsequent CDAD coded visits the majority of which also occurred within a month of the original diagnosis. For HA-CDAD cases, 68 (4.9%) and 140 (9.9%) had CDAD visits after 8 and 4 weeks, respectively, from the original diagnosis (Table 4). In terms of re-hospitalization rates for CDAD cases. Among all the exposed (n = 2,421), 100 (4.3%) subjects had an inpatient encounter within 2 months for CDAD. Ninety-six of the admissions were among cases previously classified as HA-CDAD, whereas only 4 cases were among the previously classified as CA-CDAD (Table 4). In this generally healthy population of young, active-duty US military personnel, we noted a marked rise in the incidence of CDAD both in terms of hospital and community associated disease. The overall CDAD incidence was 13.2 cases per 100 K p-y, but was notably skewed towards higher rates in the latter years of our study period with 10-fold and 4-fold increases in incidence for CA-CDAD and HA-CDAD respectively. A rise in CDAD incidence has been well documented in many populations and is associated with increased morbidity and mortality among the elderly, infection of previously low-risk groups, and emergence of novel risk factors such as PPI use [1–3, 10–13]. A stabilization and slight rate decrease after 2009 is seen among our HA-CDAD cases, a trend also noted in other published reports [12, 14]. Among CA-CDAD cases, and for females, rates for the last study year were notably higher than in prior years but care must be taken when interpreting this observation. Implementation of PCR based testing for CDAD became more prevalent among DoD medical facilities in this period may have contributed to this observation but also our calculated rates for females may have been subject to more variability as a minority of US military personnel are female. Our study was not designed to evaluate specific risk factors associated with CDAD, yet some notable associations were observed in terms of the demographic variables evaluated. Similar to prior reports, women were more frequently associated with the CA-CDAD cases [11, 15] with a gender specific rate markedly higher than males in our cohort during the overall study period. Specific determinants associated with this observation cannot be ascertained from our data but differential rates of exposure to risk factors for CDAD acquisition or diagnosis (antibiotic use, healthcare system exposure, host factors, etc.) may be contributory. Evaluation of additional risk factors for C. difficile acquisition and development of disease in the community setting is needed and may further validate and explain the gender specific differences in incidence and prevalence which have been observed. Similarly, in our population, racial distribution of cases of CDAD was not uniform and those described as Black, Caucasian and Native American had higher rates than Hispanic and Asian groups. Published data from other populations have differed and revealed higher rates of CDAD and associated morbidity in persons of Caucasian ancestry while other reports have demonstrated lower incidence rates among Asian and other minority groups . More study is needed to further elucidate any genetic or environmental factors to explain this association in the military and other populations. Our study found that specific CDAD rates by each branch of military service also demonstrated some differences. The Coast Guard, Air Force and Army shared similar rates of CA-CDAD which were higher than those seen in the Navy and Marine Corps. On the multivariate models, Coast Guard or Air Force service was independently associated with CA-CDAD in our population and suggests that in addition to basic demographics, other factors may contribute to the different rates seen in our service populations. Recurrence of disease due to relapse or re-infection is increasingly a significant management challenge. Resistance to antibiotics, novel virulence determinants, and ongoing host factors (need for broad spectrum antibiotic therapy, immune compromise, continued exposure to pathogen) all appear to contribute to recurrent disease [17, 18]. In our population, the majority of CA and HA cases did not have continued visits for CDAD after 4 and 8 weeks. For those with CDAD visits after those time points, the CDAD code was in the primary or secondary position and suggestive of relapse or re-infection. The highest rate was among hospital associated cases for which 6.3% had CDAD visits 8 weeks after the primary diagnosis. Reported recurrence rates from civilian cohorts are generally higher and range from 20-30% for both community and hospital associated cases [11, 17–19]. In our population, the low rates of CDAD specific visits after 4 and 8 weeks is notable and suggest a lower rate of relapse or re-infection. Rates of hospitalization for CDAD in our cohort was more common among HA-CDAD cases, where 96 (6.8%) individuals were readmitted within 2 months with a CDAD diagnosis compared to only 4 (0.3%) of the CA-CDAD cases. Our study relied on ICD-9 codes to identify cases and poses a limitation in the ability to distinguish recurrence and relapse but our conservative approach makes it unlikely rates are significantly higher than estimated. Our study has several strengths and limitations. Access to the large, worldwide deployed, US military population allowed us to select and follow a large number of CDAD cases from all services and a variety of clinical settings but for which access to care, testing and therapy is relatively uniform. This study represents the most comprehensive and extensive review of CDAD in the military population and reveals the epidemiology of CDAD largely has paralleled the trends seen in other civilian and older populations. A main limitation of our study is the medical encounter database nature of its design and reliance on ICD-9 coding which may increase the risk for misclassification. However, recently published validation studies in inpatient populations have noted a single CDAD ICD-9CM code has a high specificity for CDAD disease (Sp. 99.7%, Sen. 78%) and may therefore be adequate tools for surveillance . One concern raised by these validation studies that may apply to our work is the observation that there is risk for misclassifying of CA-CDAD cases that are admitted to the hospital as being as HA-CDAD. This is a potential bias may have affected our results since we were unable to ensure that cases of CDAD less than 48 hr after admission were classified as community-acquired [13, 20]. A lack of access to specific medical procedure and medication history precluded the ability to examine other risk factors for development of CDAD or adjustment by those potential confounders. Multiple factors, including period effects, may have influenced the changes in CDAD rates seen in our study. Military specific factors, such as demographic transitions in the military population, and the effect of operational requirements with attendant changes in overall exposure to combat deployments may have influenced rates in our population during this time period but it is likely that most of these effects would have been limited. Interestingly, service in the Army and Marine Corps, younger, an enlisted populations are more heavily involved in combat operations, and were also more likely to be associated with HA-CDAD. In addition, other risk factors and secular trends, which have been documented from other populations (i.e. quinolone and proton-pump inhibitor use, availability of molecular diagnostics, increased provider awareness, surveillance bias), may also have influenced the rates and increases seen in our population. In summary, in this retrospective study of the generally younger, active duty U.S. military population, our data documents a notable rise in incidence of both CA-CDAD and HA-CDAD, similar to what has been seen in other populations. Of note, we documented a female association with CA-CDAD which persisted when controlling for service branch and low rates of recurrence or re-infection after the index visit. Incidence and risk factors for CDAD among military personnel likely differ from those of the general population, and our findings regarding the incidence and patterns of CDAD need further study. Many individuals generously provided time, expertise and resources that were essential in the development and execution of this research study. Ms. Wendy Munera was very helpful in the initial writing of the protocol and attainment of approvals. Dr. Angelia Eick-Host and Hala Maktabi, from the Armed Forces Surveillance Center, provided the datasets used in this study. Finally, Drs. Agan, Gibson and Hooper from the Uniformed Services University Graduate School and the Infectious Diseases Clinical Research Program provided valuable review of early manuscripts. No funding sources were used for this research. A review of the U.S. military reveals a decade with notable increases in CDAD incidence. Among these ‘healthy-workers’ both HA- and CA- show these trends. Demographic and service related variables were significantly associated with HA- and CA-CDAD. The authors are military service members (or employee of the U.S. Government). This work was prepared as part of official duties. Title 17 U.S.C. §105 provides that ‘Copyright protection under this title is not available for any work of the United States Government.’ Title 17 U.S.C. §101 defines a U.S. Government work as a work prepared by a military service member or employee of the U.S. Government as part of that person’s official duties. Limited portions of preliminary data used in this work were presented as a podium presentation at the Digestive Diseases Week conference 2012, San Diego CA. None of the authors have a conflict of interest or a financial disclosure related to this work which was performed as part of official duties. RLG, CKP and MKR participated in the data analysis and drafting of the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

2019-04-25T07:47:51Z

https://bmcinfectdis.biomedcentral.com.preview-live.oscarjournals.springer.com/articles/10.1186/1471-2334-13-609

America is and forever will be the land of opportunities. The American Dream is different for everyone, and as Robert J. Shiller said in his article The Transformation of the American Dream, this world-renowned dream has changed over the years and doesn’t mean the same thing as it did a century ago (Shiller). Since 1917, we have gone through 18 Presidents, 2 World Wars, a Great Depression, a “Cold War” in which not a single soul was harmed, and terrorist attacks on our country that will never be forgotten. Yet we still stand here today as a nation, stronger than ever, waiting for whatever challenge we may have to face next, waiting to take whatever is thrown at us and not only persevere through it, but continue to strive as a nation. No matter what our government has to deal with, no matter how our individual opinions differ, no matter if we’re white, black, yellow, orange, tall, or short, we will always be given a chance to make the most out of our lives, we will always have opportunities – from pursuing any career you want to fulfilling your American Dream to living the way that you choose to live – that make us who we are, and who we all are is defined by one word: American. From the principle foundation of America, the rights of all people were described in solid writing in our Declaration and our Constitution. These rights were not only defined, but they were named as “inalienable” so that the government could never take away any person’s freedom. Furthermore, it was established that if a body of government became too powerful, it was the responsibility of the people to alter or abolish it. By the government granting us our freedom to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness in our Declaration of Independence (US 1776), it set the precedent of an economic, social, and political freedom of all people that has forever stood and forever will continue to stand. Our Constitution gives every single citizen the ability to live a life without restrictions, regulations, or intervention by the federal government, which ties into our American Dream by laying down the opportunity for any citizen to pursue any career that they might choose. With no large government to force people to be a farmer or a doctor or a part of the nobility, citizens of America have always been and will always be free to outline their own life, no matter who is in office. Although there has been some controversy lately over our president, America is still a constitutional republic, and we will always have the right to express our voice as citizens. As Michelle Kumar – author for The Daily Iowan – proclaimed in her recent article discussing the current state of the American Dream, “After all, we are a democracy, and that means the people make a country, not the president” (Kumar). Even though over half the people in this country did not vote for Donald Trump, we can not lay blame on one man if we are upset with the way this country is headed because we still have a claim to those inalienable rights so prominently mentioned in our Declaration and so thoroughly described in our Bill of Rights. After all, we are free Americans, and if we do not like the direction of our nation, we will always have the opportunity to alter or abolish our system of government. One intrical part to the social structure of America is the equality of all people, no matter what their race or religion. Although during the founding of our nation it was very common for people to own slaves, our doctrine of beliefs was still centered around the principle that all people are created equally, as written in the Declaration of Independence (US 1776), it just took some time for our government to grant all people equal rights. However, we still have not gained full equality, as we still see examples today of women earning less than men in the workplace or African Americans facing discrimination in their lives. Despite these hardships that are often prominent in our society, any person in this country will still have opportunities as promised in the defining documents of our country. One specific example is demonstrated in the life of Malcolm Little, a young African American boy living in the Lansing area during the Great Depression. His life story is told in the book X: A Novel, written by Malcolm Little’s daughter Ilyasah Shabazz, and his hard fought life is very thoroughly described in various scenarios throughout this book, yet through hunger, relocation, the loss of his parents, and discrimination, Malcolm found the opportunity to relocate to Boston and live with his sister where he began to be exposed to politics and develop his own beliefs, which in turn developed the world-renowned civil rights activist Malcolm X. Even though Malcolm faced about the hardest conditions that a person could face, he had an opportunity to express his disgust with the way he had to live and the way that others of his race had to live, and by taking this opportunity and pursuing his American Dream of spreading equality, Malcolm X succeeded in defying poverty and proving that no matter who you are or where you live, the American Dream is out there, you just have to go find it. Perhaps the most important opportunity that we enjoy as Americans is the opportunity to live, which doesn’t mean that we’re allowed to be born, but signifies that we have the opportunity to pursue any form of life that we desire. Americans are indeed free, and freedom can be defined by the choices that we are allowed to make on any given day that might impact our lives. If we choose to make dinner one night, we can make dinner. If we choose to have a family reunion, we can have a family reunion. If we choose to be Christian on Monday-Friday and Muslim on Saturday and Sunday, we can very well do that as well. It may sound silly to be praising all of these rights, but many foreign countries tell their citizens what to think, where to live, who to acquaint yourself with, where to work, and what religion to worship. One common example that comes to everyone’s mind right away is North Korea, where their Communist government restricts their citizens to a point where there are no citizens, only government. Our claims to our rights in the Constitution go deeper than someone being allowed to plead the 5th to a police officer or another person keeping a gun in their household, our rights as citizens of the United States permit us to live the lives that we always dreamed of, to picture our American Dream and to see it achieved 20 years down the road, to look at some stars and stripes and feel like we’re home. All of these actions demonstrate the opportunities that will always be available to us, the people of America, living in one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all (Pledge), because all of us are Americans, and Americans will always have the opportunity to live the absolute best life they can live, and this right is and forever will be protected in the Constitution of the United States of America. Lam, Katherine. “The Transformation of the ‘American Dream’.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 4 Aug. 2017. Kumar, Michelle. “Kumar: The American Dream Is Not Dead Yet.” The Daily Iowan, The Daily Iowan, 15 Sept. 2017. The United States of America: a Nation of Opportunities by Owen is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. I am very amazed by your blog post, “The United States of America: a Nation of Opportunities”, because I really love how you didn’t just portray America as a perfect country with no flaws. You were able to balance the good with the bad in the way that you showed that although America is a free and equal country that has all of the opportunity in the world, we still have some growing to do before we can say that everyone is treated completely equally and given the same opportunities. One sentence that stood out to me was: “However, we still have not gained full equality, as we still see examples today of women earning less than men in the workplace or African Americans facing discrimination in their lives.” I think this is a great quote because it shows the harsh reality of some of the things that go on in America and how we have ways to go to improve it. Another sentence that intrigued me was: Perhaps the most important opportunity that we enjoy as Americans is the opportunity to live, which doesn’t mean that we’re allowed to be born, but signifies that we have the opportunity to pursue any form of life that we desire.” This stood out to me because America is the land of the free where opportunities present themselves at all times and people have the choice to pursue whatever that want to. I do definitely agree with you that America is the land of opportunity and the place where everyone has freedom, however there are more steps that must be taken before we can say that everyone is equal. I say this is because you made great points supporting both sides of the argument and I love how you weren’t biased in your writing. Thank you for your writing, I look forward to seeing what you write next because you made some very good points in your writing. I am intrigued about your post, “The United States of America: A Nation of Opportunities,” because of how you described equal opportunities and rights given from the federal government as a result of the Constitution and Bill of Rights. Overall, I liked how you acknowledged that the nation is not yet fully equal, and mention both the negative and positive aspects. But I also feel that our human nature as a whole will cause us to never be equal. One sentence you wrote that stands out for me is: “Even though over half the people in this country did not vote for Donald Trump, we can not lay blame on one man if we are upset with the way this country is headed because we still have a claim to those inalienable rights so prominently mentioned in our Declaration and so thoroughly described in our Bill of Rights. ” I thought this was interesting because… it showed that we, the citizens still have a certain amount of power in the form of rights. These rights can not be taken away, not even by the president. I agree that we can’t simply blame “one man if we are upset with the way this country is headed”, but would like to add that we should also blame ourselves, especially those that decided not to vote at all. I mean, people who are over 18 have the right to vote, so they should at least use it to express their opinions when they can. Another idea that I thought was interesting was when you mentioned that “perhaps the most important opportunity that we enjoy as Americans is the opportunity to live, which doesn’t mean that we’re allowed to be born, but signifies that we have the opportunity to pursue any form of life that we desire. Americans are indeed free, and freedom can be defined by the choices that we are allowed to make on any given day that might impact our lives.” This stood out for me because of you mentioned it can be defined, and then you gave your own definition for what freedom is. I liked how you did this, and how you are open-minded that not everyone has the same definition. Personally, I do somewhat agree with you that America is a nation of opportunities, and similar to what you said about the American Dream, “you just have to go and find it”. One reason I say this is because you mentioned earlier, that the “Constitution gives every single citizen the ability to live a life without restrictions, regulations, or intervention by the federal government, which ties into our American Dream by laying down the opportunity for any citizen to pursue any career that they might choose.” You also noted that “we still have not gained full equality, as we still see examples today of women earning less than men in the workplace or African Americans facing discrimination in their lives.” I agree with you on how the federal government gives us rights and does not intervene in our daily affairs (unless we commit a major crime). However, the reason why I don’t strongly agree with this is that although it is true that opportunities exist, you prove with the second statement that Americans are being denied those opportunities. For example, if a US citizen is in jail, they are still citizens of the US, yet they are denied their right to vote because of their crime, for fear they will commit other crimes or escape while they are temporarily released to vote. So even if rights exist, they are still violated and opportunities denied as a result. Plus, even if everyone had equal opportunities to everything, this type of society most likely would not work for long, because every human is different from each other, and depend on many different needs of varying amounts of resources. Not to mention there are not enough resources to go around for everybody when wasting supplies like this (as of today). I also would like to mention the economy, because if two people work two very different jobs of different intensity, and yet have the right to equal pay, this would be unfair. The person working the more difficult job would be under-compensated for their work, while the person working the easier job would be over-compensated. Same thing applies if two people doing the same job gets paid the same amount for doing very different qualities of work. Plus, if everyone had equal opportunities, greed for power and resources will cause people to overestimate their true value in society, thinking they are suddenly better than others now that they have resources. The people who were originally in power would also revolt in order to maintain that power, and wars would follow until both sides reach an agreement at the cost of more resources. This is only at the best case scenario. I apologize for going on a bit of a tangent and focusing too much on socialism. To summarize, I do agree with you about the US being a land of opportunities, but not equal opportunities. Thanks for sharing your writing and reading this long reply. I am looking forward to seeing what you write next as well as what you think about this. Let me know if I misinterpreted anything. It’s always good to listen to another perspective. I am unfortunate and miserable to say that I am more than overly displeased with your article, “The United States of America: a Nation of Opportunities”, because it disingenuously leads the readers to think that everyone born in this country (or arrived here legally) has a general ability to succeed and fulfill their dream which is clearly false. The argument that some may succeed with hardwork and dedication is an agreeable one at that, but assuming that all will or can is erroneous. One sentence you wrote that stands out for me is: “No matter what our government has to deal with, no matter how our individual opinions differ, no matter if we’re white, black, yellow, orange, tall, or short, we will always be given a chance to make the most out of our lives, we will always have opportunities – from pursuing any career you want to fulfilling your American Dream to living the way that you choose to live – that make us who we are, and who we all are is defined by one word: American.” I think this is inaccurate because The “fact” that all people can succeed no matter what race or color you are is very extreme, being that those who have tried to fulfill their dreams or help the dreams of others have failed only and solely due to their skin color. There are people in this country/society who can commit the same exact crime at the same exact time and place but yet still have two different sentences, which clearly shows that there has to be something wrong in the justice system, and the concept of justice or equality in this country in general. Another sentence that I noticed was: “By the government granting us our freedom to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness in our Declaration of Independence (US 1776), it set the precedent of an economic, social, and political freedom of all people that has forever stood and forever will continue to stand.” This stood out for me because not only were the views of those who created/authored the Declaration biased and made it so that specifically people of their caliber (most likely white, of the male gender) could succeed in their country. I do definitely agree with you that women are given less rights than men. One reason I say this is because they are treated differently and also are given less pay. Another reason I agree with you is because the history of discouragement that women have faced is a very long road at that. Although I disagree with most, thanks for your writing. I look forward to seeing what you write next, because a respectable discussion or debate is always nice to have/see. You may have slightly misread my piece or misunderstood the meaning. I did not say nor assume that all people will work hard to find success, rather that it is possible for anyone living in America to do so. I invite you to look at my American ancestry piece titled “Roots”, detailing the story of my great grandfather, who turned a small investment into a prestigious company through hard work, perseverance, and the opportunity provided to him by this country. Furthermore, while it is true that America was founded on a contradiction in a sense and only promised rights to white males, the Declaration and Constitution have evolved to provide rights for all citizens living in the United States, which contributes to making this country so great. There is no other place in this world that values each citizen equally and provides every one of them with a voice and with opportunities to pursue what they choose. While not every person may take advantage of that opportunity, it still exists and was the basis of my piece. I am intrigued by your post “The United States of America: a Nation of Opportunities” because it highlights our efforts to achieve equality within the history of our country. It is thought provoking. One sentence you wrote that stands out for me is “we still have not gained full equality, as we still see examples today of women earning less than men in the workplace or African Americans facing discrimination in their lives”. I think this is interesting because it shows that even though we have made a lot of progress in our pursuit of equality we still have a lot to do. Another sentence that stood out to me is “Americans are indeed free, and freedom can be defined by the choices that we are allowed to make on any given day that might impact our lives¨. This stood out to me because it puts into words the fact that freedom is something that we define for ourselves and its not something we can let other people define for us because then we may lose our freedoms. I agree that the US can be a land of opportunity but we need to make a greater effort to achieve true equality before the opportunities are available to everyone. Thanks for your writing. I look forward to seeing what you write next, because i would like to see your views on other topics. I am in awe by your post, “The United States of America: a Nation of Opportunities” because of your elaboration on what it means to truly be an American with dreams and opportunities. What stood out to me was when you revealed how we, as Americans, all have the choice to live the way we want and to be the way we want. One sentence that stood out to me was “Americans are indeed free, and freedom can be defined by the choices that we are allowed to make on any given day that might impact our lives.” I think this is factual because freedom to us should be defined by our choices and courses of action that may affect us day by day. We don’t need anyone’s definition or approval on what freedom truly is. In actuality the choice is ours to make. Another sentence that I liked was “we will always be given a chance to make the most out of our lives, we will always have opportunities.” The stood out to me as well because you made the claim that we will always have chances to carry out our dreams and how there seemed to be so much conviction and assurance that comes with this claim. I do firmly agree with you on this matter, one reason is because of the hope and assurance you had given me when you’ve elaborated on how America has many windows of opportunities opened for everyone. Thank you for your writing. I look forward to what you write next because you seem to have a very punctual way with your words and because of where you currently stand in this matter really resounds with me. I am impressed and in great agreement with your post, “the United States of America: a Nation of Opportunities” because you are very right in many places about America and the American Dream. You take many sources from newspapers to the Declaration of Independence to thoroughly explain your views and agreements. One sentence you typed that stood out was “ We will always have opportunities…that make us who we are, and who we all are is defined by one word: American.” I think this is very true because the freedoms we all share and the choices we make with those freedoms give us our individuality, but we are all still American. Another sentence that I liked was “These rights were not only defined, but they were named as “inalienable” so that the government could never take away any person’s freedom.” This stood out for me because of the positivity of these rights and the power they have to maintain freedom. I strongly agree with you on you saying that this country is a land of opportunities because like I said before, the choices we make with the freedoms we all share make us unique, while still being American. I also agree with you because you stress the importance of all people in America being created equally. Thanks for writing. I look forward to seeing what you write next because you seem to have a good grip on information about America. This article was mainly in a positive light, so it would be great if you would take time to type about some negative aspects of the country and what we could do to resolve these issues. I am interested by your blog post, ¨The United States of America: a Nation of Opportunities¨, because it really shows how the United States has grown as a nation from tragic disasters in its history. Also, i like how it also talks about the fact how the world is still not in equality in the aspect of women getting equal pay as men, blacks getting equal rights as whites. One sentence you wrote that stands out for me is, ¨ …we still have not gained full equality, as we still see examples today of women earning less than men in the workplace or African Americans facing discrimination in their lives.¨ I think this is vigorating because it really gets down to the source about how the government does not take any notice to how our community is shaped as a whole. Another sentence i noticed was, ¨…any person in this country will still have opportunities as promised in the defining documents of our country. ¨ This stood out for me because the Declaration of Independence does indeed give all people of the US equal opportunity to get jobs and prosper as a human being, but at the same time not all people get those opportunities, and its not fair. I totally agree with you that a intrical part of our social structure is the equality of all people, no matter their race or color. One reason i say this is that in our social community, the way we interact with others can solely depend on the race of another and how view that person as a human. Another reason i agree with this is that it shows how people within all our communities are connected to one another and how we can be together as one in harmony. Thanks for your writing. I look forward to seeing what you write next because, your work is very intriguing to me and i like your mindset about our country. I think you should add more real life situations to prove your standpoint even further in your writing. I am amused by your blog, “The United States of America: a Nation of Opportunities,” because it was interesting. It seem like you did lots of research on the topic. You emphasize on detail and it’s truthful. One sentence you wrote that stands out for me is: “America is and forever will be the land of opportunities.” I think this is agreeable because America is the land of opportunity for most, but not for all. Although we all should stick together and fill that gap. Another sentence that I liked was: “ Even though over half the people in this country did not vote for Donald Trump, we can not lay blame on one man if we are upset with the way this country is headed because we still have a claim to those inalienable rights so prominently mentioned in our Declaration and so thoroughly described in our Bill of Rights. After all, we are free Americans, and if we do not like the direction of our nation, we will always have the opportunity to alter or abolish our system of government.” This stood out for me because I don’t know if I agree or disagree. I would agree because if we don’t like something we could come together as a whole nation to try to change it. I disagree because even if we try not everyone would and the government could overpower us. I do strongly agree with you that Perhaps the most important opportunity that we enjoy as Americans is the opportunity to live, which doesn’t mean that we’re allowed to be born, but signifies that we have the opportunity to pursue any form of life that we desire.One reason I say this is you as your own person should be who you want to be no matter what. Another reason I agree with you is you only live once so, live your life and don’t let anyone put you down. Thanks for your writing. I look forward to seeing what you write next, because I like that it was very informing and detailed. Also, it made me want to read more and really think about some ideas you had. I was very inspired by your article, “The United States of America: a Nation of Opportunities” because it defines the American dream on a whole different level.I also liked it because it went into detail on what an American truly is. A sentence you wrote that stands out to me was “America is and forever will be the land of opportunities”. I think this is correct because America does have a lot of opportunities within it for people across the world. Another sentence that I liked was, “One intrical part to the social structure of America is the equality of all people, no matter what their race or religion” because this is such an integral part to our everyday lives but today it doesn’t seem like it the way things are looking. Everyone is supposed to be equal no matter what but it seems like everyone is just against each other nowadays. I do agree with you on the sentence, “Perhaps the most important opportunity that we enjoy as Americans is the opportunity to live.” One reason I agree with you is because it is the honest truth. We are able to do whatever we want to as long as we try our best. Thank you for writing, I hope to see you write again and I can’t wait to see what you come up with next because this will really stick with me. I have to say that I am deeply impressed by your article. I found it to be intelligently written, and I actually enjoyed reading it. It was very thought provoking. But, while impressed by the style of it, I have to admit that I do not agree with all of the content. First and foremost, I would like to address where you said, “…no matter if we’re white, black, yellow, orange, tall, or short, we will always be given a chance to make the most out of our lives, we will always have opportunities – from pursuing any career you want to fulfilling your American Dream to living the way that you choose to live…” While I do believe that this should be the case when discussing America and/or life in general, it simply isn’t. There are many factors that hold black people back when it comes to succeeding. As a black person, I know that we endure tribulations that wouldn’t even be considered as fathomable to most whites. To say that we all have equal opportunities in America while you know that racism is still prevalent (which I hope you do), is ignorant. I do like how you talked about how the American Dream is different for everybody. People tend to act like it should be the same for everyone, and I liked how you deviated from that ongoing (wrong) idea. I enjoyed your article as a whole. It was very mature and insightful. I would love to read more content from you. I am not surprised by the things you said in your article but i do agree with the things you say. These are the things that people in the usa think everyday.For example, Perhaps the most important opportunity that we enjoy as Americans is the opportunity to live, which doesn’t mean that we’re allowed to be born, but signifies that we have the opportunity to pursue any form of life that we desire. Americans are indeed free, and freedom can be defined by the choices that we are allowed to make on any given day that”. This is how i feel as an American. People in america probably think this everyday. The one sentence that stood out to me was ” the united states permits us to live the lives we always dreamed of , to picture our american dream and see it achieved twenty years down the road. ” This explains how Americans see and know how they want to live but there are still obstacles here that prevent this from happening. One thing i disagree with is “ After all, we are free Americans, and if we do not like the direction of our nation, we will always have the opportunity to alter or abolish our system of government”. I’m not sure what you were trying to say exactly with this point but from what i gathered i disagree in asense. I mostly disagree because i feel that not many are heated in an attempt to speak against the government.It is true that we have the opportunity to do so doesn’t mean we are capable to abolish it. Thank you for writing i look forward to seeing more of your views and points on this topic or any other topic in general. I admired how you took your time to express the way you feel about such underrated topic. One sentence you wrote that stands out for me is “…we still have not gained full equality, as we still see examples today of women earning less than men in the workplace or African Americans facing discrimination in their lives. ” I think this is appreciable because it allows for the audience to see the good and bad in the U.S., and it is not told in its entirety all the problems of this country, but it isn’t downplayed. Another sentence that I noticed was: “ Malcolm X succeeded in defying poverty and proving that no matter who you are or where you live, the American Dream is out there, you just have to go find it.” This stood out for me because I felt like this one piece of information tells the story for majority of citizens in the United States. I don’t fully agree with you that rights granted to citizens are inalienable. One reason I say this is that in the Constitution it states that all rights may be taken away from you and that you may be a slave in an event that a citizen is incarcerated. Another reason disagree with you is that there are things within this setup for certain people to fail and for some to remain in power and remain wealthy. Therefore, not allowing everyone to have a fair chance at achieving their goals as an individual. Thanks for your writing. I look forward to seeing what you write next, many topics are highly arguable and controversial, and it is a healthy way for ideas to be exchanged. One sentence you wrote that stands out for me is: “One intrical part to the social structure of America is the equality of all people, no matter what their race or religion.” I think this is significant because it shows the core part of the melting pot of a nation that the US is today, a homage for people seeking religious freedom. Another sentence that I looked at was: “Perhaps the most important opportunity that we enjoy as Americans is the opportunity to live”. It expressed one of the reasons why people say that america is a 1st world country, meaning that it has all the freedoms. Thanks for taking the time to get a grade and write this powerful document. Hope to see you again on another document. Another sentence that I liked was: “Malcolm X succeeded in defying poverty and proving that no matter who you are or where you live, the American Dream is out there, you just have to go find it.” This stood out for me because it is true. Even though malcolm went through poverty malcolm still had major opportunities throughout his like to be able to support himself individually. I do strongly agree with you that we are free people and we have free opportunities to do anything that we want in life and that America is a good place. One reason I say this is that other countries (Iran, Iraq, Islam etc…) tell you what to do and/or what to say with punishment for not doing said things. Another reason I agree with you is that the people of america are the ones to make the country and not the president which is something i feel like everyone should know because if something happens most likely we’re ready to blame him, even though some of it is his fault there are a lot of things where it’s not. Thanks for your writing. I look forward to seeing what you write next, because i love seeing a new point of view about the feelings of america. It shows that there is a good and bad side to everything and most should stop looking at the bad. Thank you so much for your reply. I’m very glad that my positive message was able to reach you, I myself was a little tired of hearing everyone complain about the injustices that they claim engulf the entire nation, so I decided to write this piece about all the wonderful things in our wonderful country, characteristics that commonly go unnoticed and are frequently taken for granted in this day and age. I suggest that you check out some articles about the current situation in the middle eastern countries that you mentioned, it really makes you appreciate everything that we have as Americans, even further beyond the points that I brought up. I really liked how much detail and time you put into your writing. I can tell you worked extremely hard on researching your topics. One spot that stood out to me is that you said a lot of people didn’t vote for Donald Trump but still have to live with it because the other half of Americans did vote. I thought this was interesting because people sometimes make it like a public official is just randomly appointed which isn’t always the case because there are people that have to vote for them. I also liked how you used well known documents to make your points more clear. Thank you Allison, I think that it’s very important that people realize that although they might not like who’s not in office, they were elected nonetheless and America will still be America due to the checks and balances that exist in our government and I’m glad that I got that point across to you. Thank you Lila!! I appreciate the feedback and I’m glad that you enjoyed my post! It’s very important – especially in today’s world – to have a uniting force among our citizens and that Americans realize how truly amazing all of our opportunities are.

2019-04-26T16:04:26Z

https://www.youthvoices.live/2017/10/04/the-united-states-of-america-a-nation-of-opportunities/

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2019-04-20T22:30:28Z

http://clublaguna.ru/showthread.php?t=45853&s=647c04c642b73d4cbfb696f713e006f4&p=202975

Recently occurred California wildfires are not just affecting those directly in their path but they are affecting millions of residents who are now breathing in the hazardous air conditions. In such a condition, a popular healthcare app turned out to be an emerging hero. Polluted air is a serious concern for many Californian residents. This is an extreme case where even if you’re not in an area directly impacted by the wildfires, you are still at risk as smoke can travel hundreds of miles from the burning site. In such cases, Doctor on Demand, A leading virtual care provider in the US is proving to be a huge help. With this app, it is possible to guide thousands of people on what they can do to avoid any harmful effects from the air. It is providing virtual medical help to people who are suffering from troubled breathing, coughing and skin & eye irritation. Apps like Doctor on Demand are a great option and allow those to stay safe inside their home, while still getting the high-quality care they need — 24/7, including weekends. Due to versatile requirements and ability to assist patients remotely, virtual healthcare app is in a rising demand. If you’re one of those who is looking forward to this as an option, you’ve come to the right place. Or maybe you’ve set your mind on this but not sure what functionalities and features you want to include. In this blog, we evaluate the healthcare app development for you. We will see what are the necessary features that you should include in your next healthcare app. Let’s look at some of the prominent features that are important for your healthcare app and discuss them. #1. Appointment: In a world where everything is becoming one-click away, why not book an appointment with a doctor? Booking an online appointment not only saves time by eliminating queue waiting but it is a way more convenient way for both doctors and patients. Step 1: Users registers and fills out the necessary information. Step 2: Select the doctor as per your requirement. Step 3: Select the doctor and book an appointment as per the availability. You may also mention brief information about your problems. Step 4: Once the appointment is confirmed you may view it in the schedule section. Step 5: Before users actually visit the doctor, they have the option to easily upload and share health-related information & documents online. To integrate the appointment booking, there are plenty of API + Webhooks available for you to integrate within the app. One such example is Calendly which gives the custom integration within the product. #2. Telemedicine: Doctors feel telemedicine is an effective way to monitor and treat chronic conditions than the regular 10-minute one-on-one conversation. 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If more information is required, the doctor may schedule a video call and also send lab test orders via the app. In a survey of medical school HCPs and students, more than 80% of respondents described using mobile devices to communicate with colleagues about patient care via email, text or multimedia message. This clearly demonstrates how critical this feature is for not only patients but doctors as well. For real-time text, audio or video can be powered through WebRTC and cloud infrastructure. You may also opt for Twilio SDK for real-time communication. Dr-on-Demand uses Twilio APIs for facilitating remote diagnosis. #3. e-Prescription: With an e-Prescription feature, doctors can generate and send prescriptions without any errors. This saves time along with improvement in communications and patients satisfaction. This also enables doctors to view prescription insurance formulary information and also comprises all the information in electronically-connected pharmacies. – Generate complete medication list along with dosage and other important details. – This makes it easy for doctors to understand the patient’s history if they have visited any other doctors in the past. – This also streamlines workflow processes and provides more mobility. With an e-Prescription feature, prescribers will be able to write and renew prescriptions from just anywhere. – Tampering with prescriptions is not possible. – Built-in pharmacy look-up for pharmacies providing the particular drugs. e-Prescriptions, when integrated with patient’s electronic health records, enables you to log the information. This helps in creating a detailed view of a patient’s care over time. However, to enable this feature, there are various compliances which you will need to take care about which we will discuss in the architecture section. e-Prescription can be facilitated with Twilio APIs. These APIs can be integrated with the custom product. It can send copies of the e-Prescription through SMS, email or WhatsApp. You may also extend the feature’s usability with remote viewing of medical imaging scans. This works through the uploading and sharing of images through a HIPAA compliant server. In some instances, the remote evaluation of images scans via a medical device has been proven to be just as effective as viewing them at a standard workstation. #5. Pill Reminder: Patient loyalty towards medication and drugs is a critical factor when it comes to the treatment of chronic disease. With the significant number of people relying upon pharmacological treatments. Failure to regularly take medicine and adhere to treatment regimens may adversely affect both the patient outcomes and healthcare costs. – It offers flexibility to customize the schedule as per the requirement of your prescription. – It prevents the errors by making sure that people don’t end up taking wrong medicines or skip dosages. – With this feature, you can also customize the way you are notified. For example, send-a-text, ring, vibrate or a pop-up visual notification. Popular push notifications integrator are Firebase and Twilio. This collects all the data on how the patient is interacting with the push notifications and reflects the progress on the patient’s dashboard. This makes it highly easier for your doctors to analyze your physical wellness. #7. One-click Ambulance: This feature is essential for emergency issues arising in untimely situations. One-click ambulance call can be of great help here. This feature let you request the emergency help for yourself, friends or family. This feature notifies the trusted contacts and the hospital along with the precise location. Additionally, you can also find nearby laboratories and pharmacies to seek help in the case of emergency. You may also like: How to Build an eCommerce App? #8. Hospital Wayfinding Map: Getting lost inside the hospital is a common problem especially among senior citizens. With multi-speciality infrastructure, losing out on the direction is understandable. This feature makes it easier for visitors to find everything from their physician to their parking spot. By providing maps and images to the visitors, it is easier for them to find their way around the hospital, thus reducing anxiety. – Parking help on their cell phones. You may also place kiosks at various spots around the campus. Smart features such as “The Car Saver” function which saves the visitor’s parking locations and provides detailed directions back to their spot. – Indoor positioning within one to two meters. This navigation platform also assists users with visual landmarks and off-route notifications. – It can also send relevant location-based text messages pointing to a specific ward/doctor. Moreover, you can also opt for automatic check-ins, queue placement, check-out and lot more. It also offers guidance to reach you to the department or room you want to visit and help reduce missed or late appointments. The possible technology suggestion for enabling this features are beacons and geofencing. #1. Doctor’s Profile: One of the critical aspects of the patient’s journey is finding an appropriate physician. Selecting any out of the list isn’t an appropriate option. Doctor’s profile saves time for both patients and doctors. This also improves the accuracy of doctor and patient match-making process. – While showcasing the doctor, it is advisable to include the doctor’s expertise, qualifications, professional degrees and certificates, experience and others. – It should also provide the exact location of the doctor including their immediate contact details. – Reviews and ratings from the past users would be an added advantage for first-time patients with that specific physician. – Apart from this, you may also add the physician’s snapshot along with the workplace/clinic. There could also be a recommendation engine built using Machine Learning which suggests doctors based on the symptoms and ailments submitted by the patient. – Doctors can view their appointment requests and types, all this at a single place. – Appointment reminds doctors of their upcoming appointments. – It also has options to view the appointment status. They can also add new time slots for immediate patient scheduling. – They can also cancel appointments by mentioning the reason, if unavailable or have another emergency. – Through ePrescription, doctors can directly send reports and other related documents to their patients. – This feature also showcases the patient queue. #3. Patient’s Dashboard: The patient’s dashboard displays an overview of the clinical as well as personal information of the patient. This page works as a configurable display of critical information related to the patient so as to offer quick and efficient treatment plans. The dashboard may cover information like patient diagnosis history, lab results, nutritional values, vitals, treatments, prescriptions, radiology documents, etc. You may also develop additional dashboards for graphical representation of the trends in medical diagnosis or department specific view of patient clinical data. – Patient information section which includes personal physical details, clinical details as well as demographic details. – Room assigned will showcase the assigned room to the patient. – It also mentions the chief complaints of the patient along with pain level indicator. These details will be updated as needed pre/post doctor’s consultation. – The medication section will contain the current and new medications that have been prescribed to the patient. The drug & dosage, pharmacy, number of refills, the prescription date and current status of each medication. – There can also be an additional section where special remarks pertaining to the patient’s medical history can be described such as immunizations, special diseases, allergies, etc. #4. ePrescription: If you’re not familiar already, this is a technology framework that allows doctors to write and send prescriptions to their patients as well as pharmacies. According to a Surescripts report, 44% of all prescriptions were written electronically in the past year. ePrescriptions works as a decision support tool giving providers an immediate access to an individual’s medication history and details of their prescription insurance coverage- all in order to make better-informed choices. At a basic level, e-Prescriptions work as an electronic reference handbook. More sophisticated versions can create and refill prescriptions for patients, manage medications and view patient history, connect to a pharmacy or other drug dispensing site and integrate with an electronic medical record system. This feature is one of the most sought after since it reduces the number of prescription errors attributed to bad handwriting or illegible faxes. #5. Clinical Photo Capture: This feature allows doctors to practice high-quality and consistent patient photos in the repeatable process. Furthermore, it helps them to use before and after photos to help convert consultations to procedures and cross-sell aesthetic products and services. – This feature will eliminate the need for expensive and complicated medical photography equipment. – This allows doctors to take photographs from any consultation room using on-screen positioning guides and levelling tools to maintain the consistency. – Customizable photo-sequencing makes sure that the photograph of every patient has the same set of aesthetic prerequisites for the procedure- no angle or position missed. – Also, the photo management system automatically classifies the patient photos by patient name and demography so that it can be used as cosmetic and dermatic documentation. Clinical Photo Capture feature can be built through multi-level security protocols that keep their images secure, track who is accessing the system and the actions being taken with the photograph at any moment. This is a HIPAA compliant service which eases out the time-consuming process of photo management. #5. Decision Support Systems: Mobile apps have turned out to be invaluable tools that support clinical decision-making at the point of care. After every clinical encounter, doctors may not always have answers to the clinical queries. This is where clinical decision-making systems play an important role, especially in evidence-based treatments. – Clinical decision support systems clinicians, staff, patients or other individuals with knowledge and person-specific information, intelligently filtered or presented at appropriate times, to enhance health and health care. CDS encompasses a variety of tools to enhance decision-making in the clinical workflow. – Clinical treatment guidelines may consist of documents specifying the procedure doctors need to adhere while operating/treating specific diseases. – Medical Calculators allows you to enter the values in commonly used formulas to obtain numerical data, such as urinary protein excretion estimation. Other calculators allow you to estimate the severity of a condition such as community-acquired pneumonia in a specific patient based upon the presence or absence of major risk factors. – Laboratory test ordering feature allows doctors to order for laboratory tests. Lab tests when done, results are directly sent to the doctors for analysis. Along with this, you can also build a Laboratory Information System which manages patient check-in, order entry, specimen processing, result entry and patient demographics. The main purpose of the Hospital Information System is to develop and maintain day-to-day records of admission/discharge of patients, list of doctors, report generation, inventory management. Let’s have a look at each of them closely. #1. Patient Management Systems: These combines the medical data and analysis aspects along with administrative tools to help make a practice or hospital more efficient. This system integrated with patient management and health with the medical practice or hospital management. This enhances the patient experience since it focuses on the patient-doctor relationship rather than just illness. This system goes beyond the being an EMR & EHR. It includes appointment management, patient information, room allocation, diagnosis, e-Prescriptions, billing records and more. – Ability to request an appointment with a doctor. – Keeping records of patient’s prescriptions and treatments. #2. Doctor Management: This system allows registering the doctors working in the hospital staff. It helps in the allocation and management of doctors and nurses. All this with complete appointment details with patient health records. #3. Payment Management: With automatic adherence to the appointment system, this system generates the automatic invoice for every patient and keeps records of the payments. This can also help in generating payslips for the hospital staff. Inventory Management: Inventories in the typical hospital environment is managed by the hospital staff in a manual and time-consuming fashion. Such practices are highly prone to human errors. Inventory management system plays a vital role in automating the supply and medication distribution. An automated inventory management systems include technologies for tracking and tracing the inventory and devices used each day in a healthcare setting. This can be incorporated by utilizing barcodes and RFID tags for each along with unique tracking number. You can also add functionality to manage the blood bank along with vital information about their donors. Also, a separate inventory for the automation of medicines. Electronic Medical/Health Record is a system which collects the patient’s data and stores them in a digital format. This system can be shared across multiple different care settings. This reduces the tedious paperwork and streamlines the healthcare workflow. This is a free EHR app designed for physicians so the workflow mimics the way doctors think. This has some distinct features like patient check-in, online form submission, billing software along with e-Prescription system. On-demand doctor apps can be a great help to the patients and doctors both. This can also work as a mobile directory which helps in booking appointments online. Some of the additional features could be searching doctors based on name, location or speciality, contacting & booking appointments, explore insurance and billing, etc. This provides an online service that gives patients an appointment with a physician, psychologist or lactation consultant via their phone, tablet or computer. It also provides video visits for some common conditions and concerns and all physicians are board certified. If adherence to your medication timetable is an issue due to general forgetfulness, medication reminder apps can help exactly with that. These reminders can be in the form of a vibration or different alarms beeps. This gives reminders for all your meds, times and displays your notes such as “take with food”. Apart from this, one exceptional feature is if you miss a dose, it notifies your friends and family. Symptoms checker helps a layman person evaluate the symptoms of common health problems. With the preloaded health symptoms, you can check the state of your health instantly. With Symptomate you can check the symptoms in three easy steps. Enter the symptoms, answer a few questions and check the results. ePrescription is the method of electronically sending a prescription to the pharmacy. This eliminates the need for a hard write, fax or phone in prescriptions. ePrescription leaves very little room for errors and saves time both ways. With this app, you can prescribe any drug anywhere from your phone. You can also consult PDMP databases, view medication history and get drug/allergy alerts. There has been a sudden rise in the healthcare application which is focused on specific communities. For example, diet, fitness, healthy eating, mental wellness, etc. This offers a huge food database, listing over 5 million different kinds of foods and ingredients. With its inbuilt calorie counter, you can track your day-to-day calories within 5 minutes. It can be integrated with more than 50 devices including Apple Health and Fitbit. 7 Cups provide anonymous chat for people suffering from anxiety and stress. It provides the confidential conversation with trained volunteer listeners. It connects you with multiple listeners which lets you engage in the guided discussions in chat rooms. As reported by the Center for Disease control & prevention, more than 75 per cent of all healthcare expenses is linked to chronic conditions some or the other way. Under such circumstances, condition-specific apps can be of great help. This is a diabetes management platform which helps you understand how your food intake, activity and medication is affecting your blood glucose. There are types of apps which are focused solely on healthcare and wellness of women. This has been used by over 15 million mothers around the world. You just have to simply enter your baby’s due date and it will track your baby’s growth on per day & week basis. Depending upon the baby’s growth, it will suggest you expert tips and helpful articles. This is a period tracker and ovulation app that uses science and data to help women discover the unique patterns in their menstrual cycle. It lets you track due of the upcoming period, log the birth control and plan for pregnancy. An urgent care app provided by the trusted provider can be a handy tool for people looking help in the emergency. This could be an on-click ambulance, finding and mapping the nearest urgent care facilities and much more. This is an app focused on emergency care. With this, you can call an ambulance in a click and also locate healthcare providers nearby you. These apps provide indoor mapping platform through indoor turn-by-turn navigation, indoor location-awareness and context-aware messaging to your hospital wayfinding mobile app. This can be also added to the functionality of tagging parking, check-in and more. Wayfinding Apps have a proven record of improving the patient experience. These uses beacons and geofence around the certain structure to give an accurate positioning. Healthcare apps are enhancing the effectiveness of healthcare for both patients and doctors. Due to such inherent benefits, healthcare apps are widely being adopted in doctors and patients both.

2019-04-25T00:45:00Z

https://www.simform.com/healthcare-app-development-features-types/

Structure My Deal tools are complete — you're ready to visit Vandergriff Hyundai! Our team at Vandergriff Hyundai would like to thank you for visiting our website! We have a strong and committed sales staff with many years of experience satisfying our customers' needs. Located in Arlington, Texas, the staff at Vandergriff Hyundai will help you find the Hyundai vehicle you want. At Vandergriff Hyundai we offer a searchable online inventory of new Hyundai cars in Arlington, along with well maintained used cars by today's top manufacturers. Come on in and take a test drive! Our sales staff will help you find that new Hyundai or quality used car that you have been searching for. For years, the financial staff at Vandergriff Hyundai has offered expert advice for those seeking an affordable Hyundai car loan or lease. Our service doesn't just stop there. Arlington customers can come in and take advantage of our knowledgeable Hyundai car repair technicians, and a fully-stocked inventory of Hyundai auto parts. Whether you are looking for a Hyundai, or a pre-owned car or truck, Vandergriff Hyundai is here to help. If you don't see what you are looking for, click on CarFinder and simply fill out the form. We will let you know when vehicles arrive that match your search! If you would rather discuss your options with our friendly sales staff, click on Directions for interactive driving directions. We are conveniently located at 1120 I-20 West. You can also reach Vandergriff Hyundai any time by filling out our contact form. The entire staff at Vandergriff Hyundai looks forward to serving you! We want to hear what you have to say. Please fill out the form below to let us know what you think. Yes sir, I came in and Richard helped me out and I left the same day with a new Hyundai sonata hybrid. My wife really appreciated the ease and comfort of this particular buying experience and much of that goes to Richard. As former salesman myself, Richard has been the best I've seen. You have a great staff. Thank you very much! I'm sorry it has taken so long for me to write back about our visit with Moniqua. She was the best sales person we have ever dealt with. She was fun to talk to, very informative, was truthful about everything, and the best part she got us in the SUV we wanted. I plan on coming to see her again soon to try and get out of our 2010 Ford Fusion. We are very happy to become a life long customer of Vandergriff Hyundai. Thanks again!! Thanks for the follow-up. The service provided by David was excellent; my wife was extremely pleased that he took the time to explain all of the features of the car with her. Observation: I noticed that everyone that I came in contact with exemplified a high degree of customer service; it was refreshing to see that your company realizes the value of customer service. Congratulation Lee, there is one excellent salesperson left in this world. She is Moniqua Ledbetter. She was well prepared from beginning thru the closing of the sale. My sister Diane Washington and I were exceptionally gratified that she was knowledgeable, polite, witty, showed us the service area, introduced us to the manager and invited us to ask questions. In the final stages we were introduced to Chris (The Closer), polite and aggressive. He too was bright and knows his job. The deal completed, Moniqua, assisted Diane deliver her new Santa Fe SUV home safely. Regards to Moniqua, she is one of you best and brightness. Once again, Vandergriff Hyundai, and you in particular, have demonstrated outstanding customer service. On January 4 we purchase a 2012 Santa Fe. After getting it home, we realized it was not an appropriate vehicle for two elderly people. After much deliberation and soul searching, I returned to Vandergriff, sought you out, and explained our situation. You were attentive, empathetic and understanding. In a kind and responsive manner you went about resolving our problem to our total satisfaction. We are satisfied and happy with a 2012 Tucson that fits our needs and wants completely. During the last eighteen months, we, and our daughter, have purchased four Hyundai vehicles from the Vandergriff dealership. We have been treated courteously and professionally by your entire staff, from the receptionist to service department personnel, but particularly by you, William Burney and Thomas Carter. We continue to tell all who listen what a pleasure it is to do business at Vandergriff Hyundai. I Can't begin to tell you how wonderful of an experience it was purchasing my Hyundai Elantra. I have purchased many vehicles in the past and this has to be the top. Lee Allen the Internet Director went way above and beyond any thing I could have ever asked for. There is no one that could have spent more of her time and cared for my needs the way that she did. She even stayed late to make sure everything ran smoothly. My husband and I were in and out in no time. Shane Tucker the finance guy was awesome. He went over every little thing with me and made sure before I left his office that I understood everything and made sure all of my questions were answered. If asked the question would I recommend Vandergriff Hyundai, that answer is a easy yes. I work at a different dealership and though I love my job and work place I would easily recommend Vandergriff Hyundai to all my family, friends and co-workers that are in the market for a Hyundai to go there. The dealership was clean and just a very pleasant atmosphere. The over head music was even fun to listen to. Its just so nice to have folks at a dealership that really listen, understand and work with your needs. So a BIG BIG thank you to Lee and the rest of her crew for just being the wonderful people that they truly are and making this a stress free ride. I will be returning to your dealership in February to purchase my husband a newer vehicle, cant wait to see you then. It was great doing business with you and I will definitely refer anyone I know who's looking to purchase a vehicle to you and your dealership. I am going to blog on some Sonata Turbo sites and will mention you on all of them. I am very satisfied with the way you handled the sale and all the intricacies due to the distance. I appreciate all your efforts in making this happen with minimal work on my end. I love the car and can still barely believe that no one here in the Phoenix Valley could come anywhere near your price for the same car. The internet is a great tool for shopping and I buy almost everything online----but never thought I would use it to purchase a new vehicle in another state. Thanks again and if you're ever in Phoenix, call me so we can get together. I forgot to mention that I love Texans! Some of my very dear friends are Texans and there is just something about your independent minded, courageous, down to earth, and no-nonsense culture that sits very well with me. If I were to ever leave Arizona, it would be directly to Texas...period, end. I couldn't have been more pleased about my service experience this past weekend. (Sat 7/23) What I thought was going to take several hours was done in an hour 1/2. And even though my consultant Amy Kiles was very busy, she still took the time to go through what was done to my car and answered my questions. Thanks for making what most people dread, a pleasant and quick experience! Just wanted to take the time to say thank you to your service team! They were awesome on Saturday, no hassle, no long wait! I have been telling my employees as well that they need to take their vehicles to Vandergriff because of their superior service! I want to thank you so much for my new 2011 Hyundai Elantra, it is beautiful! I love the silver color outside and the interior inside. The spoiler just makes it, too. The drive is great also. But the service was the best of all! Thank you for delivering it to me here in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Everything was done in a very professional manner, from the sale to the financing to the delivery of the car. Its the best purchase I've ever make on a car!!!!! I will look forward to buying from your dealership in the future!!!!!! I am sending you this email to let you know how pleased with the service that we received at your dealership. I do not know who to contact in regards to Chris Landrum, so if you don?t mind would you forward this to where it needs to go? Chris Landrum is a very professional and a great salesman. We were in November and purchased a Kia for my college age daughter and Chris was our salesman. It was so nice to come to the dealership and not get jumped on like a piece of fresh meat thrown into a shark tank. Chris introduced himself and was with us the entire time. He was not pushy or inpatient (and we all know how teenage college girls can be). Chris was genuine and really listened to what our daughter wanted and what she could afford. It was just nice to have a human instead of a robot helping us. It is plain to see why he got Salesman of the month in November. In fact, we appreciated the experience so much we returned and purchased a new Hyundai on Dec 18th. With the customer service we received from the sales staff please feel confident that we will continue to be customers of your dealership. Michael Blackstock, well let me start by saying AWESOME! She is such a great person. She not only remembered us, but treated us like family. We purchased a Hyundai in 2008 and then when we came in November she remembered us and in December it was like we were family to her. When we came in we knew that we had negative equity in our trade (that?s what we get for going somewhere else) but to have a finance manager come out and work with the sales manager to get the deal through was amazing. It truly made us feel special. I have been in the car business for 19 yrs (I worked in dealerships before spending the last 14yrs with the Tarrant County Tax Office) and I have never experienced the teamwork that I saw in November and again on December 18th. Michael is true and sincere and that quality is hard to find. Our experience was nothing short of amazing and that is hard to say about car dealerships. We wanted to let you know what HUGE ASSETS you have with Chris and Michael and that we will be customers as long as we are treated like we have been in all 3 of our experiences with Vandergriff Hyundai. Thank you in advance for forwarding this to Chris?s manager and for the pleasurable car buying experience. I hope you and yours have a Very Merry Christmas and Prosperous New Year! Susie and I want to Thank You for all you did for us this past weekend on the purchase of our 2011 Sonata SE!!! I know when we started looking to purchase a new vehicle, Hyundai was not our first choice but after starting the process on the internet, the contact by William to further confirm what we were in the market for, we decided we should look at the Hyundai a little harder. After doing some research on the internet on the Sonata, we decided we might like it and when William call to affirm that Vandergriff had what we wanted and would work with us on the "money pit" Volvo S80T6 we owned, we were convinced we made the right choice! We had not planned on buying last weekend but when your sales staff suggested we just trade the "money pit" in with no cash involved, we decided to come to the showroom and talk. So Glad we did! Lee was an awesome lady to talk with and we both just fell in love with her as she was just like "the girl from back home"! (The coffee was great Lee but I didn't get to sleep until after 2am in the morning!! OMG, strong it was!!! LOL!!! You can call me anytime Darlin!!) Thank You Lee!!!!!!! William was a pleasure to talk with and even though he was running between us and another customer during the time we were there on Saturday evening, he did all he could prior to us coming down and that did take up a lot of his time during the morning and some in the afternoon! Then, when we took delivery of the Sonata, William explained everything to us about all the features, and damn were there a lot to take in!! So many things on this car and believe me, I will use them all!! Thank You William!!!!!!! David, in the business office, was so pleasant to deal with, with all the paper work and he actually made it fun to fill it all out! Great personality but still very much business! I had no plan to purchase the extra warranty policy but he did explain it extremely well and we saw it was a good thing to add to the contract! Very glad we did! Remember Lake Ouachita when you go up to Arkansas next year David! Thank You David!!!! All the people we came in contact with, including the used car guy(sorry I forgot you name) that talked them into giving us what we wanted for our "money pit" were extremely respectful and very friendly! I've bought many vehicles in my 63 years and dealt with at least 10 dealerships of all types but I have NEVER been treated with so much Respect and with the feeling of Friendship! I can only say I will be back to Vandergriff to purchase again, even if I do retire in Arkansas in three years! To the Owner of Vandergriff Hyundai, You should be Very Proud of the Whole Staff of the dealership as they are Tops in any book I could ever want to put them in!! To anyone who is considering purchasing a New Hyundai.......PLEASE visit with the Great Staff at Vandergriff and you won't regret a second you spent with them! It is my distinct pleasure to write to you to compliment your staff at Vandergriff Hyundai on their professionalism and the "above-and-beyond" customer service that was extended to me during my purchase of a 2009 Sonata GLS last week. Specifically, I had dealing with Sales Manager Ryan Rios, Assistant Sales Manager Chris Blackstock, Finance Director Rod Turner, and Sales Consultant Karon Key. All were more than willing to accommodate my rather challenging requirements and expectations as a "Cash for Clunkers" program participant, including accommodating the delay from when I selected the vehicle and the official start of that program. Karon, especially, made sure that I was kept happy, calling me frequently with updates and information. Chris and Ryan were tough but fair negotiators, and Rod impressed me with his no-nonsense, no-surprises, attention-to-detail efficiency. They'll all be getting "straight-10s" when I get the official follow-up customer service survey. Please be sure to let them know of my compliments and see that a copy of this letter gets into their personnel files. As a fellow Arlington Chamber of Commerce member via my consulting company (I serve as the Business Coach for the Chamber managed Arlington Technology Incubator), I will be pleased to recommend Vandergriff Hyundai to any and all who may be in the market for a new car. Congratulations on managing such an outstanding automobile dealership. I actually shopped at three other dealerships as well, but decided that Vandergriff's professionalism was head and shoulders above the rest, and that you would be the one to get my business. I'm looking forward to a long-term relationship. My name is Shannon Bucek and I purchased a 2009 Hyundai Elantra this past Friday. In addition to waiting for my phone survey, I wanted to write a personal letter letting you know what a wonderful experience I had. I had purchased a previous 2003 Hyundai Elantra from your dealership a little after five years ago. I loved the car and throughout the years. I knew that I would receive excellent & honest service when bringing my car into your service department. Phil Kalan and Kyle McDonald have been helpful, honest and have never treated me as just another number. They both deserve above and beyond your rating scores. I had just recently paid that vehicle off and had the title in my possession for less than a month when my car was totaled. George Donaldson, Lee Allen and William Burney were all very sympatric to my frustration of having to purchase a new vehicle. The three of them made this buying experience a great experience for me. I was treated by all three of them with respect, and they all went above and beyond to make my buying experience a pleasant one. Several friends have asked me why I purchase another Hyundai Elantra and my response has been that I love that car, it is reliable and because of the relationship I have with the Vandergriff Hyundai dealership. I will never purchase a car from anywhere else. Most sales people just want to seal the deal and treat you just as another buyer. George, Lee and William treated me not as a number at their lot, but with dignity and respect. They went above and beyond to make sure I left satisfied and happy. They all gave 100% of their time and attention to me. I'm not sure what the rating scales, but they all deserve the highest score and much more than that. I would highly recommend your dealership and George Donaldson your General Sales Manager to anyone I know that is shopping for cars. Even though I am going to have a car payment for another five years, it was all worth it in the end. Your team of employees all deserves a job well done from me, a dedicated Hyundai buyer for life. Thank you for your time in reading this and thank you for George, Lee and William who made this the most awesome experience in car buying ever! Wow! Thank you for leading a very human operation there in Arlington. From my first encounter with Vandergriff via telephone to driving off the lot in my new car a few days later, my wife and I experienced nothing but wonderful customer service. From the first "hello," Ms. Lee Allen and Ms. Donna Ingram showed they were most interested in what was best for me and my family rather than viewing us as a number on your lot-I can't emphasize enough how wonderfully enjoyable the car buying experience was with Lee and Donna. They cared! They knew right away that we weren't $30,000 customers yet they treated us as if we were the entire time. Had their interest been solely financial we never would have received a follow up phone call (like so many of the other dealerships that knew right away we weren't high yielding customers). In these trying economic times the last thing most people want to do is go through the high pressure stress of making a big purchase. Yet, Lee and Donna not only made it possible (something we'll always be grateful for)--they made it enjoyable. In fact, your entire staff could not have been more accommodating. Making such a nice car affordable for our family means more to us than you will ever know. It really is a luxury vehicle to us and the purchase simply could not have been possible without Lee and Donna. I wish you could have seen the joy and smiles when I pulled in the driveway and we went for our first ride-a life-changing experience of sorts for our family. Traveling around town with three little ones in our old car was quite a challenge, and now it's so much more enjoyable. Thank you for hiring people who care. Thank you for hiring Lee and Donna. I've never met two people in sales who are so much in the customer service business and just happen to be selling cars. Mostly importantly, they're wonderful at making the human connection, and a bonus is that they are both hilarious (I'm still chucking at their stories). Thanks for treating us like we were the most important customers to walk through your door. Your people made the difference! Please give our best to Lee and Donna. We wish you a very successful summer! Bill and Anne Tierney & Family?Irving TX,Passionate Vandergriff Hyundai Fans! I want to thank you for helping me with the purchase of my new Hyundai Genesis Coupe, Track Edition. I've only had it several days and I'm still learning about its features and options but it far exceeds my original expectations. Vandergriff is fortunate to have an employee of your caliber. Courteous, helpful and above all professional. Not at all like your everyday run-of-the-mill car salesman you run into at most dealerships. As outrageous as it might seem, given the car I just purchased, if I ever need to buy another vehicle I will five you a call. It was a pleasure meeting you. What a great car buying experience! It was painless, Lee and Michael were very professional and gave us a great deal. We dread going to dealerships and they made us feel right at home with no pressure at all. It was great, thanks to the two of them. I will recommend all of my friends and family come and buy a car from Vandergriff Hyundai. Thank you for NOT being a regular car dealership. "Hyundai Sales Consultant, Tony Thomas" I'm contacting you to let you know of the wonderful experience we just had at your dealership. For a couple of days we dealt with your sales consultant, Mr. Tony Thomas, and found him to be more than helpful, extremely knowledgeable and just an all around nice person. I terrified him several times with my sense of humor and he was able to handle it well. Normally I dread even looking at cars, much less having to deal with salesman but this young man was an exception from the start. You are fortunate to have him on your team. I already owned a Hyundai Sonata and traded it for the 2012 Sonata Limited Edition. I am pleased with both cars. I believe you just might have a customer for life and even though I keep my cars five or six years, I have no doubt I will be back. Thank you for your cars, the service you provide and especially thank you for Mr. Thomas. I believe when you have someone special like that, he/she should be recognized by the powers that be.

2019-04-19T21:12:36Z

https://www.vandergriffhyundai.com/hear-what-our-customers-have-to-say.htm

I dont care that I am supposed to be a mature and serious *snort* grown up person. I want to read this! I bought this recently for my daughter’s 4th birthday on recommendation from a local children’s book seller and it is already a firm favourite. The first thing I noticed was the stunning, whimsical illustrations. I particularly love the amazingly detailed silhouettes (we have found something new to look at with each exploration) and the wonderfully expressive animal images throughout the book.Having chosen this one for its gorgeous illustration, I was immensely pleased to discover the charming, witty and modern fairytale within.While the princess is beautiful, if a little bedraggled, her true beauty shines through in her personality. No ordinary, down trodden fairytale princess in need of rescue here. Our Princess is self confident, independent and pragmatic. Rather than being swept off her feet by a handsome prince after a single night of dancing, SHE rescues HIM.While we are in no doubt of Princesses feelings for her Prince, a man who makes her laugh and supports her unconditionally, she is not defined by their relationship. At one point during the story it looks as though things won’t work out and while the princess expresses sadness, she picks herself up and prepares to get on with her life.There is no happily ever after assumed here, just the promise of a beautiful shared future based on mutual understanding and goals. A much healthier and realistic role model for our daughters!Verdict: An exquisitely illustrated modern fairytale.Caroline. By Ursula Jones, sister of Diana Wynne Jones!Illustrated by Sarah Gibbs, whose Rapunzel I loved!Sadly, not at the library. C’era una volta una Principessa che non aveva un regno. Aveva, però, un pony e un carretto. Ogni giorno, la principessa guidava il pony e il carretto in lungo e in largo, cercando il suo regno. Quando pioveva apriva un ombrello rosso per tenersi all’asciutto. E ovunque andava, la gente le diceva: «Hai trovato il tuo regno, principessa?»La fiaba di Ursula Jones è semplicemente adorabile e le illustrazioni di Sarah Gibb ancora di più. Un piccolo regalo di fine anno assolutamente gradito. Consigliato a tutti gli appassionati di fiabe illustrate. There is something so very British about the humor in this book that I can't quite put my finger on. Something about the contrasts, I think, of a fairy tale princess in the same sentence as bath buns and public libraries.The princess who has no kingdom also has no background; we are simply told she is a princess without a kingdom and that's that. She now has a cart and horse, driving about delivering odd packages like "troublesome grannies and lame dogs" in order to make money. Also, when she is spitefully gifted with some old hand-me-down princess style gowns, she sees nothing wrong with selling them to make money.The princes drives her cart around loaded up with pretty objects, tumbled on top of each other in utter disregard of the laws of physics – a gleaming candelabra stacked atop an empty gilded picture frame above a spindly legged chair, never tumbling out as you would think they would at any little bump in the road. When she's invited to tea with the dowager duchess and her six rude daughters, the six lovely ladies sit at the table, their eyes fluttered shut, too busy looking beautiful to take in their surroundings, while the princess stares ahead, politely but openly, at the handsome jester as he tells a joke that she gets and laughs at heartily, not shy at expressing her feelings, good or bad.There is then a ball, a fight, a wooing, a marriage, and still the princess searches for her kingdom, until she finds it rather unexpectedly… I wonder if the illustrator studied ballet. There is something about the stance that all the characters take that suggest they are all about to start leaping about in defiance of gravity in order to convey their emotions. Also, the fashions all the characters wear have the suggestion of a ballet costume – an outfit that shows off a tremendous amount of beautiful detail and contains all sorts of layers and frou-frous – but also has a cut and length to it that allows for movement. The one stumble in the whole book is when the two main characters celebrate their engagement at Longfellow's Wayside Inn, a restaurant that is just so quintessentially Massachusetts, it didn't fit the rest of the British tone of pictures or text. An odd mistake among such a perfect 10 of illustrations. If the illustrator was so set to give the inn a name, a generic British name like "The Red Lion" or "The Fox and Hound" would have worked better, or, if she felt she just had to stick a real place in there, "The Trip to Jerusalem Inn" is perhaps the most well-known English Inn.But overall, a charming original fairy tale – pretty and funny at the same time. As the book's title suggests this is a tale of a princess, named Princess, who had no kingdom. What she did possess was little to speak of: a cart which she used to deliver odd items that could not be mailed through the post; a red umbrella to shelter her from the rain; and a pony named Pretty, who pulled said cart. Each day the princess would roam from town to town and all through the countryside searching for her kingdom, and whenever she passed the home of another royal she would politely stop in to pay her respects. One day she stops in to see a dowager duchess and there she meets a kind court jester. When the duchess suspects that her son the prince might fall in love with this poor beauty she devises a plan to keep him distracted for the day. Before long Princess meets him anyway after a coronation is announced and all royals are summoned to court. What follows is a hilarious set of circumstances that forces Princess to head for the hills, and upon doing so, she finally finds her kingdom and her king. This was a delightful fairy tale with interesting and refreshing twists on a timeworn genre.The art too is exquisite, comprised mostly of color flats and silhouettes featuring characters in profile for the most part, which keeps things simple and straightforward so as not to overpower or upstage the wonderful narrative. I truly enjoyed this book and highly recommend it. Although her peripatetic lifestyle might not be recommended, the princess at the center of this book offers a good role model for young readers. For reasons never made clear in the book, she is a princess without a kingdom. As she and her pony and cart travel through the countryside, she hopes to eventually find her kingdom. Although some of the royalty she encounters treat her rudely, she remains gracious and kind. Young readers familiar with fairy tales will expect her to sweep a prince or two off their feet at the ball, which does happen. But she flees the scene when things get out of hand, and the royals engage in a wasteful food fight. When she meets the man who becomes her prince, she's the one who helps him out, which is a nice turnaround from the traditional fairy tale. Lovely illustrations with a great deal of detail alternate with silhouettes that allow readers to read between the lines to figure out what's happening. Ultimately, it becomes clear that being a princess has more to do with one's actions than what one possesses. I enjoyed this one thoroughly. A stunningly beautiful look at a nontraditional princess who's on a quest to find her kingdom. Her journey requires her to be resourceful enough to make a little money by offering to haul unusual loads with her horse and cart and her happy ending perhaps never quite looks like the myriad of princess stories out there, but she finds willing companions to share the road with.Digital artwork makes generous use of silhouettes and incorporates luscious patterns and details that beg readers to devour this story time and time again. This modern day fairytale is a fresh take on the idea of what it means to be a princess and girly girls will be very pleased with all the decadence to be found in spread after spread.Recommended for PreK-2. A Disney kind of a story, simple theme dressed up in longish text and confectionary illustrations. Too much of the stuff that doesn't matter, too much like an 'instant classic.' And even though it's supposed to be smarter than traditional fairy tales, there's still insta-love. But I did love the thrift of selling royal cast-offs and being disturbed about the food fight... so, rounding up from 2.5 stars. Gorgeous illustrations, whimsical and charming, with some superb coloring and wonderful silhouettes. The story is cute and sweet, though I found the Princess and the Jester's first real conversation to be highly improbable. But seeing as one can hardly create a believable romance in less than 10 pages of full text AND have a story to go with it, I tried not to dwell. A lightsome little picture book. Charming art. About a princess who travels about on her cart, looking for her kingdom, and earning her living carrying odd objects from one place to another.And her interactions with various royals along the way. An elegantly illustrated contemporary fairy tale reflecting adult sensibilities but still accessible to young readers. I love Sarah Gibb’s beautiful and fabulously detailed illustrations. The silhouettes are truly adorable. The story is witty indeed, fresh, and unique. One of my favorites! The illustrations are SO LOVELY, and Madam and I very much enjoyed the scene with the pastry fight, but the ending fell flat for me. Gorgeous illustrations and a lovely message: love is more important than wealth or possessions. My daughter and I love reading this. The silhouette artwork gets 5/5 stars. This book is absolutely gorgeous! The princess isn't shallow, but hard-working and humble. The idea that together she and the jester would build their kingdom (family and home) together wasn't as concrete as it could have been. Very young readers may not quite grasp the ending/meaning. I picked this book because I fell in love with the art. A perfect match with this heart-warming and poetic storytelling. My 7 year old sister and I loved it! This book would have gotten five stars just for the illustrations, which are gorgeous and I fell completely in love with them. Fortunately, the story is also sweet and enjoyable, make this a delightful picture book. I wouldn't usually include a childrens book on my reading list, even though I am guilty of dipping into a fair few (mostly for nostalgic reasons; re-reading the ones I loved as a child like The Tiger Who Came To Tea and On The Way Home!) however my big sister bought me this for Christmas and so I want to include it so I don't forget.This is a sweet story about a princess who has no kingdom. My sister bought it for me as she said it reminded her of me and I can totally see why! The princess drags her prized possesions around with her on a horse drawn cart, and those items mostly consist of bird cages, ribbons and tea pots! Which (having moved house about 10 times in 5 years) are the main (useless!) items I seem to cherish most as I move from house to house. The book is beautifully illustrated with foil printing and metallic patterns. The drawings are so detailed that there is lots to look at and notice each time you glance back at the page. Of course it is still a childrens book so quick & easy to read and a simple story, but it's a sweet little love story and not your usual cliche prince and princess ending like you'd expect.It definitely warmed my heart and made me smile, and does make a nice unusual gift! It is one I'll keep until I know any children (non currently!) who might want it read to them. This is a very different sort of fairy tale since the princess does not have a kingdom of her own and also lacks any wealth. She travels around other kingdoms delivering packages. As she journeys she looks for her kingdom, assuming that a princess must have a kingdom somewhere. She stops and visits other royalty but as she isn't wealthy and has no kingdom they treat her to their second best everything, except the court jester who shares with her his very best joke and a pair of his red tights (because her feet looked cold). And yet despite everything several princes and even a king want to marry her because of her charm and beauty (and very possibly her red tights). In fact they are so determined that they get into a food fight over it, which does not impress the princess. Instead she heads off to find her happiness elsewhere.I thoroughly enjoyed this story. It's a typical fairy tale in that the good are rewarded, but not necessarily in all the ways one might think. I like the idea being expressed that happiness can be found in love and family and finding our own 'kingdom' even if it isn't a typical or even tangible place. And Sarah Gibb's illustrations are beautiful and sweet. This picture book is whimsical and tender without being too treacly. While we can see whom the princess will eventually marry, the road towards this foregone conclusion isn’t quite so straight and narrow. The illustrations are simply divine, artfully mixing black silhouettes with splashes of color. I almost expect this to be a pop-up book, since they convey the same sense of two-dimensional pictures that are meant to be three dimensional. The only real problem I had with it is with a glaring lack of names where they are needed. The titular princess doesn’t have a name. Her would-be husband doesn’t get a name. The dowager duchess has a name as do the princes who bid for the princess’s hand in marriage. Even the horse is called Pretty! But the PWHNK goes without one. What kind of sense does that make? This book has important messages to convey to small kids, ones about being kind, generous, helpful and good natured, trying to find yourself or your place in the world no matter what anybody thinks and seeing people for who they really are instead of what they wear. But they can’t be bothered to give their central characters names instead of labels? Pfft.This book is truly beautiful to look at and read but I suggest that future re-prints correct these errors. The Princess who had no kingdom traveled everywhere looking for her kingdom. She did not waste her time or act better than everyone else. She put her traveling to good use by making money delivering hard to carry items. She visited as a princess in many fine homes as any good princess should. She went to the king's coronation. But of all the prince's who offered her a kingdom for her hand in marriage, it is the court jester who steals her heart.The illustrative style of this book is very different. It reminds of something from the Victorian era. Many times the characters are drawn as silhouettes while only certain parts of the page are in color. This makes the pictures intriguing. The illustrations are gorgeous in a sophisticated way and the details draw the eye.The story is also unique. Not your typical princess meets prince and they fall in love. Both characters are hard working and see what really matters in life. I highly, highly recommend this book. The story may be too mature for the littlest ones, but would be enjoyed by ages 5-6 and up. So whimsical, in a good way! The princess with no kingdom rides through the land with a cart and a pony, making her living delivering items you can't mail. She hopes to find her kingdom someday, but in the meantime she has a pretty good life (and a good head on her shoulders, in my opinion). A chance meeting with dowager duchess Wilhelmina leads to an invitation to a royal ball. At the ball, there's a quarrel between potential suitors... and an ending that isn't what you'd expect, but is far more lovely thanks to the Princess's good sense. I do have two complaints. First, the foil on the cover seems gratuitous when Sarah Gibb's art is so charming. Second, I'm a little done with depictions of women in art where their waists are cinched in to be only slightly bigger than their necks. Historical accuracy just isn't that important unless you're curating a museum exhibit! Still, I do love this book. I grabbed this one largely because of the pictures--we discovered the illustrator, Sarah Gibb, from a version of Rapunzel that we checked out last fall, and she is fantastic. Her pictures are reminiscent of woodcuts, and they alternate between full-color-and-detail pictures and silhouette pictures. The story is an original, but reads like a fairy tale, and it's very good, too. Although, like many folktales or folktale-like stories, it's a little bit long, it didn't feel long in reading aloud. It follows a princess who doesn't have a kingdom as she sets out to find one, and I very much enjoyed the conclusion! This is a lovely little book about an atypical princess, but the world-building was odd and it mostly felt like a missed opportunity to me. I would love to read about a princess who travels around in her cart delivering packages (and puppies and grannies); or a princess who's offered second-best everything, because she has no kingdom; or even a princess who falls in love with a jester. I'm just not sure this book pulled those elements together well. The story felt to me like the silhouette illustrations that adorned it's pages - pretty, but distant, and ultimately unknowable. Ursula Jones Sarah Gibb - There is more than one author with this nameWhen I was little, I wanted to be an actress. I still wanted to be one when I grew up, so I became one!Having trained at RADA (Royal Academy of Dramatic Art) I worked in what was called ‘weekly rep’. The actors put on a play every week, performing one at night and rehearsing the next one during the day. It’s hard work. I shed kilos. Then I took a banana boat to Jamaica where I helped research a frog that hatches baby frogs and not tadpoles. I moved on to New York where I did some exciting, experimental theatre. Back in England, I was lucky enough to join the Unicorn Theatre for Children in London.It was there that I discovered I wanted to be a writer, too. And so that’s what I did. I wrote lots of plays for the company, and I haven’t stopped writing for children since.I work in London and from a small house on the edge of a forest where Moon, the cat, Turpin, the dog and his daughter, Beatrix, make room for me. Beatrix has more the look of a hairy marrow than a dog but she can’t see herself so she doesn't care.(Full bio available at official website).

2019-04-22T05:58:32Z

http://5.pdfmedia.co/21423622/the-princess-who-had-no-kingdom.html

Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning account for more than 40% of your utility bill. For every degree setting below 78°F, you spend up to 8% more in cooling costs. Residential electricity rates in Florida average $0.1142/kWh in 2018, which is 3.87% less than the US average. Upgrading from a 9-SEER to a 13-SEER system can reduce your air conditioning costs by over 30%. Cooling load & Load calculation: Measurements that calculate what size system is appropriate for a particular structure given its square footage, ductwork analysis, insulation, windows, etc. Heat Pump: An air conditioner equipped with a valve that lets it “switch” between “cooling mode” and “heating mode" Why should I be concerned about the efficiency of my air conditioning? The largest consumer of energy in the typical Florida home is the heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system, which can account for more than 40% of home energy use and, therefore, for more than 40% of your utility bill. Energy use by your HVAC system is affected by many factors such as insulation levels, system efficiency, shading on the home, quality and sealing of the windows and doors, integrity of the duct system, and, of course, how it is used. Because of the heat and humidity, most Florida residents today rely on air conditioning systems to maintain not only reasonable comfort levels, but lower humidity levels as well. The size, efficiency, and placement of an air conditioning system, therefore, are all important. Equally critical is the air conditioning contractor selected, particularly because the operating efficiency of a system relies on proper installation to achieve its performance rating. A skilled air conditioning contractor's keys to obtaining the designed efficiency of a system in the field include: proper sizing of the system for the specific cooling load of the home; selection and proper installation of thermostats or controls; proper installation and commissioning of the system; a duct system designed to deliver the correct amount of conditioned air to each space within the building; and sealing and insulating all ductwork. Sizing the air conditioner close to the actual load (cooling requirement) provides better humidity control and typically results in energy savings when compared to an oversized air conditioner with the same performance characteristics. Better humidity control results from a higher percentage of run time during which the coil is operating at its coldest temperature allowing more condensate to form and flow out of the system, while energy savings result from less start and stop operation and higher comfort levels due to better humidity control. Reducing the number of cycles may also result in longer equipment life. However, close-sizing also comes with requirements. Since there should not be large excess capacity on the hottest days, the system must be properly maintained—most importantly, keep it clean. Also, energy efficient features of the house that reduce air conditioning load such as proper sealing of ductwork, windows, insulation and sealing against infiltration must actually be done and done correctly. Over-sizing generally results in higher equipment costs, but will allow faster cool downs and can overcome (from a room temperature standpoint) some issues such as leaking ductwork, poor AC maintenance, poorly insulated ductwork, missing or improperly installed insulation, and excessive infiltration (uncontrolled outdoor air coming inside the home). In the long run, over-sizing is just not recommended—a properly sized system and efficient components will bring more benefits to you and your home. To assure proper sizing, the load must be calculated—not just estimated based on square feet. Load calculations are based on the exact area, orientation, and type of construction for each component of the building envelope, as well as the heat given off by the lights, people, and equipment inside the building, etc. The standard for residential air conditioning sizing is ACCA Manual J or a method based upon Manual J. (ACCA stands for Air Conditioning Contractors of America [http://www.acca.org]). Make sure your contractor conducts comprehensive load calculations before accepting a bid for work to be done on your home. Central air conditioner and heat pump capacity is generally referred to in terms of tons. A ton of air conditioning is equal to 12,000 BTU per hour. The cooling efficiency of a heat pump or an air conditioning system is rated by the Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (SEER). The SEER is defined as a ratio of the average amount of cooling per unit of electricity used. Federal regulation mandates a minimum SEER of 13.0 for most residential air conditioners manufactured after January 23, 2006. Efficiencies of some systems can be as high as SEER 20.0 or more. (Chances are that older homes have units with SEERs less than 10.) Note that it is important to understand that even though the SEER may be high, if the system is inefficient (for example, leaky ductwork), you will not receive the full value of the efficiency as the air distribution system is not used to determine the SEER rating. So a high SEER system will also take care of the humidity in my house, right? Not necessarily. You also need to consider the Sensible Heat Ratio (SHR), which describes the moisture-removal capability of air conditioning systems. A SHR on HVAC equipment of 0.7 means that 70% of the air conditioning unit's load is devoted to cooling, and 30% to removing humidity. It is critical that the HVAC contractor accurately estimate the humidity load (also referred to as latent load). Outdoor air, coming in through poorly sealed windows and doors, open fireplace dampers, and bath and kitchen vents, causes most of the moisture load in your home. Even the simple act of opening and closing exterior doors adds humidity to your home. In addition, plants, bathing, cooking, cleaning, combustion, standing water in commodes (toilets) and drains, and even breathing add to indoor humidity. A proper Manual J load calculation yields both the latent (moisture) load and the temperature-based or sensible load. Note that many high SEER units have poorer humidity removal capacity, so it is important that the contractor verify that the unit chosen can remove the calculated latent load from the structure. Keep in mind that with air conditioners, which operate based on room temperature, humidity is not controlled directly, and any humidity control is a by-product of temperature control. This is where it gets a bit complex. The SEER, the SHR, and the system tonnage must be in balance so difficulties don't occur with indoor air quality. Systems without an adequate SHR, or with inaccurate tonnage, cool without removing moisture. An over-sized air conditioner will cool your home too quickly to remove moisture very effectively. This results in a home that is cool but “clammy.” If systems are not providing sufficient dehumidification, the typical owner response is to lower the thermostat setting. Since every degree the thermostat is lowered actually increases cooling bills up to 8%, systems that have nominally high efficiencies but inadequate dehumidification may suffer from higher than expected cooling bills. What are some short-term solutions to improve the efficiency of my existing system? Setting your thermostat at 78°F or higher. Using bath and kitchen fans sparingly when the air conditioner is operating. Inspecting and cleaning both the indoor and outdoor coils. The indoor coil in your air conditioner acts as a magnet for dust because it is constantly wetted during the cooling season. Dirt buildup on the indoor coil is the single most common cause of poor efficiency. The outdoor coil must also be checked periodically for dirt buildup and cleaned if necessary. Checking the refrigerant charge. The circulating fluid in your air conditioner is a special refrigerant gas put in when the system is installed. If the system is overcharged or undercharged with refrigerant, it will not work properly. You will need a service contractor to check the fluid and adjust it appropriately. Reducing the cooling load by using cost-effective conservation measures. For example, effectively shade east and west windows. When possible, delay heat-generating activities, such as dishwashing, until the evening on hot days. During most of the cooling season, keep the house closed tight during the day. Don't let in unwanted heat and humidity. Trying not to use a dehumidifier at the same time your air conditioner is operating. The dehumidifier will increase the cooling load and force the air conditioner to work harder. Consider installing ceiling fans to circulate the air more effectively. The improved circulation will make you feel cooler. Install a programmable thermostat, too. Using a programmable thermostat, you can schedule the time blocks when your heating or air-conditioning system operates. As a result, you can set the equipment to more economical settings—such as lower temperatures in winter while you are asleep or when you are away from home. Choose one that can store and repeat multiple daily settings, so that you can have both a workday and a weekend heating/cooling timetable. A manual override feature is a great convenience, allowing you to override current settings without affecting the rest of the program. Before purchasing, make certain the thermostat is designed to operate with your system. When I'm ready to invest in a new air conditioning system, what should I keep in mind for the long term? Central HVAC systems have a component called an air handling unit or AHU (often referred to simply as the “air handler”). If you have the option, choose a conditioned space for placement of the air handler. The advantages of placing the AHU in conditioned space include: it is in a more favorable environment; a central location can minimize duct lengths and optimize air flow; there is easier access for maintenance; and any air leaks occur in conditioned space. Another often ill-considered area of installation concerns the placement of the outside unit (condenser). Manufacturers' recommendations for proper clearance distances should be followed to the letter to ensure there is no blockage of air flow from the unit. Also, do not vent a clothes dryer within 10 feet of the outdoor unit as dryer lint will cling to the condensing coil, lowering both the system's efficiency and service life. Keep in mind that the major components of the system, such as the air handling unit and the condenser, are joined together for the first time at your home. The efficiency and reliability of the entire system are directly related to the care and quality of the work that goes into the planning and installation of the complete system, including the thermostat and duct system. Would you like to change anything about your current air conditioning and/or heating system? What do you like most about your present system? What benefits do you expect from your new system? Does your existing system heat and cool your home to your satisfaction? Are there rooms that are too hot or too cold? What temperature is your thermostat set on during the summer? Winter? Do you have a scheduled lifestyle that encourages adjusting the thermostat frequently, or for stretches of time when you know the home will not be occupied? Do you set the thermostat at different temperatures for the hours that you're awake and the hours you're asleep? What types of heating or cooling problems have you experienced? Have you had any problems with condensate drainage? What is your average summer electric bill? Who performs your regular energy-savings check-ups? How long do you plan on residing in this home? Do you plan to remodel or expand your floor plan in the future? Have you made any changes to your home since the existing air conditioning and/or heating system was originally installed? Does anyone residing in your home have allergies? Do you understand ratings like SEER and SHR? Do you understand how HVAC systems work or, more specifically, do you understand how the system I'm recommending for your home works? You should also realize that many of the same questions listed above should be asked when determining what HVAC system should go in a new home as the building plans are being drawn. Be sure your contractor is licensed, well trained, and experienced. Ask to see a valid contractor's license (in Florida you can check to see if they are licensed by referring to the website https://www.myfloridalicense.com/wl11.asp to conduct your search), proof of coverage for workers compensation, and certificate of insurance coverage for liability and property damage. Ask for proof that your contractor is certified to handle refrigerant in cooling systems. Also, inquire about references and membership in contractor associations. Request a calculation of your savings. Heating and cooling equipment comes with three price tags: the cost to buy the equipment, the cost to repair and maintain, and the cost to operate. Your contractor should be able to calculate your utility-bill savings and total lifetime costs. Request a load calculation. Ask your contractor to calculate equipment size using computer software or professional guidelines. This will require taking measurements in your house and asking questions. Don't use a contractor who wants to size your system solely on the square footage of your house. Inspect ducts. Ask your contractor to inspect your ducts for leaks, incomplete connections, and compatibility with the rest of your system. Evaluate your system's performance. Ideally, your contractor should use diagnostic equipment, and, if necessary, fix leaks using a UL-rated quality duct sealant. In some cases, proper duct repairs may include actual duct modifications to ensure proper supply and return airflow. You might not be eligible for an energy rebate unless and energy inspection of your home is conducted by your utility company prior to purchasing a new air conditioner, but the inspection should be free of charge. Consider a house pressurization test. If you have any kind of fuel-burning equipment (gas, wood, kerosene, propane, oil) in your home, test your house and appliances for “back drafting.” Back drafting occurs when the fumes from the combustion process are pulled back into the home, threatening the health and safety of occupants. Regardless of the outcome of this test, if your home has fuel-burning equipment, it must be monitored and protected with a carbon-monoxide alarm! Replace both indoor and outdoor units. If you're replacing an air conditioner or heat pump, be sure to replace both indoor and outdoor units for maximum efficiency and reliability if the units do not match in age, refrigerant, or efficiency. Obtain a written contract. Always obtain a written contract or proposal before allowing your contractor to install a new system. Be sure to ask about warranties for labor and parts because the warranty for parts often lasts longer than does the one for labor. Weigh the costs. Remember that the lowest price may not always be the best price. Carefully evaluate a contractor's proposal to ensure you get the equipment and service that best meets your needs. Paying slightly more now may get you better equipment and service, and save you money in the years to come due to lower costs of ownership and monthly utility bills. Install for easy maintenance. Make sure the inside coil can be reached for its annual cleaning. The air filter(s) should also be accessible for easy removal so that it/they may be cleaned or changed when dirty. Check filter(s) monthly during peak season (or as recommended by the manufacturer). Amann, J., A. Wilson, & K. Ackerly. 2007. Consumer Guide to Home Energy Savings, 9th edition. American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy: Washington, DC. Miller, C., Sullivan, J., and Ahrentzen, S. 2012. Energy Efficient Building Construction in Florida. ISBN: 978-09852487-0-3. University of Florida. Gainesville, FL. This document is FCS3262, one of an Energy Efficient Homes series of the Department of Family, Youth and Community Sciences, Florida Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida. This material was initially prepared in June 2008 with the support of the Department of Environmental Protection, Florida Energy Office, which is now the Office of Energy, Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. This revised version was prepared June 2012 and July 2018 with the support of the Florida Energy Systems Consortium (http://floridaconserves.org). Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the sponsoring organizations. Please visit the EDIS website at http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu. Wendell A. Porter, lecturer and P.E., Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, Randall A. Cantrell, assistant professor, Hyun-Jeong Lee, former assistant professor, Department of Family, Youth and Community Sciences, and Kathleen C. Ruppert, retired extension scientist, Program for Resource Efficient Communities; Florida Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611.

2019-04-21T02:39:01Z

http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fy1026

On 27 March, Global Reinsurance hosted a roundtable discussion on the opportunities in the Middle East. The discussion was held in the Sharq Village & Spa in Doha, Qatar, following the MultaQa Qatar conference, which the Qatar Financial Centre Authority hosted in association with Global Reinsurance. For this reason, there is an obvious bias towards Qatar in some of the comments. Nevertheless, many of the observations equally apply to the wider Gulf Cooperation Council region. The GCC is a rapidly developing market for insurance and reinsurance. One of the wealthiest regions in the world, the potential for business lines such as energy, property, life insurance, and reinsurance and specialist products is huge. The region also provides a natural bridge between Europe and Asia and modern financial centres have been set up in Qatar, Dubai and Bahrain with the primary objective of easing set-up and providing internationally-recognised regulatory and legal frameworks. With some of the world’s largest energy and construction projects planned or underway, the growth of Shari’ah compliant insurance products and an increasingly wealthy population, we wanted to find out if the insurance and reinsurance industry had woken up to the region’s true potential. Helen Yates: Good afternoon and welcome to the Global Reinsurance Middle East roundtable at the Sharq Village & Spa in Doha, Qatar. As we’ve all heard over the past couple of days at the MultaQa Qatar conference, there is great potential in this region for the insurance and reinsurance community. Could I start by asking for your thoughts on the specific business opportunities you envisage? Osama Abdeen: We see the Middle East market as part of our emerging markets, with great opportunities on different levels and fronts. Particularly in energy and property, to state the obvious, with all these infrastructure projects underway. Certain countries in the Middle East are also attracting foreign investment and, with it, a new unconventional coverage is being demanded in the marketplace, like D&O [directors & officers] and PI [professional indemnity]. We also see this as an opportunity for growth. And the mere fact we believe in consumer products and look at the expenditure of individuals in our region, the Middle East compared to Europe and US, and we find it to represent less than 10% of the average. That for us is a great growth opportunity, whether on the life side of accident and health, or even home contents, basic cover. So we see this as an emerging market, we are building our structure here, expanding within the region, and our vision is to operate on a direct and fac basis in most of the countries within the Middle East. Paul Murray: I certainly think that the GCC [Gulf Cooperation Council] region has tremendous potential. It’s obvious from some of the things we’ve been hearing over the last two days: the number of huge companies that are investing in massive projects, the amount of money that’s being invested. You look at somewhere like Qatar, we’re talking $130bn that’s being invested, and it’s clearly a lot of money to be throwing at an opportunity. But they’re not just throwing around the money, how they’re spending it seems to be very well planned. You’ve got projects like the education that they’re trying to put behind everything. It’s all about reputation and confidence. Now, clearly, with fledgling markets that’s always going to be a problem: how do you get that confidence? But what Qatar seems to be doing, which is a clever way around it, is to try and have a proxy for their reputation, so they’ve brought in the Qatar Financial Centre [QFC] and the regulatory authority, and they seem to be setting up so that everyone can see that the rules and regulations are of world-class standards. So by proxy, by using the sort of regulation that some of the best financial centres are using, they can sort of piggy-back on the confidence that some other markets have gained. Although the QFC hasn’t yet had the time to build up as a financial centre, when you see the sort of people involved, it starts to give you the confidence almost before it’s been earned. So I think that’s been a very clever way of dealing with things in Qatar. As for the rest of the region, I think there are also very good prospects. Places like Bahrain and Dubai may not be doing things the same way as Qatar, but they’re also doing very exciting things, and I think there’s clearly potential for everybody in this region. John Tan: Yes, I share the views that the region actually offers a lot of opportunities, because it’s undergoing a lot of changes, and they have the benefit to learn from the lessons of the past. But they can actually shortcut a lot of that by doing the right things. And from Asia Capital Re’s point of view, the region is part of Asia, which is within our focus, and it is our commitment to bring whatever capacity and expertise we have to the region, to see whether we can contribute in creating more value. Stephen Wagstaff: I think just generally there’s a lot of liquidity in the region. There’s a heavy concentration, certainly around the big four – oil, gas, power and water – but also the ancillary supports around these four areas will create the overall economy and further create the demand for insurance products. That’s what we hope to tap into. increasingly it’s fantastic perceptions in the international community. Graham MorrAll: We’ve been in the UAE [United Arab Emirates] for around 20 years and as a result of that we’ve built up a life business, which makes up about a third of our business worldwide. We are in a position now where we see great opportunity in the Gulf, not just in Qatar, but in other countries, as there seems to be an awakening in terms of the life markets. Just in Qatar alone, the life market in 2005 was worth around $52m, which doesn’t sound very large if you compare that to the UAE, which was just short of $300m, you would say, “Well why would you go into Qatar?” Well to us it’s more than just the size of the market right now; it’s what the size of the market will be. And just sat in the room with Fetooh [Al Zayani] and others at the conference, you feel this sense of huge growth and huge potential growth, and nobody’s saying anything different. But we see the markets in all of the various GCC countries for life, especially retail operations, being “creating” markets. So we’re not going in trying to take a part of that $52m, because, quite frankly, I’d be sacked, but to go and create something. To provide sophisticated products in countries that don’t really have that, and to find and develop and nurture distribution. And we think the opportunity is immense. One area that was mentioned over the last couple of days was takaful, and it’s a similar sort of thing. People are talking about whether takaful is a buzzword, the latest flavour of the month. The market is potentially huge, and the difficulty seems to be not in relation to the availability of product, but being in relation to access to the end customer. Fetooh Al Zayani: I guess I will leave the debate to everybody else, but just one observation. In almost 50 years I’ve never seen or come across a period where there is so much energy, so many positive signs, and I consider this period of the Gulf to be a golden era. In the first oil boom, most of the money went outside the region, to Europe and the US. This time around everything is being invested in the region. The confidence in this region has never been higher and I believe in the next three to five years we will see even more of this. Three years ago I used to say the region was on the verge of a major step forward and I believe that step has been taken now. They are not running, but they are walking. So I feel very positive and I guess this excitement and enthusiasm is shared by anybody who comes here and feels the energy and feels the enthusiasm of the people, of the government, of the private industry. I have no doubt that anybody coming here could do business. This country and this region needs companies like yours. We need to unleash the potential and we cannot do it single-handedly. We need companies with best practice, with a huge range of products, we need companies that are willing to invest in creating demand. The potential is unlimited. Robert Wiest: There’s one point which I deem very important. You mentioned timing Fetooh. I think we’re seeing a phase in the development of this area which is a good combination of hard work and lucky timing. There are people in the [GCC] countries who know what to do with the money, and that’s what we see, it’s not wasted money, it’s sustainably invested. And obviously it is fuelled by the natural resources and the advancement of technology, which enables the whole region to build a platform for the future, so in this sense it’s a lucky package. Now, a lot of people are focusing on the immediate potential, which is fuelled by petroleum, energy and infrastructure works. But there is more to this story, which actually goes right back to the structure of the population. You talked about the life business Graham, so I will give you some support there. Don’t forget that, contrary to the Western world, two-thirds of the population [in the Middle East] are below 22 years of age, so there is a huge demand coming up when you talk about personal lines. That won’t take place today, tomorrow, but it will be the day after. So it’s a very interesting region with a long-term perspective, nicely aligned to different sectors of our activity. Bruno Bertucci: We are looking at this region with great interest, not only at the large risks. But the comments made by my colleagues previously on personal lines are of even greater interest. It was very interesting listening to the presentation at the MultaQa Qatar conference regarding education, the fact that investments being made today are also focusing on the growth of the population, on how to build the future workforce and infrastructure and so on. From an insurance perspective that’s very interesting, because at that point we switch the focus from the large risks into what is the daily life of people and the insurance protection needs of the individual. I am happy to hear from Zurich that have had a good response so far on the life side, which is of great interest to us. Robert Makhoul: Marsh has been in the Middle East for over 30 years, serving our clients here, multinational clients as well as local clients. I have personally been involved in the region on and off for about 27 years. I don’t think I can remember a time when I’ve been more enthusiastic and excited about the opportunities in our sector than I am right now. The GCC offers tremendous growth opportunities for us as a firm. We have a well-established business presence in a number of countries in the GCC and we are actively expanding into other countries, such as our recent announcement to apply for a licence in the QFC. What we’re seeing now is an emergence of clients, of companies that are becoming world class, and they’re expanding on a global basis. They’re buying assets around the world, they are competing in the world market and they are now faced with risks and challenges that they haven’t seen before. Whether it’s corporate governance, whether it’s enterprise risk issues, all of these areas create opportunities for us as advisers to expand our business base here, and also to transfer technology to our clients in this important sector. Sean Rocks: Liberty Mutual is new to this region. We’ve only been here for about four or five months and started looking at the region 18 months ago in preparation for setting up, and clearly we’re here because we see the potential. Whilst all the plaudits or all the media attention has been on the economic growth in India and China, this region’s almost done it by stealth, it’s under the radar screen and yet the rate of growth is as much, if not more, than China and India. Clearly, a lot of that has come on the back of the oil and gas industry, and reinvesting that in the economy. So clearly we see the potential here and in the energy and construction industry. But I think it goes a lot further than that, because in comparison, say, to India and China, which are more labour-based economies, it seems that the investment here and the foresight of a lot of the leaders within the GCC region makes it more of a skills-based economy. So I think there’s going to be a lot more potential in the professional lines businesses, going beyond those initial lines of construction, energy, the obvious ones, into the more specialised lines as well. So we’re really fascinated by this region, we see lots of potential. If London was the defining city of the 19th century, and the defining city of the 20th century was New York, I think there’s a real potential for the defining city of the 21st century to come from this region. Rupert Boyle: I suppose the first thing to note is this is a place where one can do business. That’s the most notable change. I am here to protect investments against political and credit-related risk. Whereas in previous years I would be looking to protect companies entering the region against the actions of governments here, I am now looking to protect local entities here investing beyond the region. And I think that probably says it all in terms of the changing confidence and mentality of the region. This is a place that is going to proactively do business around the world rather than waiting for people to come and do business with it. hope we can contribute to that proposition going forward. Gavin Coull: Being a lawyer and not a market man, I came to Qatar purely to form a view as to what it is, what it does. Obviously I can only fully echo the comments from the market practitioners here as to the business coming out. I think what struck me, as someone who spends half my time dealing with problems after they’ve happened, is the clear vision and the clear confidence of QFC and the market practitioners here. I think for me the benchmark is if a client came to me and said, “I’ve written business in Qatar, is that a problem?”, I think my answer, from what I’ve seen, would be, “No, it’s a very wise thing to do”. Helen Yates: What are the key things this region needs to provide if it is to attract long-term business from the international insurance and reinsurance industry? Perhaps we could start by looking at the legal, regulatory and infrastructure requirements? Gavin Coull: I think there’s effectively three benchmarks they need to have. The first is confidence in the regulatory system. The second is something I know John Tan touched on today, which is certainty of contract. People need to know that if they’re investing through reinsurance or insurance that they are getting what they paid for. It’s as simple as that. They need to know there’s no complex wiggles in it, they need to know they’ve got a wording which works, they need to know that the terms and conditions are correct. I think it’s something which obviously in London we’ve been dealing with after the event for the past three or four years. Then the third is obviously, “What happens if it does go wrong?” We all hope it won’t go wrong, but inevitably it does. I’m not sure how strong a card it is saying, “We’ve got the QFC civil court”. Again, I spoke to John and asked him whether in Singapore, dispute resolution was a big selling point, because we hear about it in the press. And I think John’s answer was, “Well no, that’s not a big selling point”. I think it will be for GCC countries, I think they have the confidence that you will have your dispute heard here, but I think at this stage my gut feeling is it may well be analogous to Bermuda where you have a Bermuda form, New York law, English arbitration jurisdiction, and not many disputes being resolved in Bermuda. Robert Wiest: Well I can only but echo what John also mentioned in his presentation [during the conference]. It’s not only the legal framework which goes into contract certainty and into the dispute, but it’s also the regulatory framework which simply governs the way we are conducting business. Apart from the pure legal part, I am referring to capital efficiency, sovereigncy-related issues, so that we are able to build up a trustworthy environment for our clients too. Our business is conducted at the end of the day on the basis of trust, and therefore you have to make sure that this is going to build up. Part of that is the legal framework, part of that is contract certainty, but in the normal course of operations that’s also the regulatory framework, which simply prescribes and, to a certain extent also levels, the playing field for all insurance and reinsurance partners in the conduct of business. And in very simple terms that’s expressed in the solvency margins, capital efficiency margins and capital requirements in particular. Fetooh Al Zayani: From the feedback we got from research and from talking and looking at other franchise centres, I would say that having the regulatory regime in place and having a trusted, world class, judicial systems in place was our key aim. But the second most important factor is the availability of talent. Having access to the right talent pool is the second most important ingredient. I guess there is a global shortage of talent and this region is no different. Part of our role at QFC is to build a financial knowledge centre, to create a cadre of insurance professionals, bankers etc. It’s not just about licensing and bringing companies, we need to provide them with the right talent, and that’s where we are coming from. Our main objective as far as professional education is concerned is to spearhead the creation of this financial knowledge centre, bring top professional education providers into Qatar and make sure that they deliver what we expect them to deliver and hopefully help us to have a sufficient pool within the next five to ten years. And it will take time, but at least we are on the right path. bring in that expertise from abroad, but then you also need the local knowledge. So it’s got to be a combination of both. But perhaps jumping the gun a little bit and looking forward, what I would like to see the region look at in time is some sort of cross-border freedom of services passporting regulation, I think that would really add to the region and the ability to trade here. Osama Abdeen: The near future, bancassurance, alternative distribution channels, is going to be something most companies will be interested to move forward with. That’s the way you build a portfolio, a more balanced portfolio, and there are great opportunities coming from that. Rupert Boyle: I certainly see it as a place where there are new buyers for the products that I deal in, supporting cross-border trade and investment, where the investments, or the investment funds are originating from here and being invested into other parts of the world and countries. Let’s say, take East Africa, where there’s quite a lot of Islamic investment going on at the moment. And also intra-regional trade. Over the last two days, one of the main presentations was dealing with credit management and the application of credit insurance for the QAPCO [Qatar Petroleum Company], which is of course a world class company. As a result of that, my own feelings in terms of promoting what I do were absolutely confirmed, that this is a place where the economy has matured to a point where it actually needs these products for trade and investment going out of the region, as opposed to foreign entities coming into the region. Bruno Bertucci: I would like to follow up what Osama just said about the distribution channel and personal lines and bancassurance, which is a point of great interest, to build a broader balanced portfolio. I would like to put a question to Fetooh. We have been hearing about a lack of local skills, the fact there is a need to import and to attract international people due to this lack. So, if you are looking to build a personal lines portfolio is there any possibility of training local people to build a proper distribution channel? Fetooh Al Zayani: If you look across the region, the talent pool and the availability differs from one country to another. Let’s take insurance, for example. If you go to Bahrain, 70% of the professionals in the insurance industry are Bahrainis, so there is no problem, people are trained and qualified and are there to fill these positions. If you move to Saudi and the UAE, you struggle to find more than 5% to 6% of local nationals employed in the insurance industry. The awareness is still not there and the attractiveness of the insurance industry is also not there yet. If you come to Qatar, I would say it is similar to the UAE and Saudi, the country is just starting to tackle insurance as a profession. So far we only have five [insurance] companies and three agencies, and now we are opening the door to international companies to come in. But it’s not going to happen overnight. For the time being, we expect those [new international] companies to bring in their own talent, their professionals and their experts from the region or home countries. Meanwhile, we will be working with the local population to prepare. It is a responsibility of the government, of bodies such as ourselves and also of those international companies coming in to help us to train the local population. But the intention is there and with the training centre that is going to be established, with companies moving in, I think the attractiveness of insurance as a profession will be enhanced. Again, it is about the image that insurance has in this region. Despite the fact that it is one of the main engines of the economy, there are still not many people who want to be in insurance. So we have to change that picture, and I think by bringing in international companies it will encourage more locals and nationals to join. Bruno Bertucci: How do you see the internet as a tool to support a personal lines insurance operation? For example, in Europe it’s quite normal to sell and to distribute products in the market through the internet, which also helps reduce the costs of running this type of operation. Do you think that within the GCC, which is probably the most advanced when it comes to insurance [in the Middle East], there will be a positive response to an internet-based tool like this? Or is it too premature? Fetooh Al Zayani: I think the Gulf in general and the GCC nationals are very internet-savvy, there is very high use of the internet, but in terms of using financial services over the internet it’s still very much in the beginning stages. I don’t think people now are buying [insurance products] over the internet like they do in the UK, but the time will come. You’re talking about personal lines? Fetooh Al Zayani: The internet is not really there yet as a tool for distribution. It will happen eventually and we hope that will be encouraged by foreign entrants to the market and their investment in such methods of distribution. Bruno Bertucci: It will increase competition in the sense that people will be able to browse around and find different alternatives for what they are looking for. Fetooh Al Zayani: Graham, you sell life policies, you sell savings policies, you’ve got thousands of field people out there selling. Have you considered using the internet as a method for selling in this region? Graham Morrall: Yes, we use the internet and we have done so for some years. We sell across borders through a number of markets, and so our customers generally would buy a product, let’s say, in Dubai and then they might end up in Sydney, Australia, with a different currency, in a different environment. So we’re working very hard to open up their policies to them online as a starting point. In terms of actually selling off the internet, the very old adage that life insurance is sold and not bought, apart from the very commodity style life business, still stands.

2019-04-22T23:58:35Z

https://www.globalreinsurance.com/roundtable-discussion-middle-eastern-opportunities/1362877.article

The author examines the relationship between the Bibelforscher (the German name for the Jehovah’s Witnesses at the beginning of the Third Reich), the Nazis and the Jews, with particular reference to the 1933 Berlin-Wilmersdorf Convention, which approved the controversial ‘Declaration of Facts’. After outlining the development of the Witnesses under Rutherford’s leadership, it is argued that his statements about Jews may not have been ‘politically correct’ by present-day standards, but constituted an attempt to place them within the Watch Tower organisation’s views of salvation-history. His position is not wholly negative, and accords the Jews a place in the after-life. The Declaration was an unsuccessful attempt to gain sympathy from the Nazi regime; it did not confront Nazism, as some apologists have claimed, but it did not condemn the persecution of the Jews. The Declaration must be seen within the context of the period, which was before the Holocaust had begun, and hence it was more plausible to regard the Jews’ plight as part of the ‘fiery trial’ to which they were presumed to be subjected. While Rutherford made derogatory comments about some Jews, one has to be extremely cautious of applying the term ‘antisemitic’ to his ideas. The purpose of this presentation is to examine some issues surrounding the imminent conflict between the Jehovah’s Witnesses and the Nazis when Hitler came to power in 1933. The Witnesses come under a variety of criticisms, not always mutually compatible, regarding their relationship with the Nazis and with the Jews. They have been variously criticised for initially ingratiating themselves to the Third Reich by expressions of support for Hitler, and for allegedly antisemitic statements to dissociate themselves from the much-hated German Jews. Conversely, their leader Joseph Franklin Rutherford has been criticised for needlessly provoking Nazi persecution by making inflammatory statements, and the Bibelforscher (as they were called in Germany at the time) have been alleged to bear apparent similarities with the Jews, thus inviting and aggravating the persecution that followed. I want to focus on the year 1933, being the year in which Hitler assumed office as Chancellor of Germany. It is also the year of the Bibelforscher’s much-criticised Berlin-Wilmersdorf Convention, which included Rutherford’s Wilmersdorf Declaration, more commonly referred to as the ‘Declaration of Facts’, allegedly compromising the Watchtower organisation with Hitler’s regime. It seems difficult to achieve rational discussion on the issues surrounding the Bibelforscher in 1933. In all, there are three standpoints that can be identified: (1) Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society (WBTS) sources and the testimony of members who lived through the period, particularly Simone Liebster; (2) ex-member testimony, especially that of M. James Penton; and (3) neutral academic writers such as Holocaust historian Christine King and John Conway. Critics of the WBTS repeatedly accuse them of rewriting history to suit their own ends, while the WBTS refuses to address Penton’s arguments, claiming that since he is an ex-member he must have an axe to grind, and that his views cannot be of interest to them. Penton charges the Witnesses with wilfully falsifying evidence, and accuses King of naivety for her large measure of support for their account of events. I do not wish to comment further on the largely ad hominem arguments that beset the issues, but rather aim to unravel the events that occurred, and to evaluate the Witnesses’ stance on the Third Reich and the Jews. Some background information on the Jehovah’s Witnesses may be useful at this point. The Watchtower organisation had commenced a globalisation process at the turn of the twentieth century. Founder-leader Charles Taze Russell had toured Europe in the last decade of the nineteenth century, and a German office of the WBTS was opened in 1902. Russell’s organisation was known as the International Bible Students’ Association, and it grew steadily in Germany, where it claimed a total membership of 25,000 by the 1930s. Joseph Franklin (‘Judge’) Rutherford assumed office in 1916, and began to introduce the more distinctive and revolutionary features that are now associated with the Witnesses. These included door-to-door work (commenced in 1927), the dissociation with mainstream Christianity, the refusal to celebrate festivals such as Christmas and Easter, and the notion that earthly governments belonged to Satan, hence the prohibition on saluting national flags and singing national anthems. Rutherford and a number of other leaders were imprisoned in the USA in 1918 for subversive activities. These consisted largely on Rutherford’s attacks on mainstream clergy, whom he regarded as the Antichrist (Kingdom News, no.3, 1 May 1918), and for encouraging refusal of conscription in the war. Matters were brought to a head by the publication of Russell’s posthumous The Finished Mystery in 1917, which mercilessly attacked the clergy. Whether this volume faithfully reflected Russell’s ideas is debateable: it was compiled by Clayton J. Woodworth and George H. Fisher, with Rutherford’s oversight. In 1931, Rutherford announced at the IBSA convention at Columbus, Ohio, that the Bible Students were to be given a new name, ‘Jehovah’s Witnesses’. The WBTS organisation had not yet completed the globalisation process for which it is renowned today, and hence the German members continued to use their old name, Bibelforscher (Bible Students). It is in this context that the Bibelsforscher’s controversies within the Third Reich occur. I want to comment to two issues, one specific and one general: first, the 1933 Berlin Convention; and second, the allegedly antisemitic statements of Rutherford and the Bibelforscher. Regarding the alleged singing of the German national anthem, this is a clear misunderstanding on the part of the Bibelforscher’s detractors. It is likely that Haydn’s ‘Austria’ — the tune of national anthem — was used for the opening, but to the words of the hymn ‘Zion’s Glorious Hope’, which was in the Witnesses’ song book at the time. This hymn remains a frequently-sung hymn in mainstream Christianity, and the Bibelforscher of that period had not yet dissociated themselves from mainstream Christendom with their present-day practice of only singing their own distinctive songs. The hymn’s frequent references to Zion are also significant: this had been an embarrassment to some mainstream churches during the Third Reich, and such references were eliminated; yet the Bibelforscher were prepared to endorse them. A careful examination of our books and literature will disclose the fact that the very high ideals held and promulgated by the present national government are set forth in and endorsed and strongly emphasized in our publications, and show that Jehovah God will see to it that these high ideals in due time will be attained by all persons who love righteousness and who obey the Most High. Instead, therefore, of our literature and our work's being a menace to the principles of the present government we are the strongest supporters of such high ideals. For this reason Satan, the enemy of all men who desire righteousness, has sought to misrepresent our work and prevent us from carrying it on in this land. The Declaration, two and a half million copies of which were distributed, and which was sent to every government official, has been alleged to have been a cynical attempt by the Watch Tower Society to ingratiate themselves with Hitler. Critics have claimed that it expressed support for the Third Reich, and that it did so at the expense of the Jews, about whom the Declaration made derogatory comments. I want to examine these accusations. Penton argues that Witness theology underwent a volte-face under Rutherford’s regime (2004, pp.1-9). He makes two claims about Rutherford’s views on Jews: first, that they underwent a change after around 1933, and second that they are in marked contrast to those of Russell. I want to challenge both these claims. First, we need to understand Russell’s views on the Jews. These are developed in his six-volume Studies in the Scriptures, and obviously cannot be wholly encapsulated in a brief paper. In his Divine Plan of the Ages (1886), Russell developed a complex theology of salvation-history, in which the history of the world was divided into a number of eras. This scheme incorporated a ‘Jewish Age’, which ran from the death of Jacob to the advent of Jesus. Jesus heralded a Gospel Age, which was a ‘recapitulation’ of the Jewish Age, and lasted until the Messianic Age — the Period of the Reign of Christ — which would begin in 1914, and which would involve the Restoration of Israel. Russell taught, in line with biblical teaching, that the Jews were in a covenant relationship with God, receiving promises of divine favour, as well as the Law given to Moses on Mount Sinai. However, Russell held that he Jews were ‘blinded’ (Russell, 1889, p.29), having false expectations regarding God’s promise, anticipating an earthly kingdom rather than a heavenly one. Further, they were disobedient to God’s Law, and hence stand condemned by it. Their claims to divine favour were finally taken away on account of their attitude to Jesus Christ, whom they regarded as an impostor and a fanatic, and whose crucifixion they secured (Russell, 1886, p.275). Turning now to Rutherford: Rutherford has an extended discussion of the position of Jews in his book Life (1927). He subscribes to the same biblical ideas as Russell on matters relating to the Jewish covenant. Although he regarded the Jews in general as having failed to keep the covenant, and thus being cast off from divine favour, he singles out the ‘clergy’ in particular as having been unfaithful. (By ‘clergy’ Rutherford contends that means the Temple officials — in particular the Pharisees and the priests.) Like Russell, Rutherford states that their unfaithfulness involved blindness to the truth, culminating in their rejection of Christ. To a greater extent than Russell, Rutherford emphasises the role of Satan in the Jews’ apostasy, and tends to stress the ‘fiery trials’ through which the Jews must endure in order to obtain a final salvation. If these aspects of Rutherford’s teaching seem negative towards the Jews, it is also appropriate to point out that he does not regard eternal punishment as the Jewish fate: indeed he notes that Jews, unlike later Christians, never believed in a hell consisting of fire and brimstone. He also deplores the persecution of Jews by Christians and attempts to deprive them of estate and office-bearing. Jews should not be expected to convert to Christianity: God’s favour will return to them, for ‘salvation is of the Jews’. (John 4:22; Rutherford, 1927, p.54). Rutherford saw the Balfour Declaration as heralding the return of the Jews to their home country (Rutherford, 1920, 32-34). Penton points out that Rutherford’s book Life was withdrawn by the Watch Tower organisation, implying that his later writings more truly reflect his position, among other matters, on Jews. (It should be noted, however, that the book is still readily available.) Of these later writings, it is Salvation (1939) that has most to say on Jews. Despite Penton’s claims, this book largely reiterates Life’s theological position on Jews. Some material is added, including a detailed recounting of the story of Esther, and illustration of how Jesus is foretold as the coming king in Old Testament prophecy. Once again, the Jews — especially the ‘clergy’ — are accused of blindness and disobedience, and put under the curse of the Law. At times Rutherford is more condemnatory than in Life, for example when he states that the Jews of Jesus’ time were worse than heathendom (Rutherford, 1939, p.347), but on the other hand he acknowledges that some Jews maintained their integrity, and cites the list of the faithful given in Hebrews chapter 11 (Rutherford, 1939, p.350). (It should be noted, however, the disparaging comment refers to Jesus’ own words in Matthew 11:21-22.) In his analysis of the resurrection, Rutherford outlines the order in which the resurrection will take place, according to his interpretation of scripture. First, there are those who died in faith, and who will be raised from the dead. Second, the faithful who are alive will be transformed. Third, the faithful ‘men of old’ will be brought back from the dead: this may include the so-called ‘Jonadabs’ — a term formerly used by the Bible Students to designate sympathisers who did not belong to the ‘anointed class’ and who constituted the ‘great multitude’. Finally, there will be a general resurrection of all who have been denied any opportunity to hear the truth: they will enter Paradise on Earth, once Paradise is restored after Armageddon. The ‘great multitude’ also includes those who have shown kindness to the Jewish people. One important difference that is sometimes identified between Russell and Rutherford is their stance towards Zionism. Russell was a proponent of the Zionist cause, while Rutherford’s stance is less politicised. One page of front matter in Comfort for the Jews (1925) contains a testimonial from one Nathan Strauss, a self-confessed ‘ardent Zionist’, in appreciation of a broadcast given by Rutherford. No such material is to be found in Rutherford’s later writings, and even in Comfort the position he sets out is apolitical. Events involving the Jews are signs of the end-times, rather than causes for campaigning. The Journal of the American Medical Association is the vilest sheet that passes the United States mail . . . . Nothing new and useful in therapeutics escapes its unqualified condemnation. Its attacks are generally ad hominem. Its editorial columns are largely devoted to character assassination. . . . . Its editorial writers work in the seething ooze of corruption and write with a ‘muck rake.’ . . . . Its editor is of the type of Jew that crucified Jesus Christ. (The Golden Age (Sept. 26, 1934, p.807). The cartoons are located in The Golden Age (Sept. 23, 1936, p.810) and (Sept. 8, 1937, p. 771, 773)). I have explored the background to the Bibelforscher’s ‘Declaration of Facts’, and it is now appropriate to draw some conclusions about the Watch Tower’s attitude to the Jews and the Nazis. First, we must ask: was Rutherford antisemitic? It is easy to place the label ‘antisemitic’ on material that is now considered offensive with regard to Jews. However, without a clear definition of what antisemitism consists of, such charges cannot be sustained. It is important to distinguish between an antisemitism that seeks systematically to denigrate and foster prejudice and discrimination against Jews from remarks that, by present-day standards, should simply be regarded as not ‘politically correct’. It is important to make the following observations. Like many Christian theologians, Rutherford was attempting to place the Jews within a framework of salvation-history. The reference to Jews as Christ-killers is hardly a distinctive tenet of Rutherford’s; it is a belief that has been taught within mainstream Christianity, and still continues in certain circles. This is not to say that it is acceptable, merely that it is unfair to single out Jehovah’s Witnesses for allegedly antisemitic statements. It is important to note, however, that Rutherford did not label all Jews in this way, but fully acknowledged the ‘remnant’ of those whom he believed to have been faithful to God’s covenant. He does not condemn them as bound for hell, or even non-existence — the fate of those who have wilfully rejected the truth — but places them as the ones who will rise first at the resurrection. It is important, too, to note the time at which Rutherford was writing. Although it is something of a cliché to state that someone is ‘a man of his time’, one must bear in mind that, although the concentration camps were in operation in Rutherford’s last years, their nature was not widely known to the outside world. (Dachau was the first, and was completed in 1933.) If Rutherford had been writing in a post-Holocaust period, it would of course have been much less acceptable to claim that the persecution of the Jews was divine retribution for covenant breaking. Rutherford died in 1942, half-way through the Second World War, before conditions in the camps were able to gain publicity. Again, Rutherford’s stereotyping of Jews as hook-nosed businessmen would be considered unacceptable by present-day standards, but it should be recognised that Rutherford is not tarring all Jews with the same brush. Even his comment that the Editor of the AMA’s Journal ‘is of the type of Jew that crucified Jesus Christ’ implies that Rutherford believed that there were other types of Jew. Second, did Rutherford’s remarks on Jews play into the hands of the Nazis? Not at all. It is highly unlikely that the Third Reich would have been much influenced by a small stubborn religious group that Hitler wanted to exterminate. Rutherford gives no indication that he subscribes to the Nazi notions that the Jews were sub-human or worthy of extermination. Indeed Rutherford plainly states his profound disapproval of Jewish persecution, as we have noted. If the Bibelforscher appear to have been weak on criticising the Nazi regime, it should be remembered that Jehovah’s Witnesses have tended to be apolitical in matters relating to civil authority. Rutherford interpreted Paul’s instruction to be obedient to the ‘higher authorities’ (Romans 15:4) to mean obedience to God rather than those in government. In a Watch Tower article entitled ‘The Higher Powers’, Rutherford argues that this verse does not imply any ‘divine right of kings’, but rather enjoins the anointed ones to be obedient to God’s Law (Watch Tower 1 & 15 June 1929). However, Rutherford’s interpretation of this passage does not preclude the notion that one should obey civil authority, and argues the case for good citizenship in obedience to the law of the land. Rutherford’s position, which remains the position of today’s Witnesses, is that one has a duty to obey civil authorities. Such teachings may help to explain the Bibelforscher’s apparent endorsement of the ideals of the Third Reich, and the fact that the Declaration merely pleaded the cause of the Bibelforscher to retain their property and exercise the right to propagate the Society’s message. Should Rutherford have ensured that the Declaration condemned the persecution of the Jews? In hindsight, no doubt he should have done so, as should many others, including the Roman Catholic Church. Although it might be suggested that the full intentions of the Third Reich were not yet known in 1933, Hitler’s Mein Kampf had been published some six years earlier in 1927, and restrictions and boycotts were being applied to Jews by the time the Convention met. Given the Bibelforscher’s theology, it is likely that they regarded such matters as part of the ‘fiery trial’ through which God’s chosen people must pass. In conclusion, it can be said that there were strong elements of opportunism in Rutherford’s drafting of the Declaration of Facts. He no doubt hoped that the Bibelforscher might have persuaded Hitler to allow them the freedom to practise their faith, and — for reasons I have explored — saw little to be achieved by championing the cause of the Jews at this point. *It is not possible within the scope of this paper to explain Rutherford’s end-time calculations, which are highly complex. These can be found in Rutherford (1920). Anon (1998). ‘Jehovah’s Witnesses: Courageous in the Face of Nazi Peril’. Awake! 8 July, pp.10-14. Conway, John (1968). The Nazi Persecution of the Churches 1933-1945. New York: Basic Books. The Golden Age: 26 September 1934, p.807; 23 September 1936, p.810; 8 September 1937, pp.771, 773. Hesse, Hans (ed.) (2001). Persecution and Resistance of Jehovah’s Witnesses During the Nazi Regime 1933-1945. Bremen, Germany: Edition Temmen. King, Christine E. (1982). The Nazi State and the New Religions: Five Case Studies in Non-Conformity. New York and Toronto: The Edwin Mellen Press. Kingdom News (1918), no.3, 1 May. Liebster, Simone A. (2000). Facing the Lion: Memoirs of a Young Girl in Nazi Europe. New Orleans: Grammaton Press. Penton, M. J. (1985). Apocalypse delayed: The story of Jehovah’s Witnesses. Toronto: University of Toronto Press. Penton, M. J. (2004). Jehovah’s Witnesses and the Third Reich: Sectarian Politics under Persecution. Toronto: University of Toronto Press. Russell, C. T. (1889).The Time is at Hand. Accessible at http://www.ctrussell.us/ctrussell/ctrussell.nsf/22284ee7f683acc9862566bd000b278c/700a9eb8368ab95b862564520083014e?OpenDocument Accessed 8 July 2006. Russell, C. T. (1886) The Divine Plan of the Ages. http://www.ctrussell.us/ctrussell/ctrussell.nsf/22284ee7f683acc9862566bd000b278c/1a30f0f9f6369356862564520082b374?OpenDocument Accessed 8 July 2006. Rutherford, J. F. (1927). Life. Brooklyn, New York: Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of New York Inc., and International Bible Students Association. Accessible on Rutherford’s Rainbow (CD). San Diego, CA: Research Applications International. Rutherford, J. F. (1939). Salvation. Brooklyn, New York: Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of New York Inc., and International Bible Students Association. Accessible on Rutherford’s Rainbow (CD). San Diego, CA: Research Applications International. Rutherford, J. F. (1920). Millions now living will never die. Brooklyn, New York: International Bible Students Association. Rutherford, J. F. (1929). ‘The Higher Powers’. Watch Tower and Herald of God’s Presence, vol.50, no.11, 1 June, pp.163-170; vol.50, no.12, 15 June, pp.179-186. Rutherford, J. F. (1939). Salvation: Disclosing God’s provision for man’s protection from disaster and salvation to life everlasting in complete happiness: A Text Book for the Jonadabs. Brooklyn, New York: Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of New York Inc., and International Bible Students Association. Accessible on Rutherford’s Rainbow (CD). San Diego, CA: Research Applications International. Singelenberg, Richard (2003). ‘Persecution and Resistance of Jehovah’s Witnesses During the Nazi-Regime’. Accessible at http://home.zonnet.nl/rsingelenberg/Hessereview.html Date accessed: 4 June 2006. Schnell, William J. (1956/1963). Thirty Years a Watch Tower Slave. London and Edinburgh: Marshall, Morgan and Scott. Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society, Magdeburg (1933). Declaration of Facts. In 1934 Yearbook of Jehovah’s Witnesses. Brooklyn, New York: Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of New York Inc., and International Bible Students Association. Accessible on Yearbook: I.B.S.A. and Jehovah’s Witnesses 1927-1942 (CD). San Diego, CA: Research Applications International. Also reproduced in German and English in Penton (2004), pp.264-284. Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society (1959). Jehovah’s Witnesses in the Divine Purpose. Brooklyn, New York: Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of New York Inc., and International Bible Students Association. Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society (1973). 1974 Yearbook of Jehovah’s Witnesses. Brooklyn, New York: Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of New York Inc., and International Bible Students Association. Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society (1993). Jehovah’s Witnesses: Proclaimers of God’s Kingdom. Brooklyn, New York: Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of New York Inc., and International Bible Students Association.

2019-04-20T16:45:35Z

https://www.cesnur.org/2006/sd_chryssides.htm

I was 21 when I met the very first man to ever propose marriage to me. Let’s call him Dan. Now Dan was 12 years older than I was and from his boastfulness, I learnt that he was well established, well organized and with a clear view of his future. I, on the other hand, was on my first serious job, a sales job that exposed me to a rather ruthless corporate world. I was yet to discover my aspirations. Let me rephrase that. I had no idea what direction I wanted to take and only thought about it when I had to jot it down in the career profile section of my CV. I juggled the sales job with a Broadcast Journalism course I had enrolled for, at the Kenya Institute of Mass Communication. And while this may have painted a picture of an upcoming successful career woman, my life in the real sense replicated a complex maze. I said no, but Dan insisted I let him convince me. Intrigued, I asked him to knock my socks off. See, this man was not even my boyfriend. I simply met him on a failed matchmaking attempt. I wasn’t supposed to be there when my best friend, whom we share a name was getting hitched. She was older, more mature and ready to get married. It’s rather unfortunate that my presence confused an otherwise possible marriage. The only problem was that the woman Dan opted for was completely disinterested in him. In any case, even if I would be, I would never want to hurt my heartbroken namesake! At first, it seemed like a fast and easy way to make it in life. I mean, here was a man living on State House road, driving a nice, blue car (I had terrible knowledge of car models then so forgive my vague description) and all he lacked was a wife. Dan gave me a clearer picture of my supposed dream lifestyle in the hope that I’d change my mind. “We’ll have, say, three children, then you immediately go to the gym and work your body back to your model figure.” The lustful look he gave me as he sized me up made it clear that my slender body was more important to him than it was to me. I eventually declined his offer and looking back, I cannot be any more proud of my decision. I may have had no dreams or ambitions 11 years ago, but one thing was clear to me; I was not going to marry someone who was that far ahead of me. I’ll tell you why through a little imaginative story. So let’s assume I say yes and we immediately get married. He could then promise to take care of everything and perhaps coax me into quitting my job. Assured that I will never lack, I don’t hesitate to action this. Then comes the twist that gives this story its juice. Nothing comes easy and like many hardworking men, Dan has obviously been through it all before finally achieving his gold. Marrying him at this juncture makes me no more than yet another acquired asset. I have no hand in the acquired wealth (and by this I mean I did nothing to support him acquire it) so I have no power over it, or any decisions that pertain it whatsoever. I realize much later that have so much, yet I have nothing. This, unfortunately, does not mean that I can go out there to search for consolation assets (I will still need him to fund that). After all, he provides everything I need and want, right? I now realize that I took the shorter route, ultimately sacrificing the gap between our ages- this would be the time I would spend gaining my own experiences, learning and maturing up. But no, I instead hooked up with this already settled well experienced and perhaps already bored man. With no idea how much time, blood, sweat or all was put in to acquire this wealth, it becomes impossible to value it the same way Dan Richman does. In the end, we cross paths over it, perhaps because he will not treat me as his equal (am I even?) and might or will disrespect me at some point. This is rather expected and I end up losing more than he does. He is the one in charge of the investments. Heck! I was one of his investments anyways! So, in my frustration, I walk away with nothing, but the clothes and make-up Mr Richman bought me. I walk away with shame for thinking I was marrying a man who sought true love yet I was merely part of his life’s achievements; a trophy, an expensive furniture…. All this while, my wiser peers paired up with equally aggressive partners, went out, invested in promising business ventures and are working hand in hand to build their empire. This entry was posted in Marriage and tagged Family Advice, Marriage, Wealth on October 31, 2018 by Fanne. I placed my phone to charge. An hour later, it was off and couldn’t even power up. “These China stuff will be the end of us” I muttered in disapproval, while inspecting the cable. It was broken in a rather uneven way. This was not a wear and tear situation, no: they were bite marks! “Charlie!” I shouted and turned around only to catch a glimpse of my dog’s tail disappearing behind the door. Barely a day had passed since he ate up a whole tin of margarine. He was getting worse day after day and we had to do something lest he ended up harming himself or completely destroying everything. According to greatdogsupplies.com, webmd.com and avma.org, it is important to puppy proof your house especially if you work and have no one around to watch your dog. Chew this, Chew that, Chew it all! We needed to stop anticipating our dog’s next move whenever we were out. Did you know that there exists a puppy proof spray that you can use to protect your most valuable items at home? This is just what I need! He seems to have it all planned out. Charlie has chewed up candles, chargers, electric cords, erasers, pencils…once we caught him lying next to my husband’s inhaler, his nose suspiciously resting on it. I’m not sure who between my husband and him was luckier that he didn’t bite into the can. We have managed to keep our dog safe from most hazards at home. We got him toys and let him play with the kids so he gets his fun for the day. Every so often he will run off with a sock to sway away, but we ensure he is as safe as possible. Check out https://www.greatdogsupplies.com/raise-puppy-long-healthy-life/ to learn other ways you can ensure your puppy lives a long and healthy life. Charlie is on a good path to getting awesome owners. We now need to work out how to keep him from biting our fingers when we offer him treats. This entry was posted in Family life on April 1, 2018 by Fanne. You have been having trouble getting freelance clients to sign up with you over the last couple of weeks and you’re wondering what you’re doing wrong. You’re afraid if you don’t get one or three new clients soon, you may not be able to hit your financial target. Fine, there are good and bad days for every freelance writer, but even those few clients you’ve had before barely needed much done for them. You landed them by chance and didn’t pitch on what you’re really good at. You hoped they would reach out to you for more business, but your inbox has been awfully quiet. A troubling thought, isn’t it? Don’t brand yourself a loser just yet. Yes, you may have exhausted your confidence in your proposals, but maybe that’s not what you need to focus all your attention on. Here’s the most important part: it’s about the client, not you. Let’s see exactly how this works. Before you give up on perhaps the best thing that will happen to you (if writing is truly your passion), try to get into your client’s mind. Understand what it is they need and if you are capable of solving their problems. I’ll walk you through the process. Once you have picked out your prospective client, find out all there is to know about them. Check out their website and content and make a note of their last post date. You may need this for your proposal. Check out any major issues with their site and write them all down. Let me give you an example. An ‘About’ page that does not give a clear description of what they are. Page names and titles that are not correctly done to optimize the site. Lack of fresh content or content that isn’t original and engaging. Old or lack of customer testimonials. There could be more that the website needs. Remember this is just an example. Next, put down what you can offer to improve their content. Again, this will help you a great deal when you prepare to send out your proposal much later. Here’s how to do it. Using the flaws we previously listed, let us create solutions for each of them. An ‘About’ page that clearly states the name and gives a brief overview of their products or services. Basic SEO of the website and subsequently, every article that will posted. Posting new and fresh content on a regular basis. Addition of a contact page with working phone lines and a responsive email address. Now that you’ve noted your clients’ problems, it’s time to hear from them, or should we say place yourself in front of them? One major way to get into a client or prospective client’s mind is through a survey. What a better way than to ask them directly what they need. This part is easy. Remember, your prospective client doesn’t have time to waste trying to understand you. A hint of what you need in the email subject will save everyone’s time. They can be in form of questions with an intro to go with it. Here is a template you can follow. What do you look for in your web content writers? Do you have an in-house writer or do you work with freelancers? Do you have any unsolved challenges with your writers? You are definitely one of the leaders of your industry, and I’d love to learn from the best. I understand you’re busy, but I appreciate if you take a few minutes in this. Thanks so much for your time! I look forward to hearing from you soon. You can choose to make this a survey if you’d like to deliver your message faster. A survey can easily be identified with the questions popping out to the reader’s attention. You need to realise that not all your emails will get responses. This can happen because not everyone will give your email time. Some may ignore it, some may archive it and some will spare a minute and read it. Out of those who read your email, not all will respond to it. So, try to send your proposals to several prospects making each one powerful and personalised. That way, you will have increased chances of grabbing their attention. Do I understand what the client needs? Do I have the skills to deliver? Put in mind that you are you are presenting yourself as a problem solver. If you are to get a position within the company, you have to be relevant. And in order to be relevant, take care of your client’s problem. Remember, we said earlier that it’s about the client, not you. So, you need to be able to meet their needs, to be worthy of the position you are working hard to get. You have researched your clients and found out what kind problems they face. You then identified your unique strengths that you know would interest them. You are now empowered and ready to jump in and get their attention. So how exactly do you do this? Let’s find out. Using the simplest language, explain what you can offer the clients. Be careful though because you may sound like you are begging for an opportunity. Be bold, but not too corny, either. Your clients need to know that you’re an expert, yet someone they can easily work with. Here is a template you could use. I would like to work with you to ensure your website is up to date and gets as much traffic as is possible. I can create an attractive ‘About’ article, and provide you with regular content. I would also ghostwrite a couple of reviews that you can use as your testimonials and lastly, optimize your website to make it more responsive. You got your foot in the door and worked your way in. Now that you have succeeded in getting this client, don’t stop there. Prove to your client as many times as possible that they were right to hire you. In order to build your client list, let the cycle continue. Always deliver your best work. The last thing you want is to get kicked out by a better freelancer. And you can. After working very hard to earn your client, work equally hard to retain them. Ask for feedback of your work and help them achieve their goals. You will not only gain their loyalty, but contacts to your next potential clients. With your new contact list, your name has already been put out there with a lot of confidence. However, this does not mean that you should approach them lightly; work as hard as any other freelancer striving to get their attention, and as usual deliver your best. It will be the beginning of a successful journey in freelance writing. This entry was posted in Web/ Blog Articles and tagged Freelance writing on March 28, 2018 by Fanne. Who Said Being a WAHM (Work At Home Mom) Was Easy? Being a newbie in anything sometimes means that you get to learn some stuff the ‘hard way’ I felt pretty lucky for landing my first client. Without taking time to request a ‘milestone payment’ (this is what they call a commitment to pay as the cash is released but held by the site owners until the client gives a go ahead to pay), I jumped right into it. Four days in and I had submitted 14 articles. Yes, I was that determined! My timer app was counting in the $$ and I had already made $230! Man! Why hadn’t I tried this writing thing years ago? I was beyond thrilled! If only I knew what lay ahead. In disbelief, I began over analysing my client. What if he is a con? What if he was robbing me of my work? Aiyaiyai! “Did you ask for a milestone?” My husband checked with me. I hadn’t. I immediately logged onto the site and begged for a $100 milestone. The client had no cash in his account so it bounced and the site owners immediately sent me alarm emails. My heart sank. When I refused to write any more until my milestone request was honoured, he closed his account and just like that, he was gone. That was it: I had officially recorded my first loss. This entry was posted in Published Work-The People Daily on March 17, 2018 by Fanne. Do you ever get that feeling of wanting your own new baby when you hold another? It’s incredible and terrifying at the same time! So, about a year ago, I held a dog. It was a beautiful, white, female Japanese Spitz; perhaps the calmest you’ll ever meet. My friend was visiting and she brought her home with her. We stayed with Mia for a couple of days and when they went away, she left a gap that hadn’t been there, but already begged to be filled! This was a generous thought, but we should have prepared well before jumping in. See, according to greatdogsupplies.com , avma.org and WebMD, responsible pet ownership requires that you do proper research and planning before bringing one home.That was not to be of us though. We wanted a dog and immediately went in search for one. Two-month-old Charlie was generally an awesome dog. He only had too many problems. He pooped and peed everywhere. He ate too fast, biting at his food, no chewing or breathing. He only stopped when we took his food…and all our food away from his reach. We literary had no idea what to do with him. We almost felt cheated, not by the dog seller, but Mia. Charlie was a lot of things, but gentle and loving was not on his radar, at least not yet. Our only consolation was that he liked to play and get cozy with my eldest daughter, Pesh; that gave us hope! With his vaccines in check, we looked up what else we would need to get our lives back to sanity. Check Great Dog Supplies list of all you need as a first dog-owner. We started with the essentials, got him a place to sleep and got his food right. A few wrong sizes later, we got a comfortable leash and evening chases finally converted into walks. In time, we got Charlie all that he needed and made him as comfortable as any pet could be. We would have to learn more on dogs while living with him, but we were determined to make our relationship work. This entry was posted in Blogs on March 17, 2018 by Fanne. Waist Shaper Corset- A Worthy Purchase or not? As the name suggests a waist shaper corset is a latex/ rubber garment worn around the waist with the purpose of giving a slimmer look. Waist shaping or training, as some would prefer, has become the latest craze in the weight loss and fitness community. With the fashion industry also commanding a curvier look, the waist shaper corset has somehow made a home in every woman’s wardrobe. Some claim that it is a shortcut to weight loss. It is not. A waist shaper corset does not in any way affect your numbers on the scale. For the short term, it trims your look and hides your flaws to help you wear that spandex dress or fitting top. Your body goes back to its usual figure when you remove it. You may have seen new mothers rushing to purchase this garment too. This is because it will help them regain their original figures postpartum. If you can get a high quality waist shaper corset, you can wear it both for that particular look and for your workout session. The best fitting corsets not only have hooks, they come with a zipper as well. This ranks their corsets high on durability. So, should you buy it? If you don’t already own one, you may consider getting this little treasure. It has boosted many women’s confidence since no garment is now impossible to pull off. When used for the long term, the waist shaper corset will train your middle down to your desired figure. Look out for the full fitting corset that evenly shapes your body. When purchasing your waist shaper, ensure you get a free size or one that you can adjust to a comfortable size. Wearing one too tight could cause harm to your internal organs. While some might protest over owning this shaping corset, it has not stopped other women from enjoying the full benefits of having one. Do you have a waist shaper corset? Has it been of benefit to you? Share your thoughts with us! This entry was posted in Web/ Blog Articles on March 10, 2018 by Fanne. After years of struggle, you can finally relax and enjoy well-made crepes that are thin enough. Here is why you should consider getting a crepe maker if you missed the bus. If number 4 works for you, then you get to save on having more appliances and save up on storage space! It is best to know what you need your crepe maker to do for you before you make any purchase. Here we have compiled the top 10 best crepe makers 2018 review to take care of that. Keep it thoroughly dry lest it rusts. As the name suggests, this will serve more than one purpose. It comes with a lid that allows the crepes to b cooked evenly without having to turn them over. It has a reversible non-stick plate that let you cook both large and small crepes. The indicator lights and adjustable temperature are also a big plus. The fact that is crepe maker is cordless makes it popular and a favourite to many. This feature means that you can easily store the cord in the base, out of your way. This has a 7.5-inch diameter, is non-stick and also has an on/off switch. It also comes with a batter spreader and a dipping plate. Buy this if you prefer dipping your batter and won’t mind making small crepes. This crepe maker has a traditional shape, heats up evenly and retains the heat so you don’t have to stop and re heat when cooking. You can use it in the oven and on the stove at just about any temperature. That it is made of cast iron makes this appliance durable and strong. This American-made high quality crepe maker brags a 10-inch wide space, is non-stick and pretty light in weight. It is non-stick and hand wash only. It is made ideally for making traditional crepes and pancakes. This 12-inch wide crepe maker is packaged with a batter spreader and spatula. It is non-stick and drip and can do more than just make crepes: you can make pancakes, fry eggs and more. The packaging is compact making this a travel friendly appliance. This generous 13-inch wide maker comes with raised edges and stainless steel handles. It is stylishly designed, has a polished look and has hold so it doesn’t move when you use it. This is perhaps the best and largest crepe maker bragging a 13 ¾-inch surface. You can bake with it and it comes with non-slip properties. It has 8 adjustable temperature levels and a light indicator. This crepe maker comes with a cleaning brush and a recipe book. There you have it, make your choice carefully and enjoy your crepe making experience. Nematodes are microscopic roundworms that occur naturally in the soil. While some species are harmful, there are those that have proven to be quite useful. Beneficial nematodes attack pests that dwell in the soil. This process takes a minimum of 3 days with maximum control seen after about 2-4weeks. The process of how to use nematodes in the garden is simple and easy. However, you need to follow these steps to maximize the efficiency of the nematodes. Air your garden or lawn before applying nematodes. This will help in the movement of pests down into the roots areas of your and consequently maximize the effect of the nematodes. The nematodes will die if you apply them on dry soil. To prevent this, water the soil well and allow some time to soak. This is will also aid the movement of the pests closer to the root surface. 1. Using a bucket, mix the nematodes with water and stir well to break up any lumps Let the solution sit for about 20 minutes. 2. Pour the solution with into a spray bottle, specifically designed for nematode application. Sprinkle the solution on the soil along the garden and on the plants or over the lawn. 3. For effective penetration, water the soil soon after to help the nematodes penetrate deeper into the soil where the pests live. Nematodes are best used as a preventive measure to control newly hatched larvae. They will infect the pests within 2 days of application and kill them within 14 days. If you would like to get rid of the nematodes at the end of each growing season, pull out the plants and dig the roots out. This will remove the nematodes’ source of food. Till the soil and leave it to dry. Exposure to the sun will kill them. Animals and humans cannot be harmed by nematodes so it is completely safe to use. Nematodes only affect pests. Your reputation, simply put, is your actions and what people say about you. No one is born with one; rather, it develops through your behavior and how you handle relationships with others, over time. A tainted reputation can be fixed. However, it takes time to win back lost trust. Here are three easy ways you can adapt to keep you in good books. Strive to be a person who does what they say they will do. Don’t make empty promises and communicate when you feel you may fall short of your word. Be genuine in your actions. You don’t want to come off as though your good character is seasonal. To earn any trust, you have to consistently be real. Show others that you are genuinely interested in their lives. This not only makes you pleasant, it also earns you reliability. While at it, wear a smile. You need an approachable look to match good character, right? While many claim that you should not care what others think, a positive reputation is important in life. It’s sure to open more opportunities you otherwise would never know existed. This entry was posted in Web/ Blog Articles on February 22, 2018 by Fanne. I can write for you! You may also reply to this post and I will get back to you. This entry was posted in Have a Writing Job? on February 22, 2018 by Fanne. Many would expect that as an experienced mother, I would know all there is about babies. Hardly did I get any advice at my baby shower for the very same reason. Trust me, I didn’t ask any questions either. I thought I garrit . What we easily forget is experiences are different with every baby and no one quite experiences everything. My newborn was perfectly healthy. She played and fed well, slept long enough and was generally peaceful. All I looked forward to was her awake-time so I could smother her with kisses and enjoy watching her stretch and cry out for a feed. For a new mom, this is heaven and it was the seventh for me. I didn’t see it coming, I mean, the kids had the flu but I took extreme caution to keep them isolated. Before I got any close to her, I washed up like a surgeon preparing for theatre, scrubbing my hands and arms. I limited the other girls’ contact with the baby and only allowed them under close supervision. I thought this was enough, but the flu is airborne. I should perhaps have gotten her a cylinder of her own oxygen to breathe because we woke up one morning and she was terribly congested. She struggled through the discomfort it came with and screamed in distress. I could only do so much and I hated myself for not being able to take it away. Her tiny eyes followed my voice, helplessly crying for relief. I was broken. And when she cried, my eyes got wet too. “She’s only three weeks old for Pete’s sake!” I begged looking up and letting the waters fall down my face. I needed to let it out. “I’m tired of being strong all the time. I can’t take this!” I took about ten minutes and did this one thing that was almost strange to my body. I cried till I felt light. Man, did that feel good! I was suddenly ready to beat this. This entry was posted in Published Work-The People Daily on February 21, 2018 by Fanne. He walked in late wearing a goofy smile. That smile said everything I didn’t want to hear. ‘Babe, I know I’m late. But hey, here I am!’ I had a thousand things I could say to him floating in my head but chose to hold my peace. He moved closer. I looked away and maintained my displeasure. Charlie was all over him, tagging at the hem of his pants; desperately wanting his hand on his fur. He ignored the dog and inched even closer to me. I was surprised when he grabbed me in the kind of embrace I would kill to have every day of my life. “I love you so much, hun,” he muttered and my suspicion shot through the roof, faster than a bullet. “Aai! Baba Peshe,” I protested. “Kwani what happened today?” I knew where he had been, but secretly hoped that whatever made him pour his heart out could also scare him into coming home early next time. “Nothing, we just hang out with Eddie and Kepha and talked about a lot of stuff,” something told me he wasn’t going to share the details. “I barely say much, you know, and was thinking if I don’t tell you how much I appreciate you, you may tire and stop being the amazing person you are.” A heart melted. Suddenly, I didn’t want him to stop talking…and he didn’t. “I look around and can’t ignore the fact that you are one special woman. The kind of support you give me, especially when life brings me down is immeasurable. You hold our family together and I’d like you to know that I respect you. You are my gift and I’m nothing without you.” I slipped back into his arms and he smiled. He knew he had me, for sure. The smile plastered on my face hasn’t left since. I am gifted with a husband, who loves and respects me, and he spoke the words, not just with his eyes; he mouthed them. What more could anyone wish for? I can now let my daughters make their daddy their Valentine this year. This entry was posted in Published Work-The People Daily on February 14, 2018 by Fanne. 2017 was a bad year for all businesses…. well most of them. However, having to pay cash for my baby’s birth at a time so bad, I could have done with support from a stable plan didn’t improve the situation. Lets just say, when flying a small plane, you feel the turbulence more. So while we look forward to a better year, your guess is as good as mine about the decision that lies ahead. This entry was posted in Published Work-The People Daily on February 7, 2018 by Fanne. Knowing what lay ahead should perhaps have scared me, but it didn’t. Oh, I wont lie, I did get terrified at first. We all do up until we get tired of carrying well over 10kilos of baby, placenta, waters and colostrum everywhere we go. When you have all the baby items ticked off the list and the question, “Bado?” starts being directed to you, you somehow switch on the ‘READY’ button and wake up each morning, hoping it’s the last with a large belly. Week 40 was closing in and I got really concerned that this baby was determined to bake and brown at term. I hadn’t gone beyond 39 weeks with my previous pregnancies and for some reason I expected my third pregnancy would end up similarly. I had mild pains that came and went, but I pushed on with life as usual. Driving 15km to and from work wasn’t so dramatic except for the few times my right leg would cramp or when Braxton Hicks got so intense I had to lift my weight to ease them. At week 39+2days, I was relieved from work and continued my active shenanigans at my kids’ school; sitting at the office with my mom and sister as their office assistant by duress. 39 weeks, 6 days: Did baby forget its time? I was beginning to doubt that the false labour pains were even real. Pregnancy blogs advised I could wait up to 42 weeks and that was nothing short of disheartening for me! I couldn’t take it anymore. I was not only wadding about, standing up now needed assistance and insomnia was my middle name. Sent Back home at 40 weeks! Lawd!! We walked into L&D (Labour and delivery) at 11pm on 22nd January. Pains had disappeared and I was embarrassed so I lied that I needed to know the baby was doing okay as movement had reduced. I was due for clinic in a day so I’d take any excuse to get me checked. They checked me, all right, and baby was doing pretty well! “You are dilated at only 2cm, your cervix lies pretty low and its not thinned so go back home and come back when the pain is really intense, like You-cant-speak-through-a-contraction painful.” The labour signs were recited to me and I barely gave an ear. I knew the drill. I just wasn’t too happy about going back home. 4am the following morning found me awake and in terrible pain. I had lost my plug during the check up at the hospital and I knew it wouldn’t be long now. Part of me celebrated, but a larger chunk of my heart was petrified of what lay ahead. Odi Dance, or is it Kanungo…why did I get myself into this…I thought wildly. I needed to stay positive though. “It wont go beyond a night…” I whispered to myself. “All these beautiful things will finally belong to someone. She will be out of me and I can finally sleep on my belly…Yaaaaaaas!” Ouuch! They were spaced 6 minutes apart and disappeared again when my mom and sis dropped by. They came to cheer me on and ended up with some form of a leach aka me following them through all their errands. I knew I was going back in, only I wanted to hit the 4cm mark when I would. My sister and I got our nails done. Yes…through the now reduced-but-still-there contractions. Trust me, when its baby number three, you want to walk into L&D and have them hand you your baby. I would have killed for such a scenario but no; that was never the tale that would be told of the Mwambi’s third. At last! Oh wait, what? 10:30pm and I was at 4cm no thinning yet and worse, my waters were meconium stained at levels they said were too high for induction or progression. I was given two hours to go about my Odi- Dance before a decision of whether to go CS or normal was made. Nevertheless… I was admitted! Yaaaay! I wasn’t very worried about going CS. Raine pooped in utero as well and she came out good, no meconium inhalation whatsoever. Anna would too. She was a fighter… I could feel it…now! We went on counting hours and walking about. Walking really does help, you know. I sent updates to my husband, but assured him we would hack it. They had taken blood samples and asked me to give him my wedding band; I was being prepared for an emergency CS. I knew he wouldn’t take it too well, knowing I have never been under the knife (You never know what can happen when its your first time you know) so I decided against giving him my ring. Midnight and we were at 6! Aha! “This is very good progress” Doc said. I smiled amidst dry lips. ”So we proceed?” he nodded, and asked that I get something to help my cervix soften. I was handling it well. At 2:50pm, knowing I should be close to 9cm, I got impatient and every contraction was received with despair and lost hope. I became miserable…its what happens when you have been running for the bathroom, pressed to pee and you give up and leak just when you get to the bathroom door. I was tired and in need of redemption. This entry was posted in Family life and tagged 40weeks, Another baby, baby, Birth, labour pains, meconium birth, third pregnancy on February 2, 2018 by Fanne. As every beginning has an end, so does my 40-week journey through my third and last (Lord I pray) pregnancy. I would like to say it was easy because it was for the most part, but trust me not to engage your senses in details you’d rather not go through. Whats most important is what happened at 3:30 am on the 24th day of January 2018; little Anna C. was born. Scoring highest on the Apgar scale despite her meconium distress, she came into the world like a little champion. One look at her and my heart melted. Her face was too delicate; her voice so meek. She was terrified and took in the sound of my voice with all the trust she has. I felt bad for the countless times I wished she were a boy. Clearly, fate had other plans for me. I would raise three very beautiful and intelligent girls whose future can only look up. That was in itself satisfying for me. I nurse my newest bundle of joy with a lot of content thoughts and hope that no one expects me back in L& D unless I’m escorting another expectant woman in. Back home, Anna fills her place like the last piece of a puzzle. Her sisters can’t believe how tiny she is and they all get protective of her every whimper. This is my version of a perfect family. Where there is happiness and love to share. It doesn’t matter who comprises of it, be it more boys than girls, one parent or no children at all, we all just have to work best with what we get. Life seems unfair when we feel it doesn’t give us what we ask for, but I look it with a lot of optimism. As only God knows of my tomorrow, only he would know best to gift me with what he feels I would handle best. So now a new chapter has begun. Lets do parenting for three and see how it goes! This entry was posted in Published Work-The People Daily on February 1, 2018 by Fanne.

2019-04-23T07:03:12Z

http://fannemwambi.com/

The lead-up to Sunday’s playoff games is dominated by a pair of injured quarterbacks. In Green Bay, there’s Aaron Rodgers, whose calf ailment appeared in Week 16 before biting down hard in the North-clinching win against the Lions. While Rodgers has managed to play without losing much at all, Peyton Manning has seemingly faded during December without anywhere near as obvious of an injury. Manning has been credited with various maladies; officially, a thigh injury suffered while trying to block against the Chargers and the flu, with the more salacious stuff surrounding the possibility that his arm strength is sapped by some debilitating damage to one of the various components in the Manning arm-neck complex. Speculation, as always, is fun. A good chunk of the evidence that Manning is, in fact, injured centers on the shift in the Denver game plan, the move to a run-oriented attack built around undrafted free agent C.J. Anderson, who was Denver’s third-string running back when the season started. For Rodgers, meanwhile, we can see from his gutsy effort in the second half of Week 17 just how the Packers plan on structuring an offense around their ailing passer. It seems strange to think that the passer who perpetually gets hit more than anybody else in football and the guy who played through two broken bones in his back are the healthy quarterbacks for Sunday’s games, but that’s where we are. Adam Schefter reported earlier this week that Rodgers was dealing with a severely strained, slightly torn calf, news that sounds worse than it actually is. A strain, by definition, is a tear. While the Packers haven’t publicly commented on the specifics of Rodgers’s injury, Rodgers very clearly doesn’t have a Grade 3 calf strain, the most severe type and the one that would leave him unlikely to play. He has a lower-graded calf strain, possibly somewhere between Grade 1 and Grade 2. In either case, Rodgers has very clearly been able to play through the injury, as he did when he came back for most of the second half against Detroit. The concern isn’t really that Rodgers will struggle to perform well but instead that he will reaggravate the calf and suffer a more serious recurrence, as he did in the Lions game. The only way to really heal the calf strain is to rest, and with the Packers in the playoffs, that’s not about to happen. Instead, the Packers will try to limit Rodgers’s workload to make it less likely he reaggravates the calf. Some of that, naturally, comes in how they treat Rodgers in practice and how much rest they gave him during the bye week. On the field, Mike McCarthy will likely make changes to the offense to keep Rodgers in the pocket and prevent him from scrambling. We saw a bunch of these changes during the second half of the game against Detroit, as Matt Bowen of Bleacher Report documented after the victory. It remains to be seen how many of those changes stick and how frequently the Packers go to them in this playoff game, because it could head in two very different directions. If Rodgers is healthier than he was against the Lions, they’ll likely go back to a more traditional version of their offense. If they’re seriously concerned about Rodgers’s calf, the bye week and ensuing week of practice would have given them two weeks to install more of the calf-friendly offensive concepts they called upon to keep Rodgers from moving as much as he normally would. It’s never a bad thing to show teams new looks in the playoffs anyway, but the Packers have had two weeks to insert new concepts and craft a scheme around the limitations of their star quarterback. Which, as it turns out, might not be very limiting at all. The best thing the Packers can do for Rodgers to avoid putting pressure on his calf is avoid dropbacks. That means a new look for the Packers — the pistol. Rodgers hadn’t thrown a single pass out of the pistol in 2014 before suffering his calf injury against the Buccaneers in Week 16. Green Bay went to the pistol six times against the Bucs before using it 26 times against the Lions, with 16 of those snaps coming in the second half. The pistol is great for the Packers because it takes virtually all of the stress off Rodgers. If he wants to hand the ball off to Eddie Lacy, he doesn’t have to move at all, saving him a minimum of one step on every play. Twenty of the 26 pistol snaps the Packers took against the Lions turned out to be running plays, and they were wildly successful. The Packers produced 107 yards on those 20 runs, an average of 5.4 yards per attempt against one of the best run defenses in recent league history. Their 18 other carries against the Lions produced a total of just 45 yards. The other benefit the pistol affords the Packers is the ability to create more doubt about their intentions before the snap by how they’re lined up. The Packers are normally a very shotgun-intensive team. Through Week 15 — before the calf injury — they had taken 60.6 percent of their snaps out of the shotgun, the 13th-highest rate in football. It’s very difficult to mask your plan and run the football out of the shotgun; teams run the ball just 22.3 percent of the time when they’re in the traditional shotgun alignment. When they’re in the pistol, that figure rises to 57.9 percent, and it increases to 67.8 percent when teams are under center. By staying in the pistol, the Packers can leave teams guessing until the last moment, a dangerous move when you consider just how fast Rodgers can deliver the football. We also saw them throwing the Lions off by using packaged plays out of the pistol, something I would be shocked to see them not do more frequently against the Cowboys on Sunday. In his excellent piece on the Green Bay offense from earlier this week, Chris Brown included a GIF of a packaged play from Week 17 that freed up Jordy Nelson for an easy 15 yards. Those quick stick routes and decisions at the line of scrimmage all play to Green Bay’s strengths, notably Rodgers’s absurdly quick delivery and ability to fit the ball into impossibly tight windows and Nelson’s ability to create after the catch. They also play to Rodgers’s newfound calf concerns, given that he barely has to move before making his throw. The Packers will expect to find those throwing lanes on Sunday, especially if Cowboys middle linebacker Rolando McClain is out with a concussion. It wouldn’t be a surprise to see more quick throws from the Packers in general, something that isn’t normally their penchant. As you might suspect from somebody who creates so much time for himself outside the pocket and often improvises to create new targets, Rodgers holds on to the football for a long time; he averaged 2.66 seconds with the football before throwing it this year, the 10th-longest average in the NFL. In the second half against the Lions, though, the ball came out quick. He averaged just 2.17 seconds before his throws, which would have been the fourth-quickest average pass rate in Week 17. And in general, Rodgers doesn’t slip too much when he gets the ball out quick. On throws that came after he held on to the ball for two seconds or less this season, Rodgers was second in the league in QBR. Really, as you might suspect, Rodgers was great no matter how you split things on offense. He posted the third-best QBR on throws outside the pocket and the third-best QBR on throws inside the pocket. He had the league’s third-best QBR on throws traveling 15 yards or more in the air and the second-best QBR on throws that traveled 14 yards or less in the air. Rodgers had the league’s second-best QBR on throws outside the numbers, the league’s ninth-best QBR on throws between the numbers and hashes, and the best QBR on throws between the hashes, a staggering 99.8 figure. That should matter even more on Sunday, with the Packers likely trying to give Rodgers routes that break into the middle of the field to make for easier completions. And likewise, the Cowboys pass defense isn’t significantly better or worse in most notable splits. The difference is that Rodgers ranks in the top three in just about every style of quarterback play you can imagine, while the Cowboys pass defense often ranks between 21st and 26th in opposing QBR. They’re 22nd against throws out of the pistol or shotgun and 25th on throws from under center.1 The Dallas defense is 21st on throws coming from inside the pocket and 25th on throws from outside the pocket. It’s 26th on passes that come out after just two seconds or less. You get the idea. This is a dominant passing attack against a pretty middling pass defense. It’s also not an especially healthy pass defense. The Cowboys could be without as many as four defensive contributors on Sunday, although it also wouldn’t be a surprise to see all four of them go. McClain suffered a concussion and may miss the game, while Jeremy Mincey was added to the injury report with concussion symptoms on Wednesday. Neither defender has practiced this week. Anthony Spencer and DeMarcus Lawrence chipped in against the Lions with some fourth-quarter pass rushing and would play bigger roles with Mincey out. The now-infamous Anthony Hitchens is working through a high ankle sprain that might be a bigger problem than Dallas was previously letting on, and defensive tackle Terrell McClain is dealing with a low ankle sprain. None of this is good for the Cowboys, who lacked depth even before dealing with a string of injuries. What is good for the Cowboys is how they match up with the Packers when Dallas has the football. Forget the Lions, who were a brutal matchup for Dallas given their dominant run defense. Green Bay’s weaknesses play into what Dallas does best on offense. That starts, naturally, with running the football. Green Bay is far better defending the pass (against which it’s 11th in DVOA) than it is against the run, where it’s just 24th. Things didn’t get much better after the Packers turned Clay Matthews into an occasional inside linebacker in November, either, as Green Bay was 24th in DVOA against the run during the first half of the season and improved only to 20th during the second half of the campaign. The Packers even struggle in the exact spot where the Cowboys run the ball best. Dallas loathes running the ball directly up the gut and instead chooses to run far more frequently behind its tackles. Thirty-six percent of Dallas’s carries this year went to left end or behind left tackle, which was the highest rate in football. The Cowboys’ vaunted offensive line was also wildly successful on those runs, producing the league’s sixth-most Adjusted Line Yards on runs behind left end and the third-best rate on runs at the left tackle. Green Bay? It had problems. Teams ran toward its right side (the left side of the offense) at a league-average frequency, but fared well in the process. The Packers’ defensive front was 28th in Adjusted Line Yards allowed to left end and 30th on runs at left tackle. It got beaten up. Otherwise, the Packers ranked between 16th and 19th in runs to the rest of the field, so it wasn’t just a product of a bad defense; there’s something legitimate to worry about when Dallas runs DeMarco Murray to the left on Sunday. Given the likelihood that right tackle Doug Free will miss another game, the Packers can expect Jason Garrett & Co. to run behind the left side of the line even more frequently. And when teams threw the ball against the Packers, their most relevant weak point came against no. 1 receivers, for whom they posted the league’s 14th-best defensive DVOA. Green Bay is in the top 10 in covering all other wideouts, and while it keeps no. 2 and no. 3 wideouts below league-average yardage totals, the Packers are allowing opposing no. 1s 71.5 yards per game, just above the league-average of 68.9. That plays into Dallas’s passing attack, built around the many talents of one Dez Bryant. Interestingly enough, the Packers also have an enormous split in terms of DVOA by side. They’ve posted the league’s best DVOA (minus-37.6 percent) on throws to the right side of the offense, meaning they’re going up against the left cornerback, which is Tramon Williams’s side of the field.2 Elsewhere, Green Bay is 22nd in DVOA on throws to the left side of the field (where Sam Shields lies in wait) and a brutal 29th on throws up the middle. The Cowboys don’t keep their receivers on one side; Bryant has 39 receptions on throws toward the left side of the field and 43 on throws to the right side. The one way the Packers do match up well against the Cowboys is the way in which they like to get off the field: takeaways. The Packers have often been a team that relies heavily on turnovers under Dom Capers, and this is no exception in 2014. The Packers are 26th in three-and-outs on defense and force punts on only 36.5 percent of opposing possessions, the sixth-worst rate in the league. They make up for all of that by forcing turnovers on 15.3 percent of opposing possessions, the fourth-best rate in football. The Cowboys, for all their offensive strengths, still have a problem with turnovers. They give the ball away on 13.5 percent of their own possessions, the ninth-worst rate in the league. To be fair, most of that is on fumbles, where the Cowboys have been a little unlucky, recovering just seven of 21 on offense. They’re also even more dependent upon the turnover on defense than Green Bay, and that’s where I’d be worried if I were a Dallas fan. No defense in the league needed takeaways more than the Cowboys, as they led the NFL by ending 17.2 percent of their defensive drives this year with turnovers. The problem is that the Packers simply don’t turn the ball over, coughing the ball up on 7.4 percent of their own possessions. Only the Seahawks narrowly managed to give the ball away less frequently than the Packers did. If the Cowboys can’t harass an injured Rodgers into making dangerous throws or get a fumble out of Lacy, they might not be able to stop the Green Bay offense. And while it’s not necessarily a problem for the Cowboys if things do devolve into a shootout because of how good their offense can be, shootouts with Aaron Rodgers in Lambeau can be a dangerous proposition. There’s no other way to talk about this matchup than by starting with the question of whether Peyton Manning is going to be Peyton Manning in these playoffs. While I don’t doubt that there’s something to be worried about with the listed thigh injury that slowed him during and after Week 15, I also don’t think that’s going to be something that dramatically affects Manning’s game, given that he’s basically a statue on a good day. The guy played through a high ankle sprain last season and put up one of the greatest offensive seasons in NFL history. I’m not especially concerned about his thigh. The bigger concern is — as I mentioned in the intro — the dramatic shift in the Denver game plan over the final six weeks of the season. Let’s run that back and see if the style change seems to hint at a serious injury to Peyton Manning. In Week 11, the Broncos went to St. Louis and left with their tail between their legs. The Rams showed Denver up in a comfortable 22-7 victory, with those lone seven points representing the worst offensive performance from the Broncos since Manning joined the team in 2012. It wasn’t a particularly physical game for Manning, who was sacked twice and knocked down four times, but he did stay at the helm of an offense that went particularly pass-happy. Despite losing Julius Thomas to the ankle injury that would basically cost him the rest of the season and Emmanuel Sanders to a concussion, the Broncos almost totally abandoned the run and went with short pass after short pass. With Montee Ball also leaving the game with a groin injury, the Broncos ran the ball just nine times,3 with all nine carries going to C.J. Anderson, who had seen his first significant action of the season the previous week in a blowout win over the Raiders. Manning threw the ball 54 times in that game, and while those throws produced 389 yards, it wasn’t an effective performance. He threw two picks, one of which was basically a desperation throw late in the fourth quarter. The Broncos were repeatedly behind the down-and-distance schedule and went just 4-of-15 on third and fourth downs, while their defense was forced to spend almost 36 minutes on the field. The change in Denver’s offensive scheme since then is clear, tangible, and undeniable. The Broncos followed that run-free Rams game by having Manning hand the ball off on 10 of their first 13 plays from scrimmage against the Dolphins in Week 12 and haven’t looked back. Denver has become a run-first team to a shocking extent. The running attack has had the impact of insulating Manning from pass pressure, but that wasn’t a problem for the Broncos to begin with. Through the Rams game, Manning was being pressured on just 15.1 percent of his dropbacks, which was the lowest rate in football. Since then, he’s been getting pressured an unreal-low 10.5 percent of the time, which is eons away from anybody else. Over that same period, the second-least pressured quarterback has been Ben Roethlisberger, who’s been bothered by the opposing pass rush 16.6 percent of the time. He’s closer to ninth place than he is to Manning in first. It’s unreal. You would figure that Manning is getting the ball out quickly to avoid any hint of a rush, and that’s true, but it’s another thing he was already focusing on before the move to an Anderson-based attack occurred. He got the ball out after an average of just 2.26 seconds through that Rams game, the second-fastest rate in football. Since then, he’s down to 2.13 seconds before passing, which is no. 1 over the past six weeks. And then there’s the critical mistake, the one I made myself before looking at what Manning’s actually done. You would figure that Manning would be making shorter throws, and if you have an offense that’s getting the ball out quicker, running it way more frequently, and keeping Manning from making deep throws, that’s probably enough anecdotal evidence to suggest that there’s something to the injury theory. Except he’s not making shorter throws. Manning’s average pass over the past six weeks has traveled a full yard farther in the air than it did through that Rams game. He was right around league average — 16th, at 8.1 air yards per pass — in terms of his typical pass distance through Week 11. He’s at sixth since then, throwing passes that have averaged 9.1 yards in the air. An impressive 25.3 percent of Manning’s post-Rams passes have gone 15 yards or more in the air, up from 20.4 percent through the Rams outing. And while you might easily hop onto the idea that those passes haven’t been very successful, Manning’s decline isn’t all that significant. He was sixth in QBR on throws traveling 15 yards or more in the air before the offensive switchover. Over the last six weeks, he’s fallen to just 10th. And remember that QBR attempts to judge a quarterback’s contributions to the play as opposed to the work of his receivers, so this isn’t Demaryius Thomas bailing Manning out, either. Truthfully, Manning hasn’t slipped all that much. His QBR has fallen over these two periods, but only from third (at 80.0) through the Rams game to eighth (at 70.9) over the six games since. That’s a decline, but is it really such an obvious decline that it couldn’t have happened by chance? Consider that, over the same time splits, Andrew Luck posted the league’s seventh-best QBR through Week 11 and fell all way to 21st afterward, posting a QBR worse than Geno Smith, Kyle Orton, and Drew Stanton. Was that inherently a sign that Luck was injured or wouldn’t be able to push things forward once the playoffs began? If you saw Luck dismantle the Bengals last week, you know the answer to those questions is no. Instead, I think there’s probably a combination of factors that led the Broncos to move toward a run-happy approach. One was the absence of Julius Thomas, which left Manning without a critical intermediate option and actually had a far more tangible impact on Manning’s performance than any other number I can find. Through that Rams game, Manning posted a 97.1 QBR in the red zone, the best figure in football. Julius Thomas was obviously the primary weapon on those throws, as he led all players in red zone receptions (13), yards (94, tied with Demaryius Thomas), and touchdowns (nine) through the Rams game. Afterward, with Julius Thomas inactive or ineffective because of his ankle injury, Manning’s red zone QBR fell all the way to 56.8, which was 15th in the league. The Broncos went away from throwing the ball in the red zone, after having passed more frequently than any team besides the Bears inside the opposition 20 through that Rams game. Since then, they’ve run the ball 42.5 percent of the time in the red zone, which is right around league average (45 percent). Julius Thomas wasn’t anywhere near 100 percent when he returned late in the season, so if he’s made it back closer to his so-easy self, it could be all the impetus Manning needs. My suspicion is that the Broncos made the changes in their offense not to mask or overcome a Manning injury, but instead to prevent one. It would have been easy to see the strain on Manning after that Rams game, when the Broncos had basically abandoned the run and left the entire game on his shoulders. At 38, even given how great Manning can be on a per-play basis, that’s probably not the prudent thing to do. Maybe the Broncos were worried that Manning’s arm would wear down if they kept using him as frequently as they were heading out of the Rams game. Last year, including the playoffs, Manning averaged exactly 41 passes per game and had thrown a whopping 738 passes heading into the Super Bowl. The only quarterbacks in the history of football to throw that many passes before the Super Bowl were Drew Brees in 2011 and Drew Bledsoe in 1994. While I would hardly blame Manning alone for the Super Bowl loss, it’s fair to wonder whether he might have been able to do more with a sprier arm. This year? Through that Rams game, Manning was averaging … 40.7 passes per game. That’s not acceptable. I think the Broncos deliberately cut down his workload to keep his arm fresh for the playoffs, and Manning will enter having thrown just 31.7 passes per contest over those final six games, in addition to the first-round bye his team just received. Furthermore, even within the games in which Manning was supposed to be injured, he played stretches of good football. Take the one loss the Broncos have suffered over the past six weeks, the 37-28 loss to Cincinnati in which Manning threw four picks and finished with an ugly pick-six to Dre Kirkpatrick. If Manning were hurt, that would have been a consistently poor performance from start to finish. Instead, it was an inconsistent showing. He pieced together a few successful drives on the strength of his arm, notably the nine-play, 79-yard possession in the third quarter that saw Manning account for 68 of the 79 yards. I’ll buy the idea that Manning had a bit of a dead arm, that he needed to be saved from a ridiculous workload, that he isn’t going to be the same player he was at his peak. Sure. But the evidence that he’s got some sort of neck, arm, shoulder, or elbow injury just really isn’t there in spades the way that the stories make it out to be. If Manning’s injured, we’ll know more about it this time next week. And if he’s not — and keep in mind that we were all sure Cam Newton was injured and needed to go on IR at the beginning of December — the Colts are in trouble. It’s not hard to imagine a Colts win if Manning is 60 percent of his normal self. Indianapolis shuts down the running game, Luck throws against a Denver secondary that can be beaten in the middle and finds T.Y. Hilton for a few big plays, and the Colts get an enormous day out of their specialists in the thin air of Denver, with Adam Vinatieri hitting from 50-plus while Pat McAfee flips field position over and over again for Indianapolis. But if Manning is his usual self, the Colts probably don’t have the talent or athleticism to keep up with the Broncos. The Packers will miss having Rodgers throw with a full drop; he averaged 11.8 yards per attempt on passes from under center this season, with nobody else in football over 10 yards. As Bob McGinn notes in this excellent piece, the Packers have kept Williams and Sam Shields on separate sides of the field this year. Technically 10, but I’m not including a Manning kneeldown. That’s with two defensive touchdowns over the final six weeks after one during the first 10 games; take those out and you’re at 28.6 points per game before the Anderson switchover and 29.1 points per game afterward.

2019-04-19T20:12:06Z

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Nuverra Environmental Solutions, Inc. (NYSE American: NES) (Nuverra, the Company, we, us or our) today announced financial and operating results for the third quarter and nine months ended September 30, 2018. Nuverras revenue continues to improve both sequentially and compared to 2017. The Company improved its liquidity position with $31.3 million of availability on September 30th and the total debt to AEBITDA ratio for the last twelve months was 2.3. As we have repositioned the Company to focus on higher return opportunities, we have sold underutilized assets which has assisted in generating positive free cash flow of $13.6 million through September 30th. We recently closed the Clearwater acquisition which we expect will be a platform for future organic growth and we continue to invest in the existing business to further improve our competitive position, said Charlie Thompson, Interim Chief Executive Officer. As previously announced, on October 5, 2018, we completed the acquisition of Clearwater Three, LLC, Clearwater Five, LLC, and Clearwater Solutions, LLC (collectively, Clearwater) for an initial purchase price of $41.9 million, subject to customary working capital adjustments (the Acquisition). Clearwater is a supplier of waste water disposal services used by the oil and gas industry in the Marcellus and Utica Shale areas. Clearwater has three salt water disposal wells in service, all of which are located in Ohio. This acquisition expands our service offerings in the Marcellus and Utica Shale areas in our Northeast division. As previously disclosed, the Company emerged from chapter 11 bankruptcy on August 7, 2017, or the Effective Date, and elected to apply fresh start accounting as of July 31, 2017 to coincide with the timing of the normal accounting period close. References to Successor relate to the financial position and results of operations of the reorganized Company subsequent to July 31, 2017, while references to Predecessor refer to the financial position and results of operations of the Company on and prior to July 31, 2017. The Successor and Predecessor GAAP results for the applicable periods are presented in the tables following this release. Nuverra Environmental Solutions, Inc. is among the largest companies in the United States dedicated to providing comprehensive, full-cycle environmental solutions to customers in the energy market. Nuverra focuses on the delivery, collection, treatment, and disposal of restricted solids, water, wastewater, waste fluids, and hydrocarbons. The Company provides its suite of environmentally compliant and sustainable solutions to customers who demand stricter environmental compliance and accountability from their service providers. Find additional information about Nuverra in documents filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) at http://www.sec.gov. This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the United States Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. You can identify these and other forward-looking statements by the use of words such as anticipates, expects, intends, plans, predicts, believes, seeks, estimates, may, might, will, should, would, could, potential, future, continue, ongoing, forecast, project, target or similar expressions, and variations or negatives of these words. These statements relate to our expectations for future events and time periods. All statements other than statements of historical fact are statements that could be deemed to be forward-looking statements, and any forward-looking statements contained herein are based on information available to us as of the date of this press release and our current expectations, forecasts and assumptions, and involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Accordingly, forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as representing our views as of any subsequent date. Future performance cannot be ensured, and actual results may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Some factors that could cause actual results to differ include, among others: the effects of our completed restructuring on the Company and the interests of various constituents; risks and uncertainties associated with the restructuring process, including the outcome of a pending appeal of the order confirming the plan of reorganization and our ability to execute the requirements of the plan of reorganization subsequent to the effective date; the loss of one or more of our larger customers; our ability to attract and retain key executives and qualified employees in key areas of our business; our ability to attract and retain a sufficient number of qualified truck drivers in light of industry-wide driver shortages and high-turnover; risks associated with our indebtedness, including changes to interest rates, decreases in our borrowing availability, our ability to manage our liquidity needs and to comply with covenants under our credit facilities, including the requirement to conduct a rights offering; the availability of less favorable credit and payment terms due to changes in industry condition or our financial condition, which could constrain our liquidity and reduce availability under our revolving credit facility; difficulties in successfully executing our growth initiatives, including identifying and completing acquisitions and divestitures, successfully integrating acquired business operations, and identifying and managing risks inherent in acquisitions and divestitures, as well as differences in the type and availability of consideration or financing for such acquisitions and divestitures; higher than forecasted capital expenditures to maintain and repair our fleet of trucks, tanks, equipment and disposal wells; control of costs and expenses; risks associated with the limited trading volume of our common stock on the NYSE American Stock Exchange, including potential fluctuations in the trading prices of our common stock; risks associated with the reliance on third-party analyst and expert market projections and data for the markets in which we operate; risks associated with changes in industry practices and operational technologies and the impact on our business; present and possible future claims, litigation or enforcement actions or investigations; financial results that may be volatile and may not reflect historical trends due to, among other things, changes in commodity prices or general market conditions, acquisition and disposition activities, fluctuations in consumer trends, pricing pressures, transportation costs, changes in raw material or labor prices or rates related to our business and changing regulations or political developments in the markets in which we operate; changes in customer drilling, completion and production activities, operating methods and capital expenditure plans, including impacts due to low oil and/or natural gas prices or the economic or regulatory environment; risks associated with the operation, construction, development and closure of saltwater disposal wells, solids and liquids treatment and transportation assets, landfills and pipelines, including access to additional locations and rights-of-way, environmental remediation obligations, unscheduled delays or inefficiencies and reductions in volume due to micro- and macro-economic factors or the availability of less expensive alternatives; the effects of competition in the markets in which we operate, including the adverse impact of competitive product announcements or new entrants into our markets and transfers of resources by competitors into our markets; changes in economic conditions in the markets in which we operate or in the world generally, including as a result of political uncertainty; reduced demand for our services due to regulatory or other influences related to extraction methods such as hydraulic fracturing, shifts in production among shale areas in which we operate or into shale areas in which we do not currently have operations; the unknown future impact of changes in laws and regulation on waste management and disposal activities, including those impacting the delivery, storage, collection, transportation, treatment and disposal of waste products, as well as the use or reuse of recycled or treated products or byproducts; risks involving developments in environmental or other governmental laws and regulations in the markets in which we operate and our ability to effectively respond to those developments including laws and regulations relating to oil and natural gas extraction businesses, particularly relating to water usage, and the disposal, transportation and treatment of liquid and solid wastes; and natural disasters, such as hurricanes, earthquakes and floods, or acts of terrorism, or extreme weather conditions, that may impact our business locations, assets, including wells or pipelines, distribution channels, or which otherwise disrupt our or our customers operations or the markets we serve. The forward-looking statements contained, or incorporated by reference, herein are also subject generally to other risks and uncertainties that are described from time to time in the Companys filings with the SEC. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which reflect managements views as of the date of this press release. The Company undertakes no obligation to update any such forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, changes in expectations or otherwise. Additional risks and uncertainties are disclosed from time to time in the Companys filings with the SEC, including our Annual Reports on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, and Current Reports on Form 8-K. This press release contains non-GAAP financial measures as defined by the rules and regulations of the United States Securities and Exchange Commission. A non-GAAP financial measure is a numerical measure of a companys historical or future financial performance, financial position or cash flows that excludes amounts, or is subject to adjustments that have the effect of excluding amounts, that are included in the most directly comparable measure calculated and presented in accordance with GAAP in the statements of operations or balance sheets of the Company; or includes amounts, or is subject to adjustments that have the effect of including amounts, that are excluded from the most directly comparable measure so calculated and presented. Reconciliations of these non-GAAP financial measures to their comparable GAAP financial measures are included in the attached financial tables. These non-GAAP financial measures are provided because management of the Company uses these financial measures in maintaining and evaluating the Companys ongoing financial results and trends. Management uses this non-GAAP information as an indicator of business results, and evaluates overall performance with respect to such indicators. Management believes that excluding items such as acquisition expenses, amortization of intangible assets, stock-based compensation, asset impairments, restructuring charges, expenses related to litigation and resolution of lawsuits, and other charges, which may or may not be non-recurring, among other items that are inconsistent in amount and frequency (as with acquisition expenses), or determined pursuant to complex formulas that incorporate factors, such as market volatility, that are beyond our control (as with stock-based compensation), for purposes of calculating these non-GAAP financial measures facilitates a more meaningful evaluation of the Companys current operating performance and comparisons to the past and future operating performance. The Company believes that providing non-GAAP financial measures such as EBITDA, adjusted EBITDA, adjusted net income (loss), and adjusted net income (loss) per share, in addition to related GAAP financial measures, provides investors with greater transparency to the information used by the Companys management. These non-GAAP financial measures are not substitutes for measures of performance or liquidity calculated in accordance with GAAP and may not necessarily be indicative of the Companys liquidity or ability to fund cash needs. Not all companies calculate non-GAAP financial measures in the same manner, and our presentation may not be comparable to the presentations of other companies. For illustrative purposes, the Company has combined the Successor and Predecessor periods to derive combined results for the three months ended September 30, 2017. For illustrative purposes, the Company has combined the Successor and Predecessor periods to derive combined results for the nine months ended September 30, 2017. [A] Special items primarily relates to the gain on the sale of underutilized assets. [B] Primarily attributable to transaction costs related to the acquisition of Clearwater Solutions that closed on October 5, 2018 and stock-based compensation. [C] Primarily includes the aforementioned adjustments along with long-lived asset impairment charges of $0.1 million for assets classified as held-for-sale primarily in the Southern division. [D] Primarily includes the aforementioned adjustments along with a gain of $34 thousand associated with the change in fair value of the derivative warrant liability. Additionally, our effective tax rate for the three months ended September 30, 2018 was (1.0%) percent and has been applied to the special items accordingly. [E] Special items primarily relates to the loss on the sale of underutilized assets. Primarily includes the aforementioned adjustments along with long-lived asset impairment charges of $2.4 million for assets classified as held-for-sale primarily in the Rocky Mountain division. [H] Primarily includes the aforementioned adjustments along with a $229.7 million gain resulting from the discharge of debt and the application of fresh start accounting in connection with the chapter 11 filing recorded to Reorganization items, net. Additionally, our effective tax rate for the three months ended September 30, 2017 was 0.1% and has been applied to the special items accordingly. [B] Primarily attributable to severance, transaction costs associated with the acquisition of Clearwater Solutions that closed on October 5, 2018, stock-based compensation and non-routine litigation expenses. [C] Primarily includes the aforementioned adjustments along with $1.1 million in restructuring costs related to the exit of the Eagle Ford Shale area, and long-lived asset impairment charges of $4.6 million for assets classified as held-for-sale in the Southern, Northeast and Corporate divisions. [D] Primarily includes the aforementioned adjustments along with $1.6 million in chapter 11 related fees recorded to Reorganization items, net, offset by a gain of $0.3 million associated with the change in fair value of the derivative warrant liability. Additionally, our effective tax rate for the nine months ended September 30, 2018 was (0.1%) percent and has been applied to the special items accordingly. Special items primarily includes capital reorganization costs incurring prior to the chapter 11 filing and the loss on the sale of underutilized assets. Primarily attributable to capital reorganization costs of $8.8 million incurred prior to the chapter 11 filing, as well as stock-based compensation, non-routine litigation expenses, and non-routine professional fees. Primarily includes the aforementioned adjustments along with a $224.0 million gain resulting from the discharge of debt and the application of fresh start accounting in connection with the chapter 11 filing recorded to Reorganization items, net, as well as a gain of $3.9 million associated with the change in fair value of the derivative warrant liability. Additionally, our effective tax rate for the nine months ended September 30, 2017 was 0.2% and has been applied to the special items accordingly. Net cash capital expenditures is defined as proceeds received from sales of property, plant and equipment, net of purchases of property, plant and equipment. Salt Water Disposal Well and Pipeline utilization is calculated based on daily functional capacity rather than permitted capacity. Functional capacity reflects any factors limiting volume such as pressure limits, pump or tank capacity, etc. and can potentially be increased with additional capital investment.

2019-04-19T08:19:20Z

https://www.globalbankingandfinance.com/nuverra-announces-third-quarter-and-year-to-date-2018-results/

Gold Coast Private Apartments, privately manages a selection of Apartments on the Gold Coast, offering guest luxury Gold Coast Accommodation at discounted prices. The Gold Coast Private Apartments listed on this particular web site, are located within the Tower 1, known as the Boulevard Tower, and Tower 2, known as the Orchid Tower, at 6 Orchid Avenue, Surfers Paradise, Queensland, 4217. Please note we are in no way associated nor affiliated with the onsite management, Hilton Surfers Paradise. The onsite management / front desk do not provide any services to our privately managed apartments. For all enquiries, please contact Gold Coast Private Apartments. Please refer below for descriptive information about Gold Coast Private Apartments - 1 Bedroom Apartments, along with specific details of services provided. Gold Coast Private Apartments, fully self-contained, 1 Bedroom Apartments feature an open plan living with floor to ceiling windows and are fitted with air conditioned rooms. There’s a fully equipped kitchen, dishwasher and microwave. The bathroom has a shower and bath tub (towels supplied). Please note we supply a set of bathroom towels only, we encourage guest to bring their own pool / beach towels as towels at the Pool desk are for Hilton guest use only. The One Bedroom Apartments feature a dining table with 4 chairs. Also, included is FREE in room Wi-Fi connection. On the balcony there is an outdoor table with 2 chairs. The laundry has an ironing board, iron, vacuum cleaner, washing machine, dryer and basin. The 1 Bedroom Apartments are ideal for 2 Adults and 2 Children. The Boulevard and Orchid Towers, are situated right in the heart of Surfers Paradise and is only about 200 metres from Surfers Paradise beach. Gold Coast International Airport is about a 30 minute drive away. Dream World is about a 20 minute taxi ride from the building and Sea World is only about a 10 minute drive. Please refer below for descriptive information about Gold Coast Private Apartments - 2 Bedroom Ocean View Apartments, along with specific details of services provided. Gold Coast Private Apartments, Two Bedroom Apartments with direct Ocean Views feature an open plan living with floor to ceiling windows and are fitted with air conditioned rooms and a fully equipped kitchen, dishwasher and microwave, one bathroom with a shower / bath tub (towels supplied). Please note we supply a set of bathroom towels only, we encourage guest to bring their own pool / beach towels. The Two Bedroom Apartments with direct Pool and Ocean Views feature a dining table with 6 chairs. Living room contains a 2 and a half seat sofa bed, coffee table, LCD television, DVD player. The master bedroom has 1 x king bed (linen supplied), a wall mounted LCD television, bed side tables with an alarm clock. The second bedroom has 1 x king bed (linen supplied), bed side tables with an alarm clock. Also, included is free in room Wi-Fi connection. On the balcony there is an outdoor table with 4 chairs. The laundry has an ironing board, iron, vacuum cleaner, washing machine, dryer and basin. We also provide 1 x complimentary basement car park. Parties and functions are strictly prohibited. We do not offer luggage storage, however we may offer a complimentary early check-in or complimentary late check-out subject to availability. We do not provide any housekeeping services as our privately managed apartments are fully self-contained, however should you require housekeeping services during your stay, please contact GCPA to arrange a quotation as additional charges apply. Within 24 hours of booking your apartment you will receive a subsequent email with detailed instructions about our personal check-in service. GCPA guest are unable to check-in or check-out at the properties onsite reception desk, nor will GCPA guest receive room service or porter service from the onsite management. For all enquiries, please contact Gold Coast Private Apartments. Arrivals from 6pm onwards will incur a $40 check in fee payable directly to your Host. Gold Coast Private Apartments, fully self-contained, 1 Bedroom Apartment on Level 3 - Boulevard Tower, features an open plan living with floor to ceiling windows and are fitted with air conditioned rooms. There’s a fully equipped kitchen, dishwasher and microwave. The bathroom has a shower and bath tub (towels supplied). Please note we supply a set of bathroom towels only, we encourage guest to bring their own pool / beach towels. The master bedroom has 1 x king bed (linen supplied), a wall mounted LCD television, bed side tables with an alarm clock. In the living room there’s a 2 and a half seat sofa bed, coffee table, LCD television and DVD player. Stay 7 Nights Plus and Save. Gold Coast Private Apartments, fully self-contained, 1 Bedroom Apartment on Level 3 - Boulevard Tower, features an open plan living with floor to ceiling windows and are fitted with air conditioned rooms. There’s a fully equipped kitchen, dishwasher and microwave. The bathroom has a shower and bath tub (towels supplied). Please note we supply a set of bathroom towels only, we encourage guest to bring their own pool / beach towels. Gold Coast Private Apartments, fully self-contained, 1 Bedroom Apartment on Level 14 - Boulevard Tower, features an open plan living with floor to ceiling windows and are fitted with air conditioned rooms. There’s a fully equipped kitchen, dishwasher and microwave. The bathroom has a shower and bath tub (towels supplied). Please note we supply a set of bathroom towels only, we encourage guest to bring their own pool / beach towels. Stay 7 Nights Plus and Save. Gold Coast Private Apartments, fully self-contained, 1 Bedroom Apartment on Level 14 - Boulevard Tower, features an open plan living with floor to ceiling windows and are fitted with air conditioned rooms. There’s a fully equipped kitchen, dishwasher and microwave. The bathroom has a shower and bath tub (towels supplied). Please note we supply a set of bathroom towels only, we encourage guest to bring their own pool / beach towels. Gold Coast Private Apartments, fully self-contained, 1 Bedroom Apartment on Level 15 - Boulevard Tower, features an open plan living with floor to ceiling windows and are fitted with air conditioned rooms. There’s a fully equipped kitchen, dishwasher and microwave. The bathroom has a shower and bath tub (towels supplied). Please note we supply a set of bathroom towels only, we encourage guest to bring their own pool / beach towels. Stay 7 Nights Plus and Save. Gold Coast Private Apartments, fully self-contained, 1 Bedroom Apartment on Level 15 - Boulevard Tower, features an open plan living with floor to ceiling windows and are fitted with air conditioned rooms. There’s a fully equipped kitchen, dishwasher and microwave. The bathroom has a shower and bath tub (towels supplied). Please note we supply a set of bathroom towels only, we encourage guest to bring their own pool / beach towels. Gold Coast Private Apartments, fully self-contained, 1 Bedroom Apartment on Level 19 - Boulevard Tower, features an open plan living with floor to ceiling windows and are fitted with air conditioned rooms. There’s a fully equipped kitchen, dishwasher and microwave. The bathroom has a shower and bath tub (towels supplied). Please note we supply a set of bathroom towels only, we encourage guest to bring their own pool / beach towels. Stay 7 Nights Plus and Save. Gold Coast Private Apartments, fully self-contained, 1 Bedroom Apartment on Level 19 - Boulevard Tower, features an open plan living with floor to ceiling windows and are fitted with air conditioned rooms. There’s a fully equipped kitchen, dishwasher and microwave. The bathroom has a shower and bath tub (towels supplied). Please note we supply a set of bathroom towels only, we encourage guest to bring their own pool / beach towels. Gold Coast Private Apartments 2 Bedroom / 2 Bathroom is located on level 5. These apartments feature FREE in room Wi-Fi. Bedding Configuration = 1 King Bed, 2 x Single Beds and 1 Double Sofa Bed. Gold Coast Private Apartments, fully self-contained, 2 Bedroom Apartment feature an open plan living with floor to ceiling windows and are fitted with air-conditioned rooms. There’s a fully equipped kitchen, dishwasher and microwave. The 2 Bedroom Apartment have 2 bathrooms with a shower and bath tub (towels supplied). Please note we supply a set of bathroom towels only, we encourage guest to bring their own pool / beach towels. The master bedroom has 1 x king bed (linen supplied), a wall mounted LCD television, bed side tables with an alarm clock. The second bedroom has 2 x single beds (linen supplied). In the living room there’s a 2 and a half seat sofa bed, coffee table, LCD television and DVD player. Gold Coast Private Apartments 2 Bedroom / 2 Bathroom feature a dining table with 6 chairs. Also, included is FREE in room Wi-Fi connection. On the balcony there is an outdoor table with 2 chairs. The laundry has an ironing board, iron, vacuum cleaner, washing machine, dryer and basin. The 2 Bedroom Apartments are ideal for 4 Adults and 2 Children. Gold Coast Private Apartments, fully self-contained, 2 Bedroom Apartment with Pool & Ocean Views on Level 7 - Boulevard Tower, features an open plan living with floor to ceiling windows and are fitted with air conditioned rooms. These apartments feature FREE in room Wi-Fi. There’s a fully equipped kitchen, dishwasher and microwave. This 2 Bedroom Apartments has 1 bathroom has a shower and bath tub (towels supplied). Please note we supply a set of bathroom towels only, we encourage guest to bring their own pool / beach towels. The master bedroom has 1 x king bed (linen supplied), a wall mounted LCD television, bed side tables with an alarm clock. The second bedroom has 1 x queen bed (linen supplied). In the living room there’s a 2 and a half seat sofa bed, coffee table, LCD television and DVD player. The Two Bedroom Apartments with Pool & Ocean Views feature a dining table with 6 chairs. Also, included is FREE in room Wi-Fi connection. On the balcony there is an outdoor table with 2 chairs. The laundry has an ironing board, iron, vacuum cleaner, washing machine, dryer and basin. The 2 Bedroom Apartments are ideal for 4 Adults and 2 Children. Sky High 2 Bedroom / 2 Bathroom Apartments all with Ocean Views are located from Level 30 upwards. These apartments feature FREE in room Wi-Fi. Bedding Configuration = 1 King Bed, 1 Queen Bed and 1 Double Sofa Bed. Gold Coast Private Apartments, fully self-contained, Sky High (from level 30 upwards) 2 Bedroom Apartment with Ocean Views feature an open plan living with floor to ceiling windows and are fitted with air-conditioned rooms. There’s a fully equipped kitchen, dishwasher and microwave. The 2 Bedroom Apartments have 2 bathrooms with a shower and bath tub (towels supplied). Please note we supply a set of bathroom towels only, we encourage guest to bring their own pool / beach towels. Sky High (from level 30 upwards) Two Bedroom Apartments feature a dining table with 6 chairs. Also, included is FREE in room Wi-Fi connection. On the balcony there is an outdoor table with 2 chairs. The laundry has an ironing board, iron, vacuum cleaner, washing machine, dryer and basin. The 2 Bedroom Apartments are ideal for 4 Adults and 2 Children. 2 Bedroom / 2 Bathroom Apartments all with Ocean Views located on various levels in the Boulevard Tower. No internet connection available in these apartments. Bedding Configuration = 1 King Bed, 1 Queen Bed and 1 Double Sofa Bed. Gold Coast Private Apartments, fully self-contained, 2 Bedroom Apartment with Ocean Views are located on various levels within the Boulevard Tower and feature an open plan living with floor to ceiling windows and are fitted with air conditioned rooms. There’s a fully equipped kitchen, dishwasher and microwave. The 2 Bedroom Apartments have 2 bathroom with a shower and bath tub (towels supplied). Please note we supply a set of bathroom towels only, we encourage guest to bring their own pool / beach towels. The Two Bedroom Apartments feature a dining table with 6 chairs. On the balcony there is an outdoor table with 2 chairs. The laundry has an ironing board, iron, vacuum cleaner, washing machine, dryer and basin. The 2 Bedroom Apartments are ideal for 4 Adults and 2 Children. 7N Plus Discount Rate - 2 Bedroom / 2 Bathroom Apartments all with Ocean Views located on various levels in the Boulevard Tower. No internet connection available in these apartments. Bedding Configuration = 1 King Bed, 1 Queen Bed and 1 Double Sofa Bed. 3 Bedroom Sky High 2 Bathroom Apartments all with Ocean Views are located from Level 30 upwards. These apartments feature FREE in room Wi-Fi. Bedding Configuration = 2 x Queen Beds and 1 Double Sofa Bed. Gold Coast Private Apartments, fully self-contained, Sky High (from level 30 upwards) 3 Bedroom Apartment with Ocean Views feature an open plan living with floor to ceiling windows and are fitted with air-conditioned rooms. There’s a fully equipped kitchen, dishwasher and microwave. The 3 Bedroom Apartments have 2 bathrooms with a shower and bath tub (towels supplied). Please note we supply a set of bathroom towels only, we encourage guest to bring their own pool / beach towels. The master bedroom has 1 x Queen bed (linen supplied), a wall mounted LCD television, bed side tables with an alarm clock. The second bedroom has 1 x queen bed (linen supplied). The third bedroom has 1 x double bed (linen supplied). In the living room there’s a 2 and a half seat sofa bed, coffee table, LCD television and DVD player. Sky High (from level 30 upwards) Three Bedroom Apartments feature a dining table with 4 chairs and 3 bar stools. Also, included is FREE in room Wi-Fi connection. On the balcony there is an outdoor table with 4 chairs. The laundry has an ironing board, iron, vacuum cleaner, washing machine, dryer and basin. The 3 Bedroom Apartments are ideal for 6 Adults and 2 Children. 3 Bedroom / 2 Bathroom Apartments with City and Ocean Views are located on various levels in the Boulevard Tower. No internet connection available in these apartments. Bedding Configuration = 1 King Bed, 2 Queen Beds and 1 Double Sofa Bed. Gold Coast Private Apartments, fully self-contained, 3 Bedroom / 2 Bathroom Apartments with City and Ocean Views feature an open plan living with floor to ceiling windows and are fitted with air conditioned rooms. There’s a fully equipped kitchen, dishwasher and microwave. The 3 Bedroom Apartments have 2 bathroom with a shower and bath tub (towels supplied). Please note we supply a set of bathroom towels only, we encourage guest to bring their own pool / beach towels. The master bedroom has 1 x king bed (linen supplied), a wall mounted LCD television, bed side tables. The second and third bedroom are fitted with queen beds (linen supplied). In the living room there’s a 2 and a half seat sofa bed, coffee table, LCD television and DVD player. The Three Bedroom Apartments feature a dining table with 6 chairs. On the balcony there is an outdoor table with 2 chairs. The laundry has an ironing board, iron, vacuum cleaner, washing machine, dryer and basin. The 3 Bedroom Apartments are ideal for 4 Adults and 3 Children. To maintain a good standard for our guests we require certain conditions to be complied with. We appreciate most will respect the apartments however the occasional abuse requires that we state the following conditions. Number of Guests should not exceed the number stated on the Confirmation Notice or subsequently agreed in writing or email. Fees will apply for excess guests not agreed in advance. Parties and Functions are strictly prohibited. Damage, Breakages, Theft and Loss are the tenant’s responsibility during their stay. Departure - the apartments should be left in a similar state to its condition on arrival. Check-out time is 10:00am by the latest, to allow time to prepare apartments for next guests. Disturbance to neighbours, including excessive noise, is prohibited and may result in termination of rental and loss of bond. Please Note: This is an advance purchase - full payment is required at the time of booking. Please Note: a charge of 2% for Visa & MasterCard payments is applicable. GCPA does not accept cancellations or provide any refunds.

2019-04-18T11:10:14Z

https://apac.littlehotelier.com/properties/goldcoast?currency=AUD&amp;locale=es&amp;start_date=2019-02-23

Plutonium Muffins - A healthy source of fibre! I’m sitting in Pret a Manger writing a blog post I’ve had no idea how to write. When you take a few weeks of blogging, you suddenly log on one day and realise you haven’t written anything for three months, despite thinking most days “I should write something for Plutonium Muffins”. One of the things I’ve been experiencing this year has been a general fatigue concerning anything to do with social media, the Internet, technology and growing up in a world that doesn’t seem to know which way is up, and how to get by without losing yourself in an endless stream of memes, bad news, and carefully curated and edited photographs by other people that make you think you’re doing everything wrong because you’re the one who hasn’t got your life together. The result of this has been a virtual sabbatical from most things social media. One of the podcasts I listen to (Hello Internet) has two presenters, one of whom has taken on “Project Cyclops”, where he has banned himself from all social media including reddit and Twitter. He doesn’t even listen to podcasts anymore. It’s been interesting listening to him talking about it – somewhat inspirational even. I don’t think going that extreme is something I plan to do, but it’s definitely something I’ve been thinking about. A lot. To add to all of this, the other day I lost my phone following a series of unfortunate and emotionally challenging events. I’m still not sure what is going to happen and if I’ll get it back (let’s just say I’m never using Uber again and I plan to file a police report on Monday). Being 100% isolated from my phone and therefore the rest of the world was a nice and a horrible experience at the same time. I hadn’t realised how much of an effect constant contact with the world was having on me. The chance to have a break for a few days from constant messages, even if it was just my friends sharing interesting articles or talking about the latest news in the world of weddings, was actually incredible. I walked out of my house on Friday morning and felt absolutely untethered in a way that I can’t remember feeling. Ever. I went for tea breaks at work and didn’t get myself into the cycle of ‘better check Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, the BBC news, WhatsApp messages…right that’s all done back to Twitter, Instagram” on what was supposed to be my break from the screen. Although I don’t post much on any of these places anymore, I am still apparently addicted to checking them. I watched construction workers dig a hole and fill it in. I listened to some birds outside work in the trees. I went to lunch with some people and was the only one not constantly checking my phone. It was nice. With the spring in my step that was me leaving the house on Friday being surprised by how free I felt, although absolutely baffled as to how I was going to get myself connected again, I left for work without my keys. That night all of my housemates would have been out – there was no way for me to find out where they were or how I was going to get in, other than standing outside the house and waiting (which is what I ended up doing, in the rain). I quickly realised there was no way for me to sort anything out. I had conversations like “have you called Uber yet to get your phone?” “No, I have no phone and I can’t login to my account because they use two factor authentication for which I need a phone” multiple times. I’ve also been going through some emotional stuff this year, and spend probably an hour every couple of days on the phone to my mum, who is my best friend and my closest confidant. Not being able to call her was horrible – I don’t think I’ve felt that alone for a long time. I needed a new phone. I’m by no means a techno wiz, but I do use a smartphone, and the massive hit I’ve had to take to my purse in fixing my own very stupid mistake has created some intense internal debate that I didn’t expect. I spent a seriously long time standing back and debating whether I did in fact need the latest iPhone (I definitely, absolutely don’t) and what the benefit to my life would be if I just bought a phone that was only useful for texts and phonecalls. After irritating the guy in the Apple Store with my hour of dithering, I went for the iPhone, and I’m going to wonder for the next six months if I made the right call or not. It’s sitting next to me now, and I kind of hate how much I needed it, how much I paid for it, and how it’s going to remind me of a horrible experience every time I pick it up. To get back to the point, I don’t know how to write this blog post because I don’t know what this blog is anymore. I love to write, and Plutonium Muffins has been a part of my life for seven years (as of last Wednesday, happy birthday PM). However, I don’t have the same passion for writing about the stuff I used to write about. I don’t knit or spin or stitch enough to do weekly update posts. I don’t attend craft events as much as I used to. I spend a large proportion of my life at work, either working or studying, and when I get home the last thing I want to do is get my computer out and write a blog post or edit a video. When I do get down to writing I tend to pen these epic tales full of emotional nonsense and personal, private stuff that I don’t want to put out on the Internet. It gets relegated to the folder of “stuff I need to address”, or just deleted and forgotten about, and I don’t like that either. I guess what I’m trying to say is I’ve been trying to figure out what to do with my creative life online, and after two years of soul-searching, as evidenced by my gradual decline here and in other places, I still haven’t got there. I think I need to take a bit of a break from pressuring myself into writing. I’m going to try spend some time making stuff I love and want to share with people. And even if I do love and want to share it, I don’t know if I will. I’ve already changed my Instagram handle away from Plutonium Muffins, and I plan to delete the Facebook page and some of the other things I’ve got in this name. I’m going to go back to being just Corrie for a while, and see what happens. I didn’t expect this post to turn out this way – I was going to come here and write something cheerful and aspirational, about how Christmas is nearly here and 2019 is going to be a better year. I’ve reached the end and re-read what I’ve written with some surprise, and somehow it feels right. With that in mind, I’ll hopefully see you all again. If I don’t, I wanted to say thank you to everyone, it’s been an incredible ride and I have appreciated all of your support, friendship and lively discussion over the last seven years. A couple of weeks ago I went to the wedding of one of my good friends from work and his lovely new wife. The happy couple are the proud owners of a veritable petting zoo, and I wanted to stitch them a wedding sampler to celebrate their nuptials, personalised with representations of their pets. I filmed the process of putting this together from beginning to end – you can see the video here. When I moved to my current house, I dug through my collection of craft books and identified a stack I wanted to donate to charity/give away. I was persuaded not to with the wise words of “just keep them for a few months and see if you use them”. This advice turned out to be well needed, as Jo Verso’s “World of Cross Stitch” was one of the books I had earmarked for donation, and is what I used to find the motifs I wanted for this wedding sampler. Mark and Leanne have got eight goats, a very cute cavapoochon and three rabbits, so I found motifs representing all of these, and decided to embellish the sampler with hearts to indicate the happy occasion. Some backstitch lettering and a date later, and I had the elements I wanted to include. Me with little Porridge, the cavapoochon puppy. I used MacStitch Prem to assemble the design – the version I use is from 2015 and is usually fantastic, apart from one thing. It crashed halfway through the stitching and I had to reassemble the whole design from scratch as no back-up ever got saved, despite my almost obsessive habit of clicking ‘save’ every 30 seconds. A new version has been released this year – I will buy it as soon as I stop moving house every six months – but I do fully recommend it if you are looking for a cross stitch design toolkit. When I was happy with the shapes of the animals, I then spent many, many hours watching videos of the goats on Facebook to try get the colouring right. The below is what I came up with. I used a random assortment of flosses to stitch the sampler after I was finally happy with the design. With reams of 14ct aida still in my stash, that was the natural choice of fabric. My collection of random flosses from inherited sewing boxes, random trips to supermarkets, and “grab bags” in hobby shops yielded a great combination of colours, and I spent a happy few hours stitching up each little motif. I hadn’t put much time into colour matching with a specific brand of floss or trying particularly hard to be too exact in my colours – my thoughts were “go with my gut”. It was a lot of fun. As much as I love cross stitch, sometimes I get too obsessive about exact colours and being true to life. Letting those constraints go was wonderfully freeing, and I was so pleased with how it came out. The sampler half done. The backstitch on the writing is done with two strands of floss, the backstitch on the animals using one strand. The last time I got a piece framed I decided to get it professionally done behind glass. With the organic nature of the subject matter (and the fact that I hadn’t really left myself much time….), I went for a much more vintage, rustic effect – basically, leave it in the hoop and back it with fabric. My attempt was quite rough – I was filming for YouTube when I did it and I ended up with quite a wonky circle for the piece of felt that I backed it with – but it complemented the piece almost perfectly, and I was absolutely thrilled with the final product. The finished wedding sampler ready for presentation. And the back, not particularly well done but with a cute little signature anyway! I presented it to them last week, and they were pleased. I was too! This project was a lot of fun, very personalised, great to design, satisfying to stitch, quickly completed and charmingly finished (if I do say so myself). It’s also made me realise that despite cross stitch being a ‘slow craft’, you can churn things out pretty quickly when you need to. I suspect more people will be getting personalised samplers in the future! I’ve got big news coming in the next blog post…more change is afoot and I can’t wait to share it with you. Watch this space! World Cup Cardigan - a finished object! Over the course of the World Cup this year, I finished the “Whoooo am I?” cardigan as promised in my last post. As also stated in that post, the weather is currently far too hot to actually wear the cardigan – we took the photos in the Eden Project and you can guarantee it got taken off the second the photos were done! Anyway, the sense of accomplishment and urge to keep creating has been absolutely worth it, and come autumn I’ll be happy with the addition to my wardrobe. I absolutely adore this pattern. I’m a huge Harry Potter nut, I like birds a lot (if you follow me on Instagram you’ll probably be aware of this), and the pattern was the perfect combination of straight knitting and a bit of lacework to keep it interesting, while allowing me to zone out in front of the TV while I worked. I haven’t knitted a cardigan before, and it was a great first pattern to follow. My new cardigan, not buttoned up because it’s far too hot! As a knitter with a number of different techniques in the locker following years of knitting endless shawls and pairs of socks, one of the things I really battle with is picking up stitches. Years ago I took a class at “Spin a Yarn” in Bovey Tracey to try combat this fear…alas it didn’t really help, and I still have something of a mental block with the technique. Happily, there wasn’t anything too difficult to attempt, and although I don’t think I got the gauge on the button band quite right despite following a number of tutorials, once the cardigan is on you can’t tell! One thing I haven’t done, but still might attempt, is backing the button band with a bit of fabric. I see knitters doing this on Instagram all the time, and hadn’t really understood why until I sewed the buttons onto the cardi last week. I’m going to have a look through my fabric stash and read a few tutorials to see if this is something I might have a stab at, rather than avoid learning a new skill and wrecking it after only a few outings. From the back – the colour looks a bit darker here than it is in real life. Living for the owls. If I’m being totally honest, I don’t like the thought of doing this – although I’m handy with a cross stitch needle, actually sewing is something I’ve not got much practice at. Any tips would be appreciated! The yarn came from unravelling my Icon Dress, and while a pleasing ‘reuse, recycle, don’t leave hours of knitting abandoned in your wardrobe’ solution to a dress that no longer fitted and not wanting to purchase more yarn, this presented some unique problems in itself. The Icon Dress when I’d just finished it in May 2015. First, grafting. Some parts of the Icon Dress were so felted that when I was unravelling it I ended up having to large ditch portions of yarn, and ended up with a lot more ends than I had originally expected. I joined these using my favourite method (spit splicing) and ended up with what I’m choosing to call charming areas of slightly thicker stitches in my knitting. They’re probably only obvious to me, but also give the cardi a homegrown quality that I absolutely adore. The colour is still fantastic and I love it as much as I did when I bought it all those years ago. I’m so pleased I decided to go down this route rather than let yarn be the barrier to knitting the cardigan. One last thing to note here is the fact that the yarn pills like anything. I spend a lot of time picking bits off myself and think I’m going to have to give it a good shave regularly. Hopefully this is just the yarn objecting to its second life – we’ll see if it carries on doing it to the end of time. Needless to say, it will not become another project after this cardigan as I don’t think it’ll stand up to being unravelled again! The cardigan from the back again – this one included because the pilling is really obvious to me, but it might just be me being a bit too fussy! My search of Ravelry proved really fruitful, and I’ve actually chosen another pattern from this magazine to attempt next. The Heliopath Vest is knitted in worsted yarn, and I have a medium amount of this languishing in my stash from when I visited New Zealand a few years ago. There isn’t quite enough for the full vest, so I’m going to have to have a look through the rest of my stash and try find something complimentary to go with the yarn I’ve allocated to the project – watch this space to see how I get on! Before I start talking about my new cardigan project (and this blog post ended up being a monster, I really do miss writing), let’s address the fact that it’s been two months since I last posted with a little photo. This has been my life for the last couple of months – two courses, two exams (one passed and the other results still to come). I was a bit cocky when I started training to be an accountant. “I worked in finance while I studied full time at uni…the other way round should be the same, right?” was a constant refrain when I first started. Wrong. It’s hard to concentrate all day at work then come home and hit the books. This leaves little time for writing, knitting, spinning, cross stitch…and the rest, as I’ll explain. Anyway, I’ve got a month’s grace now and I’m celebrating by getting in a bit of all of the above before I go back to college. Those of you who have been long time readers will know I’ve been talking about knitting a cardigan for at least three years. The whole time I’ve been dreaming of it, I’ve known which one I was going to knit. I’ve never actually sat down and started it. There have been a number of reasons, but I’ve finally found the motivation to sit down and knit, and I am loving the project. Recently my evenings have consisted of going to my favourite bench on Bristol Harbour and contemplating life, the universe and everything, to borrow Douglas Adams’ phrasing. I can’t say I exactly know who I am now, but I’m slowly coming to terms with unchangeable parts of me. One of these things is the fact that, despite hiatus and breaks from not only blogging but even looking at a pair of knitting needles, I always have been, am now, and always will be, a knitter. View through to the bench of dreams. Upon realising how much I missed knitting, I started taking some time to prepare myself to finally sit down and knit my cardigan. The other reasons I hadn’t started it began to lose their hold on me. I originally wanted to spin the yarn myself so that I didn’t end up buying a sweater quantity of yarn that would then sit in my stash for years. I have stacks of fibre, including some beautiful Exmoor Blueface from John Arbon that I debated dyeing for a while. The problem with this was it was essentially three projects in one: dye the fibre, spin the yarn, and assuming the yarn came out the right weight, knit the cardigan. The number of obstacles this presented proved too much for procrastination Corrie. My Kiwi wheel has some fibre on the bobbins that I’ve been slowly working on for a year, and I can’t justify buying new bobbins at the moment. The Traditional is currently in storage following the most recent move, and although I have tons of empty bobbins for that, I can’t have the Kiwi and the Traddy in my room at the same time. It wouldn’t be particularly pleasant going and sitting in a storage container and spinning in the evenings! Luckily, one of the other things I’ve done over the last year has been to lose a lot of weight. I gave up sugar in September and now try to eat only things that contain 5% sugar or less. Mostly, this meant I stopped drinking coke and eating chocolate. Combined with running, eating more healthily and trying not to snack between meals, I got to the point where I’d lost three dress sizes. How on Earth is this relevant to yarn? Because of this. The Icon Dress, which I finished in 2015, no longer fitted me. There was £70 worth of prime Knit by Numbers John Arbon yarn in there, in the right weight, in a colour I still love. Without thinking about it too much, I sat down and over the space of two months, unravelled it. I had a lot of people asking me how I could possibly bear to do this. It must have taken me hundreds of hours to knit – what was I thinking? The thought of the dress lying in my cupboard, never to be worn again until I piled on the pounds, was less bearable than taking it apart and repurposing it into something I’ve been wanting to do since I finished that dress. It wasn’t a hard decision at all. One of the other things that really put me off was gauge. I am really quite a lazy knitter and the necessity for swatching is something that I acknowledge, but always hate. Having yet another completed swatch lying in my box of swatches bothered me. Eventually, having put all that work into unravelling the dress, skeining up the yarn and resetting it with a good bath, I decided to pull up my big girl pants and get to it. As with all things you avoid, it took me approximately a fifth of the time my head told me it would take, and I completed the swatch while watching a good game of football. Watching football with knitting, a pleasant past time! Then came the measuring. To my horror, my gauge was slightly off. I am quite a tight knitter, and it was a little bit out – but not by enough for me to reswatch with bigger needles. I used 4mm to do the swatching, and would have to move up to 4.5’s – I’m convinced this would have given me a gauge that was too loose. Looking at the measurements of the cardigan, I also thought that if I went for the size dictated by my bust, it would end up fitting up top but being too loose around my middle. These are the hazards of being gifted in the bust department (I’ll let you decide if that’s a blessing or a curse – I certainly know which of the two I think it is, and it’s definitely the latter). With a slightly tighter gauge I thought I would solve that problem. It remains to be seen whether I’m right or not. When I got started on this blog post a week ago, I’d already started knitting the cardigan and was about a centimetre through the bottom ribbing. Fast forward to this week, with hours spent in front of the football, a few days in Devon with my family and an afternoon sitting in my favourite cafe with a friend, and I’m more than halfway through it. This has been the most gratifyingly quick knit, and I’m incredibly fired up and inspired to start knitting in earnest on all the things again. The pattern is Ginny’s Cardigan from Interweave’s “The Unofficial Harry Potter Knits, Special Issue 2013”. It’s the cover pattern, and there’s a certain poetry in the fact that I’m knitting it in bright orange yarn given the nature of Ginny Weasley’s hair colour. I finished the first sleeve yesterday, although I think I’m going to go back to it and make it a bit longer. With another afternoon of football to look forward to, I expect I’ll finish the second sleeve today, and hopefully get some time to join it this week. I often seem to do this – start big projects that aren’t weather appropriate in mid-summer. I doubt I’ll be able to actually wear it until the seasons change again – but given that I might have to undo it if my gauge is wildly out, and also that if i started it in autumn it might not be ready till even later in the year, I’ll take it. Having a pair of knitting needles in my hand is wonderful – I do remember how to knit (I was honestly a big worried haha) and the therapeutic effects of slowly working my way through a pattern have been remembered gratefully. One sleeve to go back and make longer and the rest of the cardigan as it stood at the close of play today. I’ve been in a reflective mood recently, and have spent a lot of time drafting blog posts trying to put that feeling into words. As I was taking a walk around Bristol Harbour this morning, I realised that my feelings about time itself were one of the things I was most reflecting on. The long and short of it has been that the space between my daily milestones – the alarm going off, breakfast, the lunch break, dinner time, back to bed again – has come to mean a different thing to me in a relatively short space of…well, time. Throughout my life I’ve had moments, sometimes daily and other times spaced months apart, where I’ve sat back with a bit of a start as I’ve realised that the moment I’m experiencing is utterly unique and will never again exist. I can remember sitting back on countless occasions and thinking to myself ‘remember this moment’. Of course, I don’t remember the moment itself – where I was, what I was doing, who I was with – but instead the actual act of sitting back and thinking to myself “remember this moment, you’ll never have it again”. Remember this moment, you’ll never have it again. It was one of the only useful things a therapist ever said to me. The way I experience the thought of ‘wasting time’ has since been subtly changing. Taking craft as an example, I used to be a goal oriented knitter, with the finish object being king and the time spent knitting it ‘wasted’ as I was so keen to reach my destination. Cranking out object after object, often with imperfections that I knew about but ‘didn’t have the time’ to go back and fix, I was perfectly happy with that style of creating. Sunrise over the River Avon, a view I get to appreciate every day in all weather, light and circumstance. More recently, I’ve started to enjoy that ‘wasted time’ more. The Pixie Slipper Boots that I recently completed felt almost unreal because they were so quick to work up; I’d barely begun to appreciate them before they were finished. The chance to sit down and enjoy the act of throwing the yarn over the needles, forming stitch upon stitch upon row and row, cherished. I’ve become focussed on drop spindling again, the slowest form of crafting that I do, and in this moment, the most desireable. I’ve even started to unravel one of my biggest ever projects because the imperfections I forced into it through my impatience have driven me to never want to wear it, and instead of seeing the time spent on it as wasted, I’m loving the opportunity to breath new life into it – that yarn has triple the mileage of any other project I’ve ever done! Drop spindling fibre that I rediscovered when I moved – this has gone from place to place with me recently, pulled out when I’ve felt I needed it and enhancing my reflections on time. One of the most significant changes has been how I approach the time I’m not crafting – which to me, used to be the biggest waste of time in my daily life. I wouldn’t allow myself to watch TV without a project in my hand, and the thought of going to a cafe or pub and not taking something to occupy my hands with me was almost unbearable. I don’t always pack knitting in my bag anymore – and sometimes when I do, I don’t take it out as soon as I sit still. My walk to work is often meandering, and I take the time to appreciate the view, observe the swans that live in the harbour, enjoy the great British weather in whatever form it takes. I stop at a cafe on my way home from work, just because I can. I’ve spent a lot of time in this cafe recently – Mokoko on Wapping Wharf, Bristol. My runs are getting longer and longer because the act of just being out and about is no longer about running between A and B as quickly as possible, but exploring my area and experiencing the ways my body works. I’ve started allowing myself to sit and do nothing – and when I get freaked out about that, I’ve been reminding myself that it’s actually OK to just be, and if I have a problem with it I can just pick up the needles again. I’ve even found myself appreciating my relationships more. Instead of wishing I could spend more time with people and being sad that they can’t dedicate as much of their time to me as I would like, I’ve found greater appreciation in the time they do spend with me. It has taken the pressure off the relationships a little bit, and also made me cherish them that much more – something that is incredibly important to me as I get older and (theoretically!) wiser. Swan in Bristol Harbour – I’ve nicknamed him Frank and see him almost every day. I guess all of this might mean I’ve learned the art of mindfulness, and am slowly becoming successful in my quest to rediscover who I am. All of this time spent on not focussing on finished objects has meant that I’ve actually been quite productive on a crafting front, but I haven’t necessarily wanted to sit down and write about it. For now, I’ve started using my Instagram story to share more moments of my day – the fleeting, 24 hours the photos stay and the snapshots they capture are really calling to me at the moment, and you can see them here! Reflections on mirror calm water at 6am. And the same view a couple of weeks later in bright sunshine. Last week I finished the pixie slipper boots, the first knitting project I’ve completed for myself in, wait for it….well over a year. Every year for the last few I’ve made the resolution “make more stuff for myself”, and every year I seem to just get worse at this. Never mind, the dry spell is over and I now have my very own fancy elf-like slippers to pad around the house in. I bought the Pixie Slipper Boots kit from the Wool Shop Leeds when they were exhibiting at the Stitching, Sewing and Hobbycrafts Show last summer. Ricky also bought the kit, and with the pattern has made not one, but two pairs of slippers. Meanwhile, it’s been languishing in my “someday, maybe” pile ever since. I moved house a couple of weeks ago, and in the move discovered a basket full of my ‘someday, maybe’ kits. I’d been desperate to get some simple knitting going for a quite a while, so the timing was perfect. I cast on, and while I was visiting a friend on maternity leave I knitted at least half of the first boot. One of the things most new knitters ask me is “how do you make sure it’s the size you want it to be”, and most are upset when I say gauge is king. While sizing wasn’t too much of a problem with these slippers because you just knit until they’re big enough, the other issue with needle sizes came up. When you’re knitting, you’re making yourself a fabric – and if you don’t like the fabric you’re making, you will always find it a little harder to love your finished object. I started out knitting with 5.5mm needles, rather than the recommended 6mm as specified in the pattern. Because I was knitting slippers, which would have to be hard wearing, I thought I wanted the fabric to be more dense. This plan was quickly revealed to be a bad one – the fabric was so dense it was actually hurting to knit, and it was so stiff that I decided it would actually be pretty uncomfortable. The start, with knitting far too dense, didn’t last long before I undid it. I undid the first half of my slipper and started again with 6.5mm needles, because I couldn’t find my 6mm ones. Much happier, I carried on. Let the lesson here be that even if it’s a faff, it’s better than finishing something you’re not happy with because you’ll probably wear it less and thus the time was wasted anyway! I started these on Thursday, and by the following Tuesday they were done. The pattern uses a super bulky yarn, which is held double and as a result simply flies off the needles! It’s nice and simple, and a great way to practice mattress stitch as well – each slipper starts out as a flat piece that you sew up. A Pixie Slipper Boot before assembly. Finished slippers, sans the bells I bought to put on the ends because I got too annoyed with them. I got the point better on the first one than the other, which was a nice departure from tradition as I’m normally better at finishing the second item in any pair! They’re super comfy and the only problem I’ve so far experienced has been that I got my laptop charger wrapped around the point of one of them and nearly went flying…user error rather than an issue with the knitting! My main gripe is that I like slippers to have a hard sole, so I might actually cut the top off my old slippers, which are about two years old and nasty, then sew the old sole onto the base of these. I’m not too sure about this plan yet, so watch this space! The project was super simple, really quick, and a great way to get me back into knitting after a long hiatus. Next up is some spinning I also rediscovered while I was moving – watch this space! The baby boom is (almost) over! The last one of my friends to leave work on maternity leave has gone, and with her all my requirements for baby knitting. I haven’t blogged about this for a little while because I’ve moved house again (how many times is that in the life of this blog…? Eight by my count in the last six years…) so here is all the knitting I’ve done since finishing the crochet blanket I wrote about here. I spent some time over Christmas knitting some booties for two of the pregnancies, one of whom was my line manager and expecting a little girl, and the other expecting a baby of unidentified gender, who is going to be living in a grellow nursery. This pattern was extremely easy to knit up, and very quick indeed, and from a book that, if you are expecting any sort of baby boom in any part of your life, I thoroughly recommend. The pattern is from “Knitted Animal Nursery*” by Fiona Goble, and I genuinely love it so much that I bought it on my Kindle as well as the physical copy so that I could have it with me when I was brainstorming ideas even if I hadn’t taken the actual book with me. Find the pattern on page 60 – “rabbit bootees”. Bunny bootees as shown in the book. The recommended yarn is Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino, but I used Sirdar Snuggly DK, and the first pair in green was for the little girl, because I don’t conform to colour/gender stereotypes haha. The grey was for the other, and the second pair I knitted – each one took me about half an hour, and are so ridiculously cute that I’ve had requests for adult sized ones after I took them into work! Bootees for a little girl, no gender stereotypes here. Grey bootees, second pair and a bit better put together! They were well received, and I can’t wait to see them on the babies when they are eventually in the world. The Fuss Free Baby Cardigan was the second project I knitted for the grellow baby. I went for this because I wanted something that was quick and could tie in with the bootees. We’d also bought a lot of yarn for the crochet blanket, and as the mother of this baby was the person who crocheted half the squares for the blanket with me, I thought it was a great homage to that work. I put a row of full buttonholes in, but when I sewed the top button on, loved the look with just that one, so I left it without any of the others. I think this might become my go-to pattern, especially because I have so many scraps of yarn that would be perfect for making lots of stripes. Plenty of sewing in of ends coming for me! What is your go to knitting pattern for fuss free baby stuff? I’d love to know! I’ve fallen a bit behind on my year of giveaways, so these were the winners, doubled up to make up for my missed weeks. This post also sits in the Year of Giveaways – for more information, click here, and if you’d like to enter please leave a comment on this post! This post forms part of the year of giveaways. Comment down below with your thoughts on the topic to win! A deadline: One year late is better than never? It’s pertinent that the next thing I wanted to blog about was deadlines, deadline knitting, missing deadlines, being late for deadlines….because here I am a month later having missed all my self-imposed deadlines after a good start to the year. I’m most annoyed about this, but has been the consequence of some personal stuff that I won’t be talking about here. Suffice to say the year hasn’t taken the direction I really expected it to, and my focus has been taken from the blog somewhat. I’m going to keep trying – you’ll just have to be patient with me! I did already talk about this topic over on my YouTube channel, in a live stream I was totally unprepared for and also completely blind-sided by as my friend from work discovered I was doing it and sent me some very off-putting text messages before. If you want to have a watch of that, it’s over here. Pleased as punch! A deadline missed by a mere five years. I experience a weird phenomenon when it comes to working to a deadline. I either freeze up and miss it entirely, or it becomes my entire focus until it’s done, with the consequence that the item is ready so long in advance that I almost forget it exists. I’ve spent a long time trying to figure out why this is, and even longer trying to thwart it. I’ve prepared gift lists and diary items, put reminders in my phone “cast on mum’s birthday present” and even told people what I was making them in order to force myself to finish on time. That has been the worst tactic so far, and my poor mum has been the one to suffer from it the most. I finished knitting her birthday socks on her actual birthday sitting at the table for her dinner one year, graduating to presenting her with one completed leg-warmer one Christmas with the second following a year later (in a different colour), finally getting as far as taking her yarn shopping on her birthday, then not presenting her with the present until 18 months later. Bad Corrie, bad tactic, very patient mum still wears the things I’ve made for her and doesn’t call me out on this tardiness! I’m sure this is something that I’m going to keep working on for the rest of my life, especially as I find it really hard to allow myself to just buy presents rather than making them. I’m sure, knowing my family, they prefer the homemade stuff and it doesn’t bother them…spending money on unwanted stuff rather than time on things made with love is definitely the preference. It just means that I’ll have to put up with comments like “do you remember the time you gave me a pair of leg warmers a year apart” for the rest of my life! Two very odd leg-warmers indeed. How do you cope with deadlines? Have you found anything that really helps you with them? I’d love to know some new things I can try to improve my timeliness with meeting a deadline. This post has been part of the year of giveaways. To be in with a chance of winning a digital craft pattern of your choice, leave a comment below on your attitude to deadlines. For full terms and conditions, check out this post here. This year, my lovely gran has been showing appreciation for the makes I’ve gifted her over the years by sending me WhatsApp messages and pictures talking about them. In the past she quite regularly sent me photos of the items in use as well. It’s absolutely blooming lovely! In this blog post, I made reference to the fact that once you hand items you’ve made over to their intended user you can sometimes never see them again. It can be quite demotivating not knowing if they’re being appreciated, or if you should have just gone for a shop-bought thing instead. Ever since writing that post I’ve been really paying attention to what I see others doing with the bits I make them, and I can say with confidence that the apparent lack of appreciation that I perceived last November is without a doubt a figment of my imagination. Bits and pieces made over the years for my lovely gran. I know that I’m going to keep crafting for others regardless of how errant thoughts try to make me feel about it. I think part of the reason is that glowing feeling I get when I go home and my mum is wearing the Zion hat I made for her, or I get a photo and the baby I crocheted a blanket for is warmly swaddled. For all of those things I’ve made that I don’t see again, those that I do more than make up for it. I even think sitting around moping about it makes seeing the objects all the sweeter. Let me explain before you think I’m crazy – I’ve built up in my head this expectation that these things aren’t appreciated because they’re always out of sight; so when I do see them they’re like glowing jewels that seem all the brighter for the dark background my expectations gave them. I know for a fact that many of the things I don’t see are appreciated more than I give them credit for because people tell me about this appreciation, and for this I’ll always be grateful. If it stops, will I stop making? Almost certainly not. One of the first things I ever knitted! A patchwork pillow that has received a lot of appreciation over the years. I’m interested to know who you make for, and if you know why you do it that way. Do you feel that things you’ve made for others have attracted the amount of recognition you feel they deserve? Does it inform your decisions? Comment on this post before the 28th of January 2017 for a chance to get something in the Year of Giveaways! The winner of last week’s pattern was Jennifer Clucas, congratulations!

2019-04-18T17:02:42Z

http://www.plutoniummuffins.com/

AGENCY: Health and Human Services, HHS. SUMMARY: The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) publishes revised Guidance to Federal Financial Assistance Recipients Regarding Title VI Prohibition Against National Origin Discrimination Affecting Limited English Proficient Persons ("Revised HHS LEP Guidance"). This revised HHS LEP Guidance is issued pursuant to Executive Order 13166. HHS is seeking comment on the revised HHS LEP Guidance for a 120-day period ending on January 6, 2004. DATES: This Guidance is effective immediately. Comments must be submitted on or before January 6, 2004. HHS will review all comments and will determine if modifications to the Guidance are necessary. This Guidance supplants existing guidance on the same subject originally published at 65 FR 52762 (August 30, 2000). ADDRESSES: Comments should be addressed to Deeana Jang with "Attention: LEP Comments," and should be sent to 200 Independence Avenue, SW, Room 506F, Washington, DC 20201. Comments may also be submitted by e-mail at LEP.comments@hhs.gov. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Onelio Lopez at the Office for Civil Rights, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 200 Independence Avenue, SW, Room 506F, Washington, DC 20201, addressed with "Attention: LEP Comments;" telephone 202-205-0192; TDD: toll-free 1- 800-537-7697. Arrangements to receive the policy in an alternative format may be made by contacting the named individual. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is publishing revised "Guidance to Federal Financial Assistance Recipients Regarding Title VI Prohibition Against National Origin Discrimination Affecting Limited English Proficient Persons" ("Revised HHS LEP Guidance"). This guidance was originally published on August 30, 2000, and included a 60-day comment period. See 65 FR 52762. This original guidance was republished for additional comment on February 1, 2002, pursuant to a memorandum issued by the United States Department of Justice on October 26, 2001. See 67 FR 4968. On March 14, 2002, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) issued a Report to Congress entitled "Assessment of the Total Benefits and Costs of Implementing Executive Order No. 13166: Improving Access to Services for Persons with Limited English Proficiency." Among other things, the Report recommended the adoption of uniform guidance across all federal agencies, with flexibility to permit tailoring to each agency's specific recipients. Consistent with this OMB recommendation, DOJ published LEP Guidance for DOJ recipients, which was drafted and organized to also function as a model for similar guidance documents by other Federal grant-making agencies. See 67 FR 41455 (June 18, 2002). This revised HHS LEP Guidance reflects consideration of the comments received and the subsequent guidance of DOJ. HHS welcomes comments from the public on the revised guidance document, and has announced the extended comment period to encourage comment from the public and from recipients regarding experience in applying this revised guidance. Following the comment period, HHS will evaluate whether further revisions to the guidance are necessary or appropriate. The text of the guidance appears below. Appendix A to the guidance is a series of questions and answers that provides a useful summary of a number of the major aspects of the guidance. It has been determined that this revised HHS LEP Guidance does not constitute a regulation subject to the rulemaking requirements of the Administrative Procedure Act, 5 U.S.C. 553, and is not subject to Executive Order 12866 (Regulatory Review and Planning, September 30, 1993). Department of Health and Human Services regulations promulgated pursuant to section 602 forbid recipients from "utiliz[ing] criteria or methods of administration which have the effect of subjecting individuals to discrimination because of their race, color, or national origin, or have the effect of defeating or substantially impairing accomplishment of the objectives of the program with respect to individuals of a particular race, color, or national origin." 45 CFR 80.3(b)(2). The Supreme Court, in Lau v. Nichols, 414 U.S. 563 (1974), interpreted regulations promulgated by the former Department of Health, Education, and Welfare (HHS's predecessor), 45 CFR 80.3(b)(2), to hold that Title VI prohibits conduct that has a disproportionate effect on LEP persons because such conduct constitutes national-origin discrimination. In Lau, a San Francisco school district that had a significant number of non-English speaking students of Chinese origin was required to take reasonable steps to provide them with a meaningful opportunity to participate in federally funded educational programs. On that same day, the Department of Justice ("DOJ") issued a general guidance document addressed to "Executive Agency Civil Rights Officers" setting forth general principles for agencies to apply in developing guidance documents for recipients pursuant to the Executive Order. "Enforcement of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 National Origin Discrimination Against Persons With Limited English Proficiency," 65 FR 50123 (August 16, 2000) ("DOJ LEP Federal Guidance"). Subsequently, federal agencies raised questions regarding the requirements of the Executive Order, especially in light of the Supreme Court's decision in Alexander v. Sandoval, 532 U.S. 275 (2001). On October 26, 2001, Ralph F. Boyd, Jr., Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division, issued a memorandum for "Heads of Departments and Agencies, General Counsels and Civil Rights Directors." This memorandum clarified and reaffirmed the DOJ LEP guidance for recipients of DOJ federal financial assistance in light of Sandoval.(1) The Assistant Attorney General stated that because Sandoval did not invalidate any Title VI regulations that proscribe conduct that has a disparate impact on covered groups--the types of regulations that form the legal basis for the part of Executive Order 13166 that applies to federally assisted programs and activities--the Executive Order remains in force. (1) The memorandum noted that some commentators had interpreted Sandoval as impliedly striking down the disparate-impact regulations promulgated under Title VI that form the basis for the part of Executive Order 13166 that applies to federally assisted programs and activities. See, e.g., Sandoval, 532 U.S. at 286, 286 n.6 ("[W]e assume for purposes of this decision that section 602 confers the authority to promulgate disparate-impact regulations; . . . We cannot help observing, however, how strange it is to say that disparate-impact regulations are 'inspired by, at the service of, and inseparably intertwined with Sec. 601 * * * when Sec. 601 permits the very behavior that the regulations forbid."). The memorandum, however, made clear that DOJ disagreed with the commentators' interpretation. DOJ stated that Sandoval holds principally that there is no private right of action to enforce Title VI disparate-impact regulations. It did not address the validity of those regulations or Executive Order 13166, or otherwise limit the authority and responsibility of federal grant agencies to enforce their own implementing regulations. Consistent with Executive Order 13166, HHS developed its own guidance document for recipients and initially issued it on August 30, 2000. "Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964; Policy Guidance on the Prohibition Against National Origin Discrimination As It Affects Persons With Limited English Proficiency," 65 FR 52762 (August 30, 2000) ("HHS Guidance"). Following the instructions in the October 26, 2001 memorandum from Ralph F. Boyd, Jr., the Department republished, on February 1, 2002, its existing guidance document for additional public comment. "Office for Civil Rights; Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964; Policy Guidance on the Prohibition Against National Origin Discrimination As It Affects Persons With Limited English Proficiency," 67 FR 4968 (February 1, 2002). Following republication of our guidance in February 2002, the Department received nearly 200 public comments. Most comments were in full support of the principles behind the HHS Guidance, and a number supported maintaining the guidance without change. While the comments reflected recognition that effective communication is critical for necessary health and human services, many commentors raised serious concerns about coverage, compliance costs, and use of family and friends as interpreters. In addition, many providers of services requested assistance from the Office for Civil Rights on how to comply with both general and specific provisions of the guidance. On July 8, 2002, Assistant Attorney General Boyd issued a memorandum expressing the need for consistency across federal agency LEP guidance documents. Specifically, he requested that the Department (and all other affected agencies) use the DOJ LEP guidance (published at 67 FR 41455, June 18, 2002) as a model, and revise and republish the HHS guidance based on that model for public comment. The DOJ's role under Executive Order 13166 is unique. The Executive Order charges DOJ with responsibility for providing LEP Guidance to other Federal agencies and for ensuring consistency among each agency- specific guidance. DOJ's guidance stated the following principles. "Consistency among Departments of the federal government is particularly important. Inconsistency or contradictory guidance could confuse recipients of federal funds and needlessly increase costs without rendering the meaningful access for LEP persons that this Guidance is designed to address. As with most government initiatives, this requires balancing several principles. While this Guidance discusses that balance in some detail, it is important to note the basic principles behind that balance. First, we must ensure that federally assisted programs aimed at the American public do not leave some behind simply because they face challenges communicating in English. This is of particular importance because, in many cases, LEP individuals form a substantial portion of those encountered in federally assisted programs. Second, we must achieve this goal while finding constructive methods to reduce the costs of LEP requirements on small businesses, small local governments, or small non-profits that receive federal financial assistance." HHS believes that the DOJ model guidance responds to the important issues raised in comments on the HHS document published in February, and the Department is confident that the DOJ LEP Guidance serves as an appropriate model for HHS to adopt. The Department notes that it has made certain modifications for purposes of clarity and organization, and a few additional modifications to accommodate particular programmatic needs and purposes. There are many productive steps that the federal government, either collectively or as individual agencies, can take to help recipients reduce the costs of language services without sacrificing meaningful access for LEP persons. Without these steps, certain smaller recipients of Federal financial assistance may well choose not to participate in federally assisted programs, threatening the critical functions that the programs strive to provide. To that end, the Department plans to continue to provide assistance and guidance in this important area. In addition, HHS plans to work with representatives of state health and social service agencies, hospital associations, medical and dental associations, managed care organizations, and LEP persons to identify and share model plans, examples of best practices, and cost-saving approaches. Moreover, HHS intends to explore how language assistance measures, resources and cost-containment approaches developed with respect to its own federally conducted programs and activities can be effectively shared or otherwise made available to recipients, particularly small businesses, small local governments, and small non- profits. An interagency working group on LEP has developed a Web site, http://www.lep.gov, to assist in disseminating this information to recipients, federal agencies, and the communities being served. As discussed earlier, in certain circumstances, the failure to ensure that LEP persons can effectively participate in, or benefit from, federally-assisted programs and activities may violate the prohibition under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, 42 U.S.C. 2000d, and the Title VI regulations against national origin discrimination. Specifically, the failure of a recipient of Federal financial assistance from HHS to take reasonable steps to provide LEP persons with meaningful opportunity to participate in HHS-funded programs may constitute a violation of Title VI and HHS's implementing regulations. The purpose of this policy guidance is to assist recipients in fulfilling their responsibilities to provide meaningful access to LEP persons under existing law. This policy guidance clarifies existing legal requirements for LEP persons by providing a description of the factors recipients should consider in fulfilling their responsibilities to LEP persons.(2) These are the same criteria HHS will use in evaluating whether recipients are in compliance with Title VI and the Title VI regulations. (2) The policy guidance is not a regulation but rather a guide. Title VI and its implementing regulations require that recipients take reasonable steps to ensure meaningful access by LEP persons. This guidance provides an analytical framework that recipients may use to determine how best to comply with statutory and regulatory obligations to provide meaningful access to the benefits, services, information, and other important portions of their programs and activities for individuals who are limited English proficient. Department of Health and Human Services regulations, 45 CFR 80.3(b)(2), require all recipients of federal financial assistance from HHS to provide meaningful access to LEP persons.(3) Federal financial assistance includes grants, training, use of equipment, donations of surplus property, and other assistance. (3) Pursuant to Executive Order 13166, the meaningful access requirement of the Title VI regulations and the four-factor analysis set forth in the DOJ LEP Guidance are to apply additionally to the programs and activities of federal agencies, including HHS. Hospitals, nursing homes, home health agencies, and managed care organizations. Universities and other entities with health or social service research programs. State, county, and local health agencies. State, county and local welfare agencies. Programs for families, youth, and children. Public and private contractors, subcontractors and vendors. Physicians and other providers who receive Federal financial assistance from HHS. (4) HHS's Title VI regulations do not apply to (i) Any federal financial assistance by way of insurance or guaranty contracts, (ii) the use of any assistance by any individual who is the ultimate beneficiary under any program which receives federal financial assistance, and (iii) any employment practice, under any such program, or any employer, employment agency, or labor organization, except as otherwise described in the Title VI regulations. 45 CFR 80.2. (5) However, if a federal agency were to decide to terminate federal funds based on noncompliance with Title VI or its implementing regulations, only funds directed to the particular program or activity that is out of compliance could be terminated. 42 U.S.C. 2000d-1. Example: HHS provides assistance to a state department of health to provide immunizations for children. All of the operations of the entire state department of health--not just the particular immunization programs--are covered. Individuals who do not speak English as their primary language and who have a limited ability to read, write, speak, or understand English may be limited English proficient, or "LEP," and may be eligible to receive language assistance with respect to a particular type of service, benefit, or encounter. Persons seeking Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), and other social services. Persons seeking health and health-related services. Community members seeking to participate in health promotion or awareness activities. Persons who encounter the public health system. Parents and legal guardians of minors eligible for coverage concerning such programs. After applying the above four-factor analysis, a recipient may conclude that different language assistance measures are sufficient for the different types of programs or activities in which it engages, or, in fact, that, in certain circumstances, recipient-provided language services are not necessary. (As discussed below, recipients may want to consider documenting their application of the four-factor test to the services they provide.) For instance, some of a recipient's activities will be more important than others and/or have greater impact on or contact with LEP persons, and thus may require more in the way of language assistance. The flexibility that recipients have in addressing the needs of the LEP populations they serve does not diminish, and should not be used to minimize, the obligation that those needs be addressed. HHS recipients should apply the following four factors to the various kinds of contacts that they have with the public to assess language needs and decide what reasonable steps, if any, they should take to ensure meaningful access for LEP persons. One factor in determining what language services recipients should provide is the number or proportion of LEP persons from a particular language group served or encountered in the eligible service population. The greater the number or proportion of these LEP persons, the more likely language services are needed. Ordinarily, persons "eligible to be served, or likely to be directly affected, by" a recipient's program or activity are those who are served or encountered in the eligible service population. This population will be program- specific, and includes persons who are in the geographic area that has been approved by a federal grant agency as the recipient's service area. However, where, for instance, a particular office of the county or city health department serves a large LEP population, the appropriate service area is most likely that office, and not the entire population served by the department. Where no service area has previously been approved, the relevant service area may be that which is approved by state or local authorities or designated by the recipient itself, provided that these designations do not themselves discriminatorily exclude certain populations. When considering the number or proportion of LEP individuals in a service area, recipients should consider whether the minor children their programs serve have LEP parent(s) or guardian(s) with whom the recipient may need to interact. Recipients should first examine their prior experiences with LEP encounters and determine the breadth and scope of language services that were needed. In certain circumstances, it is important in conducting this analysis to include language minority populations that are eligible for their programs or activities but may be underserved because of existing language barriers. Other data should be consulted when appropriate to refine or validate a recipient's prior experience, including the latest census data for the area served, data from school systems and from community organizations, and data from state and local governments.(6) Community agencies, school systems, religious organizations, legal aid entities, and others can often assist in identifying populations which may be underserved because of existing language barriers and who would benefit from the recipient's program, activity, or service, were language services provided. (6) The focus of the analysis is on lack of English proficiency, not the ability to speak more than one language. Note that demographic data may indicate the most frequently spoken languages other than English and the percentage of people who speak that language who speak or understand English less than well. Some of the most commonly spoken languages other than English may be spoken by people who are also overwhelmingly proficient in English. Thus, they may not be the languages spoken most frequently by limited English proficient individuals. When using demographic data, it is important to focus in on the languages spoken by those who are not proficient in English. Recipients should assess, as accurately as possible, the frequency with which they have or should have contact with an LEP individual from different language groups seeking assistance. The more frequent the contact with a particular language group, the more likely that enhanced language services in that language are needed. The steps that are reasonable for a recipient that serves an LEP person on a one-time basis will be very different than those expected from a recipient that serves LEP persons daily. It is also advisable to consider the frequency of different types of language contacts. For example, frequent contacts with Spanish-speaking people who are LEP may require certain assistance in Spanish. Less frequent contact with different language groups may suggest a different and less intensified solution. If an LEP individual accesses a recipient's program, activity, or service on a daily basis, a recipient has greater duties than if an LEP individual's contact with the recipient's program, activity, or service is unpredictable or infrequent. But even recipients that serve LEP persons on an unpredictable or infrequent basis should use this balancing analysis to determine what to do if an LEP individual seeks services under the program in question. This plan need not be intricate. It may be as simple as being prepared to use one of the commercially available telephonic interpretation services to obtain immediate interpreter services. For example, a drug treatment program that encounters LEP persons on a daily basis most likely may have a greater obligation than a drug treatment program that encounters LEP persons sporadically. The obligations of both programs are greater than that of a drug treatment program which has never encountered a LEP individual where the service area includes few or no LEP individuals. In applying this standard, certain recipients should take care to consider whether appropriate outreach to LEP persons could increase the frequency of contact with LEP language groups. For example, in areas where a community health center serves a large LEP population, outreach may be appropriate. On the other hand, for most individual physicians or dentists, outreach may not be necessary. The more important the recipient's activity, information, service, or program, or the greater the possible consequences of the contact to the LEP individuals, the more likely language services are needed. A recipient needs to determine whether denial or delay of access to services or information could have serious or even life-threatening implications for the LEP individual. Thus, the recipient should consider the importance and urgency of its program, activity, or service. If the activity is both important and urgent--such as the communication of information concerning emergency surgery and the obtaining of informed consent prior to such surgery--it is more likely that relatively immediate language services are needed. Alternatively, if the activity is important, but not urgent--such as the communication of information about, and obtaining informed consent for, elective surgery where delay will not have any adverse impact on the patient's health, or communication of information regarding admission to the hospital for tests where delay would not affect the patient's health-- it is more likely that language services are needed, but that such services can be delayed for a reasonable period of time. Finally, if an activity is neither important nor urgent--such as a general public tour of a facility--it is more likely that language services would not be needed. The obligation to communicate rights to a person whose benefits are being terminated or to provide medical services to an LEP person who is ill differ, for example, from those to provide medical care for a healthy LEP person or to provide recreational programming. Decisions by a federal, state, or local entity to make an activity compulsory, such as job search programs in welfare to work programs, can serve as strong evidence of the program's importance. A recipient's level of resources and the costs that would be imposed on it may have an impact on the nature of the steps it should take to comply with Title VI. Smaller recipients with more limited budgets are not expected to provide the same level of language services as larger recipients with larger budgets. In addition, reasonable steps may cease to be "reasonable" where the costs imposed substantially exceed the benefits. Resource and cost issues, however, can often be reduced by technological advances; the sharing of language assistance materials and services among and between recipients, advocacy groups, and Federal grant agencies; and reasonable business practices. Where appropriate, training bilingual staff to act as interpreters and translators, information sharing through industry groups, telephonic and video conferencing interpretation services, pooling resources and standardizing documents to reduce translation needs, using qualified translators and interpreters to ensure that documents need not be "fixed" later and that inaccurate interpretations do not cause delay or other costs, centralizing interpreter and translator services to achieve economies of scale, or the formalized use of qualified community volunteers, for example, may help reduce costs.(7) Recipients should carefully explore the most cost-effective means of delivering competent and accurate language services before limiting services due to resource concerns. Large entities and those entities serving a significant number or proportion of LEP persons should ensure that their resource limitations are well-substantiated before using this factor as a reason to limit language assistance. Such recipients may find it useful to be able to articulate, through documentation or in some other reasonable manner, their process for determining that language services would be limited based on resources or costs. (7) Recipients with limited resources may find that entering into a bulk telephonic interpretation service contract will prove cost effective. This four-factor analysis necessarily implicates the "mix" of LEP services required. Recipients have two main ways to provide language services: Oral interpretation either in person or via telephone interpretation service (hereinafter "interpretation") and written translation (hereinafter "translation"). Oral interpretation can range from on-site interpreters for critical services provided to a high volume of LEP persons, to access through commercially-available telephonic interpretation services. Written translation, likewise, can range from translation of an entire document to translation of a short description of the document. In some cases, language services should be made available on an expedited basis while in others the LEP individual may be referred to another office of the recipient--or to another recipient--for language assistance. In certain circumstances, pursuant to an arrangement, where there is no discriminatory intent, the purpose is beneficial and will result in better access for LEP persons, it may be appropriate for a recipient to refer the LEP beneficiary to another recipient. For example, if two physicians in the same field, one with a Spanish-speaking assistant and one with a Vietnamese-speaking assistant, practice in the same geographic area and have a custom/ practice of referring patients between each other, it may be appropriate for the first doctor to refer LEP Vietnamese patients to the second doctor and for the second doctor to refer LEP Spanish patients to the first doctor. In certain circumstances, a referral would not be appropriate: for example, a Korean speaking LEP woman comes to a battered women's shelter requesting assistance. Although the shelter has space, it has no arrangement to provide language assistance for LEP persons. Instead, as with all LEP persons, the staff only offer her a prepared list of three shelters in the neighborhood that generally provide language assistance. The staff does not check to assure that any of the three alternative shelters can actually provide the Korean language assistance she needs, or that any have space available for her. The correct mix should be based on what is both necessary and reasonable in light of the four-factor analysis. In some circumstances, where the importance and nature of the activity, the number or proportion and frequency of contact with LEP persons may be high and the relative costs and resources needed to provide language services may be low, it may be appropriate for a recipient to hire bilingual staff or staff interpreters. In contrast, there may be circumstances where the importance and nature of the activity and number or proportion and frequency of contact with LEP persons may be low and the costs and resources needed to provide language services may be high, in which case language services for the particular activity may not be necessary. In situations that fall in between the two, it may be appropriate for recipients to use contract interpreters or telephone language lines to provide language services to LEP persons in contact with their program or activity. A hospital emergency room in a city with a significant Hmong population may need immediately available oral interpreters and may want to give serious consideration to hiring some bilingual staff. (Of course, many hospitals have already made such arrangements.) On the other hand, a physician's practice which encounters one LEP Hmong patient per month on a walk-in basis may want to use a telephone interpreter service. In contrast, a dentist in an almost exclusively English-speaking neighborhood who has rarely encountered a patient who did not speak English and has never encountered a Hmong-speaking patient may not need, pursuant solely to Title VI, to provide language services for a LEP Hmong individual who comes in for a dental cleaning. Recipients have two main ways to provide language services: oral and written language services (interpretation and translation, respectively). Regardless of the type of language service provided, quality and accuracy of those services is critical to avoid serious consequences to the LEP person and to the recipient. Recipients have substantial flexibility in determining the appropriate mix. Competence of Interpreters. Recipients should be aware that competency requires more than self-identification as bilingual. Some bilingual staff and community volunteers, for instance, may be able to communicate effectively in a different language when communicating information directly in that language, but not be competent to interpret in and out of English. Likewise, they may not be able to perform written translations. (8) Many languages have "regionalisms," or differences in usage. For instance, a word that may be understood to mean something in Spanish for someone from Cuba may not be so understood by someone from Mexico. In addition, the interpreter should be aware when languages do not have an appropriate direct interpretation of certain terms and be able to provide the most appropriate interpretation. The interpreter should likely make the recipient aware of the issue, so that the interpreter and recipient can work to develop a consistent and appropriate set of descriptions of these terms in that language that can be used again, when appropriate. Understand and adhere to their role as interpreters without deviating into other roles--such as counselor or legal advisor--where such deviation would be inappropriate (particularly in administrative hearings contexts). (9) For those languages in which no formal accreditation or certification currently exists, certain recipients may want to consider a formal process for establishing the credentials of the interpreter, or assess whether a particular level of membership in a professional translation association can provide some indicator of professionalism. While quality and accuracy of language services is critical, the quality and accuracy of language services is nonetheless part of the appropriate mix of LEP services required. The quality and accuracy of language services in a hospital emergency room, for example, should be as high as possible, given the circumstances, while the quality and accuracy of language services in other circumstances need not meet the same exacting standards. Finally, when interpretation is needed and is reasonable, it should be provided in a timely manner. To be meaningfully effective, language assistance should be timely. While there is no single definition for "timely" applicable to all types of interactions at all times by all types of recipients, one clear guide is that the language assistance should be provided at a time and place that avoids the effective denial of the service, benefit, or right at issue or the imposition of an undue burden on or delay in important rights, benefits, or services to the LEP person. When the timeliness of services is important, and delay would result in the effective denial of a benefit, service, or right, language assistance likely cannot be unduly delayed. Conversely, where access to or exercise of a service, benefit, or right is not effectively precluded by a reasonable delay, language assistance can likely be delayed for a reasonable period. For example, language assistance could likely not be delayed in a medical emergency, or when the time period in which an individual has to exercise certain rights is shortly to expire. On the other hand, when an LEP person is seeking a routine medical examination or seeks to apply for certain benefits and has an ample period of time to apply for those benefits, a recipient could likely delay the provision of language services by requesting the LEP person to schedule an appointment at a time during which the recipient would be able to have an appropriate interpreter available. Competence of Translators. As with oral interpreters, translators of written documents should be competent. Many of the same considerations apply. However, the skill of translating is very different from the skill of interpreting; a person who is a competent interpreter may or may not be competent to translate. Particularly where legal or other vital documents are being translated, competence can often be achieved by use of certified translators. As noted above, certification or accreditation may not always be possible or necessary. Competence can often be ensured by having a second, independent translator "check" the work of the primary translator. Alternatively, one translator can translate the document, and a second, independent translator could translate it back into English to check that the appropriate meaning has been conveyed. This is called "back translation." Translators should understand the expected reading level of the audience and, where appropriate, have fundamental knowledge about the target language group's vocabulary and phraseology. Sometimes direct translation of materials results in a translation that is written at a much more difficult level than the English language version or has no relevant equivalent meaning.(10) Community organizations may be able to help consider whether a document is written at a good level for the audience. Likewise, consistency in the words and phrases used to translate terms of art, legal, or other technical concepts helps avoid confusion by LEP individuals and may reduce costs. (10) For instance, there may be languages which do not have an appropriate direct translation of some specialized medical terms and the translator should be able to provide an appropriate translation. The translator should likely also make the recipient aware of this. Recipients can then work with translators to develop a consistent and appropriate set of descriptions of these terms in that language that can be used again, when appropriate. Recipients may find it more effective and less costly if they try to maintain consistency in the words and phrases used to translate terms of art and other technical concepts. Creating or using already-created glossaries of commonly used terms may be useful for LEP persons and translators and cost effective for the recipient. Providing translators with examples of previous translations of similar material by the recipient, other recipients, or federal agencies may be helpful. While quality and accuracy of translation services is critical, the quality and accuracy of translation services is nonetheless part of the appropriate mix of LEP services required. For instance, to translate nonvital documents that have no legal or other consequence for LEP persons who rely on them, a recipient may use translators that are less skilled than the translators it uses to translate vital documents with legal or other information upon which reliance has important consequences. The permanent nature of written translations, however, imposes additional responsibility on the recipient to take reasonable steps to determine that the quality and accuracy of the translations permit meaningful access by LEP persons. Hiring Bilingual Staff. When particular languages are encountered often, hiring bilingual staff offers one of the best, and often most economical, options. Recipients can, for example, fill public contact positions, such as social service eligibility workers or hospital emergency room receptionists/workers, with staff who are bilingual and competent to communicate directly with LEP persons in their language. If bilingual staff are also used to interpret between English speakers and LEP persons, or to orally interpret written documents from English into another language, they should be competent in the skill of interpreting. In addition, there may be times when the role of the bilingual employee may conflict with the role of an interpreter (for instance, a bilingual law clerk would probably not be able to perform effectively the role of a child support administrative hearing interpreter and law clerk at the same time, even if the law clerk were a qualified interpreter). Effective management strategies, including any appropriate adjustments in assignments and protocols for using bilingual staff, can ensure that bilingual staff are fully and appropriately utilized. When bilingual staff cannot meet all of the language service obligations of the recipient, the recipient should turn to other options. Contracting for Interpreters. Contract interpreters may be a cost- effective option when there is no regular need for a particular language skill. In addition to commercial and other private providers, many community-based organizations and mutual assistance associations provide interpretation services for particular languages. Contracting with and providing training regarding the recipient's programs and processes to these organizations can be a cost-effective option for providing language services to LEP persons from those language groups. Using Telephone Interpreter Lines. Telephone interpreter service lines often offer speedy interpreting assistance in many different languages. While telephone interpreters can be used in numerous situations, they may be particularly appropriate where the mode of communicating with an English proficient person would also be over the phone. Although telephonic interpretation services are useful in many situations, it is important to ensure that, when using such services, the interpreters used are competent to interpret any technical or legal terms specific to a particular program that may be important parts of the conversation. Nuances in language and non-verbal communication can often assist an interpreter and cannot be recognized over the phone. Video teleconferencing, if available, may sometimes help to resolve this issue where necessary. In addition, where documents are being discussed, it may be important to give telephonic interpreters adequate opportunity to review the document prior to the discussion and any logistical problems should be addressed. Using Community Volunteers. In addition to consideration of bilingual staff, staff interpreters, or contract interpreters (either in-person or by telephone) as options to ensure meaningful access by LEP persons, use of recipient-coordinated community volunteers, working with, for instance, community-based organizations may provide a cost- effective supplemental language assistance strategy under appropriate circumstances. Because such volunteers may have other demands on their time, they may be more useful in providing language access for a recipient's less critical programs and activities where the provision of language services can reasonably be delayed. To the extent the recipient relies on community volunteers, it is often best to use volunteers who are trained in the information or services of the program and can communicate directly with LEP persons in their language. Just as with all interpreters, community volunteers used to interpret between English speakers and LEP persons, or to orally translate documents, should be competent in the skill of interpreting and knowledgeable about applicable confidentiality and impartiality rules. Recipients should consider formal arrangements with community- based organizations that provide volunteers to address these concerns and to help ensure that services are available more regularly. Use of Family Members or Friends as Interpreters. Some LEP persons may feel more comfortable when a trusted family member or friend acts as an interpreter. However, when a recipient encounters an LEP person attempting to access its services, the recipient should make the LEP person aware that he or she has the option of having the recipient provide an interpreter for him/her without charge, or of using his/her own interpreter. Although recipients should not plan to rely on an LEP person's family members, friends, or other informal interpreters to provide meaningful access to important programs and activities, the recipient should, except as noted below, respect an LEP person's desire to use an interpreter of his or her own choosing (whether a professional interpreter, family member, or friend) in place of the free language services expressly offered by the recipient. However, a recipient may not require an LEP person to use a family member or friend as an interpreter. In addition, in emergency circumstances that are not reasonably foreseeable, a recipient may not be able to offer free language services, and temporary use of family members or friends as interpreters may be necessary. However, with proper planning and implementation, recipients should be able to avoid most such situations. If the LEP person voluntarily chooses to provide his or her own interpreter, a recipient should consider whether making a record of that choice, and of the recipient's offer of assistance, is appropriate. As with the use of other non-professional interpreters, the recipient may need to consider issues of competence, appropriateness, conflicts of interest, and confidentiality in determining whether it should respect the desire of the LEP person to use an interpreter of his or her own choosing. Recipients should take reasonable steps to ascertain that family, legal guardians, caretakers, and other informal interpreters are not only competent in the circumstances, but are also appropriate in light of the circumstances and subject matter of the program, service or activity, including protection of the recipient's own administrative or enforcement interest in accurate interpretation. In some circumstances, family members (especially children) or friends may not be competent to provide quality and accurate interpretations. Issues of confidentiality, privacy, or conflict of interest may also arise. LEP individuals may feel uncomfortable revealing or describing sensitive, confidential, or potentially embarrassing medical, law enforcement (e.g., sexual or violent assaults), family, or financial information to a family member, friend, or member of the local community. In addition, such informal interpreters may have a personal connection to the LEP person or an undisclosed conflict of interest, such as the desire to protect themselves or another perpetrator in a domestic violence matter. For these reasons, where the LEP individual has declined the express offer of free language assistance and has chosen to use a family member, friend or other informal interpreter, if a recipient later determines that a family member or friend is not competent or appropriate, the recipient should provide competent interpreter services to the LEP person in place of or, if appropriate, as a supplement to the LEP individual's interpreter. For HHS recipient programs and activities, this is particularly true, for example, in administrative hearings, child or adult protective service investigations, situations in which life, health, safety, or access to important benefits and services are at stake, or when credibility and accuracy are important to protect an individual's rights and access to important services. Where precise, complete, and accurate interpretations or translations of information and/or testimony are critical, or where the competency of the LEP person's interpreter is not established, a recipient may want to consider providing its own, independent interpreter, even if an LEP person wants to use his or her own interpreter as well. Extra caution should be exercised when the LEP person chooses to use a minor as the interpreter. While the LEP person's decision should be respected, there may be additional issues of competency, confidentiality, or conflict of interest when the choice involves using minor children as interpreters. The recipient should take reasonable steps to ascertain whether the LEP person's choice is voluntary, whether the LEP person is aware of the possible problems if the preferred interpreter is a minor child, and whether the LEP person knows that a competent interpreter could be provided by the recipient at no cost. A woman or child is brought to an emergency room and is seen by an emergency room doctor. The doctor notices the patient's injuries and determines that they are consistent with those seen with victims of abuse or neglect. In such a case, use of the spouse or a parent to interpret for the patient may raise serious issues of conflict of interest and may, thus, be inappropriate. A man, accompanied by his wife, visits an eye doctor for an eye examination. The eye doctor offers him an interpreter, but he requests that his wife interpret for him. The eye doctor talks to the wife and determines that she is competent to interpret for her husband during the examination. The wife interprets for her spouse as the examination proceeds, but the doctor discovers that the husband has cataracts that must be removed through surgery. The eye doctor determines that the wife does not understand the terms he is using to explain the diagnosis and, thus, that she is not competent to continue to interpret for her husband. The eye doctor stops the examination and calls an interpreter for the husband. A family member may be appropriate to serve as an interpreter if preferred by the LEP person in situations where the service provided is of a routine nature such as a simple eye examination. However, in a case where the nature of the service becomes more complex, depending on the circumstances, the family member or friend may not be competent to interpret. Whether or not a document (or the information it solicits) is "vital" may depend upon the importance of the program, information, encounter, or service involved, and the consequence to the LEP person if the information in question is not provided accurately or in a timely manner. Where appropriate, recipients are encouraged to create a plan for consistently determining, over time and across their various activities, what documents are "vital" to the meaningful access of the LEP populations they serve. Classifying a document as vital or non-vital is sometimes difficult, especially in the case of outreach materials like brochures or other information on rights and services. Awareness of rights or services is an important part of "meaningful access." Lack of awareness that a particular program, right, or service exists may effectively deny LEP individuals meaningful access. Thus, where a recipient is engaged in community outreach activities in furtherance of its activities, it should regularly assess the needs of the populations frequently encountered or affected by the program or activity to determine whether certain critical outreach materials should be translated. In determining what outreach materials may be most useful to translate, such recipients may want to consider consulting with appropriate community organizations. Intake forms with the potential for important consequences. Written notices of eligibility criteria, rights, denial, loss, or decreases in benefits or services, actions affecting parental custody or child support, and other hearings. Notices advising LEP persons of free language assistance. Written tests that do not assess English language competency, but test competency for a particular license, job, or skill for which knowing English is not required. Applications to participate in a recipient's program or activity or to receive recipient benefits or services. Third party documents, forms, or pamphlets distributed by a recipient as a public service. For a non-governmental recipient, government documents and forms. Large documents such as enrollment handbooks (although vital information contained in large documents may need to be translated). General information about the program intended for informational purposes only. Into What Languages Should Documents be Translated? The languages spoken by the LEP individuals with whom the recipient has contact determine the languages into which vital documents should be translated. A distinction should be made, however, between languages that are frequently encountered by a recipient and less commonly- encountered languages. Some recipients may serve communities in large cities or across the country. They regularly serve LEP persons who speak dozens and sometimes over 100 different languages. To translate all written materials into all of those languages is unrealistic. Although recent technological advances have made it easier for recipients to store and share translated documents, such an undertaking would incur substantial costs and require substantial resources. Nevertheless, well-substantiated claims of lack of resources to translate all vital documents into dozens of languages do not necessarily relieve the recipient of the obligation to translate those documents into at least several of the more frequently-encountered languages and to set benchmarks for continued translations into the remaining languages over time. As a result, the extent of the recipient's obligation to provide written translations of documents should be determined by the recipient on a case-by-case basis, looking at the totality of the circumstances in light of the four-factor analysis. Because translation is usually a one-time expense, consideration should be given to whether the up-front cost of translating a document (as opposed to oral interpretation) should be amortized over the likely lifespan of the document when applying this four-factor analysis. Safe Harbor. Many recipients would like to ensure with greater certainty that they comply with their Title VI obligations to provide written translations in languages other than English. Paragraphs (a) and (b) outline the circumstances that can provide a "safe harbor" for recipients regarding the requirements for translation of written materials. A "safe harbor" means that if a recipient provides written translations under these circumstances, such action will be considered strong evidence of compliance with the recipient's written-translation obligations. The failure to provide written translations under the circumstances outlined in paragraphs (a) and (b) does not mean there is non- compliance. Rather, they provide a common starting point for recipients to consider whether and at what point the importance of the service, benefit, or activity involved; the nature of the information sought; and the number or proportion of LEP persons served call for written translations of commonly-used forms into frequently-encountered languages other than English. Thus, these paragraphs merely provide a guide for recipients that would like greater certainty of compliance than can be provided by a fact-intensive, four-factor analysis. Example: Even if the safe harbors are not used, if written translation of a certain document(s) would be so burdensome as to defeat the legitimate objectives of its program, the translation of the written materials is not necessary. Other ways of providing meaningful access, such as effective oral interpretation of certain vital documents, may be acceptable under such circumstances. (b) If there are fewer than 50 persons in a language group that reaches the five percent trigger in (a), the recipient does not translate vital written materials but provides written notice in the primary language of the LEP language group of the right to receive competent oral interpretation of those written materials, free of cost. These safe harbor provisions apply to the translation of written documents only. They do not affect the requirement to provide meaningful access to LEP individuals through competent oral interpreters where an application of the four factor test leads to the determination that oral language services are needed and are reasonable. Conversely, oral interpretation of documents may not substitute for translation of vital written documents. For example, oral interpretation of the rules of a half-way house or residential treatment center may not substitute for translation of a short document containing the rules of the half-way house or residential treatment center and the consequences of violating those rules. If, after completing the four-factor analysis, a recipient determines that it should provide language assistance services, a recipient may develop an implementation plan to address the identified needs of the LEP populations it serves. Such recipients have considerable flexibility in developing this plan. The development and maintenance of a periodically updated written plan on language assistance for LEP persons ("LEP plan") for use by a recipient's employees who serve or interact with the public could be an appropriate and cost-effective means of documenting compliance with Title VI and providing a framework for the provision of timely and reasonable language assistance. Moreover, such written plans may provide additional benefits to a recipient's managers in the areas of training, administration, planning, and budgeting. These benefits may lead recipients to document in a written LEP plan their language assistance services, and how staff and LEP persons can access those services. Despite these benefits, certain HHS recipients, such as recipients serving very few LEP persons and recipients with very limited resources, may choose not to develop a written LEP plan. However, the absence of a written LEP plan does not obviate the underlying Title VI obligation to ensure meaningful access by LEP persons to a recipient's program or activities. Accordingly, in the event that a recipient elects not to develop a written plan, it may want to consider alternative and reasonable ways to articulate how it is providing meaningful access in compliance with Title VI. Entities having significant contact with LEP persons, such as schools, religious organizations, community groups, and groups working with new immigrants can be very helpful in providing important input into this planning process from the beginning. For the recipient who decides to develop a written implementation plan, the following five steps may be helpful in designing such a plan; they are typically part of effective implementation plans. The first two factors in the four-factor analysis require an assessment of the number or proportion of LEP individuals eligible to be served or encountered and the frequency of encounters. Similarly, this step of an LEP implementation plan requires recipients to identify LEP persons with whom it has contact. One way to determine the language of communication is to use language identification cards (or "I speak cards"), which invite LEP persons to identify their language needs to staff. Such cards, for instance, might say "I speak Spanish" in both Spanish and English, "I speak Vietnamese" in both English and Vietnamese, etc. To reduce costs of compliance, the federal government has made a set of these cards available on the Internet. The Census Bureau "I speak card" can be found and downloaded at http://www.usdoj.gov/crt/cor/13166.htm, and accessed at http://www.lep.gov. When records are normally kept of past interactions with members of the public, the language of the LEP person can be included as part of the record. In addition to helping employees identify the language of LEP persons they encounter, this process will help in future applications of the first two factors of the four-factor analysis. In addition, posting notices in commonly encountered languages notifying LEP persons of language assistance will encourage them to identify themselves. Types of language services available. How staff can obtain those services. How to respond to LEP callers. How to respond to written communications from LEP persons. How to respond to LEP individuals who have in-person contact with recipient staff. How to ensure competency of interpreters and translation services. Staff know about LEP policies and procedures. Staff having contact with the public are trained to work effectively with in-person and telephone interpreters. Recipients may want to include this training as part of the orientation for new employees. It may be important to take reasonable steps to see to it that all employees in public contact positions are properly trained. Recipients have flexibility in deciding the manner in which the training is provided. The more frequent the contact with LEP persons, the greater the need will be for in-depth training. Staff with little or no contact with LEP persons may only have to be aware of an LEP plan. However, management staff, even if they do not interact regularly with LEP persons, should be fully aware of and understand the plan so they can reinforce its importance and ensure its implementation by staff. (11) The Social Security Administration has made such signs available at http://www.ssa.gov/multilanguage/langlist1.htm, which also can be accessed at http://www.lep.gov. These signs could, for example, be modified for recipient use. Stating in outreach documents that language services are available from the recipient. Announcements could be in, for instance, brochures, booklets, and in outreach and recruitment information. These statements should be translated into the most common languages and could be "tagged" onto the front of common documents. Working with community-based organizations and other stakeholders to inform LEP individuals of the recipients' services, including the availability of language assistance services. Using a telephone voice mail menu. The menu could be in the most common languages encountered, and provide information about available language assistance services and how to get them. Including notices in local newspapers in languages other than English. Providing notices on non-English-language radio and television stations about the available language assistance services and how to get them. Presentations and/or notices at schools and religious organizations. An effective LEP plan would likely include a process for a recipient to monitor its implementation of its plan and for updating its plan as necessary. For example, determining, on an ongoing basis, whether new documents, programs, services, and activities need to be made accessible for LEP individuals may be appropriate, and recipients may want to provide notice of any changes in services to the LEP public and to employees. In addition, changes in demographics, types of services, or other needs may require annual reevaluation of an LEP plan. Less frequent reevaluation may be more appropriate where demographics, services, and needs are more static. One good way to evaluate the LEP plan may be to seek feedback from the community. Current LEP populations in service area or population affected or encountered. Frequency of encounters with LEP language groups. Nature and importance of activities to LEP persons. Availability of resources, including technological advances and sources of additional resources, and the costs imposed. Whether existing assistance is meeting the needs of LEP persons. Whether staff knows and understands the LEP plan and how to implement it. In addition to these five elements, effective plans set clear goals and establish management accountability. Some recipients may also want to consider whether they should provide opportunities for community input and planning throughout the process. The goal for Title VI and Title VI regulatory enforcement is to achieve voluntary compliance. The requirement to provide meaningful access to LEP persons is enforced and implemented by the HHS Office for Civil Rights through the procedures identified in the Title VI regulations. These procedures include complaint investigations, compliance reviews, efforts to secure voluntary compliance, and technical assistance. The Office for Civil Rights, and the entire Department, are committed to assisting recipients of HHS financial assistance in complying with their obligations under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. HHS believes that, on the whole, its recipients genuinely desire to comply with their obligations, but that some may lack knowledge of what is required of them or information concerning the resources that are available to them that would assist in meeting their Title VI obligations. Accordingly, HHS is committed to engaging in outreach to its recipients and to being responsive to inquiries from its recipients. Through its Administration on Children and Families, Administration on Health Care Quality and Research, Administration on Aging, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Health Resources Services Administration, Office for Civil Rights, and Office of Minority Health, HHS provides a variety of practical technical assistance to recipients to assist them in serving LEP persons. This technical assistance includes translated forms and vital documents; training and information about best practices; and grants and model demonstration funds for LEP services. HHS also provides a variety of services for LEP persons who come in contact with the Department. These services include oral language assistance services such as language lines and interpreters, translation of written materials, and foreign language Web sites. Further, HHS is committed to working with representatives of state and local health and social service agencies, organizations of such agencies, hospital associations, medical and dental associations and managed care organization to identify and share model plans, examples of best practices, cost-saving approaches, and information on other available resources, and to mobilize these organizations, to educate their members on these matters. HHS continues to explore how it can share with its recipients language assistance measures, resources, cost-containment approaches, and other information and knowledge, developed with respect to its own federally conducted programs and activities, and welcomes suggestions and comments in this regard. The HHS Office for Civil Rights, in conjunction with other HHS components, through direct contact and its Web site at http://www.hhs.gov/ocr, will continue to provide technical assistance that assists HHS recipients in understanding and complying with their obligations under Title VI, and assists recipients and the public by identifying resources offered by the Office for Civil Rights and other HHS components that facilitate compliance with Title VI, with respect to LEP persons. This and other helpful information may also be accessed at http://www.lep.gov. The Title VI regulations provide that HHS will investigate whenever it receives a complaint, report, or other information that alleges or indicates possible noncompliance with Title VI or its regulations. If the investigation results in a finding of compliance, HHS will inform the recipient in writing of this determination, including the basis for the determination. However, if a case is fully investigated and results in a finding of noncompliance, HHS must inform the recipient of the noncompliance through a Letter of Findings that sets out the areas of noncompliance and the steps that must be taken to correct the noncompliance. It must attempt to secure voluntary compliance through informal means. If the matter cannot be resolved informally, HHS must secure compliance through the termination of federal assistance after the HHS recipient has been given an opportunity for an administrative hearing and/or by referring the matter to DOJ to seek injunctive relief or pursue other enforcement proceedings. HHS engages in voluntary compliance efforts and provides technical assistance to recipients at all stages of an investigation. During these efforts, HHS proposes reasonable timetables for achieving compliance and consults with and assists recipients in exploring cost-effective ways of coming into compliance. In determining a recipient's compliance with the Title VI regulations, HHS's primary concern is to ensure that the recipient's policies and procedures provide meaningful access for LEP persons to the recipient's programs and activities. While all recipients must work toward building systems that will ensure access for LEP individuals, HHS acknowledges that the implementation of a comprehensive system to serve LEP individuals is a process and that a system will evolve over time as it is implemented and periodically reevaluated. As recipients take reasonable steps to provide meaningful access to federally assisted programs and activities for LEP persons, HHS will look favorably on intermediate steps recipients take that are consistent with this Guidance, and that, as part of a broader implementation plan or schedule, move their service delivery system toward providing full access to LEP persons. This does not excuse noncompliance with Title VI, but instead recognizes that full compliance in all areas of a recipient's activities and for all potential language minority groups may reasonably require a series of implementing actions over a period of time. However, in developing any phased implementation schedule, HHS recipients should ensure that the provision of appropriate assistance for significant LEP populations or with respect to activities having a significant impact on the health, safety, legal rights, or livelihood of beneficiaries is addressed first. Recipients are encouraged to document their efforts to provide LEP persons with meaningful access to federally assisted programs and activities. 1. Q. What is the purpose of the guidance on language access released by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)? A. The purpose of the Policy Guidance is to clarify to members of the public, and to providers of health and social services who receive Federal financial assistance from HHS, the responsibility of such providers to Limited English Proficient (LEP) persons, pursuant to Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Among other things, this guidance clarifies existing legal requirements by providing a description of the factors providers of health and social services who receive Federal financial assistance from HHS should consider in determining and fulfilling their responsibilities to LEP persons under Title VI. 2. Q. What does the policy guidance do? Reiterates the principles of Title VI with respect to LEP persons. Discusses the reasonable policies, procedures and other steps that recipients can take to ensure meaningful access to their program by LEP persons. Clarifies that failure to take one or more of these steps does not necessarily mean noncompliance with Title VI. Explains to recipients of Federal financial assistance that OCR will determine compliance on a case by case basis, in light of the following four factors: (1) The number or proportion of LEP persons eligible to be served or likely to be encountered by the program, activity or service provided by the recipient; (2) the frequency with which LEP individuals come in contact with the recipient's program, activity or service; (3) the nature and importance of the recipient's program, activity, or service; and (4) the resources available to the recipient and costs. Provides that, based on these four factors, recipients with limited resources will not have the same compliance responsibilities applicable to recipients with greater resources. All recipients will have a great deal of flexibility in achieving compliance. Provides that OCR will offer extensive technical assistance for recipients. 3. Q. Does the guidance impose new requirements on recipients? A. No. Since its enactment, Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 has prohibited discrimination on the basis of race, color or national origin in any program or activity that receives Federal financial assistance. Title VI requires that recipients take reasonable steps to ensure meaningful access to their programs and activities by LEP persons. Over the past three decades, OCR has conducted thousands of investigations and reviews involving language differences that affect the access of LEP persons to medical care and social services. This guidance synthesizes the legal requirements that OCR has been enforcing for over three decades. 4. Q. Who is covered by the guidance? A. Covered entities include any state or local agency, private institution or organization, or any public or private individual that (1) Operates, provides or engages in health, or social service programs and activities, and (2) receives Federal financial assistance from HHS directly or through another recipient/covered entity. Examples of covered entities include but are not limited to the following entities, which may receive federal financial assistance: hospitals, nursing homes, home health agencies, managed care organizations, universities and other entities with health or social service research programs; state, county and local health agencies; state Medicaid agencies; state, county and local welfare agencies; federally-funded programs for families, youth and children; Head Start programs; public and private contractors, subcontractors and vendors; physicians; and other providers who receive Federal financial assistance from HHS. 5. Q. How does the guidance affect small practitioners and providers who are recipients of federal financial assistance? A. Small practitioners and providers will have considerable flexibility in determining precisely how to fulfill their obligations to take reasonable steps to ensure meaningful access for persons with limited English proficiency. OCR will assess compliance on a case by case basis and will take into account the following factors: (1) The number or proportion of LEP persons eligible to be served or likely to be encountered by the recipient's program, activity or service; (2) the frequency with which LEP individuals come in contact with the program, activity or service; (3) the nature and importance of the program, activity, or service provided by the recipient; and (4) the resources available to the recipient and costs. There is no "one size fits all" solution for Title VI compliance with respect to LEP persons, and what constitutes "reasonable steps" for large providers may not be reasonable where small providers are concerned. Thus, smaller recipients with smaller budgets will not be expected to provide the same level of language services as larger recipients with larger budgets. OCR will continue to be available to provide technical assistance to HHS recipients, including sole practitioners and other small recipients, seeking to operate an effective language assistance program and to comply with Title VI. 6. Q. The guidance identifies some specific circumstances which OCR will consider to be strong evidence that a program is in compliance with its obligation under Title VI to provide written materials in languages other than English. Does this mean that a recipient/covered entity will be considered out of compliance with Title VI if its program does not fall within these circumstances? A. No. The circumstances outlined in the guidance are intended to identify circumstances which amount to a "safe harbor" for recipients who desire greater certainty with respect to their obligations to provide written translations. This means that if a recipient provides written translations under these circumstances, such action will be considered strong evidence of compliance with the recipient's written-translation obligations. However, the failure to provide written translations under the circumstances outlined in the "safe harbor"does not mean there is non- compliance. Rather, the safe harbor provides a tool which recipients may use to consider whether the number or proportion of LEP persons served call for written translations of vital documents into frequently encountered languages other than English. However, even if the safe harbors are not used, if written translation of certain documents would be so financially burdensome as to defeat the legitimate objectives of its program, the translation of the written materials is not necessary. Other ways of providing meaningful access, such as effective oral interpretation of certain vital documents, might be acceptable under such circumstances when, upon application of the four factors, translation services are required. 7. Q. The guidance makes reference to "vital documents" and notes that, in certain circumstances, a recipient/covered entity may have to translate such documents into other languages. What is a vital document? A. As clarified by the guidance, the extent of Title VI obligations will be evaluated based on a four-factor test including the nature or importance of the service. In this regard, the guidance points out that documents deemed "vital" to the access of LEP persons to programs and services may often have to be translated. Whether or not a document (or the information it contains or solicits) is "vital" may depend upon the importance of the program, information, encounter, or service involved, and the consequence to the LEP person if the information in question is not provided accurately or in a timely manner. Where appropriate, recipients are encouraged to create a plan for consistently determining, over time and across their various activities, what documents are "vital" to the meaningful access of the LEP populations they serve. Thus, vital documents could include, for instance, consent and complaint forms, intake forms with potential for important health consequences, written notices of eligibility criteria, rights, denial, loss, or decreases in benefits or services, actions affecting parental custody or child support, and other hearings, notices advising LEP persons of free language assistance, written tests that do not assess English language competency, but test competency for a particular license, job or skill for which knowing English is not required, or applications to participate in a recipient's program or activity or to receive recipient benefits or services. 8. Q. Will recipient/covered entities have to translate large documents such as managed care enrollment handbooks? A. Not necessarily. Some large documents may contain no vital information, and others will contain vital information that will have to be translated. Again, the obligation to translate will depend on application of the four factors. In this context, vital information may include, for instance, the provision of information in appropriate languages other than English, or identifying where a LEP person might obtain an interpretation or translation of the document. However, depending on the circumstances, large documents such as enrollment handbooks may not need to be translated or may not need to be translated in their entirety. 9. Q. May an LEP person use a family member or friend as his or her interpreter? A. Some LEP persons may feel more comfortable when a trusted family member or friend acts as an interpreter. When an LEP person attempts to access the services of a recipient of federal financial assistance, who upon application of the four factors is required to provide an interpreter, the recipient should make the LEP person aware that he or she has the option of having the recipient provide an interpreter for him/her without charge, or of using his/her own interpreter. Recipients should also consider the special circumstances discussed in the guidance that may affect whether a family member or friend should serve as an interpreter, such as whether the situation is an emergency, and concerns over competency, confidentiality, privacy, or conflict of interest. 10. Q. May a recipient/covered entity require a LEP person to use a family member or a friend as his or her interpreter? 11. Q. How does low health literacy, non-literacy, non-written languages, blindness and deafness among LEP populations affect the responsibilities of federal fund recipients? A. Effective communication in any language requires an understanding of the literacy levels of the eligible populations. However, where a LEP individual has a limited understanding of health matters or cannot read, access to the program is complicated by factors not generally directly related to national origin or language and thus is not a Title VI issue. Under these circumstances, a recipient should provide remedial health information to the same extent that it would provide such information to English-speakers. Similarly, a recipient should assist LEP individuals who cannot read in understanding written materials as it would non-literate English-speakers. A non-written language precludes the translation of documents, but does not affect the responsibility of the recipient to communicate the vital information contained in the document or to provide notice of the availability of oral translation. Of course, other law may be implicated in this context. For instance, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 requires that federal fund recipients provide sign language and oral interpreters for people who have hearing impairments and provide materials in alternative formats such as in large print, braille or on tape for individuals with visual impairments; and the Americans with Disabilities Act imposes similar requirements on health and human service providers. 12. Q. What assistance is available to help to recipients who wish to come into compliance with Title VI? A. For over three decades, OCR has provided substantial technical assistance to recipient/covered entities who are seeking to ensure that LEP persons can meaningfully access their programs or services. Our regional staff is prepared to work with recipients to help them meet their obligations under Title VI. As part of its technical assistance services, OCR can help identify best practices and successful strategies used by other federal fund recipients, identify sources of federal reimbursement for translation services, and point providers to other resources. In addition, the entire Department is also committed to assisting recipients of HHS financial assistance in complying with their obligations under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Through its Administration on Children and Families, Administration on Health Care Quality and Research, Administration on Aging, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Health Resources and Services Administration, Office for Civil Rights, Office of Minority Health and Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, HHS provides a variety of practical technical assistance to recipients to assist them in serving LEP persons. This technical assistance includes translated forms and vital documents; training and information about best practices; and grants and model demonstration funds for LEP services. HHS believes that, on the whole, its recipients genuinely desire to comply with their obligations, and that increased understanding of compliance responsibilities and knowledge about cost-effective resources that are increasingly available to them, will assist recipients/covered entities in meeting Title VI obligations. Accordingly, HHS is committed to providing outreach to its recipients and to being responsive to queries from its recipients. It is also committed to working with representatives of state and local health and social service agencies, organizations of such agencies, hospital associations, medical and dental associations and managed care organizations to identify and share model plans, examples of best practices, cost-saving approaches, and information on other available resources, and to mobilize these organizations to educate their members on these matters. HHS will continue to promote best practices in language access and fund model demonstration programs in this area. The HHS Office for Civil Rights, in conjunction with other HHS components, will continue to provide technical assistance and outreach to HHS recipients to assist them in understanding and complying with their obligations under Title VI and to provide information to recipients and the public through its Web site at http://www.hhs.gov/ocr. LEP information and resources can also be found at http://www.lep.gov. 13. Q. How will OCR enforce compliance by recipient/covered entities with the LEP requirements of Title VI? A. The goal for Title VI and Title VI regulatory enforcement is to achieve voluntary compliance. The requirement to take reasonable steps to provide meaningful access to LEP persons is enforced and implemented by OCR through the procedures identified in the Title VI regulations. These procedures include complaint investigations, compliance reviews, efforts to secure voluntary compliance, and technical assistance. The Title VI regulations provide that OCR will investigate whenever it receives a complaint, report, or other information that alleges or indicates possible noncompliance with Title VI or its regulations. If the investigation results in a finding of compliance, OCR will inform the recipient in writing of this determination, including the basis for the determination. However, if a case is fully investigated and results in a finding of noncompliance, OCR must inform the recipient of the noncompliance through a Letter of Findings that sets out the areas of noncompliance and the steps that must be taken to correct the noncompliance. It must attempt to secure voluntary compliance through informal means. If the matter cannot be resolved informally, OCR may secure compliance through the termination of federal assistance after the recipient has been given an opportunity for an administrative hearing. OCR may also refer the matter to the Department of Justice to secure compliance through any other means authorized by law. At all stages of an investigation, OCR engages in voluntary compliance efforts and provides technical assistance to recipients. During these efforts, OCR proposes reasonable timetables for achieving compliance and consults with and assists recipients in exploring cost-effective ways of coming into compliance. In determining a recipient's compliance with the Title VI regulations, OCR's primary concern is to ensure that the recipient's policies and procedures contain reasonable steps to provide meaningful access for LEP persons to the recipient's programs, activities or services. As a result, the vast majority of all complaints have been resolved through such voluntary efforts. 14. Q. Does issuing this guidance mean that OCR will be changing how it enforces compliance with Title VI? A. No. How OCR enforces Title VI is governed by the Title VI implementing regulations. The methods and procedures used to investigate and resolve complaints, and conduct compliance reviews, have not changed. A. HHS provides a variety of services for LEP persons who come in contact with the Department. These services include oral language assistance services such as language lines and interpreters; translation of written materials; and foreign language web sites. HHS will continue to explore how it can share with its recipients language assistance measures, resources, cost-containment approaches, and other information and knowledge, developed with respect to its own federally conducted programs and activities, and welcomes any suggestions in this regard.

2019-04-24T10:24:01Z

https://www.hhs.gov/civil-rights/for-individuals/special-topics/limited-english-proficiency/guidance-federal-financial-assistance-recipients-title-vi/index.html

Recently I was asked what it means to be a Wyoming State FFA Officer and to describe some of my personal goals for the year. I am Bryce McKenzie, the 2012-2013 Wyoming FFA State President, and being a state officer is the highlight of my life so far. The truth is, state office is not about the title on our jackets or the chain, but is about service to the FFA, and more specifically, the Wyoming FFA Association. State office is a higher level of dedication to the FFA, and service through agriculture is the main point behind the office. Some of my goals this year are to get to know the members in Wyoming and across the nation and serve communities and the FFA. Even more so, I hope to stay Bryce McKenzie, and not let the title I was given determine where I go. However, I can’t write just about myself. Simply, state office is not just an individual experience – it is a team effort. My team of state officers is amongst the best young people across Wyoming, and I am honored to be a part of the team and the Wyoming FFA Association itself. Never before have I had such a bond with a group of people who I can rely on, and I know that the FFA can rely on us for great service as well. Wyoming FFA is in the top 10 percent of the nation’s FFA Associations, and the state officer team for this year has a goal to keep Wyoming’s 2,400 members in that margin, also hoping to make them even better. Another goal of ours is to keep service to each other, our communities and our nation in the forefronts of our minds. Since FFA is built upon agriculture and service, we plan to reach our goals through helping our communities within the state and making a difference in the lives we lead. Upcoming events for the state office team include the National FFA Convention held in Indianapolis, Ind. on Oct. 24-26. The Wyoming State Officer team will be traveling to Indianapolis to help support Wyoming’s members who are competing and to serve as delegates to bring new ideas to the national association. While in Indianapolis, we will be participating in the “Rally to Fight Hunger.” This is where service falls back into play, as we are not just affecting our nation through FFA, but also the world. Visits to all the different chapters across the state are also right around the corner, coming up in December. We hope that everyone in Wyoming FFA is doing well this fall and getting prepared already for state convention in the spring. If anyone has questions for any of the state officers about community service, our travels or upcoming events, feel free to visit wyomingffa.org, contact us through email or give us a call. We would be happy to answer any questions you may have and hope agriculture and service stay as the heart of Wyoming. Rangeland science and management has evolved in the development of management strategies that are sustainable for our arid landscapes. This has impacted the way livestock are managed and ecological services are valued. We have witnessed and implemented numerous strategies to maintain healthy vegetative communities while considering livestock production. However, managing our landscapes for multiple species at one time can be complex and at times contradictory. Take for example, a grassland bird species, the mountain plover, Charadrium montanus. Mountain plover’s nesting habitats usually consist of areas with vegetation that is level to the ground (prostrate) along with high amounts of bare soil. Mountain plovers are cryptically colored, so they blend in and look like bare soil when viewed from above and frequently stay motionless when an avian predator is present. Long-standing range management practices tell us bare soil is an undesirable characteristic for long term rangeland health. So, how does one deal with such a paradox? A recent study in a short grass steppe community in northeastern Colorado characterized various types of disturbances in relation to suitable habitat for breeding mountain plovers. Breeding mountain plovers were primarily located on black-tailed prairie dog colonies or areas that had been burned during the previous dormant season. Vegetation surrounding plover nests and foraging sites were primarily patches of vegetation low in stature, or those plants less than four centimeters tall, interspersed with greater than 35 percent bare soil. Mountain plover nesting habitat was examined in relation to the following disturbances: prescribed fire, grazing by black-tailed prairie dogs and cattle grazing. Sites with bare ground created by prescribed fire or black-tailed prairie dog colonies were favored by these grassland birds. Yet, intensive grazing at twice the recommended stocking rate during spring (March to May) or summer (May to Oct) for six years did not produce enough bare ground desired by mountain plovers. Therefore, intensive cattle grazing did not substitute for fire or prairie dog grazing in terms of how vegetation structure was affected for mountain plover habitat. The disturbances considered in this study can be manipulated and used as tools to reach management goals. If providing habitat for breeding mountain plovers is a management goal, grazing as a tool may not suffice. Managing for prairie dog colonies or using prescribed burning could be considerations to add to the management toolbox in order to reach the goal of increasing habitat for a desired wildlife species. Wildlife habitat continues to be an important consideration for many landowners throughout Wyoming. Whether that be providing habitat for a species of concern or maintaining wildlife populations for a hunting enterprise, understanding habitat needs can be crucial to the sustainability of an operation. This again exemplifies the need for an overall management plan that includes clear goals and objectives for the property. Understanding the resource that is being managed will allow landowners or managers to match the resource with the most suitable animal to more efficiently, effectively and responsibly utilize the land. For example, the emphasis in the study mentioned above was to determine the situation resulting in the most suitable habitat for mountain plover in regards to prescribed fire, grazing by black-tailed prairie dogs and grazing by large herbivores, including cattle. It is interesting to point out the characteristics of the site in which the research was being conducted (the resource). In terms of plant productivity, cover, and species composition, the short grass steppe is among the most resistant grasslands worldwide to grazing by large herbivores (Milchunas et al. 2008). So, within this community, it was determined that even intense cattle grazing could not match the amount of bare soil that was found on prairie dog colonies and burns. Looking closer at the resource, short grass steppe is dominated by warm-season grasses, mostly blue grama and buffalograss, which have adaptations to aridity and intensive herbivory. These grasses have a prostrate canopy, minimal stem investment, a large amount of biomass belowground (stolons), and rapid growth results after defoliation and small pulses of precipitation (Milchunas et al. 2008). So, now that we have identified the resource, how about the consumers? Due to the mouth structure of cattle, they only graze short grasses to a little less than half an inch above crown height, allowing regrowth to occur. Much differently, however, is how a prairie dog would use this same resource. Prairie dogs remove plant leaves more often and, in contrast to the mouths of cattle, these little critters can graze closer to the crown level. As expected, these circumstances combined with defoliation occurring year-round will result in a loss of vegetation dominance and an increase in bare soil on colonies. Therefore, it is not hard to believe that prescribed burning and prairie dog colonies are effective ways to maintain habitat for mountain plover in short grass steppe. Grazing on the contrary would not provide the same situation or reach the same goal. Knowledge of the differences on how each disturbance would affect the resource could determine the success or failure of individual goals. I think many would agree that there are times when management goals seem complex. It can seem hard to imagine how they will all be incorporated into an overall management plan. Having a good understanding of all the available tools that can be used to meet these goals can help assist with such complexity. As shown in the highlighted study, the use of grazing alone will not result in ideal mountain plover nesting habitat. This illustrates the need to recognize the strengths and limitations of each tool and consider combining certain tools to provide the desired result. This, in my opinion, is why there is the saying that range management is more than just a science, but also an art. Nearly 500,000 acres in Wyoming were impacted by wildland fires this year. Because many in Wyoming were so heavily affected by these fires, with even more impacts on the horizon in the absence of active post-fire rehabilitation efforts, Governor Mead and the other members of the Board of Land Commissioners asked state agencies to develop a plan to set Wyoming on a path to renew these lands. In the past, the Office of State Lands and Investments has worked primarily to provide assistance to grazing lessees affected by fire through grazing fee reductions. With the scope of the damage from wildfire this year and potential for even more devastation from erosion and weeds going forward, members of the public addressed the Board and asked if something more could be done. With the assistance of the Wyoming State Forester Bill Crasper, Wyoming Wildlife and Natural Resource Trust Executive Director Bob Budd and other key players, including Wyoming’s conservation districts, we were able to present a plan, which was endorsed by the Board of Land Commissioners, to start the long process of reclaiming and repairing not only state trust lands, but also private lands. With the health of our watersheds already impacted by the fires and an even greater risk of damage going forward, a great deal of discussion focused on priority areas where erosion, sedimentation and degradation could influence our water. As private landowners are keenly aware, the extensively burned areas include drainages with live water, which will deliver sediment directly into adjacent water bodies. Excessive sediment delivery has the potential to adversely affect the water quality of communities that depend on these waters as a source of drinking water, irrigation and livestock water and wildlife and fish habitats. Heavy rains in some burned areas have already resulted in significant localized erosion and sedimentation in some drainages. Because of Wyoming’s long history of leading in the realm of active natural resource management, it will come as little surprise that significant efforts have already been undertaken to help to limit erosion. Smokebuster crews worked diligently, following the Oil Creek and other fires, to implement control measures that will serve Wyoming well into the future. During agency discussions, Wyoming State Forester Bill Crapser regularly expressed his concern that natural plant recovery is expected to be slow in many areas due to the extensive amount of land that was so intensively burned with a near complete loss of vegetation. He noted that the addition of hydrophobic soil conditions will cause the water to run off instead of infiltrating into the ground only further hampering re-vegetation in some areas. As I noted earlier, grazing lessees utilizing state lands that have been impacted by wildfire can be eligible for a rental reduction on fire-affected parcels. Understanding that such reductions were only part of the equation and that other resources would be required to protect and reclaim trust lands, the Board of Land Commissioners approved $901,395 from the Trust Land Preservation and Enhancement Account to be dedicated to such efforts. In addition to the funding allocated by the Board, the Wyoming State Forestry Division has also received a 319 Grant from the Wyoming Department of Environment Quality and the Non-Point Source Board. This grant will help staff implement post-wildfire rehabilitation efforts on Wyoming forest lands to help mitigate nonpoint source pollution to surface waters. The Division has already started the process to secure 319 funds for fire rehabilitation efforts next year as well. Further, the Forestry Division has applied for a U.S. Forest Service State and Private Competitive Grant that, if funded, will provide monies for landowner assistance for post fire restoration. The Wyoming Wildlife and Natural Resource Trust Board also recently took action that would allow conversion of certain funds for use to help rehabilitate wildfire-affected lands. The Board acted quickly to move funding that had previously been awarded for prescribed fire projects to post-wildfire erosion and weed control efforts. The Trust Account Board also allocated “emergency” funds for restoration efforts for the Squaw Peak fire of 2011. According to Bob Budd, executive director to the Trust Board, the Board acted promptly and decisively to have funds available to assist with processing outside funds and working to award grants to get projects underway as soon as possible. I very much appreciated that Board’s understanding that the work we must engage is time sensitive to get ahead of erosion, the spread of invasive species and other issues. The beauty of the Trust program has proven to be the ability of the Board to act in a timely fashion to address these and other issues. To access the funding approved by the Board of Land Commissioners for trust lands, the 319 and other funding awarded to the Wyoming State Forestry Division please contact Bill Haagenson or John Crisp at 307-777-7586. For funds approved by the Wildlife and Natural Resource Trust, please contact Bob Budd at 307-777-8024. I would strongly suggest that you work with your local conservation district to develop projects for funding, as they can work to ensure that we configure projects that most efficiently, practically and scientifically address impacts with these limited resources. While these grant proposals and approved funds will not satisfy all needs, it is a start. Thankfully, Governor Mead and the Wyoming Legislature robustly funded emergency fire suppression efforts to ensure that state and local firefighters had the resources they needed to protect and save lives, homes and private, state and even federal lands. Further, their investment in the State Helitack Program stopped most fires before they could cause significant damage. Absent such investments, the damage caused by wildfires this past year would have been more severe by several orders of magnitude leaving us with even more daunting reclamation and rehabilitation efforts. Water quality and addressing water quality issues and concerns have been a high priority for local conservation districts and the Wyoming Association of Conservation Districts (WACD) for some time. Local watershed groups have dedicated untold hours to developing watershed plans for those waters that have been identified as impaired or threatened by the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ). These efforts are nothing short of impressive. A summary of the watershed implementation efforts can be viewed at conservewy.com/Attached%20Files/2011WatershedReport%20video%20files/2011WatershedReportIntroS.pdf. One of the biggest issues facing the local districts in terms of successfully addressing water quality priorities is the proper and accurate classification of our surface waters. Classifications are determined based on what uses, referred to as designated uses, any given water can support. For example drinking water, contact recreation uses and fisheries are a handful of designated use classifications. The Department of Water Quality’s Chapter One Water Quality rules and regulations, Surface Water Quality Standards, contain the designated uses for which Wyoming’s waters are protected, as well as the method utilized to determine any given water’s ability to support these uses, the various pollutants and the limits of these pollutants that can be found in waters for them to still attain their uses. Last fall DEQ issued a public notice for the scoping process for revisions to Chapter One regulations. The Clean Water Act requires states to conduct a review of these water quality regulations every three years. In August, the Department issued a draft revision of Chapter 1 and solicited comments. The comment period closed on September 24. The Association focused our comments on two primary areas. The first of those changes are the proposed revisions to the E. coli standard. This standard is utilized to determine use attainment for contact recreation uses. Currently the sampling methodology for this criterion requires five samples to be collected in a 30-day time frame, with each sample collected at least 24 hours apart. DEQ is proposing to change the five in 30-day requirement to a 60-day requirement. The number and spacing of the samples will then be addressed in DEQ’s sampling methodology document. The intent of this change is to ensure that sampling is representative of the time frame in which contact recreation activities will be occurring. WACD strongly supports this change. A second priority change in the proposed Chapter One revisions addresses a challenge that both DEQ and districts have been grappling with for some time – the accurate and appropriate recreation use designations for Wyoming’s waters. Wyoming has two recreational use designations – primary contact recreation and secondary contact recreation. Currently, all waters in Wyoming are designated and protected for primary contact recreation uses, such as swimming, kayaking, etc., with the exception of a few in Goshen County that went through the Use Attainability Analysis process in the past year. Primary contact recreation uses are activities determined to have a higher likelihood of someone ingesting water. The E. coli standard that applies to primary contact recreation water is obviously more stringent than the standard that applies to secondary contact recreation waters, due to the fact that secondary contact recreation activities do not typically involve immersion into the water. Examples of secondary recreation uses include wading and fishing. DEQ attempted to address this issue in prior revisions to Chapter One, through a default classification method, meaning those waters that are on DEQ’s Table A, which includes typically larger rivers, streams and lakes, would be protected for primary. Those not on this list, or the typically smaller waters that are intermittent or ephemeral, would be protected as secondary. However, EPA has not approved this approach in the past. After the last revision of Chapter One, when the approach wasn’t approved, districts across the state were beginning to gear up to collect the necessary data and information, referred to as a Use Attainability Analysis (UAAs), on the waters that are likely to be inappropriately and inaccurately classified. As one can imagine, this is a huge undertaking given the number of waters that information and data would need to be collected on. Not only is this a huge undertaking for districts, an equally enormous task would face DEQ, as each one of the UAA’s submitted for re-classification triggers the administrative rulemaking process, including public notice and comment. To their credit, the folks in the Watershed section at DEQ realized there may be an approach that would still result in a vast improvement in the accuracy of our recreation designations in a manner that was streamlined, yet rigorous and defensible. DEQ has developed a geographical information system (GIS) based model to address this issue. This model uses a number of criteria to “shake out” those waters that should be protected for primary and those that are appropriately designated as secondary. The criteria are consistent with that contained in the UAA process in determining designations, including criteria such as parks, distance to public schools, campgrounds, etc. To assist DEQ in this effort, in 2010 the districts across Wyoming conducted field verification on nearly 800 randomly selected sites – no small undertaking to be sure. This data and information was utilized by DEQ to calibrate their model and identify any areas that may need tweaked. The proposed revisions to Chapter One discussed the use of this model in determining recreation use support designations. This model is now in the final development phase and will also be published for public comment in the coming months. When that happens, I hope the folks across Wyoming take a look at the results. The model may not result in 100 percent accuracy, but as I have explained to our districts, it will get us a lot further down the road at a lot less time and expense to the people of Wyoming. For those waters that may still be in question, the UAA process is still available. DEQ really needs to be commended for taking this innovative approach to a more accurate designation of primary and secondary recreation uses on our waters. The model is still undergoing review and will again be submitted to EPA for approval. This is a really important step to ensuring that Wyoming’s local and state governments, our communities and our landowners and land managers spend their time and resources addressing the highest priority water quality issues.

2019-04-25T08:16:34Z

https://www.wylr.net/columns/guest-editorials?start=32

Steven Butala: Today, Jill and I talk about our most successful members have this in common, and it’s not just one thing. Jill DeWit: Good, because I have like four. Steven Butala: I know, and I don’t know what yours are and I bet ours are pretty similar in this topic. Steven Butala: That disqualifies me. Jill DeWit: Good hair, let’s see here. I have they’re nice. I … Just kidding. Steven Butala: You know what’s really funny about that, Jill? Those are real serious priorities for a lot of people, especially out here in Hollywood. Steven Butala: What do you mean I can’t do this? I’m good looking. Steven Butala: That’s a crackup. Jill DeWit: … I am going to be killing in this industry. Steven Butala: They think that they’re going to sell a house because of that. Steven Butala: Or that it’s actually even a contributing factor. Jill DeWit: What the heck? Exactly. Steven Butala: Did you see this? Jill DeWit: No. You know what, though? I was just thinking about, I would like an agent to show up and take me out in her okay car, began busy, and killing it. Oh, and by the way, she’s carrying around stuff to clean and stage a house in her trunk, because she walks in and makes it perfect every time she has an open house. And she’s got cookies ready to bake. That’s the person I want to work with. Steven Butala: This is brilliant. We need to talk about this right now. Steven Butala: … driving the car. Jill DeWit: Wait. I have another one, too. Steven Butala: Yeah, go ahead. Jill DeWit: Exactly. So we’re just, we’re going to keep on going. Steven Butala: That’s a real real estate agent. You know what? I used to be a commercial real estate broker in Michigan. Steven Butala: That’s what happens in commercial real estate. Jill DeWit: Oh, for real? Steven Butala: You know, they’re not going to buy something and sign stuff that [crosstalk 00:03:36] it doesn’t perfectly fit their acquisition criteria and make them feel great about it. Jill DeWit: That’s good to know. Steven Butala: It’s just there’s a show on Netflix right now. It’s all these young women who are … It’s called West Hollywood Real Estate or something, I don’t know. Jill DeWit: Oh, I got to see this. Steven Butala: You got to see it. You can see it in your head right now. Jill DeWit: Oh, I can just imagine. Steven Butala: It’s like these five women who are trying to out dress each other. Steven Butala: And it’s all this drama about these listings that they get. Steven Butala: And, you know, they’re selling 14 million dollar houses. Jill DeWit: Oh, I can’t wait to watch it. Okay. Thank you. Steven Butala: I couldn’t. I had to turn it off. Jill DeWit: Oh, that’s funny. Steven Butala: I couldn’t get through the pilot. Jill DeWit: Like were you mad? Or were you laughing? Steven Butala: No, I just … I’m like, this is perpetuating that industry stereotype. Jill DeWit: Do you know what we should do? Wait. Wait. Wait. Steven Butala: Instead of trying to solve anything. Jill DeWit: Okay. Do you remember that show? This is going back. My little brother used to watch this show. You know what I’m talking about. Where it’s a movie screen and you see the profile of someone and all he’s doing is saying, “Well, that never happened and that … ” Remember that show? Jill DeWit: Oh, my gosh. It was some show back in the day, like on some cable channel, where it was somebody cracking jokes about … And it was they took a classic movie and then they would sit there and comment on the whole thing. Jill DeWit: Remember that guy? Steven Butala: Yeah. They had a silhouette of the two people sitting on the bottom. Jill DeWit: Yeah. That’s it. Exactly. That’s it. Steven Butala: Yeah, it was on MTV or something. Steven Butala: Jill, we don’t do that. Jill DeWit: She’s going to break a heel and she’s going to fall apart. Here, and watch what’s coming. Steven Butala: Oh, Jill. How much fun would that be? Jill DeWit: Our little heads down there commenting on all the things that are wrong with that show. Jill DeWit: That would be so good. Steven Butala: … where mega producers and superstars live. Steven Butala: And somebody’s building the largest square footage, most expensive house. I think it’s 40 million, in West Hollywood. Steven Butala: … put hardhats on, when they’re all dressed up. Jill DeWit: With hardhats on and high heels? Steven Butala: Yeah. With their hair and you can imagine. Jill DeWit: Shucks, I gotta see this. Steven Butala: They’re all in competition with each other, in one office. Jill DeWit: To get the listing. Jill DeWit: Then they’ll get it. Steven Butala: … then they’re gonna do better. They see some status in this. Jill DeWit: That is so funny. I think it’s funny. Steven Butala: There’s no status in being a real estate agent. Jill DeWit: No. Oh, my goodness. That’s so funny. All right. We should come up with that. That would be really good. Steven Butala: I’m going to put this on the calendar. Yeah. Jill DeWit: Oh, I think that’d be so funny. Steven Butala: Or you know what, the version of it now would be you know how like on Zoom Webinar, you can just put us in the corner. Steven Butala: Like in the frame right here? Jill DeWit: Yeah. Yeah. Oh, yeah. Steven Butala: Put us in the corner and just talk to each other. Like we don’t need the silhouette piece. Jill DeWit: Perfect. Oh, that’s perfect. Yep. Steven Butala: All right. I’m putting that on the calendar. Jill DeWit: All right. We’re doing that. We’re going to do that. That’ll be so good. All right. By the way, we have a show. Steven Butala: Oh, before we get into the show, let’s take a question posted by one of our members on the LandInvestors.com online community. It’s free. Jill DeWit: Sandy asks, “I have listened to many podcasts and interviews and read many posts. I keep hearing people say that they were able to quit their jobs within a year. Is that a realistic expectation or isn’t that a stat for a lucky few who worked super hard and had everything work out? I ask this because I have been beating myself up since I hit the 18 month mark and I’m still struggling. I was recently told it all starts to happen after three years. This is disturbing because I don’t think I can bleed money for that long.” Aw. Steven Butala: Are you bleeding money? Jill DeWit: Aw. “Your replies are greatly appreciated.” Aw. Steven Butala: Well, okay, so first of all, nobody needs to bleed money. Jill DeWit: No bleeding money. You should be making money. Jill DeWit: And getting ahead and if you’re not doing that, then I wonder if you’re sending out enough offers and you should be keeping it going because … May I just jump in? Steven Butala: Before Jill gets into it, I have to say, there’s probably 25 responses. Jill DeWit: That’s true. Oh. Steven Butala: From other members on the Land Investors forum. Steven Butala: … to this and you have the same question yourself and you’re wondering, I mean, everybody went into this. People like Joe Martin did. Jill DeWit: Like to make them feel good and to give them their experiences. Jill DeWit: And to help. Jill DeWit: Okay. Good. All right. So here’s what should be happening, Sandy. You should have come at this whole-heartedly and had hopefully a budget, just to get yourself going, because once you just get that ball going and get your first couple of mailers done and you can afford, have your phone’s being answered with PATLive and all this stuff, your deals keep paying for all of your tools and resources and everything and as you’re going, your costs don’t change. You have a day job, right? You’re not changing that. And you’re getting better and doing more deal, so you’re making more money while your costs are not changing. You know what you need to spend every month. You know what your mailers cost. You know how much volume you’re doing and it all pays for itself. And then what happens is at some point, you can, if you have that much money, this systems are in place, you realize you’re starting to lose money because you’re not completing deals, you have this, you know, your acquisition funds are growing and it’s getting great. Then you can make those decisions. But some people do it faster and some people do it slower. I don’t think 18 months is crazy and I don’t think that, don’t beat yourself up. But I do want you doing enough mail every month that you are profiting and covering everything. If not, you’re probably not sending out enough and doing enough deals. Steven Butala: So I’m going to ask a bunch of questions right now. Steven Butala: Are you answering your own phone? That is critical. Steven Butala: So you either have to personally answer your own phone, the responses come off of these mailers, or you have to have a company like PATLive do it. We have arranged for a 20% discount for our members. Steven Butala: On PATLive. That’s huge. Number two, are you sending out the mailers that you should be sending out and are they price correctly? Steven Butala: … just like right now. There’s usually one or two things that are just grossly missed. And it’s not anybody’s fault. Steven Butala: It’s just everybody’s new at it. Steven Butala: So you can either schedule a call with us or like you’re doing now, find out, really dig deep on Land Investors, because it’s all free. Steven Butala: And find yourself somebody, align yourself with somebody, so you can … Even, there’s a lot of really, really wonderful people in this group. Steven Butala: That’ll probably check your mailer. Steven Butala: If you ask them. Steven Butala: For free. Just send over your mailer. I’ll check it. Jill DeWit: And these, when you say this consulting call, we don’t have a layer of people below us that coach on our behalf. Jill DeWit: Or any of that. It’s us. We’re here. We’re a mighty, tight group. Not mighty tight, but mighty and tight. Steven Butala: We’re a mighty tight group. Steven Butala: That’s pretty funny, Jill. That’s like we’re in 1955. Jill DeWit: I don’t know where that came from. I don’t know where. Steven Butala: It’s like a Back To The Future thing. Jill DeWit: Anyway. It’s us. So you talk about, like you said in our first program, you can’t, you know … It’s us. We’re here to help you. We’re going to get you there. It’s our version of consulting on whatever you need. We help you with that. Steven Butala: Thanks, mighty tight. Jill DeWit: I have no idea what’s going on today. This is great. Steven Butala: So we’ll answer your question here, too, with today’s topic, Sandy. Today’s topic: Our most successful members have this in common. This is the meat of the show. I would like you to go first, Jill. Steven Butala: I know you have a list. Jill DeWit: I do have a list. So I spent some time thinking about this. I put together, I think I’ve got about four things that I can really pinpoint over the years that makes a difference. One thing is and that biggest thing, you know what? It doesn’t matter. I’m going to start with this, anyway. The biggest thing I notice is I call it tenacity, but they just don’t let anything get in their way. Steven Butala: I call it hustle. Jill DeWit: There you go. Steven Butala: That’s on my list, too. Steven Butala: They keep their chin up. Jill DeWit: They do. And they get off work, they go home, and they do those things. Steven Butala: And they just won’t stop. Jill DeWit: That’s it. Exactly. Steven Butala: I can, along those lines, Jill, I have never seen anyone in my professional career and I was a partner at KPMG, work harder than you. Jill DeWit: Thank you. I appreciate that. Steven Butala: … and when you’ve got a little bit of time off, you dig into something else. Steven Butala: You know, I’m not saying you don’t have a life, because you do. You know, we play as hard as we work. Steven Butala: But, I’m serious. Jill DeWit: … but, Steven, you’re that way, too. Jill DeWit: We don’t … We ball. Steven Butala: My point is, if you need an example, listener of … This is it. Steven Butala: This group is packed full of people who won’t stop. For anything. Jill DeWit: Yeah. Exactly. So that’s my number one. Number two is that the most successful members have in common is they have no fear of data or they come from some experience of being analyzing something. Maybe they have a … A lot of our members have an engineering or analytical or some kind of … They’re in that career, they have that background, or they’re just wired that way. Steven Butala: They think that way. Steven Butala: I call it linear thinking. Steven Butala: A to B to C to D to E. Jill DeWit: Exactly. So no fear. And you don’t have to be a pro going into it. I just did a consulting call with a guy the other day and I said, “You know, you’re going to be running your business and need to know, really be able to work with a lot of data and spreadsheets and things like that. Whether it’s for your land business, for your accounting, for what you’re budgeting your time and building your company.” I said, “You need to get comfortable with it, real quick.” So I told him, I said, “I want you to spend a weekend, brushing up on spreadsheets.” And there’s nothing wrong with that. Just not being afraid of it. Just going at it. Do you want to add to that? Steven Butala: Yeah, I mean, I just came up with this just now, in my head, this carpenter analogy. I think if you show up to a job and you want a job as a carpenter, like a framer, let’s say, and you’ve got a foreman on the … And you’re building a house and there’s a couple of guys there that are doing the same thing. And there’s a foreman and you show up on the job and expect to do okay but you’ve never held a hammer in your life, okay? And you’re, let’s say, 24, 25 years old and you’re going to learn how to use a hammer that day? It’s just not going to work. Steven Butala: If you grew up, for whatever reason, and you had a bunch of free time after your homework was done or whatever’s happening and you got your dad’s hammer out and started making some stuff, you know, you might be a good carpenter. It’s just kind of in your soul. So the same thing is true here. What I see sometimes, not too much anymore, because we really have, it’s a different kind of group now, but what I see … There’s, in this business and any real businesses, there is the glitter version. Like the fast cars. Steven Butala: And all the rewards that money bring. Steven Butala: Right? And it’s very tempting for people that are attracted to that immediately to just jump in without ever holding a hammer, ever. Steven Butala: And say, “I want that car in six months.” And it just doesn’t work that way. Steven Butala: If you’re attracted to the money part of this and that’s it, this isn’t going to work for you. I’ll tell you right now. Steven Butala: Because there’s a tremendous amount of hard work and sleepless nights and waking up at 4:00 in the morning to figure some stuff out. Steven Butala: I’m not trying to be negative, Jill. Jill DeWit: No, you’re being real. Jill DeWit: I appreciate that. The third thing that I have for our most successful members that they have in common is the ability to talk on the phone or face to face to do either get deals done or secure funding, if they need to. I’ve noticed that. No one’s afraid to pick up the phone and go, you know what, this is a great deal. I’m going to get this funded. I don’t have the acquisition funds right now. I’m going to get it done. Or just getting the deal done, like, here’s what we’re going to do. You agree to this, I agree to this, I’m going to get this done and follow through. So you have to have that … Be able to build a rapport with people. Does that make sense? Jill DeWit: Okay. And talk. Steven Butala: That falls in with hustle for me. Steven Butala: Think on your feet and these deals get sold and purchased because of how you are on the telephone. Not how your assistant is. Not the person at PATLive who listens to it. They get done because … I just keep thinking. Matt Rogers is a member of ours and Matt’s the pinnacle of this, because he’ll buy a property or he’ll get it under contract. He’ll send a bunch of mail out and he’ll get five properties that he’s ready to buy. Steven Butala: … as a builder and say, “Will you guys buy this property?” And he sells them before he actually purchases them. Steven Butala: Or he signs a contract. Steven Butala: And it’s just, you know, and it’s on the phone. Boom. Boom. Boom. Steven Butala: That’s a huge part of this. You’re like that. Steven Butala: I’m not necessarily like that. Steven Butala: I can be. Jill DeWit: You aligned yourself with someone that is. Steven Butala: And I have been. Steven Butala: That was my next point. Jill DeWit: And that’s the thing, yeah. You don’t have to. If you’re not this person, that’s okay. Align yourself with a person that is. Steven Butala: But I did it for years. Jill DeWit: Thank you. And how did that go? Steven Butala: … I can do it, if I want to. Steven Butala: You know, it’s just not my … It’s not the … I would rather be running numbers. Jill DeWit: I understand. My fourth and final thing that I’ve noticed with successful members that they have in common is they clearly state their goals. Whether it’s monthly or every six months or for the year. It might be, usually it’s a dollar amount. But it might be getting those first 10 deals done. I’m giving myself 90 days to get my first 10 deals done. Just like Steve and Jill say. Then I’m going to make some different decisions after that, now I’ve got my, I know how it goes. That kind of a thing that I see is my fourth and my final one. What about you? Steven Butala: At the top of my list and Jill didn’t even, at the top of my list is this, and for some reason, Jill didn’t hit it, but I don’t know why. It doesn’t matter. Jill DeWit: I’m going to write it down. Steven Butala: Those are all true. If you’re successful at what you’re doing right now, you’re going to be successful at this. If you’re a successful homemaker and you take it seriously and your stuff’s straight and you’ve got a calendar and you’re making sure everybody’s taken care of, including yourself, you’re going to be good at this. If you’re a successful lawyer or in this case of the homemaker, maybe the kids are getting older and you have some extra time. Steven Butala: Just keep walking. Because this isn’t going to work for you. In fact, nothing is going to work for you. Jill DeWit: You’re not old. Steven Butala: Well, it’s old man advice. Jill DeWit: Oh, I got it. Oh, yeah. Steven Butala: You have to put your heart and your back into whatever you’re going to do. Steven Butala: And you will get rewarded. Jill DeWit: Your heart and your back. Steven Butala: Like your backbone. Steven Butala: Like put your back into it. Jill DeWit: Oh, I got it. I got it. Jill DeWit: That is more old man advice. What other old man advice do you have? Jill DeWit: Uphill. You know what I always used to have to do to get myself to school? Steven Butala: Jill didn’t hit on this, either. Steven Butala: For some reason. Jill DeWit: That’s with my goals. Steven Butala: … like I want to make a million bucks this year. I want a new house in XYZ, wherever. Steven Butala: The other thing, too, that’s really, really helpful … It’s not essential, but it’s super helpful, is the people in your life, in your personal life, have to be on board with this. We just interviewed Jermaine and Faith Hill, who are very professional. Jill DeWit: Show’s going to be for tomorrow. Steven Butala: Yeah. Okay. It’s tomorrow. Jill DeWit: Yeah. Tomorrow’s show. It’s going to air. Steven Butala: It airs tomorrow. Steven Butala: And they complement each other times 10. Steven Butala: … with each other, complement each other, different skillsets. Jill DeWit: Dividing up the roles. Steven Butala: She’s an attorney, was an attorney, and he was an industrial engineer. Steven Butala: And they were very successful at that stuff before they bagged it. Jill DeWit: Killing it now. Steven Butala: You just have to take it seriously. Steven Butala: Here’s the truth in the numbers. We have several hundred members in our group and every month, I micromanage this stuff. Between one and four people choose to leave our group and we open those slots up for new people. Steven Butala: And to have hundreds and hundreds of members like we do, that’s staggering. Steven Butala: They never leave. People never leave. Jill DeWit: They don’t. And what’s interesting is the people that do leave, this is true, we all make sure, what could we have done, can I help you? And it’s, 99% of the time, it’s not you, it’s me. But really, like I’m just not in, my head’s not in the game right now, it’s a personal thing and you know what’s interesting, too, I need to … I haven’t checked the percentages, too, but they come back. Steven Butala: They come back. Jill DeWit: They come back. Steven Butala: When they’re done with their personal thing. Jill DeWit: That’s right and they’re like … Sometimes they take a year off and say, “You know what? I didn’t give it a good enough chance.” And they come back and we’re happy to help them. Steven Butala: Well, you’ve done it again. You’ve spent another, well, 25 minutes now, listening to The Land Academy Show. Join us next time, where Jill and I talk about how to buy … I’m sorry. Jill DeWit: … answer your questions posted on our online community, LandInvestors.com. It is free. Steven Butala: You are not alone in your real estate ambition. You know what I just got done saying? Jill DeWit: I gotcha. I gotcha. Steven Butala: You know, you can’t blame anybody else but yourself. This is you. Steven Butala: Well, I wrote all this. I can’t blame myself. There’s no producer behind it. There’s no Oz behind the curtain back there. Steven Butala: It’s me. I didn’t write this stuff and she saved me. Steven Butala: That’s how it’s supposed to work. Steven Butala: And we got through the show. Jill DeWit: We did. Wherever you are watching, wherever you are listening, please subscribe and rate us there. It does make a difference.

2019-04-20T02:51:21Z

https://landacademy.com/2019/04/09/our-most-successful-members-have-this-in-common-la-955/

I’m so proud to share another powerful interview with another incredible person: Sandra Joseph. Sandra was the longest running lead actress in the longest running Broadway show, Phantom of the Opera. Sandra played Christine in more than 1,000 shows over the course of 10+ years. Despite her success, it wasn’t always like that for her. Sandra spent years as, in her words, a “scared kid from Detroit” that lacked confidence and experienced setback after setback. Her “PIVOT” to a confident, composed leading lady, singer, and keynote speaker is truly inspirational and chock full of learning! Sandra is also the co-author of “Your Creative Soul: Expressing Your Authentic Voice” with Caroline Myss. Learn more from Sandra at http://sandrajoseph.com/free-resources/. I woke up with this wonderful feeling of anticipation for incredible conversation. I’m assuming that everybody also loves great conversation, especially when other people’s conversation translates into some opportunity for transformation for ourselves. I’m thrilled to be with somebody that has an incredible story. More than a story, she has a very inspiring life. It’s just something that every time I’ve been in her presence, I’ve felt more conscious. I’ve felt happier. I’m trying to be present to what’s come up for me in those situations. I feel joy in this person’s presence. When it comes to these podcasts, our audience, our communities come to expect this from me. I don’t do introductions anymore. To mean me they seem canned. They’re always like, “Here are the great things this person did.” I’ve been introduced and it’s been a joy to be introduced all over the world, to speak, train and share things. When I get on the stage, I’ve always started by saying, “It’s so great to hear all those wonderful things about myself. If you ask me who I am, I will say, first and foremost I’m a daddy, I’m a husband,” and then I’ll talk about my wife. The most important things always bubble to the surface, and those things are not about the fact that I practice law or ran a company or any of it, even though those are important things because they are credibility for sure to know that the person in front of you has some experience in what it is they’re talking about. For sure, the most important things are life experiences and how it is that we navigate life in a way that is productive for ourselves and for the people that we get to serve. You are an elegant expression of that not just physically because you’re absolutely beautiful, but more than how you physically appear and show up. I feel like there’s an ease and a grace and a joy about your presence. That’s a product of life experience and also of God too. Sandra, thank you so much for being with us. Thank you, Adam. That might be my favorite introduction ever, the non-introduction. I’m so touched by hearing you say that you feel joy and feel more presence in my presence and likewise. I feel connected to everything bigger than us when I’m in your presence. You’re certainly tapped into the spirit world. It opens my heart. Thank you so much for having me. I’m excited for our conversation. Would you bring our folks up to speed on some of your life experiences? You could touch on something personal if you want and also something professional. You have had some incredible “accomplishments” that are amazing by anybody’s definition of amazing. Would you catch us up to speed on some of those things? Practicing Presence: It’s that quality of authenticity and the ability to be real that moves an audience. I grew up in Michigan and Detroit. I’m a Midwestern girl through and through. I had high hopes of singing and acting. That was my great love from the time I was very young, but a very insecure, shy kid, full of fear and self-doubt and anxiety. Eventually, I went on to move to New York. After years of rejection and failure, I landed a role in a Broadway show that changed my life. I played Christine, the female lead in The Phantom of The Opera on Broadway for ten years and well over a thousand performances. I am in the odd, unique position of being the longest running female lead in Broadway’s longest running show. I did that for the majority of my splashy, professional, visible career. Now, I’m in the midst of a second career which is a pivot story. Having three daughters and a son, our three daughters all took ballet lessons. They were in dance classes. They were even in pageants, which my wife and I were shocked that we were even involved in that. Our daughter, Lindsay, convinced us, and we’re having a bit of a joke with our youngest about this because Lindsay had this knack for when she wanted something, she’s very tenacious, like clever. She wasn’t trying to force things with us but she would write us letters where she would create a list of pros and cons. She has a creative approach to getting us to see things the way she was seeing them and what she wanted. One of those first things was to apply to a performing arts high school. “Why do you want to do that?” We as the parents, thinking, “She’ll get herself thinking that she’ll have a career in that space,” how tough that is, but we were open. It wasn’t our first choice but then she convinced us in this beautiful way. Sure enough, she got into this incredible local performing arts high school. It’s the same thing with the pageant. She convinced us, and then all the other two girls decided they wanted to do it too. They won their state finals and we used to go to the nationals. It was really cool. I remember that it was so competitive. In this pageant, they couldn’t wear makeup. It was all beautiful things about their ability to perform a talent and to speak well and all these great things that will help them in their life. It was competitive, very much so that I thought to myself, “What is it like for young men and women who are competing, in essence, for roles in plays on Broadway or off Broadway or they want to be in them or if you want to have a successful music career or any of these performing arts?” I hear stories but I had no experience of it. Then I got to meet you and I heard about your pivot story. We all have so many of them. Your story is profound. There may be people who have that dream or holding that dream or have in the past that your story would be incredible for them to hear. Would you share that pivot story with us? I’m touched that you mentioned Lindsay and her fierce knowledge of what she wanted to do, and the ability to communicate that. For all of us, we have that young person inside of us to this day, that voice that was so present. When we were kids before, there weren’t any voices telling us, “That’s ridiculous,” or, “You can’t do that.” That desire to express something that’s inside of us, I had that desire too, as a young person but I lacked the confidence, and that was an ongoing challenge for me moving into that competitive world. I was blessed to have parents who supported me and it’s incredibly important to find someone who supports you in whatever it is you’re looking to create or to express. My dad encouraged me despite knowing what the odds were of making it in New York. He encouraged me to go and give myself a time limit. I went to New York with a five-year plan that I would audition for everything. If nothing happened, I would move back to Michigan and figure out what the heck to do. It’s easy to lose sight of how far we’ve come when we’re always focused on getting to the next rung on the ladder. At four and a half years into this five-year plan, I was living on a friend’s sofa. I was basically homeless. I had maxed out all of my credit cards. It was looking like it was time to call it quits, that it was not going to happen. I was working every temp job, survival job. I couldn’t get hired as a waitress, the typical out-of-work actor job. There are so many out-of-work actors in New York that the competition is intense for those jobs. I didn’t have the experience so I was rejected from survival jobs and rejected from auditions over and over. I was studying and training and coaching. That’s where the majority of my money went. I have always been a huge believer in coaching. I’m not a coach so that’s not a sales pitch in any way. I do believe so wholeheartedly, you need the support of teachers and mentors and people who can up-level your skill set and just be there to say, “You’ve got this,” and to boost your confidence. Those are the moments when we’re looking at all of our efforts and feeling like it’s over. “It’s not going to happen for me. It’s time to face the reality.” You never know what is right around the corner or what the next day or the next moment, the next phone call might be. I always encourage people to remember that. In theater, we’re so used to rejection. We go to audition after audition. It can take 50 or 100 nos before you get one yes. That one yes can be the pivot, can change everything for you. I’m grateful I stuck it out, and I’m incredibly fortunate that at that four-and-a-half-year mark, my agent got me an opportunity to audition for Phantom. Even that did not happen overnight. I blew the first audition. My old fears and nerves got in the way and I ended up not expressing myself the way I wanted to. I had a second audition and I blew it again. I didn’t get the leading role because I went the opposite way and ended up being over the top and pushing and trying too hard. We can all do this. We can get in our own way. Even when you know better, you can screw up sometimes by either your fear comes in or self-doubt at the last moment, and you don’t show up the way you want to. You had an audition and went out on stage. This was the thing you’ve been waiting four and a half years for, to audition for this Broadway play. It didn’t work out and you are disappointed, but then you’ve got a second shot in front of the same group of people. This time, second time out, you overcompensate or whatever you want to call it, the pendulum swung in the other direction. You’re in your head about it and it doesn’t work out. That’s incredibly devastating. I can only imagine the self-talk because you said already that your confidence was a little frayed anyway. Now, here it is. You’ve got to two auditions that didn’t work out. I can’t imagine how you beat yourself up at that point. It was devastating and I was so ashamed of myself, embarrassed, disappointed, heartbroken. The worst part of it was I knew better. I knew that the most important thing in any audition or performance or connection with a person is your presence. It’s that quality of authenticity and the ability to be real. That’s what moves an audience, when you see something real up there. We know that those are actors playing roles, but there has to be a ring of truth so that you feel it in your heart. You connect with them because of the believability. That’s acting 101. That’s the most important thing and somehow that went right out the window. When I was thinking about, “I’ve got to get the part, I have to prove myself, I have to be perfect,” trying to dot every i, it just made me trip over my own two feet. I was angry at myself and depressed for a while. Most of us have been there. For all the effort, even the intention, we just trip over ourselves. You’re in that state. We can all feel that energy. What do you do from there? I had some time to process the loss of this dream. I had to come to terms with the fact. After the first audition, I did get a part in the show. I got cast in the chorus, the ensemble, but not the leading role and not on Broadway. I was in the ensemble on the national tour, several rungs down the ladder from where my big goal was. I was in the show when I had the second audition that I blew again. As I was processing it and realizing, “This is over. It’s never going to happen for me,” I had to let go of it. I recognized I have to find a way to be okay with the fact that it didn’t go the way I hoped. I screwed up. How can I move on from this and live with it? I’ve been on the spiritual journey and self-improvement journey. I knew enough to know that gratitude was important. I started getting serious about my practice of gratitude and writing down in my journal all the things that were going well in my life, all the things I had to be thankful for so I could shift out of this depression. Here I was still in the show. I’m a working actor now, at least there’s that. I needed to embrace where I was.. I didn’t enjoy going to the theater anymore. I was depressed about being in the ensemble when a year prior to that, I would have been thrilled to be in the ensemble. It’s easy to lose sight of how far we’ve come when we’re always focused on getting to the next rung on the ladder. The smallest things can bring us back to the present. I hope everybody takes a moment to breathe. Take a deep breath. That’s something that’s prevalent. It’s something many of us do, if not all of us do. It’s certainly something that’s a part of a culture, at least in North America. People are addicted on some level to the chase after things. It definitely creates suffering and it’s a part of a struggle. We can get addicted to that struggle and to that suffering. In some regard, a part of it was thinking that if I get there, whatever there is, then it proves in some way that I’m worthy. The fact of it is, now on the other side of it, I can say for sure getting there is no different than here, because wherever you go, there you are, as Jon Kabat-Zinn has taught us. It’s the same that’s at the top of the ladder or in the middle or at the bottom. Up there doesn’t mean anything in some way. Achievement is wonderful and I have a great story to share because I was able to get to that summit. What I learned from it ultimately is the journey upward is nothing compared to the journey inward. That’s where we find all the things we’re seeking. That’s where we recognize our inherent worth that has nothing to do with the climb. I’m all for pushing yourself and achieving your goals and all of those things, but never hanging our self-worth on that. I was certainly guilty of doing that. I believed that the confidence and self-worth I always was seeking would be waiting for me in the star dressing room on Broadway and some would regard that it was at the end of the road of achievement. There’s no pot of gold there. There might be some other external accolades and financial gain and all of those things and that’s great, but the ultimate work for most of us is an inside job that has nothing to do with the externals. It’s not waiting on an envelope that they hand up to a celebrity on stage to announce the winner of the Tony Award or the Oscar or anything else that you’d put at the top of the list of things that you could be achieving or known for. It’s not in the corner office. It’s not with the letters after your name, the PhD, whatever it may be. Or the balance in your account. I was thinking about how many of us have spent time equating our self-worth with our net worth, confusing those things. Addicted to the chase, “It’s never enough.” We can race through life that way and never see where we are, which is how we got to this point in the conversation, to stop for a moment and look back at your life. How often do we do that and say, “Look at how blessed I am. Look how fortunate I’ve been to be breathing and to have made it through what I’ve made it through?” We’re all faced with incredible challenges and suffering throughout our lives. To still be present and connected to your heart and able to look up and see the sky, the smallest things can bring us back to the present where we step out of the chase and we get off the treadmill. That’s where, in many ways, the richest parts of life are found in those moments. I might have freaked out an audience. I went from Hawaii where we were with our son, Max, for his rugby tournament. Randi and I were there, and then she went home to San Diego with Max and I went to San Francisco for a speaking engagement, a sales conference. The first five minutes that I was on, and I was only given 45 minutes, I started the group off breathing, just breathe together. It was out of place at the moment. I still marvel at how quickly, even in a context that is not about personal growth or development or presence practice, even in a business group like that, how quickly people will drop in to what is real simply by what you expressed, which is to breathe. I have this mantra that I’ve adopted through a reading of a book called The Presence Process by Michael Brown. I recommend it. It’s a spectacular book. The mantra is, “I am here now in this.” It coordinates with breathing. It’s breathing in “I,” breathing out “am,” and breathing in “here,” breathing out “now,” breathing in “in,” and breathing out “this.” Fully embody this moment, embrace this moment. Share of those intimate moments where we’re most vulnerable and most insecure, where a pivot is, what’s there, right there is an inflection point where our life gets the opportunity to change, to evolve, to embrace that in the midst of those other things that are also coursing through us, along with the cortisol, the fear, the doubt, the self-loathing, the shame, all of it that is sometimes present at inflection moments. It’s so powerful and it’s living. It’s rich soil in those moments. That’s all there is. We’re in a culture that’s addicted to doing and busyness and chasing, getting to the next moment. If we’re not mindful, if we miss these moments, then we miss life. We miss out on our own life. What’s the point of any of the rest of it if we’re not inhabiting our life? Could it be anything more counterintuitive and ironic on some level than wasting through life? Whether you like it or not, we take ourselves with us wherever we go. Where are we all wasting to? There’s nowhere to go ultimately. It sounds contradictory but it’s the paradox of, “Yes, we all want to.” I encourage all of us to keep blossoming and achieving and going for your goals and all of those wonderful things, and at the same time recognizing there’s ultimately only here. There’s nowhere that’s there. There’s only ever here. Wherever you go, there you are. Jon Kabat-Zinn’s wonderful title of his book is Wherever You Go, There You Are. You spoke about something that you called the practice. That’s a perfect opportunity because in the work that we love doing these days, we’re so committed to this Pivot practice and the idea that we’re all pivoting, we’re all changing, evolving, growing, innovating or we die. We’re either growing over time or iterating the next version of ourselves, the V 2.1, 2.2, 2.3. If we’re not doing that then we stagnate and stagnation is death. We’re called to express that in many ways as we can find that will resonate with people. Sometimes we need to hear things again and again and again, and sometimes hear it in very different ways before we go, “I get it now. I get what Sandra’s talking about.” While you were processing your disappointment with gratitude practice, embracing where you were, that seemed liked your practice, and I would say even your ritual, at the time to move yourself past the point of self-loathing or pity or feeling sorry about the squandered opportunity or any of that. I would love for you to share about that practice or practices that you even use today. Then we’re going to fill in the punch line how it was that you went from that place to the point where you got to show up again and show up a bit differently than you had before, and the pivot entered its next phase. I’m so glad you asked about the practices because that practice of gratitude, journaling, that I have been doing for a long time especially helped me through that disappointment and self-criticism and heartbreak. I am super passionate about a continual gratitude practice. It’s crucial for me because I am someone who, by nature, leans into despair. I’m an empath. I’m very sensitive. I see the suffering in the world. I can be swept under by the suffering and sadness and tragedies of life. I’m one of those people who have to be very careful about the news I take in and protect my sensitivity. Gratitude practice is incredibly helpful to me for that. I do it morning and night. I need it. I start the morning with a particular journal that I use. It’s a positive-focused journal and it’s a whole journal full of the same five pages, five questions. The one I use is written by a woman named Sandra Selby. It’s five questions that set the tone for your day. That’s what I start with first thing in the morning, writing down what I’m grateful for. There’s a question about celebrating your successes and the successes of others, which I love having a moment to focus on the people you love. If I’m thinking about our conversation, I might write down “Adam’s PIVOT Podcast” and what you’re doing in the world and celebrating that success. That fills my heart with something positive that’s happening in the world in someone’s life. We talked a lot about schadenfreude, feeling good about someone’s misfortune, but there’s also a word for taking joy in another person’s joy. I start my day with that and the last thing I do before I go to bed is write down however many things come to mind that I’m grateful for about that day. The gratitude practice is huge for me. I also love the HeartMath Institution’s meditation. It’s a bio-feedback thing about getting your heart into coherence. There’s an app called Inner Balance. I meditate with little ear clip that monitors my heart rate. I sit outside, whenever possible, and look up at the sky and look at the trees and get my heart in a coherent state. The opportunity to connect with our hearts and the opportunity to feel gratitude are real life-giving practices. Life has a lot of negative charge, a lot of suffering, difficulty and challenges that we’re all experiencing throughout our lives. These practices can tune us into the frequency of the heart and what is beautiful, good, wholesome and exciting about life. These practices for me are sustaining and absolutely essential. You mentioned something too which was letting go. I was thinking how we can be attached to something. It is that paradox that you spoke about where it’s the ‘wanting something’, the desire, the dream that’s in your heart for a reason. My language doesn’t have to be yours or anyone else’s. My language is that God put that dream in our hearts. I’m not saying it in a religious context, but it’s in a way that is so purpose-driven. I know that we were born, every one of us, for a really important purpose. It’s no accident. It’s not random. Nobody is an accident. It’s not anything other than what’s divinely ordained. To have that in your heart, we don’t want to reject or deny our dream or our desire or our goals. We want to have them, and yet the paradox is not holding on so tightly to what we think that makes it so worth thinking. It’s supposed to be a red Cadillac or a red Rolls-Royce or whatever. We think that’s the form it should take. That’s the dream, like it should be, “I’m a Broadway actress,” or it should be whatever you fill in the blank for yourself, look that way. It’s impossible for us to know the true divine purpose other than what we want. This is what we’re called to do. We’re called to serve in this way. The opportunity to connect with our hearts and the opportunity to feel gratitude are life-giving practices. You were serving in the choir. You were singing. Your voice was being heard. It wasn’t going to waste. You weren’t waiting tables or driving a cab or doing some other thing where you have to figure out, “Maybe I can sing in the diner. Maybe I can sing to people while I’m driving them around town.” This was not that far a field. You were in a show and you were in fact singing and your voice was being heard. You somehow, also in your own practice, had let go of the attachment to it having to look a certain way or be a certain way. Something may have shifted in that short time frame, where you were able to serve and not be so disappointed that it didn’t look the way you wanted or thought that it ought to look. Take us back to that time where these practices were supporting you. You were grateful and you were present and you’re processing consciously what was going on in your experience, and you’re even letting go on some level which is never easy, no matter what the Sedona Method says. Yes, it’s easy and yes, it’s hard. I was heartbroken and disappointed and all those things, but the gratitude leads you eventually through the door of surrender. That’s where your gratitude brings you to I find. I did feel a sense of, “If this is as far as I ever get, if I never played the leading role, if I never accomplish another goal, if I never lose another pound or gain another award or accolade or whatever it is, can I be okay with exactly who I am right now and what I have right now?” I got to a yes with that, and that’s an ongoing practice to this day. If nothing were to change, we can practice this moment by moment, whatever is up for us right now, “Can I lovingly accept whatever it is right now?” It’s not easy for sure, it’s a process, but when we can drop into that place of surrender and letting go of our attachment to what we think life should be or who we should be, then there’s a release, there’s a surrender, there’s a quality of openness that I find puts us in that flow where our energy is different. We show up differently. Life looks different when we’re in that space. The surrender, but not surrender in resignation. Still setting intention and praying and hoping and all of it and doing the work, but also having a sense of trust and faith that, “However this goes, I will be okay. It will be okay, and may this play out in the highest good for all concerned.” If that means the role goes to somebody else and that’s their karma and that’s their destiny, and it’s my journey to go in a different direction, I will accept that. I know that I will be okay. That is huge and it allowed me to walk in and bring an open heart and be much more present and much more authentic because I wasn’t trying to prove something. In Tibetan there’s a word wang tang that means authentic presence. It also translates to field of power. The Tibetan teacher, Chögyam Trungpa, said, “The cause or the virtue that brings about authentic presence is emptying out and letting go.” You have to be without clinging. That was a huge part of what made me ultimately give the best audition of the three. I wasn’t walking in the same clinging, trying to prove myself, trying to make a certain outcome happen. It allowed me to be in a space of more ease in that final performance. That’s how I ultimately got the part, after all that gratitude and surrender. I always try to make it clear I’m not suggesting that all we need to do is let go and surrender and be grateful, and then we’re going to get what we want. It’s not a magic formula for making a particular outcome happen. It doesn’t work that way. It is a magic formula for getting what we ultimately long for, which is a sense of grace and ease and presence. Authentic presence, you being emptied of your attachment and every clinginess or your worthiness issues or any of the stuff that we bring, all of our broken parts to the table, to be emptied of that, to let go of it, to release it even for a moment. We are truly ourselves in that moment and that is ours to keep. Practicing Presence: Gratitude leads you eventually through the door of surrender. That is ultimately far more important than whether or not we get what we want. We are ours to keep; inhabiting that space of truthfulness, aliveness, oneness, presence. That is ultimately the whole gig. I’m so grateful truly that I got the part in the end and that I have this story to tell. We might not be sitting here, I might not have the opportunity to share in this way if I didn’t get that prize at the end. Truly, the much bigger prize is that whether or not I had gotten the stupid part, I tasted a moment of authentic presence, and that’s the real goal. That’s what we want. That’s why we do all the things we do. It’s to inhabit our aliveness, not to get the pot of gold at the end of the journey. What we want is to be completely who we are and to be completely present. That’s when we are in the flow of life, when we know what it means to be alive and to be who we’re here to be 100%. When we taste those moments, that’s the whole gig. What’s incredible about that is we are seen and heard in those moments. You got to that place that could easily be a state of presence when we’re in our backyard or in any conceivable place. You happen to be standing on a stage in The Majestic, this classic theater that’s probably built in the ‘20s or something, an amazing theater. You’re on a stage in front of these other folks, you were in there two times already, and then you show up as you. You show up with your authentic presence and you’re seen in that moment. What’s incredible, a plusing of that moment for yourself, is the fact that others were witness, and that’s why they hired you. There is an opportunity to still stoke the coals of that dream when it’s this harmony between the being okay no matter what and the idea that you still put yourself out there to be seen. When we are allowing ourselves to be seen in that way, then people connect with us. There’s a resonance. Every single person has a gift that brings them alive in their own authentic presence. When we are able to drop the mask and let ourselves be seen in that vulnerable, open, truly who we are plays. It’s like the veil is removed. We see the essence that’s there. We feel the heart. We feel that we drop into that place where everything touches everything else. This is the bigger message of The Phantom of the Opera. It’s the most successful show of all time. It’s the most lucrative entertainment enterprise ever. There’s got to be a reason that that story resonates with people all over the world. For me, what it is is there is something to that mask. It’s not a subtle metaphor. We all know what it is to feel that we need to cover up some part of ourselves. What we crave is to drop the mask with each other and to see that, “I am you and you are me and there’s no separation here.” Thomas Merton, the beautiful poet, said, “If we could see what’s true,” and I’m paraphrasing that part but he said, “I suppose the big problem would be we would fall down and worship each other.” That’s what resonates onstage in a performance, that authentic presence, in a conversation as I’m feeling with you. When we enter that space where everything touches everything else, then we’re getting closer to life and to what it is to be here. Thank you. What a beautiful opportunity to breathe. I’m glad we created time to breathe. Have an incredible blessed now. I am so very grateful for this podcast. I listened to it while I was snuggled in my bed (I had to resist the temptation to get up and start doing). For as long as I can remember anxiety has been a constant companion on my journey. And I have consciously decided to be present more often. A few days ago I got an aha moment when I heard the phrase “I am enough”. Your podcast made me realize the next layer in this process – fully unmask it so I can worship my self and all those around me…..as an act of loving service. Wooooohooooo! PS: I missed your workshop with my beloved Master Sha because last minute stuff happened that derailed plans to fly down…..but now I got you anyway..ha ha ha. Thanks for the great work you are doing. Question for you though: What time management tools/tips do you use to keep you productive but not frenzied? That is material for a whole workshop maybe….. but a podcast would be great too. Hi Linda – Thank you for listening and thank you for sharing your aha moment. I am grateful for you! With regard to your question, I don’t actually believe in the concept of “time management”. I prefer to be guided by something called “Priority Management” — which means that I create a list of my biggest priorities (the “Big Rocks”) for the day/week/month and handle those items each day before handling anything that might be important but not on the daily list of Big Rocks. I look forward to hearing more about your journey as you explore this next layer, as you say, of your process. Are you a member of our Start My PIVOT Community on Facebook? If not, please join us to share your journey, wisdom and inspirations. Likewise, we have an amazing community with a lot of great support, tips and resources. Looking forward to seeing you out there. Linda, I love what you shared here about unmasking and loving ourselves and each other as an act of service. YES! And I agree – I’d love to hear more about staying productive without becoming frenzied. Adam, we’re listening!

2019-04-26T05:49:53Z

https://www.adammarkel.com/podcasts/practicing-presence-a-top-broadway-actress-on-overcoming-fear-doubt-sandra-joseph/

For any wildlife photographer visiting Lock & Dam No. 14 for the first time in search of the ‘killer Bald Eagle shot’, I thought I would share my views and observations in this blog to help prepare you for your visit and to maybe help manage your expectations. Lock and Dam No. 14 is located near LeClaire on the Upper Mississippi River above Davenport, in Iowa. The lock is on the Iowa side of the river and is 110 feet wide by 600 feet long. Lock and Dam No. 14 woodland preserve provides an important habitat for wintering Bald Eagles, which can be usually seen here in good numbers during the coldest weeks (10-30 raptors active throughout the day). This is a great facility with a solid platform about 6’ above water level built for photography and bird-watching. The platform is a wooden construction about 150 yards long and is on the West bank, directly down river from the lock. It has a good protective metal hand rail. There is a parking lot close by with very basic but welcome public restrooms/toilets. There is also about 100 yards of riverbank and a boat ramp area to one side that are also options, but the snowy terrain can be a bit treacherous so walk carefully. Although the platform/walkway sounds large, it can soon fill up with dozens of photographers and their large tripods, during the prime Bald Eagle weekends (late January through February). The Eagles choose this particular location because during the winter freeze, there is ‘open water’ (not frozen) just down river from the dam and the fish that cascade over the dam are sometimes hurt or stunned, making the catch a little easier. There are also many tall trees along the river bank where the Eagles will watch for fish, roost and take their catch to eat. They stay in this location until the weather warms and they start to display signs of mating rituals on the thermals and then move on to their warmer weather locales. Early morning photography is challenging as the sun will rise from the opposite bank, directly into your face/lens. Even though the Eagles will be active, getting a good image in the morning is not easy. In my experience, the best time for eagle photography from the platform is from 14:00 through 16:30. Eagle fishing activity is usually good at this time too. The other significant factor to consider is wind direction. Eagles take off into the wind (the same as aircraft) and especially with a fish in their talons. It is therefore desirable to have the wind on your back (coming from the West), otherwise you will only get ‘bum shots’. Some patience is needed, as there is not constant action at Lock & Dam No. 14, but it is steady with occasional periods of explosive competitions for a fish between multiple raptors. Many photographers leave for a lunch break, but be warned, my best sequence was taken at 12:30 when I was alone on the platform, so be mindful what you may miss, just for the sake of that hotdog ! I bring my thermos and pack my lunch and snacks, so I cannot really advise on nearby food options, but I believe I heard some discussion about limited food vendors in the car park area. I didn’t see these, so it may just be during certain days/time periods? It is likely that you will see Eagle fishing activity both close to the bank and 150 yards out. I would recommend having a long lens set up on a tripod and a 200-300mm easily accessible for the explosive close up action. There are likely to be several eagles flying back across the platform/parking lot to the trees with a fish tucked up under their tail feathers, so also watch out for those opportunities (image below). I managed to capture several roosting images of the eagles in the tall trees while standing in the parking lot area. During January & February in LeClaire on the river’s edge, it will be VERY COLD. Ensure that you dress for the extreme cold with excellent footwear and multiple layers of clothing. A balaclava or ski mask with a beanie on top is strongly recommended as the wind is brutal. There is no shelter and that wind can be a constant challenge. I was dressed for deep winter, but I still had some face chapping and felt the cold. Using hand and foot warmers allowed me to last the full day. Although there are two hotels close to Lock and Dam No. 14, they had poor reviews. I chose to stay at a Marriott Courtyard in Davenport just a few miles away. I was pleased with the usual amenities with a good bed, very friendly staff, the bistro restaurant, and a hot bath to warm up after the long cold days. Overall, the Eagle photographic opportunities here are the best I have found for the winter fishing shots - anywhere. I rate it better than Scotland and Finland where I have also spent time photographing Eagles. I will definitely be making future visits again to Lock and Dam No. 14 when the Eagles return in the winter of 2020. * Get flask ready for 5:30am prep ! I’m not bad at early starts, but I still like to have everything prepared the night before so I only have to eat breakfast and make a hot drink for my flask and walk out the door. With a sunrise of 08:00am I wanted to be on-site at 07:30am, so leaving home at 6:00am for the 80 mile drive. The car temperature gauge was showing 20oF when I left home and the windchill was several degrees lower. At least the roads were empty and the drive was trouble free. About 5 miles from the lake, I switched my truck to 4WD as there were a couple of inches of snow all around the area. After parking and loading up with my gear I popped a spare battery into my inside pocket to keep it warm for later in the day. I walked the 800 yards to the lake. A stealthy approach was impossible with fresh snow on top of the frozen footpath puddles. Just as I approached the lake, lots of birds took flight. About 50 Canada Geese, 2 Blue Heron and 5 Bald Eagles were airborne and I cussed the cracking ice under foot. I settled down and tucked myself tight up against a large tree on the bank side. I usually wear camouflage winter clothing and today was no exception. In my opinion, bright clothing that doesn’t blend into the environment is a big ‘no no’ for this type of photography. Amazingly with temperatures below 25oF for many days, and a wind chill in the low teens, this particular lake was not frozen. All the other lakes and lagoons in this area had an inch or two of ice on the surface. Within 20 minutes the Bald Eagles were spotted in the distance through my 10x42 binoculars. There was a frozen river South of this lake and the Eagles were sitting on the icy surface, about 500 yards away from me. Soon the Eagles were flying over the lake in front of me, about 200 yards away. The light was still poor and a few ISO.6400 test images confirmed a grainy unusable set of images. Shortly after sunrise, a small break in the low clouds over Lake Erie coincided with a Juvenile Bald Eagle circa 100 yards in front me. Although the overall light level was still relatively low, it provided the best opportunity of the day ! Between 8:30am and 10:00am I was joined at this popular location by 7 more photographers who were all looking for those same flight images that I was after. I knew some of this crowd and was kindly introduced to the rest. Without exception, a really nice group of people. Now, I’m not trying to be critical in anyway, but this large gathering happened to coincide with the Eagles moving further away. An occasional juvenile came to within 200 yards, but my conclusion was that a large group having some lively banter was not conducive to high quality Eagle photography. Around lunchtime I was alone again as my friends went to get some lunch and to warm up. It was bitterly cold looking directly into a 12-15mph wind all morning. As pulled myself up close to the tree again, the Eagle confidence returned quite quickly. These magnificent raptors started circling the lake a little closer than in the previous 3 hours. Another okay image from the day was a feather perfect mature Bald Eagle ! The image is still somewhat soft, but a ‘keeper’. There were not many blue sky backgrounds, but this was one of those. Some of the guys from earlier returned (after lunch) and some new friends too. The result was similar, with the Eagles taking a more cautious approach to their search for a fish or duck dinner. Around 3:45pm I was alone again, but this time the only Eagles in sight were high up, returning from their hunting grounds to roost near the mighty Monroe Power Plant. I decided to try the shores of Lake Erie for the last hour of usable daylight, so hiked over to the beach. Unfortunately it was a similar situation with Eagles at high altitude returning to roost near the Plant. With a couple of hundred Bald Eagle images on my media cards, I headed back to the parking lot and then the long drive home, to thaw out from my January chill at the lake. The stunning Tahquamenon Upper Falls, located in Michigan’s Upper Peninsular. It looks like a CocaCola waterfall, but I am assured that it is from tannins leached from the cedar swamps which feeds the river. It was well worth the wait ! After spending the last decade trying to improve my wildlife photography skills to the highest possible quality level, my Osprey fishing images made a national newspaper. A 2-page centre spread no less. The Daily Star "Poster Power". An Osprey lifts off from a loch near Aviemore in the Highlands after diving into the water (inset) to grab a trout. I am so happy that a very wide audience will have seen one of my best images across the centre pages of their newspaper on May 1st 2018. Every wildlife photographer I know talks about light. Some do not like the harsh bright sunlight and actually prefer cloud cover, some are fortunate enough to live in Florida, where light levels are incredibly high. Myself, I live in the UK, where it rains almost every day, with grey skies and very low light levels are normal. Thank goodness I am moving to the U.S. next year :-). I am learning, after more than a decade of wildlife photography, to give up with weather forecasts as they are wrong 9 times out of 10 on this tiny Island in the North Sea. I am also learning [very slowly], that you do not need clear skies all day. It only takes just a brief break in the clouds, while the wildlife is active. A good example is my most recent Kingfisher shoot, where I managed to capture my best Kingfisher image, and hence the reason for this blog. My main photographic passion for the last 7-8 years has been Kingfishers. It started with me being thrilled just to see one of these incredible birds, but I moved on to perched images and then a ‘Kingfisher with a fish’. Next I wanted to try and capture a Kingfisher hovering just before the dive [with a little wing tip blur]. Of course, we always try to improve and after this I wanted to 'capture the moment' when the Kingfisher explodes from the water with a fish with splashes and water droplets everywhere. To freeze a Kingfisher in its ascent from the water, back to its favourite perch, you need at least 1/2500 second shutter speed, faster is better. Depending on the quality of your camera body, an ISO of less than 4000 is highly desirable [very sensitive topic for some]. The level of background ‘noise’ is always debated, but I feel that high ISO noise in the background is poor. Aperture [depth of field] should in my opinion be between 6 and 8, to get the Kingfisher eye and bill in sharp focus, along with the fish. So what does all this mean ? Well you need a high level of ambient light, especially when you consider most of this photography is taking place in a dark tree lined stream, pond or river. I have learned to use periods of cloud cover and low light levels to practice my technique and to study the habits of the Kingfisher. I watch how it seems to stand tall and hold its breath moments before diving. By using this 'poor light time' wisely, I have developed some patience to wait for a break in the clouds that will allow the camera settings discussed above, to be realised. During my most recent shoot, I had more than six hours of cloud cover, forcing my ISO setting up above 8000. Then, when there was a short break in the clouds, I was able to adjust to the ideal camera settings of 1/3200 sec, ISO 1250 and aperture of 7.1. The result is my best Kingfisher image, shown below in 72dpi low resolution [due to continued theft of my online images]. Note everything is © copyright protected for the same reason. You will need to take my word for it, but it looks awesome in a 3' 300dpi print. 2. Fish facing the correct way or at least looking like a fish in the case above ! It has taken me between 7 and 8 years to get this image that I dreamed of, now what is next ? After tracking down and finding a local brook where Kingfishers frequent, I thought I was set up for many months or even years of great images. How wrong could I have been ? And then they were gone ! What happened ? Could they have succumbed to a predator ? Both the male and female ? Possibly while in their nest [tunnel] ? I was quite aware that the pair of Kingfishers should have been building their nest and maybe even sitting on eggs around this time... But if this were the case, the male should be fishing for two. For several weeks, there was no sign and more worryingly, not even the sound of Kingfishers along the brook where they had [not so long ago] been fishing most days. Everyone who has tried to track down and photograph Kingfishers in the wild will know it is far from easy. In my opinion, Kingfishers are one of the most alert and nervous birds in the UK. Had I scared them off ? This is quite possible as I tried to get closer and find that perfect perch with a great featureless background ! I decided I had to try and think like a Kingfisher !! To the best of my knowledge, Brown Rats, Mink and maybe Sparrow Hawks are the most likely predators in Oxfordshire. If I were a Kingfisher, how would I avoid being caught by one of these threats ? Then it dawned on me... The area that I had previously been successful had the banks cleared a couple of months ago, but now the grass, trees and nettles were flourishing in the spring conditions and were overgrown, creating perfect hiding places for predators to wait and strike. So I went about cutting back the over-grown bank side vegetation in the small area for which I have access. Within 24 hours the Kingfishers were back fishing as they were before the period of silence. Both male and female choosing their favourite perches as if they had never been away. While I am thrilled to see they are both alive and doing well, I am concerned to see the female fishing. I read on social media that plenty of Kingfishers around the UK are sitting on their eggs right now. I hope this pair are just a little late and that I start to see that tell-tail sign of a fish being taken away from the brook with its head furthest from the male Kingfisher, ready to pass to it's mate. The male Kingfisher in the image above returned after clearing an area of the overgrown bank-side vegetation. Fingers crossed these wonderful birds do raise a couple of healthy chicks this spring. It may just be that I had a lucky day, but I'd like to think that my field craft is slowly improving as I learn what to look for and where our wildlife hunts for food. Combine this with a greater situational awareness and - well, I struck lucky this week in finding a busy Little Owl. I already had my 500mm lens fitted on the 1D-X and mounted on my Wimberley & Tripod, so I managed to shoot a few images before the Little Owl disappeared. A few minutes later it popped up several feet away on a clear branch, where I managed to get another few images. I then chanced my luck and quickly popped on a 2x convertor and increased the ISO to try and fill the frame a little more. I was really surprised when the Little Owl remained in place and allowed me to take another half a dozen images, before it dropped down into the long grass below. Along with many other Midlands based wildlife photographers, I am struggling to find the rather elusive Short Eared Owls (SEO) this winter. The usual hot spots have had a few showings and indeed, I have seen the SEO at distance and at dusk on a few occasions. The weather forecast was looking good, so I decided rather than a late afternoon session as usual, to try the other end of the day - sunrise. My drive to the unkept field where I hoped to find the Owls hunting at first light takes me just under and hour, so setting off at 06:15am to be in place and set-up by 07:15am. Expectation during the drive was high as the sky was almost cloud free and the temperature was just about 1oC. PERFECT. No sooner had I clipped the 1Dx and 500mm lens into my Wimberley, I saw the flight of an Owl in the distance. Damn ! The light was still poor. ISO 1000, speed set at 1/1000/sec, a quick check of a test image was looking dark on the back of my camera body. It will be okay. A couple more quick test images, zoom in and see what was flying - a Barn Owl - Wow ! The Barn Owl was flying and diving into the long grass, over and over. I counted 7 unsuccessful dives, but all of this taking place over 100 yards from my position. The Barn Owl stayed low and sometimes dived within one or two seconds of the previous dive. Lots of voles I have to assume. A wild Barn Owl hunting before sunrise on a cold winter morning. The Barn Owl had flown back and forth along the far edge of this field twice now. I glanced over my shoulder to see that in another minute or two the sun would appear over the horizon and the available light should improve dramatically. It was starting to look good. I just needed the Owl to fly a little closer. Even at 75 yards, I would achieve a good image using the 500mm lens. And then it disappeared off into the small copse behind the field. The sun finally rose but just too late. I waited another two hours, enjoying a healthy and happy conversation with a local farmer who was walking his gorgeous Boarder Collie. No more Barn Owls and also no sign at all of the Short Eared Owls either. As in previous blogs, the images I captured this morning are not worthy of a place in this website gallery, so will only appear here in this blog.

2019-04-25T17:54:40Z

https://www.wildlife-gallery.com/blog

Mr. Hubbard is the Head of Patents for MilliporeSigma. MilliporeSigma, the U.S. life science business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, has over 19,000 employees and 72 manufacturing sites worldwide, with a portfolio of more than 300,000 products enabling scientific discovery. MilliporeSigma comprises the legacy EMD Millipore and Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany Life Science organizations andSigma-Aldrich Corporation following its acquisition in 2015. Through collaboration with the global, scientific community, MilliporeSigma serves as a strategic partner to customers with the goal of accelerating access to health, worldwide. MilliporeSigma has operations in 67 countries and combined 2016 revenues of ~€6 billion. Prior to joining MilliporeSigma, Mr Hubbard was a Senior Managing Patent Counsel at W.R. Grace & Co.; the Deputy Senior Technical Advisor tothe US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit; and an Associate at the law firm of Brenner & Wray. Mr. Hubbard holds a B.S. in Biology from the University of Massachusetts/Amherst and a J.D. from George Washington University. Catherine Toppin is Senior Patent Counsel & Manager at General Electric. Catherine has held several roles within GE’s IP group, most recently as a global team of patent attorneys and agents that provide IP support for multiple GE business units. Her practice currently consists of IP strategy and counseling, portfolio development and commercial transaction drafting and negotiation. Before joining GE, Ms. Toppin was an associate in the IP Group of a general practice firm in Boston, MA. She also worked as a Patent Examiner with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. She earned her B.S. degree in Electrical Engineering from Princeton University and her J.D. from the University of Maryland, Baltimore Francis King Carey School of Law. Outside of work, Catherine speaks to underrepresented students and young professionals on the job and in her community. She is an active Princeton alumna, and currently serves on the board of the Association of Black Princeton Alumni, and the Leadership Advisory Council of the Princeton University School of Engineering and Applied Sciences. She also serves on the boards of the Urban League of Southern CT, and Project S.T.E.P., a program that provides music education to underrepresented students in Boston. Her accolades include the Award for Service to Princeton, the Urban League Woman of Power Award, The Network Journal’s 2017 40 Under Forty Achievers, and most recently, the National Bar Association’s 2017 Diversity in Tech Award. In her spare time, Catherine enjoys salsa dancing and playing violin as principal second violinist in the New Westchester Symphony Orchestra. Joseph is the manager of patent engineers spanning all technologies associated with IBM's vast patent portfolio. He has been a patent engineering professional for the past 10 years supporting the licensing and divestiture of intellectual property where he developed evidence of use, analyzed patent portfolios, valued patents, and developed risk profiles and analysis. Joseph is a registered patent attorney and a member of the Florida bar. Joseph held a variety of positions in IBM including software development and semiconductor development. Joseph holds masters degrees in both computer engineering and software engineering. Christopher is IP Counsel at Waters Corporation, where he heads up portfolio management, prosecution, licensing and strategic alignment of the portfolio to the business. Christopher previously worked at Nutter Clennen and Fish as an Associate and technical specialist. VP Group Intellectual Property with global responsibility and a breadth of experience in several cross functional management positions including Intellectual Property management, New Business Development, Business Process Integration and Improvement, Strategic Portfolio Management, Technology and Product Development, and IT systems implementation in a global organization with 41 locations in 18 countries serving filtration, food packaging, medical, diagnostics, glass fiber reinforcements, decor, technical paper and release liner markets. Responsibilities include IP matter management including patent, trade secret and trade mark management, collaboration agreements, conflict management, training and global implementation of IP policy. Saket Sankhla is a Senior Business Unit Patent Officer for IT business at Schneider Electric. He leads Schneider Electric’s global IT IP function. His key responsibilities include: portfolio development and strategic IP development, determine new technologies for Schneider Electric, manage IP budget, and negotiating tech transfers with strategic partners within the company and beyond. Saket enjoys presenting IP training to the upper management. Mr. Sankhla travels globally to assist the R&D hubs. Mr. Sankhla has held numerous global leadership roles in law, business, and technology. Prior to his current position, he has worked with reputed law firms, and corporations such as SAP and Motorola. Before venturing in IP, Saket worked in software programming and electronics. He believes this gives him an added advantage to understand the engineers (lack of engineer’s interest in IP) and project life cycle. Saket’s passion to share knowledge brings him to present in many IP Summits. He routinely speaks and counsels globally on successfully executing global IP strategies for competitive advantage, effecting exceptional returns on IP investment, and transforming to innovative global legal department operations. He even finds time to be give lecturers in University of New Hampshire. Mr. Sankhla has a Masters of Intellectual Property from Franklin Pierce Law Center, Masters in Information Technology from IIT-Roorkee, and Bachelor of Engineering in Electronics and Communication from Bharathiar University. Lauren Ingegneri is Intellectual Property Counsel at Abiomed, Inc., maker of the Impella® heart pumps and ranked #4 on the Forbes list of 100 fastest growing companies. She is one of three in-house counsel at Abiomed and has been working for the Company for two years. Lauren manages IP litigation matters, patent and trademark portfolios, and counsels marketing on branding strategy, domain names, and proper trademark usage. Prior to joining Abiomed, Lauren was an Intellectual Property Associate at Nutter, a Boston based law firm. Steven Reynolds has served as General Counsel and head of the Legal Department since the Sensors & Controls business of Texas Instruments was purchased by Bain Capital in April 2006. He was named a vice president in January 2007. Mr. Reynolds supported the S&C business of Texas Instruments as legal counsel beginning in January 1999 and was with Texas Instruments since 1990 in other legal positions. Prior to joining Texas Instruments, Mr. Reynolds worked as an attorney in both private and in-house practice. Mr. Reynolds is a graduate of Georgetown University and the Rutgers University School of Law. Alison C. Casey is an associate in Nutter’s Litigation Department and works with clients primarily on civil litigation, with an emphasis on intellectual property, employment, and commercial law matters. Clients rely on Alison’s experience with all stages of litigation in both state and federal courts, including drafting dispositive motions, managing discovery, advocating at hearings and trials, and preparing appeals. Out-of-state companies benefit from Alison’s frequent practice in the District of Massachusetts, which allows her to offer a specialized local perspective on cases litigated in the Commonwealth. Alison’s commitment to the firm’s pro bono efforts and civic and charitable activities includes representing clients before the United States Immigration Court and Massachusetts Division of Unemployment Assistance. She coaches a mock trial team comprised of college students participating in the Boston Lawyer’s Group summer legal internship program. As a member of the firm’s Diversity and Inclusion Action Committee and co-chair of Nutter’s Speaker Series forDiversity and Inclusion, Alison spearheads the firm’s efforts to engage Boston-area law school affinity groups in dialogue about diversity and inclusion issues in the Boston legal community. John Pint is a Senior Intellectual Property Counsel with Philips Intellectual Property & Standards. John’s practice focuses on patent licensing, transactional work, and litigation, largely in connection with Philips’ LED-based lighting program. Prior to joining Philips, John was an attorney with Proskauer Rose LLP in Boston, representing clients in all manner of intellectual property matters including patent and trademark litigation and prosecution and licensing and transactional work in a wide variety of industries. John has a B.S. in Physics from the University of Minnesota and a J.D. from Tulane University Law School. Jeremy is co-chair of Bond’s intellectual property and patent litigation team. He has an accomplished track record and substantial experience in litigating high-stakes intellectual property disputes, including patent, trademark, copyright, and trade secret matters. Over the course of his career, Jeremy has litigated over fifty intellectual property cases in federal courts throughout the country, including venues in Delaware, Illinois, Florida, Massachusetts, New York, and Texas, and has significant trial and appellate experience. He has represented many well-recognized companies, including Analog Devices, Church & Dwight, Facebook, General Media Communications (owner of PENTHOUSE® brands), ImClone Systems, and Transamerica Life Insurance. A registered patent attorney, Jeremy has extensive experience in securing, protecting, and managing patents and trademarks in the United States and internationally. He assists clients with matters before the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office, including patent reexaminations. He also works with clients on patentability and product clearance studies, freedom to operate evaluations, trademark and branding clearance, licensing, and corporate transactions involving intellectual property. David is Associate General Counsel at Bose. His experience includes Senior IP Counsel at Bose, Associate Counsel at Fish and Richardson as well as at Testa, Hurwitz & Thibeault LLP. John earned his J.D. at UCONN School of Law. JD and Masters of Intellectual Property from Franklin Pierce Law Center. Registered Patent Attorney drafting and prosecuting patent applications in electrical, software, telecommunications, optics, semiconductor, and electro-mechanical arts. BSEE in 1985 with work experience that includes Grumman Aerospace, Raytheon and Analog Devices. Former partner at Maine & Asmus, Nashua NH and IP manager at GE Global Research Center in Niskayuna NY. Currently Deputy Chief Counsel Intellectual Property at BAE Systems. Specialties: Intellectual Property management, Patents, Trademarks, Copyrights, Licensing and related areas. Brian J. Hubbard draws on both his law firm and in-house experiences in his practice, which includes advice regarding intellectual property enforcement, strategy, patent preparation/prosecution, and opinions. He is also well-versed in post-grant proceedings (e.g., reexamination, opposition, and Inter Parties Review (IPR)). Brian deeply understands the nuances of global portfolio management, including offensive and defensive strategies to protect products and, hence, margin. While in-house, Brian’s fast-paced, responsive, and direct advice led to his placement on a business management team, and his negotiation abilities and business acumen garnered him company-wide strategic counsel responsibilities for innovation interactions with two crucial brand-owners. In his twenty years of practice, Brian has helped clients in a variety of technological areas, from pharmaceuticals to wireless technologies. Atabak Royaee is an Associate Director and Corporate Counsel, IP, at Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (BIPI) located in Ridgefield, Connecticut. In his role at Boehringer, Atabak manages BIPI’s patent portfolios in various therapeutic areas, drafts and prosecutes patent applications, drafts legal opinions, assist in handling IPR proceedings, performs due diligence reviews, and provides counsel to business on licensing and transactional matters. Prior to joining BI, Atabak was an associate attorney at McDermott Will & Emery and LeClairRyan law firms conducting patent prosecution and post-grant proceedings work; and prior to his tenure at law firms, Atabak was a postdoctoral fellow at Harvard School of Public Health and U.S. Department of Agriculture specializing in immunology and infectious disease research. Atabak has B.S. in chemistry and a Ph.D. in biochemistry and molecular biology from Georgetown University, and a law degree from the Suffolk University Law School. Regina counsels clients on their most complex intellectual property issues in both transactional and operational settings. She advises private and public companies on technology transactions, including strategic acquisitions, private equity investments, licensing, and other commercial agreements. She is an experienced legal strategist who has helped clients grow, commercialize, and design around significant IP assets. Amongst her clients, including startups and mature companies, Regina is known for practical and effective advice that is rooted in their business needs. A dual-qualified U.S. lawyer and Solicitor of England and Wales, Regina also represents clients in European patent oppositions and other post-grant proceedings. She is the author of The EU's Unitary Patent and Unified Patent Court: A reference guide to the core legislation, regulations and rules of procedure, and speaks and writes regularly about global IP strategies for U.S. companies. Regina has undergraduate and graduate degrees in electrical engineering from MIT, and previously worked in the telecommunications and software industries. She has deep experience across a range of technologies, including blockchain, artificial intelligence (AI), cloud computing, semiconductor, financial technology (fintech), and medical technologies. Zach Blume focuses his practice on representing public companies in business combinations, public offerings and private financings. In addition, Zach regularly advises public company and hedge fund clients on securities law compliance and governance issues. Reza Mollaaghababa, Ph.D. is a partner in the Intellectual Property Department of Pepper Hamilton LLP, resident in the Boston office. Dr. Mollaaghababa is co-chair of the firm’s Intellectual Property Transactions and Rights Management Practice Group. Dr. Mollaaghababa’s practice focuses on all aspects of intellectual property law, including preparation and prosecution of patent and trademark applications, preparation of patentability, infringement, validity and clearance opinions. He has prepared and prosecuted patent applications in diverse fields of technology, such as photonics/optics, nanotechnology, medical devices, semiconductor processing, lithography, telecommunications, magnetic resonance, and computer hardware and software. Dr. Mollaaghababa works with well-established companies, emerging companies as well as academic institutions to identify and protect their intellectual property. He provides clients with strategic counseling, including licensing as well as formation and management of intellectual property portfolios. Dr. Mollaaghababa also represents clients in post-grant proceedings before the U.S. Patent Office. He has handled more than 40 inter partes review (IPR) proceedings. He is a co-founder and frequent contributor of a blog on post-grant issues: www.postgrant-counsel.com. Before joining Pepper, Dr. Mollaaghababa was a partner with Nutter McClennen & Fish LLP in Boston, where he was chair of the firm’s Diversity Committee. Christopher Carroll is an Intellectual Property partner based in the Firm's Boston office, with a dual practice in London. He concentrates his practice on providing strategic patent advocacy and is licensed to practice before the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), the European Patent Office (EPO) and the UK High Court. He provides advice and develops strategies for clients on patents, trademarks and copyrights. Christopher's engineering background enables him to focus on the areas of mechanical, electrical, software and communications engineering including wireless protocols, Internet protocols and information security. His clients include software, telecommunications, medical and Internet companies. Christopher's experience involves drafting and prosecuting U.S. and foreign patent applications and advising on patent portfolios for clients located all over the world. He regularly prepares legal opinions regarding patent validity, infringement and freedom-to-operate, provided due diligence opinions related to intellectual property, and drafted technology-related license agreements. He also has extensive experience handling Opposition and Appeal proceedings at the European Patent Office. Prior to joining White & Case, Christopher was Counsel at an international law firm. In his earlier career prior to attending law school, Christopher supervised research related to wireless communications network security at Verizon and GTE Laboratories. He also developed Mobile IP cryptographic key distribution procedure used by Verizon Wireless in its 3G data service. His background also encompasses service in the U.S. Navy Submarine Force as a nuclear reactor operator. Christopher is an inventor of eight U.S. patents related to wireless security. Ted Mathias focuses on patent litigation and has experience litigating antitrust and other commercial matters. Clients frequently turn to Ted for guidance on issues covering patent damages and other remedies, and competition-related issues that arise in connection with patent disputes. He has tried patent cases and handled successful appeals to the Federal Circuit in the areas of medical devices, other mechanical devices, e-commerce, software and pharmaceuticals. Ted has served as lead counsel in commercial disputes, and has litigated sham litigation, standards setting, patent pooling and IP licensing issues, other Sherman Act claims, insurance coverage and environmental claims. In addition to major trial work, he has represented clients in private dispute resolution proceedings, mediations and government investigations concerning antitrust, unfair competition, false advertising and Internet privacy issues. Mr. Levitt’s 30 years of legal experience centers in the corporate sector where he has been at the forefront of intellectual property changes. As Chief Intellectual Property Counsel at Dow Corning Corporation, Mr. Levitt led a global team of more than 25 employees to advance and protect Dow Corning’s diverse technologies and markets. Previously, Mr. Levitt served as corporate counsel at DuPont and General Counsel of Solae, LLC, a joint venture by DuPont and Bunge. Charles Sanders is a partner in the Boston office of Latham & Watkins. His practice focuses on intellectual property matters with an emphasis on patent litigation. Mr. Sanders represents clients as lead counsel in federal district court, the International Trade Commission (ITC), the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB), and the Federal Circuit. He has obtained multimillion-dollar settlements, ITC exclusion orders, summary judgments, and trial and appellate victories. Mr. Sanders has handled a diverse range of technologies, including those involving aircraft, acoustic equipment, automotive components, bio-therapeutics, computer hardware and software, electromechanical devices, environmental remediation, fluid separation, LEDs, MRI, MOCVD, medical devices, OLEDs, network security, pharmaceuticals, rare earth magnets, semiconductors, smart phones, spectroscopy and communication systems. Mr. Sanders received his J.D. from Harvard Law School and holds an A.B. in chemistry and physics from Harvard University. He is a member of the Boston Bar Association, Boston Patent Law Association, and the ITC Trial Lawyers Association.

2019-04-23T06:25:35Z

https://cf-conferences.com/conferences/the-4th-annual-ip-strategy-summit-boston/past_event

It has been a while since there has been something new on the search scene. There was one highly publicized, incomplete junk that came out a few months ago called cuil (pronounced cool). As the name portends, it was not. At all. Anyway - a new site called Wolfram|Alpha (name rather unfortunate) - is the new kid on the block bringing forth a really different approach to search. Instead of searching through pages to suggest potentially relevant pages, WA tries to answer quantitative questions with just the answer. If you need to know the population of the world, you just ask 'world population' and you get the answer of 6.53 billion people. Search is tough. Understanding and algorithmically analyzing human fuzzy interaction is inherently difficult. And WA is trying to do two things at once - understand the fuzzy world-wide-web and obtain facts from them. This has long been the goal of a semantic web, that is nowhere near reality today. At the same time WA is trying to understand user searches to generate quantitative queries that can then be applied to the data that it has collected earlier. First impressions - WA seems to be doing an ok job on the two entity intersections. If you are looking for 'world + population', you are good. Or you are looking for 'India + mobile phones' you are good too. But trying to do an intersection of 'world + population + mobile phones' seems to trouble the search engine. Another disappointing aspect is its inability to interpret date and time as a dimension to queries that seem to work well on 'today'. For example, searching for gold + price works well. But trying to search for gold + price + any date doesn't compute. This seems to work for dow jones + any date, but not for gold + price. See similarities to the third level intersection problem observed above? What it seems to be doing a good job is on the roll-ups. Try searching for Asia + cellular phones. You not only get the total estimate for Asia, but you also get a list of all the countries with their estimated cellular phone populations. Pretty interesting eh? All in all, WA looks like a good for an alpha. It seems to be able to do simple queries and roll-ups. Not really good with anything complex, not to mention numerous glitches in the UI of the site. Also interesting will be the response from rights holders to their data being used by the engine. Granted 'facts' do not fall under the purview of copyrights. But what would happen if, say, results from surveys started to be incorporated into search results? That is if WA can one day show you the percentage of all people in United States, having cell phones with AT&T service expressing satisfaction with their service in a survey. What will the survey owners think of that? What will AT&T think of that? All in all, am really excited to see where this goes. Here to the semantic web, without having to work hard at it. When I re-started the blog a few days ago, one thing that played on my mind was the audience or lack of it. Over the last few years, I had been indoctrinated incessantly over the need to line up messages to an audience. Writing without an audience, as with this blog, seemed to be a hark to the old days and the old ways. That is when I realized that the joy in what I did on this blog was for me and me alone. Writing is something I liked to do, and this provided a means for me to instinctively fulfill that urge. The website provided me with a means to basically bring together stuff I did over time to one place. There was a definite satisfaction in seeing a project come to fruition, the beats having to pander (!?) to an audience. To action alone hast thou a right and never at all to its fruits; let not the fruits of action be thy motive; neither let there be in thee any attachment to inaction. It is the joy of writing and working on my website that is my biggest gain. And thus I go, talking to myself. What did jQuery do? Well, check out the neat plugin for jQuery, that allows you to sort tables on the fly. Nokia has done a very good job with the hardware requirements of the 5800. As noted in my earlier posts here and here, there are a number of things to love about the phone. But, as with anything else, there are always room for improvement, and here are some key opportunities. You will see that a number of examples are more interface and software related that could be modified in the future with an upgrade, which only speaks to the solidity of its specifications. Video Acceleration: For all its capabilities, the phone definitely misses that zip 'on the toes' feel factor. It is not so much with the running of an application, as it is apparent with any screen changes. It could be games, switching orientation, changing between applications. There is a nasty delay, not bad enough for you to realize upfront, but just enough to slowly eat away at the quality of your interaction with the phone. What makes it worse is that that whole UI seems to be riddled with hacks to compensate, making interacting with the phone a bit of a hit-and-miss affair. Cramming in just that additional video acceleration, could have freed up resources just enough to make the phone feel a whole lot zippier. Uncomfortable SIM slot: The Nokia 5800 has a unique SIM slot, that involves a notch that needs to be opened and the card slid in. However, to take an existing SIM out, there is no easy way. The back needs to come off, and the SIM forced out using one's nail or the stylus. For anyone who travels with the phone - it is definitely a major annoyance. Thick-headed approach to text input: This is one of the biggest annoyances with the phone. There are a total of four different means to enter text into the phone - QWERTY (landscape), mini-QWERTY (portrait), T9 predictive and handwriting. And you can choose one and only one - changing orientation does not automatically choose an appropriate keyboard. Which means no matter how you are using the phone, when it comes to entering text, you need to change orientation to the method you had set before, and use the keyboard. Here are some potential alternatives - allow preferences for the portrait mode. Switch to a full QWERTY mode for landscape orientation and the preferred mode for portrait. And here is taking it further, be aware of the stylus being pulled out, and maybe switch to the handwriting mode. Contacts bar: Of the two standby screens, one is a contacts bar. Really useful and comprehensive bringing in calls, SMS and email into one location. But, you can only have four friends. And everyone needs to have a picture. And if they have more than one numbers, hard luck - no way to specify (other than setting a default in contacts) which number you want to reach them at. So if your contact does not answer their mobile, tough luck. To try their apartment number, go rummaging through contacts, just like any other contact - rendering the contacts bar useless. No predictive input for QWERTY: Soft keyboards are inaccurate. The Nokia soft full keyboards do not offer any predictive correction of near miss key strokes. They already have T9, this just has to be a different sort of one to many mapping, and having no support at all is a big miss. Large buttons in landscape mode: The phone interface looks comical in landscape. The entire right side of the screen it taken up by big bulky soft keys, creating space for five buttons when applications typically have need for only two. Taking up twice the space required for buttons in the landscape mode is a egregious waste of the gorgeous screen real estate. Browser: In spite of the intermittent tantrums of the bundled browser (where the program just shuts down in a huff), it does a reasonable job rendering the pages. However, the interface definitely needs a lot of tweaking before it is anywhere close to being done. Here are a few examples, there is a full screen browsing mode with no back button. The browser supports tabbed browsing, but you cannot open a second tab unless the website opens a new window. Copy paste doesn't work on web pages. Try to copy the address of your current page - you wouldn't believe the hacks required. This gives you a flavor of the idiosyncrasies of the browser. Applications: S60 V5 breaks compatibility with S60 V3 which in itself has the FP1 and FP2 variants. What this means is that all applications need to be redone for compatibility, and there just aren't enough applications around the 5800 even 5 months after its launch. Scrounging for new applications seems to be the main activity of the blogger groups built around the phone. Nokia did put out some applications and is working on an app store, but they seriously run the risk of alienating developers for mobile platforms by fragmenting their development platforms this way. Soft key for Menu: Every thing on the Nokia 5800 can be done via the touch-screen, except for one and only one thing. Opening the menu, which for some strange reason can only be accessed by using the white menu key. This wouldn't seem that much of an annoyance till you realize that the screen is designed for single-handed use, till the need to use this button makes it impossible. Not to mention, it fully breaks the UI consistency. Clunky inconsistent UI design: Which brings us to the last point - the overall theme of many of the points above. More examples. Contacts uses a good-idea-in-theory-but-bad-in-practice interface where the buttons change based on your contacts and the previously pressed buttons. Something like the NeverLost interface on Hertz cars. That probably never went through a consistency and usability tollgate. Or consider the interface to add contacts on the contacts bar - looks suspiciously iPhoneque, while nothing else on the phone does. I am sure that never went through a consistency tollgate either. Overall the UI design looks like it has been built by engineers to demonstrate touch on the phone as opposed to a consistent user experience. That probably sums up what I think is the biggest fault with the phone. There you go! That should serve as a good list for now. On the whole, the phone is not bad. But if this going to be the future of the touch platform for Nokia, then the platform needs a lot of work. And platform is not just on the phone (i.e., the user interface and the touch enabled S60 V5), but also the community and application universe developed around the application. By all accounts, the buzz around the 5800 has been phenomenal. Now the ball is in Nokia's court. I have had my new Nokia 5800 for about 3 months now, having bought it in January 2009. During the period, it has gone through two firmware upgrades - first from v11.0.08 to v20.0.012, and the second one from v20.0.012 to v21.0.025. The first updated clocked in at about 133 MB and was available only via their NSU (Nokia Software Update) service the second one weighed in at only 4 MB and was available OTA (Over the Air). Of the two, the second one seemed to have worked its magic on the phone, really making the interface more responsive, while the first one delivered the bulk of the enhancements. With two major upgrades in less than 3 months, it is ample proof that Nokia is indeed looking to the Nokia 5800 as a testbed to iron out any and all problems with its touch platform, before it start rolling out the big guns - the E series and the N series. That said, back to the question at hand - what really works with this phone. Sound: The other think you will notice when you play the aforementioned trailer, is the sound. For a tiny set of speakers on a palm-sized phone, the sound is remarkably good. You can actually make out the different frequencies, and including, a very solid handling of base without the expected crackle. Basic phone functions: The Nokia 5800 does a good job at doing what it is supposed to do - act like a phone. It is surprising how many smartphones are so choc-a-bloc with features, that somehow the basic functions of a phone take a back seat. Not with the 5800. Calling, maintaining connectivity, the speakerphone, contact management etc are all exactly as expected. Not having to sacrifice a phone to get a smartphone is a terrific feature of the 5800. Size and Weight: At 109 grams, the phone is surprisingly light. And it fits beautifully in your palm, without being too wide or too narrow in depth. For me, the form factor of an iPhone did not seem as comfortable. The small details, like the recessed edge of the touch-screen, for example, adds a lot to handle of the phone. The build of the phone is pretty solid too. Even though it is built of plastic, there is very little of the plastic-y creaking during operation. Storage: The 5800 comes bundled with a hot swappable 8GB Micro SD card. The hot swap means you do not need to switch the phone off to remove or add the card. Nokia, by bundling in a decent sized card, adds a lot to the bottom line of the deal. Variety of Input methods: One of the advantages of a resistive touch-screen is that you can have input methods other than just the finger. A capacitive screen depends on the capacitive effect of the human finger to register a touch. So, it fails with a gloved hand, or a stylus. The 5800 on the other hand, comes with a stylus, a pluck (ex-guitar pick), finger, finger-nail etc. And taking the flexibility further, the phone comes with a variety of methods to input text - a full QWERTY keyboard, a mini-QWERTY, a T9 style touch input and even a stylus driven hand-writing recognition method. Battery: One of the surprising aspects of the phone is its long battery life. One the days I ignore it, with just a couple of calls, the battery seems to last and last. With a little more strenuous usage, the phone easily lasts a couple of days on a single charge. Of course, no amount of batter-life is enough, but what the phone brings definitely counts as a plus. Multi-tasking: A smart phone is supposed to do more than one thing, at the same time. With one of the three dedicated buttons dedicated to multitasking, it is not an after-thought. That said, the phone does struggle once a number of large applications are running in the background. But as long as you don't treat it like a laptop, it does a pretty good job. Proximity & ambient light sensors: Small capabilities like this get lost sometimes. But the ability of the phone to set screen brightness automatically, switch off when held to the ear all add up to a solid user experience. Other hardware capabilities: From a capabilities perspective, the Nokia 5800 is stuffed. In addition to everything else it comes with an FM Radio and twin cameras including front-facing camera for video calling. The primary camera comes with a short range flash, not for a room, but definitely great for those pub snapshots. S60 platform experience: The Nokia 5800 is built on top of the S60 platform, version 5. The version 5 is the new touch enabled operating software, that includes sensor frameworks to deal with the other hardware capabilities of the phone. Having the legacy of the S60 platform, means the the basics are already in place. Phone, contacts, copy-paste, application control, basic UI characteristics are all tried and tested. Applications too follow a well established method to interact with the end users. While the 5800 sometimes feels like a clunky touch interface, the core of the system is in place and works like a charm. Price: Has to be one of the best features of the phone. Retailing for under $400 (unlocked and unsubsidized) it is almost half the price of the iPhone and the Sony Ericsson XPERIA X1. Not having to jail-break anything or break warranty for flexibility is one of the best features of the phone. In short, the biggest positives of the phone are its capabilities - the sheer hardware capabilities and the underlying S60 software. Which leaves the interface components and applications. Coming up in the next post - where the Nokia 5800 definitely needs a little help. The Nokia 5800 has been my primary phone for the last three months or so. My earlier phone, the Sony Ericsson T610, was getting old and was in need of a massive update (retirement). Being a Sony Ericsson user, the idea of switching to Nokia seemed pretty unimaginable to me at the time. But try as I might, there wasn't a SE phone that seemed to fit the bill. Having delayed my purchase of a smartphone, my list of requirements seemed to be growing all the time. When I started looking for a phone in late 2007, my list of requirements was driven by the phones at the time, particularly, the iPhone. On a number of levels, the iPhone was almost a no-no from the beginning. I never saw myself buying an Apple product - I adore them, just don't agree with the approach and philosophy of the company. Anyways, driven partly by the iPhone and the other phones at the time, this was a list of parameters I had come up with for my first smartphone. Touch screen: This was a must have for me. The way I saw it, the touch interface was going to be the standard interface philosophy soon, especially in mobile interfaces. Not to say the keyboard would be redundant, but the ability to interact with on-screen elements (for certain activities), without need for surrogates like cursors and element focus seemed to be the natural progression. And I wanted in on that. And for me, the physical keyboard was completely optional. Also, I was not sold on either the capacitive or the resistive touch screens. And so did not have particular loyalties to either camp. Other sensors:Proximity, light and orientation sensors was definitely high on the list. I figured, I will have to carry a second device, that was more focused on communication and email - so why not focus on the fun factor with my personal phone. Lack of an orientation sensor was almost a definite deal-breaker. For a fun phone, that definitely had a big cool factor. WLAN(WiFi): Was another must have. My plan was to have that as the primary means of getting data in and out of the phone. That would also save me a data-plan with my mobile carrier, which were not cheap to come by. 3G: Was optional for me. The way I saw it, the 3G network wasn't ubiquitous enough to base my purchase on being able to use it. Especially given that I would be traveling and therefore not necessarily have 3G coverage all the time. The other side effect of this decision was that I did not have to worry about the NAM and Rest of the world 3G variants before I got my paws on my phone of choice. Quad band: That said about 3G, it definitely had to be Quad band phone. Given, the same traveling nature - I did not want to get stuck with a phone that would not work in all my locations. My SE T610 did not do 850 MHz, and I had done my share of blaming the network (ATT) in public, secretly knowing that my phone was really to blame. Flexibility and Freedom: This was one of the most important requirements. In two ways - firstly I did not want a branded and locked phone. I wanted the flexibility to be able to change SIM cards across different locations. (See need for traveling above). And secondly, I wanted to be able to install and uninstall applications the any way possible. I did not want either my carrier or my phone manufacturer to determine what I did with my phone. The other piece of freedom - access to the file system of the phone, without the need to install a clunky proprietary program. Screen: QVGA (320 x 240) or better. Why? Coz the iPhone did QVGA. Battery: At least 1200 mAh. Again, that did not really mean anything without a strong support from the device itself. I hoped for a regular usage of 2 to 3 days, and heavy use of a day before having to recharge. Application ecosystem: Given that Apple was the only viable option dictated that this was not a necessity. But, as long as I was able to get a system that was open enough - It was a matter of time before people started trying to replicate the App Store. Camera: This surprisingly was not really high on my list. Primarily because, I was yet to see a phone that did a tenth as good a job as my SLR. And there were physical reasons to it - a camera phone had the sensor the size of my pinky toenail. I did not expect to do any serious photography on my phone. On the off chance that I was to witness a UFO landing, I just hoped to have a video mode to create a grainy, shaky, unrecognizable account of the event. Other connectivity (Physical & Bluetooth): Bluetooth was an expected minimum. Physical connectivity was not that important, as long as I had my WLAN access. Memory: Expected a few gigs, but more importantly hope for one with an external card, which could be upgraded as and when I ran out of space on the phone itself. I have a tendency to run out of space - rather quickly. It was neck and neck between these phones (though the Omnia went to the bottom of the pile pretty early) and it seemed just a matter of which price point I was comfortable with. As time went by, the Diamond seemed to slowly but surely rise to the top. XPeria was priced too high, and the screen of the Diamond beat that of the Touch hands down. Until the Nokia 5800 came along. If you look back at the list of requirements I had, you can see how well the 5800 stacks up. Next post - what I love about my 5800.

2019-04-23T14:29:01Z

http://blog.anarchius.org/2009/05/

When should I take the MCAT or GRE? What should be my GPA? What are my options at ESF? Should it worry me that ESF is not a "pre-med" school? What is on the MCAT and GRE exams? What represents a good MCAT score? When should I get in touch with HPAP and how? What is a "committee letter?" Do I need a committee letter? Do I need to go through HPAP to apply to med school or vet school? Do I need to do internships? What about ESF's joint programs with Upstate Medical University? What is Early Admission? Early Assurance? How does the 3+3 Doctor of Physical Therapy program work? What should be my major? Most applicants to health professions schools have majored in a science discipline. However, a science major is not a requirement to apply: health professions schools accept applications from a variety of undergraduate majors ranging across the scientific disciplines: even the humanities. You should keep in mind, however, that all the health professions schools require that you take a certain minimum of science courses. See this FAQ for more details about this. What courses should I take? Unfortunately, there is no single answer to this question, because the various professional schools have different requirements and expectations. Many veterinary schools have requirements above and beyond this minimum to apply. The Cornell vet school, for example, also requires a semester each of biochemistry and microbiology. Keep in mind that these are the courses required to apply. It is a different question entirely what courses should be taken during your undergraduate career. Generally, your choice of classes should be guided by preparation for the MCAT or GRE. This FAQ gives more details about this. At a minimum, however, you should plan on taking coursework in biochemistry, microbiology, anatomy (comparative vertebrate anatomy), and physiology (cell physiology and general or animal physiology). When should I take the MCAT or GRE? If you are hoping to matriculate in a professional school the year after you graduate, you should take these exams in the spring of your Junior year. If you plan to do a gap year after you graduate, you should take the MCAT or GRE in the spring two years before you hope to matriculate. Taking the exam early also gives you a bit of a cushion in case you decide to take the exam again. You should know, however, that many health-professions schools will only accept results from examinations taken at certain times. Always, check your intended school's specific requirements. What should be my GPA? You need to be aware of a sobering reality: admission to a health professions school is a highly competitive process. This means, of course, that these schools will draw candidates from the high end of the GPA range. Consider these statistics. The most common GPA for applicants admitted to medical schools nationwide, for example, is 3.75. At Upstate Medical University, the median overall GPA for accepted applicants is around 3.65 (3.57 for the science GPA). Nationally, only half the applicants with an overall GPA of about 3.60 are admitted to medical school. This means, of course, that your chances of admission only reach 50% if your GPA is 3.6 or better. If your GPA is less than that, you face an uphill struggle. It is not an impossible struggle--American medical schools have been known to accept applicants with undergraduate GPAs as low as 2.25--but it will be a struggle nevertheless, and you will have to plan your preparation and credentials to make a persuasive case that, despite your GPA, you are still a suitable candidate for the health professions. On the other side, it also must be said that a high undergraduate GPA is no guarantee of acceptance to a health professions school: among medical school applicants with 4.00 GPAs, only about a third are actually admitted. See the next FAQ and this FAQ for more information about this. Personal characteristics: The health professions are service professions, and successful practitioners must be of good character and integrity. Admissions committees will look for evidence of this, which may include psychological maturity, self-discipline, good judgment, compassion and concern for helping others, reliability and dependability, intellectual curiosity and enthusiasm, resilience, a sense of accountability, leadership, and tangible experience in the profession. Generally, disciplinary actions during your undergraduate career will weigh heavily against you. Academic ability: The health professions require people who can master large quantities of complex information, and who can keep up to date with new developments in their fields. You can look upon your undergraduate career as being largely a demonstration of your ability to do this. Admissions committees will look to grades, credit hours carried per semester, whether coursework is reasonably distributed among the sciences and other disciplines, numbers of incompletes and withdrawals, need for remediation (i.e. taking courses over), how long you took to complete your degree, and so forth. You should keep in mind that admissions committees have seen every trick in the book to "game" the system: tricks like boosting GPA by taking easy courses, or light loads will cut little ice. Performance on standardized exams: The MCAT or the GRE is your demonstration that you have mastered the body of material that your undergraduate career has comprised, and that you can recall it on demand. Sometimes, a high score on these tests can mitigate a low GPA, but it can work the other way, too: low scores can undermine an otherwise strong GPA. See this FAQ for more information about these tests. Letters of recommendation: These letters represent personal testimony from professionals and others in a position to comment on your character, capabilities and suitability to become a respected practitioner of the profession. They should be garnered from professors and professionals who can attest to these attributes. Internships are an especially effective way to develop strong letters of recommendations from professional practitioners. See these FAQs here, here, here and here. Interview: The interview, if one is granted, is your opportunity to demonstrate "in the flesh" that you are a suitable candidate for admission. Interviews can cover a host of topics, ranging from your poise and professionalism, to your motivation and desire to pursue the profession, to your personal experiences, to your future plans. All these programs enable students to meet the minimum requirements for applying to health professions schools, although meeting them requires more careful planning for some majors than others. The ENB degree, for example, requires only one semester of organic chemistry: most health professions schools require two semesters. The bottom line is this: students must consult with BOTH their academic advisors and the health professions advisor to ensure they meet the requirements both for their chosen degree and for applying to their chosen professional school. How many unencumbered electives are there? Are the courses I need required for the major or will I have to burn elective credits to take them? Will my summers be free to pursue activities like internships, research experiences, and other classes that are essential to building a strong application? The best way to answer these questions is to consult the curricular outlines available in the College catalog, and to speak with an advisor. When do I have to decide on a major? At ESF, you can change majors at any time, but the change becomes more difficult the further along you are. The most common curricula at ESF for health professions students are virtually identical in the freshman year, so there's no need to make a decision then. They are also very similar in the sophomore year, although they are not identical. You don't need to commit to a curriculum if you are a sophomore, but some careful planning is required in choosing your classes. Your advisor can help you with this. By your Junior year, you should be set on your major. Once you are a Junior, switches between majors become more difficult, and you may need to take an extra semester or year to complete your new requirements. Should it worry me that ESF is not a "pre-med" school? Probably not. Admissions committees base their decisions on a variety of criteria (see this FAQ), and there is little evidence that a designated "pre-health" program gives prospective students any advantage. Surprisingly, students coming out of designated "pre-med" programs have among the lowest rates of admission to medical school. Conversely, applicants from "non-traditional" programs have fairly high rates of admission, probably because students from unusual backgrounds "stand out from the crowd." This could actually give ESF students an edge over more traditional "pre-med" or "pre-vet" applicants: There is growing interest in the health professions in emergence of new diseases, epidemiology, natural pharmaceuticals, and environmental medicine, all with significant connections to the ESF's mission. Indeed, ESF students may stand out especially brightly. Detailed coverage of the subject matter, including practice exams, is available at the MCAT page of the American Association of Medical Colleges (AAMC) web site. Detailed coverage of the subject matter, including practice exams, is available at the GRE page of the Educational Testing Service web site. What represents a good MCAT score? Like the GPA, there is no "good" MCAT score: individuals with low MCAT scores gain admission to medical school, while some candidates with very high scores are not accepted. The most common total numeric score for admitted applicants is 26-28. Applicants with a total numeric score of 27 are as likely to be accepted as rejected. What is HPAP? HPAP is Syracuse University's Health Professions Advisory Program. ESF uses HPAP to provide many services to our pre-health professions students, including counseling, sponsoring of the Pre-Med and Pre-Vet clubs, hosting workshops and seminars, applications services, help with internships and letters of recommendation, and providing a committee letter with the application. They also have their own page of FAQs, which would be worth a visit. When should I register with HPAP, and how? It's never too early. Early registration with HPAP and participation in the workshops they offer can give you a great advantage, not least because you will be on top of your planning from the get-go: even if you are a freshman, you should be registered with HPAP. Pay them a visit at 312 Hall of Languages on the SU campus. What is a "committee letter"? The "committee letter" is intended to be an endorsement of your application by a recognized health professions advisory program. Its purpose is to provide an overview and summary of your strengths and weaknesses as a candidate for admission to professional school. It is intended to complement and supplement your academic credentials, your letters of recommendation and the quality and breadth of your professional experiences like internships. Presently, the "committee letter" for ESF students is written by a group of SU faculty, as part of the applications service provided by HPAP. You have to apply to HPAP for sponsorship for a committee letter to be written for you. Apply to HPAP early! (See this FAQ) You can read more about applying for HPAP sponsorship here. Being accepted for sponsorship does not guarantee you a committee letter: you have to qualify for one, based upon your grades and other aspects of your academic credentials. The committee letter also includes a rating based upon several criteria. You can read more about these here. Do I need a committee letter? It's not required, but it doesn't hurt. Keep in mind that admissions committees must make choices from a pool of among very highly qualified candidates. If your application includes a committee letter, and if its rating is favorable, it may give you a slight edge over applicants with similar qualifications, but that do not have a committee letter. If you do not have a committee letter, or if the letter is not favorable, you must rely on recommendations from faculty and health professionals who can write about your qualifications and make strong recommendations for your admission. Committee letters are generally thought to be more important for applications to medical school than vet school. Do I need to go through HPAP to apply to med school or vet school? No. Most professional schools will accept applications from individuals, although HPAP can help you in the applications process in a variety of ways. Medical schools generally accept applications through AMCAS (American Medical College Applications Service). AMCAS will accept applications from individuals or institutions. If you apply as an individual, you will have to manage your credentials and letters of recommendation yourself, and there will be no committee letter to accompany your application. Veterinary schools are more likely to accept applications from individuals. In all instances, you should familiarize yourself with the applications procedures for the schools to which you intend to apply. HPAP can help you in this, as can the Pre-health Coordinator. Do I need to do internships? No, but why on Earth wouldn't you? These experiences can give you vital insights into the way your profession works and how you would fit into it. They can often garner you valuable letters of recommendation from practicing professionals. And if all that isn't enough, admissions committees look very closely at an applicant's experiences in professional settings. What kinds of internships are there? Internships can be either formal, undertaken for credit or as part of an organized internship program, or informal, undertaken in agreement with a practicing professional on an ad hoc basis. Both can be extremely valuable. Some curricula at ESF have a formal requirement that you do an internship. ESF also has formal requirements and paperwork that must be filled out for credit-bearing internships. These can be found on ESF's internship web page. Where can I find internship opportunities? Internship opportunities abound, but you do have to work to find them. One way is to avail yourself of the resources of ESF and HPAP: both maintain web pages and clearing houses for internship opportunities that arise. ESF's internship page is here. There is also the old-fashioned way: arrange on your own an internship with a physician or veterinarian. Most practitioners were interns themselves at one time, and are usually pleased to be a mentor themselves if asked. How many internships should I do? There's no magic number, but remember this. You do not undertake internships to "get" yourself into medical school/vet school. You undertake internships as opportunities for your own intellectual growth. Looked at in this way, the answer to this question is quite simple. It's never too early to start growing intellectually: there's nothing wrong with starting before your freshman year. And it's not possible to intellectually grow too much: there's nothing wrong with doing internships throughout your undergraduate career. Should I have a Plan B? Absolutely. Remember that even very highly qualified candidates are turned down for admission. Remember also that your undergraduate career is a golden opportunity for growth and exploration: take full advantage of it. As you explore other fields, what starts as a Plan B often matures into a primary career goal. What about ESF's joint programs with Upstate Medical University (UMU)? ESF and UMU have several joint programs that ESF students can take advantage of. In a nutshell, students accepted into UMU's Early Assurance and Early Admissions programs can come to ESF for part or all of their their undergraduate careers. Students must apply to UMU for these programs. In addition, ESF students can participate in UMU's 3+3 program for the Doctor of Physical Therapy degree. More details are here and in this FAQ. What is Early Admission? Early Assurance? Early Admission/Early Assurance programs are intended to remove some of the uncertainties that attend applying to health professions and medical school. These programs are geared to highly qualified and highly motivated applicants, and have fairly demanding requirements for admission, including evidence of consistently high academic performance and demonstration of volunteer/internship experiences that show "commitment to the profession." They are not meant for students who are "still exploring." Generally, students apply to an Early Admission program as high school seniors. Early Assurance programs are geared to the highly motivated college freshman. ESF has agreements with UMU for both Early Admission and Early Assurance. Students must apply to UMU for admission to these programs. How does the 3+3 Doctor of Physical Therapy program work? Students spend their first three years (seven semesters) at ESF, then transfer to UMU for another three years (nine semesters). Courses taken the first year at UMU complete the requirements for the ESF degree. Like the Early Assurance and Early Admissions programs, ESF students must apply to UMU for admission. The home page for the UMU DPT program can be found here. ESF students can participate in the 3+3 DPT program from one of two majors: Environmental Biology, or the Health & Environment option in the Environmental Science degree. As is always the case, participation in this program involves careful academic planning: you should work closely with your academic advisor.

2019-04-23T12:24:02Z

https://www.esf.edu/prehealth/faq.htm

Viriditoxin was discovered seeing that an FtsZ inhibitor by experts at Merck inside a high-throughput biochemical display. The 6,6′-binaphthopyranone structure, previously isolated from assembly of aromatic rings in cycloadditions[36C41] and by dynamic kinetic resolution polycyclic lactones through aminolysis or reduction. or reduction. Most of these strategies rely on either the influence of chiral catalysts or proximal stereogenic centers in the substrate or covalently-linked chiral auxiliary. We set out to explore the influence of stereogenic centers, i.e. those located more than three bonds from your reacting aromatic carbon center, in the catalytic oxidative dimerization of naphthols. Two earlier examples Bentamapimod of similarly remote influence in the oxidative dimerization of arylcuprate intermediates have been reported in studies leading to the synthesis of phleichrome and related perylenequnione natural products.[44, 45] Several oxidation catalysts have been employed in the dimerization of naphthols and the vanadium-catalyzed process reported by Uang was best suited to the substitution pattern of4. Two diastereomeric transition claims (A and B, Plan 2) could lead to the two possible isomers of biaryl intermediate 4. Although the mechanism of this reaction is definitely unclear, several studies suggest that the active catalyst might be bi-metallic, probably a -oxo dimer, albeit of undefined oxidation state and ligation. Under this assumption, the naphthopyranone rings could be expected to react in an anti-parallel fashion in which the stereogenic centers of the pyranone ring would be pressured into proximity. This ring system favors the equatorial conformation (demonstrated), which causes an connection between either the axial hydrogen atoms (A) or the equatorial alkyl substituents (B). Both of these changeover structures result in the ( em M /em )/( em R /em em a /em ) or ( em P /em )/( em S /em em a /em ), isomers of binaphthopyranone 7, the last mentioned of which results in the proposed settings of viriditoxin. Open in another window Scheme 2 Remote asymmetric induction within the dimerization of 4. The right tricyclic precursor for viriditoxin was prepared from orsellinic acidity derivative 9 and pyranone 12, each which was obtainable in two techniques from known substances (System 3).[49C52] A Michael addition-Dieckman condensation series was employed to produce naphthopyranone 13 after subsequent oxidation and methylation. Although this path is ostensibly much less efficient compared to the Staunton-Weinreb condensation from the matching -alkoxy pyranone,[17, 53, 54] we noticed significantly higher produces within the two-step procedure[55, 56] The ethoxymethyl (EOM) ether was easily cleaved by propylene glycol offering the dimerization precursor 14. When 14 was treated with 20 mol% of VO(acac)2, an instant reaction ensued, creating a solitary regioisomer of desired product 15 with respectable diastereoselection favoring proposed transition state B (Plan 2). This is one of the few instances of biaryl relationship formation where appreciable degrees of stereocontrol are induced by way of a distal stereogenic middle from the substrate without concomitant ring-formation.[44, 45] The stereochemistry of 15 was established though X-ray crystallography (Figure 1). Open in another Bentamapimod window Figure 1 X-ray crystal framework of 15. Open in another window Scheme 3 Stereoselective assembly of core of viriditoxin. LDA=lithium diisopropylamide; DMPU = N,N’-Dimethylpropyleneurea; DDQ = 2,3-dichloro-5,6-dicyanobenzoquinone; DMS = dimethylsulfide To be able to improve the atropselectivity from the biaryl bond-formation, we explored the chance of double diastereo-differentiation induced by a chiral vanadium catalyst. Gong has previously demonstrated that BINOL-derived bimetallic vanadium catalysts exhibit appreciable levels of enantioselectivity in the oxidative dimerization of naphthols. We prepared four catalysts derived from em R /em – and em S /em -BINOL and D- and L-valine (Scheme 4). Open in a separate window Scheme 4 Chiral vanadium catalysts and variously substituted naphthopyranones for evaluating substrate scope. Although substrate 14 is central to the goal of preparing viriditoxin, we wanted to explore the scope of diastereoselectivity enabled by this new remotely induced axial chirality. Pyranones 17C19, prepared in three steps from the requisite chiral epoxides, were converted to naphthopyranones 20C22 in analogy to 14 (Scheme 4). The chiral bimetallic vanadium catalysts exhibited superior diastereoselectivity and reactivity (eq 1, Table 1). Naphthopyranone 14 was treated with all four isomers of Gong-type catalyst 16 and showed pair-wise matched SOS1 and mismatched selectivity. Specifically, ( em S /em em a /em , em R /em )-16 produced the desired isomer of 15 with selectivity that was enhanced to 89:11, (Table 1, entry 4) whereas the catalyst differing only in the amino acid configuration reversed the selectivity to 12:88 (Desk 1, admittance 5). The isomeric catalysts produced from em R /em -BINOL had been mis-matched and demonstrated the same feeling of induction managed by the amino acidity with lesser examples of induction. An identical trend was noticed for another substrates that the selectivity of VO(acac)2 was moderate and the decision of Gong- type catalysts could create either isomer because the major product. In addition, the bimetallic catalysts generally provided higher yields than VO(acac)2. Table 1 Double diastereo-differentiating oxidative couplings with chiral bimetallic vanadium catalysts. Open in a separate window thead th align=”left” valign=”middle” rowspan=”1″ colspan=”1″ entry /th th align=”left” valign=”middle” rowspan=”1″ colspan=”1″ substrate (R) /th th align=”center” valign=”middle” rowspan=”1″ colspan=”1″ product /th th align=”center” valign=”middle” rowspan=”1″ colspan=”1″ catalyst /th th align=”left” valign=”middle” rowspan=”1″ colspan=”1″ dr (yield) /th /thead 114 (CH2CH2OTIPS) 15 VO(acac)276:24 (67%)2 14 15 (Ra,S)-1819:813 14 15 (Ra,R)-1882:184 14 15 (Sa,S)-1812:885 14 15 (Sa,R)-18 89:11 (87%) 620 (CH3) 23 VO(acac)260:40 (90%)7 20 23 (Sa,R)-1890:10 (85%)8 20 23 (Sa,S)-1818:82 (57%)921 (CH2OTIPS) 24 VO(acac)261:39 (68%)10 21 24 (Sa,R)-1896:04 (84%)11 21 24 (Sa,S)-1830:70 (76%)1222 ( em c /em -C6H11) 25 VO(acac)256:44 (78%)13 22 25 (Sa,R)-1883:17 (67%)14 22 25 (Sa,S)-1811:89 (74%) Open in another window [a] Diastereomer rations determined from 1H NMR spectra of crude response mixtures. [b] Axial settings dependant on X-ray crystallography (15) and chemical substance shift evaluation (23C25), see helping details. [c] All reactions performed on the 10 mg range. A larger range operate (70 mg) for entrance 7 proceeded in similar isolated yield. Guidelines = triisoproylsilyl The formation of viriditoxin was completed in five steps (eq 2). The 7 and 7′ hydroxyl sets of 15 had been methylated with dimethyl sulfate accompanied by removal of the Guidelines protecting groupings. The resultant diol was oxidized towards the matching diacid and changed into the essential diester in 57% general produce. The 9,9′-isopropyl and 10,10′-methyl ethers had been cleaved easily with BCl3 to produce (?)-viriditoxin. The artificial materials exhibited NMR spectra (1H and 13C) that likened favourably with reported beliefs. Man made viriditoxin was thus stated in a longest linear sequence of 12 methods from your alkene precursor of 10. In conclusion, we have described the first synthesis of a 6,6′-binaphthopyranone natural product and, in so doing, established the relative configuration of viriditoxin. This synthesis represents a general route to related natural products[18, 20] and it will enable the l products exploration of the relationships that result in inhibition of the bacterial cell division protein FtsZ. ? Open in a separate window Figure 2 Supplementary Material assisting informationClick here to view.(3.6M, pdf) Acknowledgments This research was supported by start-up funds from your University of California, Davis, the Petroleum Research Fund (administered from the ACS), and the NIH/NIAID (R56AI80931-01 & R01AI080931-01). This work was initiated in the Large Institute of Harvard and MIT, where it was supported by the NIH/NIAID (R03 AI062905-01) and the Scientific Planning and Allocation of Resources Committee (SPARC). MGL thanks the Fundacin Ramon Areces for any postdoctoral fellowship. The authors give thanks to Prof. Jon Clardy (Harvard Medical College) for useful conversations, Prof. Dean Tantillo for DFT computations and Dr. Sheo Singh (Merck Analysis Laboratories) for offering copies of NMR spectra for viriditoxin. Footnotes Supporting information because of this content is on the WWW under http://www.angewandte.org.. of the inhibition of FtsZ continues to be documented.[9C12] The introduction of effective syntheses for FtsZ-targeting natural basic products will allow elucidation of the mechanisms of inhibition and allow further development of the target. This conversation describes the formation of viriditoxin, one probably the most powerful FtsZ-targeting natural basic products and the initial 6,6′-binapthopyranone to become synthesized. Viriditoxin was found out as an FtsZ inhibitor by researchers at Merck within a high-throughput biochemical display screen. The 6,6′-binaphthopyranone structure, previously isolated from assembly of aromatic bands in cycloadditions[36C41] and by active kinetic quality polycyclic lactones through aminolysis or reduction. or reduction. Many of these strategies depend on either the influence of chiral catalysts or proximal stereogenic centers within the substrate or covalently-linked chiral auxiliary. We attempt to explore the impact of stereogenic centers, i.e. those located a lot more than three bonds in the responding aromatic carbon middle, within the catalytic oxidative dimerization of naphthols. Two prior examples of likewise remote impact within the oxidative dimerization of arylcuprate intermediates have already been reported in research leading to the formation of phleichrome and related perylenequnione natural basic products.[44, 45] Several oxidation catalysts have already been used in the dimerization of naphthols as well as the vanadium-catalyzed procedure reported by Uang was suitable to the substitution pattern of4. Two diastereomeric transition claims (A and B, Plan 2) could lead to the two possible isomers of biaryl intermediate 4. Although the mechanism of this reaction is definitely unclear, several studies suggest that the active catalyst might be bi-metallic, probably a -oxo dimer, albeit of undefined oxidation state and ligation. Under this assumption, the naphthopyranone rings could be expected to react in Bentamapimod an anti-parallel fashion in which the stereogenic centers of the pyranone ring would be pressured into proximity. This ring system favors the equatorial conformation (demonstrated), which causes an connections between either the axial hydrogen atoms (A) or the equatorial alkyl substituents (B). Both of these transition structures result in the ( em M /em )/( em R /em em a /em ) or ( em P /em )/( em S /em em a /em ), isomers of binaphthopyranone 7, the last mentioned of which results in the proposed settings of viriditoxin. Open up in another window System 2 Remote asymmetric induction within the dimerization of 4. The right tricyclic precursor for viriditoxin was ready from orsellinic acidity derivative 9 and pyranone 12, each which was obtainable in two techniques from known substances (System 3).[49C52] A Michael addition-Dieckman condensation series was employed to produce naphthopyranone 13 after subsequent oxidation and methylation. Although this path is ostensibly much less efficient compared to the Staunton-Weinreb condensation from the matching -alkoxy pyranone,[17, 53, 54] we noticed significantly higher produces within the two-step procedure[55, 56] The ethoxymethyl (EOM) ether was easily cleaved by propylene glycol offering the dimerization precursor 14. When 14 was treated with 20 mol% of VO(acac)2, an instant reaction ensued, creating a solitary regioisomer of desired item 15 with respectable diastereoselection favoring proposed changeover condition B (Structure 2). That is mostly of the instances of biaryl relationship formation where appreciable degrees of stereocontrol are induced by a distal stereogenic center of the substrate without concomitant ring-formation.[44, 45] The stereochemistry of 15 was established though X-ray crystallography (Figure 1). Open in a separate window Figure 1 X-ray crystal structure of 15. Open in a separate window Scheme 3 Stereoselective assembly of core of viriditoxin. Bentamapimod LDA=lithium diisopropylamide; DMPU = N,N’-Dimethylpropyleneurea; DDQ = 2,3-dichloro-5,6-dicyanobenzoquinone; DMS = dimethylsulfide In order to enhance the atropselectivity of the biaryl bond-formation, we explored the possibility of double diastereo-differentiation induced by a chiral vanadium catalyst. Gong has previously demonstrated that BINOL-derived bimetallic vanadium catalysts exhibit appreciable levels of enantioselectivity in the oxidative dimerization of naphthols. We prepared four catalysts derived from em R /em – and em S /em -BINOL and D- and L-valine (Structure 4). Open up in another window Structure 4 Chiral vanadium catalysts and variously substituted naphthopyranones for analyzing substrate range. Although substrate 14 is certainly central to the purpose of planning viriditoxin, we wished to explore the range of diastereoselectivity allowed by this brand-new remotely induced axial chirality. Pyranones 17C19, ready in three guidelines through the essential chiral epoxides, had been converted. Background The Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF) originated to research determinants of specific clinical behaviors and inform the look of interventions to improve professional behavior. the TDF. Outcomes Five domains had been identified as most likely relevant. Key values within these domains included the next: conflicting responses in regards to the potential implications of not really buying x-rays (threat of lacking a pathology, staying away from adverse treatment results, dangers of litigation, identifying your skin therapy plan, and using x-ray-driven methods contrasted with perceived great things about minimizing individual rays lowering and publicity costs; (Desk ?(Desk11)and and marginally higher for and Domains of and had been very rarely talked about. We survey the results of essential domains as well as illustrative rates grouped as values likely to boost x-ray buying and values likely to reduce x-ray buying. Each utterance is certainly discovered alphabetically to represent the positioning of focus groupings (G: Georgia, C: California, O: Ontario, Q: Quebec) and numerically to represent particular focus groupings. (Please see Extra document 3 for complete coding of particular Bentamapimod values within all TDF domains.) Values about consequencesFifteen particular values mapped to the domain. Most individuals indicated that the chance of lacking a vertebral pathology or anomaly had been significant drawbacks of handling uncomplicated back discomfort without x-rays. Many individuals had taken x-rays due to recognized dangers of adverse treatment results or concern with litigation, to help monitor patient conditions, and to improve patient compliance. Beliefs IL22 antibody likely to increase x-ray ordering (barriers) “The problem is that we perform a support that could injure someone and we certainly want to know what we are dealing with before we start. (G1)” “What about exposure to liability? Bentamapimod If you dont have an x-ray where you missed a diagnosis. (C1)” “I think x-rays also help with the type of treatment I am going to use if there is an anomaly like a transitional segment or presence of a disease will change the way I treat the patient. (O)” Other participants commented around the financial motivation Bentamapimod of routine x-ray, onsite imaging, and x-rayCdriven techniques. “I think there might be a financial incentive to order x-rays, financial is definitely part of that. I might add as a whole you are pretending that youre doing a more Bentamapimod thorough job if you have onsite imaging. (Q)” In contrast, participants expressed a number of beliefs about the benefits of managing nonspecific back pain without x-rays, including minimizing ionizing radiation exposure to patients, reducing costs, minimizing adverse events from further investigation, and avoiding labelling of patients. Beliefs likely to decrease x-ray Bentamapimod ordering (facilitators) “Benefits to not using x-rays are cost savings and minimizing patient radiation exposure. (C1)” ” like any assessments you may have equivocal findings and need further investigation that could lead to further medical procedures such as a biopsy and those carry their own risks, so theres always that risk of complications related to further investigations. (Q)” “[Other benefits] include avoiding creating stress to patients from incidental findings on routine x-rays (G2)” Many providers believed guidelines were designed to further restrict practice. Furthermore, US participants suggested that provider networks restrict their autonomy if they dont conform to their standards by assigning providers to lower tier levels. Maintaining the highest tier level to reduce administrative burden was perceived to be important by most participants: “if youre not top tier, you are so mired in paperwork and the reimbursement is so low. (G2)” “Our management protocols tend to be dictated by [the third-party payers] reimbursement policy to a certain degree. (G2)” “Your incentive is to keep the network happy so you dont get kicked off the panel. (C2)” “[Regarding third-party payers adoption of guidelines] I dont think that reducing ionizing radiation exposure is.

2019-04-24T10:36:45Z

http://www.sciencepop.org/tag/bentamapimod/

It really does, and that's what the sign said that appeared in the sky as Meryl Dorey from the Australian Vaccination Network took the stage at Woodford Folk Festival. It was on a banner towed behind a small plane, and its appearance at exactly that time wasn't a coincidence - it had been carefully planned that way. The sign was paid for by a small group of people, a subset of the Stop The AVN Facebook group, and had been kept a well-guarded secret in order to maximise the look of surprise and horror on Ms Dorey's face. To her credit she immediately recovered enough to blame Australian Skeptics Inc for the banner (ASI had nothing to do with it) and then said that it was advertising for her position, although how she equates "Vaccination saves lives" with "Vaccination kills" (her true position) is a mystery to the rest of us. Ms Dorey had originally been scheduled to give a talk about the link between vaccination and autism. To most thinking people in possession of the facts this would be a very short talk: "There isn't any", but nobody expected this from Ms Dorey. Following much media attention focussed on the Festival and its organisers a compromise was reached and the talk was replaced with a forum, where Ms Dorey would have to share the stage with someone who actually knows something about vaccinations, in this case Professor Andreas Suhrbier from the Queensland Institute of Medical Research. I like the fact that in its report, The Courier-Mail described the AVN as an "anti-vaccination group" in its caption to the photo above. At last the media are realising what the AVN stands for - not freedom of speech, not informed choice, but absolute and total opposition to all vaccines. Professor Suhrbier spoke first and gave the capacity crowd some real facts about the effectiveness and safety of vaccines. Then Ms Dorey got up and gave then what everyone expected - the anti-vaccination party line. I have given her PowerPoint slideshow the yellow highlighter treatment (to mark "inaccuracies"), and you can see it by clicking on the picture below. My comments on each slide are included. Thanks to radio station 4ZZZ in Brisbane, here is a recording of Ms Dorey's talk. I have given the player a yellow background for reasons that should be obvious. As an aside, I decided that if I am going to continue marking up Ms Dorey's work with my yellow marker I need to speed things up, so I have written to Logitech and asked them to make me a special keyboard with a yellow key just for that task. This could save hours each week. Episode 4 of the Radio Ratbags podcast has interviews with Chrys Stevenson, who did the lion's share of the PR for the Stop the AVN's Woodford campaign, and Dan Raffaele, founder of Stop the AVN. How would you feel if you heard someone laughing about how they had physically abused a child? How would you feel if you heard someone laughing about how they had sexually abused a child? Once you have considered those, how would you feel if you heard someone laughing about how they had exposed their child to a disease that still kills children around the world and sentences others to lives of pain and disability? That was a message posted to the Australian Vaccination Network's Facebook page on November 30, 2011. It was not challenged or criticised by any of the members of the group. You will notice that Ms Elphinstone expresses amusement at the thought of her son getting chicken pox, caught because she "did deliberaltey (sic) expose him". See the "lol"? That means "laughing out loud". I have been advised by the Western Australian Department of Child Protection that this is not a child protection issue. The WA Department of Health believes that the existing approach of providing the public with accurate information on vaccine preventable diseases is the preferred strategy. Fortunately, people with extreme views on immunisation, such as those attributed to Ms Elphinstone, are in a small minority. So there you have it. parents can freely abuse their children in Western Australia by putting them at risk of death or permanent injury provided they do the endangering by following an idiotic, anti-vaccination agenda. I assume the authorities aren't so cavalier with parents who refuse to put their children in approved car seats or who give them alcohol or other drugs. I hope that they take things more seriously if Ms Elphinstone decides to treat any serious illness her child acquires by using the useless products she sells off her web site. How many children have to be put at risk, or be damaged or killed by preventable diseases before the health authorities recognise anti-vaccination campaigners for the dangerous, deluded fools they are and treat them like any other group that defies the rules and conventions of civilised society? I'm not laughing out loud, and neither should anyone else. Meryl Dorey, President of the Australian Vaccination Network, was interviewed on radio station 4BC in Brisbane during the week. The station actually had a real doctor on as well to provide balance, although why any discussion about vaccination needs to have to pretend to balance is a mystery. There is no "other side", and giving an anti-vaccination campaigner air time is like having a Holocaust denier on to provide balance to a story about the history of the Second World War or having a moon hoax believer on to balance a story about planetary exploration. Here is a transcript of Ms Dorey's interview. It has been given the yellow marker treatment to show "inaccuracies". I hope I got all of them, but I can never be sure. Why is Australia in the midst of a whooping cough epidemic? Following is the transcript of an interview on Gary Hardgrave's Drive programme on 4BC (Brisbane), yesterday afternoon, the 18th of January. This is in regards to the current record levels of whooping cough in Australia (and worldwide) and the vilification by the government and medical community who blame the unvaccinated for the outbreak whilst ignoring the evidence that the vaccine is not working and may itself, be the source of the epidemic. GH: Doctors are fearing a rise in whooping cough, yet we've been immunising people for ages. Just what is going on here? I thought immunising against whooping cough was supposed to prevent it and there's been a mini epidemic in far north Queensland. I don't know much more details than that. I'm wondering if it's within indigenous communities or possibly within newly arrived migrants. I don't know, but others are saying no, it's a pretty broad cross section of our community that have been called out of that. We'll talk about that in some detail in a moment. We return with this apparent mini epidemic of whooping cough. I had a touch of whooping cough when I was a young acker and I as far as I know was immunised. It is not a nice thing. Australia's gone from having only 332 cases of whooping cough per year in 1991 to having something like 38,000 cases in 2011. That's the claim. 10,000% increase. I thought we were immunising people against this. The Australian Vaccination Network's Meryl Dorey joins us, Meryl I know you're not a big fan of vaccination, but something's wrong here. MD: Well something is definitely wrong here. it's not that I'm a fan or not a fan of vaccinations, but I am a fan of using scientific information to say that what We're doing works and it's not a mini epidemic that's happening for whooping cough. We're actually starting the fifth year of a record-breaking number of cases of whooping cough. When the vaccine was introduced in 1953 we had about 180 cases of whooping cough per 100,000 population in Australia and right now, with our vaccination rate going from 0 to 95%, we have 180 cases per 100,000 head of population. So we've actually seen no improvement in the incidence of whooping cough and what's occurring in Australia is what is occurring around the world. Any place that the vaccine is being used We're seeing this huge increase, an absolutely enormous increase in incidence, 10,000% in the last 20 years in Australia and the vaccine may very well be responsible for it. What the medical community is saying is that in the same way that antibiotics can lead to antibiotic resistant bacteria, well over use of the whooping cough vaccine has actually caused a mutation in the bacteria that causes whooping cough and it's no longer in the vaccine. GH: Yeah so what you're saying really is we need a bit more science to check out what We're actually vaccinating against? MD: Absolutely. And right now the medical community and the government are using this outbreak of whooping cough to try and get people to vaccinate more but we are vaccinating more than we've ever vaccinated before and it's not having any effect. Like you said - you thought, I thought, everyone thought - that when they vaccinated against whooping cough, it meant that they were protected. But now, even the medical community is saying, "No, you're not protected. It may just mean that you get the disease milder." and I have to tell you that from my research, there isn't any evidence that that's the case either. We are getting more cases of whooping cough than we've had in decades and it's despite a 24% increase in the vaccination rate against whooping cough in Australia in the last 20 years. GH: But I was vaccinated when I was a kid because I've been born 1953, I was born on January 5th in 1953 if anyone wants to write that down for my 60th birthday, my point being that I had a mild form of whooping cough when I was a kid, it terrified my parents, it was an aweful time they reckon. MD: Well that's it. And from the statistics we've gotten from the government, it appears that something close to 80% of all cases of whooping cough are occurring in fully vaccinated people so you know, we have a situation where We're getting a huge incidence of disease and We're being told that the only answer is to get more vaccinations, more vaccinations, but we already have so many people vaccinated and the disease is not declining - it's actually increasing. And what the AVN says is that we have about a 95% vaccination rate against whooping cough right now. If the government wants to increase that even higher, and that's a pretty high vaccination rate, a lot of parents that we speak with are very concerned about whether or not giving their children vaccines is going to keep them healthy. And we have been asking, organisations like the AVN around the world have been asking for decades now, for the governments to do the one study that will actually make parents feel more comfortable about giving their children these vaccines and that is a study comparing the overall health of children who are fully vaccinated with children who are completely unvaccinated but that's never been done. GH: All right, SOMETHING is out there, I appreciate your time. GH: We'll talk to you again. GH: Meryl Dorey, President of the Australian Vaccination Network. They say parents have the right to choose. And I am a great believer in vaccination but I get the point that she's making that I'm very, very interested in because whether or not We're vaccinating against exactly the same thing, or the right thing, that we should be vaccinating against. Yes, I've been away. I had to do a whole lot of accounting work to satisfy the government department which provides my wife with benefit payments for a medical condition. One of their requirements is that we must submit the accounts of my business every year by a certain date or the benefits get cut off. We had missed the deadline, but managed to get back into their good books before the payments stopped. The same department administers unemployment benefits, and people who want to keep receiving those payments have to provide evidence of job seeking activity every fortnight. My younger daughter gets an allowance for being a full-time student, but she has to regularly provide evidence of attendance at classes. I'm in a twelve-month arrangement in which the government provides a small subsidy to my business to develop and market a new product. I have to submit progress reports every month, and there are also quarterly reporting requirements which result in immediate cancellation of payments if deadlines are missed. To receive an aged pension you have to regularly provide the relevant government department with statements of your assets and income. There is another benefit scheme in Australia in which parents receive payments (actually it's a taxation benefit) for having their children fully vaccinated. You might think that this benefit would be withheld if you chose not to vaccinate your kids, but you would be wrong. All you have to do is fill in a conscientious objection form and the money keeps flowing. You don't have to give any reason for your objection, just say you have one. Anyone offering a conscientious objection to fulfilling obligations related to the disability support pension, or Newstart, or the aged pension or the New Enterprise Incentive Scheme would have those objections looked at carefully and then be informed that they were off the program and had received their last payment. All you have to say to keep getting the vaccination benefit is say "Give it to me". I have no problem with real conscientious objection, but to prove it should require evidence of active membership of a religious group with opposition to vaccination as part of its dogma. Anything else is just lying and theft. Is it any surprise that the Australian Vaccination Network offers to provide people to accompany parents when they go to the doctor to get these lying forms filled in? Did I mention that claiming conscientious objection for no reason other than you are either an anti-vaccination liar yourself or believe the lies they tell is lying and theft? I did? Good. I wouldn't want to be misunderstood. Back in January I mentioned a case of child abuse, where a naturopath boasted about exposing her child to chicken pox. Here is how the story was reported in the local paper, the Cambridge Post. This did not please the anti-vaccinators, and here is what Meryl Dorey erstwhile (and perhaps still current) president of the Australian Vaccination Network had to say in a letter to the paper. I love the headline: "Anti-vaxers reply on chickenpox". At least the paper is under no illusion about Ms Dorey's position. Stop the Australian Vaccination Network (AVN) reported a WA mother to Child Protection Services (CPS) for doing what our mothers and grandmothers did - exposing her child to a benign disease of childhood so they would get natural immunity - a benefit vaccines cannot provide. The report was made by Ken McLeod, not SAVN. My mother and grandmothers were never stupid enough to expose us to disease. The "benign" disease kills children every day. I'm sure the families of the 100 people who died each year in the US prior to a vaccine becoming available thought that "benign" was a good description. Vaccines can certainly provide immunity, even if it's not "natural". But the response of CPS and the government is the real concern. Instead of laughing it off the government used this poor woman's situation to try to once again attack the AVN, a public health safety watchdog that has provided medically sourced information to Australian parents for more than 18 years. The government did in fact "laugh it off" - they did nothing about this quite clear case of child abuse. Unfortunately. Any relationship between the AVN and public health is negative - they want children to be sick. The "information" is sourced from medical specialists like the disgraced Andrew Wakefield, total loon Harold Buttram, the Geiers, who have been declared persona non grata as expert witnesses (and who give castration chemicals to children), and other people who have either forgotten their medical training or who paid someone else to sit the exams for them. It is because of the AVN that families can still access all government payments and send their children to school, pre-school and child-care centres whether they are vaccinated or not. No, it wasn't "because of the AVN. And isn't the rest of it a disgrace? People can claim benefits to which they are not entitled and send their pox-ridden spawn to schools and kindergartens to infect other people's kids. This is not something I would be proud of, but as you can see there is no yellow - this vileness is the truth. According to the National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System, since the vaccine was introduced in Australia, the rates of chicken pox have been steadily increasing. Notice the huge increase, mostly due to doctors now being familiar with what the disease looks like. I had chicken pox as an adult and it was the first adult case my doctor had ever knowingly seen. Also note the steady increase between 2008 and 2010. It would be expected that a newly-introduced surveillance system would show an increase in reported cases over time as doctors became familiar with what the disease looked like. By the way, there was one case in 2003 and 5 in 1997 (the two years prior to 2006 with reported cases), but to include those in the graph would cause my old stats teacher to come to my house with a machete. If child protection can be called in because this mother tried to protect her child through natural immunity, what is next? Child protection wasn't "called in". A clear case of child abuse was reported to CPS, they flick-passed it to Health who then washed their hands of it. And as for "what is next?" Perhaps parents "protecting" their children from sexually transmitted diseases by exposing them to adults with syphilis, gonorrhea and chlamydia. Then see what CPS does, and it won't be "Oh, that's OK". And the mother didn't try to "protect her child through natural immunity", she placed the child in a health (and possibly life) threatening position. I suppose if I pointed out again that the mother is a naturopath and therefore devoid of any medical knowledge I would be accused of ad hominem, but facts are facts. It seems that in all this busyness you have forgotten to post out issues of Living Woosdom, sorry Wisdom, and subscribers might be getting a bit impatient. I've even heard that iSubscribe have dropped you from their web site and list of magazines that they sell subscriptions to. You have mentioned financial worries and I'm sure you don't need any of this aggravation. Perhaps you should check the garage to see if there are any magazines there that you have forgotten to take to the post office. I'm sure that subscribers will be happy to receive them even if they are a couple of months, or even years, late. I hope this finds you well. See you on February 22. Yes, Wednesday, February 22 was the big day. It was to be the last hearing date for the great big court case where the Australian Vaccination Network was taking on the NSW Health Care Complaints Commission. The AVN refused to do this, so the HCCC issued its very first ever Public Warning which included the following words. The Organisation's website is misleading in that it may lead people making donations to believe that they are donating to a cause which promotes vaccination whereas the Organisation adopts an anfi:-- vaccination position. When requested by the HCCC to publish a disclaimer on its website the Organisation failed to do so. This had the effect of severely restricting the ability of the AVN to raise money, as the order also prevented them from enrolling new members or soliciting donations from anyone except existing members. How anybody can interpret the statement by the OLG&R to say that the "entire decision" was based on the HCCC's original request (not the warning) when there were clearly two other reasons is a mystery, but much of the anti-vaccination movements interpretation of reality is a mystery. Based on this false assumption, the AVN took the HCCC to court in the mistaken belief that if they could get the HCCC action overturned they could go back to asking people for money and it would be business as usual. The decision did not go as we would have liked it, because Justice Adamson ruled that the HCCC had exceeded its authority. Her decision was based on her interpretation of who is allowed by the legislation to make a complaint. Note - she did not rule on the content of the complaints themselves or that the HCCC did not have power over the AVN as a health care provider (the AVN's lawyers had accepted that status for their client). She ruled that the wording of the relevant Act of Parliament restricted the ability of complaining to people who had been directly influenced by the AVN's words and actions. In this case the two complaints had been submitted by third parties. Once these complaints were ruled out, the HCCC had no reason to act. The HCCC has since removed the warning from their web site (it is retained here for historical reference, but has been moved so it cannot be indexed by search engines). The reasons for the decision are summarised in paragraphs 59 and 60 of the document, where it is made clear that the complaints could not be upheld as they were not made by people qualified under the legislation. In paragraph 60, Justice Adamson suggested the sort of evidence which, had it been provided by the HCCC, could have resulted in a decision the other way. Justice Adamson explicitly rejected an appeal to certiorari (p67), which means that the OLG&R's order is not affected by the outcome of this case. So despite much crowing by Ms Dorey about the great win in the courts, it really is business as usual. The order preventing the AVN from fundraising stands and the HCCC has the undoubted ability to examine and act on the AVN's activities. In future, complaints will be made in a legally acceptable form now that the rules are quite clear. If anything, the decision can be interpreted as implying that the AVN has no influence at all, because evidence of any such influence could have changed the outcome. There is one interesting matter outstanding, however. The solicitor acting for the AVN apparently publicly declared that she was working pro bono, which means that she cannot submit a bill even though costs have been awarded against the HCCC. Ms Dorey was running (before the OLG&R ban, presumably) an appeal for money to pay legal fees, but with the solicitor getting nothing and the barrister's costs being covered by the HCCC, one wonders what happened to any money collected. Maybe the Office of Liquor, Gaming and Racing might like to have a look at that. Last week I mentioned the result of the court case between the Australian Vaccination Network and the NSW Health Care Complaints Commission. Following the decision the HCCC took its Public Warning about the AVN down from its web site. That doesn't mean that anyone else has to stop publicising it, so here it is. And here it is in a form that can be found by the search engines. The Australian Vaccination Network is conducting a survey of readers of its magazine to determine what they want to see in the rag in the future. The results of one of the questions is causing some amusement. OK, I know it's bad survey design to have more choices than possible correct answers, I know that it should have had a "Don't care" choice, but I really like the idea that 43% of AVN members think that there are more than the normal seven days in a week. It fits with their rejection of facts and common sense. Perhaps that other day is the one on which vaccines are dangerous and don't work, a day unknown to the rest of us. There's an old insult: "He wouldn't know what day it is". Could this condition be endemic in AVN supporters? Despite raising aver $150,000 in donations that was not spent on its intended and specified purpose (a court challenge to some very sensible legislation)but was used instead for overseas trips to loon conventions, the AVsN didn't have enough money to pay for renewal of the domain name, so "The REAL Australian Sceptics" died some time in 2016. Nobody cared, because nobody had been looking at the site anyway.

2019-04-21T20:56:50Z

https://ratbags.com/rsoles/comment/avn2012a.htm

Background Despite over a decade of efforts to reduce the adverse event rate in healthcare, the rate has remained relatively unchanged. Root cause analysis (RCA) is a process used by hospitals in an attempt to reduce adverse event rates; however, the outputs of this process have not been well studied in healthcare. This study aimed to examine the types of solutions proposed in RCAs over an 8-year period at a major academic medical institution. Methods All state-reportable adverse events were gathered, and those for which an RCA was performed were analysed. A consensus rating process was used to determine a severity rating for each case. A qualitative approach was used to categorise the types of solutions proposed by the RCA team in each case and descriptive statistics were calculated. Results 302 RCAs were reviewed. The most common event types involved a procedure complication, followed by cardiopulmonary arrest, neurological deficit and retained foreign body. In 106 RCAs, solutions were proposed. A large proportion (38.7%) of RCAs with solutions proposed involved a patient death. Of the 731 proposed solutions, the most common solution types were training (20%), process change (19.6%) and policy reinforcement (15.2%). We found that multiple event types were repeated in the study period, despite repeated RCAs. Conclusions This study found that the most commonly proposed solutions were weaker actions, which were less likely to decrease event recurrence. These findings support recent attempts to improve the RCA process and to develop guidance for the creation of effective and sustainable solutions to be used by RCA teams. Most states, including New York, require RCAs to be completed after a sentinel event.30 Despite the large prevalence of the RCA process in adverse event review and work to identify improved RCA techniques, a systems-based approach to RCAs, and in how to properly respond to the identified causes in a way that will increase system safety in a sustained manner, is not widespread. As a step towards this goal, this study aims to build on prior work by examining the types of solutions proposed in response to RCAs conducted at a large, tertiary care academic medical centre over an 8-year period. This is a qualitative and quantitative analysis of the content of RCAs performed at one large academic medical centre over an 8-year period. The goal of the study was to determine a taxonomy of solution types proposed by the RCA teams and to determine the number of solution types for all RCAs reviewed. Hospital leadership consented to data review and IRB approval was obtained prior to initiation of data collection. Occurrences were coded by type prior to submission, according to NYPORTS standards, and any occurrence coded as a serious reportable event’ required an RCA be conducted.31 RCAs were done within 30–60 days following the occurrence. At the study facility, the RCA was led by a member of the quality team from within the office of Quality and Safety. The typical RCA team was six to eight individuals and included one quality officer and at least one member of physician and nursing leadership from each involved or affected discipline. One to two face-to-face meetings were conducted in which involved parties were typically interviewed, with follow-up emails and phone calls used to reach consensus on the final report document. The report was then shared with the hospital's Safety and Risk Management Committee, and the Board of Directors' Quality and Patient Safety Committee and uploaded to NYPORTS, which allows analysis of multi-institutional data.22 The RCA team gave a final designation to each case, chosen from one of the following: ‘standard of care met, no action needed’, ‘standard of care met with room for improvement’, ‘standard of care not met, attributable to systems’ or ‘standard of care not met, attributable to individual practitioner’. Full records of all state-reported incidents at the study institution between 2001 and 2008 were obtained from the NYPORTS database in the form of a Microsoft Access database file (Redmond, Washington, USA). Data were deidentified, and a check for duplicates was performed. This database included all information reported by the hospital to the reporting agency during the study period. Data included patient demographic information, a description of the event and the proposed solutions. Only unique reports that reviewed reportable incidents for which an RCA was required were included. Cases designated as ‘standard of care met, no action needed’, for which no solutions were proposed, were reviewed in the initial analysis for case type but were excluded from the analysis of solution types, and no further analysis of these cases was conducted. Raters did not attempt to determine causation but rated the severity of case outcomes based on the information available in the RCA. For cases where ratings were inconsistent by more than two categories, consensus was reached by discussion during a second meeting. If case ratings were off by only one category, the more severe outcome was selected. Subsequently, the data were analysed using Stata (Stata 1C 11, College Station Texas, USA). Three hundred and two RCA cases were conducted during the 8-year study period. Duplicate records were excluded. All RCAs were included in the initial analysis; subsequently, those cases proposed solutions were included in the solutions analysis (figure 1). Table 1 shows descriptive information for all 302 cases, as well as severity outcome categories for RCAs in which solutions were proposed (n=106). A large proportion (38.7%) of RCAs with solutions proposed involved a patient death. Adverse events resulting in RCAs occurred throughout the hospital, most frequently in surgical departments (52.6%), with departments such as psychiatry and neurology submitting cases with the lowest frequency (2% and 1.3%, respectively). Determination of root cause analyses included in the study sample. The most common event types were procedure complication, cardiopulmonary arrest, neurological deficit and retained foreign body (table 2). The least frequent cases involved electrolyte imbalances, equipment failures or conducting the incorrect study for a patient. During the study period, several event types were repeated multiple times, including retained foreign body, medication administration error and wrong-site surgery. Figure 2 shows the recurrence of retained foreign body events during the study period, despite RCAs being performed for each of these events. Occurrence of retained foreign body events, as extracted from root cause analyses performed between 2001 and 2008. The average number of solutions proposed per RCA was 4.7, with 499 total solutions identified in the analysis (table 3). The most common category of solutions was training, most often proposed as didactic teaching, discussions at faculty/staff meetings or via in-service training. For example, in a case where a patient suffered neurological complications from an air embolism that occurred during an interventional radiology procedure, the RCA team stated that, ‘The treatment of air embolism should be reviewed annually for the staff in the angio[graphy laboratory] and interventional radiology departments and included as part of the formal teaching of Interventional Radiology residents’. Following a case of intraoperative nerve compression resulting in peroneal nerve injury, one of the proposed solutions was, ‘For educative purposes and to heighten awareness of the possibility this could occur due to positioning, this case will be reviewed at Anesthesia's…QI [Quality Improvement] Grand Rounds, and at Orthopedics’ QA [Quality Assurance] meeting’. The second most common solution type proposed was a process change, which could involve a change in workflow, a clinical protocol or procedures around communication. These solutions could involve training staff in the new process. For example, following a case where a patient had a respiratory arrest upon transport to MRI from the Surgical Intensive Care Unit (SICU), a clinical protocol in the form of a written algorithm was developed to determine the stability of SICU patients for transfer for non-urgent diagnostic testing. In another case, an incorrect surgical count prompted the performance of an abdominal X-ray; however, the entire abdomen was not imaged, and thus, a sponge was not identified at the time the X-ray was read. The proposed process change to facilitate communication was, ‘The surgeon and the radiologist should collaborate with regard to the plan for imaging the area under review’. The third most commonly proposed solution was policy reinforcement. In this category, the RCA team stated that a policy already in place would be emphasised to staff. For example, in another surgical case of a retained sponge, the RCA team stated, ‘Analysis confirmed that our counting policy is effective as written despite this occurrence. However, sponge was retained. Human error determined to be a factor’, and thus proposed the following solution: ‘Re-emphasise policy and procedures at OR staff meeting and at the next Perioperative Service Chiefs meeting’. In a case where two patients on a unit had the same last name and the wrong patient received a ventilation/perfusion scan, the RCA team proposed the following solution: ‘Staff were reminded of the correct procedure for identifying patients’. This study examined RCAs performed at a major US academic medical centre over an 8-year period. We determined the categories of cases being reviewed by the RCA team, as well as the types of solutions proposed to reduce similar future occurrences. Analyses such as this provide a crucial step to understanding the RCA process and to provide a framework to facilitate future studies that examine the utility of the process. The safety industry recognises that a hierarchy of safety interventions exists, the power of which can lead to greater or lesser improvements in safety. In its most general form, the hierarchy is as follows (from most effective to least); (1) Design changes to remove the hazard, (2) Guard (physically) against the hazard, (3) Warn the personnel about the hazard.35 Relatively few of the solutions offered by the RCA teams included design of changes to remove hazards, and we believe that this is representative of RCAs as performed throughout the USA. We found that in this time period, RCAs were performed for cases from most services in the hospital with the most common being surgical cases. This coincided with the fact that the greatest proportion of cases was related to a procedure complication, the risk for which is higher during surgery than in other hospital settings, as a higher frequency of procedures are performed there. The frequency of different types of cases may also be related to the types of events that are required to be reported in New York. Our data showed a high (38.7%) rate of patient death related to the adverse event; however, there is likely under reporting of patients who are less severely injured, making this likely to be an over-representation of overall severity.36 In figure 2, we show that, despite repeated RCA team examination of retained foreign body events, occurrences of that same event continued throughout the study period. While recognising that some types of events are impossible to eliminate completely, we propose that repeat events occur despite repeat RCAs because of the quality and types of solutions that are proposed by RCA teams. The effectiveness of the RCA process has been questioned in the literature previously, but few studies have critically examined the process as it is used in healthcare to review sentinel events.14 Many times, the RCA does not identify meaningful aspects of the event but simply observes that humans are imperfect. For example, failures involving people forgetting something previously known or taught to them simply observes that human memory is imperfect. This finding is trivial and will not contribute to sustainable change without some kind of change in the work setting to support the cognitive work of the healthcare worker or reduce the burden of having to remember critical pieces of information. Additionally, in healthcare, many errors are ‘slips’ or ‘lapses’ that occur when the practitioner is in automaticity mode and is not consciously thinking about his or her actions. To begin to address errors due to ‘slips’ and ‘lapses’, the conditions under which these errors occur must be identified.37 ,38 Systems-based changes have been found to be most effective in mitigating safety in other industries; however, this has not yet become a standard of practice in patient safety in healthcare. Our data around policy reinforcement highlights one of the most compelling demonstrations of the ineffectiveness of RCAs, as they have historically been performed in the USA. In what resilience engineers would refer to as the ‘work as imagined’ space, we see solutions such as reminding staff of the correct procedure, and human error was determined to be a factor. This violates the basic premise of safety engineering involving sociotechnical systems, which recognises that human errors will always be repeated. Just as our parents taught us when we were toddlers, human error is inevitable, thereby proposing a solution for safety mitigation that focuses on reminding people not to make mistakes is an indictment of our approach to safety. Work done by our team examined the same categories of RCA solutions discussed here and, through front-line personnel and discussions with safety science experts, developed a model of sustainability and effectiveness for solutions.23 In that study, the categories developed in this project were used to determine the effectiveness and sustainability of different solutions proposed by RCA teams. This work showed that solutions, such as technology changes and institutional-level changes, were most effective and sustainable, and solutions, such as counselling and disciplinary changes, were the least effective and sustainable. This study can serve as a basis for future analyses of the effectiveness of the RCA process for preventing similar future occurrences. It is clear that RCA teams need validated tools to use when proposing solutions in order to meet the goal of reducing future similar outcomes. However, no trials have examined the effectiveness of the process or its proposed solutions.10 Therefore, more work needs to be done to specifically review interventions and evaluate their quality. RCA teams need guidance on solution types and the timing of their implication, and this needs to be validated in order to propose the most effective solutions for change. Work needs to be done to determine how to study near misses and hazards to include information from these events in proposed solutions, as these events are often incredibly informative and predictive of future events but are often not evaluated. There are limitations of this study, which should be considered when interpreting our results. This study was performed at a single institution. However, this institution performs RCAs in a manner similar to other major medical centres across the country and is in accordance with Joint Commission recommendations.39 A multicentre study of RCAs is needed in the future, as studies of the RCA process are scarce. While an 8-year period is likely representative of the types of RCAs and the solutions proposed, examining a greater length of time might also reveal more about the process. We were unable to review each case in detail and each solution in context, as this information was not submitted to NYPORTS, which may have yielded more information about the derivation of the different solutions. Our study evaluates the RCA process as performed at a major medical centre, building on prior work to classify and understand the recommendations being made by RCA teams. Our results show that certain event types are seen repeatedly, even following recommendations from RCA teams. Our qualitative analysis reveals that solution types most commonly proposed are not usually the types shown to be more effective and sustainable in other industries. Our study highlights the need for further critical evaluation of the RCA process in healthcare in order to understand if and how the process can be improved to meet the goal of reducing error and increasing patient safety. Joseph Duckett, Diane Cockrell, Robert Panzer, MD. . The end of the beginning: patient safety five years after “To Err Is Human”. Health Aff 2004;Suppl Web Exclusives:W4–534–545. . Safety in numbers: the development of leapfrog ‘ s composite patient safety score for U. S. Hospitals. J Patient Saf 2013;9:1–9. . Techniques for root cause analysis. Proc (Bayl Univ Med Cent) 2001;14:154–7. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16369607. , The New York model: root cause analysis driving patient safety initiative to ensure correct surgical and invasive procedures. In: Henriksen K, Keyes MA, Grady ML, et al., eds. Advances in patient safety: new directions and alternative approaches. Rockville, MD: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, 2008. . Human factors engineering design demonstrations can enlighten your RCA team. Qual Saf Health Care 2003;12:119–21. NYPORTS—The New York Patient Occurrence and Tracking System—Annual Report 1999. https://www.health.ny.gov/press/releases/2001/nyports/nyports.htm. 2001 (accessed 8 Sep 2015). NYPORTS—SECTION 2: CLINICAL DEFINITIONS MANUAL. http://www.nashp.org/sites/default/files/NY_PORTS_Clinical_Definitions.pdf. Published 2005 (accessed 8 Sep 2015). . Papers that go beyond numbers (qualitative research). Br Med J 1997;315:740–3. . Qualitative research in health care. Analysing qualitative data. Br Med J 2000;320:114–16. . Safety Hierarchy: Design Vs. Warnings. http://www.visualexpert.com/Resources/safetyhierarchy.html (accessed 8 Sep 2015). . The role of error in organizing behavior. Ergonomics 1990;33:1185–99. Joint Comission. Framework for Conducting a Root Cause Analysis and Action Plan. https://www.jointcommission.org/framework_for_conducting_a_root_cause_analysis_and_action_plan/. Published 2013 (accessed 8 Aug 2016). Correction notice This article has been corrected since it first published Online First. The abstract has been restructured to include a conclusions section. Funding This study was funded by the ‘Year-Out Research Fellowship’ grant from the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry and by the Emergency Medicine Patient Safety Foundation. At the time of this study, RF was supported by a Career Development Award from the NIBIB, K08EB009090. Ethics approval University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry.

2019-04-25T04:10:49Z

https://qualitysafety.bmj.com/content/26/5/381

The overall responsibility for risk management lies with the Board of Management of KSB AG. It reports to the Supervisory Board during regular Audit Committee meetings and is monitored by the latter. The Board of Management is supported by the Chief Compliance Officer and the Group Finance and Accounting department. The latter coordinates the risk management process at Group level and investigates all reported risks to determine whether they are relevant for the financial statements. This ensures that there is a systematic link with the Group accounting process. The Board of Management and the Supervisory Board’s Audit Committee receive at least two risk reports per financial year. These reports include all the risks that are categorised as significant or neutral that exceed pre-defined threshold values individually or collectively, not considering any action that has been taken. Particularly critical topics are reported on an ad-hoc basis by the managers in charge. In contrast, opportunities are not taken into account in this system, but are examined separately in consultation with segment managers and regional managers. Compliance risks are dealt with by the Chief Compliance Officer, who is assigned to the Legal & Compliance, Patents & Trademarks staff function. The Chief Compliance Officer is supported by the members of the Compliance Committee and the Compliance Managers of the individual companies. The Internal Audits department is integrated into the risk management system as part of our internal control system. When planning audits, it prioritises areas according to potential risks and is provided with all the necessary information. The internal auditors ensure that all audited units adhere to the applicable guidelines, actively participate in the risk management system, and control or avoid their risks. Information obtained by Internal Audits on both the recognised risks and the countermeasures introduced in response forms an integral part of the reporting to the Board of Management and the Audit Committee of the Supervisory Board. Our risk management system is regularly reviewed and promptly updated where necessary, for example, in the event of relevant legal or organisational changes. In addition, our auditors examine within the scope of the annual audit the early risk detection system, establishing that it is present and checking that it is fit for purpose. In addition, the Accounting department regularly and analytically validates the plausibility of time series and actual / budget variance analyses. This enables us to identify significant changes early on, which we then examine for accounting and measurement discrepancies. The resulting findings are then discussed at management level. Our business and the opportunities available to us are affected by changes in the economic and political environments. One of the influencing factors during the current year, from an economic perspective, is the low price of oil. This has a negative impact on the financial strength of the oil-producing countries, limiting their ability to invest. We counter this risk, which is classed as “significant” by intensifying our contacts with companies and institutions that are making purchases within the means available to them. In this way we aim to limit the negative impact on our business. There is the risk of falling demand in the petrochemical industry in China, which would negatively impact on order intake for our pumps and valves. We are responding to this risk by monitoring our orders on hand and by offering the available products for other fields of application. Import duties in Malaysia are pushing up the sale price of products from the Eta type series. We are offsetting this risk by optimising our procurement costs there. The political situation in the Middle East and in North Africa remains critical. The destabilisation of Syria, Libya, Yemen and Iraq following internal and external conflicts is also affecting these countries’ neighbours. Both private companies and government institutions are understandably reticent with regard to investment in new plant. It is possible that the conflicts could spread further, which would place additional constraints on our business opportunities in this region. Given the political differences between Russia and the USA, and between Russia and most European countries, we have seen a clear deterioration in East / West relations. This is also evident in economic life, with Russian companies increasingly ordering products that have been made in Russia or involve a high proportion of local value added. Our KSB company in Moscow has reacted to this development, setting up a local assembly site in leased premises for industrial and water engineering pumps. Additionally, we are also planning to establish our own production site. In South Africa, political tensions in conjunction with economic shortcomings are hampering progress. This is affecting the business prospects of our local production and sales company. Consequently, it is intensifying its sales activities in other countries in southern Africa, primarily Angola and Zambia. Asia remains our most important sales market for power plant equipment, including pumps and valves. Competition in China has, however, continued to intensify, creating greater price pressure for the KSB Group and representing a “significant” risk. In order to tap into the Asian market more widely, we have agreed a strategic alliance with our long-term partner, the Chinese SEC Group, in late 2015. This aims at closer cooperation so that KSB can achieve success in Asian power plant projects outside of China. A first contract, awarded at the end of 2015 to fit out an Indian power plant, will serve as a test case for further joint projects in the future. Specific opportunities will arise in relation to our valves if large-scale projects for the supply of water are realised in the Middle East, Africa and Asia. These generally relate to the construction or renewal of pipelines that are fitted with butterfly valves with very large diameters. With regard to sales of slurry pumps to the mining sector, we still see opportunities to acquire market share despite the current difficulties in the sector. Our partnership with a global provider of machinery and systems for the mining industry, agreed during the reporting year, will be beneficial in this area. Furthermore, following the commissioning of a new specialist foundry in the USA, we can now supply large high-quality pumps more quickly than in the past. The trend towards a greater focus on energy efficiency can result in customers increasingly requesting services for the analysis of existing systems and retrofit measures. The lifting of the embargo on Iran opens up new sales prospects. Until the political decision to exclude Iran as a trading partner, we primarily supplied customers in the petrochemical and other industrial sectors with pumps and valves, and we were also well represented with our products in water supply facilities. Currently, opportunities are emerging as we increase the size of our team at our Tehran office, and from contacts with Iranian companies that are turning to German products again after their experience with some Chinese producers. Unexpected sales opportunities may also arise if India accelerates the expansion of its water and waste water infrastructure as a result of improved financing options. In our business, there are special requirements when it comes to the processing of large-scale projects with long terms. There are also always associated risks. There may be cost overruns, tighter import regulations, staff shortages, technical difficulties or quality problems – including possible penalties – that reduce our margins. For this reason, we specially train our employees in project management. This enables them to identify the risks associated with longer-term orders at an early stage. Our project managers are provided with appropriate management tools. Decisions are made in conjunction with clearly structured authorisation processes. We set aside suitable provisions for warranty obligations and contractual penalty risks. These amounted to € 52 million in the consolidated financial statements for 2015 compared with € 45 million in the previous year; beyond this there is no other major residual risk (net risk). In mid-June 2015 we began work on the construction of a new competence centre for mechatronics in Ankara, where we will in future be manufacturing all variable speed glandless pumps used in building services and also system components. The manufacturing programme will include the Calio series, which is still being produced in Switzerland at present. The cost benefits that this relocation will generate can help to improve our competitive position on the heating and air-conditioning market from as early as the second half of 2016. In addition, the expansion of the Calio series, as detailed in the Research and Development section, extends our opportunities for providing customers with state-of-the-art products from our own production. We also believe that our high-pressure pumps offer additional market opportunities. We now offer these in an extended range of sizes. In 2015 many customers were already ordering this pump set, which offers greater value for money than its predecessors, for use in water engineering or industrial plants. The world’s first measurement and balancing valve using ultrasound technology, which we launched in 2015, is also generating keen interest. It simplifies the task of measuring flow, especially in heating and air-conditioning systems. The KSB Sonolyzer app, introduced in 2015, is also opening up new opportunities to win contracts. The app helps customers to review the efficiency of their pump system quickly and easily. If a plant frequently operates under low-flow conditions, and thus uneconomically, the link to KSB contact persons provides analysis, consultancy and system optimisation options. Alongside the euro, the most important currencies for the KSB Group are the US dollar, the Indian rupee, the Brazilian real and the Chinese yuan. If the exchange rate deviates from our assumptions, this would have positive or negative effects upon our business volumes and our earnings. A strict receivables management system and the use of trade credit insurance helps us avoid situations where receivables cannot be collected from customers. Persistent recessions or newly emerging crisis may adversely affect the financial situation of our customers. Delayed payments and credit losses as a result of this can place a burden upon our results of operations. The same effect might occur if the foreign exchange regulations become stricter for individual countries. We counter this by means of a strict receivables management system and intensive customer contacts. Our Italian company, whose product range includes high-efficiency motors, experienced a deterioration in its financial situation during the reporting year. Some service companies in France also suffered as a result of the persistently difficult economic situation in the country, with an impact on business development and thus on economic and financial solvency, as well as medium-term business prospects. We are therefore reviewing the strategic direction and organisational structures of our service activities there. Changing market circumstances mean that our existing business models need to be fundamentally reviewed. During the past financial year we therefore carried out a reassessment of the prospects for canned motor pumps and re-assessed our activities. Our findings were that the current market opportunities are poor, with the result that we will be adjusting our product range accordingly. As regards tax matters, the global orientation of our activities must be taken into consideration. Based on our operative activities in numerous countries with varying tax laws and administrative interpretation, differentiated assessment is required for measuring our tax obligations. Uncertainty may arise due to different interpretations by taxable entities on the one hand and local finance authorities on the other. These may come to light during audits. By cooperating closely with external local tax specialists, we counteract the risk of having to pay back taxes. As we continually monitor unclear issues, we can generally classify the probability of occurrence. Should a need for subsequent payment arise, we create the corresponding provisions in good time. In the 2015 consolidated financial statements, we set aside € 1.3 million for circumstances that are classified as a significant or neutral risk. Every time the US dollar gains in value over our Group currency, the euro, our imported European products become cheaper for our customers in the USA. At the same time, there is the possibility that contracts that we post in US dollars, after conversion to our Group currency, result in higher amounts than if exchange rates had remained unchanged. To reduce procurement costs, we continue to look for quality suppliers in Eastern Europe and Asia as part of a targeted process. Where we are able to source products more favourably than in the past, this helps to strengthen our competitive position in sales markets exposed to high levels of price pressure. In cross-functional teams, we look for ways of cutting our material costs, also pursuing technical approaches. Since 2015 we have been using a supplier portal, which was tried and tested in Germany, to simplify the order process between KSB and its suppliers in Brazil, China, France, South Africa and the USA. We will also be integrating our Indian suppliers into this portal during the current year. By successively expanding our use of this platform, we can reduce the activities in our Group that do not create any value added. By permanently observing the market and technology, and keenly exchanging ideas and information in our international network with technology partners, customers and suppliers, we identify principles and approaches that enable us to offer new or extended services. In this way, KSB is able to ensure that its products are distinctive in a positive way and to improve market prospects. In a continuation of our drive system and motor campaign, we are developing appropriate technologies for different individual cases. These can take the form of elementary components that improve the energy efficiency of our customers’ systems and lead to us being awarded new contracts. We are also working on Industry 4.0 projects with our customers and partners. These provide a foundation on which new business models can be developed. By harnessing modern production technologies, and making use of the digital value creation chain in particular, it will be easier for us to provide our customers with the right product at the right time. With this in mind, we are working to devise new logistics concepts and production technologies. Our business activities, primarily in the area of production, are subject to numerous environmental protection laws and regulations. Environmental damage of any kind (for example, groundwater contamination, renovation needed due to outdated construction materials or unpleasant odours arising from the use of chemicals) may result in losses not covered by an insurance policy. Therefore, at all company sites officers monitor compliance with laws and regulations as well as with internal KSB rules, which in some cases exceed the prescribed environmental standards. If we discover any contamination, we set aside provisions to meet the liabilities for the necessary clean-up work. In the 2015 consolidated financial statements, these amounted to just under € 1 million for significant or neutral risks, which was unchanged on the previous year. Based on a global environmental management system, we recognise in good time the hazards for humans and nature that may arise from our activities, and where necessary take protective measures. It gives us great opportunities to prevent damage and the financial consequences thereof. By having our production and service plants checked by auditors and certified according to international standards, we and our customers are both assured that KSB companies respect the environment. This is an important prerequisite for many business relations. It offers KSB the opportunity to present itself to the market as an environmentally sound company. Our commitment to the UN Global Compact, too, allows us to meet the expectations of our customers and thus improve our sales prospects. In 2015 we conducted energy audits at all of our major sites in Europe, complying with the implementation, at national level, of an EU regulation. Ultimately, this analysis revealed new potential for additional energy savings by renovating our production halls, through smart management of our production facilities and through instructions to the operators of the machine tools. The newly revised ISO 14001 international environmental management standard has been in force since November 2015 subject to a three-year transitional period. As we have already started early in 2016 to have our production facilities certified in line with the new requirements, we have the opportunity to take account of new environmental protection aspects from an early stage and to present us to the public as a company that takes its responsibility for the environment and for society very seriously. The trend towards greater environmental protection and higher energy efficiency will continue to have a positive influence on demand for our products and services. Customers can use our FluidFuture concept to reduce their electricity consumption. A system analysis is used to ensure that pumps and valves are properly designed and to provide information on the benefits of using high-efficiency pumps, valves and drives. Legal disputes cannot always be avoided within the framework of our business activities. These are usually disputes arising from operations, generally involving unclear warranty issues. If as a result of these issues we expect negative effects on the success of our business, we set aside corresponding provisions, which cover not only the anticipated amount of loss, but also the costs of proceedings. To rule out a net risk, the 2015 consolidated financial statements include about € 4 million for those cases classified as significant or neutral risks. We have also created provisions for litigation with authorities and for staff matters. These total a further € 1 million to cover any cases we classify as significant or neutral within our risk assessment methodology. Since 2014, we have made more use of online social media as a means of initiating contact with potential employees. These communication channels will increase our chances of finding a suitable selection of candidates and recruiting professionals internationally. At the same time, using these media we can target young people who are interested in apprenticeships, dual work/degree programmes or executive trainee programmes. We give them an insight via online media into the company’s activities including social activities at KSB. This can increase the attractiveness of our company as an employer for key target groups, and improve our chances in the battle for the “best brains”. In 2015, we continued to renew our central infrastructure, as well as further standardising and automating our IT services. This will allow us to provide employees with the required services more cheaply and quickly. As in the previous year, the opportunities and risks for the Pumps, Valves and Service segments are most influenced by economic development. The future development of China, for example, is important to KSB. Uncertainty regarding political risk is of great significance to the Pumps and Valves segments, and to a lesser degree to Service. The lack of certainty surrounding future oil prices and worsening payment morale harbour risk potential for future business transactions. A quicker-than-expected return to political stability, combined with a calming of the currency turmoil, would probably have positive repercussions. We would always expect benefits from an unexpectedly early recovery of the oil price. Conversely, a continuation of the political uncertainty, combined with persistent depreciation tendencies among some currencies or a permanently low oil price, would have a sustained negative impact on our business. As regards our main influencing factor, the economic situation, we estimate the risk to be slightly higher compared with the previous year. We nonetheless hope that our measures, intended to foster growth, will provide us with considerable support in achieving our goals. We see positive signs of this and thus better opportunities for our project business, despite possible currency uncertainties. Furthermore, the political crises and future development of the oil price mean both opportunities and risks for all segments. Our customers are also often affected by recessions and more intense competition, which can decrease their ability to pay in individual cases. We use foreign exchange hedges to reduce the risks from transactions involving different currencies. These are generally currency forwards, which we use both for transactions that have already been recognised and for future cash flows from orders still to be processed. At year end, the notional volume of currency forwards used to hedge exchange rate risks was € 254.0 million (previous year: € 235.0 million). Foreign currency items denominated in USD account for the major volume hedged by forwards. By strengthening our production sites worldwide, we can realise “natural” currency hedging in currency markets that continue to be volatile. To minimise interest rate risks, we concluded interest rate swaps to hedge cash flows from underlyings amounting to € 39.5 million (previous year: € 60.6 million). Underlyings and hedge transactions share the same variable interest rates and maturities (1 to 3 years). The overall risk situation has not changed materially in comparison with the previous year, but there has been a change in the assessment of various individual risks as a result of our measures and, in part, of other internal and external aspects. Overall, we assume there will be moderate economic recovery over the next year. Our structural measures will afford us additional support in achieving our objectives. However, an economic slowdown in the growth markets as well as negative developments that could stem from the regions in Eastern Europe, the Middle East or parts of Africa experiencing political unrest present risks. This similarly applies to future changes in the price of oil, as well as to volatile currencies. Such circumstances would have a negative effect on our business volumes as well as our planned earnings. The risk management system in place as well as the related organisational measures allow the Board of Management to identify risks in a timely manner and to take adequate measures. In view of the somewhat uncertain situation, the focus of activities in 2016 will continue to be on the management of market risks. The Board of Management states that, based on the risk management system established by the KSB Group, at present there are no risks that could lead to a lasting and significant impact on the net assets, financial position and results of the KSB Group.

2019-04-21T18:47:08Z

http://annualreport2015.ksb.com/group-management-report/opportunities-and-risks-report/index.html

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They have allowed 98 power play opportunities and have given up 25 goals on those chances for a penalty kill percentage of 74%.Along with its understated appearance and generous feature content, the third-generation Mustang Bullitt is a performance value.For the first time in six years, the Philadelphia 76ers have won a game that matters. In terms of pace they are 4th in the league with 105 possessions per 48 minutes, and their effective field goal percentage of 55% is 5th.Big left arrow icon Big right arrow icon Close icon Copy Url Three dots icon Down arrow icon Email icon Email icon Exit Fullscreen icon External link icon Facebook logo Facebook logo Instagram logo Snapchat logo YouTube logo Grid icon Key icon Left arrow icon Link icon Location icon Mail icon Menu icon Open icon Phone icon Play icon Radio icon Rewind icon Right arrow icon Search icon Select icon Selected icon TV icon Twitter logo Twitter logo Up arrow icon User icon Audio icon Tickets iconAdd to calendar iconNFC icon AFC icon NFL icon Football iconCarousel IconList ViewFootball iconCarousel IconList View.An alternate captain and all-situations player in the USHL for Sioux Falls this season.His field goal percentage was 42% and his free throw percentage was 91%. Oklahoma City Thunder Betting Trends The Oklahoma City Thunder are against the spread The Oklahoma City Thunder are against the over under Brooklyn Nets Betting Trends The Brooklyn Nets are against the spread The Brooklyn Nets are against the over under Oklahoma City Thunder Injuries 01 16 C Steven Adams Elbow ?He has made 1 saves for a save percentage of 90%.Utah showed moments of brilliance in its season opener.But I know what we got now on defense and our offense. They average 29 shots per contest and as a team shoot 9% for the year.Don’t think our talent level is that lacking.No credit card is needed, and you will never have to deal with a salesman.There’s nothing new to be gained by rehashing that. And I kind of took that to heart.They also put up 111 against Brooklyn and have now scored 100 points or more in nine of their last 11 games.Logged 10+ points 33 times, including 20+ points 11 times and 30+ once �?Recorded 10+ assists twice �?Named Kia NBA Western Conference Rookie of the Month on 4 for games played in March, becoming the first-ever Lakers player to be honored with the award …Kinsler earned a World Series ring with the Red Sox in 2018 after being acquired from the Angels before the trade deadline. Their pass defense has given up 4 net yards per pass attempt, placing them 3rd in the league as a unit.Considering their struggles – at least relative to what we have come to expect from them – that’s not too bad.He actually accomplished the latter alongside one of his current teammates �?Veteran goaltender Cory Schneider, who took back the Devils net in the playoffs in the five-game first-round loss to Tampa Bay, was to be sidelined for five months after having hip surgery on May 1 for torn cartilage.The trip was tough but DiPietro was up to the task. To find all players born within a certain month and year, for example all players born in December of 1985, choose the month and year with the drop down boxes and then choose the ‘Month and Year Search’ option.Giants in 2018…In 2017, helped Richmond’s offense rank No.Toronto as a pitching staff has walked 71 batters and struck out 175.That’s quite a haul from Australia on to California.He’s another year older and more experienced, and he still plays in a system designed for offensive success. He has 44 hits this year along with 18 RBI in 152 AB’s.After another Seattle group did not close a deal for an NHL expansion team in 1990, the Coliseum was redeveloped in 1994 with sightlines more suited for basketball and became known as KeyArena.Kraft ended up carding a double-bogey and missed the cut by…yep…one stroke.17 at Chesapeake Energy Arena.The event included the full 49ers Fit team of 10 personal training coaches leading the several founding members and the media on an exclusive tour of the entire facility. He was the most iconic backstage interviewer in wrestling history in my opinion.Sky Bet Championship.The street between CenturyLink Field, home of the NFL’s Seattle Seahawks, and Safeco Field, home of MLB’s Seattle Mariners, is South Royal Brougham Way. They are 4th in the Central Division.The Mariners on-base percentage sits at .295, which puts them at 27th in the league and they have a team slugging percentage of .379. They are 4 against the spread and their over under record is 2.Fast Sign up with Instant Access Click Here One E-mail A Week Is All You Need!Tony’s Pick: Take San Jose +104 Get $60 worth of FREE premium member picks. After learning that the Raiders Foundation was gifting container homes to six veterans at Veterans Village in Las Vegas, Singleton took time from a family vacation to fly to Las Vegas to be there for the presentation. Boston Celtics 5 PM ?His uncle, Drury, is a Stanley Cup champion and Calder Trophy winner who recorded 255–615 892 career NHL with the Avalanche, Flames, Sabres and Rangers. After Tennessee finally took the lead later the frame, the power runner sealed the victory by earning first downs with runs of 12 and 22 yards.rushed for a career-high 156 yards and a touchdown on 23 carries and caught both of his targets for 35 yards Saturday’s 22, wild-card round win over Kansas City.New Knicks 12 Noon ?3 AFC playoff seed, ESPN’s Michael DiRocco relays that Jacksonville coach Doug Marrone doesn’t plan to rest his starters this weekend.Subs: , McBurnie , Paterson , Cummings , McLean , . Meanwhile, while the Jaguars are locked into the No.rushed for a career-high 156 yards and a touchdown on 23 carries and caught both of his targets for 35 yards Saturday’s 22, wild-card round win over Kansas City.The brother of the Philadelphia Eagles’ 2012 seventh-round draft pick, running back Brown, transferred from Miami to the field more regularly.Strong, secure tackler who wraps and rarely misses, even against larger ballcarriers.Club executives said the matches would be available via the MUTV app. Los Angeles Lakers vs.July 23 Real Madrid Levi’s Stadium, , Calif.3 against the Washington Mystics DC as the Aces failed to appear.Schemes with emphasis on outside zone are best known for maximizing the talents of physically underwhelming running backs along the lines of , Arian or , but there’s nothing to say a freak athlete like can’t also find success.The Harvard University commit was also named to the USHL All-Academic Team.Hungary, meanwhile, take on Australia before they head to this summer’s tournament Russia. The only previous meeting between the two sides ended a shock 1 win for Costa Rica at the 1990 FIFA World Cup Italy.Scotland took some time to settle into a rhythm on a bumpy surface at the Groupama Arena and Allan made a good stop from a Balazs Dzsudzsak free-kick 20 minutes .Didier Deschamps’ side know a victory over Belarus – live on the red button – book their place Russia next year.The Harvard University commit was also named to the USHL All-Academic Team.recent years, so naturally it is something that everybody is very much looking forward to this . Hungary, meanwhile, take on Australia before they head to this summer’s tournament Russia.Utah Jazz 10 PM ?I kind of felt soft, said afterward.Scotland took the lead inside three minutes of the restart when Phillips met Fraser’s cross and fired home first time from eight yards. All all though, with looking at a heavy workload Week 17 against a Jacksonville defense that is tougher on the pass than the run, the 6-foot-3-pounder is appealing lineup option both – and daily fantasy formats.03 2018 by RotoWire Staff | RotoWire Titans’ : Gets new backfield partner.The scheduled five-game Unmissable Tour 2017, presented by Aon, includes matches against Real Madrid, Barcelona and Manchester City, as well as two MLS clubs, the Los Angeles Galaxy and Real Salt Like City.Los Angeles Lakers vs.Didier Deschamps’ side know a victory over Belarus – live on the red button – book their place Russia next year. Some 60 rubber ducks drop off the Wabash Bridge into the Chicago River on Aug.12 2017 by RotoWire Staff | RotoWire Titans’ : Opportunity knocks Week 17.isn’t doing much more than stating the obvious, considering Tennessee Titans offensive coordinator Matt LaFleur has spent most of his career working under Kyle Shanahan. Attacks fullbacks the hole, and does not shy from contact with linemen the box.Models his style of play after Islanders forward John Tavares.thought he had a one-yard rushing touchdown the third quarter, but it was called back on a false start.Bosnia-Herzegovina jumped a point ahead of Greece with a 4 win Gibraltar, Edin Dzeko scoring twice, while Cyprus ‘ 1 defeat to Estonia means they are now four points adrift.Club executives said the matches would be available via the MUTV app. July 17 Real Salt Lake Rio Tinto Stadium, Salt Lake ?There’s also a massive match Group B, where second-placed Portugal host first-placed Switzerland – live on and – with top spot on the line.Brighton & Hove Albion signing Propper secured a half-time lead when he tucked home a cross from Daley Blind who provided a similar square ball for Robben to net the second goal after 67 minutes.Some question his size, but Brown plays much bigger than his frame suggests due to strong hands and a physical attitude on contact. Brothers and Brown were top recruits coming out of Wichita East High School, as a linebacker signing with Miami 2008 and his brother going to Tennessee as a running back 2009.New Knicks 12 Noon ?While the 6-foot-3-pound ‘s powerful running style still makes him the heavy favorite to lead the team touchdowns, the -cow workload owners were hoping for to take on the wake of DeMarco ‘s release is unlikely to materialize following ‘ signing.12 2017 by RotoWire Staff | RotoWire Titans’ : Opportunity knocks Week 17.Luxembourg also host Bulgaria a dead-rubber clash.The presence of is a bigger concern than scheme fit, as it’s hard to imagine approaching 20 touches per game unless his new teammate suffers injury. However, made up for the underwhelming rushing effort with a spectacular 66-yard receiving touchdown on a second-quarter screen pass that opened the scoring on the afternoon.On social media, Manchester United’s Twitter destination has more than 10 million followers, its Facebook site tops 71 million followers.Brothers and Brown were top recruits coming out of Wichita East High School, as a linebacker signing with Miami 2008 and his brother going to Tennessee as a running back 2009.said the new Tennessee offense is built around outside-zone running plays, Paul Kuharsky of 104 The Zone Nashville reports.Elsewhere, Belgium have already sewn up Group H, and they look to finish the qualifying campaign unbeaten when hosting Cyprus on Tuesday evening. Handles running backs the flat and on wheel routes.13, Wolfe of reports.While Mularkey isn’t ruling DeMarco out for the showdown with the Patriots after the veteran running back sat out the team’s playoff-opening win over the Chiefs last weekend, be line for the lead role again after producing 191 yards from scrimmage and a touchdown on 25 touches the upset victory.Moves towards the play side even if formation is used as misdirection. Everybody is excited for the tour and it gives us the opportunity to play front of some of the millions of Manchester United supporters which we have across the USA, said Woodward.We’ve got a big first- and second-down back, Vrabel said of .could get some competition for touches out of the backfield 2018 after the Tennessee Titans agreed to terms on a contract with on Tuesday, of The Tennessean reports.’s breakout performance the postseason suggests he’ll likely still receive the bulk of early down work, but the versatile should nearly monopolize the snaps on passing downs.All all though, with looking at a heavy workload Week 17 against a Jacksonville defense that is tougher on the pass than the run, the 6-foot-3-pounder is appealing lineup option both – and daily fantasy formats. Luxembourg also host Bulgaria a dead-rubber clash.McLeish’s squad join up for friendlies against World Cup hopefuls Peru and Mexico May and June respectively.The Aces statement from that night: Given the travel issues we faced over the past two day s- 25+ hours spent airports and airplanes, cramped quarters and having not slept a bed since Wednesday night-and after consulting with Players Association leadership and medical professionals, we concluded that playing tonight’s game would put us at too great a risk for injury. With news that the Tennessee Titans release DeMarco , is line to head the Titans backfield 2018.State Warriors 8 PM ?He’ll be taking aim at a Kansas City defense that allowed average of 118 rushing yards during the regular . 01 2018 by RotoWire Staff | RotoWire Titans’ : Career-high rushing total playoff debut.Subs: , McBurnie , Paterson , Cummings , McLean , .12 2017 by RotoWire Staff | RotoWire Titans’ : Opportunity knocks Week 17.Some question his size, but Brown plays much bigger than his frame suggests due to strong hands and a physical attitude on contact. Greece can seal a play-off spot with victory at home to Gibraltar, while Bosnia and Herzegovina – who are two points behind – be hoping for a Greek slip-up as they face Estonia at the same time.Scotland remained on top but had a warning on the hour mark when Roland Varga was allowed to work his way inside and loop a long-range strike which tipped over.Stewart , Scottish FA Chief Executive, said: We are delighted to have secured such exciting opposition for our matches and I am looking forward to seeing the team continue on its current upward trajectory. Scotland took the lead inside three minutes of the restart when Phillips met Fraser’s cross and fired home first time from eight yards.ManU’s array of marketing partners get extensive eyeballs across the nation, with many supporting via multi-media marketing.There would have been further gloss on the victory had Charlie Mulgrew converted a first-half penalty, but there were plenty of positives for McLeish to draw upon as he sets his sights on September’s UEFA Nations League campaign.His success continued 2012, as Brown started every game at either inside or outside linebacker, amassing 100 total tackles, seven for loss, including one sack. Are times he overruns the hole due to poor vision, fails to recognize his misstake and reset.Brown then redshirted his first Manhattan as a transfer student before starting all 13 games as a team captain 2011.Milwaukee Bucks vs.Some 60 rubber ducks will drop off the Wabash Bridge into the Chicago River on Aug. Scotland: , Hendry , Mulgrew , McKenna , Fraser , Armstrong , McGinn , Robertson , , , Phillips .While ‘s contributions to the team were limited , became the impact player for which the Wildcats hoped.If you would like to search for all players born on a certain day, for example all players born on December 25th any year, choose the month and day with the drop down boxes and then choose the ‘Month and Day Search’ option.mind, we’ve got a big running back. 3 against the Washington Mystics DC as the Aces failed to appear.The club trails only there NFL’s Cowboys , Real Madrid , Barcelona and MLB’s New Yankees , according to .Drury was named to the USHL Second All- Team after the Black Hawks captain led the team with the 2017 regular season and added the playoffs . Everybody is excited for the tour and it gives us the opportunity to play front of some of the millions of Manchester United supporters which we have across the USA, said Woodward.Meanwhile, while the Jaguars are locked into the No.the start for DeMarco and logged a career-high amount of carries, but the sledding on the was decidedly rough versus a stingy Jaguars front.Scotland’s record against the Peruvians is delicately poised – Scotland have won one, drawn one and lost one against the South Americans, who successfully qualified for the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia.rushed 28 times for 51 yards and brought one of two targets for a 66-yard touchdown Sunday’s 15 win over the Jaguars. The second-year back gained 13 of his yards on one , so he averaged a minuscule 1 yards on his other 27 totes.13, Wolfe of reports.While Mularkey isn’t ruling DeMarco out for the showdown with the Patriots after the veteran running back sat out the team’s playoff-opening win over the Chiefs last weekend, be line for the lead role again after producing 191 yards from scrimmage and a touchdown on 25 touches the upset victory.Scotland continue their preparations for the UEFA Nations League with a trip to Lima to face Peru on May 29.Scotland remained on top but had a warning on the hour mark when Roland Varga was allowed to work his way inside and loop a long-range strike which tipped over. Models his style of play after Islanders forward John Tavares.ManU is the third most valuable soccer franchise, and fifth most valuable sports franchise the world, with a value estimated at more than $3 billion.This be Manchester United’s fifth visit to the U.S. Davy Propper, a surprise inclusion place of playmaker Sneijder, scored his first international goal after seven minutes a bright start for the hosts, who had not won their previous seven matches at the Amsterdam Arena.Christmas Day Schedule ?Has the lower body power to stop backs’ momentum when head-up and brings power into his stops when attacking ballcarriers space.The scheduled five-game Unmissable Tour 2017, presented by Aon, includes matches against Real Madrid, Barcelona and Manchester City, as well as two MLS clubs, the Los Angeles Galaxy and Real Salt Like City.Club executives said the matches would be available via the MUTV app. July 15 Los Angeles Galaxy StubHub Stadium, Carson ?Rockets 3 PM ?Attacks fullbacks the hole, and does not shy from contact with linemen the box.01 2018 by RotoWire Staff | RotoWire Titans’ : Another start on tap.Manchester United partners include many familiar to U.S. Boston Celtics 5 PM ?Switzerland currently hold a three-point lead but Portugal’s vastly superior goal difference means it is essentially winner takes all, though a draw would also see the Swiss through.NaVorro Bowman Bottom Line.Everybody is excited for the tour and it gives us the opportunity to play front of some of the millions of Manchester United supporters which we have across the USA, said Woodward.Drury was named to the USHL Second All- Team after the Black Hawks captain led the team with the 2017 regular season and added the playoffs .I kind of felt soft, said afterward. soccer fans and consumers: jersey-front sponsor Chevrolet, adidas, 20th Century Fox, , EA Sports, , New Era, Tag Heuer, Columbia , Epson, Foods, Toshiba and Uber.We played to a very decent level. The club said it has more than 659 million fans worldwide.01 2018 by RotoWire Staff | RotoWire Titans’ : Another start on tap.soccer fans and consumers: jersey-front sponsor Chevrolet, adidas, 20th Century Fox, , EA Sports, , New Era, Tag Heuer, Columbia , Epson, Foods, Toshiba and Uber.thought he had a one-yard rushing touchdown the third quarter, but it was called back on a false start. Portland Trail Blazers vs.Christmas Day Schedule ?Instinctive player who usually finds the football and plays bigger than his height indicates.Whoever misses out on top spot is guaranteed a place the play-offs.rushed for a career-high 156 yards and a touchdown on 23 carries and caught both of his targets for 35 yards Saturday’s 22, wild-card round win over Kansas City.soon had a from Scott McKenna’s cross but could not get hold of his first-time effort and the goalkeeper made a more comfortable save. Some question his size, but Brown plays much bigger than his frame suggests due to strong hands and a physical attitude on contact.Christmas Day Schedule ?3 against the Washington Mystics DC as the Aces failed to appear.Handles running backs the flat and on wheel routes.Brothers and Brown were top recruits coming out of Wichita East High School, as a linebacker signing with Miami 2008 and his brother going to Tennessee as a running back 2009. He had a close call on that final drive with a near-fumble that was taken to the house by the defense, but review conclusively showed that was down before the ball came out.Matt Phillips’ first international goal three minutes into the second half proved enough for the Scots as they ended the international break on a high following Friday’s defeat to Costa Rica.Didier Deschamps’ side know a victory over Belarus – live on the red button – book their place Russia next year. Uses hands very well.should dominate passing downs and mix on early downs, with getting a larger share of the carries and the vast majority of short-yardage goal-line work.He represented the United States at the 2017 Ivan Hlinka Memorial and their silver-medal entry at the 2017 World Junior A Challenge . Utah Jazz 10 PM ?Brown was set to participate int eh Senior Bowl, but injury kept him off the field.3 against the Washington Mystics DC as the Aces failed to appear. Christmas Day Schedule ?the and bringing some popular and valuable friends along.Some 60 rubber ducks drop off the Wabash Bridge into the Chicago River on Aug.The former Patriot is a skilled pass catcher and elusive open-field runner, whereas relies on strength, vision and straight-line speed to successfully work between the tackles. McLeish’s squad join up for friendlies against World Cup hopefuls Peru and Mexico May and June respectively.We’ve got a big first- and second-down back, Vrabel said of .Milwaukee Bucks vs.NFL Comparison.The final round of World Cup Qualifiers takes place on Tuesday as teams including and Portugal look to clinch qualification. Neither finished their careers with those schools, however, as they chose to complete them the same place — Manhattan, Kansas, to play for head coach Snyder.Croatia sneaked a 1 win thanks to defender Domagoj Vida’s goal 16 minutes from time and now sit two points clear of Ukraine at the top of the standings.Instinctive player who usually finds the football and plays bigger than his height indicates.Visiting North America give the team the best possible preparation for the new , using top class training facilities and playing some great stadiums, Woodward, Manchester United’s executive vice chairman, said a statement.He didn’t get much of a to play during his two years with the Hurricanes, getting 23 contests and making just 17 tackles. The two sides have met previously on eight occasions – Hungary holding the upper hand with four wins to Scotland’s two, along with two draws.ManU is the third most valuable soccer franchise, and fifth most valuable sports franchise the world, with a value estimated at more than $3 billion.3 against the Washington Mystics DC as the Aces failed to appear. Belgium sealed their qualification for Russia with a 2 win Greece Group H.The two sides have met previously on eight occasions – Hungary holding the upper hand with four wins to Scotland’s two, along with two draws.01 2018 by RotoWire Staff | RotoWire Titans’ : Another start on tap.The scheduled five-game Unmissable Tour 2017, presented by Aon, includes matches against Real Madrid, Barcelona and Manchester City, as well as two MLS clubs, the Los Galaxy and Real Salt Like City. Back to Home Page.After that scare, though, Scotland kept their shape and saw out the victory relatively comfortably.Everybody is excited for the tour and it gives us the opportunity to play front of some of the millions of Manchester United supporters which we have across the USA, said Woodward.Uses hands very well. By Barry Janoff March 22: Manchester United, one of the most popular and most valuable soccer franchises the world, is heading back to the U.S.Ducks are still available for adoption for $5 online and person on race day, Derby ambassadors include Kyle Hendricks and Willson Contreras of the Chicago Cubs.Tonight there was a wee bit of familiarity and there were outstanding performances from young players that we believe have got a great future.With DeMarco ruled out, per of the Tennessee Titans’ official site, is line to head the Titans’ backfield Sunday against the Jaguars.The Titans can secure a wild-card playoff spot with a win, so we’d expect to plenty of on Sunday.3 against the Washington Mystics DC as the Aces failed to appear.It also won’t be a huge surprise if gets a shot at a three-down role at some point during the upcoming , considering played nine or fewer games each year from 2012 to 2016. Keeps feet moving through contact.The Tartan Army then play Mexico Mexico City on 2 the first-ever meeting between the two nations.He didn’t get much of a to play during his two years with the Hurricanes, getting 23 contests and making just 17 tackles.At 6-foot-3 pounds, the 2016 second-rounder should have no problem handling the added workload store. 9 as part of The 13th Annual Chicago Ducky Derby to benefit Special Olympics Illinois.Visiting North America give the team the best possible preparation for the new , using top class training facilities and playing some great stadiums, Woodward, Manchester United’s executive vice chairman, said a statement.With DeMarco ruled out for Saturday’s divisional-round game against the Patriots, head the Tennessee Titans’ backfield, of the team’s official site reports.The 2016 second-rounder rushed for a career-high 156 yards and a touchdown on 23 carries and caught both of his targets for 35 yards last week’s 22 win over the Chiefs the wild-card round.now tops a running back depth chart that also includes Fluellen and Khalfani Muhammad, with the Titans likely to add further depth at the position free agency and or the draft.Scotland continue their preparations for the UEFA Nations League with a trip to Lima to face Peru on May 29.To search for players who were born on a certain date, for example all players born on December 25, choose the month, day and year with the drop down boxes and then choose the ‘Full Date Search’ option. Utah Jazz 10 PM ?Hungary: Gulacsi , Fiola , Otigba , Lovrencsics , Hangya , Pinter , Kleinheisler , Dzsudzsak , Varga , Guzmics , Szalai .recent years, so naturally it is something that everybody is very much looking forward to this . Sweden, who beat 2 , are second Group A behind the French after Bleus’ incredible draw Toulouse, following a resounding 4 win Belarus with goals from Emil Forsberg, Christoffer Nyman, Marcus Berg and Granqvist penalty.By Barry Janoff 22: Manchester United, one of the most popular and most valuable soccer franchises the world, is heading back to the U.S.Tennessee Titans head coach Mularkey confirmed Sunday that would likely start at running back Tennessee’s divisional-round matchup with New England on .Scotland took some time to settle into a rhythm on a bumpy surface at the Groupama Arena and Allan made a good stop from a Balazs Dzsudzsak free-kick 20 minutes .The club said it has more than 659 million fans worldwide. I didn’t feel like a workhorse back.recent years, so naturally it is something that everybody is very much looking forward to this .I am delighted that those fans be able to every kick of every match of the 2017 Tour, presented by Aon, on the new MUTV app. But I know that one’s got a certain skill set and another body type and one is a little smaller, probably a little quicker, and has a different running style.There was some thought would handle a -cow role after DeMarco was released early March, but the Titans then acted quickly to sign , who profiles as ideal complement for the 240-pound Heisman Trophy winner.could get some competition for touches out of the backfield 2018 after the Tennessee Titans agreed to terms on a contract with on Tuesday, of The Tennessean reports.’s breakout performance the postseason suggests he’ll likely still receive the bulk of early down work, but the versatile should nearly monopolize the snaps on passing downs.July 20 Manchester City TBD ?The visitors were gifted a to go ahead the 40th minute following a clumsy challenge on Fraser by Laszlo Kleinheisler, but Peter Gulacsi threw himself to his left to push away Mulgrew’s firmly-hit spot-kick.He represented the United States at the 2017 Ivan Hlinka Memorial and their silver-medal entry at the 2017 World Junior A Challenge . To find all players born within a certain month and year, for example all players born December of 1985, choose the month and year with the drop down boxes and then choose the ‘Month and Year Search’ option.By Barry Janoff 22: Manchester United, one of the most popular and most valuable soccer franchises the world, is heading back to the U.S.Sweden’s superior goal difference over means a draw against the Netherlands would move them into first if Belarus claim unlikely win at the Stade de .ManU is the third most valuable soccer franchise, and fifth most valuable sports franchise the world, with a value estimated at more than $3 billion.

2019-04-25T15:41:38Z

https://www.checkingonlinepromotion.com/category/memphis-grizzlies/page/2/

At first glance, recent U.S. diplomatic success with the Libyan government seemed easy. After two decades of international pariah status, Libya committed in 2003 not only to forswear terrorism and abandon its weapons programs but also to reveal those programs to U.S. inspectors. In the process, Libya divulged secret procurement networks and allowed U.S. and British intelligence specialists to compare their analysis of Libyan proliferation against actual facts on the ground. The operation looked like the type of success that Washington might seek to repeat with other regimes that aim to develop chemical, biological, and nuclear weapons: Syria and Iran in the Middle East, and North Korea farther afield. Paula DeSutter, assistant secretary of state for verification and compliance, expressed hope. "We only hope that states with even more advanced nuclear programs like Iran and North Korea will learn from Libya's example and agree to rejoin the community of civilized nations and give up these terrible weapons," she told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. But how relevant is the Libyan model to these other cases? An understanding of the factors leading to Libya's change of policy suggests the Libyan experience is not as applicable as some would argue. Although not obvious at the time, Libya represented an unusually attractive target for U.S. engagement. Unlike with Tehran and Damascus, Washington's grievances against Tripoli were discrete and not especially urgent. U.S. and Libyan officials could sequence resolution of their differences so as to build confidence, and the prospective rewards were large enough to create an incentive to resolve the outstanding differences. Agreement with the United States would also open the way to renewed foreign investment in Libya and a huge financial gain for the Libyan state. With regard to Damascus and Tehran, Washington's concerns are less isolated and more difficult to sequence, and the rewards less clear. In addition, significant domestic constituencies in the United States, Iran, and Syria have complex and often hostile attitudes toward these bilateral relationships. The politics surrounding rapprochement with Iran and Syria would be far more difficult to manage than were those with Libya. Libya was not always considered hostile and unpredictable. After independence from Italy in 1951, the Libyan government allowed both the United States and the United Kingdom to maintain their military bases at Wheelus Field and Cyrenaica. As the Cold War developed in the Middle East, King Idris cast his lot with the Western powers rather than join the rising anti-Western, pan-Arabist tide. The discovery of large quantities of oil in the late 1950s drew the Libyan monarchy even closer to the West. Oil wealth proved a mixed blessing, though. It widened the gap between rich and poor and raised some Libyans' aspirations more than their incomes. The windfall overwhelmed the state and led to the king's downfall. On September 1, 1969, the Free Officers' Movement toppled the monarchy and installed 29-year-old Colonel Mu'ammar Qadhafi as head of a Revolutionary Command Council. The new Libyan government cast aside Libya's relationship with the West, expelled U.S. and British forces from its bases, and embraced a Nasserist path. The Libyan government declared itself neutral in superpower conflicts, pledged its support for the Palestinians, and vowed to act against any form of colonialism or imperialism at home or abroad. Yet, it was Qadhafi's hostility to the United States rather than his neutrality that led to his isolation. Libya's loose ties to an alphabet soup of terrorist groups from around the world, as well as his government's sanction of the December 1979 attacks on the U.S. embassy in Tripoli, led the Carter administration to designate Libya as a "state-sponsor of terror" when it created the list later that month. In August 1981, two Libyan jets fired at U.S. aircraft in the Mediterranean; U.S. fighters shot them down in response. In 1986, President Ronald Reagan ordered an air strike on Libya after investigators tied the Libyan government to a bombing that killed two U.S. soldiers in a Berlin nightclub. What provided focus to the U.S.-Libyan tensions for more than a decade, though, was another, more audacious attack: the 1987 bombing of Pan Am flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland. The attack killed 270 people, including several U.S. government employees and a student group from Syracuse University. The investigation found numerous ties to two Libyan intelligence agents, Abdel Basset Ali al-Megrahi and Lamen Khalifa Fhimah. International insistence that Libya accept responsibility for the bombing and hand over the two men to an international court for trial became the basis for a durable set of United Nations-imposed sanctions. Though Qadhafi later distanced himself from direct support for terrorism, he was a frequent thorn in the side of U.S. administrations. He pursued work on a range of weapons of mass destruction programs, the parameters of which remained unclear to the U.S. intelligence community. While Qadhafi claimed that Bill Clinton's 1992 electoral victory would mark a new chapter in U.S.-Libyan relations, he spoiled any rapprochement when he announced that Libyan dissidents who moved to the United States were worthy of slaughter. In 1993, Libyan agents kidnapped—and presumably killed—one such oppositionist, Mansur Kikhia. Qadhafi's refusal to extradite the Lockerbie suspects remained a constant irritant in its relations with the United States and Europe. Qadhafi's unrepentant and unpredictable behavior became one inspiration for the State Department's "rogue regime" moniker. With so much bad blood between Washington and Tripoli, diplomatic re-engagement began slowly in the late years of the Clinton administration and resumed with renewed vigor after the 9-11 terrorist attacks. The fundamental diplomatic challenge faced by both the U.S. and Libyan sides was how to build trust. To many U.S. observers, Qadhafi was as erratic as he was dangerous, and many feared that any effort to conclude an agreement with him would only be a prelude to embarrassment. Qadhafi had his own fears. Libya had remained for two and a half decades on the U.S. list of state sponsors of terror. While the secret talks aimed at rapprochement were being held in London, senior officials such as John Bolton, undersecretary of state for arms control and international security, described Libya as a "rogue state intent on acquiring weapons of mass destruction" and reiterated the President's warning, "America will do what is necessary to ensure our nation's security… I will not wait on events while dangers gather. I will not stand by as peril draws closer and closer." Qadhafi's government, therefore, sought guarantees that U.S. gestures were not a trick to subvert and destroy the regime. Yet, despite these problems, Libyan and U.S. negotiators enjoyed several advantages. By the time George W. Bush came to office, impediments in the bilateral relationship were relatively straightforward. Negotiators had already worked out a compromise whereby Libya would turn over intelligence operatives implicated in the Lockerbie bombing for an international trial. That trial had concluded. The remaining issues in that file were Libyan acceptance of responsibility for the bombing of Pan Am flight 103 and payment of compensation to the victims' families. Other concerns revolved around Libya's illicit weapons programs. Varying reports circulated about activities at Rabta—once described as the largest chemical weapons factory in the world—and Tarhuna. Despite uncertainty about their scope, they were thought to be of sufficient scale to warrant repeated mention in Congressional testimony delivered by directors of Central Intelligence John Deutch and George Tenet. These baskets of concerns shared several attractive characteristics. First, they lent themselves to clear metrics. Paid compensation can be measured, as can weapons systems and documentation. There is little qualitative judgment involved. Secondly, they were verifiable. Libyan compliance on these issues could be judged with relative confidence by both overt and covert means. Third, the bilateral issues were discrete. Difficult though these issues were, they did not contain references to vague issues like "political openness" or human rights. In addition, a period of relative bilateral calm also facilitated rapprochement. Libya had retreated enough from supporting acts of international terrorism that a White House official could confide to this author in the spring of 2004 that Libya had been "out of the terrorism business" for approximately a decade. Libya had ended direct support and military training for groups such as the Irish Republican Army and the Palestine Liberation Organization by the late 1990s; its relations with other groups such as Abu Sayyaf in the Philippines were harder to fathom, and therefore less objectionable to many. In any event, as Qadhafi often complained to visiting Americans, the groups he had once supported had all abandoned armed struggle, joined political processes, and made their journey to the White House while he remained internationally isolated. While some aspects of Libyan behavior remained objectionable, such as meddling in African politics, it never challenged U.S. strategic interests. Concerns over such activities would color ongoing diplomatic discussions, but they would not derail discussions over the strategic relationship. Another advantage the negotiators had was the luxury of time. U.S. and Libyan negotiators could sequence the resolution of their differences, and the resolution of each distinct problem built confidence and eased agreement on the next. The issues resultant from Libya's bombing of Pan Am 103 could come first to mitigate the U.S. political environment; weapons issues could follow. Issues related to Libya's actions in the Middle East and Africa could wait longer. Libya, meanwhile, could space out its compensation payments to the Pan Am 103 victims' families to ensure that the U.S. and international community complied with their obligations as well. Years of cool detachment also provided a window of opportunity. Libya's maintenance of a consistent negotiating team created a channel to the Libyan leadership in which confidence grew with time. Both Washington and London came to understand that their Libyan interlocutors—Intelligence Chief Musa Kusa, ambassador to Rome Abdul-Ati al-Obeidi, and ambassador to London Muhammad al-Zwai—enjoyed Qadhafi's support, and that the Libyan leader would abide by their commitments. Such confidence was important since U.S. negotiators had experience with insincere or impotent mediators in the 1980s in Iran and in the 1990s in the Palestinian Authority. The Libyan leadership also enjoyed growing trust in their interlocutors. In the mid-1990s, Britain negotiated an end to Libyan support for the Irish Republican Army and won Libya's acceptance of "general responsibility" for the shooting of a British police officer in front of the Libyan embassy in London in 1984. These steps, combined with Libya's turning over the Lockerbie suspects for trial, prompted the British government to lead efforts in 1999 to suspend United Nations sanctions on Libya. Throughout the negotiations between the U.S. and Libyan governments, the British government's position—and its actions—stood as a testament to the notion that adversarial relations could be reversed and as a guarantor that the U.S. would abide by its commitments. In addition, the clear and consistent benchmarks outlined by the U.S. and British side helped convince the Libyans that demands by their negotiating partners were directed toward discrete goals, not part of a covert effort at regime change. Rewards for positive Libyan behavior built further confidence that the outcome of the negotiating process would be the positive pathway forward outlined by the governments. Contributing to the window of opportunity for U.S.-Libyan rapprochement was the relative quiescence of U.S. domestic politics. Congress had rushed to add Libya to a 1996 bill aimed at sanctioning Iran, and until the end of their term, Clinton administration officials were fearful of the political consequences if word of their contacts leaked out. Yet, through more than two years of negotiations during the Bush administration, Congress remained on the sidelines. Much of the credit in this regard goes to Libya's success at outreach among the families of the victims of Pan Am 103. The families were a disparate group with varied interests and diverse goals. Libya won these families' acquiescence by coming forward with a generous compensation package of $10 million per victim, albeit one with a twist. The Libyan government would tie payments to diplomatic normalization: Tripoli would pay $4 million upon the lifting of U.N. sanctions, $4 million upon the lifting of U.S. sanctions, and the remainder when the U.S. State Department took Libya off its list of state sponsors of terrorism. While many families remained angry, the prospect of a multi-million dollar settlement, combined with the Libyans' acceptance of responsibility, represented a form of closure that most families supported. Some families even began to lobby the U.S. government, which, while not a party to the settlement, could, nevertheless, influence how much the families were paid. Were the families to unite against rapprochement, or were they to split on the issue, it would have been hard to pursue a U.S.-Libyan track without a Congressional outcry. Instead, strong and ongoing bipartisan support for a settlement kept the broader political process on track. In point of fact, many of the families seem to consider the $8 million they have already received as adequate and are happy to keep Libya on the terrorism list as punishment for their loss. Also contributing to an environment ripe for rapprochement was the financial value of any deal. On the financial side, Libya's pariah status was a persistent obstacle to modernizing its economy and developing its oil industry. Durable international sanctions may have cost the regime a total of $33 billion in lost revenue, and rising oil prices through the early years of this decade made the opportunity costs of isolation increase steeply. Large though its $2.7 billion settlement to the Pan Am 103 families was, Libyan officials say that they will recover the full amount in just a few months of renewed economic activity. Such a situation was also beneficial to the U.S. government. Washington would not have to reward Tripoli directly. The private foreign investment would be enough. Two additional elements helped set the stage. First, a growing set of common interests drove Washington and Tripoli together. Principal among these was the global war on terrorism, in which Qadhafi felt as much of a threat from radical rejectionist groups as did Washington. Both the Libyan Islamic Fighting Group and the Islamic Martyrs' Movement sought to replace Qadhafi's regime with an Islamist state. The latter injured Qadhafi in a 1998 assassination attempt that may have been linked to Al-Qaeda. It was no coincidence that the Libyan government unleashed a flurry of approaches to the Bush administration in the month following 9-11. Washington and Tripoli were coming to have the same enemies. Second, the Libyans were keenly aware of overwhelming U.S. power, both in terms of intelligence capacity and military might. The U.S. interception of a German ship carrying Malaysian-made nuclear centrifuges from Dubai to Libya in October 2003 was a clear indicator to the Libyans that they could not be sure of what Washington knew about their proliferation networks. In such an event, trying to "game" the United States would likely fail. U.S. military success in Iraq was a further demonstration of capabilities, and while much of the negotiation process began long before even a potential military action against Iraq, U.S. military capacity could not have been in doubt. Is the Libyan Experience Applicable Elsewhere? Given the success the U.S. government had resolving its most vital differences with Libya, some commentators have suggested that the Washington-Tripoli rapprochement was the result of a robust policy of force projection. Conservative columnist Charles Krauthammer, for example, said, "By amazing coincidence, Qadhafi's first message to Britain—principal U.S. war ally and conduit to White House war councils—occurs just days before the invasion of Iraq. And his final capitulation to U.S.-British terms occurs just five days after Saddam Hussein is fished out of a rathole." Similar force projection, they imply, would create comparable compliance from other regimes. For their own part, Libyan officials have been quick to suggest that their experience could create precedent for other countries with long-strained relations with the West that might desire rapprochement. Could building on the Libyan example win a similar strategic turn from longstanding foes such as Syria, Iran, and North Korea? In practice, U.S. success in each case would be far more difficult to achieve. Syria. At first glance, Syria appears to be a good candidate for "the Libya treatment." Some advocates say that Syrian president Bashar al-Assad has the right inclinations but needs to strengthen his hand against conservative and reactionary forces in his own government. While there are rumors that Washington may dangle such a deal, for a variety of reasons, Syria may not be a good candidate from which to seek such a strategic turn. First, Bashar al-Assad may not enjoy control over the breadth of government and security services to the same extent that Qadhafi does. Constantly under scrutiny for willingness to make the concessions his father was unwilling to make, it is hard to imagine the younger Assad feeling the freedom to be so bold. Indeed, the Syrians' apparent belief that they have few diplomatic cards to play leads them to act with extraordinary caution, for fear that they will waste a card with little result. Assad faces a slew of potential internal foes, from members of the domestic intelligence services to the military to members of the business elite, and keeping those forces in check appears to take most of his energies, even absent a dramatic change in policies. Second, the U.S. agenda with Syria is far messier than its agenda with Libya. Not only are U.S. concerns tied to Syria's chemical weapons program, but they are also intertwined with infiltration of insurgents from Syria into Iraq, Syria's involvement in Lebanon, and Syrian involvement in the Arab-Israeli conflict. Unlike Qadhafi, the Syrian regime cannot point to a decade of relatively good behavior. Instead, critics point to Syria's daily activities endangering the lives of U.S. military personnel, Israeli civilians, and even U.S. civilians in Israel, Iraq, or beyond. Progress one month seems to yield to backsliding the next. Consequently, it would be harder to sequence a U.S.-Syrian rapprochement, especially with such strong and persistent voices in the United States and Syria calling for greater confrontation rather than reconciliation. Finally, Syrians seem to be seeking a larger payoff for a strategic reorientation than either the United States or any possible combination of countries would be willing to pay. On visits by this author, Syrian interlocutors repeatedly describe the country as "potentially America's best friend in the Middle East." But Syria is not Libya. Syrian oil reserves are a diminishing resource and do not compare in magnitude to those enjoyed by Libya or other regional states. Multinational corporations, held back by U.S. policy, will not be baying for access. For a rapprochement to be lucrative to Damascus, they would probably seek a big U.S. government payout, similar to what Egypt received following the Camp David accords. It is unlikely that Washington would repeat such a deal, though. Iran. Another candidate for strategic reversal is Iran, which has had strained relations with the United States for a quarter century. But for many reasons, Iran is an even worse candidate for such a reversal in the near term than Syria. Iranian politics have grown increasingly fragmented over the last decade. Multiple power centers in the government, combined with shifting alliances, give little confidence that a deal struck, for example, with the Foreign Ministry would carry over to the intelligence services or the Revolutionary Guards. The system of checks and balances that thwarted the will of the reformist parliament in the early part of this decade could scuttle a deal with the United States, raising fears that any bilateral agreement would represent a pact with only a single faction and invite entrepreneurial efforts by other factions to win their own gains. Second, the U.S. agenda with Iran is far more complex than its agenda with Syria. Some specialists argue that Iran is within five to ten years of developing a nuclear weapons capacity; it already has robust chemical weapons ability. Claims persist that Iran supports groups that have killed U.S. and Israeli civilians. Iranian assets are involved in Iraq, threatening the lives of U.S. troops and endangering a variety of U.S. strategic interests. It would be near impossible to narrow the agenda and sequence a U.S.-Iranian rapprochement because of the difficulty in putting any of the vital issues aside while others are resolved. Doing so would raise charges that lives were being put at risk as a consequence. The bilateral history of mistrust makes the politics of U.S.-Iranian rapprochement a sensitive issue in both countries. An additional issue in the Iran case is timing. If Iran is developing a nuclear capacity, its leadership would likely wait until it has such a capacity to consider a strategic reorientation, rather than bargain it away preemptively. They might reason that Pakistan and India managed to test nuclear weapons in 1998 without incurring dramatic costs, and North Korea has seen its bargaining power grow since it announced a nuclear weapons capacity in 2003. Iranian leaders feel no urgent need to negotiate. High oil prices have swelled their treasury and Asian interest in Iranian oil has mitigated the government's isolation. Although less clear five years ago than today, Libya may have been a kind of low-hanging fruit among regimes from which one could win a strategic reorientation. For years, the missing ingredient had been understanding regime motivation. Many Western leaders had written off Qadhafi as unfathomable and mercurial, and for that reason, had been reluctant to engage in any dialogue. Their distaste for the Libyan leadership, however, seems to have obscured the many ways in which Libya was a problem that lent itself to resolution. The benefits of the Libyan turn have been massive. Not only has the United States won important cooperation from the Libyans on counterterrorism, eliminated uncertainty over proliferation in North Africa, and helped secure justice for the families of victims of Libyan-sponsored terrorist acts, but the discovery and subsequent disruption of proliferation networks that had been supplying the Libyan government has had ripple effects beyond North Africa to the Persian Gulf, Africa, and Asia. All together, the benefits of U.S. engagement with the Libyans have exceeded many of the expectations not only of skeptics but also of advocates. From the Libyan side, most of the benefits have come indirectly—not from the U.S. government but from corporations seeking to enter the Libyan market. Libya has shed its international pariah status, and Tripoli in five years is unlikely to bear much resemblance to its current state. But Syria and Iran are more complex problems. While the Libyan experience suggests the possibility of positive change even with unsavory leaders, tasks must be contained and sequenced. The Libyan case holds other lessons as well. The size of carrots and sticks are not the sole factors that determine success. Regime motivation, issue complexity, and the international environment are also critical. The Libyan case demonstrates, though, that even barren diplomatic landscapes can hold the seeds of a diplomatic reorientation. Nurturing such seeds requires luck, will, and patience. Jon B. Alterman is director of the Middle East Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, DC. He wishes to thank Michael Balz for his assistance. Paula A. DeSutter, assistant secretary of state for verification and compliance, "U.S. Relations with Libya," testimony before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Feb. 26, 2004. See Dirk Vandewalle, Libya since Independence (Ithaca and London: Cornell University Press, 1998), ch. 3. See, for example, Middle East Economic Digest, Apr. 17, 1992. U.N. Security Council resolutions 731, 748, and 883. Ronald Bruce St. John, Libya and the United States: Two Centuries of Strife (Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 2002), pp. 168-9, 173. John Bolton, undersecretary of state for arms control and international security, "Beyond the Axis of Evil: Additional Threats from Weapons of Mass Destruction," remarks at the Heritage Foundation, Washington, D.C., May 6, 2002. John Deutch, "Worldwide Threat Assessment Brief to the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence," Feb. 22, 1996; George Tenet, testimony before the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, Feb. 5, 1997; George Tenet, "The Worldwide Threat in 2000: Global Realities to Our National Security," testimony before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Mar. 21, 2000. Background interviews with U.S. government officials, Rome, Italy, Dec. 2004. Christian Blanchard, "CRS Issue Brief for Congress: Libya," Apr. 14, 2005, pp. 13-5. George Tenet, "The Worldwide Threat 2004: Challenges in a Changing Global Context," testimony before the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, Feb. 24, 2004. Financial Times, Jan. 27, 2004. Background comments of a British government official, Rome, Italy, 2004. Iran-Libya Sanctions Act, PL 104-172, enacted Aug. 5, 1996. "Libya," Country Reports on Terrorism, Office of the Coordinator for Counterterrorism, U.S. Department of State, Apr. 27, 2005, chap. 5B. Background discussions with U.S. Department of State, White House, and Congressional officials, 2003-05. Ray Takeyh, "The Rogue Who Came in from the Cold," Foreign Affairs, May-June 2001, p. 64. Arik Hesseldahl, "Time to Go Back to Libya," Forbes Online, Mar. 7, 2002. Yehudit Ronen, "Qadhafi and Militant Islamism: Unprecedented Conflict?" Middle Eastern Studies, Jan. 2002, pp. 1-16. Interview with Lisa Anderson, "Qaddafi, Desperate to End Libya's Isolation, Sends a ‘Gift' to President Bush," Council on Foreign Relations, CFR.org, Dec. 22, 2003. BBC News, Feb. 12, 2004. The Washington Post, Dec. 26, 2003. Spencer Abraham, U.S. energy secretary, news briefing, Y-12 National Security Complex, Oak Ridge, Tenn., Mar. 16, 2004. Background conversations with Libyan government officials and academics, Washington, D.C. and elsewhere, 2004-05. See, for example, arguments outlined in Flynt Leverett, Inheriting Syria (Washington, D.C.: Brookings Institution, 2005). Times (London), Oct. 15, 2005. Gen. Richard Meyers, CNN Late Edition, Apr. 18, 2004. Implied by UNSC Resolution 1559, confirmed by secretary-general letter S/2005/331. Zalmay Khalilzad, U.S. ambassador to Iraq, briefing, Washington, D.C., Sept. 12, 2005; Syrian Accountability and Lebanese Sovereignty Restoration Act of 2003, PL 108-175. Moshe Efrat, "Syria: Economic Development, Achievements, Problems and Prospects," in Moshe Maoz, Joseph Ginat, and Onn Winckler, eds., Modern Syria: From Ottoman Role to Pivotal Role in the Middle East (Portland: Susser Academic Press, 1999), p. 88. The Washington Post, Aug. 2, 2005. Patterns of Global Terrorism, 2004 (Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department of State, Apr. 2005), pp. 88-9. Anthony H. Cordesman, "Iran's Evolving Military Forces," Center for Strategic and International Studies, Washington, D.C., July 2004, p. 15. Dan Blumenthal, "China and the Middle East: Providing Arms," Middle East Quarterly, Spring 2005, pp. 11-9. Related Topics: Libya, US policy | Winter 2006 MEQ receive the latest by email: subscribe to the free mef mailing list This text may be reposted or forwarded so long as it is presented as an integral whole with complete and accurate information provided about its author, date, place of publication, and original URL.

2019-04-19T06:15:39Z

https://www.meforum.org/886/libya-and-the-us-the-unique-libyan-case

As a practicing psychiatrist, I have watched with growing dismay and outrage the rise and triumph of the hegemony known as biologic psychiatry. Within the general field of modern psychiatry, biologism now completely dominates the discourse on the causes and treatment of mental illness, and in my view this has been a catastrophe with far-reaching effects on individual patients and the cultural psyche at large. It has occurred to me with forcible irony that psychiatry has quite literally lost its mind, and along with it the minds of the patients they are presumably supposed to care for. Even a cursory glance at any major psychiatric journal is enough to convince me that the field has gone far down the road into a kind of delusion, whose main tenets consist of a particularly pernicious biologic determinism and a pseudo-scientific understanding of human nature and mental illness. The purpose of this piece is not to attempt a full critique or history of this occurrence, but to merely present some of the glaring problems of this movement, as I believe significant harm is being done to patients under the guise of modern psychiatric treatment. I am a psychiatrist trained in the late 1980s and early 1990s, and I use both psychotherapy and medications in my approach to patients. I state these facts to make it clear that this is not an antipsychiatry tract, and I am speaking from within the field of psychiatry, although I find it increasingly impossible to identify with this profession, for reasons which will become clear below. Biologic psychiatrists as a whole are unapologetic in their view that they have found the road to the truth, namely that mental illnesses for the most part are genetic in origin and should be treated with biologic manipulations, i.e., psychoactive medications, electroconvulsive treatment (which has made an astounding comeback), and in some cases psychosurgery. Although they admit a role for environmental and social factors, these are usually relegated to a secondary status. Their unquestioning confidence in their biologic paradigms of mental illness is truly staggering. In my opinion, this modern version of the ideology of biologic/genetic determinism is a powerful force that demands a response. And when I use the word ideology here, I mean it in it's most pernicious form, i.e., as a discourse and practice of power whose true motivations and sources are hidden to the public and even to the practitioners themselves, and which causes real harm to the patients at the receiving end. Biologic psychiatry as it exists today is a dogma that urgently needs to be unmasked. One of the surest signs that dogmatists are at work here is that they rarely question or attempt to problemitize their basic assumptions. In fact, they seem blissfully unaware that there is a problem here. They act in seeming unawareness that they are caught up in larger historical and cultural forces that underwrite their entire "scientific" edifice. These forces include the medicalization of all public discourse on how to live our lives, a growing cultural denial of psychic pain as inherent in living as human beings, the well-known American mixture of ahistoricism and belief in limitless scientific progress, and the growing power of the pharmaceutical and managed care industries. These self-proclaimed visionaries, oblivious to all of this, boast of real scientific progress over what they consider to be the dogma of psychoanalysis, which had up until recently reigned as psychiatry's premier paradigm. Now, it is not my intention to defend psychoanalysis, which had its own unfortunate excesses, although I do use psychoanalytic principles in the kind of psychotherapy I do. However, it is quite clear to me that the grandiose claims of biologic psychiatry are wildly overstated, unproved and essentially self-serving. Biologic psychiatry has had its successes, particularly with recent antidepressants like Prozac and newer antipsychotic medications such as Clozaril. Medications can effectively improve depression, relieve severe anxiety, stabilize serious mood swings and lessen psychotic symptoms. These successes are real in that they improve the quality of life of patients who are genuinely suffering. But in reality, i.e., the reality of treating patients, medications have profound limitations. I know that if the only tool I had in treatment was a prescription pad, I would be a poor psychiatrist. The center of treatment will always need to be listening to and speaking with the patients coming to me. This means listening seriously to what they say about their lives and history as a whole, not merely listening for which symptoms might respond to medications. Although it seems astounding that I would have to state this, biologic psychiatrists as a whole really only listen to that portion of the patient's discourse that corresponds to their biologic paradigms of mental illness. It is the nature of dogma that its practitioners hear only what they want to hear. So what are the limitations of biologic psychiatry? First of all, medications lessen symptoms, they do not treat mental illness per se. This distinction is crucial. Symptoms by definition are the surface presentation of a deeper process. This is self-evident. However, there has been a vast and largely unacknowledged effort on the part of modern (i.e., biologic) psychiatry to equate symptoms with mental illness. For example the "illness" major depression is defined by its set of specific symptoms. The underlying "cause" is presumed to be a biologic/genetic disturbance, even though this has never been proven in the case of depression. The errors in logic here are clear. A set of symptoms is given a name such as "major depression," which defines it as an "illness," which is then "treated" with a medication, despite the fact that the underlying cause of the symptoms remains completely unknown and essentially untreated. I have seen repeatedly that, for example, in the case of depression, once medications lessen the symptoms, I am still sitting across from a suffering patient who wants to talk about his unhappiness. This process of equating symptoms with illnesses has been repeated with every diagnostic category, culminating in perhaps one of the greatest sophistries psychiatry has pulled off in its illustrious history of sophistries, namely the creation of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (currently in its fourth incarnation under the name DSM-IV), the bible of modern psychiatry. In it are listed all known "mental disorders," defined individually by their respective symptom lists. Thus mental illnesses are equated with symptoms. The surface is all there is. The perverse beauty of this scheme is that if you take away a patient's symptoms, the disorder is gone. For those who do serious work with patients, this manual is useless, because for me it is simply irrelevant what name you give to a particular set of symptoms. It is an absolute myth created by modern psychiatry that these "disorders" actually exist as discrete entities that have a cause and treatment. This is essentially a pseudo-scientific enterprise that grew out of modern psychiatry's desire to emulate modern medical science, despite the very real possibility that psychic pain, because of its existential nature, may always elude the capture of modern medical discourse and practice. Despite its obvious limitations, the DSM-IV has become the basis for psychiatric training and research. Its proponents claim it is a purely phenomenological document stripped of judgments and prejudices about the causes of mental illness. What in fact it has done is the defining and shaping of a vast industry of research designed to validate the existing diagnostic categories and to find ways to lessen symptoms, which basically has meant biologic research. Virtually all of the major psychiatric journals are now about this, and as such I find them useless to help me deal with real patients. Patients are suffering from far more than symptoms. Symptoms are the signs and clues to direct us to the real issues. If you take away the symptoms too quickly with medications or suggestion, you lose the opportunity to help a patient in a more profound way. As an aside, modern psychiatrists, because they have forgotten or dismissed the real power of transference, vastly underestimate the extent to which symptom reduction is caused by mere suggestion. Not that patients should be left to suffer needlessly from what are often crippling symptoms. Relief from symptoms is a part of treatment. Modern psychiatry would have us believe that this is all treatment should be. Meaning, desire, loss and death are no longer the province of the psychiatrist. In this process patients are reduced to something less than fully human, as they become an abstract collection of symptoms without meaning to be "managed" by technicians called psychiatrists. This is in the service of medical progress and enlightened scientific thought. The biologic psychiatrist will not make the mistake of imposing their value systems on patients like in the bad old psychoanalytic days. This is, of course, a sham. Modern psychiatry now foists on patients the view that their deepest and most private ills are now medical problems to be managed by physician-psychiatrists who will take away their symptoms and return them to "normal functioning." This is more than a bit malignant. One of the dominant discourses that runs through the DSM-IV and modern psychiatry in general is the equating of mental health with "normal" functioning and adaptation. There is a barely concealed strain of a specific form of Utopianism here which blithely announces that our psychic ills are primarily biologic and can be removed from our lives without difficulty, leaving us better adapted and more productive. What is left completely out, of course, are any notions that our psychic ills are a reflection of cultural pathology. In fact, this new biologic psychiatry can only exist to the extent it can deny not only the truths of psychoanalysis, but also the truths of any serious cultural criticism. It is then no surprise that this psychiatry thrives in this country presently, where such denials are rampant and deeply embedded. I am constantly amazed by how many patients who come to see me believe or want to believe that their difficulties are biologic and can be relieved by a pill. This is despite the fact that modern psychiatry has yet to convincingly prove the genetic/biologic cause of any single mental illness. However, this does not stop psychiatry from making essentially unproven claims that depression, bipolar illness, anxiety disorders, alcoholism and a host of other disorders are in fact primarily biologic and probably genetic in origin, and that it is only a matter of time until all this is proven. This kind of faith in science and progress is staggering, not to mention naive and perhaps delusional. As in any dogma, there is no perspective within biologic psychiatry that can effectively question its own motives, basic beliefs and potential blind spots. And thus, as in any dogma, there is no way for the field to curb its own excesses, or to see how it might be acting out certain specific cultural fantasies and wishes. The rise and fall of biologic determinism in a culture likely has complicated and interesting causes, which are beyond the scope of this paper. A few comments will have to suffice. This is a culture increasingly obsessed with medical science and medical health as a sign of virtue. It is not surprising that our psychic ills would be pulled into this dominant medical discourse, essentially medicalizing our specific forms of psychic pain. It seems to me that modern psychiatry, in step with a culture which created it, assumes any suffering to be unequivocally bad, an impediment to the "good life" of progress, productivity and progress. It is now almost heresy in psychiatry to say that perhaps suffering can teach us something, deepen our experience, or point us to different possibilities. Now, if you are depressed or anxious, it has no real meaning, because as a biologic illness similar to say diabetes, it is separate from the world of meaning and merely is. Now any thoughtful person knows that something as fundamental as depression has meanings such as loss, facing mortality, unlived desires, lack of power or control, etc., and that these meanings will continue to exist even if Prozac makes us feel better. There is much more to life than feeling better or living without pain, and only a superficial and pathologic culture would need to deny this. Yet conclusions such as "depression is a chemical imbalance" are created out of nothing more than semantics and the wishful thinking of scientist/psychiatrists and a public who will believe anything now that has the stamp of approval of medical science. It seems to me that modern psychiatry is acting out a cultural fantasy having to do with the wish for an omniscient authority who, armed with modern science, will magically take away the suffering and pain inherent in existing as human beings, and that rather than refusing this projection (which psychoanalysts were better able to do), modern psychiatry has embraced the role wholeheartedly, reveling in its new-found power and cultural legitimacy. I would be remiss if I left out the obvious economic factors in psychiatry's movement toward the biologic. Pharmaceutical corporations now contribute heavily to psychiatric research and are increasingly present and a part of psychiatric academic conferences. There has been little resistance in the field to this, with the exception of occasional token protest, despite its obvious corrosive and corrupting effects. It is as if psychiatry, long marginalized by science and the rest of medicine because of its "soft" quality, is now rejoicing in its new found legitimacy, and thus does not have the will to resist its own degradation. The fact that drug companies embrace and fund this new psychiatry is cause enough for alarm. Equally telling is a similar embrace by the managed care industry, which obviously likes its quick-fix approach and simplistic approach to complicated clinical problems. When I talk to a managed care representative about the care of one of my patients, they invariably want to know what medications I am using and little else, and there is often an implication that I am not medicating aggressively enough. There is now a growing cottage industry within psychiatry in advocating ways to work with managed care, despite the obvious fact that managed care has little interest in quality care and realistic treatment approaches to real patients. This financial pressure by managed care contributes added pressure for psychiatry to go down a biologic road and to avoid more realistic treatment approaches. What this means in real terms is that psychotherapy is left out. There has thus been a triple partnership created between this new psychiatry, drug companies and managed care, each part supporting and reinforcing the other in the pursuit of profits and legitimacy. What this means to the patients caught in this squeeze is that they are increasingly overmedicated, denied access to psychotherapy and diagnosed with fictitious disorders, leaving them probably worse off in the long run. It is quite depressing to listen to the discourse of modern psychiatry. In fact, it has become embarrassing to me. One gets the strong impression that patients have become abstractions, black boxes of biologic symptoms, disconnected from the narratives of their current and past lives. This pseudo-scientific discourse is shot through with insecurity and pretension, creating the illusion of objectivity, an inevitable march of progress beyond the hopeless subjectivity of psychoanalysis. Psychotherapy is dismissed and relegated to nonmedical therapists. I actually have no objections to real science in the field, if, for example, it can help me make better medication decisions or develop newer and better medications. But in general biologic psychiatry has not delivered on its grandiose and utopian claims, as today's collection of medications are woefully inadequate to address the complicated clinical issues that come before me every day. This is all not terribly surprising given what I have outlined in this piece. There will be no substitute for the difficult work of engaging with patients at the level of their lived experience, of helping patients piece together meaning and understanding in the place of their pain, fragmentation and confusion. Patients these days are not suffering from "biologic illnesses." What I generally see is patients suffering from current or past violence, traumatic loss, loss of power or control over their lives and the effects of cultural fragmentation, isolation and impoverishment that are specific to this culture at this time. How this manifests in any individual is absolutely specific; therefore, one should resist any attempt to generalize or classify, as science forces us to do. Once you go down the route of generalization, you have ceased listening to the patient and the richness of their lived experience. Unfortunately what I also see these days are the casualties of this new biologic psychiatry, as patients often come to me with many years of past treatment. Patients having been diagnosed with "chemical imbalances" despite the fact that no test exists to support such a claim, and that there is no real conception of what a correct chemical balance would look like. Patients with years of medication trials which have done nothing except reify in them an identity as a chronic patient with a bad brain. This identification as a biologically-impaired patient is one of the most destructive effects of biologic psychiatry. Modern psychiatrists seem unaware of what psychoanalysts know well, namely how powerful are the words that a patient hears from an authority figure like a psychiatrist. The opportunity here for suggestion, coercion and manipulation are quite real. Patients are often looking to psychiatrists for answers and definitions as they struggle with questions such as who am I or what is happening to me. Of course we all struggle with these questions, and the human condition is such that there are no definitive answers, and anyone who comes along claiming they have answers is essentially a fraud. Biologic psychiatry promises easy answers to a public hungry for them. To give a patient nothing but a diagnosis and a pill demonstrates arrogance, laziness and bad faith on the part of the psychiatrist. Any psychiatrist needs to be continually aware of the very real possibility that they are or can easily become agents of social control and coercion. The way to resist this is to refuse to take on the role assigned through cultural fantasy, namely the role of omniscient dispenser of magical potions. As a whole modern biologic psychiatry has enacted this role with particular vigor and enthusiasm. At the level of individual patients this means a growing number of overdiagnosed, overmedicated and disarticulated people less able to define and control their own identities and lives. At the level of our culture this has meant an impoverishment of the discourse around such questions as what is wrong with us, as "scientific" answers replace more potentially fruitful and truthful psychological and cultural questioning. If psychiatry is to regain any semblance of legitimacy and integrity, it must strip itself of false and hubristic scientific claims and humbly submit itself to the urgent task of listening to individual patients with patience and intelligence. Only then can we have any real sense of what to say back to them. The sole philosophic basis for this new psychiatry is the championing of empiricism above all other measures of truth. Something is valid only if it can be demonstrated through experimental method, otherwise it is disregarded or relegated to "subjective" experience, which is presumed to be inferior. Now, of course, this dominance of empiricism is not limited to psychiatry, and one can easily trace the invasion of the experimental method of the "hard" sciences into the "soft" or social sciences. On a larger cultural level this can be detected in the public's infatuation with "studies," statistics and so on. This hegemony of empiricism over other ways of thinking and knowing represents an unprecedented modern achievement which has thoroughly infiltrated the cultural psyche, to the point now where the average person believes easily the claims of the biologic psychiatrist. Now as is clear from my views already expressed, a social science dominated by empiricism is a vulgar science, and there is a vast tradition in philosophy from Plato to Nietzsche which in my view irrefutably demonstrates this. However this is well beyond the scope of this piece. Suffice it to say that modern psychiatrists, like all "scientists" these days, have no time for the basic philosophic questions that have engaged the most brilliant minds of the past. Who needs questions about virtue when there is important data to collect? These biologic psychiatrists never think to ask themselves whether their own precious methods are perhaps standing on very shaky ground, say their own disavowed prejudices about what constitutes the good life. Empiricism is one way of knowing, but certainly not the only or best way. Biologic psychiatrists often use the standards of empiricism to answer their critics, in effect saying that their claims are scientifically "proven" and thus unassailable, clearly a tautological argument. I would further add that in my view many of the claims of biologic psychiatry do not even hold up to their own standards of empirical science, for example their claims about the biologic and genetic basis of many mental illnesses. In my view, the methods of experimental science are inappropriate and misplaced when it comes to understanding the complexity of the human psyche, as they can only objectify the mind and remove subjectivity from the heart of human experience, thus creating an abstract entity in place of a human mind. It is no wonder that psychiatry declared the 1980s the decade of the brain instead of the decade of the mind. In their pursuit of the human brain they have quite literally lost their minds. One way to unmask the dogma that is biologic psychiatry is to ask the question what kind of human being is being posited as desirable, "normal," or not disordered. Judging by the DSM-IV, it would be a person not depressed or anxious, without perversions or sexual "dysfunction," in touch with "reality," not alienated from society, adapted to their work, not prone to excessive feeling states and generally productive in their life pursuits. This is, of course, the bourgeois ideal of modern culture. We will all fit in, produce and consume and be happy about it. Anyone who dissents by choice or nature slips into the realm of the disordered or pathologic, is then located as such by medical science and is then subject to social management and control. Now, psychiatry has always provided this social function, as admirably shown by Foucault and others. I would submit, however, that modern psychiatry, under the guise of medical and "scientific" authority and legitimacy, has surpassed all past attempts by psychiatry to identify and control dissent and individual difference. It has done this by infiltrating the cultural psyche, a psyche already vulnerable to any kind of medical discourse, to the point where it is a generally accepted cultural notion now that, say, depression is an illness caused by a chemical imbalance. Now when a person becomes depressed, for example, they are less able to read it or interpret it as a sign that there may be a problem in their life that needs to be looked at or addressed. They are less able to question their life choices, or question for example the institutions that surround them. They are less able to fashion their own personal or cultural critique which could potentially lead them to more fruitful directions. Instead they identify themselves as ill and submit to the correction of a psychiatrist, who promises to take away the depression so they can get back to their lives as they are. In short, the very meanings of unhappiness are being redefined as illness. In my view this is a dismaying cultural catastrophe. I do not mean to suggest that psychiatry is solely to blame for this, given how wide a cultural shift this is. However, I do think that psychiatry has not only not resisted its role here, but actually has fulfilled it with considerable hubris. Thus in my view the whole phenomenon of biologic psychiatry is itself a symptom or acting out of a larger, underlying cultural process. Unhappiness and suffering are not seen as resulting from real cultural conditions; for example, the collapse of traditional institutions and the ever increasing hegemony of rampant consumerism in American culture. Nor is suffering seen in the context of what it means to exist as a human being in any historical period. Historical and existential discourse about unhappiness is increasingly supplanted by medical discourse, and biologic psychiatry has served as one of the major mouthpieces for this kind of pseudo-scientific and frankly pathetic medical discourse about what ails us. I am increasingly astonished about how unable the average patient is now to articulate reasons for their unhappiness, and how readily they will accept a "medical" diagnosis and solution if given one by a narrow-minded psychiatrist. This is a cultural pathologic dependence on medical authority. Granted, there are patients who do fight this kind of definition and continue to search for better explanations for themselves which are less infantilizing, but in my experience this is not common. There is a frightening choking off of the possibility for dissent and creative questioning here, a silencing of very basic questions such as "what is this pain?" or "what is my purpose?" Modern psychiatry has unconscionably participated in this pathology for its own gain and power. It is a moral, not scientific issue at stake here, and in my view this is why many astute Americans rightfully distrust this new psychiatry and its Utopian claims about happiness through medical progress. So what kind of psychiatry am I advocating here? First of all, I think it is unclear whether the field can extricate itself from its current infatuation with technology and its own power to use it. When one reads psychiatric journals now, one senses a dangerous giddiness about the field's "discoveries" and "progress," which in my view are wildly and irresponsibly overstated. All the momentum, which is mainly economically driven, is pushing psychiatry toward further biologism. Having said this, what I am advocating is a psychiatry which devotes itself humbly to the task of listening to patients in a way that other medical practitioners cannot. This means paying close attention to a patient's current and past narrative without attempting to control, manipulate or define it. From this position a psychiatrist can then assist the patient in raising relevant questions about their lives and pain. The temptation to provide answers or false solutions should be absolutely avoided here. Medications are used judiciously for lowering painful symptoms, with considerable attention paid to the psychological effects of medication treatment. Diagnosis should play a secondary and small role here, given that little is known about what these diagnoses actually mean. Above all suggestion, coercion, normalization and control need to be assiduously guarded against, as these are natural temptations that arise out of the dynamics of power that exist between psychiatrist and patient. A more humane psychiatry, if it is even possible in today's cultural climate, must recognize the powerful potential of the uses and abuses of power if it is not to become a tool of social control and normalization. As I have outlined in this piece, these abuses of power are by no means always obvious and self-evident, and their recognition requires rigorous thought and self-examination. The psychiatrist plays a particular role in cultural and individual fantasies, and an intelligent psychiatrist must be aware of the complexity of these fantasies if he is to act in a position outside these projections and fantasies. This requires real moral awareness on the part of a psychiatrist who wishes to act intelligently. What I am advocating for in outline form as stated previously are the minimal requirements necessary for the field of psychiatry to reverse its current degradation. What is essential at this time is for psychiatrists and other clinicians to speak out against the ideology known as biologic psychiatry.

2019-04-21T07:02:01Z

http://bible.ca/psychiatry/david-kaiser-against-biologic-psychiatry-psychiatric-times-december-dec-1996-vol-xiii-issue-12.htm

Public parks can be an important setting for physical activity promotion, but to increase park use and the activity levels of park users, the crucial attributes related to active park use need to be defined. Not only user characteristics and structural park attributes, but also characteristics of the surrounding neighborhood are important to examine. Furthermore, internationally comparable studies are needed, to find out if similar intervention strategies might be effective worldwide. The main aim of this study was to examine whether the overall number of park visitors and their activity levels depend on study site, neighborhood walkability and neighborhood income. Data were collected in 20 parks in Ghent, Belgium and San Diego, USA. Two trained observers systematically coded park characteristics using the Environmental Assessment of Public Recreation Spaces (EAPRS) tool, and park user characteristics using the System for Observing Play and recreation in Communities (SOPARC) tool. Multilevel multiple regression models were conducted in MLwiN 2.25. In San Diego parks, activity levels of park visitors and number of vigorously active visitors were higher than in Ghent, while the number of visitors walking and the overall number of park visitors were lower. Neighborhood walkability was positively associated with the overall number of visitors, the number of visitors walking, number of sedentary visitors and mean activity levels of visitors. Neighborhood income was positively associated with the overall number of visitors, but negatively with the number of visitors being vigorously active. Neighborhood characteristics are important to explain park use. Neighborhood walkability-related attributes should be taken into account when promoting the use of existing parks or creating new parks. Because no strong differences were found between parks in high- and low-income neighborhoods, it seems that promoting park use might be a promising strategy to increase physical activity in low-income populations, known to be at higher risk for overweight and obesity. Lack of regular physical activity and prolonged sedentary time have independently been associated with numerous physical and mental health risks in all age groups (children, adolescents, adults and older adults) . Nonetheless, large proportions of populations in developed countries do not engage in sufficient physical activity to gain health benefits . Consequently, interventions to promote healthy and active lifestyles need to be improved and implemented. Ecological models of health behaviors emphasize the importance of taking into account multiple levels of influence when developing interventions. In addition to individual and social attributes, built environment and policy factors are expected to affect physical activity in multiple domains (e.g. leisure or transport) and settings (e.g. neighborhoods, parks) . Public parks can be an important setting for physical activity promotion. Public parks are among the most common places for physical activity . Parks are available in most communities, are usually free to access, can serve diverse populations including low-income and minority groups, and their provision can be influenced by local policies . Thus, enhancing access to parks and optimizing their design seem to be promising strategies to increase physical activity. To increase park use and the activity levels of park users, the crucial attributes related to active park use need to be defined. According to the conceptual model of Bedimo-Rung and colleagues it is important to understand the associations of park user characteristics and structural park characteristics with visitation and physical activity within parks. Studies in the USA showed that park users were predominantly male and that adults and children were more likely to visit parks than adolescents and seniors [7–9]. Males and children were more likely to be active in parks than respectively, females and adults [7, 8]. Furthermore, lower-income families were less likely to visit parks, while the evidence on racial/ethnic minorities was inconsistent [8–10]. Concerning the associations between specific structural park characteristics and park use, studies conducted in Australia and the USA showed that park availability, park size, and the availability and quality of amenities in parks were related with physical activity in parks among children, adolescents and adults [11–13]. In addition to examining park user and structural characteristics, it is necessary to examine neighborhoods and built environments where parks are located [6, 14]. Since individuals must travel through the surrounding neighborhood before entering a park, neighborhood characteristics are likely to have an influence on whether and how a park is used . Some neighborhood characteristics have been examined in previous research: low traffic safety, negative neighborhood aesthetics (e.g. abandoned housing) and low crime safety have been related to less park use [15–17]. Another potentially important neighborhood characteristic that has not been examined is neighborhood walkability (index including residential density, land use mix and street connectivity). High neighborhood walkability has been consistently related with physical activity in adults [18–20], but little is known about the availability and use of parks in high- and low-walkable neighborhoods. Possibly, parks are more prevalent, of higher quality and more easily accessible in high-walkable neighborhoods. Consequently, the overall higher amount of physical activity among high-walkable neighborhood inhabitants might be partially due to more frequent and active park use. Neighborhood income is also an important environmental factor to take into account. Environmental characteristics like aesthetics, traffic safety infrastructure, crime safety and access to recreation facilities are less favorable in low-income neighborhoods [21, 22], creating barriers to physical activity. It is not known whether park quality or physical activity in parks differ by neighborhood income. Almost all studies examining the correlates of park use have been conducted in the USA or Australia. Because European built environments differ from American environments, it is important to conduct comparable studies across continents to determine whether similar study methods are applicable to different regions, if park use is comparable across regions and if similar factors are related with park use. The present study addressed some of the shortcomings in the literature. The first aim was to describe structural park characteristics and socio-demographic characteristics of park visitors, and to examine if these attributes differed between Ghent, Belgium and San Diego, California, USA, between high- and low-walkable neighborhoods and between high- and low-income neighborhoods. Data of these two cities were used because of the need to compare novel European evidence with results of regions with more evidence on correlates of park use. As a second aim, we examined if study site, neighborhood walkability and neighborhood income were associated with the overall number of park visitors and their activity levels in parks. Data were collected in Ghent (Belgium) and San Diego, California (USA). Ghent has approximately 250,000 inhabitants, an area of 156.18 km2 and a population density of 1565 inhabitants/km2. Of all inhabitants, 18.8% belongs to ethnic-cultural minorities (mainly Turkish, Bulgarian and Moroccan); the other 81.2% is predominantly White. The distribution of inhabitants across age groups is as follows: 11.4% of the population is between 0 and 9 years, 9.9% between 10 and 19 years, 56.7% between 20 and 59, and 22.0% is older than 60 years of age (Belgian National Institute of Statistics 2011: http://www.statbel.fgov.be). San Diego counts 1,307,402 inhabitants, an area of 842.23 km2 and a population density of 1552 inhabitants/km2. San Diego’s ethnic racial distribution includes: 28.8% Hispanic/Latino, 26.2% other ethnic-racial minority (mainly Asian and African American); the other 45.0% is predominantly White. The age group distribution is as follows: 11.9% of the population is between 0 and 9 years, 12.7% between 10 and 19 years, 60.2% between 20 and 59, and 15.3% is older than 60 years of age (U.S. Bureau of the Census. American FactFinder, 2010 http://www.census.gov). In both cities, a similar protocol was used. Parks were randomly selected from four quadrants categorized by crossing high/low walkability and high/low socioeconomic status of neighborhoods: high-walkable/high-income, high-walkable/low-income, low-walkable/high-income and low-walkable/low-income neighborhoods. These neighborhoods had been defined for previous studies examining the associations between the built environment and physical activity (Ghent; Belgian Environmental Physical Activity Study) (San Diego; Neighborhood Impact on Kids study) . The neighborhoods were chosen to maximize within-country variability in walkability and income. In both cities, neighborhoods consisted of clusters of administrative or population collection units (statistical sectors in Belgium, block groups in the USA), which were the smallest geographical units that had information on household income, other sociodemographic factors and objective spatial data for walkability. In both cities, neighborhood-level walkability was determined objectively, using Geographic Information Systems (GIS)-based built environment parameters. In Ghent, neighborhood walkability included three environmental attributes previously found to be related to physical activity: net residential density, land use mix, and intersection density . A detailed description of the calculation of this walkability index can be found elsewhere . In San Diego, the neighborhood walkability index consisted of the same three variables plus retail floor area ratio . In both cities, neighborhood-level income was determined using census-based median annual household income data (US census 2000: http://www.census.gov; Belgian National Institute of Statistics 2007: http://www.statbel.fgov.be). In Ghent, 10 parks were randomly selected from a sampling frame of all parks in the four neighborhood quadrants: four parks were located in the low-walkable/low-income neighborhoods, while there were two parks in each of the other three quadrants. Afterwards, 10 parks were selected in San Diego after matching park size to the parks in Ghent. In San Diego, two parks were located in each of the high-walkable/low-income and the low-walkable/low-income neighborhoods, and three parks were located in each of the other quadrants. Information about park size was obtained from the City Council in Ghent and from GIS data provided in city records in San Diego, completed with data from Google Earth and information found on parks and recreation websites when needed. In these 20 parks, park characteristics were systematically coded by two trained observers using the Environmental Assessment of Public Recreation Spaces (EAPRS) tool . Characteristics of park users were observed using the System for Observing Play and Recreation in Communities (SOPARC) tool . In Ghent, data were collected in August and September 2011 (summer season; mean temperature = 16.8°C, average number of days with precipitation = 10). In San Diego, SOPARC data were collected in October and November 2011 (mean temperature = 21.6°C, average number of days with precipitation = 3). EAPRS data had been collected previously by trained observers, from February to June 2008. Since 2008, no substantial park renovations were completed in the 10 selected parks in San Diego. Two trained observers collected SOPARC and EAPRS data in Ghent and SOPARC data in San Diego. Before collecting SOPARC data, both observers completed SOPARC training, provided by Dr. McKenzie (on DVD). Before collecting EAPRS data in Ghent, the observers received a standard EAPRS training offered by the San Diego team who used the tool to collect the data in San Diego in 2008. In both cities, the first two parks were observed by both observers to ensure comparability and solve any inconsistencies between observers. The other eight parks were rated by one of the observers (each observer rated four parks per country). In Ghent, the study was approved by the Ethics Committee of the Ghent University Hospital. In San Diego, the study was approved by the San Diego State University Institutional Review Boards. SOPARC is an objective observation tool to quantify the physical activity levels and socio-demographic characteristics of park users. SOPARC is a valid and reliable observation tool . Use of SOPARC consists of defining discrete park zones, scanning a particular park zone, counting the overall number of park users in that zone, and classifying users by gender (males and females), age group (children, adolescents, adults, older adults), ethnicity (Latinos, Blacks, Non-Hispanic Whites, Other race/ethnicity) and physical activity level (sedentary, walking, vigorously active). Each park observation period was also classified by weather conditions (clear, cloudy, rainy) and darkness (dark, not dark). The number of park zones ranged from two to nine, and zones included open spaces, trails, playgrounds, swimming pools, basketball courts, sports fields, tennis courts, paths, picnic areas or shelters. In each park, observations were done during three days (two weekdays, one weekend day). On each observation day, four observation periods were conducted in each zone for about 15 minutes: in the morning (8AM), at noon, in the afternoon (3PM) and evening (7PM). For the analyses, METs/observation period was calculated to obtain a representation of the average physical activity intensity during each observation period in a particular zone, independent of the number of visitors. To do so, a weighted MET score was given to each activity category (sedentary = 1 MET, walking = 3 METs, vigorous activity = 6 METs). These weighted MET scores were multiplied by the observed number of visitors in each physical activity category at the moment of the observation. Then, this score was divided by the total number of visitors present at the moment of the observation. This calculation produced a mean physical activity intensity score, independent of the number of visitors. EAPRS is a detailed observation tool to assess park characteristics. The tool describes the physical environment of a park and focuses on the presence of park features and park amenities. Park features represent park characteristics that are essential to do physical activity. The observed park features included trails, paths, open spaces, swimming pools, playgrounds, sports fields and skating areas. Park amenities are aspects that contribute to the attractiveness of a park. The observed park amenities included places to sit, ponds/lakes, drinking fountains, picnic areas, vending amenities, restrooms, tables, bike racks and parking lots. EAPRS has good inter-rater reliability . EAPRS was only used to obtain descriptive information about park characteristics. Descriptive statistics were analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics 19. χ2 tests were conducted to examine associations of study site, neighborhood walkability and neighborhood income with gender, age, ethnicity and activity levels of the observed park visitors. One-way ANOVA tests were conducted to examine potential differences in park size, park features and park amenities between Ghent and San Diego, between high- and low-walkable neighborhoods, and between high- and low-income neighborhoods. Multilevel multiple regression models were conducted in MLwiN 2.25 to examine the associations of the independent variables (study site, neighborhood walkability, neighborhood income) with the outcome measures (overall number of park visitors, number of visitors being sedentary, number of visitors walking, number of visitors being vigorously active, METs/observation period), after adjusting for covariates. Multilevel modeling was applied because the null-models showed that 4.4% to 8.1% of the variance in the outcome measures was attributable to differences between parks. Two levels were included in the analyses: observations (level 1 = individual level) and parks (level 2 = group level). For the analyses with number of park visitors, number of sedentary, walking and vigorously active visitors as the outcome, the Poisson distribution of the outcome measures was taken into account. For the analyses with METs/observation as an outcome measure, the skewed outcome measure was logarithmically transformed (log10) to improve its normality . Park size, day type (weekday, weekend day), time of day (morning, noon, afternoon, evening), darkness (dark, not dark) and weather (cloudy, clear rainy) were included as covariates in all analyses. In the analyses with number of visitors sedentary, walking and vigorously active as outcomes, the total number of visitors per observation was included as an additional covariate. For all analyses, significance was set at p < 0.05. Descriptive characteristics of the parks and park users by study site, neighborhood walkability and neighborhood income are shown in Table 1. Results of the χ2 tests showed that all associations of site, neighborhood walkability and neighborhood income with gender, age group, ethnicity and activity level of the park visitors were significant (all p < 0.034). Concerning gender, male visitors were more prevalent in San Diego, low-walkable neighborhood parks and low-income neighborhood parks than in Ghent, high-walkable neighborhood parks and high-income neighborhood parks, respectively. Regarding the age group of the visitors, children and adults were more prevalent in San Diego than in Ghent, while adolescents and older adults were more prevalent in Ghent. In high-walkable neighborhood parks, more adolescents, fewer adults and fewer older adults were observed than in low-walkable neighborhoods. In the high-income neighborhood parks more children, adolescents, fewer adults and fewer older adults were observed than in the low-income neighborhoods. Concerning the ethnicity of the park visitors, a mix of different ethnicities was observed in San Diego parks, while in Ghent, 89.4% of the visitors were Non-Hispanic White. In low-walkable neighborhood parks, more Latinos and fewer Blacks were observed than in high-walkable neighborhoods. In low-income neighborhoods Latinos and Blacks were more prevalent than in high-income neighborhood parks, while Whites and people from other ethnicities were less prevalent. Regarding the activity level of the park visitors, sedentary people were more prevalent in Ghent, while vigorously active people were more prevalent in San Diego. In high-walkable neighborhood parks, more sedentary visitors and fewer vigorously active visitors were observed than in low-walkable neighborhoods. In low-income neighborhoods, fewer sedentary visitors and more vigorously active visitors were observed than in high-income neighborhood parks. The one-way ANOVA tests showed that mean park size was higher in low-walkable and high-income neighborhoods (both p < 0.001). Mean number of park features was higher in San Diego and low-walkable neighborhoods than in Ghent and high-walkable neighborhoods (both p < 0.001). No difference in park features was found between high- and low-income neighborhoods (p = 0.703). Mean number of park amenities was higher in San Diego and in high-income neighborhoods (both p < 0.001), but did not differ significantly between high- and low-walkable neighborhoods (p = 0.065). Results of the two-level multiple regression analyses are shown in Table 2. Park size was negatively related to the number of sedentary visitors (p < 0.001), and positively to the number of vigorously active visitors (p < 0.05). On weekdays, the overall number of park visitors was higher than on weekend days (p < 0.001), but the number of vigorously active visitors was higher on weekend days (p < 05). Compared with the observations in the morning, more visitors (overall) and more sedentary visitors were observed at noon, in the afternoon and in the evening (all p < 0.001). However, fewer visitors were observed walking at noon (p < 0.001), in the afternoon (p < 0.001) and in the evening (p < 0.01), when compared with the morning observations. In the afternoon, more vigorously active visitors were observed (p < 0.05), and METs/observation were higher at noon (p < 0.01) and in the afternoon (p < 0.001) than in the morning. Compared with observations when it was dark, the number of sedentary visitors and number of visitors walking were higher during daylight (both p < 0.05). Finally, compared with observations during cloudy weather, the number of sedentary visitors and METs/observation were higher when the weather was clear (both p < 0.05). The total number of visitors was lower when the weather was rainy (p < 0.001), but during rainy weather, more vigorously active visitors were observed than in cloudy weather (p < 0.05). * p < 0.05; ** p < 0.01; *** p < 0.001. Note: Park size is a level-2 variable; all other covariates are level-1 variables. a regression analyses adjusted for park size, day type, time of day, darkness and weather. b regression analyses adjusted for park size, day type, time of day, darkness, weather and number of visitors per observation. Results of the regression analyses are presented in Table 2. In San Diego, METs/observation were higher (p < 0.05), as well as the number of vigorously active visitors (p < 0.001). In Ghent, the overall number of visitors per observation and the number of visitors walking were higher (both p < 0.001). Neighborhood walkability was positively associated with the overall number of visitors per observation, with the number of visitors walking, the number of visitors being sedentary and with METs/observation (all p < 0.001). Neighborhood income was positively associated with the overall number of visitors per observation (p < 0.001) but negatively with the number of visitors being vigorously active (p < 0.001). Overall, park users were more likely to be male, and Non-Hispanic White, than female or Black, Latino or of another ethnicity. These results are in agreement with previous findings showing that men are more likely to visit parks than women [8, 9]. The higher prevalence of Non-Hispanic Whites seems to be a reflection the overall composition of the populations in Ghent and San Diego. Previous results also showed that adults and children are more likely to visit parks than adolescents and older adults [8, 9]: this was the case in San Diego, but in Ghent, mainly adults and adolescents visited the parks. A large proportion (44.9%) of the park users was observed being sedentary. This is an important observation, pointing out that park visits do not necessarily induce or stimulate active park use. This study revealed large differences in park and user characteristics across the two study sites. When interpreting these differences, it should be taken into account that the mean temperature during data collection was higher in San Diego than in Ghent, possibly affecting the findings. The regression analyses showed that after taking into account the covariates, park users in San Diego were more likely to be vigorously active, and the average intensity level of activities (defined as METs/observation) was higher than in Ghent. On the other hand, the total number of park visitors was higher in Ghent, as well as the number of visitors walking. The greater number of vigorously active park visitors in San Diego might be explained by more activity-supportive park features in San Diego parks than in parks in Ghent. For example, swimming pools, play areas and sports field were more prevalent in San Diego than in Ghent. Additionally, the higher activity-related intensity level of park users in San Diego could possibly be explained by the fact that USA cities usually are more car-oriented than European cities . In San Diego, parks probably play a more significant role as environments to be physically active, rather than in Ghent, where many people are active on the safer streets for both leisure and transport purposes (e.g. jogging, cycling). In Ghent, parks are possibly perceived more as a place to relax or walk instead of a place to be vigorously active. After taking into account the covariates (e.g. park size, darkness), the activity-related intensity level (METs/observation), total number of visitors, and number of visitors sedentary and walking were higher in high-walkable neighborhoods than in low-walkable neighborhoods. Previous studies showed that living in a high-walkable neighborhood was associated with more active transportation in adults [18–20] and the present findings show that neighborhood walkability also contributes to more (active) park use. Perhaps easier access to parks in high-walkable neighborhoods facilitates more visits to both sedentary and walking pursuits. Higher walkability may be related to more visitors walking to parks from their homes. Until now, no studies examined neighborhood walkability as a correlate of park use, but other environmental characteristics like high traffic safety, high crime safety and high aesthetics have been associated with higher park use [15–17]. These features are usually more favorable in high-walkable neighborhoods [28, 29] so present results confirm these previous findings. The higher number of sedentary park users in high-walkable neighborhood parks might be explained by the fact that fewer park features were present in these parks. Furthermore, results from a previous study conducted in Ghent showed that high neighborhood walkability was not only related to more physical activity, but also (and independently) to more sedentary time . Similarly, high neighborhood walkability might stimulate active (i.e. walking), as well as sedentary park use. Possibly, high-walkable neighborhood characteristics stimulate inhabitants to go outside, not only to be active but also to be sedentary in parks. After controlling for the covariates, neighborhood income was positively related to the total number of observed visitors, but negatively to the number of vigorously active visitors. Interestingly, the average intensity level of park users did not differ between high- and low-income neighborhood parks, neither did the number of activity-supportive park features. This is encouraging, as low-income individuals are often found to be at higher risk of insufficient physical activity and overweight/obesity . It seems that in Ghent and San Diego, both parks in high- and low-income neighborhoods have features (e.g. open spaces, play areas, sports fields) that can encourage physical activity, and parks are a promising environment to stimulate (vigorous) physical activity. Parks in high-income neighborhoods had more park amenities, possibly leading to increased park attractiveness and a higher overall number of park visitors. Creating parks and improving the quality (features and amenities) of available parks might be an effective approach to reach population subgroups at risk for overweight and obesity. In accordance with the conceptual model of Bedimo-Rung and colleagues , not only user and park characteristics, but also characteristics of the surrounding neighborhood are important to understand park use. Nonetheless, the present study could not confirm if park users live in the neighborhoods surrounding the parks they use or not. This remains to be explored in further studies, possibly by including interviews with park users. It would also be useful to collect information on the transportation modes used to visit parks. It might be that individuals are more likely to use active transportation modes to visit parks that are located in high-walkable neighborhoods compared with parks in low-walkable neighborhoods. This can be important to fully understand the role parks play to stimulate physical activity. Moreover, future studies should examine how active park use can be encouraged in low-walkable neighborhoods, because the quality (i.e. park features and amenities) of parks in the low-walkable neighborhoods was generally high, but (active) park use was still lower than in the high-walkable neighborhoods. The present study has several strengths. First, observational data, measured with valid and reliable observation tools, were used to assess park use and park characteristics. Second, an identical study protocol was used in Ghent and San Diego, making it possible to compare the findings across two cities in different countries. These comparisons revealed large and surprising differences. Third, the same trained observers collected SOPARC data in Ghent and San Diego. For EAPRS data collection, the observers received a standard training offered by the team who collected the data in San Diego. Applying these procedures increased the comparability of data between cities. However, study limitations also need to be acknowledged. First, no inter-rater reliability data were collected and although all observers were trained and certified during the training, some discrepancies in observations between different raters may still have been present. Second, because of the limited number of parks (n = 20), the associations between park features/amenities and park use could not be analyzed statistically in the present study. Third, because of practical limitations, SOPARC data were only collected over three days, while Cohen and colleagues recommend four days of data collection. Fourth, no background information of park users was collected, making it impossible to know if park users lived in the neighborhood around the parks or not. In conclusion, the present study showed that in addition to park and user characteristics, neighborhood characteristics are important to explain park use. The results showed that the presence of parks did not necessarily induce active park use; a large proportion of the park users were observed being sedentary. Furthermore, (active) park use was higher in San Diego and in high-walkable neighborhood parks. The overall number of park visitors was lower in low-income neighborhoods, but interestingly, visitors of low-income neighborhood parks were more vigorously active and the overall activity-related intensity did not differ between high- and low-income neighborhoods. So, it seems that the promotion of active use of existing parks or creating new parks can be a promising strategy to increase physical activity in population subgroups at risk for overweight and obesity. The authors would like to thank Anis Hachani and Stephanie Hoebeeck for their assistance in the data collection. Kelli Cain and Brian Saelens contributed to this project. Delfien Van Dyck is supported by the Research Foundation Flanders (FWO; post doctoral research mandate). This work in San Diego was supported by NIH grants HL083454, CA127296, and ES014240. All authors contributed to the design of different parts of the study. DVD coordinated the Belgian data collection, conducted the statistical analyses and drafted the manuscript. CG coordinated the USA data collection. GC, IDB, JFS, MAA, BD and CG participated in the interpretation of the data, helped to draft the manuscript and revised the manuscript for important intellectual content. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

2019-04-23T06:14:40Z

https://ij-healthgeographics.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1476-072X-12-26

Mega Charizard X has an excellent offensive presence in 1v1, possessing a great Attack stat combined with Tough Claws and amazing STAB moves in Flare Blitz and Outrage. It also has various utility options at its disposal, such as Dragon Dance, Will-O-Wisp, Substitute, and Flame Charge, which give it the tools needed to beat several threats it couldn't otherwise, such as Mega Lopunny and Dragonite. Thanks to its natural power, it can afford to invest EVs into its above-average bulk, which gives it the potential to tank some of the most powerful attacks in the metagame, such as Mega Lopunny's Fake Out + Giga Impact and Greninja's Hydro Cannon. It can also wait on Mega Evolving to avoid super effective damage from Dragon-type attacks from the likes of Dragonite and Ground-type attacks such as the first hit of Thousand Arrows. Furthermore, as it appears as a regular Charizard in Team Preview, an opponent won't know if you are running Mega Charizard X or Mega Charizard Y, so you can have a free turn of setup on turn one if they predict wrong. Unfortunately, Charizard has a weakness to Rock-type moves both before and after Mega Evolving, so powerful Rock-type moves are able to quickly knock out even the bulkiest Mega Charizard X, such as Continental Crush from Golem, Crustle, and Donphan, as well as Diamond Storm from Mega Diancie. Mega Charizard X can also be walled by Pokemon that can tank both Outrage and Flare Blitz, such as Primarina, Charm Mega Venusaur, and Tapu Fini. Outrage is Mega Charizard X's main STAB move, hitting Pokemon such as Dragonite, Kommo-o, and Mega Charizard Y. Flame Charge serves the dual purpose of not only boosting Mega Charizard X's Speed but also breaking Substitute from Flail and Reversal Pokemon like Mega Lopunny and Mega Pinsir and from stall Pokemon like Jumpluff. Note that Flame Charge has low Base Power and fails to beat some bulky Pokemon even if it hits them super effectively, like Magearna, Mega Metagross, and Whimsicott. Swords Dance gives Mega Charizard X the power to beat bulkier Pokemon that can set up in its face, such as bulky Zygarde and Mega Sableye. Dragon Dance can be used either as an alternative to or in tandem with Swords Dance and Flame Charge and doesn't allow Pokemon such as Dragonite and bulky Mega Gyarados to potentially outspeed and overpower Mega Charizard X with their own Dragon Dance. Will-O-Wisp allows Mega Charizard X to halve its target's Attack, letting it tank some of the strongest physical attacks in the game, such as physical Dragonite's Devastating Drake and boosted Zygarde's Thousand Arrows, when it has not Mega Evolved. It also serves the purpose of breaking abilities like Sturdy and Multiscale without actually dealing damage, so it can be useful against Pokemon such as Magnezone and Dragonite. Substitute allows Mega Charizard X to escape powerful Z-Moves and a possible loss against Toxic stall, Leech Seed stall, and Charm Pokemon like Chansey, Mega Venusaur, and Blissey. Flare Blitz can be used if you need a more powerful Fire-type STAB move than Flame Charge, which can be useful against Magearna and Mega Metagross. It can also be used over Flame Charge if running Dragon Dance. However, the recoil damage can be problematic against hard-hitting Pokemon such as a burned Mega Aggron and Substitute + Swarm Volcarona. The given HP and Defense EVs guarantee that Mega Charizard X will be able to tank a Fake Out followed by a Giga Impact from an Adamant Mega Lopunny, as well as tank attacks from many other threats such as bulky Mega Gyarados, Mega Pinsir, and bulky Zygarde when it has not Mega Evolved. It also runs 152 Speed EVs in order to outspeed Mega Lopunny after a Flame Charge and outspeed Smeargle without a Speed boost. The rest of the EVs go into Attack, as Mega Charizard X doesn't need huge investment in Attack to secure KOs. Mega Charizard X is designed to tank physical hits and KO the opposing Pokemon by boosting when necessary and hitting hard. Mega Charizard X has an amazing Attack stat, so against Pokemon such as Mega Metagross, Magnezone, Genesect, Kommo-o, Celesteela, and Hoopa-U, it can just attack immediately without boosting. For physically defensive Pokemon that Mega Charizard X cannot immediately knock out, it should be negating either their ability to hit Mega Charizard X or their ability to tank its hits. For example, against a Pokemon like physical Dragonite, which can easily beat Charizard with a Z-Move followed by Extreme Speed, Mega Charizard X should use Will-O-Wisp without Mega Evolving and then Mega Evolve and attack with Outrage once burn damage has negated Dragonite's Multiscale. However, against a defensive Pokemon like Zygarde, which runs maximum or near-maximum bulk, Mega Charizard X should use Swords Dance until the KO is guaranteed without Mega Evolving so that it can avoid super effective damage from attacks like Thousand Arrows or Tectonic Rage. Substitute should be used to avoid powerful one-time attacks like Z-Moves or to avoid status conditions. Avoid sending Mega Charizard X in against strong Rock-type Pokemon like Terrakion and Nihilego, as they will knock it out immediately, or against Pokemon that can stall it out, such as Chansey, Blissey, and Pyukumuku. Pokemon that can tank special moves from threats such as Breakneck Blitz Porygon-Z and Choice Specs Hydro Cannon Greninja pair well with Mega Charizard X, as they patch up its unreliability in these matchups. Pokemon such as Magearna, Mega Gyarados, specially defensive Mega Metagross, and Metal Sound Magnezone can all work wonderfully in this role. As Mega Charizard X is a Fire-type Pokemon, it can work in a standard Fire / Water / Grass core. Pokemon such as Primarina and Greninja can provide answers to Pokemon such as Donphan, Golem, Landorus-T, opposing Mega Charizard X, and Heatran, and Pokemon like Mega Venusaur and Kartana cover up Mega Charizard X's vulnerability to Tapu Fini and Primarina. A Dragon / Steel / Fairy team core can also work with Mega Charizard X; Pokemon such as Tapu Lele and Tapu Fini beat threats like Donphan, Golem, and opposing Mega Charizard X, and Pokemon like Magearna and Aegislash can take on Tapu Lele, Tapu Fini, Primarina, Mega Altaria, and Togekiss. Dragon Dance is absolutely essential in giving Mega Charizard X the Attack and Speed necessary to defeat the Pokemon it is designed to beat, namely Naganadel and Greninja. Outrage lets Mega Charizard X hit Pokemon that resist Fire-type attacks, such as bulky Dragonite, Mega Charizard Y, and Kommo-o. Flare Blitz works well with Outrage in providing excellent coverage against the metagame, hitting Pokemon such as Magearna, Mega Metagross, and Ferrothorn. However, Flare Blitz's recoil damage can be particularly damaging against heavy-hitting Pokemon such as a burned Mega Aggron and Substitute Volcarona. Will-O-Wisp makes up for Mega Charizard X's relative lack of bulk and offensive presence by not only halving the opposing Pokemon's Attack but also chipping away at its health at the same time, helping against bulky Multiscale Dragonite and boosted Zygarde. The given HP and Special Defense EVs let Mega Charizard X tank hits from Modest Choice Specs Greninja, and 64 Speed EVs let it outspeed Timid Greninja at +1. These EVs also let Mega Charizard X lure in and beat special attackers such as special Dragonite, Choice Specs Naganadel, and bulky Meloetta. The HP EVs also give Mega Charizard X sufficient physical bulk to beat bulky physical Dragonite, Mega Pinsir, and Mega Lucario. The rest of the EVs should go into Attack, as Mega Charizard X doesn't need much Attack investment to secure KOs. This set beats special attackers such as Greninja, Meloetta, Kommo-o, and Mega Blastoise. Against faster special attackers like Greninja and Naganadel, always use Dragon Dance on turn one, and attack on turn two. This is the safest way to go about this matchup, as it accounts for Protean type changes and the occasional Choice Scarf Naganadel, which outspeeds Charizard at +1 but is OHKOed by a +1 Charizard's Outrage. Make sure to not Mega Evolve against Naganadel in order to avoid super effective damage. For slower bulky special attackers such as bulky Meloetta, Mega Blastoise, and Volcanion, attack immediately, as Mega Charizard X is faster anyway and tanks any hit they throw out. Against a Pokemon like bulky Dragonite, Mega Charizard X should use Will-O-Wisp without Mega Evolving, then Mega Evolve and attack with Outrage once burn damage has negated Dragonite's Multiscale. Against bulky Zygarde, use Will-O-Wisp immediately without Mega Evolving, which will force Zygarde to use Thousand Arrows at some point if it wants to damage Charizard with Tectonic Rage as well as force it to start boosting with Coil, allowing Charizard to set up with Dragon Dance until Zygarde finally chooses to use Thousand Arrows. On the turn after Zygarde uses Thousand Arrows, Mega Evolve Charizard, and either attack if Zygarde is has low enough HP, or boost again if it does not, waiting for burn damage to get Zygarde in Outrage's KO range. Thankfully, if the burn damage has not gotten Zygarde in range yet, this also means Zygarde has not gotten enough Attack boosts from Coil, ensuring it cannot KO Mega Charizard X in time. Powerful, bulky Psychic-type Pokemon such as Z-Reflect Tapu Lele, Mew, and Will-O-Wisp Mega Gardevoir all have tools at their disposal that allow them to tank attacks from and overpower hyper offense and stall Pokemon such as Breakneck Blitz Porygon-Z, Mega Venusaur, Tapu Fini, Golem, Donphan, and Mega Altaria, which all can be a problem for Mega Charizard X. As Mega Charizard X is a Fire-type Pokemon, it can work in a standard Fire / Water / Grass core. Pokemon such as Primarina and Greninja can provide answers to Pokemon such as Donphan, Golem, Landorus-T, opposing Mega Charizard X, and Heatran, and Pokemon like Mega Venusaur and Kartana cover up Mega Charizard X's vulnerability to Tapu Fini and Primarina. A Dragon / Steel / Fairy team core can also work with Mega Charizard X; Pokemon such as Tapu Lele and Tapu Fini beat threats like Donphan, Golem, and opposing Mega Charizard X, and Pokemon like Magearna and Aegislash can take on Tapu Lele, Tapu Fini, Primarina, Mega Altaria, and Togekiss. Mega Charizard X can run a defensive 64 HP / 76 Atk / 116 Def / 252 Spe EV spread with a Jolly nature. This spread causes Mega Charizard X to be unreliable against Pokemon like Adamant Mega Lopunny, but in exchange it lets Mega Charizard X beat certain niche threats, such as Haxorus, fast Kommo-o, and fast physical Dragonite. You can also use a specially defensive 248 HP / 72 Atk / 144 SpD / 44 Spe EV spread with a Jolly nature, which sacrifices reliability against Modest Greninja and Modest Naganadel but lets Mega Charizard X beat Jolly Mega Lopunny. As Mega Lopunny and Greninja are often paired together, you may want to consider this as a catch-all option. Belly Drum can give Mega Charizard X an answer to many of the stall Pokemon that normally threaten it, such as Mega Slowbro, defensive Charm Venusaur, and Chansey. Be wary of the 50% health drop, however, as this puts Mega Charizard X in range of attacks that would otherwise not threaten it. Earthquake, often paired with Rock Tomb, has a niche role of beating Heatran, which is normally one of the safest Mega Charizard X counters in the metagame. However, besides Heatran, the coverage and power offered by Rock Tomb and Earthquake is completely overshadowed by the combination of Flare Blitz and Outrage, so only use Earthquake if you need to patch up a specific hole in your team. Counter with 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 Def and an Impish nature can be a decent option against some Choice item users that normally give Mega Charizard X trouble, such as Choice Scarf Landorus-T, Choice Scarf and Choice Band Garchomp, Choice Band and Choice Scarf Haxorus, and Choice Band and Choice Scarf Durant. **Rock-type Moves**: The most foolproof way to beat a Mega Charizard X is with powerful Rock-type moves, made all the better with Z-Moves. These include Donphan's and Crustle's Continental Crush, Aggron's Head Smash, and Mega Diancie's Diamond Storm. **Water-type Pokemon**: Water-types naturally have an edge when fighting Mega Charizard X, as they usually resist Flare Blitz and beat Mega Charizard X before it can set up and KO them. Even with specially defensive Mega Charizard X, some Water-types are still too bulky to break through or offensive enough to KO it. Pokemon such as Primarina, Tapu Fini, Manaphy, and Mega Swampert all excel against Mega Charizard X. **Physically Bulky Pokemon**: Pokemon that avoid being 2HKOed by Mega Charizard X and either incapacitate it or neutralize its offensive presence do very well in defeating it, especially if Mega Charizard X cannot hit the Pokemon super effectively. These include Pokemon such as Landorus-T, Z-Reflect Tapu Lele, Mega Altaria, and Heatran. **Stall**: Mega Charizard X can naturally be handled effectively by stall Pokemon such as Mega Slowbro, defensive Charm Mega Venusaur, Chansey, Blissey, stall Necrozma, and PP stall Deoxys-S. These Pokemon effectively neutralize Mega Charizard X's Attack with moves like Iron Defense and Charm. They need to worry about the rare Belly Drum Mega Charizard X, which can simply overpower their defenses if it sets up, and Substitute Mega Charizard X, which can hinder Pokemon that rely on Charm or Toxic. Mega Charizard X is one of the best and most versatile Pokemon in the 1v1 metagame, with access to undeniable attacking power thanks to its great Attack stat in combination with its Tough Claws ability and amazing offensive stab in Flare Blitz and Outrage. Charizard also has various utility options at its disposal, such as Will O Wisp Will-O-Wisp, Substitute, and Flame Charge, which gives it the tools needed to beat several threats it very well couldn't otherwise. Thanks to its natural offensive power, it can afford to invest EVs into its above-average bulk, giving it the potential to tank some of the most powerful attacks in the metagame, such as Giga Impact Lopunny-Mega Mega Lopunny and Choice Specs Hydro Cannon Greninja. It also has the ability to shift typing from Fire/Flying to Fire/Dragon, allowing it to potentially avoid fatal damage from Dragon and Ground type Ground-type attacks, making 50/50s from otherwise unfavorable matchups. It does have a noticeable weakness to Rock type Rock-type Always put a hyphen in between Rock and type moves in both regular and Mega forms, and powerful Rock type moves and Pokemon will be able to quickly knock out even the bulkiest Charizard, such as Stone Edge Golem, Head Smash Donphan, Diamond Storm Diancie and Rock Wrecker Crustle. Charizard can also be walled by Pokemon that can either tank the damage it deals or resists both of it's its STABs, such as Charm Venusaur, Z-Reflect Tapu Lele, Primarina, and Tapu Fini. Flame Charge serves the purpose of not only boosting your Mega Charizard X's Speed , but also breaking forms of protection such as Mimikyu’s Disguise and Substitute from Pokemon like Lopunny-Mega Mega Lopunny and Jumpluff. Swords Dance gives Charizard the power to beat bulkier Pokemon that can usually set up in its face on it like . These include Zygarde-50%, Gyarados-Mega, and Bulk Up Mimikyu. Outrage, as per usual, is Mega Charizard X's bread and butter, giving it access to a powerful STAB move, and in combination with a Fire attack, can hit most of the metagame for at least neutral damage, besides specific Pokemon such as Diancie, Primarina, and Tapu-Fini. Will O Wisp allows Charizard to become a verifiable Defensive tank, able to tank a max Attack Gyarados-Mega’s Outrage at +2, and gives Charizard a safer way to deal with pPhysical Dragonite. Substitute allows Charizard to escape powerful Z moves and a possible out on ToxicStall, Leech Seed stall, and Charm Pokemon like Chansey, Venusaur-Mega, and Blissey. The latter is not guaranteed, as if Stallers will often have ways to break Substitute. This needs rewording. Maybe something like Substitute allows zard to not get status, Charm, Leech Seed, or taken care of by a Z-move from the likes of x, y, and z. Flare Blitz can be used if you absolutely need access to a more powerful Fire STAB move than Flame Charge, which can be useful against certain Pokemon like Aegislash. The 208 HP / 100 Def EV spread guarantees that Charizard will be able to tank a Fake Out into Giga Impact from an Adamant Mega Lopunny, as well as tank attacks from many other threats, such as Gyarados-Mega, Zygarde-50% (while Charizard is in base form), and Mega Pinsir. It also runs 152 Speed EVs in order to outspeed Lopunny after a Flame Charge and naturally outspeed Smeargle. The 48 Attack EVs are essentially leftovers, however Mega Charizard X in general doesn’t need huge investments in attack to secure kills, thanks to the aforementioned naturally outstanding attack and usage of Swords Dance. Mega Charizard X is designed to tank hits from the physical spectrum physical Pokemon, aided by the usage of either Will O Wisp or Substitute, and KO back by boosting and hitting back hard. For slower, Physical physical Pokemon, you should be negating either their ability to either hit you or tank your hits. For example, against a Pokemon like Physical physical Dragonite, which can easily beat you Mega Charizard X with a Z move into Extreme Speed, you must Charizard must Will O Wisp, then attack. However, against a defensive Pokemon like Zygarde-50%, who which runs max or near max bulk, you Mega Charizard X should Swords Dance until you knock it out the KO is guaranteed (Against Zygarde-50% specifically, this will be when your Attack is +2 ahead of Zygarde's Defense). Never write like this in the analysis, say something like against Zygarde 50% because Swords Dance will put it ahead of Zygarde's Coil. For regular Zygarde just say that for Zygarde-100% say Zygarde-C. Only use Substitute if you know for sure that you will be at a disadvantage if you do not; using Substitute for the sake of using Substitute just wastes your HP. Substitute should be used to either avoid powerful, one time attacks, like a Z Move, or to neutralize a Stall threat by blocking their Status Condition or Stat Debuff move. to avoid getting statused, or getting its attack lowered from Charm. Pokemon that can tank Special Moves will be your friend would pair good with Charizard, as this will patch up it’s unreliability in these matchups. Pokemon such as Magearna, Gyarados-Mega Mega Gyarados , Spdef specially defensive Mega Metagross, and Metal Sound Magnezone can all work wonderfully. As Mega Charizard X is Fire/Dragon a Fire- and Dragon-type , it can work with either a standard Fire/Grass/Water team core or the aDragon/Steel/Fairy team core, which are both very effective teambuilding styles and covers weaknesses sufficiently. Mega Charizard X, as an amazing Pokemon on its own, can also work with almost any 2 Pokemon combination, and is incredibly splashable, as it can handle many of the top threats, such as Mimikyu, Magearna, Metagross-Mega, and Charizard Mega Y, very well. Dragon Dance is absolutely essential in giving Charizard the Attack and Speed necessary to defeat the Pokemon it is designed to tank, live a hit from such as Naganadel and Greninja. Outrage, as per usual, is Mega Charizard X’s bread and butter, giving it access to a powerful STAB move that works in tandem with Flare Blitz to hit most of the meta neutrally, besides specific Pokemon such as Diancie, Primarina, and Tapu-Fini. Beware the two negative side effects of Outrage, being locked into the move and confusion after 2-3 turns, which will doom you cause problems if you it cannot OHKO or 2HKO the opponent's Pokemon. Flare Blitz, as mentioned above, works well with Outrage in providing excellent coverage against the metagame, with the same excellent base power offered by Outrage. However, Flare Blitz will give you Mega Charizard X recoil damage equal to 1/3 of the damage dealt. As with Outrage, only use it if you know the battle will be ended quickly. Will O Wisp makes up for this Charizard's relative lack of defensive bulk and offensive presence by not only halving the opponent's attack, but also chipping away at the opponent's health at the same time. The 248 HP / 136 SpD EVs will let you Mega Charizard X survive a max Spa Speical Attack Modest Choice Specs Hydro Cannon Greninja 95% of the time, and the 64 Speed lets you it outspeed Timid Greninja at +1. These EVs will also naturally let you Charizard lure and beat other Special Attacking Pokemon such as Choice Hyper Beam Genesect/Magnezone, Special Dnite, Timid Scarf PZ (with a 50/50 on modest scarf PZ), Specs Naganadel, Specs Deoxys-Speed, bulky Meloetta, Volcanion, and Blastoise-Mega. Spell out Choice items and mons, and look what i said about the megas. The HP EVs, usually in combination with Will O Wisp, also gives you Charizard sufficient pPhysical bulk to beat bulky pPhysical Dragonite, oOffensive Mimikyu, and Mega Pinsir. As with Physically Defensive Charizard, the Attack EVs are leftovers, only their to ensure that it can knock Pokemon out faster. Do not mention other sets within another set. This Pokemon is designed to lure and beat common and traditional Charizard answers, most prominently Greninja. However, this Pokemon is also viable in beating bBulky oOffense, with the effective bulk and power to tank attacks from several popular Bulky Offense Pokemon while outspeeding and 2HKOing. Like what? For non-bulky Special Attackers like Greninja and Naganadel, always Dragon Dance Turn One, then attack Turn Two. This is the safest way to go about this matchup, as it accounts for Protean type changes or the occasional Scarf Naganadel, which will outspeed you at +1 but will be OHKOed by a +1 regular Charizard’s Outrage. For bulky Special Attackers, such as Meloetta, Blastoise, and Volcanion, attack immediately, as you Charizard is are going to be faster and will always be able to knock them out before they do so (except Dragonite; as stated previously, Will O Wisp, then attack). Offensive Mimikyu can also be beaten using Will O Wisp turn one, but be wary about Cursekyu Mimikyu with Curse, which as it will win this matchup, or the increasingly-remove hyphen popular Bulk Up Mimikyu, which can tank take a Flare Blitz after increasing it’s Defense, while regaining its Attack stat after a burn as well. Tapu Lele, Mew, Landorus-Therian, Gardevoir-Mega and Mimikyu all have tools at their disposal that allows them to tank and overpower Hyper Offense and Stall. As Mega Charizard X is Fire/Dragon,Fire- and Dragon-type, it can work with either a standard Fire/Grass/Water team core or the Dragon/Steel/Fairy team core, which are both very effective teambuilding styles and covers weaknesses sufficiently. You Charizard can forgo some bulk on the Physically Defensive Mega Charizard X (64 HP / 76 Atk / 116 Def / 252 Spe with Jolly Nature)Remove (), causing you it to be unreliable against Pokemon like Adamant Mega Lopunny, but in exchange lets you beat certain niche threats, such as Scarf Haxorus, Fast Kommo-o, Fast Physical Dnite (with Will O Wisp), and even Bulky Offense Charizard Mega X (Naturally a ditto is never guaranteed, but having a greater Speed stat will let you win the Mega Charizard X ditto, if you Dragon Dance turn one). You can do the same thing with Specially Defensive Mega Charizard X, sacrificing the win with Modest Greninja in order to gain Speed to beat Jolly Lopunny after a Dragon Dance, using a 248 HP / 72 Atk / 144 SpD / 44 Spe EV spread with Jolly Nature. As Lopunny and Greninja are often paired together, you may want to consider this as a catch-all option, if you don’t mind losing to the more offensive variants of either. Belly Drum can give Charizard an answer to many of the defensive walls / Stall Pokemon that normally threaten it, such as Slowbro-Mega, Charm Venusaur, and Chansey. Be wary of the 50% health drop, however; if this is your only way to raise your Attack, you will lose to offensive Pokemon. Thunder Punch provides Charizard with some decent coverage options against Water Types, which normally have a favorable matchup against it. This should be run with Swords Dance, as Thunder Punch’s 75 Base Power will need an Attack boost in order to net kills quick enough. KO Pokemon. Like? Earthquake has a niche role of beating Non-Air Balloon Heatran, and potentially a safer attacking option than the ones offered by the recoil-dealing Flare Blitz and the confusion-creating Outrage. However, besides Heatran, the coverage and power offered by Earthquake is overshadowed by the combination of Flare Blitz and Outrage, so only use Earthquake if you need to patch up a specific hole in your team. I do not think its needed, but QC can decide. Counter with 252 HP / 252+ EV Def? Nature? Charizard can be a decent option against some Choice users that normally give it trouble, such as Choice Scarf Landorus-Therian, Choice Scarf? Garchomp, and Choice Band? Durant. However, against Non-Choice threats, this is not a reliable answer, as once they know you have Counter is reavealed, they can simply either set up offensively until they can OHKO Mega Charizard X you, or slightly chip away at your its health with weaker attacks before they use their stronger moves, or use other Counter counterplays such as Substitute. Roost is an interesting choice for bulkier variants of Charizard, giving it reliable recovery. This should be used in conjunction with another utility option, such as Substitute and/or Will O Wisp Will-O-Wisp , as this will minimize damage taken by the opponent and thus maximize the usefulness of Roost. It can be useful when facing off against a burnt Aggron, stalling out Choice Pokemon, or healing after a Z move (This is all providing that your Charizard has the bulk necessary to tank the attacks coming to it). Remove bullets, they shouldn't be in this section. **Rock - add Hyphen and lower case the t in Type Type Moves**: The most foolproof way to beat a Charizard is with powerful rock type moves, made all the better with the advent of Z Moves. These include Golem, Rockium Donphan, Head Smash Aggron, Stone Edge/Rock Slide Tyranitar, Rockium Crustle, Diamond Storm Diancie, and Stone Edge Durant. Try to cut this down to 3-4 Pokemon to get the point across. I say cut out ttar, Golem and Durant. **Defensive Tanks/Walls**: Pokemon that can avoid being 2HKOed by Charizard and either incapacitate it or neutralize its offensive presence will do very well in defeating it, especially if the Charizard cannot hit the Pokemon Super Effectively. These include Pokemon such as Landorus-Therian, Z-Reflect or Defensive Tapu Lele, Slowbro-Mega, Charm Venusaur, Altaria-Mega, Chansey, Blissey, Stall Necrozma, Stall Deoxys Speed, and Heatran. They do need to worry about the rare Belly Drum Charizard, which can simply overpower their defenses if it set's up. **Certain Water - add Hyphen and lower case the t in Type tType Pokemon**: Water types naturally have an edge when fighting against Charizard, even with its Dragon typing, as they resist Flare Blitz (for the most part) and can usually tank/heal off recover from Outrage damage, killing you before you can set up and kill it. KOing Mega Charizard X before it can set up. Pokemon such as Primarina and Tapu Fini excel against Charizard, and other Pokemon such as Manaphy, Swampert-Mega Mega Swampert, and Suicune only need to watch out for the occasional Belly Drum set. **Set Dependent Matchups**: While the aforementioned Pokemon have excellent matchups against every standard Charizard spread, there are some Pokemon that should be mentioned that can beat a variation of Mega Charizard X, but are overall inconsistent. These Pokemon include Gyarados-Mega, Lopunny-Mega, Specs Greninja, Dragonite, and scarf Porygon Z. Once upon a time, these were all solid Charizard answers, but creative and more effective Charizard sets can either consistently beat these Pokemon or make the matchup an effective 50/50. However, a combination of two or more of these Semi-answers will be able to handle all Charizard sets coming their way. I leave this to actual QC, but maybe instead separate this into Faster Pokemon, and Sturdy / Multiscale Pokemon. There is a lot to fix and hope this helps when a QC member checks it. Make sure to write out all items, Nature and Pokemon, and make sure to fix megas like Lopunny-Mega to Mega Lopunny, and stuff like Rock types to Rock-types. How could I ignore Ulquiorra ;p Yeah the second part I wrote first, which was basically in shorthand. Most changes implemented. Thanks to its natural offensive power, it can afford to invest EVs into its above-average bulk, giving it the potential to tank some of the most powerful attacks in the metagame, such as Giga Impact Mega Lopunny and Choice Specs Hydro Cannon Greninja. Charizard (Mega Charizard X, you mean) can also be walled by Pokemon that can either tank the damage it deals or resists both of its STABs, such as Charm Venusaur, Z-Reflect Tapu Lele, Primarina, and Tapu Fini. Flame Charge serves the purpose of not only boosting Mega Charizard X's Speed, but also breaking forms of protection such as Mimikyu’s Disguise and Substitute from Pokemon like Mega Lopunny and Jumpluff. Will-O-Wisp allows Charizard to become a verifiable Defensive tank, able to tank a max Attack Mega Gyarados' Outrage at +2, and gives Charizard a safer way to deal with Physical Dragonite. Substitute allows Charizard to escape powerful Z moves and a possible out on ToxicStall, Leech Seed stall, and Charm Pokemon like Chansey, Mega Venusaur, and Blissey. The latter is not guaranteed, as Stallers will often have ways to break Substitute. The 48 Attack EVs are essentially leftovers, however Mega Charizard X doesn’t need huge investments in attack to secure kills, thanks to the aforementioned naturally outstanding attack and usage of Swords Dance. Mega Charizard X is designed to tank hits from physical moves, aided by the usage of either Will-O-Wisp or Substitute, and KO back by boosting and hitting back hard. For slower, physical Pokemon, you should be negating either their ability to hit Charizard or tank its hits. For example, against a Pokemon like physical Dragonite, which can easily beat Charizard with a Z move into Extreme Speed, Charizard must Will-O-Wisp, then attack. However, against a defensive Pokemon like Zygarde-50%, which runs max or near max bulk, Charizard should Swords Dance until the KO is guaranteed. Pokemon that can tank Special Moves will pair well with Charizard, as this will patch up its unreliability in these matchups. Pokemon such as Magearna, Mega Gyarados, Specially Defensive Mega Metagross, and Metal Sound Magnezone can all work wonderfully. Dragon Dance is absolutely essential in giving Charizard the Attack and Speed necessary to defeat the Pokemon it is designed to beat, such as Naganadel and Greninja. Outrage is Mega Charizard X’s bread and butter, giving it access to a powerful STAB move that works in tandem with Flare Blitz to hit most of the meta neutrally, besides specific Pokemon such as Diancie, Primarina, and Tapu-Fini. Beware the two negative side effects of Outrage, being locked into the move and confusion after 2-3 turns, which will cause issues if it cannot OHKO or 2HKO the opponent. The 248 HP / 136 SpD EVs will let Charizard survive a max Special Attack Modest Choice Specs Hydro Cannon Greninja 95% of the time, and the 64 Speed lets it outspeed Timid Greninja at +1. These EVs will also naturally let Charizard lure and beat other Special Attacking Pokemon such as Choiced Hyper Beam Genesect/Magnezone, Special Dragonite, Timid Choice Scarf Porygon Z (living 50% of the time against Modest Choice Scarf Porygon Z), Choice Specs Naganadel, Choice Specs Deoxys-Speed, bulky Meloetta, Volcanion, and Mega Blastoise. The HP EVs, usually in combination with Will-O-Wisp, also gives Charizard sufficient physical bulk to beat bulky physical Dragonite, offensive Mimikyu, and Mega Pinsir. The Attack EVs are leftovers, only their remaining EVs are invested/given/dumped into its Attack to ensure that it can knock Pokemon out faster. However, t This Pokemon is also viable in beating bulky offense, with the effective bulk and power to tank attacks from several popular bulky offense Pokemon while outspeeding and OHKOing or 2HKOing, such as Meloetta, Kommo-O, and Mega Blastoise. Offensive Mimikyu can also be beaten using Will-O-Wisp turn one, but be wary about Mimikyu running Curse, which will win this matchup, or the Bulk Up Mimikyu, which can take a Flare Blitz after increasing it’s its Defense, while regaining its Attack stat after a burn as well. As Mega Charizard X is a Fire/Dragon type, it can work with either a standard Fire/Grass/Water team core or a Dragon/Steel/Fairy team core, which are both very effective teambuilding styles and covers weaknesses sufficiently. Charizard can forgo some bulk on the Physically Defensive Mega Charizard X, with a 64 HP / 76 Atk / 116 Def / 252 Spe EV Spread with Jolly Nature, causing Charizard to be unreliable against Pokemon like Adamant Mega Lopunny, but in exchange lets Charizard beat certain niche threats, such as Choice Scarf Haxorus, Fast Kommo-o, and Fast Physical Dragonite (with Will-O-Wisp) (remove brackets). You can do the same thing with Specially Defensive Mega Charizard X, sacrificing reliability against Modest Greninja in order to gain Speed to beat Jolly Mega Lopunny after a Dragon Dance, using a 248 HP / 72 Atk / 144 SpD / 44 Spe EV spread with Jolly Nature. As Mega Lopunny and Greninja are often paired together, you may want to consider this as a catch-all option, if you don’t mind losing to the more offensive variants of either. Belly Drum can give Charizard an answer to many of the defensive walls / Stall Pokemon that normally threaten it, such as Mega Slowbro, Charm Venusaur, and Chansey. Be wary of the 50% health drop, however; if this is your only way to raise Charizard's Attack, you will lose to offensive Pokemon as Charizard sets up. Thunder Punch provides Charizard with some decent coverage options against Water Types, such as Gyarados, Primarina and Tapu Fini, which normally have a favorable matchup against it. This should be run with Swords Dance, as Thunder Punch’s 75 Base Power will need an Attack boost in order to KO Pokemon. Earthquake has a niche role of beating Non-Air Balloon Heatran, and potentially a safer attacking option than the ones offered by the recoil-dealing Flare Blitz and the confusion-creating Outrage. However, besides Heatran, the coverage and power offered by Earthquake is overshadowed by the combination of Flare Blitz and Outrage, so only use Earthquake if you need to patch up a specific hole in your team. Counter with 252 HP / 252 Def and Impish nature can be a decent option against some Choice users that normally give it trouble, such as Choice Scarf Landorus-Therian, Choiced Garchomp, and Choiced Durant. However, against Non-Choice threats, this is not a reliable answer, as once they know Charizard has Counter, they can simply either set up offensively until they can OHKO Charizard, or slightly chip away at its health with weaker attacks before they use their stronger moves, or use other Counter counterplays such as Substitute. Roost is an interesting choice for bulkier variants of Charizard, giving it reliable recovery. This should be used in conjunction with another utility option, such as Substitute and/or Will-O-Wisp, as this will minimize damage taken by the opponent (I think you mean Mega Charizard X here)and thus maximize the usefulness of Roost. It can be useful when facing off against a burnt Aggron/Mega Aggron, stalling out Choiced Pokemon, or healing after tanking a Z move. **Defensive Walls**: Pokemon that can avoid being 2HKOed by Mega Charizard X and either incapacitate it or neutralize its offensive presence will do very well in defeating it, especially if the Charizard cannot hit the Pokemon Super Effectively. These include Pokemon such as Landorus-Therian, Z-Reflect or Defensive Tapu Lele, Mega Slowbro, Charm Venusaur, Mega Altaria, Chansey, Blissey, Stall Necrozma, Stall Deoxys Speed, and Heatran. They do need to worry about the rare Belly Drum Charizard, which can simply overpower their defenses if it set's sets up. **Water-type Pokemon**: Water types naturally have an edge when fighting against Charizard, even with its Dragon typing, as they usually resist Flare Blitz and can usually recover from Outrage damage, beating Mega Charizard X before it can set up and kill it. Pokemon such as Primarina and Tapu Fini excel against Mega Charizard X, and other Pokemon such as Manaphy, Mega Swampert, and Suicune only need to watch out for the occasional Belly Drum set. Agreed and implemented most things, though I had a few grievances with some of your points. In deciding whether not I should use "Mega Charizard X" every single time or switch back and forth between that and just "Charizard", I referred to the OU analysis of Mega Charizard, which practiced the latter. I feel that is a sufficient precedent to follow. (https://www.smogon.com/dex/sm/pokemon/charizard/). However, there are a few cases where I agree that saying Mega Charizard X would be more appropriate. I also just removed the last thing about “set dependent matchups” altogether; I originally had it there to accommodate for Pokemon that people normally use as a Charizard X “answer”, but in actuality loses quite a bit. In retrospect, if it doesn’t actually win consistently, it is a waste of space in Checks and Counters. Mega Charizard X has excellent offensive presence in 1v1, possessing a great Attack stat combined with its Tough Claws ability and amazing STAB moves in Flare Blitz and Outrage. Charizard also has various utility options at its disposal, such as Dragon Dance, Will-O-Wisp, Substitute, and Flame Charge, which gives it the tools needed to beat several threats it very well couldn't otherwise, such as Mega Lopunny and Dragonite. It also has the ability to shift typing from Fire/Flying to Fire/Dragon, allowing it to avoid super effective damage from Dragon and Ground-type attacks, such as from Dragonite and Zygarde. You can also mention it having a split mega evolution in Mega Charizard Y which makes it very hard to predict and counter on top of its own set versatility. It does have a noticeable weakness to Rock-type moves in both regular and Mega forms, and powerful Rock-type moves and Pokemon will be able to quickly knock out even the bulkiest Mega Charizard X, such as Stone Edge Golem, Head Smash Donphan, Diamond Storm Mega Diancie and Rock Wrecker Crustle. Will-o-Wisp Physically Defensive Mega Charizard X set can defeat Head Smash Donphan and Stone Edge Golem if played around Counter correctly. Make it Rockium Z Golem. Swords Dance gives Mega Charizard X the power to beat bulkier Pokemon that can usually set up in its face, such as include Zygarde, Bulk Up Mimikyu, and Mega Sableye. Dragon Dance boosts Mega Charizard X's Attack and Speed at the same time. This can be used either as an alternative to or in tandem with Swords Dance and Flame Charge, and doesn't allow Pokemon such as Dragonite and bulky Mega Gyarados to potentially outspeed and/or overpower you with Dragon Dances of their own. Outrage let's Mega Charizard X hit Pokemon most other that would otherwise resist Fire-type attacks, such as Dragonite, Mega Charizard Y. Beware the two negative side effects of Outrage, being locked into the move and confusion after 2-3 turns, which will cause issues if it cannot OHKO or 2HKO the opponent. You can say that only use Outrage if you're sure about Mega Charizard X KOing the foe in 2-3 turns instead also this isn't much to worry as it doesn't come much in 1v1. Will-O-Wisp allows Mega Charizard X to become a verifiable Defensive tank, able to tank a max Attack Mega Gyarados' Outrage at +2, and gives Charizard a safer way to deal with Physical Dragonite. The Mega Gyarados matchup is a bit shaky with starting in non mega evolved forme and using Will-o-Wisp then SD if predicting them to stay regular and DDance then Outrage or mega evolve if predicting Waterfall. So you should explain that in the Usage Tips. WoW can also be used against Donphan and Golem. Substitute allows Charizard to escape powerful Z moves and a possible out on Toxic Stall, Leech Seed stall, and Charm Pokemon like Chansey, Mega Venusaur, and Blissey. The latter is not guaranteed, as Stallers will often have ways to break Substitute. Flare Blitz can be used if you need access to a more powerful Fire STAB move than Flame Charge, which can be useful against certain Pokemon like Mega Metagross, bulky Magearna and Aegislash. However, Flare Blitz will give Charizard recoil damage equal to 1/3 of the damage dealt. Instead of stating the additional effect of Flare Blitz you should say how would it affect in matches. As with Outrage, only use it if you know the battle will be ended quickly. The 208 HP / 100 Def EV spread guarantees that Mega Charizard X will be able to tank a Fake Out into Giga Impact from an Adamant Mega Lopunny, as well as tank attacks from many other threats, such as Mega Gyarados, Mega Pinsir and Zygarde while Mega Charizard X is in base form. The rest of the EVs should go into Attack, as Mega Charizard X doesn’t need huge investments in attack to secure kills. Mega Charizard X also naturally has an amazing Attack stat, so against Pokemon that either can't really threaten Mega Charizard X offensively or can't take Mega Charizard X's attacks defensively, the best course of action is to just attack immediately, and not waste any turns setting up. This includes Pokemon such as Magearna and Mega Metagross (when using Flare Blitz), Magnezone, Genesect, Ferrothorn, Kommo-O, Heracross-Mega, Celesteela, Hoopa-Unbound, and non-Occa Berry Whimsicott. For slower, physical Pokemon that Mega Charizard X cannot immediately knock out, you should be negating either their ability to hit Mega Charizard X or to tank its hits. For example, against a Pokemon like physical Dragonite, which can easily beat Charizard with a Z move into Extreme Speed, Charizard must Will-O-Wisp without Mega Evolving, so as to not be hit by Z-Draco super effectively, and then Mega Evolve and attack with Outrage once Burn damage has negated Dragonite's Multiscale. However, against a defensive Pokemon like Zygarde-50%, which runs max or near max bulk, Charizard should Swords Dance until the KO is guaranteed, again, without Mega Evolving, so you can avoid super effective damage from Thousand Arrows or Tectonic Rage. Pokemon that can tank Special Moves will pair well with Mega Charizard X, as this will patch up its unreliability in these matchups. Pokemon such as Magearna, Mega Gyarados, Specially Defensive Mega Metagross, and Metal Sound Magnezone can all work wonderfully. As Mega Charizard X is a Fire/Dragon-type, it can work with either a standard Fire/Grass/Water team core, such as with Primarina / Greninja and Mega Venusaur / Kartana, or a Dragon/Steel/Fairy team core, such as with Tapu Lele / Mimikyu and Magearna / Aegislash, which are both very effective teambuilding styles and covers weaknesses sufficiently. You should individually expand Mega Charizard X's partners here and say how they help each other out. Dragon Dance is absolutely essential in giving Mega Charizard X the Attack and Speed necessary to defeat the Pokemon it is designed to beat, such as Naganadel and Greninja. Outrage let's Mega Charizard X hit Pokemon most other that would otherwise resist Fire-type attacks, such as Dragonite, Mega Charizard Y, and Kommo-O. Beware the two negative side effects of Outrage, being locked into the move and confusion after 2-3 turns, which will cause issues if it cannot OHKO or 2HKO the opponent. Flare Blitz, works well with Outrage in providing excellent coverage against the metagame, hitting Pokemon such as Magearna, Mega Metagross, and Ferrothorn, with the same excellent base power offered by Outrage. However, Flare Blitz will give Charizard recoil damage equal to 1/3 of the damage dealt. As with Outrage, only use it if you know the battle will be ended quickly. Will-O-Wisp makes up for Mega Charizard X's relative lack of defensive bulk and offensive presence by not only halving the opponent's attack, but also chipping away at the opponent's health at the same time. Specifically helpful against? The 248 HP / 144 SpD EVs will let Mega Charizard X survive a max Special Attack Modest Choice Specs Hydro Cannon Greninja, and the 64 Speed lets it outspeed Timid Greninja at +1. These EVs will also naturally let Mega Charizard X lure and beat other Special Attacking Pokemon such as Choiced Hyper Beam Genesect/Magnezone, Special Dragonite, Timid Choice Scarf Porygon Z (living 50% of the time against Modest Choice Scarf Porygon Z), Choice Specs Naganadel, Choice Specs Deoxys-Speed, bulky Meloetta, Volcanion, and Mega Blastoise. The remaining EVs are invested into Attack to ensure that it can knock Pokemon out faster. This Pokemon set is viable in beating bulky offense, with the effective bulk and power to tank attacks from several popular bulky offense Pokemon while outspeeding and OHKOing or 2HKOing, such as Meloetta, Kommo-O, and Mega Blastoise. For faster non-bulky Special Attackers like Greninja and Naganadel, always Dragon Dance Turn One, then attack Turn Two. This is the safest way to go about this matchup, as it accounts for Protean type changes or the occasional Choice Scarf Naganadel, which will outspeed at +1 but will be OHKOed by a +1 regular Charizard’s Outrage. Make sure to stay in the form that will not take super effective damage from each of their most powerful moves (Mega Evolve against Greninja to take neutral damage against Hydro Cannon, stay in regular form against Naganadel). Certain trickier Pokemon, such as Offensive Mimikyu and bulky Dragonite, can also be beaten using Will-O-Wisp turn one, in order to mitigate their offensive presence and assist in dealing with their unique defensive abilities (Disguise with Mimikyu, Multiscale with Dragonite). Be wary about Mimikyu running Curse, which will win this matchup, Bulk Up Mimikyu, which can take a Flare Blitz after increasing its Defense, while regaining its Attack stat after a burn as well, or speedy Dragonite, which can potentially attack before it's Attack is halved. Tapu Lele, Mew, Landorus-Therian, Mega Gardevoir and Mimikyu all have tools at their disposal that allows them to tank and overpower Hyper Offense and Stall, which will potentially outspeed and knock out Mega Charizard X, or can potentially outlast Mega Charizard X while it is chipped away by Status or fixed damage moves. Give example of those Pokemon against which Zard X would need help with and these mentioned Pokemon can defeat. As Mega Charizard X is a Fire/Dragon-type, it can work with either a standard Fire/Grass/Water team core, such as with Primarina / Greninja and Mega Venusaur / Kartana, or a Dragon/Steel/Fairy team core, such as with Tapu Lele / Mimikyu and Magearna / Aegislash, which are both very effective teambuilding styles and covers weaknesses sufficiently. Mega Charizard X can forgo some bulk on the Physically Defensive Mega Charizard X, with a 64 HP / 76 Atk / 116 Def / 252 Spe EV Spread with Jolly Nature, causing Mega Charizard X to be unreliable against Pokemon like Adamant Mega Lopunny, but in exchange lets Mega Charizard X beat certain niche threats, such as Choice Scarf Haxorus, Fast Kommo-o, and Fast Physical Dragonite. I'd personally prefer this set to be the main (unless that spread helps in the Dragonite, Gyarados, and some other matchups as well) because of all these wins it provides, as very few Lopunny are Adamant and out of them some would be SubFlail Adamant:0/252/0/0/4/252 7.608% | Adamant:4/252/0/0/0/252 3.717% | And still only 56% chance for Lopunny to KO but I'll leave this up for you and the other QC members. Belly Drum can give Mega Charizard X an answer to many of the defensive walls / Stall Pokemon that normally threaten it, such as Mega Slowbro, Charm Venusaur, and Chansey. Be wary of the 50% health drop, however; if this is your only way to raise Charizard's Attack, you will lose to offensive Pokemon as Charizard sets up. Thunder Punch provides Mega Charizard X with some decent coverage options against Water-types, such as Gyarados, Primarina and Tapu Fini, which normally have a favorable matchup against it. This should be run with Swords Dance, as the relatively weak Thunder Punch will need an Attack boost in order to KO Pokemon. Earthquake has a niche role of beating Non-Air Balloon Heatran, and potentially a safer attacking option than the ones offered by the recoil-dealing Flare Blitz and the confusion-creating Outrage. However, besides Heatran, the coverage and power offered by Earthquake is overshadowed by the combination of Flare Blitz and Outrage, so only use Earthquake if you need to patch up a specific hole in your team. EQ Also helps in defeating Mega Diancie mostly when used with either of the sets. (Diamond Storm -> Physically Defensive, Power Gem -> Specially Def). Note that Non Air Balloon Heatran is pretty rare maybe add in Rock Tomb + Earthquake if that's not too much to take from the moves to complete the lure and KO. Counter with 252 HP / 252 Def and Impish nature can be a decent option against some Choice users that normally give it trouble, such as Choice Scarf Landorus-Therian, Choiced Garchomp, and Choiced Durant. However, against Non-Choice threats, this is not a reliable answer, as once they know Charizard has Counter, they can simply either set up offensively until they can OHKO Charizard, or slightly chip away at its health with weaker attacks before they use their stronger moves, or use other Counter counterplays such as Substitute. 252 HP / 252+ Def would also help in defeating Rockium Z Golem if you have WoW and play with Golem's Counter correctly. Haxorus mostly from regular forme. Roost is an interesting choice for bulkier variants of Charizard, giving it reliable recovery. This should be used in conjunction with another utility option, such as Substitute and/or Will-O-Wisp, as this will minimize damage taken from the opponent and thus maximize the usefulness of Roost. It can be useful when facing off against a burnt Aggron/Mega Aggron, stalling out Choiced Pokemon like?, or healing after a Z move. **Rock-type Moves**: The most foolproof way to beat a Mega Charizard X is with powerful Rock-type moves, made all the better with the advent of Z Moves. These include Head Smash Donphan, Head Smash Aggron, Rock Wrecker Crustle, and Diamond Storm Mega Diancie. **Water-type Pokemon**: Water types naturally have an edge when fighting against Mega Charizard X, even with its Dragon typing, as they usually resist Flare Blitz and beat Mega Charizard X before it can set up and kill it. Pokemon such as Primarina and Tapu Fini excel against Mega Charizard X, and other Pokemon such as Manaphy, Mega Swampert, and Suicune only need to watch out for the occasional Belly Drum set. **Defensive Walls**: Pokemon that can avoid being 2HKOed by Mega Charizard X and either incapacitate it or neutralize its offensive presence will do very well in defeating it, especially if the Mega Charizard X cannot hit the Pokemon Super Effectively. These include Pokemon such as Landorus-Therian, Z-Reflect or Defensive Tapu Lele, Mega Altaria, and Heatran. I'd title this as Physically Bulky Pokemon instead as Pokemon like Tapu Lele and Heatran aren't walls unless I'm getting something wrong. **Stall**: Mega Charizard X can naturally be handled effectively against defensive Stall Pokemon, such as Mega Slowbro, Charm Venusaur, Chansey, Blissey, Stall Necrozma, and Stall Deoxys Speed. These Pokemon can either increase their own defenses or decreases Charizard's Attack at a rate that matches the Attack increases brought about by either Dragon Dance or Swords Dance. They do need to worry about the rare Belly Drum Charizard, which can simply overpower their defenses if it sets up, and Substitute Charizard can create 50/50 scenarios with Pokemon that need to inflict status or prevent Mega Charizard X from setting up. -Golem and Donphan are not winning/consistent matchups for defensive mega char x, assuming the don/golem plays correctly, even if you burn. From Donphan, you need to mega evolve and will o wisp against it to live a Head Smash into Ice Shard consistently, leaving you wide open to Groundium Z after the mega. Donphan users have no reason to ever groundium z before you mega evolve, and even with recoil you won't do enough w/ outrage after a head smash to KO consistently. For Golem, Rockium will do 73 min, and will definitely KO turn 2 even after a burn with eq, or just OHKO if you don't use WoW. -Mega Diancie vs eq wins literally 50% of the time bc Diamond Storm. I don't think we should mention such an inconsistent matchup as a reason why u should run EQ on Char X, tho I will add Rock Tomb, as it gives something to hit heatran with. I'll also ask the other qc peeps as to whether or not 208 HP / 48 Atk / 100 Def / 152 Spe should be used or 64 HP / 76 Atk / 116 Def / 252 Spe EV, i made the former the main set because the main reasons to run the alternate sets, being speedy kommo, jolly/timid dnite, and scarf hax, are usually extremely rare/low ladder sets and not representative of the actual/optimal 1v1 meta. Everything else I will implement forsure. Think it looks great, amazing job! Just see the comments I said in discord. Discussed stuff on discord. QC 3/3. Implemented everything we discussed. Ready for GP! I see that you're repeating sentences to describe the same idea for different sets. You should try to vary them. Mega Charizard X has an excellent offensive presence in 1v1, possessing a great Attack stat combined with its Tough Claws ability and amazing STAB moves in Flare Blitz and Outrage. Charizard also has various utility options at its disposal, such as Dragon Dance, Will-O-Wisp, Substitute, and Flame Charge, which gives give it the tools needed to beat several threats it couldn't otherwise, such as Mega Lopunny and Dragonite. Thanks to its natural offensive power, it can afford to invest EVs into its above-average bulk, giving which give (misplaced modifier) it the potential to tank some of the most powerful attacks in the metagame, such as Mega Lopunny’s Fake Out + Giga Impact Mega Lopunny and Greninja’s Hydro Cannon Greninja. It can also not immediately Mega Evolve to avoid super effective damage from Dragon- and Ground-type attacks, such as against Dragon-type attacks from Dragonite and the first hit of Thousand Arrows from Zygarde. As it appears as a regular Charizard in Team Preview, an opponent won't know if you are running Mega Charizard X or Mega Charizard Y, which can give you so you can have (no antecedent) a free turn of setup on Turn One if they predict he predicts the wrong Charizard Mega Evolution. It (AC) unfortunately (AC) has a weakness to Rock-type moves in both its regular non-Mega and Mega forms, and, as such, powerful Rock-type moves will be are (uniform tense) able to quickly knock out (OHKO?) even the bulkiest Mega Charizard X, from Pokemon such as Continental Crush Golem, Crustle, and Donphan, (RC) and Diamond Storm Mega Diancie. Mega Charizard X can also be walled by Pokemon that can tank both Outrage and Flare Blitz, such as defensive Charm Mega Venusaur, Primarina, and Tapu Fini. Outrage is Mega Charizard X's main offensive STAB move, hitting Pokemon such as Dragonite, Kommo-o (AC) and Mega Charizard Y. Flame Charge serves the purpose of not only boosting Mega Charizard X's Speed, but also breaking Substitute from Flail / and Reversal Pokemon like Mega Lopunny and Mega Pinsir, (RC) and from stall Pokemon like Jumpluff. Note that Flame Charge has low base power, (RC) and will fail fails to beat some bulky Pokemon even if it hits them super effectively, like Magearna, Mega Metagross (AC) and Whimsicott. Flare Blitz can be used if you need access to a more powerful Fire-type STAB move than Flame Charge, which can be useful against the aforementioned Magearna, Mega Metagross, and Whimsicott Pokemon. However, Flare Blitz will give gives (Gives is awkward; I suggest an alternative like deals.) Mega Charizard X recoil damage equal to 1/3 of the damage dealt (You don’t really need to tell the reader the exact amount of recoil damage.), which can be problematic against heavy hitting hard-hitting (Heavy-hitting is awkward.) Pokemon such as a burnt Mega Aggron and Substitute Swarm Volcarona. Swords Dance gives Mega Charizard X the power to beat bulkier Pokemon that can set up in its face, such as bulky Zygarde and Mega Sableye. Dragon Dance boosts Mega Charizard X's Attack and Speed at the same time. This can be used either as an alternative to or in tandem with Swords Dance and Flame Charge, (RC) and doesn't allow Pokemon such as Dragonite and bulky Mega Gyarados to potentially outspeed and overpower you Mega Charizard X (I didn’t join 1v1 to be beaten up by opposing Pokemon.) with Dragon Dances of their own. Will-O-Wisp allows Mega Charizard X to halve its opponent's Attack, letting it tank some of the strongest physical attacks in the game, such as Dragonite’s Z-Outrage Dragonite and Zygarde’s boosted Thousand Arrows Zygarde, (RC) while it has not Mega Evolved. It also serves the purpose of breaking abilities like Sturdy or Multiscale without actually dealing damage, which so it can be useful against Pokemon such as Magnezone and aforementioned (Aforementioned does not contribute any real meaning to the sentence.) Dragonite. Substitute allows Mega Charizard X to escape powerful Z moves Z-Moves and a possible out on loss against (awkward) Toxic Stall stall, Leech Seed stall, and Charm Pokemon like Chansey, Mega Venusaur, and Blissey. The 216 HP / 92 Def EV spread guarantees that Mega Charizard X will be able to tank a Fake Out into a Giga Impact from an Adamant Mega Lopunny, as well as tank attacks from many other threats, (RC) such as bulky Mega Gyarados, Mega Pinsir, and bulky Zygarde, (RC) while Mega Charizard X is in base form Charizard has not Mega Evolved. It also runs 152 Speed EVs in order to outspeed Lopunny after a Flame Charge and naturally outspeed Smeargle without a Speed boost. The rest of the EVs should go into Attack, as Mega Charizard X doesn’t need huge investments in attack Attack to secure kills (This sentence is contradictory. Mega Charizard X doesn’t need huge investments in Attack, yet you’re saying that the rest of the EVs go into Attack.). Mega Charizard X is designed to tank physical hits from physical moves and KO back the opposing Pokemon by boosting when necessary and hitting hard. Mega Charizard X has an amazing Attack stat, so against Pokemon such as Magearna, Mega Metagross, Magnezone, Genesect, Ferrothorn, Kommo-O, Heracross-Mega, Celesteela, Hoopa-Unbound, and non-Occa Berry Whimsicott, you it can just attack immediately without boosting. For physical physically defensive Pokemon that Mega Charizard X cannot immediately knock out, you it should be negating either their ability to hit Mega Charizard X or their ability to tank its hits. For example, against a Pokemon like physical Dragonite, which can easily beat Charizard with a Z move Z-Move into Extreme Speed, Mega Charizard X must should (Not a requirement; no purpose) use Will-O-Wisp without Mega Evolving, (RC or remove and) and then Mega Evolve and attack with Outrage once Burn burn damage has negated Dragonite's Multiscale. However, against a defensive Pokemon like Zygarde, which runs max maximum or near max maximum bulk (pluralizing these two clauses follows this optional style used throughout the article), Mega Charizard X should use Swords Dance until the KO is guaranteed, again, (unneeded) without Mega Evolving, (RC) so that you it can avoid super effective damage from attacks like Thousand Arrows or Tectonic Rage. Substitute should be used to either avoid powerful, (RC) one time one-time attacks, (RC) like a Z Move Z-Moves, (RC) or to avoid any annoying status condition status conditions. Avoid sending Mega Charizard X against strong Rock-Type Pokemon like Terrakion and Nihilego, as they will knock it out immediately, or against Pokemon that can stall out Mega Charizard X, such as Chansey, Blissey, and Pyukumuku. Pokemon that can tank Special Moves from threats such as Breakneck Blitz Porygon and Choice Specs Hydro Cannon Greninja will pair well with Mega Charizard X, as this they will patch up its unreliability in the said matchups. Pokemon such as Magearna, Mega Gyarados, Specially Defensive specially defensive Mega Metagross, and Metal Sound Magnezone can all work wonderfully with Mega Charizard X, performing this role. As Mega Charizard X is a Fire-type Pokemon, it can work with in a standard Fire / Grass / Water (Usually the order is Fire-Water-Grass, not Fire-Grass-Water.) team core. Pokemon such as Primarina and Greninja can provide answers to Pokemon such as Donphan, Golem, Landorus-T, opposing Mega Charizard X (AC) and Heatran, and Pokemon like Mega Venusaur / and Kartana cover up weaknesses in Mega Charizard X’s vulnerability to Tapu Fini and Primarina. A Dragon / Steel / Fairy team core can also work with Mega Charizard X, as it is Dragon-type as well. Pokemon such as Tapu Lele and Tapu Fini beat threats like Donphan, Golem, and opposing Mega Charizard X, and Pokemon like Magearna and Aegislash can take on Tapu Lele, Tapu Fini, Primarina, Mega Altaria, and Togekiss. The 248 HP / 144 SpD EVs will let Mega Charizard X tank hits from Modest Choice Specs Greninja, and the 64 Speed EVs lets let it outspeed Timid Greninja at +1. These EVs will also naturally let Mega Charizard X lure and beat other Special Attacking Pokemon special attackers such as Choiced Choice Specs and Choice Scarf Hyper Beam Genesect/ and Magnezone, Special special Dragonite, Choice Specs Naganadel, Choice Specs Deoxys-Speed, bulky Meloetta, Volcanion, and Mega Blastoise. The HP EVs also gives give Mega Charizard X sufficient physical bulk to beat bulky physical Dragonite, Mega Pinsir (AC) and Mega Lucario. The rest of the EVs should go into Attack, as Mega Charizard X doesn’t need huge investments in attack to secure kills (similar sentence above). This set is viable in beating beats (awkward) special offense attackers such as Greninja, Meloetta, Kommo-O, and Mega Blastoise. For Against faster Special Attackers special attackers like Greninja and Naganadel, always use Dragon Dance on Turn One, then attack on Turn Two. This is the safest way to go about this matchup, as it accounts for Protean type changes or and the occasional Choice Scarf Naganadel, which will outspeed outspeeds Mega Charizard X at +1 but will be is OHKOed by a +1 regular Charizard’s Outrage. Make sure to not Mega Evolve against Naganadel, (RC) in order to avoid super effective damage. For slower bulky special attackers, (RC) such as bulky Meloetta, Mega Blastoise, and Volcanion, attack immediately, as Mega Charizard X is going to be faster anyway and can tank any hit they throw out. Against a Pokemon like bulky Dragonite, Mega Charizard X must should use Will-O-Wisp without Mega Evolving, and then Mega Evolve and attack with Outrage once Burn burn damage has negated Dragonite's Multiscale. Mega Charizard X can run a defensive 64 HP / 76 Atk / 116 Def / 252 Spe EV spread with a Jolly Nature nature, (period) causing This spread causes (misplaced modifier) Mega Charizard X to be unreliable against Pokemon like Adamant Mega Lopunny, but (AC) in exchange (AC) lets Mega Charizard X beat certain niche threats, such as Choice Scarf Haxorus, Fast fast Kommo-o, and Fast fast Physical physical Dragonite. You can also use a specially defensive 248 HP / 72 Atk / 144 SpD / 44 Spe EV spread with a Jolly Nature nature, sacrificing which sacrifices reliability against Modest Greninja and Modest Naganadel in order to beat but beats Jolly Mega Lopunny. As Mega Lopunny and Greninja are often paired together, you may want to consider this as a catch-all option. Belly Drum can give Mega Charizard X an answer to many of the Stall Pokemon that normally threaten it, such as Mega Slowbro, defensive Charm Venusaur, and Chansey. Be wary of the 50% health drop, however, as this will get you puts Mega Charizard X in range of certain attacks that would otherwise not threaten you it. Earthquake, often paired with Rock Tomb, has a niche role of beating Heatran, which is normally one of the safest Mega Charizard X counters in the metagame. However, besides Heatran, the coverage and power offered by Rock Tomb and Earthquake is completely overshadowed by the combination of Flare Blitz and Outrage, so only use Earthquake if you need to patch up a specific hole in your team. Counter with 252 HP / 252 Def (Where do the remaining 4 EVs go?) and an Impish nature can be a decent option against some Choice users that normally give it trouble, such as Choice Scarf Landorus-Therian, Choice Scarf Garchomp, Choice Scarf Haxorus (AC) and Choiced Choice Band and Choice Scarf Durant. **Rock-type Moves**: The most foolproof way to beat a Mega Charizard X is with powerful Rock-type moves, made all the better with the advent of Z Moves Z-Moves. These include Donphan’s and Crustle’s Continental Crush Donphan and Crustle, Aggron’s Head Smash Aggron, and Mega Diancie’s Diamond Storm Mega Diancie. **Water-type Pokemon**: Water-types naturally have an edge when fighting against Mega Charizard X (AC) as they usually resist Flare Blitz and beat Mega Charizard X before it can set up and kill it KO them. Even with a Specially Defensive specially defensive Mega Charizard X, some water types Water-types will still be are still too bulky to break through or hyper offensive (AC) able to KO it to break through. Pokemon such as Primarina, Tapu Fini, Manaphy, and Mega Swampert all excel against Mega Charizard X. **Physically Bulky Pokemon**: Pokemon that avoid being 2HKOed by Mega Charizard X and either incapacitate it or neutralize its offensive presence will do very well in defeating it, especially if the Mega Charizard X cannot hit the Pokemon super effectively. These include Pokemon such as Landorus-Therian, Z-Reflect Tapu Lele, Mega Altaria, and Heatran. **Stall**: Mega Charizard X can naturally be handled effectively by Stall Pokemon such as Mega Slowbro, defensive Charm Mega Venusaur, Chansey, Blissey, Stall Necrozma, and PP Stall Deoxys Speed Deoxys-Speed. These Pokemon effectively neutralize Mega Charizard X's Attack with moves like Iron Defense and Charm. They do need to worry about the rare Belly Drum Mega Charizard X, which can simply overpower their defenses if it sets up, and Substitute Mega Charizard X, which can hinder Pokemon that rely on Charm or Toxic. dragonite runs 4 unique sets of near equal viability in 1v1, and Z-Outrage is just one of them. Saying “Dragonite’s” implies that Z-Outrage is a universal quality in all 1v1 Dragonites, which isn’t true. Like saying “Mega Charizard X’s Belly Drum”. (This sentence is contradictory. Mega Charizard X doesn’t need huge investments in Attack, yet you’re saying that the rest of the EVs go into Attack.). Mega Charizard X has an excellent offensive presence in 1v1, possessing a great Attack stat combined with its Tough Claws ability and amazing STAB moves in Flare Blitz and Outrage. Charizard also has various utility options at its disposal, such as Dragon Dance, Will-O-Wisp, Substitute, and Flame Charge, which give it the tools needed to beat several threats it couldn't otherwise, such as Mega Lopunny and Dragonite. Thanks to its natural offensive power, it can afford to invest EVs into its above-average bulk, which give gives it the potential to tank some of the most powerful attacks in the metagame, such as Mega Lopunny’s Fake Out + Giga Impact and Greninja’s Hydro Cannon. It can also not immediately Mega Evolve wait on Mega Evolving to avoid super effective damage from Dragon-type attacks from the likes of Dragonite and Ground-type attacks (RC) such as Dragon-type attacks from Dragonite and the first hit of Thousand Arrows from Zygarde. Furthermore, as it appears as a regular Charizard in Team Preview, an opponent won't know if you are running Mega Charizard X or Mega Charizard Y, so you can have a free turn of setup on turn one if he predicts the they predict wrong Charizard Mega Evolution. It, Unfortunately, Charizard has a weakness to Rock-type moves in both its non-Mega and Mega formes, and, as such, so powerful Rock-type moves are able to quickly knock out even the bulkiest Mega Charizard X, from Pokemon such as Continental Crush from Golem, Crustle, and Donphan, as well as Diamond Storm from Mega Diancie. Mega Charizard X can also be walled by Pokemon that can tank both Outrage and Flare Blitz, such as defensive Charm Mega Venusaur, Primarina, and Tapu Fini. The 216 HP / 92 Def EV spread guarantees given HP and Defense EVs guarantee that Mega Charizard X will be able to tank a Fake Out into followed by a Giga Impact from an Adamant Mega Lopunny, as well as tank attacks from many other threats such as bulky Mega Gyarados, Mega Pinsir, and bulky Zygarde while Charizard it has not Mega Evolved. It also runs 152 Speed EVs in order to outspeed Lopunny after a Flame Charge and outspeed Smeargle without a Speed boost. The rest of the EVs go into Attack, as Mega Charizard X doesn’t doesn't (slanted apostrophe) need huge investments in Attack to secure kills KOs. Mega Charizard X is designed to tank physical hits and KO the opposing Pokemon by boosting when necessary and hitting hard. Mega Charizard X has an amazing Attack stat, so against Pokemon such as Magearna, Mega Metagross, Magnezone, Genesect, Ferrothorn, Kommo-o, Mega Heracross-Mega, Celesteela, Hoopa-Unbound, and non-Occa Berry Whimsicott, it can just attack immediately without boosting. For physically defensive Pokemon that Mega Charizard X cannot immediately knock out, it should be negating either their ability to hit Mega Charizard X or their ability to tank its hits. For example, against a Pokemon like physical Dragonite, which can easily beat Charizard with a Z-Move into followed by Extreme Speed, Mega Charizard X should use Will-O-Wisp without Mega Evolving (RC) and then Mega Evolve and attack with Outrage once burn damage has negated Dragonite's Multiscale. However, against a defensive Pokemon like Zygarde, which runs maximum or near-maximum (AH) bulk, Mega Charizard X should use Swords Dance until the KO is guaranteed (RC) without Mega Evolving so that it can avoid super effective damage from attacks like Thousand Arrows or Tectonic Rage. Substitute should be used to either avoid powerful one-time attacks like Z-Moves or to avoid status conditions. Avoid sending Mega Charizard X against strong Rock-type Pokemon like Terrakion and Nihilego, as they will knock it out immediately, or against Pokemon that can stall it out Mega Charizard X, such as Chansey, Blissey, and Pyukumuku. Pokemon that can tank special moves from threats such as Breakneck Blitz Porygon and Choice Specs Hydro Cannon Greninja pair well with Mega Charizard X, as they patch up its unreliability in the said matchups. Pokemon such as Magearna, Mega Gyarados, specially defensive Mega Metagross, and Metal Sound Magnezone can all work wonderfully with Mega Charizard X, performing in this role. As Mega Charizard X is a Fire-type Pokemon, it can work in a standard Fire / Water / Grass core. Pokemon such as Primarina and Greninja can provide answers to Pokemon such as Donphan, Golem, Landorus-T, opposing Mega Charizard X, and Heatran, and Pokemon like Mega Venusaur and Kartana cover up Mega Charizard X’s X's (slanted apostrophe) vulnerability to Tapu Fini and Primarina. A Dragon / Steel / Fairy team core can also work with Mega Charizard X; (SC) as it is Dragon-type as well. Pokemon such as Tapu Lele and Tapu Fini beat threats like Donphan, Golem, and opposing Mega Charizard X, and Pokemon like Magearna and Aegislash can take on Tapu Lele, Tapu Fini, Primarina, Mega Altaria, and Togekiss. Dragon Dance is absolutely essential in giving Mega Charizard X the Attack and Speed necessary to defeat the Pokemon it is designed to beat, namely / such as / specifically / whatever works Naganadel and Greninja. Outrage lets Mega Charizard X hit Pokemon that resist Fire-type attacks, such as bulky Dragonite, Mega Charizard Y, and Kommo-o. Flare Blitz works well with Outrage in providing excellent coverage against the metagame, hitting Pokemon such as Magearna, Mega Metagross, and Ferrothorn. However, Flare Blitz's will give Mega Charizard X recoil damage, which can be particularly damaging against heavy-hitting (AH) Pokemon such as a burnt burned Mega Aggron and Substitute Volcarona. Will-O-Wisp makes up for Mega Charizard X's relative lack of defensive bulk and offensive presence by not only halving the opponent's opposing Pokemon's Attack (RC) but also chipping away at the opponent's its health at the same time, helping against bulky Multiscale Dragonite and boosted Zygarde. The 248 HP / 144 SpD EVs given HP and Special Defense EVs let Mega Charizard X tank hits from Modest Choice Specs Greninja, and the 64 Speed EVs let it outspeed Timid Greninja at +1. These EVs also let Mega Charizard X lure and beat special attackers such as Choice Specs and Choice Scarf Hyper Beam Genesect and Magnezone, special Dragonite, Choice Specs Naganadel, Choice Specs Deoxys-Speed, bulky Meloetta, Volcanion, and Mega Blastoise. The HP EVs also give Mega Charizard X sufficient physical bulk to beat bulky physical Dragonite, Mega Pinsir, and Mega Lucario. The rest of the EVs should go into Attack, as Mega Charizard X doesn’t doesn't need huge investments in attack to secure kills KOs. This set beats special attackers such as Greninja, Meloetta, Kommo-o, and Mega Blastoise. Against faster special attackers like Greninja and Naganadel, always use Dragon Dance on turn one, then and attack on turn two. This is the safest way to go about this matchup, as it accounts for Protean type changes and the occasional Choice Scarf Naganadel, which outspeeds Mega Charizard X at +1 but is OHKOed by a +1 Charizard’s Outrage. Make sure to not Mega Evolve against Naganadel in order to avoid super effective damage. For slower bulky special attackers such as bulky Meloetta, Mega Blastoise, and Volcanion, attack immediately, as Mega Charizard X is faster anyway and tanks any hit they throw out. Against a Pokemon like bulky Dragonite, Mega Charizard X should use Will-O-Wisp without Mega Evolving, then Mega Evolve and attack with Outrage once burn damage has negated Dragonite's Multiscale. Against bulky Zygarde, use Will-O-Wisp immediately without Mega Evolving, which will force Zygarde to use Thousand Arrows at some point if they want it wants to damage Charizard with Tectonic Rage (RP) However, their halved Attack stat forces Zygarde as well as force it to start boosting with Coil, allowing Charizard to do the same on turn two until Zygarde finally chooses to use Thousand Arrows. On the turn after Zygarde uses Thousand Arrows, Mega Evolve Charizard, (AC) and either attack if Zygarde is has low enough HP, or Dragon Dance boost again if they do it does not, waiting for burn damage to get Zygarde in Outrage's KO range. Thankfully, if the burn damage has not gotten Zygarde in range yet, this also means Zygarde has not gotten enough Attack boosts from Coil, ensuring it cannot KO Mega Charizard X in time. Powerful, bulky Psychic-type Pokemon such as Z-Reflect Tapu Lele, Mew, and Will-O-Wisp Mega Gardevoir all have tools at their disposal that allow them to tank attacks from and overpower hyper offense and stall Pokemon such as Breakneck Blitz Porygon-Z, Mega Venusaur, Tapu Fini, Golem, Donphan, and Mega Altaria, who which all can be a problem for Mega Charizard X. As Mega Charizard X is a Fire-type Pokemon, it can work in a standard Fire / Water / Grass core. Pokemon such as Primarina and Greninja can provide answers to Pokemon such as Donphan, Golem, Landorus-T, opposing Mega Charizard X, and Heatran, and Pokemon like Mega Venusaur and Kartana cover up Mega Charizard X’s X's vulnerability to Tapu Fini and Primarina. A Dragon / Steel / Fairy team core can also work with Mega Charizard X; (SC) as it is Dragon-type as well. Pokemon such as Tapu Lele and Tapu Fini beat threats like Donphan, Golem, and opposing Mega Charizard X, and Pokemon like Magearna and Aegislash can take on Tapu Lele, Tapu Fini, Primarina, Mega Altaria, and Togekiss. Mega Charizard X can run a defensive 64 HP / 76 Atk / 116 Def / 252 Spe EV spread with a Jolly nature. This spread causes Mega Charizard X to be unreliable against Pokemon like Adamant Mega Lopunny, but (RC) in exchange (RC) it lets Mega Charizard X beat certain niche threats, such as Haxorus, fast Kommo-o, and fast physical Dragonite. You can also use a specially defensive 248 HP / 72 Atk / 144 SpD / 44 Spe EV spread with a Jolly nature, which sacrifices reliability against Modest Greninja and Modest Naganadel but beats lets Mega Charizard X beat Jolly Mega Lopunny. As Mega Lopunny and Greninja are often paired together, you may want to consider this as a catch-all option. Belly Drum can give Mega Charizard X an answer to many of the stall Pokemon that normally threaten it, such as Mega Slowbro, defensive Charm Venusaur, and Chansey. Be wary of the 50% health drop, however, as this puts Mega Charizard X in range of attacks that would otherwise not threaten it. Earthquake, often paired with Rock Tomb, has a niche role of beating Heatran, which is normally one of the safest Mega Charizard X counters in the metagame. However, besides Heatran, the coverage and power offered by Rock Tomb and Earthquake is completely overshadowed by the combination of Flare Blitz and Outrage, so only use Earthquake if you need to patch up a specific hole in your team. Counter with 252 HP / 4 Atk / 252 Def and an Impish nature can be a decent option against some Choice item users that normally give it Mega Charizard X trouble, such as Choice Scarf Landorus-Therian, Choice Scarf and Choice Band Garchomp, Choice Band and Choice Scarf Haxorus, and Choice Band and Choice Scarf Durant. **Rock-type Moves**: The most foolproof way to beat a Mega Charizard X is with powerful Rock-type moves, made all the better with Z-Moves. These include Donphan’s Donphan's and Crustle’s Crustle's Continental Crush, Aggron’s Aggron's Head Smash, and Mega Diancie’s Diancie's Diamond Storm. **Water-type Pokemon**: Water-types naturally have an edge when fighting Mega Charizard X, as they usually resist Flare Blitz and beat Mega Charizard X before it can set up and KO them. Even with specially defensive Mega Charizard X, some Water-types are still too bulky to break through or hyper offensive enough to KO it. Pokemon such as Primarina, Tapu Fini, Manaphy, and Mega Swampert all excel against Mega Charizard X. **Physically Bulky Pokemon**: Pokemon that avoid being 2HKOed by Mega Charizard X and either incapacitate it or neutralize its offensive presence do very well in defeating it, especially if Mega Charizard X cannot hit the Pokemon super effectively. These include Pokemon such as Landorus-Therian, Z-Reflect Tapu Lele, Mega Altaria, and Heatran. thank you for the GP check! Sorry it took a little while to implement, when I requested a check I honestly didn't expect an especially fast response, and I didn't have a computer with me, so I had to wait till I got home to comfortably implement. The incorrect apostrophe's were due to implementing the AMGP on my phone previously. Also, thank you for pointing out the eraser function, I never even tried it before. Blissey in 1v1 runs Z-Charm in combination with Toxic or some other offensive move besides seismic toss. Although that isn't properly represented in the presently unfinished Blissey 1v1 analysis, but this will be remedied soon. Nevertheless, it just means Char still has issues beating Chansey or Blissey without Substitute. Besides that small detail, everything is implemented. Ready for second GP! Mega Charizard X has an excellent offensive presence in 1v1, possessing a great Attack stat combined with Tough Claws and amazing STAB moves in Flare Blitz and Outrage. Charizard It also has various utility options at its disposal, such as Dragon Dance, Will-O-Wisp, Substitute, and Flame Charge, which give it the tools needed to beat several threats it couldn't otherwise, such as Mega Lopunny and Dragonite. Thanks to its natural power, it can afford to invest EVs into its above-average bulk, which gives it the potential to tank some of the most powerful attacks in the metagame, such as Mega Lopunny’s Lopunny's Fake Out + Giga Impact and Greninja’s Greninja's Hydro Cannon. It can also wait on Mega Evolving to avoid super effective damage from Dragon-type attacks from the likes of Dragonite and Ground-type attacks such as he the first hit of Thousand Arrows. Furthermore, as it appears as a regular Charizard in Team Preview, an opponent won't know if you are running Mega Charizard X or Mega Charizard Y, so you can have a free turn of setup on turn one if they predict wrong. Unfortunately, Charizard has a weakness to Rock-type moves in both its non-Mega and Mega formes both before and after Mega Evolving, so powerful Rock-type moves are able to quickly knock out even the bulkiest Mega Charizard X, such as Continental Crush from Golem, Crustle, and Donphan, as well as Diamond Storm from Mega Diancie. Mega Charizard X can also be walled by Pokemon that can tank both Outrage and Flare Blitz, such as defensive Charm Mega Venusaur, Primarina, Charm Mega Venusaur, and Tapu Fini. Outrage is Mega Charizard X's main STAB move, hitting Pokemon such as Dragonite, Kommo-o, and Mega Charizard Y. Flame Charge serves the dual purpose of not only boosting Mega Charizard X's Speed but also breaking Substitute from Flail and Reversal Pokemon like Mega Lopunny and Mega Pinsir and from stall Pokemon like Jumpluff. Note that Flame Charge has low Base Power and fails to beat some bulky Pokemon even if it hits them super effectively, like Magearna, Mega Metagross, and Whimsicott. Flare Blitz can be used if you need access to a more powerful Fire-type STAB move than Flame Charge, which can be useful against the (remove doublespace)aforementioned Pokemon. However, the recoil damage can be problematic against hard-hitting Pokemon such as a burned Mega Aggron and Substitute + Swarm Volcarona. Swords Dance gives Mega Charizard X the power to beat bulkier Pokemon that can set up in its face, such as bulky Zygarde and Mega Sableye. Dragon Dance boosts Mega Charizard X's Attack and Speed at the same time. This (dex info) can be used either as an alternative to or in tandem with Swords Dance and Flame Charge and doesn't allow Pokemon such as Dragonite and bulky Mega Gyarados to potentially outspeed and overpower Mega Charizard X with Dragon Dances of their own their own Dragon Dance. Will-O-Wisp allows Mega Charizard X to halve its target's Attack, letting it tank some of the strongest physical attacks in the game, such as physical Dragonite's Dragonium Z-boosted Outrage Devastating Drake and Zygarde’s boosted Zygarde's Thousand Arrows after Dragon Dances, when it has not Mega Evolved. It also serves the purpose of breaking abilities like Sturdy and Multiscale without actually dealing damage, so it can be useful against Pokemon such as Magnezone and Dragonite. Substitute allows Mega Charizard X to escape powerful Z-Moves and a possible loss against Toxic stall, Leech Seed stall, and Charm Pokemon like Chansey, Mega Venusaur, and Blissey. Flare Blitz can be used if you need a more powerful Fire-type STAB move than Flame Charge, which can be useful against Magearna and Mega Metagross. It can also be used over Flame Charge if running Dragon Dance. However, the recoil damage can be problematic against hard-hitting Pokemon such as a burned Mega Aggron and Substitute + Swarm Volcarona. The given HP and Defense EVs guarantee that Mega Charizard X will be able to tank a Fake Out followed by a Giga Impact from an Adamant Mega Lopunny, as well as tank attacks from many other threats such as bulky Mega Gyarados, Mega Pinsir, and bulky Zygarde while when it has not Mega Evolved. It also runs 152 Speed EVs in order to outspeed Mega Lopunny after a Flame Charge and outspeed Smeargle without a Speed boost. The rest of the EVs go into Attack, as Mega Charizard X doesn't need huge investments investment in Attack to secure KOs. Mega Charizard X is designed to tank physical hits and KO the opposing Pokemon by boosting when necessary and hitting hard. Mega Charizard X has an amazing Attack stat, so against Pokemon such as Magearna, Mega Metagross, Magnezone, Genesect, Ferrothorn, Kommo-o, Mega Heracross, Celesteela, and Hoopa-U, and non-Occa Berry Whimsicott, (too many examples) it can just attack immediately without boosting. For physically defensive Pokemon that Mega Charizard X cannot immediately knock out, it should be negating either their ability to hit Mega Charizard X or their ability to tank its hits. For example, against a Pokemon like physical Dragonite, which can easily beat Charizard with a Z-Move followed by Extreme Speed, Mega Charizard X should use Will-O-Wisp without Mega Evolving and then Mega Evolve and attack with Outrage once burn damage has negated Dragonite's Multiscale. However, against a defensive Pokemon like Zygarde, which runs maximum or near-maximum bulk, Mega Charizard X should use Swords Dance until the KO is guaranteed without Mega Evolving so that it can avoid super effective damage from attacks like Thousand Arrows or Tectonic Rage. Substitute should be used to avoid powerful one-time attacks like Z-Moves or to avoid status conditions. Avoid sending Mega Charizard X in against strong Rock-type Pokemon like Terrakion and Nihilego, as they will knock it out immediately, or against Pokemon that can stall it out, such as Chansey, Blissey, and Pyukumuku. Pokemon that can tank special moves from threats such as Breakneck Blitz Porygon Porygon-Z and Choice Specs Hydro Cannon Greninja pair well with Mega Charizard X, as they patch up its unreliability in the said these matchups. Pokemon such as Magearna, Mega Gyarados, specially defensive Mega Metagross, and Metal Sound Magnezone can all work wonderfully in this role. As Mega Charizard X is a Fire-type Pokemon, it can work in a standard Fire / Water / Grass core. Pokemon such as Primarina and Greninja can provide answers to Pokemon such as Donphan, Golem, Landorus-T, opposing Mega Charizard X, and Heatran, and Pokemon like Mega Venusaur and Kartana cover up Mega Charizard X's vulnerability to Tapu Fini and Primarina. A Dragon / Steel / Fairy team core can also work with Mega Charizard X; Pokemon such as Tapu Lele and Tapu Fini beat threats like Donphan, Golem, and opposing Mega Charizard X, and Pokemon like Magearna and Aegislash can take on Tapu Lele, Tapu Fini, Primarina, Mega Altaria, and Togekiss. Dragon Dance is absolutely essential in giving Mega Charizard X the Attack and Speed necessary to defeat the Pokemon it is designed to beat, namely / such as / specifically / whatever works (please actually pay attention and don't blindly implement text in gp checks) Naganadel and Greninja. Outrage lets Mega Charizard X hit Pokemon that resist Fire-type attacks, such as bulky Dragonite, Mega Charizard Y, and Kommo-o. Flare Blitz works well with Outrage in providing excellent coverage against the metagame, hitting Pokemon such as Magearna, Mega Metagross, and Ferrothorn. However, Flare Blitz's recoil damage can be particularly damaging against heavy-hitting Pokemon such as a burned Mega Aggron and Substitute Volcarona. Will-O-Wisp makes up for Mega Charizard X's relative lack of bulk and offensive presence by not only halving the opposing Pokemon's Attack but also chipping away at its health at the same time, helping against bulky Multiscale Dragonite and boosted Zygarde. The given HP and Special Defense EVs let Mega Charizard X tank hits from Modest Choice Specs Greninja, and the 64 Speed EVs let it outspeed Timid Greninja at +1. These EVs also let Mega Charizard X lure in and beat special attackers such as Choice Specs and Choice Scarf Hyper Beam Genesect and Magnezone, special Dragonite, Choice Specs Naganadel, Choice Specs Deoxys-S, and bulky Meloetta, Volcanion, and Mega Blastoise. (too many examples, the remaining ones were chosen by macemaster) The HP EVs also give Mega Charizard X sufficient physical bulk to beat bulky physical Dragonite, Mega Pinsir, and Mega Lucario. The rest of the EVs should go into Attack, as Mega Charizard X doesn't need huge investments in attack much Attack investment to secure KOs. This set beats special attackers such as Greninja, Meloetta, Kommo-o, and Mega Blastoise. Against faster special attackers like Greninja and Naganadel, always use Dragon Dance on turn one, and attack on turn two. This is the safest way to go about this matchup, as it accounts for Protean type changes and the occasional Choice Scarf Naganadel, which outspeeds Mega Charizard X Charizard (we're talking not yet mega'd here) at +1 but is OHKOed by a +1 Charizard’s Charizard's Outrage. Make sure to not Mega Evolve against Naganadel in order to avoid super effective damage. For slower bulky special attackers such as bulky Meloetta, Mega Blastoise, and Volcanion, attack immediately, as Mega Charizard X is faster anyway and tanks any hit they throw out. Against a Pokemon like bulky Dragonite, Mega Charizard X should use Will-O-Wisp without Mega Evolving, then Mega Evolve and attack with Outrage once burn damage has negated Dragonite's Multiscale. Against bulky Zygarde, use Will-O-Wisp immediately without Mega Evolving, which will force Zygarde to use Thousand Arrows at some point if it wants to damage Charizard with Tectonic Rage as well as force it to start boosting with Coil, allowing Charizard to do the same on turn two set up with Dragon Dance until Zygarde finally chooses to use Thousand Arrows. On the turn after Zygarde uses Thousand Arrows, Mega Evolve Charizard, and either attack if Zygarde is has low enough HP, or boost again if it does not, waiting for burn damage to get Zygarde in Outrage's KO range. Thankfully, if the burn damage has not gotten Zygarde in range yet, this also means Zygarde has not gotten enough Attack boosts from Coil, ensuring it cannot KO Mega Charizard X in time. Powerful, bulky Psychic-type Pokemon such as Z-Reflect Tapu Lele, Mew, and Will-O-Wisp Mega Gardevoir all have tools at their disposal that allow them to tank attacks from and overpower hyper offense and stall Pokemon such as Breakneck Blitz Porygon-Z, Mega Venusaur, Tapu Fini, Golem, Donphan, and Mega Altaria, which all can (remove doublespace)be a problem for Mega Charizard X. As Mega Charizard X is a Fire-type Pokemon, it can work in a standard Fire / Water / Grass core. Pokemon such as Primarina and Greninja can provide answers to Pokemon such as Donphan, Golem, Landorus-T, opposing Mega Charizard X, and Heatran, and Pokemon like Mega Venusaur and Kartana cover up Mega Charizard X's vulnerability to Tapu Fini and Primarina. A Dragon / Steel / Fairy team core can also work with Mega Charizard X; Pokemon such as Tapu Lele and Tapu Fini beat threats like Donphan, Golem, and opposing Mega Charizard X, and Pokemon like Magearna and Aegislash can take on Tapu Lele, Tapu Fini, Primarina, Mega Altaria, and Togekiss.

2019-04-23T14:07:42Z

https://www.smogon.com/forums/threads/charizard-mega-x-qc-3-3-gp-2-2-ready.3642305/

Top Communities Stories Husband That Travels Every Week. Reading Comprehension For Gifted 9 Yr Old My 7 Year Old Daughter Baby #3...? Hi,i have a son of 3yrs 6months,he has alot of issues to do with noises,food,clothing,etc our battle at the min is bath time... when i mention bath time he will say not now mommy 2moro but this is all the time and when i answer him no today he gets really upset infact so upset he is nearly sick,we have tried games,playing his fav music but nothing works we have managed to get him in sometime but he stands and will cry all way through bathimg. He really hates the smell of the soaps etc so i have be so quick and iv stood him on a towel before and washed him down just cause it breaks my heart. He is really fussy eater will eat same every day which tends to be carrot sticks,grapes,savory etc. We have cut labels from clothing,he dont like mowers,drills,hammering,planes,fireworks,my husbands car as its a subaru,people dressed up its affecting our every day life! school say he is settling slowly but he is very quiet and plays alone but did notice he didnt like the hairdryer in schoolbut they dont see any issues just say its the way he is but i have an older son of 10 who is autistic but he was so different that is why iv posted this as i dont know what to think. He is under a peadatrician but iv got go back april as she seen him once and basicly told me iv got hope school report backs me up and says same. He also has this thing at the min with screaming all the time espec when you near him and he dont want this. He loves disney cars and knows most of the names and loves his music on in his room but likes be alone,does anyone have any advice please. Regarding the bath, we've been through a lot with our daughter... make sure the water is not running while he is in the room or bath already (noise). use soap without a strong smell, maybe newborn bathing milk or something that is pretty neutral. make sure he doesn't feel the water as too hot or cold. this could be very subjective. maybe you think it's perfect temp but he feels it too hot (we have that with hot food. to me it's already cold, my daughter won't touch it if it's a tad to warm) maybe he is insecure because the water is moving or something. try to ask him why he doesn't like bathing maybe there is just one specific thing that could be fixed. try to make sure he knows you are not trying to giving him a bath when asking about it, otherwise he might just freak out and not tell a thing. Get a referral to a pediatric Occupational Therapist. Do not be put off by the doc or the school, It sounds as if your son has some sensory issues that need to be addressed. You and your son can be helped. But he needs to be evaluated and assessed by a professional. Have you tried showering him? If this does not work then why push the bath if he is that averse to it? Get a little tub of water and sponge bathe him until some of his problems can be addressed by the OT. I'm not an expert but I have worked in a group home with 2 autistic boys and your son definitely has some markers of autism. If your pediatrician and school aren't taking it seriously then you should go to another doctor for a second opinion. I'm sure you know from your older son that there are things that can be done to make life easier if your son does have autism. Something to keep in mind about SPD. Many children can receive a single diagnosis of SPD and then some children can have SPD because they have Autism and are on the spectrum as well. Many children with this disorder are very gifted! Usually they don't reach their full potential though of giftedness because they aren't diagnosed early. Getting a diagnosis is the key to opening the world for your child to receive intervention and understanding. Your child is very smart in a lot of ways already. He is fussy and irritable and trying to tell you in his own way that he doesn't like what is being done! This is such a blessing! Use his cues to help him uncover how to solve his needs. You are already way ahead of the ballgame because you are identifying his problems verbally and have all the "RIGHT" facts down. You sound like a very proactive mom. Take care and good luck with your three year old and your older child. With an older brother with autism, it increases his chances to have something on the autism spectrum, but not the exact same disorder as his big brother. I will say, it sounds like a very textbook case of what my son has; Sensory Processing Disorder, also known as Sensory Integration Disorder. If he does indeed have this disorder, none of his actions are done on purpose or to be bad, in fact, he has no control over them. I'll give a brief overview, but I strongly recommend you read up on the disorder and have your 3 yr old evaluated by someone who knows what they are doing. Few people actually know anything about this, especially schools and sometimes pediatricians. The brief explanation is that for a person WITHOUT the disorder, the five senses pick up outside stimulus and that stimulus is instantaneously carried on the neural pathways to the brain to be decoded. Once the brain decodes the stimulus, it sends the answer back out to the part of the body that picked up the original stimulus. For instance, you touch a boiling pot on the stove and within a couple of seconds, the information goes to your brain via your sense of touch and the brain processes the stimulus message and sends back out that you touched a hot object and it hurt your hand. Keep in mind that this is happening constantly, at all times, every day. With Sensory Processing Disorder, the message from your senses' input goes to your brain, but once there, the brain does not interpret it correctly and sends out the wrong message to your body. In addition to the five senses being scrambled, these kids have difficulty processing another person's meaning behind facial expressions, tone of voice, etc., often they cannot focus on a conversation fully for more than a few minutes. The things that you mentioned are very in tune with what other children with SPD exhibit. It sounds like with your son, his sense of touch and hearing are more affected than his other senses, but that doesn't mean all of his senses aren't affected in some way. The smell of the soap for example. More than likely, even though your bath water is not hot, just the sensation of water might cause him extreme discomfort or even pain. My son actually prefers a hotter shower than others would be comfortable with. Your son probably eats the same thing all the time because those are "safe" foods that he instinctively knows won't bother him. Sometimes food texture is a huge issue for SPD children. Different noises that we think nothing of can actually cause a sensation of pain on his skin (I know this one, because my 11 yo with the disorder tells me when it happens and what it is like). Your son may prefer playing alone because he can manage things in a way so he isn't overly uncomfortable. Or, he may have such a hard time figuring out what others want from him, if he has issues processing facial expressions and tone of voice. The most important thing to keep in mind is that your son isn't "acting out" or spoiled or being naughty. He is probably as confused as you and really upset that so many things bother him. One thing that helped tremendously with my son was a weighted blanket. Weighted vests are also available. A good occupational therapist would be a very good thing for him. I've managed my 11 yo on my own, because he is homeschooled and I refuse to fight with public schools anymore about getting an IEP to get him OT. They do not understand his disorder and in my own experience, do not have the resources or care enough to learn about it. So I have researched this already a bunch and I keep learning all I can in order to help him. You can get a head start with different things to try for him from a link I will give you. Hopefully, that will help you and your son while you wait for an actual diagnosis. Your son may not have this particular autism spectrum disorder, but his behaviors are very like my son's before he was diagnosed (at age 5). It is at least an idea to help his pediatrician with a starting point. Something to keep in mind, there is NO medicine that will help with Sensory Processing Disorder. ADHD medications especially, won't work and will only mask what is really wrong. Here are a couple of websites for you. I hope this helps! Once you have the answer to what is happening with your son, it gets more manageable. Never easy, but better than it is now! Karen Karen is right on about the school district being required to provide services. However, be prepared to insist they do their job as the process can be long and arduous. Enlist your pediatrician to help you with the school district or a social worker if you are already in contact with one. I hope that you have the opportunity to ask your paediatrician about an occupational therapy evaluation to assess sensory integration- it will help your son so much- I know cos I am one! I forgot to mention that your public school district offers these services free of charge. Contact your public school district even if your child is in a day care / learning center that is not associated with your public school district. We are required to provide services to all children in the district, even if it is an older child who attends a private school. Again, services are free to you. If your child receives Medicaid then the district can bill Medicaid, but that's all. It sounds like your child could have an autism spectrum disorder with the sensory issues you describe. Early intervention can make a huge, huge difference for him so don't take no for an answer. If your son is in public schools contact the Director of Special Services for your school system and request services. I live in SC and am the District Behavior Interventionist for my district. SC offers BabyNet early intervention services for children aged three and up. Our school psychologists test three year olds who display behaviors you described. The saying, "the squeaky wheel gets the grease" holds true. Call every day if you have to. Make an appointment with the superintendent of your district if needed. Contact your state Department of Education for assistance in meeting your child's needs. Our DOE has organizations to help advocate for parents of special needs kids who can support you through the process. The Protection and Advocacy department even assigns attorneys to attend school district meetings with parents to ensure the child is receiving all services to which he is entitled. You should look into Applied Behavior Analysis and Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports. Both focus on positive, rather than punitive ways to encourage desired behaviors. An earlier poster mentioned pictures and story boards, an excellent suggestion. If your pediatrician doesn't listen find a doctor who will. Call/write your child's school every other day if you have to. Be respectful but firm. Everyone has a boss. Your son will benefit from your persistence. Best of luck to you and your son and I pray you get your answers and early intervention. It definately sounds like your son has some sensory issues that need addressing by a professional. Have you tried a board with pictures of what will be expected everyday? Like a visual schedule for him. Let him help pick out what his meals will be and what activities to do that day, Let him pick one, and then mommy picks one. That way you can add in things that have to be done, like bathing and appointments ect. Sometimes if a child with sensory issues knows exactly what to expect it minimizes the anxiety and outbursts. Really talk about the activities that cause the most issues , like bathing. Talk to him about the water , and how it will be wet on his face, and it can be a bit loud, that the soap does have a funny smell, maybe let him pick one out that he likes when shopping ect... Hope that helps a bit. You are not alone, it's a constant struggle to find things that work for little ones with sensory issues of any kind. Judith was autistic herself and hypersensitive as a child. She developed a therapy called HANDLE which is a gentle way to introduce children's senses to things. Her book will teach you how to be a detective and figure out what part of the sense is causing your son most distress. She says that, for example, some children are terrified by how loud chewing is, but she let them listen to her chew and then played games with them to see who could crunch the loudest. Based on her book, I would try some different things with your son. First off, be very careful of smells. (I won't write too long here). Secondly, instead of baby oil, I would try virgin coconut oil with no scent. Try three different bowls with three different temperatures of water, maybe? Add coconut oil to one? It is probably hurting him in some way, but you can help him condition himself. We're collecting all of this type of advice (things that you can do for sensory) over at BrainParenting but we don't open until mid-April or so, so keep in touch! Make an appt with an OT as soon as you can. Our friends had wonderful results and now their daughter is a pleasant, calm little girl. Do not panic. Many people have mentioned SPD. Follow their lead. possible autistic. There are different extremes and each case is different. My son at 5 yrs old is starting reading and starts kindergarten in the fall. He hates baths and could live off cereal and salads if I let him he's picky especially when it comes to any kind of meat. He might eat steak with a1 or any meat that resembles steak on sunday dinners with a1 at grandpas house but that's normal for kids to be picky. My 9 yr old hates loud noises she had tubes in ears for chronic ear infections when she was under 5 which is hereditary from her dad and me. The point I'm trying to make is his the feelings he has is perfectly normal but his way of coping with it seems to be a challenge! One of my daughter's best friends since kindergarten so age 5 to current age 9 is autistic and she is able to cope and trusts me to be over almost any day of the wk and shes doing better in school with her mom as her advocate to get her the help and medication she needs. She is also very bright when you take the time to work with her. I'm sure with you already dealing with autism in the home have some way of dealing with it ask the peditrician and any other doctors or therapist your seeing for tips. I'm limited in my experience but love and patience goes a long way and the other educated and friends will be a great help I'm sure! Maybe you should talk to an OT directly. Our OT did bath therapy with my son and it did help some, but what was even more useful was that session was the first time the OT really saw the behaviors that I was trying to describe and she wrote a letter to the school and pediatrition. If you find an OT that does sensory therapy, maybe she can tell you how to work with your insurance company and doctor to get a referral. Sometimes the insurance company needs to hear it worded in a certain way to approve it. I hope this helps. We are gong through something similar,apart from i can get my 3 and a half year old in the bath,the battle is having is hair washed??? Whats all that about,he used to love the bath and have great fun.im not aware of anything happening that caused him to 'dislike' mhaving his hair washed,but its getting very frustrating...Ive gone through'u can wash mine if i can wash urs' and different toys,bath caps,towel over the eyes and nothing is working.........HELP??? Hi, We have similar issues with my son, he will be 3 year in May. He is going through sensory integration program. I was told to read a book "raising a sensory smart child), haven't got it yet. But so far we had an evaluation of OT, PT, and developmental therapist, and they all agreed that my son's issues are primarily sensory. They came up with a very good plan, we are just starting with it. I was under impression that my son has a high functioning autism, maybe Aspergers syndrome. But they think his issues are sensory. Also I heard that gluten free diet helps, just sharing this with you, I haven't tried it yet. Also my son, slips and falls all the time, so they told me that he has low muscle tone, and everything that he does is way harder for him than for a regular child....regarding showering, he wasn't very enthusiastic about it for some time, but since my husband started washing him in the evening he got better, and now showering is fun for all of us. My thoughts are the same as Aleshia - get the Out of Synch Child. My twins have SPD. They are two. We were concerned they might be autistic and they have many of the symptoms you listed above and their OT made it clear that some autisitic children also have SPD but not all kids with SPD have autism. Best of luck with your little guy. Read The Out Of Sync Child. Get him to an Occupational Therapist. Sounds like sensory processing issues. Have they considered aspergers syndrome? It's a milder version of autism. The children I have worked with usually get diagnosed when they are a little older. The symptoms you mentioned above are similar to those of a child with aspberger's syndrome. If the doctor's aren't listening I would suggest u look for another pediatrician and maybe look for an advocacy agency to help you with finding the right help for your son. Good luck!!! As a mother of a son that has sensory processing disorder, what you describe is very typical of a child experiencing this. You are the best advocate for your child. Don't stop until you get the appropriate help for your child. Start with your ped, occupational therapist, child psychologist, your childs schools special ed department ( they should pay for the evaluations to be done). Good Luck. The earlier you get treatment, the better chance of success for your child! Get him assessed ASAP. If he has these kinds of sensory issues, then the sooner you get him help the better. I am a pre-K teacher.... have 2 almost grown children. Sounds like your son may have Sensory Integration Disorder which can be treated. Google the disorder and see if you think it fits. Treatment includes lots of Occupational Therapy, but you should get started asap. There is help out there for what you are describing. Hi I had similar issues with my son, he has a sensory integration disorder. Lots of info available. As he gets older he is getting so much better. Be careful not to let anyone label your child until you are 100% sure. Drs had mentioned autism & ADHD. Now as he gets older alot of the issues he had have almost diminished completely. He still isn't a big fan of having his hair rinsed but I'm sure in time we'll get there. He is probably the least bathed child on the planet, sponge baths work great. Things will get better, believe me. It sounds like her little boy has SPD to me, also, but I would be careful of using words like "he definitely has...". We could be correct, but we could be wrong and it is something else. I do agree, though. Sounds strongly like it is SPD that is making this poor little guy miserable. What you mentioned about the trampoline and spinning is even more in line with the Sensory Processing Disorder. My son does the exact same. The movement calms him, as long as he is controlling the movement. He also likes some roller coasters, I am not any kind of medical professional, so I can only say as another mom, what you have mentioned in your posts strongly suggests SPD to me. Hi your son definitly has SPD sencory procesing disorder, My little girl is 5 years and had the same symptoms, she was diagnosed with SPD when she was three years old, occopational therepy is the only answer to help them modulate and cope, you can also try and buy the book " The out of sync child" by Carol Stock Kranowitz, it is like a bible for pearents with kids with SPD. It sounds like he definitely has sensory issues which are closely related to autism. Sometimes if children act out more or have behvioral issue, it can be related to what they're eating. They might not be able to tolerate Glutein or dairy. Sounds like you need to do further testing for him. Hi Sadie, My grandson was your little guy. He was diagnosed with mild autism at 3 yrs of age. He had OT and speech therapy from then on...his MAIN problem was SENSORY PROCESSING DISORDER. With lots of therapies and love, he is now in 2nd grade and has a "helper" with him for part of the day. He is doing great! He was tested this past summer and was no longer in the autism spectrum. He still doesn't eat a variety of foods, but is getting better with that too. There are web sites that have great information on the subject. www.SIFocus.com and www.spdfoundation.net I hope this helps and know that YOU will be his voice and sometimes YOU will have to fight for his treatments. Also, my daughter got him headphones (for the shooting range) to block out loud noises when the family would go places that would be a problem (e.g. football games with the band, he now is on the sidelines in full gear during the games and goes onto the field with the high school players for warm-ups, without the headphones!) Good luck and be a brave WARRIOR!!! my son has ALOT of the same troubles and sensitivities, he was diagnosed with Borderline autism disorder , Sensory-Perception disorder. We have been working with a therapist at home and at school to impliment coping strategies for him to use and learning how to change his environment so that he feels more in control, he has improved from a C student to As and Bs. rare meltdowns. He also was diagnosed with ADD (minus the hyper part, yeah!) and is on Vyvance once daily and can focus musch easier without all the noise, lights and smells distracting him! My best friend's daughter has similar anxiety issues! She also has trouble with changes. She is very intelligent, though and was diagnosed with Non Verbal Learning Disorder (www.nldonthweb.org); it's similar to but different from Aspergers syndrome. You have to start with therapy when your child is really young, or it could get worse and worse. Check with your doctor about a referral. Good luck! Your son may have an inner ear problem, if it gets worse after a bath he may associate the water with the pain. This would also explain swimming and notice issues. He may also have mild asberger syndrome, I don't mean to alarm you by saying this, but a diagnosis can easily be made, and many kids with asberger grow to well functioning adults. I would push your doctor to refer you to a specialist. Good luck, no parent wants their child to be this upset. Let us know how you get on. Have you tried taking a shower with him while holding him in your arms? That might help. He is certainly old enough to shower easily. Since he seems to want to stand that may be a better option. Who knows he may have drowned in a bathtub in a past life experience and that memory has carried over into this lifetime. As for the noise issues. get him some ear plugs. All of the ear plugs you buy at a drug store merely muffle noise and so he can still here you when you are talking to him with the ear plugs in, or if you need to talk to him, remove the ear plugs to get his full attention. Since your first child is autistic it is difficult to tell where this one may be headed as you have no other benchmark in your own experience. I do hope you are someone who believes in prayer for I find that turning to the Creator (by whatever name you choose to use) and asking for help and MEANING IT SINCERELY, will work. This is an ASK/RECEIVE Universe and I use that principle all of the time. As for the clothing issues, you didn't specify, but obviously this child does not like control coming from an outside source. Be loving, gentle and FIRM in your responses to him, even when you are frustrated with his uniqueness. Obviously you have some challenges here, but there are never any too big to surrender to the Higher Source and receive assistance in that manner! The highest and best to you with your challenges in parenting! My nephew was the same way about bathtime, close, food, noises. They found out when he was younger that he is autisic. So it is possible that your younger son is as well. Good luck and please let us know who things are going. Maybe something is medically wrong with your son, the next time you take him to the doctor you need to bring up these issues with your son's behavior. There was a medical show on TV sometime last year, when these parents found out that their daughter was alergic to water and soap, talk to his doctor and let them find out what is the problem. This sounds so much like my son who is 5. He is having a lot of the same problems right now. He sees an occupational therapist who has helped us find methods for helping him cope, but I can only get a full bath with soap and shampoo once a week. My 15 year old also had a lot of sensory issues when she was younger, but has outgrown most of them now, so be optamistic. I would recomend the book "Quirky Kids". It could be a long, frustrating journey, so don't forget to focus on the good things that make your child unique and fascinating. You as his mom knows there is something going on with him.fight fight and demand the help he needs.I'm not saying there is anything at all wrong with him but it would help if dr school etc would screen him and atleast put any doubts or fears you have to rest. Plus all it can do is help him maybe he is just a sensitive child and likes things certain ways..we all like things just rite sometimes...you are doing a good job by loving and being concerned about your child..I hope all goes well. He has a sensory disorder or some form of autisim. GET HELP NOW!!!!!! My son (7) has sensory processing disorder - diagnosed when he was 5. Many of the issues you describe are exactly like my son. He has been going to OT for 2 years and that helps a lot. The other things that help are routine, order and being prepared for what is going to happen. Apparently each child with SPD will have different ways of regulating the sensory overload. My son is movement seeking and something rhythmic like bouncing on a trampoline really helps him to calm down and regroup. Find out what your son's self-regulatory thing is and help him with that. A sensory diet also helps - the OT can help you with that. I agree with Annie that "The Out of Sync Child" is a very helpful book. Good luck - especially with the people (medical and education professionals included) who do not understand SPD and those that don't believe it exists. You and I both know it is very real. Also, a GREAT book to read is "The Out of Sync Child" by Carol Stock Kranowitz.. It helped me immensely! SPD...sensory processing disorder. There is many variations of this. Sounds like Sensory Integration Dysfunction, specifically Tactile Dysfunction (Tactile Dysfunction is problem with the "feel" of anything -- tags in clothing, textures of food, the bath water is very common)... You should get a diagnosis from a neurodevelopment pediatric specialist and he/she will most likely refer you to an Occupational Therapist as well. Don't worry - my son was diagnosed at 3 and now that he's 11 you'd never even know it! This sounds like your son is Autistic. See your pediatrician as soon as possible and get him some help. Good Luck. Lot's of good responses here. Just make sure you understand these are REAL problems and not let the doctor tell you it isn't or that OT won't help. Always when you aren't satisfied get another opinion and then another if you think its warranted. You know your child better than anyone and are in the best position to help him. Try to get soaps that have no smells - or very little - often the natural food stores have better. Also, have you tried a shower instead? Just a thought. Just an additional comment after reading these posts. My 16 yr old was tested for autism but that was eliminated as an additional concern. While she does have some additional issues, her sensory disorder sees to be the major contributor to so many of her problems. She couldn't brush her teeth because of the mint toothpaste, which we switched, but also changing to a spin brush really helped. As for the shower, we switched to a bath for awhile because her nervous system was too sensitized to handle the pressure of the shower. We also switched to shower gel ( she must approve the scent) because soap was too sticky. Be the best advocate for your hold that you can be and push for an occupation therapy evaluation. OT changed all of our lives for the better. I have a daughter , now 16, with similar issues. She was diagnosed with sensory processing disorder. I would speak to your pediatrician about occupational therapy. My daughter went on something which I believe was called a sensory diet which we found to be helpful. We also set up a sensory corner in her room which was a quiet space in her room where she would go a few times a day to give her a little time to regroup. Occupational therapy was a Godsend. Good luck! First of all, give him some time. Patience is the most important for child with these issues. I wouldnt assume he is autistic at this point. Get him to an occupational therapist and an ear doctor. I have a kid that had severe ear infections with malfunctioning eustachian tubes and he had all of these symptoms. There is a sensory processing disorder that can have thousands of symptoms. My son had almost everything you mention, but he was much less reacitve making it easier to ignore. At first glance, people mentioned he may have mild autism, but the pediatrician laughed at that notion. He has lots of normal functions that children with autism do not have. Since he started therapy, he improves weekly and is learning to adjust to new things in general. The OT is essential to his well being and making good progress. Is Sensory Intergation Disorder a form of autism?? Sensory Processing Disorder, Things i should be doing at home??

2019-04-24T14:52:45Z

https://www.circleofmoms.com/welcome-circle-moms/my-son-hates-noises-etc-but-at-the-min-our-biggest-battle-is-getting-him-in-the-bath-683422

SOME ACCOUNT OF THE COUNTRY BETWEEN HAMILTON AND THE FRENCHMAN'S CAP. DURING the past season, circumstances which I need not detail rendered it necessary for me to undertake a journey from Hobart to the Valley of the Loddon River, which lies at the base of the mountain called the Frenchman's Cap. Long, however, ere we reach this eminence, the districts we have to pass through are very imperfectly known. As some account of the same may be interesting to the readers of the Courier. I have compiled the following narrative from notes made during my excursion, and which I offer you for publication. On a morning of February last I left Hobart, and the same night I slept at the Woolpack Inn, which is distant from hence about 34 miles. It is not necessary that I should describe the well-known tract intervening between this city and Hamilton, which place I reached next day (44 miles from town). Before sunrise of the following day I resumed my walk, hoping by this early start to sleep at night at the foot of the Native Tier. The first ten miles of this day's march lay through the beautiful estate of Lawrenny,—considered by many to be the finest in the island ; though there are certainly others quite equal to it. Such, I believe, is Dry's ; such is Cressy, and others. The road through here, though only an unmade cart track, is nevertheless a very agreeable piece of travelling. Much of the surface of Lawrenny is occupied by moderately high hills, thinly coveted with trees. Between these beautiful rises is a great deal of level land, nearly all of which is of excellent quality, and a huge portion of the same is laid down in grass. To the northward of this princely domain is seen much thinly-wooded hilly land, farmed also for the excellence of its pasture ; but turning to the southward the landscape presents a very different aspect. A long succession of hills, coveted with the gloomy-looking forests of Tasmania, stretch far away in this direction till they are met by the great mountain chain which separates the waters of the Derwent from those flowing to the western coast, the distant peaks of which are seen well from here, the distant peaks of Hamilton, or 54 from Hobart, we reach the Ouse, or Big River Bridge. After crossing the Ouse, the road for a considerable distance leads up the valley of the river, and it may be interesting to a stranger travelling here to know that almost all the way to Shawfield (7 miles further) it is fenced on both sides. Shortly, however, after crossing this stream another road, equally wide, and fenced also on both sides, turns off to the left. In travelling to Marlborough. &c. one must take care to avoid this latter track and keep straight on in the direction of a brick building, standing on an eminence, about half a mile ahead ; the same is either a school or chapel. The soil of this part is mostly good. At Shawfield there is an inn,— this is 51 miles from town. The road now for several weary miles leads us through a very uninteresting country, where the soil is poor, the herbage thin, and the surface (which is very undulatory) everywhere covered with trees. A small open plain at the foot of the Native Tier (about six miles from Shawfield) for a moment indeed interrupts the monotony of the dismal forest scenery by which we have for several miles been surrounded. We now commence the ascent of the once formidable Native Tier,—formidable from the excessive steepness of that part of its face up which the old road to Marlborough was directed. This impediment to reaching Victoria Valley and the great pasture lands beyond has of late been obviated by the construction of the road laid out about eight years ago. The Native Tier, formerly the principal drawback to travelling into the New Country, is now as easily mounted as the Grass-Tree Hill, and on reaching the summit we find ourselves landed on the great central table land of the island, with scarce apparent ascent. Victoria Valley is a fertile grassy level, the open land of which extends over an area of about 700 acres. The soil, which is deep and black, produces most excellent pasture. This magnificent alluvium is almost wholly encompassed by hills of rather a gentle character. They are wooded, and those on the west side very much so, for the soil on them is particularly rich, though often stony, and the trees consequently attain a very perfect development here. A portion of this valley was cultivated by the Government some years ago, but was speedily abandoned, after an occupation of three or four years. The road to Marlborough passes across the southern edge of this valley ; it is then directed through a succession of forests, and beautiful little marshes, (amongst the latter are the Duck and Boggy Marshes) all of which are very fertile. The excellence of most of the pasture, and the frequent occurrence of these handsome plains or marshes in the midst of the woods, give a pleasing character to the bush here, which is always welcome. A walk of about 6 miles from Victoria Valley places us on the bridge of the Dee, which is in this part a rather sluggish river, perhaps twenty yards wide, formed by the overflowings of Lake Echo. It is at this part of the journey that we catch the first sight of the effects of the rigorous winter of 1837, a season of extraordinary severity, and which in a few weeks struck with death the forests throughout the valleys of well near all the highlands of this part of Tasmania. Here, however, it ceased its ravages and its withering march from the westward was stayed. The storm moderated, and when it reached this river it seems to have wholly died away, but not before its task was finished, its work of demolition fully completed ; for the destruction of the forests of all the low lands of this extensive district could not have been more perfectly accomplished if even a simoom had passed over them. This extraordinary season destroyed the timber of almost every valley on the vast plateau lying between this quarter and the mountains terminating at the verge of the Westbury and Norfolk Plains districts. The havoc has been indeed tremendous, but wholly incalculable. It is impossible to witness the effects of this winter without emotion, and the traveller unaccustomed to such a picture of desolation is startled at the amazing scene of ruin which now presents itself. The bush is one interminable mass of dead trees. Except on the hill tops everything around him is dead. Whichever way he looks he sees hardly anything but dead forests, one apparently endless expanse of dead trees. The farther he advances beyond the Dee, the more perfect has been the destruction. About this river, where the tempest seems to have slackened, nearly half the trees have perished. or are only now recovering the shock they received thirteen years ago. But it is around the incipient town of Marlborough that the winter seems to have put forth its full strength, for here (the hill tops always excepted) the annihilation of life is almost universal ; * for miles every tree on the lower lands has died. * It is a very extraordinary fact, that within the last year or two about four of the trees in this township have put forth leaves after an apparent suspension of vitality of ten or eleven years duration. A person writing of the districts I have undertaken to describe will not be accused of digressing in pausing to attempt the investigation of the cause which led to the demolition of the forests here. The subject is interesting, and that task can never be considered an unprobable one which has for its object the exposition of the truth ; and, if possible, the correction of the vague hypothesis by which some have endeavoured to account for their decay — I believe, more with the view of establishing new theories than of coming at the truth. According to some, this was occasioned by disease ; to others, by lightning ; while another class ascribe the calamity to extensive bush fires. But these persons are either ignorant of the true cause, or they belong to that class of men who will never adopt a common-sense view of anything whatever. I was a traveller in these districts as long ago as 1835. At that time the trees were everywhere fresh and vigorous. In the beginning of 1838 I passed this way again, only a few months after the destruction of these forests had been effected. The ground was then covered with dead leaves, (the effect of the simultaneous decay of the millions of trees which had just perished), and the bark was hanging in shreds from every bough. A most severe winter had occurred not long before, and a deep snow bad fallen which lay on the ground for many weeks, by which (the grasses excepted) vegetation on the lower lands was perfectly annihilated. The kangaroos, which swarmed here in '35, were all but extinguished ; and one of a party of men who was up here then assured me that by taking advantage of the helpless condition to which the poor animals were reduced by hunger and long-continued cold, he and some others killed, in one afternoon, no less a number than sixty-seven judging from the quantities of their bones which I found scattered everywhere, (I am speaking of '38), they must have died by thousands. If we did not know that the destruction of the trees took place with the occurrence of this terrible winter, an examination of the district would lead us to infer that cold was the agent, from the simple fact, that on the top of every hill and every ridge the trees never died. This is to be seen even everywhere, even around Marlborough, about which place the winter appears to have poured the full storm of its strength. It is not on one hill top alone that the trees are still green and vigorous but on every hill throughout the district. If, then, fire were really the agent, how came the trees to have escaped death in these situations, and that invariably ? Are its effects less destructive on the hills than elsewhere ? The answer of every one will be, certainly not. Again, do bush fires destroy the forests, or even seriously injure them ? We see the contrary in five hundred cases every summer ; and if such were the case, there ought not to be a tree left us in all Tasmania. But the notion is absurd. Moreover, the trees in these districts do not exhibit any extraordinary marks of fire as would certainly be the case had they been destroyed by it. But I believe we might as well impute the devastation to the Mosaic deluge as to either fire or disease. Those who have not reflected sufficiently on the subject will at first be startled at the fact of the winter having wholly spared the forests on the hills, where the destroying angel passed by. Such persons may advance the supposition that in these spots the cold must have been the most severe. But these I would remind of the well known fact, that heat, in all its modifications, is less intense on the hill than in the valley,— and here sound theory will, for the ten-thousandth time, be found agreeing with ascertained fact, which in this case is, that cold, and not fire or disease, destroyed the fine forests which only a few years ago flourished in these valleys. intensity of the frost. Theory informs us that this ought to be the case, and actual observation proves that it was so ; for in the immediate neighbourhood of this lake forests of a more vigorous growth were never seen than are flourishing at this moment, and for two or three miles around the living trees altogether outnumber those that have perished. The elevation of the districts in which the winter of '37 so fearfully exerted its power ranges between 2000 and 5000 feet. Some remarkable points are, in round numbers, about as follows :—Marlborough, 2800 ; Lake St. Clair, 3300 ; Great Lake, 3800 ; Nineteen Lagoons, 4000 ; Fatigue Hill, 4000 feet. It is worth the remark that in following the direction of the track to Macquarie Harbour, we observe that the ravages of the winter extend little more than five or six miles south west of Lake St. Clair, or about thirty-five miles from the River Dee, where we first encounter dead forests. After leaving the Dee River, the road passes near the edge of a long marsh, for about three miles, called the Dee Marsh, which lies very near, and on the right hand. We then cross a rather poor and uninteresting tract, affording little worthy of notice. At one point we pass the old probation station of the Seven Mile Creek, at present occupied by some servants of Mr. Sharland, to whom the buildings are leased, be having an extensive " run" in the neighbourhood, at a place called the London Marshes. We are now somewhat more than five miles from Marlborough. A little further on, we enter on the fine lands of the Bronte Estate, which contains a large proportion of excellent soil and pasture. At a roadside cottage here the traveller can be provided with lodging, it being nothing less than an eating-house. * Leaving Bronte, we enter on what is called the township of Marlborough, which, however, is little more than a mere Government Reserve, for as yet it boasts of no buildings, except such as belong to a police station, and the barrack, &c. of a small gang of convicts, employed in erecting a bridge across the Nive River, a large stream, eventually falling into the Derwent, and which flows through Marlborough. This place is about 89 miles from Hobart. Having reached it, I devoted the following day to rest, and to recruit the energies of the tired and foot-sore men who accompanied me up. * I omitted to mention the existence of a similar establishment at Victoria Valley. Whatever one has to put up with in travelling the bush of Tasmania, inhospitality in the people he meets will never be found enumerated in his long list of grievances. At Marlborough I was received in the friendly style in which a respectable person always is, in all parts of this island, by Mr. Lascelles,—that is, in a manner which makes you know you are at home in five minutes. Marlborough is one of the most fertile spots in the world, and the grass produced on its low lands is second to nothing. I never heard any person speak of the qualities of its soil except in terms of the highest praise. † I afterward found many very perfect shells at a much greater elevation, and about 7 or 8 miles S.W. of Lake St. Clair, at the edge of the immense ravine of Lake Dixon. This cannot be less than 3500 feet high. The impressions were much more beautiful than those obtained at the Serpentine. One specimen I believe to be very uncommon, if not new. Leaving Marlborough for the westward, the road for three or four miles leads us through a rich country, producing very fine grasses ; after this it becomes some-what inferior, though a good many sheep run on it. There is now little worthy of notice till we reach the Derwent Bridge. The road continues level, and crosses several small rivers, the largest of which is called the Clarence. We also pass over some plains or marshes, the principal of which was formerly called Bethune's Marsh ;—a name now supplanted by one which, I suppose, the few inhabitants of this quarter consider to be more euphoneous—namely, Laughing Jack's Marsh. After a journey of fourteen or fifteen miles from Marlborough, we reach Gell's Bridge, which has been thrown across the Derwent about seven or eight miles below the point where that river flows out of its "parent lake." This is probably 104 miles from Hobart. Immediately beyond lie those large morasses, called by Mr. Frankland, who discovered them, King William's Plains. A considerable extent of open country now stretches from the Derwent in a westerly and south-westerly direction for nearly a dozen miles—that is, to the crown of Fatigue Hill, and lying between the two picturesque eminences called King William's Mountain and Mount Hugel. ‡ These marshes are, however, for several miles, intersected with low stony rises, the soil of which is of a lighter colour, and a different character, from that of the plains, which is rich, and black. These spots, denominated by the shepherds the "Forest Banks," were once covered with living trees, which the fatal winter of '37 partly destroyed. They are, indeed, still standing, but are mostly dead. New forests are, however, fast springing up to replace those which formerly flourished here. Such are the provident ways of Nature that, ere half a century shall have passed away, the surface will probably restored to its primitive condition, and no trace of so strange a calamity will remain. ‡ So named by Mr. Frankland—the latter after the Baron Hugel, who visited this island about sixteen years ago. Our shepherds (the only dwellers on these plains), who never will style things aright, persist in calling it Mount Fugel. In the same spirit they have perverted the name of the neighbouring height, Mount Olympus, into Mount Lampus. The surface of the open ground is very wet, and to cross it dry-footed is an achievement I could never reach. Abundance of herbage is produced here. It is observed of the sheep that they resort but little to the open ground, except in fine weather ; at other times they frequent the warm forest banks, where the feed, though more scanty, is very sweet. In these places they also find shelter from ordinary cold. They do pretty well here—at least in some seasons. Numberless small runs of water traverse these plains, which, united, form a good-sized river, to which Mr. Frankland gave the name of the Traveller's Rest, as he and his party, after a weary day's march, pitched their tents by this stream. It is the first of the many affluents of the Derwent which fall into it on its western bank ; but the name bestowed on it by its first visitors, like that of many a place in Tasmania, is now forgot all, and it is at present known as the Navarre—a name also given to the marshes through which it first passes, which are called the Navarre Plains. complimentary style of nomenclature, which argue a grossness and poverty of conception which are rather disgraceful, and always disagreeable. The principal rock of this quarter is the everlasting green-stone, or iron-stone, as it is mostly called, which includes every variety of trapp and basalt, a description of mineral predominating through the extensive tract which is included between the South Cape and the extreme Western Bluff at least. Many other rocks are of course found abundantly between these distant places, but the green-stone prevails. After crossing Gell's Bridge, and proceeding south-westerly for eight or ten miles, we find the same still abounding ; and all the mountains lying on the west bank, and within a few miles of the Derwent, are basaltic. Such is Olympus, such is Hobhouse, and such King William. But soon, after passing the Derwent, one cannot help noticing the frequency he meets with fragments of quartz, which seems to indicate that a change is about to take place, and that he is approaching a country the rocks of which are of a different description from what he has previously seen. Accordingly, as he advances toward the eastern slopes of Fatigue Hill, quartz almost entirely supersedes the green-stone, and a poorer soil (producing an inferior herbage) succeeds that of the plains he has been travelling over. We also discover abundance of talc in a large ravine, lying to the north of the Macquarie Harbour track. In the same ravine is an inconsiderable and uninteresting lake, called after Mr Dixon, of Norton Mandeville—surely unworthy the name of the first occupant of this quarter. The land now before the traveller is no longer level, but he commences the ascent of a succession of moderately steep open rises, called collectively the Sisters, the last of which surmounted, he finds himself stationed on the crest of Fatigue Hill, and at an elevation of about 4000 feet above the sea. This name has been given it from the steepness of its western side, where, in a distance hardly exceeding a mile, there is a fall of 1750 feet, which is about a foot in a yard. A most extensive and diversified scene is suddenly presented us from this height, quite unequalled, so I believe, in Tasmania. Extravagant and romantic must be his imagination who would not be content with the magnificent prospect which is now spread around him. The general character of our landscape is, to my taste, displeasing ; for, notwithstanding the diversity of surface a mountainous country ever presents, it acquires in Tasmania a disagreeable monotony, from the unvarying hue of our black and interminable forests. Many a scene has its beauty half marred by the constant intervention of these gloomy-looking woods, the trees of which, though individually often handsome, are, in the mass, anything but an agreeable adjunct to our wild scenery ; and the extent of the woodland is mostly so disproportioned to that of every other object within the scope of vision, that it is only here and there that the forest becomes unobjectionable ; as, for instance, on some parts of the southern shores of the island, where an ever-varying coast line and a boundless ocean interpose an agreeable counterbalance, or from certain inland eminences, where we obtain a good view of the great and comparatively open pasture field which lies between St. Peter's Pass and Epping Forest in one direction, Miller's Bluff and Ben Lomond in another. It is, however, well worth the walk from the Derwent to peep into the wild country which lies beyond Fatigue Hill ; and the traveller who has got as far as Gell's Bridge should strain a point to reach this eminence, from which, on a clear day, he views, if not the fairest, at least the sternest landscape in Tasmania. So varied is the immense panorama which lies before him, that his feelings must indeed be obtuse if he can contemplate it without excitement ; and it is not till his first emotions have somewhat subsided, that he observes its principal defect, in the entire absence of visible water. In almost every quarter of the horizon, immense mountains form the back-ground of the picture ; and nothing can exceed the ruggedness of the outline of these stupendous barriers. Conspicuous from its comparative proximity and its excessive abruptness, is the mountain called the Frenchman's Cap,—a striking object indeed, and one of very peculiar contour. Its most prominent feature is the cone forming its highest point, and which, as yet, has hidden defiance to the very few who have essayed to reach its summit. From a supposed resemblance this cone bears to a helmet, the mountain, it is said, has derived its name. But if so, this likeness is more fancied than real, and I have heard it compared with greater propriety to a common Glengarry cap. Between Fatigue Hill and the great eminences which skirt the horizon from south-west to north-west, the surface swells into many lesser but still very lofty hills, partly open and partly wooded, and between them lie some considerable morasses. The principal objects of the landscape are immense, and deep ravines and numbers of rocky mountains, even now (March) partly covered with snow, rising like islands from a black and interminable sea of forests. The landscape everywhere exhibits a wonderful irregularity of surface, and irresistibly forces the comparison of a boisterous ocean which has suddenly stood still at the very height of the storm. An irrepressible feeling of regret involuntarily overcomes us as we survey the tract now in view, and reflect that all this immense waste is without a single inhabitant. Not the faintest trace of its occupation by man is apparent. No homesteads or roads, no enclosures or cultivation, attest his presence ; but, on the contrary, the country could not look more void of animation, even were it like the celebrated city of the Chaldees, (Isalah ch. xiii. ) doomed to perpetual abandonment. We look in vain for the smoke of the solitary savage, but his generations have passed away—the destinies of his race are fulfilled—"and the places that knew him shall know him no more for ever." And we listen for those sounds of industry which are inseparable from the abodes of men ; but all is silent. Such a scene of utter lifelessness is, I believe, to be found in no other country habitable, in the common acceptation of the term, except Tasmania. But though the aspect of this quarter is not inviting, we may hope its present condition is not immutable, and that its partial occupation may hereafter be effected (when its productions are better known) by enterprise, and the general spread of settlement. If the traveller be disposed to penetrate into the country before him, he must at once commence the descent of the western slopes of Fatigue Hill ; and to call the trip down it "a walk," would be a misapplication of the word. To walk down would be out of the question ; and the pedestrian must make up his mind at starting for a run, or rather rush to the bottom. It is very steep, but only enough to make the leap down exciting, rather than disagreeable. On reaching the bottom, we find ourselves placed in a small open and nearly level marsh, of about an hundred acres, to which the name of Wombat Glen has been applied. The herbage produced here is coarse, the plant which prevails being the Gymnoschoenus adustus of botanists. To the westward this plain is shut in by a forest of beautiful myrtles. In fine weather this marsh is a very pleasant place ; and it would be difficult to find a spot where our ideas of agreeable seclusion are more perfectly realised than by this wood-encompassed glen. Immediately after quitting this marsh the road to Macquarie Harbour leads us through the close-planted but beautiful myrtle-grove noticed in the preceding paragraph. Two fine rivers, the lesser of which has been called the Surprise, unite their waters in this forest, at about a mile from Wombat Glen. This river must be forded exactly at the spot where the currents of the two meet. I always noticed the waters of the Surprise to be uncommonly clear and pure. This point of junction may be pretty safely stated as distant from Hobart 120 miles. I must not omit to mention, that between the glen and river the rocks enclose a small quantity of metal probably lead. The same close forest continues for a mile and a half further, but there is here a little difficulty in following the track—that is, where it has been directed through some tea-tree bottoms, in which places it is now much overgrown. In one of these detestable spots it cost me four hours to recover the path ; but as I then cut much of the scrub out of the way, and marked the trees anew, it will for a year or two be discernible. Emerging from these thickets the road leads us across an inconsiderable marsh, called Painter's Plain, which has nothing to recommend it ; its soil is indifferent, and the herbage coarse. From this plain we again plunge into a close myrtle forest ; and a further walk of less than a mile places us on the large plain (3500 acres) which lies immediately beneath the eastern ridges of the Frenchman's Cap. This is the valley of the Loddon River. The first part of the plain I called Long-grove Marsh, from the long and handsome grove which lies on the left hand, through which a large branch of the Loddon flows. The plant spoken of in describing Wombat Glen grows everywhere. There is a great deal of freestone about the hills of this plain ; and I may mention that I found the bush kangaroo plentiful in a corner of the valley, to which I gave the name of the Green Glens, from the very green appearance of the surface, which here has lately been burned. The Frenchman's Cap rises from the valley of the Loddon, and appears to offer no remarkable difficulty in its ascent ; but I have heard it stated by the leaders of two parties that a deep chasm prevented them reaching the Cap. The height of this mountain is stated by Strzelecki to be 3801 feet, but this must be a mistake ; for to Fatigue Hill (which he calls Mt. Arrowsmith) he assigns a height of 4075 feet, or 274 feet more than the Frenchman's Cap. These two eminences are about a dozen miles apart. Now, from the crest of Fatigue Hill, I always observed that the apex of the cap was elevated 15 15' ; but it is known to the writer that Count Strzelecki visited this quarter, and ascended the Frenchman, during very stormy weather : and I suppose that on reaching what may in general terms be called the mountain top, he fancied himself on its highest point, and took the observations which led to an erroneous result. But there is nothing more difficult than finding one's way on the top of a rocky mountain in stormy weather, (such as the Count experienced here,) when everything is enveloped in clouds. I feel great regret in this furnishing the detractors of Strzelecki with the above fact ; for I feel convinced that some of those who have assailed his table of heights would, if circumstanced as he was, have produced something much worse.

2019-04-19T10:18:56Z

http://vandemonian.info/country-between-hamilton-and-frenchmans-cap

I beg your indulgence for a moment, as I step into the Way-Back Machine, and emerge on a quiet afternoon in the spring of 1986. I am working at a high-end audio store, and on this particular day I find myself perusing the most recent issue of The Absolute Sound. Therein, I find a rave review of the Audio Research D-115 Mk II power amplifier by veteran contributor Andrew G. Benjamin. Our store is a top-ten Audio Research dealer, so I am naturally pleased that AGB's effusive enthusiasm and insightful delineation of the D-115's merits will fuel further interest in our premier line of tube electronics. However, I feel some consternation at the magnitude of AGB's praise, especially his unequivocal proclamation that, “Perhaps if I heard a better device, I would catch some faults here or there.” I think to myself, “Well, I guess he hasn't heard the Audio Research M-100s.” I know from personal experience that, while the D-115 is indeed a sensational $3000 stereo amplifier, the $5000 per pair Audio Research M-100 mono amplifiers are even better still. This little anecdote kept popping into my head as I contemplated how to present the results of four years' worth of comparative listening tests, covering eight different sound cards. While I haven't heard every sound card out there, I sure have spent a good deal of “quality time” testing many of the prime contenders. I can happily report that long-term evaluation of another half-dozen sound cards has only confirmed the validity of those first impressions. While the performance of USB, FireWire, and network-streaming devices continues to evolve and improve, the design of internal PCI audio interfaces is already a mature science, based on established engineering standards and robust, proven technologies. The best sound cards set a benchmark standard against which alternative technologies must ultimately be judged. As most readers of The Absolute Sound have discovered, every new listening experience adds to our accumulated knowledge base. Over the course of this survey, the process of auditioning each successive product added further perspective and context, ultimately culminating in a surprising and exciting conclusion. After my initial tests of the analog outputs of the Echo Mia MIDI and Gina 3G, I turned to their digital outputs, driving my Bryston BDA-1 digital-to-analog converter. Despite my preconceptions favoring the digital connectivity architecture of the Gina 3G, I was surprised to find that the digital output of the Mia MIDI actually sounded better, with a more incisive, open, and rhythmically agile presentation. While the analog outputs of both Echo cards sounded fine at their respective price points, the Bryston DAC is in an entirely different league, as has been described in these pages in Issues 193 and 194. Since both Echo cards are limited to a maximum sample rate of 96kHz, I moved on to products that support all the common sample rates up to 192kHz. First up was the M-Audio Audiophile 192 ($200), which features RCA digital S/PDIF jacks on its mounting bracket, and balanced analog outputs on quarter-inch TRS phono jacks at the end of a short DSUB breakout cable. I auditioned the Audiophile 192's analog outputs only briefly, finding trade-offs versus the Echo Gina 3G. The Audiophile 192 exhibited a slightly washed-out character, rendering music with a desaturated tonal palette compared to the Gina 3G's more substantial and colorful presentation. In contrast, the digital output of the M-Audio Audiophile 192 handily outperformed those of both Echo cards. I won't bother listing all the areas in which sound quality improved, since the bottom line was simply this: You name it, and it got better. The net effect was a wholesale increase in both sonic realism and musical communicativeness. However, as I continued to use the Audiophile 192 for many months, I ran into a few problems. Its driver was more temperamental than that of the Echo cards, occasionally freezing up and requiring a computer reboot. It was also subject to occasional dropouts, which I rarely encountered with the other cards tested. Finally, the Audiophile 192 was not capable of transmitting a 176.4kHz signal via its digital output; rather, it downconverted this sample rate to 88.2kHz. The next contender proved to be quite a delight, with some unique, appealing features. The $139 ESI Maya44's RCA digital S/PDIF output jack is also optimally located on the card's mounting bracket, accompanied by an optical TosLink S/PDIF jack. Two pairs of single-ended analog inputs and outputs are efficiently configured on stereo quarter-inch TRS phono jacks. The output stage of the second analog output pair (channels 3 and 4) features a very low source impedance that can drive headphones directly. In use, the Maya44 operated with rock-solid stability, but unfortunately also downconverted 176.4kHz signals to 88.2kHz via its digital output. The Maya44's coaxial S/PDIF digital output delivered a light, airy sound via the Bryston DAC. Its character was rather impressionistic, lacking a bit of body, foundation, and tonal richness. Direct comparison with the M-Audio Audiophile 192 clearly favored the Maya44, which delineated instrumental lines with greater ease, and allowed music to flow and breathe with a compellingly engaging naturalness. The Audiophile 192 sounded more forward, with a weightier bass range, but the Maya44 rendered the sounds of actual instruments playing in the lower octaves with superior pitch definition, rhythmic subtlety, and dynamic inflection. The intrinsic sonic character of the Maya44's analog outputs paralleled that of its digital output, a theme that was consistently repeated across the span of this survey. The Maya44's second analog output pair was the better of the two, with punchier, tighter bass and superior focus. Sonic artifacts such as slight grain, a bit of edginess on transient peaks, and diminished soundfield scale were clearly evident when compared against the far more capable Bryston DAC, but these colorations were so astutely balanced that they never interfered with the Maya44's ability to play music with a lively sense of involvement. Setting the Maya44's analog-domain output-level control to -2dB reduced the sharpness on high-level peaks to an appreciable degree. All told, the Maya44 once again raised the bar another notch closer to the elusive goal of sonic realism. Moving on to the feature-rich RME Hammerfall HDSP-9632 ($549), I was finally rewarded with a sound card that could transmit all sample rates including 176.4kHz via both coaxial S/PDIF and balanced AES/EBU digital outputs. Alas, I immediately ran into a snag due to the manner in which Foobar 2000 interacts with RME's ASIO Hammerfall DSP driver to assign ASIO channels to the card's physical outputs. This problem threatened to require manually switching between three different ASIO configurations depending on the sample rate of the file being played—clearly an untenable situation. Fortunately, the freeware utility ASIO4ALL came to the rescue, since it can limit the number of ASIO channels visible to the music playback program. With ASIO4ALL, a single Foobar ASIO channel assignment configuration enabled the HDSP-9632 to play files of any sample rate without incident. Both the RME ASIO driver and the universal ASIO4ALL driver bypass the Windows audio subsystem to deliver a bit-accurate signal to the sound card hardware, and I heard no audible difference between the two options. I also tested another music playback program, Media Monkey, which assigns ASIO channels in an entirely different manner. Media Monkey was able to use RME's native ASIO Hammerfall DSP driver to play files of all sample rates via either the HDSP-9632's stereo analog or digital outputs without any problem whatsoever. When I began assessing the RME card's S/PDIF output, my reactions were mixed. The RME sounded clean and full, in a forthright and controlled manner, but also exhibited a closed-in, muted quality that lacked the beguiling ebullience of the Maya44. However, as I revisited familiar source material, I found myself able to hear deeper into the music via the RME, discerning musical strands that the Maya44 left buried in the mix. I did a quick Wikipedia search, and found pavane defined as “a slow processional dance that enjoyed great popularity in the courts of Europe during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries.” While this piece sounded lovely via the Maya44, the RME card presented it in an entirely different, revelatory (or perhaps Ravelatory) light, clarifying the meaning and structure of the music with obvious, manifestly superior lucidity. Even more significantly, it made clear that Skrowaczewski's interpretation of the work masterfully conveyed the composition's essence, and that both the original recording and the subsequent digital transfer successfully preserved the expressive dynamic shadings and timing cues of that performance. The RME card's AES/EBU digital output didn't fare as well, sounding brighter and more mechanical, with an electronic haze that diminished the magical rhythmic dexterity so evident via coaxial S/PDIF. My initial impression of a mellow, midrange-centric, overly restrained character was confirmed and amplified when I auditioned the RME card's analog outputs, which reminded me of a vintage Linn Sondek turntable in both virtues and liabilities: musically expressive, yet colored by excess warmth, curiously curtailed reverberant decays, and an intimate, close-up perspective that flattered recordings of small ensembles, but never opened up enough to convey the power and impact of a full orchestra. After my positive experience with ESI's Maya44, I approached the oddly named ESI Juli@ card ($199) with eager anticipation. The Juli@ card features a clever analog input/output configuration, with a reversible plug-in board that is fitted with RCA jacks on one side, and balanced TRS jacks on the other. Alas, I was disappointed to find the coaxial S/PDIF RCA jacks relegated to thin breakout cables tenuously connected to the card by a loose-fitting multi-pin DIN plug. Despite my concern about this less-than-ideal digital output configuration, the Juli@ immediately distinguished itself as something quite special driving the Bryston BDA-1 DAC. Rather than the Maya44's euphonic, water-color presentation, the Juli@ illuminated the music with unprecedented clarity, focus, and resolution. Rather than the RME's restrained, closed-down character, the Juli@ breathed with life, air, and energy. The Juli@ card rendered complex timbres effortlessly, with an unsurpassed ability to convey note shape—the dynamic and harmonic growth and decay of each note over time. Spatial cues were presented with captivating verisimilitude. Finally, here was a card that preserved the full scale of well-recorded orchestral performances, with three-dimensional instrumental body and natural reverberant decay into the ambient air of the recording venue. Of particular note was the Juli@'s imperturbable dynamic stability. Even during energetic crescendos, the Juli@ card maintained a consistent perspective; instruments in the rear of the soundfield stayed in the rear of the soundfield. In contrast, every other sound card in this survey exhibited sonic artifacts during high-energy peaks, either coarsening textures, adding glare, or projecting the sound forward. This sense of unflustered, well-behaved equanimity categorically differentiated the ESI Juli@ from every other sound card tested. Whether delicate chamber music, free-wheeling improvisational jazz, or raucous rock ’n’ roll, the Juli@ not only reproduced the recorded sound in a manifestly realistic manner, it played the music with expressive subtlety and enthralling vitality. After hearing the standard-setting performance of the Juli@'s digital output, I crossed my fingers as I connected its RCA analog outputs to my preamp. My hopes were rewarded, as the sound of the analog outputs mirrored the considerable merits of the card's digital output. No, the Juli@ card's analog outputs did not deliver the soundstage width and depth, unfettered dynamic peaks, rich tonal complexity, and rhythmic precision of the Bryston DAC, but the essence of the presentation was uncannily preserved, only on a smaller, less resolved scale. The Juli@'s cardinal virtues remained obvious via the RCA analog outputs, diminished in degree, but not in character. Even after periods of extended listening, I found myself shaking my head in disbelief, admitting to myself that “I could live with this,” so well-balanced were the sonic compromises of the Juli@'s RCA analog outputs. However, I was utterly chagrined to find that the Juli@'s balanced TRS analog outputs sounded comparatively shrill, unrefined, and fatiguing. I sighed with relief after reversing the Juli@'s analog output board again, returning to the sweet, even-tempered music flowing forth from its single-ended RCA analog outputs. The final two sound cards arrived courtesy of well-respected Lynx Studio Technology. The L-22 ($749) is a stereo card capable of internal decoding of all sample rates up to 192kHz for playback via its analog outputs, but limited to a maximum of 96kHz via its AES/EBU digital output. The AES-16 ($695) is a versatile multichannel digital-only card with comprehensive onboard mixing capabilities. All inputs and outputs on both cards are provided on DSUB connectors. The L-22's balanced analog outputs delivered a visceral, full-bodied presentation, rich with tactile immediacy. However, under dynamic conditions, it failed to measure up to the ESI Juli@'s poise and composure. At low to moderate signal levels, the L-22 exhibited a smooth liquidity, but high-level peaks sounded edgy and forward. It offered a vivid, up-front perspective, but with reduced depth, flattened dimensionality, and truncated reverberant decays. The L-22 seemed to emphasize whatever was most prominent in the mix, spotlighting the loudest element of the music with explicit directness and presence, but at the expense of overshadowing quieter instruments playing simultaneously. The L-22's AES/EBU digital outputs sounded remarkably consistent with its analog outputs. Considered on its own, the L-22 certainly sounded nice enough, but repeated comparisons only emphasized its colorations when compared against the more coherent, neutral, better-behaved ESI Juli@. The Lynx AES-16's AES/EBU digital outputs exhibited an obvious family resemblance to those of the L-22, but with superior performance across the board. Compared to the L-22, the AES-16 sounded cleaner, with improved solidity, tighter focus, reduced temporal smearing, and a more engaging sense of drive. Substituting upgraded AES/EBU cables improved performance even further. Still, direct comparison with the ESI Juli@ laid bare the AES-16's limitations: lackluster rhythmic alacrity, homogenized tonal colors, and a subtle opacity that obscured note decay, hall ambience, and low-level dynamic inflections in a manner analogous to the absorption of sound in humid air. Perhaps I might have had a more enthusiastic reaction to the Lynx cards had I auditioned them earlier, but after hearing the extraordinary ESI Juli@, it became abundantly clear just how much of the music the Lynx cards were missing. The computer used for these tests is quite ordinary, a nine-year-old PC with a 1.47GHz AMD processor, 1 GB of RAM, and no geeky tweaking of arcane operational parameters. The machine is utterly representative of a stock generic PC, other than having been fitted with a quieter power supply and fan-speed regulators to reduce mechanical noise. Thus, the conclusions drawn from these tests can confidently be expected to represent what anyone can achieve with minimal effort. For consistency over the course of this project, I have continued to use the Windows XP operating system. I encountered no problems installing any of the cards or their software drivers, even with two or three cards installed simultaneously. All of the cards can utilize the professional standard ASIO protocol that bypasses the Windows audio subsystem, thereby insuring bit-perfect signal transfer and playback of music files at their native sample rates. I set ASIO latency to 512 samples in each card's on-screen control panel, which allowed playback of all supported sample rates without drop-outs or audible glitches. I used the program Foobar 2000 for playback and library management. Mac Pro users are advised to choose a music player that circumvents the limitations of Apple's CoreAudio architecture, such as Decibel, Pure Music, or Amarra. Due to limited physical space, most sound cards use non-standard connectors for analog and digital inputs and outputs, such as multi-pin DSUB or DIN jacks. In such cases, the cards are usually supplied with either short breakout cables fitted with RCA or XLR jacks, or cables of modest-length (typically 6 feet) that can be attached directly to nearby audio components. Unfortunately, these stock cables are often of the “included with a cheap VCR” caliber. Substitution of higher-quality after-market cables offers the potential of further improving performance, as with any critical analog or digital source component. I auditioned each sound card with the cables provided by the manufacturer, and also tested custom upgraded cables wherever possible.

2019-04-22T08:14:50Z

http://www.theabsolutesound.com/articles/the-absolute-sound-card-survey-tas-213/

Brian Kanagaki (BK) – With you being located in Australia, it brings up one of the main questions I wanted to ask you. Do you feel that being in Australia, an island away from everything else, inspires you to travel for your photography practice? Do you think that being geographically isolated makes you want to leave Australia to create work? Sarah Pannell (SP) – This is something I’ve been grappling with for some time now. I’ve been torn between the opportunity to document the stories of the country I grew up in, as a physically isolated country. I’m aware of the abundance of interesting narratives available to me, and there’s always been this internal pressure to document my own backyard; (excuse the cliche). However, ever since I can remember, I’ve been obsessed with travel and the idea of getting myself to foreign places, this certainly is a fantasy that was heavily influenced by my grandparents who travelled a lot throughout their lives, as well as my mother who travelled from a young age. My motivation centres around offering an alternate visual perspective on places that have historically been misunderstood or misrepresented by western audiences – and trying to challenge people’s existing understanding of certain communities or cultures. BK – Is that why you chose to go to Iran for your latest book project? SP – Yes, one of the reasons. Since I began my project in Iran, I remain anchored back to Australia and developing a way to create work at home which parallels the Iran body of work. BK – It’s interesting because even though you were drawn away from where you’re from, you still had the support of the Australian community behind you including Perimeter Books, which is easily the best photo book store in Australia, as well as The Heavy Collective and Hillvale. Do you think having that community really helped to push you forward? SP – Absolutely, Hillvale has been instrumental within the photography community in Melbourne. I met Andy and Jason who run Hillvale about 5 years ago. It started out as an independent photo lab but has grown to include a gallery and now a publishing project. They launched this Project Grant in the last year or two where they supported me and another photographer Ryan Cookson in completing an existing photo project. With that funding support, I was able to return to Iran to continue shooting, which means so much as its work that had set out to do on my own in 2016. Now my upcoming publication, Tabriz to Shiraz is co-published by Perimeter Books and Hillvale which is really exciting and designed by London based Daly & Lyon. I’m definitely not finished with my interest in Iran and I still have this long-term project that will continue to evolve. I’m heading back later this year, in fact. I’ve self-published a few books and zines in the past but it’s really nice to have a publication like this coming out, with the support of Perimeter who have such a great reputation within the art-book world. You’ve published quite a few books so you know what it’s like put yourself out there. BK – I think having a support network is the one thing that makes or breaks you as a creative. It’s an amazing thing to be able to find a group of people that believe in what you’re doing. It really only takes one or two people to help you get to that next level and vouch for you. Since Tabriz to Shiraz is not your first book, do you feel less stressed? From designing books for other artists, I found that people can have certain expectations and a clear vision of what they want to get out of it. Some people are just happy to make a book, even if no one sees it. But at the same time, you invest so much of your time and money into this tangible object that you really hope and want to know that someone’s going to appreciate it. SP – Having made a few publications in the past, but on a much smaller scale, I know what it feels like to hold something in your hands. I would love to say that I don’t feel the pressure but I definitely feel the same stress because it’s something that’s really close to my heart, and work that I’m really proud of so it’s just that daunting feeling of putting out something into the world and hoping that people get something from it. SP – Yeah, having a show in a foreign city, as soon as you’re out of your own neighbourhood essentially and you don’t have your own normal units of support, that would be a very daunting feeling I’m sure, but something I haven’t really experienced yet. BK – I think what you’ve done, going to another country to shoot a project like this, would be extremely daunting. Most of my work is around my neighbourhood or where I have lived for years and feel incredibly comfortable. I have to be able to go back to the same spot over and over and check the lighting to make sure it’s right. It has to be hard to show up at a place that you’ve never been and to jump right in and start making work? SP – It’s definitely two fold. part of me loves being able to shoot in and around Melbourne with the freedom that comes with being able to walk around any time of day or night and have that comfort but then again, I love the opposite; I remember the first day I arrived in Iran I was questioning myself as I was flying in; I flew in from Europe and most of the incoming flights to Tehran that I could afford, arrive during the night so I arrived at like 2 or 3 a.m. So I was already questioning all my decisions up until that point as there is something about arriving somewhere foreign when it’s dark. BK – Yeah, you arrive in a strange city and have to get into a taxi or figure out the bus system in the middle of the night. SP – Yeah arriving at 2 a.m. and standing in a taxi line then finally getting to your accommodation at 6am. I can’t really explain the weird excitement and thrill that I feel when I do that sort of thing. I was super nervous at the same time but as soon as I started looking around and seeing all these things I was just like “Oh yes, I’ve done the right thing, I’m in the right place”. That feeling followed me around the whole month that I was there and then when I returned for another month 6 months later it was just the same all over again but with an extra level of comfort and familiarity. You need to be comfortable (to some extent) where you are and you need to feel safe – as soon as those two elements are taken care of, I really could photograph anywhere, but I understand the privilege that comes with having these options. Iran is a very different place to Australia, people interact in a different way which I really felt drawn to. Particularly the way Iranian’s welcome you into their home, with very little hesitation. I can’t say I won’t feel any nervousness going back, but that is a natural instinct. I feel so humbled by being able to travel there and be welcomed in by a mix of friends that I’ve made there and then be able to create work that I think demonstrates all the beautiful and strange intricacies and oddities of the Iranian landscape.. of its street life and everyday home life. The long-term project that I’m working on it’s centred around the concept of Iranian hospitality. Everything that comes with entering someone’s house and being welcomed in for a meal, or just sitting down to have tea or drink and chat. There is a warmth to this that I have only experienced in a few other places in the world. It’s really at odds in a lot of ways, to the culture I grew up in, in Australia and more so, with a lot of the negative and misleading political news coverage we see in the West about Iran. BK – It’s easier to have negative or strong feelings about a place you don’t know anything about or have never been. When you actually go there and see that the people are the same as you and me, it definitely puts things into perspective. I think it’s so easy to stand against something when all you see is negative coverage on the news but these people are real people. I can imagine that going there and seeing it first hand has got to be eye-opening but also very frustrating? SP – Yeah absolutely. My first trip to Iran in 2016 was one month before the US election – and I guess like in most places, people didn’t actually expect Trump to win. Friends spoke at the time about their concerns for a Trump presidency and the fall out regarding the potential dissolution of the Nuclear Deal struck between Iranian President Rouhani and President Obama. Additional sanctions on Iran which have been brought in since Trump became leader only further adds economic pressure to everyday Iranian’s as their energy and food prices increase and finding skilled employment gets harder. It’s just hard for me to truly understand how the decisions of a foreign government on the other side of the world can directly affect your daily livelihood. BK – Your work is quite documentary focused, do you see it as a type of reportage or journalism? SP – When I first started out with photography and studying photography, it was reportage and photojournalism that got me hooked and got me really excited about getting into photography. It’s interesting for me to reflect now on how the way my work has evolved over the years. I feel like I straddle a few different genres, namely documentary and fine art, which I don’t mind. With this latest body of work I did try to branch out a bit more and challenge myself particularly with portraiture but while there may be reportage elements to some images, I wouldn’t categorise myself strictly in that sense. BK – I think that’s a weird line that photography straddles. There are people that are into it because they have a strong point of view and their work is overtly political, they want to use their work to shine a light on a particular problem or area of the world or something that’s really important to them. I’ve always come from a very different way of thinking – I’m just photographing something that exists. I have a strong viewpoint but there’s nothing political about it because of the subject matter that I choose to photograph. I think it’s something that I always struggle with in my work, the fact that I want to take a beautiful image but there isn’t really a meaningful message behind it and I always wish there were more to it. It’s something that I’m constantly trying to add to and improve on. I don’t know if the two always have to go hand in hand; I don’t know if you always have to be in both worlds; sometimes you can just take a photo that’s pretty. BK – I’m the same way, that’s why I wanted to talk about this with you. Whenever I talk about my work it’s a really quick conversation because it’s like ‘why did you take that picture? What’s the meaning?’; it’s super simple, I thought it looked nice and it’s that easy. I’m sure that there is some meaning behind it, why do I think it looks nice? Why am I drawn to it? But I still haven’t figured that out yet. But that’s what I like about photography, I don’t know what I’m doing and I like not knowing sometimes. SP – I might come back from a trip and I’ve taken a lot of photos of a particular thing and I’ll go back through them and I’ll be like OK, I knew I was subconsciously drawn to that element for a reason and then I see it dotted throughout my work; that’s when I can comfortably edit and sequence and create some type of narrative that I think will appeal to viewers. I think this particularly applies to elements of humour within my photography and the repetition I often discover in my work, retrospectively. BK – I think that’s also what I’m really drawn to, the beauty of human nature, how weird and happenstance it all is. SP – Of course. I find humour in photography can be a difficult space to navigate but if it’s done well, it can have such an impact. This is what initially drew me to street photography when I was just finding my feet taking photos. Its an accessible form of art, in that you can do it on your own and you only need a camera or a smart-phone. Some of my favourite photographers on Instagram are street-based, because they find those hidden (amusing) gems that the majority of people overlook. BK – Do you know that street photographer from New York called Weegee? I love that when anyone would ask him about how he got his photographs he would say ‘you’ve just got to be there’, it’s as easy as that. I think that’s something I think about all the time, you’re not going to get a great photograph if you’re not out there every day just walking around. BK – That’s what I’m in Paris for right now. We did a New York launch at Mast Books, and then in Melbourne at Perimeter Books, and now we’re doing one in Paris at Yvon Lambert. This is the last launch for the first issue. My wife Amy and I are working on the second issue right now which is coming out in April. We did the first issue not really knowing how it was going to go or if people were going to like it but it’s worked out really well and we are super happy with how it has been received. SP – I know you’d said when we met in Melbourne that you had pretty much sold out – you only had a couple of copies with you at Perimeter. BK – We only printed 300 and I was surprised to have even sold that many. We barely remembered to keep any copies for ourselves. SP – Do you feel like the next issue is taking much of a different direction? BK – It will be much the same. There wasn’t a theme for the first one, it just came down to the photographers we contacted and how we edited their work together. That’s the fun of it. It’s like what we were saying earlier, you see these funny happenstance things and it’s the idea that I don’t know what images we are going to receive. It can be pretty risky but I like the idea of people sending us a bunch of work and we go through it and edit it together to find some kind of cohesive narrative. That’s the challenge but also the fun part of it. SP – I was wondering because of your job and what you do on a day-to-day basis, in terms of designing other people’s books obviously there must be so many takeaways from that in terms of what you can put into your own work. How do you find that helps or hinders your own solo practice? I don’t know if you’re working on a new body of work at the moment or even from just looking at your previous publications, how does that play into your own personal work (not so much Soft Copy)? Are there any negative impacts from designing other people’s work or do you find it hard to find inspiration? BK – I think the hardest thing is that the photographer themselves have really great expectations of what they want it to be in their head and I think that’s great but it’s also hard because you’re always limited by the budget. You could always give the person what they wanted if you had infinite time and money but the problem for me is, how do I get them exactly what they want with the amount of money that they have? I think that’s something that helps me because I have a good understanding about the production side of things and how much things cost and I know where to cut and where to save and still keep it looking nice. I’m super happy with the way my book turned out but it’s only because I had done so many other print projects before that. SP – That’s great. In terms of your own solo work, where are you at the moment? BK – I haven’t really been shooting at all but I think I’m okay with that. Last year I finished Golden Persimmons II, and also had work in Palm Book. I’m super happy that I had work in two books in one year. I’m in no rush to figure out the next thing but I am really excited about figuring out what it is. SP – I think it’s nice to sometimes take it easy because like you said, you put out all this work last year and now you’ll be working on Soft Copy and you also have your full-time job. It’s nice to put your own work on the backburner a little bit to see what naturally develops, right? We often feel so much pressure to keep producing and everybody is so content-hungry; I know at least I often feel this way. I think the best work I’ve produced is in natural time and not under any serious pressure, but this is also a luxury in a way. I guess everyone works differently and some people work really well under pressure. I found with my work from Iran, because it’s been over the last two years or so and I’ve been producing that quite slowly (compared to my other projects), it’s been nice to just sit on it for a while. It really helps with the editing process and when I go back to shoot again, I have a clearer idea of what I need to find. BK – I think that is something I’m going to take into account; knowing that there is no rush. For now, I want to push myself to try something that is different and if it doesn’t work then I know I at least tried. Both of my previous book projects started with one interesting image that I built a body of work around. The Chinatown story in Palm Book was an accident. I had bought a new camera and needed to test it so I shot one roll really quickly without thinking too much and I think 2 or 3 from that roll ended up in the book. SP – I was just going to ask one thing that we didn’t really cover, in terms of other artists and inspiration and motivation. You mentioned your Palm* Book earlier; I know you’ve worked with Lola Paprocka on a few things, I think that she and Pani are a really great example of people that collaborate often while creating really strong work, but also helping other photographers put amazing work out there. Is there anyone else that’s been instrumental in your own work of late? BK – I think that Libraryman books are always so nice and considered. I’ve always loved Tony’s work as a Designer and Art Director. He’s been in publishing for almost 20 years now, I think. He’s good at making things super clean and simple but also beautiful; that’s something I would like to keep working towards. As I get older and my career progresses, I’ll be allowed those opportunities. Right now, the hard thing with being a young photographer and also a designer is that I’m not always in the position that people trust me and trust my ideas. I think for me, it’s just more about showing them through good design and beautiful book projects that I’m involved with.

2019-04-20T23:10:14Z

https://paper-journal.com/interview-sarah-pannell-brian-kanagaki/

Since President Obama signed the Act into law in March 2010, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (also known as the ACA or Obamacare) has made major inroads on its goals of providing accessibility, affordability and quality care for all Americans. Across the board, there have been increases in the number of people that have insurance, slowed growth in insurance costs and systematic changes to the overall approach to patient care: physicians and healthcare systems are now incented to keep people well, rather than only treat them when they are sick. As of early 2016, more than 9 in 10 Americans have health insurance — a decrease in the uninsured of 43% since the ACA was enacted. For Americans purchasing health insurance through the Federal Marketplace in 2015, nearly 80% can purchase their coverage for $100/month or less after tax credits. An estimated 76 million people now receive preventive care. Amazing Healthcare Consultants makes it easy to take control of your personal healthcare. Download our FREE Amazing Guide to Open Enrollment Planning Workbook to help you find a balance between affordability and quality healthcare in your insurance coverage. Prioritize your needs, compare plans and avoiding common mistakes. Download your planning tool today! The challenge of Obamacare — as it would have been under any President, Democrat or Republican — is that healthcare is so deeply personal. What looks great in terms of significant statistical improvements brings little comfort in the face of individual pain or family financial struggles. Historically, the insurance industry is, at best, opaque. In virtually every other service industry you would expect to receive an accurate price quote up front, with a detailed breakdown of costs. Ask yourself… would you take your car in for major repairs, knowing you’re financially responsible for them, and not request a detailed quote up front? When you get your hair cut and colored, do you expect to receive bills weeks or months later for the scissors, the shampoo, and the hair dye (because other vendors supplied them)? The thought is ludicrous. And yet, this is the reality of the healthcare system for the past several decades. For better or worse, those lucky enough to have insurance were largely shielded from the full cost of receiving healthcare. No more. The system is in the throes of a long, drawn-out process of improving pricing and service transparency. We’ll get there, but it will not be easy. Or pretty. Amazing Healthcare Consultants believes the system is not perfect, but the best way to feel comfortable with the ACA choices you need to make is to educate yourself on your options. Whether you’re purchasing insurance for the first time from the Federal Marketplace or a state exchange, or renewing your coverage and looking at other options, this Amazing Guide will help you be prepared to make smarter, more informed choices. There are several places to buy insurance from, with varying enrollment dates. However, if you buy insurance through the Federal Marketplace or a state healthcare exchange, you have a limited time to buy insurance. Use this chart below to determine when your coverage will begin. *Open enrollment dates may vary based on provider Amazing Tip! If you already have insurance, make sure you sign up during the correct period to avoid any gaps in coverage. Improve the quality of care all Americans receive. A major package of reforms was created to accomplish these goals, which was passed into law by the U.S. Congress. The reforms are known as the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare, after President Barack Obama who championed the bill and signed it into law in 2010. Setting up a Health Insurance Marketplace (HealthCare.Gov) where Americans can purchase federally regulated and subsidized Health Insurance during open enrollment. Expanding Medicaid to all adults in many states. Improving Medicare for seniors and those with long-term disabilities. Expanding employer coverage to millions of employees. Requiring most people to have coverage each month from 2014 in order to get an exemption, or pay a fee. It’s important to note that the Federal Government isn’t the supplier of health insurance. And it isn’t a national healthcare system like they have in Canada and Great Britain. Instead, the ACA makes private insurance available to all Americans and regulates the health insurance industry. Who Offers Health Insurance and How Do You Buy It? Here’s a handy chart to understand the different ways you can purchase health insurance. Federal Exchange Also known as the Federal Marketplace, or Marketplace Healthcare.gov The federal government does not provide health insurance on healthcare.gov. Instead, you purchase private insurance through the Marketplace website, which groups plans from different providers into various categories (Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum) to make it easier to compare costs and coverage. Private Insurance Purchase directly from any of the hundreds of private insurance companies, such as UnitedHealth, Humana, Kaiser Permanente, Anthem, Aetna, and Blue Cross/Blue Shield (to name a few) Before you shop directly for insurance with a private company, check the Marketplace to see if you qualify for healthcare tax credits. Employer-sponsored Insurance Private insurance offered through your employer. The employer frequently pays some portion of the monthly premium. This type of insurance may be for an individual or family. Check to see what your employer covers. Employer-sponsored insurance may have distinct enrollment periods, and enrollment may be dependent on satisfying certain employment conditions. Medicaid Medicaid is a combined federal and state-funded healthcare program for qualifying individuals and families who lack resources to obtain insurance coverage elsewhere. You must qualify for Medicaid to receive benefits. To apply, or see if you qualify, click here. CHIP CHIP is the Children’s Health Insurance Program, which provides low-cost health coverage to children in families that earn too much money to qualify for Medicaid. If your children need health coverage, they may be eligible for the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). If they qualify, you won’t have to buy an insurance plan to cover them. You can enroll in CHIP at any time. What kind of insurance does your state offer? The most straightforward answer is, it depends. But here are two key things you should know. Private insurance companies set the cost of health insurance, not the government. To make comparison shopping easier, the ACA requires all private insurance plans in the Marketplace to fall into one of four “metal” categories, Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum. These categories cover from 60-90% of your healthcare costs, respectively. Who Needs Health Insurance Under the Affordable Care Act? The ACA requires an individual mandate, which means everyone must have some form of qualified health insurance. If you choose not to purchase insurance, you will be fined $695 per adult or 2.5 percent of taxable income when you file your federal income taxes, whichever is higher. Your children will also be fined but at a lower rate. If you… Do you need to buy insurance under the Affordable Care Act? Have health insurance from your employer No, You are considered covered under your employer’s insurance plan. Are under 26 years old No, If you are covered under your parent’s health insurance plan. Are 65 or older No, You must sign up for Medicare instead. Have middle-to-low income It depends, You may be eligible for Medicaid, CHIP instead. Amazing Tip! If you’re not sure, check! Are There Exceptions to the Individual Mandate? If you are a lawfully present immigrant, you are eligible to purchase insurance from the Federal or state Marketplaces. If you are illegally in the U.S., you are not eligible for coverage. How is Healthcare Better with the Affordable Care Act? Before the ACA, insurance coverage provided by private insurance companies to individuals (or as part of a group employment plan) had unfair limitations and restrictions. The ACA eliminated these restrictions, which ensures expanded coverage for virtually all Americans. (*) The oldest people in a plan will pay no more than three times the rate paid by the youngest. How Many People Are Covered by the Affordable Care Act? 6.1 million uninsured young adults ages 19 to 25 have gained health insurance coverage because of the Affordable Care Act. Up to 30 million 18-34 year-olds with a pre-existing condition, can no longer be charged higher premiums or denied coverage altogether under the Affordable Care Act. An estimated 8.7 million American women with individual insurance coverage gained coverage for maternity services because of the healthcare law. An estimated 55.6 million women with private health insurance have access to recommended preventive services like mammograms or flu shots with no copay or deductible. 4.2 million Latinos (ages 18-64) gained health insurance coverage, lowering the uninsured rate among Latinos by 7.7 percentage points. 8.8 million Latinos with private health insurance now have access to preventive services like mammograms, cervical cancer screenings, or flu shots with no copay or deductible. 12.7 million Americans Have insurance through the Marketplace 20 million Americans Have insurance through the Marketplace, Medicaid expansion, young adults staying in their parents plan and other coverage provisions. What’s Covered by the Affordable Care Act? It doesn’t mean, however, that you won’t pay any money out-of-pocket. Now, no matter which healthcare insurance plan you choose, you will know that it covers these ten essential benefits. Ambulatory (or outpatient) services. These are services that you receive in a doctor’s office, clinic or even emergency rooms where you are treated but not admitted. Emergency services. Care in the emergency room for critical conditions that can’t wait until a regular doctor’s office or urgent care clinic is open. Hospitalization. Hospitalization services include surgeries and overnight stays for care and observation. Treatment for mental health and substance abuse, including counseling and psychotherapy. Learn more about mental health and substance use disorder services. Prescription drugs, specifically medications prescribed by your doctor to treat certain conditions. This benefit does not include over-the-counter drugs like aspirin or cough medicine. Rehab services. Learn more about services to help people with injuries, disabilities, or chronic conditions gain or recover mental and physical skills. Preventive care, wellness services and chronic disease management Amazing Tip! The service coverage varies for adults, women and children. Pediatric services, including dental and vision care. Amazing Tip! Dental and vision care are essential benefits for children only, not adults. Amazing Tip! It’s important to note that these benefits do not mean they are free to all Americans, nor are they without limits. You have to know and understand the details of each insurance plan to understand the scope of these benefits. Insurance plans must include treatment for pre-existing conditions. This requirement means any medical condition you have, regardless of whether or not you’ve been diagnosed, must be covered under your healthcare plan. You can’t be rejected, and you can’t be charged more because of your condition. As well, your insurance coverage can’t raise your rates because of your condition either. There are three sets of free preventive services. All plans offered through the ACA must include these services without charging a copay or coinsurance. Amazing Tips! The level of coverage for these services can vary, so make sure to read the fine print and ask questions. All providers with plans in the marketplace have to provide consumers with a brief, understandable description of what the plan covers and how it works. Healthcare delivery is complex. If you go to a preventive care appointment and discuss another health topic that’s not covered under your preventive services, you may be charged. Does This Mean All My Healthcare Is Free? In fact, no. Healthcare is in the top five expenses across all income levels and, according to the Hamilton Project, has grown by 28-60 percent for low-to-middle income households in the past thirty years. You pay for healthcare through a mix of premiums, deductibles, copayments and out-of-pocket expenses. Premium Usually a monthly payment, a premium is the amount of money you must pay to keep your health insurance. You must pay your premium, even if you don’t go to the doctor’s office or take any prescriptions. Deductible The amount of money you must pay – through copayments and out-of-pocket expenses – before your insurance starts to pay for services. Copayment(s) Also known as copays. The amount of money you pay every time you go to the doctor’s office, urgent care clinic, emergency room or hospital. The amount of the copay will vary based on where you receive services. Consurance A type of insurance in which you (the insured) are responsible for paying a share of the cost made against an insurance claim. Out-of-pocket expenses The money you must pay (for deductibles, co-pays and coinsurance) for covered services and all costs for any services that aren’t covered. Different healthcare plans offer different levels of out-of-pocket expenses. Out-of-pocket maximum This is the most money you have to pay in any given plan year. If you reach this amount, any additional healthcare expenses are covered 100% by your insurance company. Each of the “metal” plans requires a different mix of premiums, deductibles, copays and out-of-pocket expenses. Are you eligible to purchase insurance through the Marketplace? If you choose not to buy insurance and don’t have another form of coverage (like through your employer, Medicare or Medicaid), then you will owe a penalty, which is taken from your tax refund. You will owe a penalty for yourself, and everyone in your household not covered by insurance. The penalty is calculated two ways, and you have to pay whichever is higher. Beginning in 2017, the flat fee will adjust for inflation. What If My Eligibility Changes in the Middle of a Plan Year? If you get married, divorced, have a baby (including adoption), or lose existing health insurance coverage on your own or through a family member, you are eligible for a Special Enrollment Period. It’s easy to figure out if you qualify. Go to https://www.healthcare.gov/screener/ to be guided through a series of questions. Learn more about other circumstances that might qualify you for a Special Enrollment Period on healthcare.gov. https://www.healthcare.gov/screener/marketplace.html AMAZING TIP! If you haven’t been to the healthcare.gov website, or only heard horror stories about it from the beginning, take a fresh look. It’s friendly and easy to navigate. You can also apply for CHIP (Children’s Health Insurance Program) and Medicaid at any time. Before you start looking at options, it’s a good idea to document your medical needs for the past year or two, to get an understanding of what kind of health coverage you’ll need. It’s also a good idea to look at your total healthcare costs. If you’re super-organized, or use a personal finance tool like Quicken or Mint, you may easily be able to total your costs over the past year. If not, then use the chart below to create a baseline for you and your family. Remember to look at all your Explanation of Benefits documents (EOBs). These documents from your current insurance plan list which service(s) you or a family member received, how much each service cost, and how much you and the insurance company would pay. Add them up and fill out the chart below. *Prescription drug copays will vary depending on the prescribed medication, whether it’s generic or brand-name, et cetera. Pricing has been simplified for this example. **Other medical costs might include covered medical supplies or equipment Amazing Tip! It’s important to remember that some medical expenses are not covered, or covered for a limited amount. For example, elective surgery may not be covered and chiropractic care and physical therapy may be covered but only for a limited number of visits. Amazing Tip! Take the time to do your research! Once you purchase a plan, you cannot change it unless you qualify for a Special Enrollment Period. Good news: All healthcare plans must provide the ten essential healthcare benefits. To make comparison shopping easier, all Marketplace plans are grouped into one of four “metal” categories: bronze, silver, gold and platinum. Bad news: You have to read the fine print of each policy to understand the differences between two plans at the same “metal” level. In addition to determining what percentage of healthcare costs you’re willing to pay, you’ll need to determine the best type of insurance for you and your family. Each plan has pros and cons: consider your options based on your individual and family needs. A health plan that offers lower costs for using “in-network” doctors. Typically, a patient’s assigned primary care physician coordinates all care. A health plan where you pay less if you see any doctor “in- network” (contracted by the insurance company) and don’t need a referral from your primary care physician to do so. EPO Exclusive Provider Organization A health plan where you can only use the network’s physicians and hospitals but don’t need a referral to do so. Amazing Tips! Be sure the EPO offers enough specialists to meet your medical needs. Even in the case of an emergency, some EPOs may make you pay some or all of the expenses out of pocket if you go out of the provider network. Tax credits, or subsidies, are available for qualifying Americans. With a tax credit, you’ll have a lower monthly premium for your health insurance. Your income determines your eligibility, so you’ll need to check in the Federal or state Marketplace to know for sure. Check online to see if you’re eligible for premium tax credits. How can you save money with a tax credit? It can be a bit complicated. Cost-sharing reductions are additional savings for deductibles and copays. Learn more about cost-sharing reductions here. Once you’re confident you understand the types of plans that are available, it’s time to start thinking about your personal situation: are you buying insurance for yourself or your family? Are you relatively healthy? Do you have current medical conditions that require ongoing treatment? What prescription drugs, if any, do you (or people in your family) take? Use your worksheet from Step 1, and your answers from Steps 2, 3 and 4 and let’s go online. You might also want to review the information listed in this handy Marketplace checklist. The healthcare.gov Marketplace (or equivalent state exchanges) will guide you step-by-step through the process. Here’s what you would have seen in 2016: Amazing Tip! New for the 2017 enrollment year, you’ll be able to add your preferred doctors, medical facilities and prescription drugs so you’ll know right away if your preferences are covered by the plans you’re evaluating. Check out 2017 enrollment dates here! Start researching plans as soon as they are available in the Marketplace. Open enrollment is an opportunity to enroll, update or change insurance plans. Although you may have heard horror stories about long waits or unresponsive websites, the Marketplace continues to improve every year. Amazing Tip! Don’t wait until the last minute to sign up. You’ll enjoy shorter wait times and less harried customer service agents. You can sign up online, in person, using a paper form or over the phone. If you don’t proactively change plans, you will be automatically enrolled in the same plan as the current year. Unless you qualify for a Special Enrollment Period, you will not be able to make changes after open enrollment ends. Amazing Tip! Even if you’re satisfied with your current healthcare plan, look carefully at the details. Specifics about premiums, deductibles, copays and who’s in (or out) of network frequently change from year to year. Trying to cancel or disenroll in a policy you inadvertently re-enrolled in can be laborious and time-consuming. Be sure to know your coverage dates, and make changes before automatic re-enrollment happens. During Open Enrollment, you are free to change to another health insurance plan. Check the dates carefully. Be sure that you have full coverage, and that your plans do not overlap or create gaps in your insurance status. Do you know your health insurance vocabulary? Check out our glossary before you go shopping for health plans online. Founded in 2011 by Dr. Carol DeVore, Amazing Healthcare Consultants provides clear sightlines into your loved one’s healthcare through personal patient advocacy and insurance advocacy. Making confident and educated healthcare decisions is the ultimate peace of mind, and as an independent agency, Amazing Healthcare Consultants puts the patient first and fights for the best care and coverage possible. To learn more about Amazing Healthcare Consultants or to schedule a free consultation, request a call from us.

2019-04-22T05:04:16Z

https://amazinghealthcareconsultants.com/2017-open-enrollment-guide

Most e-commerce retailers are already aware of the power Google Shopping holds for their PPC campaigns. According to a 2016 report from Crealytics the PPC industry has seen a massive uptake in spend on product ads over the last two years. Google Shopping campaigns have proven to hold an advantage over text ads particularly for retailers whose products have a highly visual impact. Products such as clothes, makeup, decorations, home-ware etc have visual appeal as a key motivator for purchase, so it’s not surprising that these e-commerce sites are making the most from Google Shopping campaigns. For the customer, it is highly efficient to be able to quickly compare the appearance and price of products before heading over to a website to research in more depth. Google Shopping ads repeatedly demonstrate improved conversion rates for e-commerce shops compared with other forms of ads like text ads. Industry leaders Search Engine Land reported last year that shopping ads accounted for “43% of all retailers’ Google search ad clicks” and an impressive 70% of non-branded clicks according to their latest Q1 Digital Marketing Report. The reason Google Shopping campaigns perform so well for CTR and conversion rate for retailers is because Google Shopping searches represent high buyer intent. Customers are actively researching with a view to making a purchase and Google Shopping makes this research easier for them than text ads alone. Digital Marketer actually saw a remarkable 130% higher conversion rate from shopping campaigns compared to text ads in their experiments. But what does the future hold for Google Shopping? While utilizing Google Shopping is a good move for e-commerce retailers those who have already been in the game a while will have noticed a troubling and familiar trend….. More and more retailers are recognising the advantages of Google Shopping. This means more shops are conducting Google Shopping campaigns and more of them are learning the techniques to produce well optimised campaigns. The result is that the playing field of Google Shopping is getting a lot more competitive and the inevitable consequences are that CPC will increase. Many PPC influencers are advising retailers to take advantage of Google Shopping before it gets too competitive but naturally the most PPC savvy retailers will be able to implement great strategies to stay ahead of the competition even in a competitive market place and still produce great ROIs. As you can see from our Paid Traffic chart below showing the average conversion rate by industry, e-commerce suffers from stereotypically low conversion rates due to competition. This combined with increasing CPC on Google Shopping means retailers certainly have their work cut out for them, but by following our optimisation strategies you should be able to gain an edge. If you have been running a relatively successful Google Shopping campaign you will know that your product data feed is extremely important. Following these tips is a great first start but in a competitive market place it’s time to go further with your product data feed and consider a more advanced approach. Advertisers often make the mistake of prioritising efficiency over quality. Setting up data feeds can be a pain and to speed things up advertisers often leave out non-required attribute fields. This is a big mistake if you really want to optimise your product data feed. By adding all the attributes, including custom attributes, your product ad will have greater detail. In the image below you can see an example product data sheet with attributes across the top of the spreadsheet. Required attributes are in green. Just think about how much extra detail you can provide your customers, such as colour, size, shape etc. Don’t forget the customer can’t pick up or feel the product and colours can look different online, so extra information can really help customers to make a crucial decision and part with their money. The best way to give your product ads a lift is to really consider customer intent when filling in your descriptions and additional product attributes. By this we mean you should tailor your attributes to where customers are in the buying funnel. This will also help you save time when creating the product data feed because customers don’t always need the nitty gritty details. A good example is colour and size. It is helpful to know the product is dark or pale pink but including every shade differentiation of fuchsia, hot pink and mauve is too much detail while they are still browsing in Google Shopping. Give the customers the info they need to make quick analysis and give more specifics on your site. While too much details can be a hindrance do try to be accurate with your product titles to help the user have a good browsing experience. Don’t you hate it when you search for grey canvas boots and you end up clicking through to some white floral patterned trainers – that’s unhelpful. The same goes for size. If you are frustrated by having to measure every item just use an approximation. For many products customers don’t need to know the exact centimetres just an approximate size. After all, if you are shopping for a small paella pan you don’t want to click through to a site that only stocks traditional village portion paella pans. As well as using your optional attributes to beneficial effect in your improved product data feed, you may also need to pay closer attention to your required attributes. Even experienced advertisers frequently make the mistake of using their shop name in their product title. This is fine if you are a really well known shop and you feel this will instil trust but in most cases, it is not what people are searching for. In the example above FWRD are right to include a well-known brand name in their title. Their shop name is not that well known and will be auto included anyway, so there is no need to add it to the title. Monsoon and Ted Baker are far more recognisable brands, it therefore creates an extra lure to repeat the brand/shop name more prominently in the title. Remember shopping ads account for decent CTR on non-branded campaigns, so instead of including your shop brand name try including the name of the product, the colour and the manufacturer brand name, if it is highly popular. This is going to mean much more to the customer e.g. Black Apple IPhone7 32G. If you are trying to take data feeds to the next level for better conversions don’t forget that the basics matter too and image quality is one of the most important aspects in a good product ad. As you can see from the example below an ok image makes an ad mediocre and a great image offers real appeal. If you are very new to Google Shopping and want to create an incredible campaign from scratch (and implement the techniques outlined above) you will need to start with the basics first. If you have a large inventory check out this video and don’t forget to consider our advanced tactics for data feeds in your creation process. One problem that trips up new advertisers is disapproved ads. If you are caught by this road block, check out the video below for diagnosing ad disapproval issues, solving them and submit requests for reviews. Advertisers often misinterpret the function of campaign priorities in Google Shopping and therefore use them incorrectly. Campaigns priorities are useful for structuring your bidding strategy with products you wish to sell more of. It is not a way to force Google to show certain products instead of others in an auction e.g. a more expensive 30 hair rollers set over a 20 hair rollers set. If you have multiple shopping campaigns with different product priorities e.g. best sellers, campaign priorities will let you control which campaigns are highest priority, lowest or medium. If you want to sell more of a certain product give the campaign a high priority level. Campaign priority is taken into account over product bids, CTR and even ad rank when Google decides which product to show. To make this concept clearer, imagine you sell shoes and you have a selection of designer shoes in an ad group. When users search for designer shoes you may encounter the issue of a less popular shoe brand being shown. You really want your most popular designer shoe brand to show e.g. Jimmy Choo shoes. If you build a separate campaign featuring only your best-selling designer shoes and set the campaign priority to high you can accomplish the desired results. You could pop all the other shoes in a separate campaign with a lower priority setting. Remember that campaign priorities do not allow you to control which product Google deems most relevant to a users’ query. It only considers the bid tied to a product based on campaign priority. However, it does help gain additional control on a shopping campaign if multiple products are equally relevant to an auction as then Google will take the highest bidding campaign into consideration. By planning the right campaign and AdGroup segmentation for your campaign goals you will have a better chance of creating the perfect product data feeds and choosing the right campaign priorities to achieve the desired results. If you don’t segment your products into smaller groups it is not only harder to understand your data results and therefore the success of your campaign but it also means all of your products would have the same bid and negative keywords. This gives you much more control to specify which products belong in campaigns with higher or lower priority and bids. AdGroups segmentation allows you to set negative keywords, mobile bid modifiers and promotional ad text at a more specific level of the campaign e.g. you may want to divide your campaign by a product type like dresses and then by brand like Ted Baker. Below is an example from Search Engine Land on how advertisers can choose to structure by brand and then product type. Segmentation by product ID is popular because it places each product in its own AdGroup, therefore allowing granular control, however if you have a very large inventory this may get too complex and you may prefer segmentation by product category, type or custom label. One of the best reasons to segment campaigns is to ensure that your bids are appropriate to the cost of your products. To get a strong ROI from Google Shopping campaigns, you need to set bids that are relative to the price of the product. This is why it is a good idea to segment high end products from cheaper products even if they are the same kind of item e.g. cheap table vs luxury tables. Without the targeting capabilities of keywords, advertisers are somewhat at the mercy of Google to decide which queries their products should show for. Having a carefully considered product data feed and campaign/AdGroup segmentation is a big part of improving this process but you can gain a little more control by using negative keywords. You can still assign negative keywords in Google Shopping and by doing this at the AdGroup level of your segmented campaign you can have a degree of control on how your product ads are maneuvered e.g. not having expensive scarves show up for the search ‘cheap scarves’. If negative keywords are something you are guilty of neglecting in your campaigns, have a read of the Paid Traffic Negative Keyword page for a refresher on the value of negative keyword lists and how to set them up. Using the combo of negative keywords, a good data feed with great product labels and sensible segmentation will deliver best relevancy for your Google Shopping ads and therefore better conversion rates. Star ratings really make product ads stand out compared to ads lacking the star rating. With so many stores using them these days you definitely don’t want to spoil an otherwise advanced campaign by neglecting them. Seller ratings extensions have been shown to increase conversion rates by 4.9% with 50+ positive reviews. Google displays star ratings based on compiled data from merchants, third-party aggregators, editorial sites, reviews on your domain and consumers. Other factors that can impact your ability to display stars are whether you are a Google Certified Shop, StellaService, Google customer reviews, aggregated performance metrics from Google-led shopping research and ratings from Google Consumer surveys. If want to keep up with the competition and display star ratings make sure that there is an easy way to leave star ratings on your site. One of the simplest ways to do this is to invest in a widely recognised and reputable third party review service like Feefo or Trust Pilot. You should also opt into Google customer reviews. StellaService is an independent company that analyses the quality of your customer service through the measurement of your customer care, delivery and returns and Google has specified that it takes this service into account for your star rating. To enable product ratings to actually show in shopping ads you must have a minimum of 50 reviews across all of your products and a product must have at least 3 reviews for star ratings to be shown on Shopping Ads. If you have lots of great reviews you may want to consider becoming a Google Certified Shop. You can find out more and apply here. Keeping a close eye on the performance of your shopping campaign will reveal vital clues on how to improve the conversion rate. Head to your dimensions tab to identify details on the performance of your campaigns. Then select Shopping from the drop down. Select the element you would like to view e.g. Product type. Then make sure you adjust your columns to include conversions and cost per conversion by modifying your columns. Add the shopping attributes you wish to view e.g. your category levels. This will give you great data for analysing the performance of your product ads. If you have low impressions for your ads and your products are not especially niche then you may want to tweak the titles of your products in the data feed as Google does not see them as relevant to the right queries. If your impressions are still low but you are sure your titles are accurate it may be time to increase the bids on those campaigns. High impressions but few clicks could mean that your ads are showing up for the wrong queries or user intent. Again, tweaking your product title and attributes is a good solution. Did you know that price is a factor in your quality score? It could also mean your images are not impressing the audience or that your prices aren’t competitive enough. Doing a little competitor spying is a good way to gauge the cause of the problem. The ad preview and diagnostics tool can also help you solve pricing issues. Don’t forget that being competitively priced will improve your quality score and it is definitely a winning point with customers. No one wants to spend more than they need to. If you have high impressions and high clicks for ads but low conversions then it could mean your landing page is letting you down. Another problem specific to e-commerce businesses is the checkout system. Often advertisers will blame the landing page itself for low conversions but it is the checkout system which is putting people off. Check up on your shopping cart abandonment to identify the issue. If impressions and clicks are high, conversions are low and you have high shopping cart abandonment, it is likely your checkout system is at fault. Surprisingly 34% of consumers do not buy the product they clicked on but instead end up buying a different product on your site or even a different brand than they originally searched for. Some PPC influencers suggest sending people to a category page rather than the main product page, in case they see something else they like, but if you have a lot of products in a category it is pretty frustrating for customers not to be able to find the product they were just looking at. Instead, why not highlight your best or most popular related ads in a visual way on that product page, to catch their eye if they change their mind about the product they clicked on. This is an ideal solution because you are in keeping with Google’s guideline that your shopping ad must reflect your site while giving the customer more options. The success of this tactic can be very individual, so we recommend carrying out some A/B testing to find out if your particular customers favour a simple, uncluttered landing page, free from distractions or prefer for other, similar products to pop into sight. By effectively cross-selling you are more likely to generate a customer than a sale. A sale is individual and it could be a one-off purchase based on a single product people liked on your site. They may have found it by Google Shopping or text ads or even display ads but the fact that it is your company could be incidental and they may be as likely to buy from someone else next time. With cross-selling, you highlight additional products to your buyers. If you combine effective cross-selling with great customer experience and service on the first sale you can generate a customer rather than just a sale. A customer is more likely to be a repeat buyer and even go to your site directly for what they need in the future. It’s a long view strategy but by gaining trust and having appealing stock you cross-sell and thereby weed out competitor influence on an individual customer basis level. Our final golden gem for more experienced Google Shopping advertisers is to crack open the wallets of mobile shoppers. If you have practiced all of the above techniques but are still frustrated by competitors stealing your conversions, when you know your product and offer is superior, then you can gain more conversions by taking the mobile shopping experience to the next level. It may seem like the simplest, most obvious advice in this mobile first climate and yet e-commerce sites are still failing to make the mobile buying experience good enough to tempt shoppers to just buy right then and there rather than buying on desktop or tablet later. A fascinating report from Smart Insights reveals than even in 2016 people were converting on mobile only one third to one quarter of the rate of desktop. This is interesting when we consider that people are browsing and researching for products increasingly on mobile. To really rack up those conversion rates from Google Shopping, PPC professionals need to consider a strategy for desktop users and mobile users. How many images of the product from various angles can the shopper browse and can they easily enlarge the image for greater detail. Do they have to scroll far or read lots of tiny print? How easy is it to type their card details in? Are there lots of verification steps? How quickly can they get through the checkout process? The last question is of particular importance, especially when we consider that early morning is prime time for heavy mobile use, as well as the evening. Peak times for desktop are during the day and tablet peak time is also in the evening. This means people are browsing on mobile when they first wake up, on the way to work, travelling home from work and in their free time during the evening. If your checkout process is too long they could risk leaving late for work or they could be distracted by their favourite TV or have to enter their office and get to work. Users often abandon products on mobile with a view to returning on desktop to purchase. The problem is they often forget and that slow checkout loses you a conversion. If you are lucky then the shopper won’t forget you and may become a cross device converter. Encouraging cross device conversion will improve your sales and tracking cross device conversions will improve your data to help further improve shopping campaigns. Remarketing is a great reminder for shoppers who were browsing Google Shopping and then your website earlier on mobile. Wordstream were quoted by Big Commerce saying that they experienced ‘ridiculously high returns’ on shopping ads by leveraging remarketing and customer match audiences for Google Shopping. You also want to carefully track data for cross device conversions so take a look at the recent Paid Traffic article on measuring behaviour after the click. You will find great info on cross device conversion tracking, appropriate attribution and look back windows. Don’t forget cross device conversions are common on shopping campaigns and they take longer so don’t make your window too narrow. With these tips in mind you should be ready to optimise a shopping campaign for greater conversion rates in an increasingly competitive market.

2019-04-18T21:09:38Z

https://pwd.com.au/8-pro-tips-maximize-google-shopping-conversion-rates/

There are currently 76 real estate properties & homes for sale in Avon, OH. The median home value in Avon, OH is $299,000. This is higher than the county median home value of $125,500. The national median home value is $185,800. The average price of homes sold in Avon, OH is $299,000. Approximately 76.99% of Avon homes are owned, compared to 20.25 % rented, while 2.76% are vacant. These 76 Avon real estate listings include condos, townhomes, and single family homes for sale. Commercial properties are also available. If you see a property you’re interested in, contact an HER Realtors Avon real estate agent to arrange a tour today! Welcome home to this pride of ownership colonial in Avon, OH. This home has a welcoming foyer for your guests with upgraded wood flooring. An updated kitchen with refinished cabinets, counters, backsplash, lighting, flooring and appliances. A formal dining room for all of your entertaining. The vaulted great room has a gas fireplace and skylights, plenty of natural light. The 1st floor master suite has a large walk in closet and master bathroom with double sinks. The 2 bedrooms upstairs are a perfect size. The basement has a finished rec room area, 4th bedroom or office area, a bathroom and a large area left for storage. The backyard has a large patio and fire pit for all your summertime enjoyment. Home has woods behind, plenty of privacy awaits. Hot water tank about 1 year old, newer sump pump and back up, lawn professionally cared for. Just a couple minutes Rt. 90, Cleveland Clinic, schools and shopping. Call to schedule your private showing today, this one won't last! Well-maintained!!! Move-in ready!!! All kitchen appliances to stay . Glass ceramic tile on the backsplash. Kitchen is open to the living room and dining area. Sliding glass doors lead to beautiful deck overlooking a pond with fountain. Master bedroom has beautiful new hardwood floors. Second bedroom has fresh paint and new carpet. Finished basement has newer flooring, fresh paint, full bath and laundry room. Washer and dryer to stay. One car attached garage with opener. Call today for your personal tour. NO SIGN! Gorgeous, three bedroom, two full bath Ranch Cluster home in Avon! Living room features hardwood teak flooring, vaulted ceiling, and gas fireplace. Large kitchen has granite countertops, stainless appliances, pantry, island, and separate eat-in area. Den has hardwood flooring and crown molding. Master bedroom has walk-in closet and private master bath with soaking tub, dual sinks, and shower. Second and third bedrooms with second full bath. Home has covered back patio, 2 car attached garage, newer hot water heater, and all landscaping and snow removal taken care of with low monthly fee. Close to shopping, dining, schools, and major routes, residing in this Avon home will ease your hectic schedule. Avon Commons is nearby and Crocker Park is not far either. Lovingly maintained by the same owner for the past 28 years, this great home awaits! Just move in! All appliances including washer and dryer remain so you will not have an initial appliance expense. Custom window treatments stay, too! Even two wall mounted TVs stay! You will enjoy the distinctive floor plan of this four bedroom home. The kitchen is open to the family room and has a built in table. Bedrooms all have hardwood floors. The windows have been replaced and the main bath has been remodeled. You will have plenty of storage in the floored attic area. Enjoy your morning coffee in the sunroom year round. You can close the sunroom's French doors to separate areas for play or entertaining. The covered patio is perfect for relaxation and cookouts in warmer weather. Your guests will appreciate the extra parking area off your driveway which you can also use as a turn around. You will have all of this and a home warranty, too! Avon Stonebridge Estates Stunning Colonial Built In 2014! Nestled On Beautifully Landscaped Wooded Lot! Boasts Four Bedrooms, 3.5 Baths With 3 Car Garage! Step Into the Grand Foyer Entrance Into the Open Concept Kitchen, Dining and Family Room Living Space! Beautifully Appointed Kitchen With Loads Of Cabinets and Counter Space With Breakfast Bar and Stainless Steel Appliances. Dining Area Off Kitchen Overlooks Wooded Lot. Working From Home Is A Breeze In the First Floor Office. Formal Sitting Room Is Perfect For Reading and Relaxing. Family Room With Stone Fireplace Off Kitchen Is Great For Hanging Out and Entertaining. Second Floor Features Large Owner's Suite With Soaring Ceiling and Private Ensuite Bath Featuring Double Sinks, Soaking Tub and Huge Walk-In Shower. You Will Find Three Additional Bedrooms and Full Bath With Double Sinks On the Second Level. Basement Is Fully Finished To First Floor Standards. Large Rec Room and Full Bath Make It A Great Place To Entertain! Enjoy the Summer On Your Stone Patio Overlooking the Yard. Store Yard Tools In the Shed! There Is A Two Car Side Load Garage With Additional One Car Garage That Drives Through to the Yard. HOA Fee Includes Passes To the Development Swimming Pool. This Home Is Truly Move-In Ready, Just Bring Your Boxes and Enjoy!! Comes With 2-10 Home Warranty! Nice Split-Level home on a Great Lot! Big deck attached in the back yard, to watch it all. Inside there are 4 bedrooms, 1 1/2 baths and new flooring throughout the house. Beautiful laminate flooring on the main level and the bedrooms are carpeted. New paint also! Come See This Before It's Gone! This open floor plan and bright light throughout with Andersen Windows make this cluster home a must see. One floor living at it's best! Stunning Updated Colonial located in the heart of Avon. This beautiful open floor plan greets you with 2-story foyer & hardwood floors. Get ready to entertain in the formal dining room. The first floor & freshly painting w/ a calming Gray pallet. The vaulted ceilings in the Kitchen and Family room give this home an open concept with a contemporary feel. Spacious eat-in Kitchen includes Newer SS appliances, White cabinetry, New kitchen SS sink, Lg. pantry, ceramic tile flooring. The convenient sliding doors lead to a deck, paved patio, firepit, pergola with a fully fenced yard with wooded views. Family room features tile surround gas fireplace framed with lg. windows allowing natural sunlight & backyard views. The 1st Fl. Master suite is a dream come true with private Master bath. Two additional bedrooms round off the 2nd floor along with full bath. Newly Finished basement offers a Rec rm/playroom or media area along with built in shelving & desk space perfect for those who work from home. Updates include: Freshly painted interior (2018), All SS appl. (2017), A/C (2018), All new lighting (2017), Wainscoting in 2nd fl. Bedroom, Window treatments (cornices), Fence (2013), Deck (2016) & New Finished Basement (2018). Conveniently located to Rt. 90, Cleveland Clinic, Schools & Shopping. Schedule your showing today it won't last!!! Drees Homes Monticello floorplan. This home is to-be-built to customer specifications. Photo for illustration purposes. Welcome to this wonderful ranch style home with an open and spacious floor plan in a quiet Avon neighborhood. Brick accented front elevation and lovely mature landscape provide plenty of curb appeal. The covered front porch welcomes you in. Step inside the front door and the open rooms spread out before you. Vaulted ceiling in the generous family room. Open bight kitchen has plenty of work and storage space. Center island breakfast bar to perfect to prepare and enjoy meals. This pleasant kitchen includes a range, microwave, refrigerator, and dishwasher. The sunny dining room is surrounded by windows with sunlight and green views streaming in. A sliding door opens to the large patio and generous yard. The large owner's suite has a vaulted ceiling, walk-in closet and private bath. Two other good-sized bedrooms and another full bath with tub/shower down the hall. The laundry room is off the kitchen and leads to the 2 car attached garage. There is a full basement to finish as you like or use for plenty of storage. A finished full bath is in located in the basement. Enjoy the convenience of all-on-one-floor living in this gem of a home! Nivea Model * Gorgeous eat-in-kitchen, Corian countertops. Appliances are 3 years old. Master bedroom with walk-in closet and bonus closet. Master bath with no step walk-in shower and porcelain tile and quartz countertops. Window treatments are West Bay, blinds are Hunter Douglas. Security system $45.43 a month. Gorgeous Colonial in Stonebridge Creek development in Avon is a MUST SEE!! Grand 2 story foyer welcomes you and your guests!! The large formal dining room and living room that is being used as an office are located off the front foyer. The 2 story great room has views of the private wooded lot! Large windows with loads of natural sunlight and a cozy gas fireplace!! The kitchen is amazing with all of the extras including the natural wood flooring, stainless appliances, large pantry, granite counters with loads of counter space and extra large island with sitting area! The Sun Room with loads of windows and sliding door leads to the back patio! Playroom/office with glass doors , half bath, 1st floor laundry room/ utility area. So much space in this home! Upstairs the large Owner's suite with grand bathroom includes double sinks, a soaking tub and tiled stand alone shower! 3 other generous sized bedrooms and full bath complete the 2nd floor. The lower level recreation room is full/unfinished and plumbed for a bath, awaiting your special touch! The wooded backyard is private, yet close to the park and pool! Beautiful stamped concrete patio with well thought out entertainment area. Sprinkler system and 3 car garage, one of the spaces is tandem. Stonebridge Creek is one of Avon's most sought after communities with a pool, 2 parks and a few ponds. Great location close to Avon's high rated schools, shopping and much more!! Great opportunity awaits you. Meticulously kept home on .85 acres - property currently used as residential. This 1,952 sq ft home offers a large great room, kitchen, dining room, living room, cozy den/office with wood burning fireplace, 3 bedrooms and 1.5 baths. The basement allows for all your extra storage needs. Refrigerator, dishwasher, range, washer and dryer all stay. There is also a generator for the furnace and sump pump. Large garage - The Husqvarna riding mower and Cyclone Rake, and snow blower stay for your convenience. Awesome home on wooded lot. Property zoned C-4 general business and can also be utilized as a home office, retail, etc. Call today to schedule your appointment. Why waste time shoveling snow or doing the yard work when you can live in a community that takes care of it for you? Instead, spend time entertaining or traveling when you live in Orchard Trail's Lifestyle Community of Avon. This immaculate home known as the Innsbruck model has 3 bedrooms, 2 full, 2 half bathrooms plus a finished basement. The layout defines open concept with a wide foyer, 9 foot ceilings, side set staircase, and a convenient flex area that can be used as a study. The kitchen has loads of cabinet space, large pantry and a gourmet island perfect for eating a quick meal or serving guests. The vaulted morning room lets in natural light and has a sliding glass door that leads to the incredible paver patio. Back inside, warm up to the stunning floor to ceiling stone fireplace in the family room. Walk up the waterfall staircase to the second level where the spacious master bedroom has a large walk in closet and private bathroom with a linen closet, double bowl sinks and tub/shower combo. Finishing out the second floor is a full bathroom and two generous bedrooms with great closet space. Find even more room in the finished basement that has a recreation area, half bathroom and loads of storage space. Outside, the impressive paver patio has a grilling area, waterfall, dining area, fire pit and a perfect view of the open space. Orchard Trail has beautiful ponds, landscaping, and walking trails throughout. Come see today! Welcome home to this spectacular Cape Cod located in The Village at Creekside. This property sits on a large premium corner lot with high-end privacy landscaping and stunning backyard water views. As you enter this 3 bedroom 2.5 bath home with nearly 2,500 sf of living space you will realize the attention to detail used when building this home. The front porch invites you into a large foyer area with an open grand vaulted entrance. Upon entering you will see beautiful cherry wood floors that lead into a French door 1st floor office with custom built-in shelving and vaulted ceiling. This home offers a larger formal dining area and 2-story Great Room with gas fireplace and tons of windows to enjoy the water view. The open kitchen provides a less formal eat-in area with sliding door to your patio, plenty of cabinet and counter space, counter top gas stove with double ovens, and pantry. If a 1st floor master is a must have then check out this master with it's spacious walk-in closet, tray ceiling, double vanity, walk in high-end tub, separate shower, and privacy toilet area. The upstairs area includes two spacious bedrooms and full bath with a loft area that overlooks the great room and foyer. The basement is an unfinished space that also has a crawl area that is perfect for storage. The exterior of the home is your place to relax, unwind and take in the water view as you grill out or sip the morning coffee. Recent updates include interior paint and new carpet throughout in 2018. Beautifully updated ranch home located in quiet neighborhood in Avon! 3 bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms and recently updated basement. The first floor offers a nice sized family room with large front window, three bedrooms with new carpeting (hardwoods underneath), formal dining room, kitchen with sliding glass doors to backyard, full bathroom and an additional half bath with neutral colors. The family room, dining room, and hallway feature real hardwood flooring. A new refinished wood staircase leads to the finished basement. The basement was recently updated with upgraded materials, such as modern style vinyl plank flooring. The basement offers a large recreation area, an additional living space that can be 4th bedroom/office/media room, and a full bathroom with custom tiled shower. The media room and custom bathroom were recently added by sellers. Plenty of storage space in the basement. The home has a beautiful front porch, patio space in the backyard, shed, and nice size backyard. The home has newer stainless steel Samsung appliances in the kitchen, as well as a new sink and garbage disposal. The furnace is newer -2017. The home has been freshly painted throughout. Garage refrigerator and freezer stay with the home. The basement was waterproofed by Ohio State Waterproofing with a lifetime transferrable warranty. Current owners are offering a one year home warranty. This home is in a great location. Near I-90 and shopping such as Avon Commons and Crocker Park. No Hoa Fees! Gorgeous free-standing home in Avenbury Lakes is certain to impress. Newer kitchen 2017 with white shaker cabinets, wood flooring and stainless steel appliances. Homes offers 2 bedrooms, 2 full baths, a study / 3rd bedroom, formal dining room, eat in kitchen and spacious living room with two way fireplace to adjacent Sun room. Bedrooms are in split locations for privacy. Both bathrooms have been remodeled in 2017. Laundry room with newer washer and dryer. Newer interior paint and carpet. Master bedroom offers wood floors, walk in closet, glamour bath with both soaking tub and walk in shower. Home is a short walk to clubhouse. Avenbury Lakes features clubhouse, walking paths, lake, pool and more⦠all in a fantastic location right next to Avon Commons. Call today. Beautiful Petros built 4 bedroom Ranch with 3 car garage and finished basement with a full bathroom. This 2013 custom built home offers great golf course views on a large lot. As you enter this home you will notice the gorgeous newly installed wood floors throughout. This home offers 4 bedrooms, 3 on the first floor and 1 in the lower with a full bathroom off the finished basement. The large 18 x 14 master bedroom has a 11 x 10 en suite bathroom with a huge closet. The two other bedrooms on the first floor are good sizes, one has an en suit bathroom and the other has the guest bathroom next to it. The gourmet kitchen has granite counter tops, gas stove, custom back splash and stainless steel appliances. Off the kitchen is a 14 x 10 dining area leading to a sunroom. The Great Room has a corner stone gas fireplace and wood flooring with large windows overlooking the golf course. Stepping outside from the sunroom you will find a beautiful custom stone patio with a fire place, this is a perfect spot to sit and watch the sunset. 4224 Khouri Court is truly a unique home in this community come and see it for yourselves!! Remarkable Opportunity to own this Quality Built 3 bedroom Ranch Cluster home, designed and built by Schafer Building Co. Located in one of Northeast Ohio's most sought after communities the City of Avon. This Gem is just a short drive to Avon Commons Shopping and Entertainment, Schools, Parks, Major Highways, yet nestled on a secluded quiet Cul De Sac Street. Maintenance free living at it's finest. Walk through the front door to a wide-open layout with Flowing 9 ft ceilings throughout. The huge Great Rm with Cathedral ceilings, oversized windows and Brick fireplace is sure to please. The tucked away Large Master Suite has vaulted ceilings, walk-in closet and luxurious private owners retreat with both spa type tub and shower. The extra large Kitchen has a Center Island, Snack Ledge, Pantry, modern appliances and dinette with cathedral ceiling. Also 2 other nicely sized bedrooms and another full bath. Outside you will find a large patio for entertaining on balmy summer evenings. All backed by a comprehensive warranty program. Call for a private viewing. Move right in to this 4 bedroom 2.5 bath colonial with fully fenced backyard on .5 acre lot! Covered front porch and beautiful new front entry door. Kitchen offers ample cabinet space, vinyl floor and all appliances remain. Formal living room and dining room with newer carpet. Family room features wood burning fireplace and sliding door to deck. Second floor has 4 bedrooms all with ceiling fans. Master bedroom has private full bath. Finished basement a great man cave, play area or living room. Washer/Dryer stay. 2 car attached garage features vinyl tile, gas heater and pull down storage. New vinyl windows throughout 2011. This home has been well cared for and it shows! New A/C 2018. Hot water tank 2015. New roof 2008 (40 year dimensional shingle). Fully fenced back yard with 6' wood privacy fence. Shed with new roof 2018. Great location close to I90 and I80. Excellent award winning Avon schools! 1 year Home warranty included! Stunning property with impressive architectural details that has been meticulously designed and built by Buckingham Homes, and includes premium finishes and details not found in mass-produced homes. From the moment you enter the impressive two-story foyer with hand made solid wood front door you'll know this is not a cookie cutter home. The Great Room features a two-story window wall overlooking Red Tail's 17th hole and beautiful bookcases flanking the floor to ceiling stone fireplace! The chef in your family will love the custom cabinetry, WOLF cooktop, double ovens, granite tops, and stone backsplash. The 1st floor Master will become your private retreat featuring a crowned ceiling, dramatic windows, and complete privacy from the secondary bedrooms. Upstairs you will find a guest suite which is the perfect place for out of town visitors or overnight guestsâ¦Bedrooms 3 & 4 have a jack n jill bath. Zoned heating and cooling provides enhanced comfort + saves 28% on the average annual utility expense. The oversized garage will easily accommodate a golf cart (w/access door) plus extra storage room. Kids old & young alike will LOVE the basement Rec Room area with a theater area, kitchenette and full bath + two spare rooms. The screened porch has a fireplace (and gas heater) for year-round comfort! Living in Red Tail provides virtually unlimited opportunities for golf and family activities. With couples golf & dinner events, junior golf, swimming, tennis, and more!

2019-04-19T15:06:16Z

https://www.herrealtors.com/homes-for-sale/OH/Avon

GARLANGER, HERMAN was born 20 March 1924, is male, registered as Florida Democratic Party, residing at 1324 Pasadena Ave S, #204, South Pasadena, Florida 33707. Florida voter ID number 106876770. This is the most recent information, from the Florida voter list as of 31 January 2014. GARLANGER, JAMES JOSEPH was born 11 April 1968, is male, registered as Florida Democratic Party, residing at 5271 Garlanger Trl, Oviedo, Florida 32765-4805. Florida voter ID number 107758884. This is the most recent information, from the Florida voter list as of 31 March 2019. GARLANGER, JAMES JOSEPH was born 20 July 1996, is male, registered as Florida Democratic Party, residing at 5271 Garlanger Trl, Oviedo, Florida 32765. Florida voter ID number 121848194. This is the most recent information, from the Florida voter list as of 31 March 2019. 29 February 2016 voter list: JAMES GARLANGER, 5271 GARLANGER TRL, OVIEDO, FL 32765 Florida Democratic Party. GARLANGER, JAMES JOSEPH was born 3 November 1936, is male, registered as Florida Democratic Party, residing at 5265 Garlanger Trl, Oviedo, Florida 32765-7564. Florida voter ID number 107753219. This is the most recent information, from the Florida voter list as of 31 March 2019. GARLANGER, JASON L. was born 7 August 1972, is male, registered as Republican Party of Florida, residing at 2410 Delaney Ave, Orlando, Florida 32806. Florida voter ID number 117002217. This is the most recent information, from the Florida voter list as of 30 November 2016. GARLANGER, JOHN E. was born 21 September 1943, is male, registered as Republican Party of Florida, residing at 1038 Buckwood Dr, Orlando, Florida 32806. Florida voter ID number 113065510. His telephone number is 1-407-859-7012. This is the most recent information, from the Florida voter list as of 31 March 2019. Garlanger, Kara Lynn was born 16 May 1975, is female, registered as Republican Party of Florida, residing at 331 Foxhill Ct, Debary, Florida 32713. Florida voter ID number 108611713. This is the most recent information, from the Florida voter list as of 31 March 2019. 31 May 2018 voter list: Kara L. Garlanger, 778 Sweetbrier DR, Deltona, FL 32725 Republican Party of Florida. Garlanger, Lawrence E. was born 26 January 1946, is male, registered as No Party Affiliation, residing at 515 Se 20Th Ct, Cape Coral, Florida 33990. Florida voter ID number 111453455. This is the most recent information, from the Florida voter list as of 31 March 2019. GARLANGER, LINDA D. was born 4 August 1945, is female, registered as No Party Affiliation, residing at 502 Beverly Ave, Altamonte Springs, Florida 32701. Florida voter ID number 107937154. This is the most recent information, from the Florida voter list as of 31 March 2019. GARLANGER, MARY E. born 28 May 1971, Florida voter ID number 107771408 See SCHWARZ, MARY ELLEN. CLICK HERE. Garlanger, Mary L. was born 23 July 1962, is female, registered as Republican Party of Florida, residing at 605 Mackenzie Cir, St Augustine, Florida 32092. Florida voter ID number 108076750. The voter lists a mailing address and probably prefers you use it: 324 City Center Dr Rohnert Park CA 94928-2176. This is the most recent information, from the Florida voter list as of 30 November 2016. GARLANGER, MICHAEL GEORGE was born 19 July 1948, is male, registered as Republican Party of Florida, residing at 7930 Sun Island Dr S, #101, South Pasadena, Florida 33707. Florida voter ID number 107076781. This is the most recent information, from the Florida voter list as of 31 March 2019. GARLANGER, NANCY B. was born 6 August 1940, is female, registered as Republican Party of Florida, residing at 5265 Garlanger Trl, Oviedo, Florida 32765-7564. Florida voter ID number 107673717. This is the most recent information, from the Florida voter list as of 31 March 2019. Garlanger, Norma was born 7 November 1930, is female, registered as No Party Affiliation, residing at 5707 45Th St E, Lot 256, Bradenton, Florida 34203. Florida voter ID number 105329009. Her telephone number is 1-941-758-0939. This is the most recent information, from the Florida voter list as of 31 March 2019. 31 May 2013 voter list: Norma Garlanger, 5707 45th St E, 256, Bradenton, FL 34203 No Party Affiliation. Garlanger, Rita Marie was born 21 January 1961, is female, registered as Florida Democratic Party, residing at 149 Mercutio Ln, St Augustine, Florida 32092-4528. Florida voter ID number 107974719. Her telephone number is 1-904-819-0003. This is the most recent information, from the Florida voter list as of 31 March 2019. 31 January 2017 voter list: Rita Marie Garlanger, 1821 Falbridge LN, Ponte Vedra, FL 320817028 Florida Democratic Party. 31 May 2013 voter list: Rita Marie Garlanger, 1821 Falbridge LN, Ponte Vedra, FL 32081 Florida Democratic Party. Garlanger, Robert Charles was born 28 June 1937, is male, registered as No Party Affiliation, residing at 256 St Thomas St, St Augustine, Florida 32095. Florida voter ID number 108044282. This is the most recent information, from the Florida voter list as of 31 March 2019. Garlanger, Sarah Marie was born 1 August 1990, is female, registered as Republican Party of Florida, residing at 778 Sweetbrier Dr, Deltona, Florida 32725. Florida voter ID number 117539015. The voter lists a mailing address and probably prefers you use it: P O BOX 5595 Deltona FL 32728. This is the most recent information, from the Florida voter list as of 31 March 2019. Garlanger, Stephanie Ann was born 5 September 1990, is female, registered as No Party Affiliation, residing at 9645 Symmes Rd, Gibsonton, Florida 33534-5659. Florida voter ID number 122415942. Her telephone number is 1-984-464-0043. This is the most recent information, from the Florida voter list as of 31 March 2019. GARLANGER, TRACY LYNN born 12 February 1970, Florida voter ID number 107840415 See GERBER, TRACY LYNN. CLICK HERE. GARLANGER, VERNON A. was born 29 October 1944, is male, registered as Republican Party of Florida, residing at 502 Beverly Ave, Altamonte Springs, Florida 32701. Florida voter ID number 107938782. This is the most recent information, from the Florida voter list as of 31 March 2019. GARLANGER, VICTOR ALLEN was born 11 April 1968, is male, registered as Republican Party of Florida, residing at 1624 Excalibur Dr, Casselberry, Florida 32707. Florida voter ID number 107701884. The voter lists a mailing address and probably prefers you use it: PO BOX 180711 CASSELBERRY FL 32718-0711. This is the most recent information, from the Florida voter list as of 31 March 2019. Garlanger, William J. was born 10 June 1934, is male, registered as No Party Affiliation, residing at 5707 45Th St E, Lot 256, Bradenton, Florida 34203. Florida voter ID number 105329010. This is the most recent information, from the Florida voter list as of 28 February 2017. 31 May 2013 voter list: William J. Garlanger, 5707 45th St E, 256, Bradenton, FL 34203 No Party Affiliation. Garlans, Daniel James was born 2 September 1983, is male, registered as Florida Democratic Party, residing at 19102 Wood Sage Dr, Tampa, Florida 33647. Florida voter ID number 124792341. This is the most recent information, from the Florida voter list as of 31 March 2019. GARLANS, JACQUELINE was born 18 June 1951, is female, registered as Florida Democratic Party, residing at 1417 Se Bayharbor St, Pt St Lucie, Florida 34983. Florida voter ID number 119995884. This is the most recent information, from the Florida voter list as of 31 March 2019. GARLANS, JAMES ALLEN was born 7 November 1945, is male, registered as No Party Affiliation, residing at 1417 Se Bayharbor St, Pt St Lucie, Florida 34983. Florida voter ID number 119995882. This is the most recent information, from the Florida voter list as of 31 March 2019. GARLANS, LINDA N. was born 19 June 1950, is female, registered as Florida Democratic Party, residing at 8327 Blue Cypress Dr, Lake Worth, Florida 33467. Florida voter ID number 112202086. This is the most recent information, from the Florida voter list as of 31 March 2019. Garlapati, Smruthi Reddy born 14 December 1988, Florida voter ID number 122439868 See Boyer, Smruthi Reddy. CLICK HERE. Garlapo, Jo Yates was born 11 October 1924, is female, registered as Florida Democratic Party, residing at 315 Saint Andrews Blvd, Apt A8, Naples, Florida 34113. Florida voter ID number 114646868. This is the most recent information, from the Florida voter list as of 30 November 2014. GARLARZA, RAMOS HENRY was born 22 November 1969, is male, registered as Florida Democratic Party, residing at 9032 Montevello Ct, Orlando, Florida 32818. Florida voter ID number 112900216. This is the most recent information, from the Florida voter list as of 31 May 2012. Garlaschi, Alexander Giovanni was born 30 April 1996, is male, registered as No Party Affiliation, residing at 11922 Sw 9Th Mnr, Davie, Florida 33325-3893. Florida voter ID number 121262184. This is the most recent information, from the Florida voter list as of 31 March 2019. 30 June 2015 voter list: Alexander Giovanni Garlaschi, 11922 SW 9Th MNR, Davie, FL 33325 No Party Affiliation. Garlaschi, Gino Leonardo was born 1 February 1995, is male, registered as No Party Affiliation, residing at 11922 Sw 9Th Mnr, Davie, Florida 33325-3893. Florida voter ID number 119165986. This is the most recent information, from the Florida voter list as of 31 March 2019. 30 June 2015 voter list: Gino Leonardo Garlaschi, 11922 SW 9th Mnr, Davie, FL 33325 No Party Affiliation. Garlaschi, Guido L. was born 17 February 1958, is male, registered as No Party Affiliation, residing at 601 E Plantation Cir, Plantation, Florida 33324-1448. Florida voter ID number 117489551. His telephone number is 1-954-424-1314. This is the most recent information, from the Florida voter list as of 31 March 2019. 30 June 2015 voter list: Guido L. Garlaschi, 601 E Plantation Cir, Plantation, FL 33324 No Party Affiliation. 31 May 2012 voter list: Guido L. Garkschi, 601 E Plantation CIR, Plantation, FL 33324 No Party Affiliation. Garlasco, Christopher Batista was born 12 December 1954, is male, registered as Republican Party of Florida, residing at 11191 Euler Ave, Englewood, Florida 34224. Florida voter ID number 120686980. This is the most recent information, from the Florida voter list as of 31 March 2019. Garlasco, John D. was born 10 February 1959, is male, registered as Republican Party of Florida, residing at 2850 Caribbean Isle Blvd, #105, Melbourne, Florida 32935. Florida voter ID number 116170960. The voter lists a mailing address and probably prefers you use it: 1776 Continental Dr Unit 816 Covington LA 70433-7286. This is the most recent information, from the Florida voter list as of 28 February 2018. 31 May 2012 voter list: John D. Garlasco, 1018 Hidden Harbour DR, APT D2, Melbourne, FL 32935 Republican Party of Florida. Garlasco, Marsha was born 1 July 1952, is female, registered as No Party Affiliation, residing at 11191 Euler Ave, Englewood, Florida 34224. Florida voter ID number 120687851. This is the most recent information, from the Florida voter list as of 31 March 2019. Garlasco, Notburga Elisabeth was born 4 December 1944, is female, registered as Florida Democratic Party, residing at 3975 Lake Bayshore Dr, Bradenton, Florida 34205-5041. Florida voter ID number 120900815. Her telephone number is 1-914-334-2307. Her email address is garlomi.44@gmail.com. This is the most recent information, from the Florida voter list as of 31 March 2019. 31 May 2018 voter list: Notburga Elisabeth Garlasco, 3975 Lake Bayshore Dr, APT F-504, Bradenton, FL 342055041 Florida Democratic Party. 31 March 2016 voter list: Notburga Elisabeth Garlasco, 9 Pine Dr, Homosassa, FL 34446 Florida Democratic Party. Garlasco, Tara Lynn was born 8 June 1991, is female, registered as Republican Party of Florida, residing at 1018 Hidden Harbour Dr, Apt D2, Melbourne, Florida 32935. Florida voter ID number 119827860. The voter lists a mailing address and probably prefers you use it: 1775 Continental Dr Unit 816 Covington LA 70433. This is the most recent information, from the Florida voter list as of 31 March 2019. GARLATI, EMIL VINCENT was born 16 March 1976, is male, registered as No Party Affiliation, residing at 1249 Blessing St, Maitland, Florida 32751. Florida voter ID number 114289505. This is the most recent information, from the Florida voter list as of 31 December 2014. Garlatz, Andrew William Stanley was born 8 October 1991, is male, registered as Republican Party of Florida, residing at 1926 Montgomery Bell Rd, Wesley Chapel, Florida 33543. Florida voter ID number 122837560. This is the most recent information, from the Florida voter list as of 31 March 2019. Garlatz, Julie Watt was born 1 December 1961, is female, registered as Republican Party of Florida, residing at 671 Glenneyre Cir, St Augustine, Florida 32092. Florida voter ID number 125448022. Her telephone number is 1-760-486-6134. This is the most recent information, from the Florida voter list as of 31 March 2019. 31 July 2018 voter list: Julie Watt Garlatz, 31251 Chatterly DR, Wesley Chapel, FL 33543 Republican Party of Florida. Garlatz, Tyler Joshua was born 22 November 1994, is male, registered as Republican Party of Florida, residing at 671 Glenneyre Cir, St Augustine, Florida 32092. Florida voter ID number 122812555. This is the most recent information, from the Florida voter list as of 31 March 2019. 31 December 2018 voter list: Tyler Joshua Garlatz, 1926 Montgomery Bell RD, Wesley Chapel, FL 33543 Republican Party of Florida. Garlatz, William C. was born 16 June 1956, is male, registered as Republican Party of Florida, residing at 671 Glenneyre Cir, St Augustine, Florida 32092. Florida voter ID number 123043020. His telephone number is 1-818-601-5376. His email address is billgarlatz@yahoo.com. This is the most recent information, from the Florida voter list as of 31 March 2019. 31 December 2018 voter list: William C. Garlatz, 31251 Chatterly DR, Wesley Chapel, FL 33543 Republican Party of Florida. 31 December 2017 voter list: William C. Garlatz, 1926 Montgomery Bell RD, Wesley Chapel, FL 33543 Republican Party of Florida. Garlaus, David Paul was born 10 February 1962, is male, registered as No Party Affiliation, residing at 2151 Sw 114Th Ave, Davie, Florida 33325-4859. Florida voter ID number 101560996. His telephone number is 1-954-584-9661. This is the most recent information, from the Florida voter list as of 31 March 2019. 31 May 2015 voter list: David Paul Garlaus, 2151 SW 114th Ave, Davie, FL 333250000 No Party Affiliation. Garlaus, Linda Marie was born 3 January 1962, is female, registered as Florida Democratic Party, residing at 2151 Sw 114Th Ave, Davie, Florida 33325-4859. Florida voter ID number 101568721. This is the most recent information, from the Florida voter list as of 31 March 2019. GARLAUSKAS, DIVANILZA was born 18 November 1940, is female, registered as Republican Party of Florida, residing at 9 Cambridge Ave, Pensacola, Florida 32534. Florida voter ID number 106460390. Her telephone number is 1-850-525-9245. This is the most recent information, from the Florida voter list as of 31 March 2019. Garleano, Elizabeth was born 12 March 1950, is female, registered as Florida Democratic Party, residing at 509 Murano Dr, Kissimmee, Florida 34759. Florida voter ID number 122594000. Her telephone number is 1-407-450-6353. This is the most recent information, from the Florida voter list as of 31 March 2019. 30 September 2018 voter list: Elizabeth Garleano, 169 MERIDA Dr, Kissimmee, FL 34743 Florida Democratic Party. GARLEFF, ROSEMARIE R. was born 11 March 1933, is female, registered as Florida Democratic Party, residing at 488 Foresta Ter, West Palm Beach, Florida 33415. Florida voter ID number 112212572. This is the most recent information, from the Florida voter list as of 31 March 2019. GARLEN, ALEXANDER KLEIN was born 2 March 1984, is male, registered as No Party Affiliation, residing at 6309 Lauderdale St, Jupiter, Florida 33458. Florida voter ID number 114825059. The voter lists a mailing address and probably prefers you use it: 823 COBBLESTONE BLVD APT 101 FREDERICKSBRG VA 22401. This is the most recent information, from the Florida voter list as of 31 May 2017. GARLEN, GRACEMARIE was born 18 January 1984, is female, registered as Florida Democratic Party, residing at 6309 Lauderdale St, Jupiter, Florida 33458. Florida voter ID number 114825020. This is the most recent information, from the Florida voter list as of 31 May 2012. GARLEN, HYLA BRODKIN was born 1 September 1926, is female, registered as No Party Affiliation, residing at 2751 Regency Oaks Blvd, #R110, Clearwater, Florida 33759. Florida voter ID number 121848211. This is the most recent information, from the Florida voter list as of 30 April 2017. 31 May 2015 voter list: HYLA B. GARLEN, 2751 REGENCY OAKS BLVD, #R110, CLEARWATER, FL 33759 No Party Affiliation. GARLEN, RICHARD A. was born 26 June 1939, is male, registered as Florida Democratic Party, residing at 2390 Sw 11Th Ave, Boynton Beach, Florida 33426. Florida voter ID number 112174898. This is the most recent information, from the Florida voter list as of 31 December 2013. GARLEN, SHEILA M. was born 14 November 1941, is female, registered as Florida Democratic Party, residing at 2390 Sw 11Th Ave, Boynton Beach, Florida 33426. Florida voter ID number 112382124. The voter lists a mailing address and probably prefers you use it: 1065 TYLER BRIDGE RD BRISTOL VT 05443. This is the most recent information, from the Florida voter list as of 30 June 2015. 31 May 2015 voter list: SHEILA M. GARLEN, , , FL Florida Democratic Party. 31 March 2015 voter list: SHEILA M. GARLEN, 2390 SW 11TH AVE, BOYNTON BEACH, FL 33426 Florida Democratic Party. GARLENSKI, CLARENCE R. was born 7 May 1930, is male, registered as Florida Democratic Party, residing at 1255 E Lancewood Pl, Delray Beach, Florida 33445. Florida voter ID number 112441900. This is the most recent information, from the Florida voter list as of 31 May 2013. Garlenski, Daniel Mark was born 22 February 1962, is male, registered as Republican Party of Florida, residing at 261 Ne 16Th Pl, Apt 301, Ft Lauderdale, Florida 33305. Florida voter ID number 101895845. This is the most recent information, from the Florida voter list as of 31 March 2019. 30 November 2016 voter list: Daniel Mark Garlenski, 6000 N OCEAN BLVD, APT 2H, Laud By The Sea, FL 333082343 Republican Party of Florida. 31 May 2015 voter list: Daniel Mark Garlenski, 6000 N Ocean BLVD, APT 2H, Laud By The Sea, FL 33308 Republican Party of Florida. 22 October 2014 voter list: Daniel Mark Garlenski, 2112 S Cypress Bend Dr, APT 506, Pompano Beach, FL 33069 Republican Party of Florida. Garlenski, Gala Irene was born 21 January 1966, is female, registered as Republican Party of Florida, residing at 261 Ne 16Th Pl, Apt 301, Ft Lauderdale, Florida 33305. Florida voter ID number 101680159. This is the most recent information, from the Florida voter list as of 31 March 2019. 30 November 2016 voter list: Gala I. Garlenski, 6000 N Ocean Blvd, APT 2H, Laud By The Sea, FL 333082343 Republican Party of Florida. 31 May 2015 voter list: Gala I. Garlenski, 6000 N Ocean Blvd, APT 2H, Laud By The Sea, FL 33308 Republican Party of Florida. 31 May 2012 voter list: Gala I. Garlenski, 2112 S Cypress Bend Dr, APT 506, Pompano Beach, FL 330690000 Republican Party of Florida. Garlenski, Janet Arlene was born 13 March 1940, is female, registered as Republican Party of Florida, residing at 4015 W Palm Aire Dr, Apt 803, Pompano Beach, Florida 33069. Florida voter ID number 112441901. This is the most recent information, from the Florida voter list as of 31 March 2019. 31 March 2015 voter list: JANET ARLENE GARLENSKI, 1255 E LANCEWOOD PL, DELRAY BEACH, FL 33445 Republican Party of Florida. Garlenski, Steven Lloyd was born 31 December 1963, is male, registered as Republican Party of Florida, residing at 4015 W Palm Aire Dr, Apt 803, Pompano Beach, Florida 33069-4147. Florida voter ID number 102042867. His telephone number is 1-954-943-8563. This is the most recent information, from the Florida voter list as of 31 March 2019. 30 June 2015 voter list: Steven Lloyd Garlenski, 2326 S CYPRESS BEND Dr, APT 219, Pompano Beach, FL 33069 Republican Party of Florida. 31 May 2012 voter list: Steven Lloyd Garlenski, 2302 S Cypress Bend Dr, APT 205, Pompano Beach, FL 330694423 Republican Party of Florida. Garlepp, Candice Michele was born 27 September 1983, is female, registered as Republican Party of Florida, residing at 7598 W Fairview Ct, Crystal River, Florida 34429. Florida voter ID number 105253256. Her telephone number is 1-352-528-2428. This is the most recent information, from the Florida voter list as of 31 March 2019. Garlepp, Daniel A. was born 2 December 1968, is male, registered as Republican Party of Florida, residing at 7598 W Fairview Ct, Crystal River, Florida 34429. Florida voter ID number 105756334. This is the most recent information, from the Florida voter list as of 31 March 2019. GARLEPP, EUGENE LOUIS was born 8 February 1941, is male, registered as No Party Affiliation, residing at 575 Burnside Pl, The Villages, Florida 32163-2426. Florida voter ID number 105760815. This is the most recent information, from the Florida voter list as of 31 March 2019. 31 January 2015 voter list: EUGENE L. GARLEPP, 9996 SW 188TH CIR, DUNNELLON, FL 34432 No Party Affiliation. Garles, Karen M. was born 3 January 1941, is female, registered as No Party Affiliation, residing at 30301 Sw 172Nd Ave, Homestead, Florida 33030. Florida voter ID number 109088816. This is the most recent information, from the Florida voter list as of 31 December 2018. Garles, Lilliam was born 21 September 1950, is female, registered as No Party Affiliation, residing at 10380 Sw 143Rd Pl, Miami, Florida 33186. Florida voter ID number 118471892. Her telephone number is 1-786-246-7266. This is the most recent information, from the Florida voter list as of 31 March 2019. Garlesky, Cindy A. was born 8 May 1957, is female, registered as No Party Affiliation, residing at 8235 Sw 151St St, Palmetto Bay, Florida 33158. Florida voter ID number 109438385. This is the most recent information, from the Florida voter list as of 31 March 2019. GARLET, ALLEN LEE was born 7 April 1965, is male, registered as Republican Party of Florida, residing at 4818 Roberts Rd, Palm Harbor, Florida 34683. Florida voter ID number 125277025. This is the most recent information, from the Florida voter list as of 31 March 2019. GARLET, LORI ANNE was born 20 December 1964, is female, registered as Republican Party of Florida, residing at 5583 Nw Scepter Dr, Pt St Lucie, Florida 34983. Florida voter ID number 126513337. This is the most recent information, from the Florida voter list as of 31 March 2019. Garlet, Ronald L. was born 22 May 1967, is male, registered as Republican Party of Florida, residing at 380 Jefferson Dr, Apt 106, Deerfield Beach, Florida 33442. Florida voter ID number 102192165. This is the most recent information, from the Florida voter list as of 30 November 2016. Garlet, Ronald L. was born 22 May 1967, is male, registered as Republican Party of Florida, residing at 853 S Ocean Blvd, Pompano Beach, Florida 33062. Florida voter ID number 124842998. This is the most recent information, from the Florida voter list as of 31 March 2019. Garlets, Brian Keith was born 7 June 1963, is male, registered as Republican Party of Florida, residing at 649 Lakemont Dr, Brandon, Florida 33510. Florida voter ID number 115311343. This is the most recent information, from the Florida voter list as of 31 May 2012. Garlets, Jeannea Louise was born 3 June 1967, is female, registered as Republican Party of Florida, residing at 649 Lakemont Dr, Brandon, Florida 33510. Florida voter ID number 115311291. This is the most recent information, from the Florida voter list as of 31 May 2012. Garlets, Marian L. was born 22 December 1931, is female, registered as Florida Democratic Party, residing at 3115 Pineview Dr, Holiday, Florida 34691. Florida voter ID number 106332254. This is the most recent information, from the Florida voter list as of 30 September 2014. Garlett, Beverly Dawn Wilson was born 11 March 1974, is female, registered as Republican Party of Florida, residing at 2839 Safe Harbor Dr, Tampa, Florida 33618. Florida voter ID number 110934767. This is the most recent information, from the Florida voter list as of 28 February 2018. 31 May 2012 voter list: Beverly Dawn Wilson, 2839 Safe Harbor Dr, Tampa, FL 33618 Republican Party of Florida. GARLETT, JERRY WAYNE was born 11 August 1944, is male, registered as Republican Party of Florida, residing at 607 Mallory Hill Dr, The Villages, Florida 32162. Florida voter ID number 100779129. His telephone number is 1-321-267-4438. His email address is JERRYGAR@JUNO.COM. This is the most recent information, from the Florida voter list as of 31 March 2019. 30 June 2015 voter list: JERRY W. GARLETT, 607 MALLORY HILL DR, THE VILLAGES, FL 32162 Republican Party of Florida. Garlett, Linda C. was born 3 September 1951, is female, registered as Republican Party of Florida, residing at 2114 Greenway Preserve Ln, Tampa, Florida 33619. Florida voter ID number 110564128. Her telephone number is 1-813-335-2116. This is the most recent information, from the Florida voter list as of 31 March 2019. 30 September 2018 voter list: LINDA C. GARLETT, 13812 SIGLER ST, RIVERVIEW, FL 33579 Republican Party of Florida. GARLETT, MICHAELA DEMERY was born 4 June 1971, is female, registered as No Party Affiliation, residing at 22620 Blue Fin Trl, Boca Raton, Florida 33428. Florida voter ID number 117579233. This is the most recent information, from the Florida voter list as of 31 March 2019. GARLETT, STEVEN WAYNE was born 20 May 1972, is male, registered as No Party Affiliation, residing at 22620 Blue Fin Trl, Boca Raton, Florida 33428. Florida voter ID number 117573510. This is the most recent information, from the Florida voter list as of 31 March 2019. GARLETT, VICKEY L. born 20 November 1944, Florida voter ID number 100779140 See GARLETT, VICTORIA LUCILLE. CLICK HERE. GARLETT, VICTORIA LUCILLE was born 20 November 1944, is female, registered as Republican Party of Florida, residing at 607 Mallory Hill Dr, The Villages, Florida 32162-6037. Florida voter ID number 100779140. Her telephone number is 1-321-267-4438. This is the most recent information, from the Florida voter list as of 31 March 2019. 31 May 2015 voter list: VICKEY L. GARLETT, 607 MALLORY HILL DR, THE VILLAGES, FL 32162 Republican Party of Florida. Garletts, April N. was born 20 December 1980, is female, registered as Florida Democratic Party, residing at 10200 Sw 49Th Ct, Cooper City, Florida 33328-4015. Florida voter ID number 101997442. Her telephone number is 1-954-434-1229. This is the most recent information, from the Florida voter list as of 31 March 2019. 31 May 2015 voter list: April N. Garletts, 10200 SW 49th Ct, Cooper City, FL 33328 Florida Democratic Party. GARLETTS, BONNIE JEAN was born 25 February 1948, is female, registered as No Party Affiliation, residing at 5115 Old Harbor Pt, #103, Oviedo, Florida 32765. Florida voter ID number 124091838. This is the most recent information, from the Florida voter list as of 31 July 2018. GARLETTS, DIANE was born 7 July 1961, is female, registered as No Party Affiliation, residing at 10380 Quality Dr, Apt 433, Spring Hill, Florida 34609-9715. Florida voter ID number 117195093. This is the most recent information, from the Florida voter list as of 31 March 2019. 31 December 2017 voter list: DIANE GARLETTS, 1257 SYLVIA AVE, SPRING HILL, FL 34606 No Party Affiliation. 31 March 2016 voter list: DIANE GARLETTS, 2457 MATHESON AVE, SPRING HILL, FL 346084375 No Party Affiliation. 29 February 2016 voter list: DIANE GARLETTS, 2654 LANDOVER BLVD, SPRING HILL, FL 346083633 No Party Affiliation. Garletts, Gail A. was born 2 August 1948, is female, registered as Republican Party of Florida, residing at 10200 Sw 49Th Ct, Cooper City, Florida 33328-4015. Florida voter ID number 101462514. This is the most recent information, from the Florida voter list as of 31 March 2019. 31 May 2015 voter list: Gail A. Garletts, 10200 SW 49th Ct, Cooper City, FL 333280000 Republican Party of Florida. GARLETTS, GEORGE A. was born 26 July 1953, is male, registered as Republican Party of Florida, residing at 1105 Weber St, Orlando, Florida 32803. Florida voter ID number 113014414. The voter lists a mailing address and probably prefers you use it: PO BOX 533302 ORLANDO FL 32853. This is the most recent information, from the Florida voter list as of 31 March 2019. GARLETTS, HERBERT RICHARD was born 14 March 1945, is male, registered as Republican Party of Florida, residing at 9183 Penelope Dr, Weeki Wachee, Florida 34613. Florida voter ID number 118822732. This is the most recent information, from the Florida voter list as of 31 March 2019. GARLETTS, JEAN MARIE was born 10 June 1951, is female, registered as Florida Democratic Party, residing at 4513 Fargo Pl, Orlando, Florida 32808. Florida voter ID number 112698378. This is the most recent information, from the Florida voter list as of 31 March 2019. GARLETTS, JUDITH P. was born 24 March 1962, is female, registered as Florida Democratic Party, residing at 4512 Fargo Pl, Orlando, Florida 32808. Florida voter ID number 113222685. Her telephone number is 1-407-218-4636. This is the most recent information, from the Florida voter list as of 31 March 2019. GARLETTS, MARY ELIZABETH was born 2 May 1947, is female, registered as Republican Party of Florida, residing at 9183 Penelope Dr, Weeki Wachee, Florida 34613. Florida voter ID number 118141976. This is the most recent information, from the Florida voter list as of 31 March 2019. GARLETTS, RICKIE DEAN was born 21 June 1957, is male, registered as Republican Party of Florida, residing at 4512 Fargo Pl, Orlando, Florida 32808. Florida voter ID number 113295559. This is the most recent information, from the Florida voter list as of 31 March 2019. Garletts, Shane C. was born 16 November 1970, is male, registered as No Party Affiliation, residing at 9860 Nw 24Th Pl, Sunrise, Florida 33322-1902. Florida voter ID number 101704630. This is the most recent information, from the Florida voter list as of 31 March 2019. 31 May 2015 voter list: Shane C. Garletts, 9860 NW 24th Pl, Sunrise, FL 333220000 No Party Affiliation. Garletts, Steff A. was born 3 February 1974, is male, registered as No Party Affiliation, residing at 10200 Sw 49Th Ct, Cooper City, Florida 33328-4015. Florida voter ID number 101606876. This is the most recent information, from the Florida voter list as of 31 March 2019. 31 May 2015 voter list: Steff A. Garletts, 10200 SW 49th Ct, Cooper City, FL 333280000 No Party Affiliation. Garletts-Colon, Jennifer Marie was born 14 September 1970, is female, registered as Republican Party of Florida, residing at 16336 Burniston Dr, Tampa, Florida 33647. Florida voter ID number 115620466. This is the most recent information, from the Florida voter list as of 31 March 2019. GARLEWICZ, CHARLES STANLEY was born 2 December 1932, registered as No Party Affiliation, residing at 7266 Truitt Ave, Brooksville, Florida 34601. Florida voter ID number 125908833. This is the most recent information, from the Florida voter list as of 31 March 2019. Garlewsky, Christopher R. was born 27 February 1981, is male, registered as Florida Democratic Party, residing at 731 Nw 69Th Ave, Margate, Florida 33063-4412. Florida voter ID number 112030902. His telephone number is 496-3095 (no area code listed). This is the most recent information, from the Florida voter list as of 31 March 2019. 30 June 2015 voter list: Christopher R. Garlewsky, 731 NW 69th Ave, Margate, FL 33063 Florida Democratic Party. GARLEWSKY, LISA MARIE was born 27 December 1983, is female, registered as Florida Democratic Party, residing at 3619 Pinewood Ave, West Palm Beach, Florida 33407. Florida voter ID number 112033714. This is the most recent information, from the Florida voter list as of 31 March 2019. 31 August 2016 voter list: Lisa Marie Garlewsky, 5510 Jonquil CT, Apt 105, Naples, FL 34109 Florida Democratic Party. 31 May 2012 voter list: Lisa Marie Garlewsky, 1696 Wellesley CIR, Apt 1, Naples, FL 34116 Florida Democratic Party. GARLEWSKY, STACEY LEE born 7 July 1977, Florida voter ID number 107072618 See HALBERT, STACEY LEE. CLICK HERE. GARLEY, AMANDA L. was born 27 September 1980, is female, registered as No Party Affiliation, residing at 4685 Pine Grove Dr, Delray Beach, Florida 33445. Florida voter ID number 112045726. This is the most recent information, from the Florida voter list as of 31 May 2017. GARLEY, AMBER JORDAN MARIE was born 15 March 1990, is female, registered as No Party Affiliation, residing at 5771 Osprey Rd, Venice, Florida 34293. Florida voter ID number 123693112. Her telephone number is 1-360-649-7386. The voter lists a mailing address and probably prefers you use it: 3614 PREBBLES STREET BREMERTON 98312 US. This is the most recent information, from the Florida voter list as of 31 March 2019. Garley, Barbara Childress was born 10 March 1954, is female, registered as Republican Party of Florida, residing at 3231 Vail View Dr, Port Orange, Florida 32128. Florida voter ID number 108496630. Her telephone number is 1-386-451-5108. This is the most recent information, from the Florida voter list as of 31 March 2019. 31 December 2014 voter list: Barbara Childress Britt, 3231 Vail View DR, Port Orange, FL 32128 Republican Party of Florida. 31 January 2014 voter list: Barbara Childress Britt, 294 S Orchard St, Ormond Beach, FL 321746918 Republican Party of Florida. Garley, Bruce Scott was born 23 July 1951, is male, registered as Florida Democratic Party, residing at 6326 Millstone Dr, New Port Richey, Florida 34655. Florida voter ID number 118577405. This is the most recent information, from the Florida voter list as of 31 March 2019. GARLEY, CHARLES WILLIAM was born 3 November 1949, is male, residing at 211 Sw Jensen Ln, Fort White, Florida 32038. Florida voter ID number 103177625. This is the most recent information, from the Florida voter list as of 31 May 2012. Garley, Daniel Peter was born 13 November 1957, is male, registered as Republican Party of Florida, residing at 3231 Vail View Dr, Port Orange, Florida 32128. Florida voter ID number 108813815. His telephone number is 1-386-562-1449. His email address is DGARLEY@GMAIL.COM. This is the most recent information, from the Florida voter list as of 31 March 2019. 31 May 2012 voter list: Daniel Peter Garley, 294 S Orchard St, Ormond Beach, FL 32174 Republican Party of Florida.

2019-04-18T23:12:28Z

https://flvoters.com/pages/g101723.html

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2019-04-21T16:09:26Z

https://xtremeinternetmarketing.com/location/Michigan/Elwell-engine-maps-seo-specialist-local-website-first-search-hosting-social-design-google-optimization-powerlistings-page-marketing-media-web-expert-internet/

Marriage was an organizing factor in your lives. You and your spouse together made many decisions in particular ways because you were married and shared certain values and expectations. Now those expectations have been turned upside down. You will be negotiating a separation agreement at an emotionally difficult point in your life, and you will be required to make decisions without your accustomed underlying rationale. This can be frustrating and confusing. You or your spouse may find that feelings of anxiety over the potential loss of financial security, extended family, home, and friends have a quality more like childhood panic than adult concern, because these losses represent a temporary loss of the “self” with which you have become comfortable. There may be feelings of betrayal, rage, or helplessness. If the two of you become involved in an adversarial process, these feelings may be intensified because you’ll be dependent on your lawyers’ strategizing. A mediator understands this state of mind and will keep the negotiations non-confrontational and structured. With your mediator’s assistance, you will both be able to speak for yourselves and plan your individual futures. The negotiation techniques we discuss will be helpful with this process. We will answer questions about how to overcome emotions that interfere with negotiations: how to make trade-offs so that you get what you really want; how to get a reluctant spouse to mediate; how to overcome impasses; and how to develop better ways to communicate so that you can have future discussions concerning such issues as parenting arrangements with less conflict. "How is negotiating my divorce agreement different from other types of negotiations?" Because you are negotiating something very complex and personal, the stakes are higher than if you were negotiating a business matter. Your relationship has probably been quite emotional, both affectionate and angry, and facing separation may elicit some painful and perhaps unanticipated responses from both of you. If you have children, you cannot walk away and never see each other again. You will be negotiating the terms of an ongoing relationship that will affect both you and your children for many years to come. Under these circumstances a win/lose approach cannot work. "How do I get what I want? Are there rules for negotiating?" Negotiation is about problem solving. There are no absolute rules, but there are techniques to be used thoughtfully. You are more familiar with the process of resolving conflicts through negotiation and compromise than you may think. You have negotiated with friends and family about all sorts of choices affecting more than one person. Think about what you have learned about yourself as a negotiator in your prior experiences resolving such common conflicts as scheduling, meals, curfews, hairstyles, holidays.These are some of the basic ideas to keep in mind when you negotiate. Do your homework in advance so that you are prepared with information and questions about the issues that concern you. Think about what’s really important to you, and think about trade-offs. Don’t get greedy, but don’t fail to recognize if you’re in a poor bargaining position on some issues. Keep in mind that it is unlikely you will get everything you want, whether you use mediation or litigation. If you remember this, you’ll have a much easier time considering alternative proposals. Prioritize what’s important to you. Look at the whole picture. Don’t limit yourself to one issue. Be aware of what you value most. Assess and strategize, anticipating what your spouse may want or must have. Plan some concession points. You may be willing to give up money for some other benefit, or some other benefit for money. Be patient. Negotiation is a process that takes time. Focus on the future. Don’t dwell on past issues that won’t continue once you’re divorced. Begin with a reasonable position. If you’re unreasonable at outset, you risk an impasse. Stay with the agenda. Don’t get stuck on irrelevant issues. Don’t formulate a reply without listening carefully. Take notes. Be certain you understand what is said. Clarify by asking questions of both the mediator and your spouse. Don’t be confrontational, and avoid verbal put-downs. Focus on the problem instead of on who’s to blame. Do not escalate. If your spouse attacks you verbally, don’t take the bait. Stay focused on your future goals and on the problems that stand in the way. Avoid treating everything as equally important. Probably, the antique clock and the pension plan are not of equal value to you. Generate solutions. When you say no, try to suggest another solution. You don’t have to agree to anything that you think is unfair, but you should consider every proposal seriously — and seriously consider how it can be modified. Is there something else that might make the proposal more appealing to you? Review any documents of information provided during mediation. Be certain they are clear and complete. Remember, mediation goes through stages. Often when your easier issues are settled and the end is in sight, there will be more motivation to compromise. As mediation sessions end, continue your homework. Review the proposed agreement, making sure that you have read it carefully and that you understand it. Be certain that your final agreement is clear and enforceable. An agreement to negotiate about an issue at a future date is not enforceable unless there are clear guidelines about who will make the final decision and what criteria will be used. "How can I negotiate when I don’t want to compromise?" We can understand that winning it all — particularly if you feel you are in the right — is very satisfying. Winning feels good. The problem is, decisions made by you and your spouse in mediation or by a judge seldom give everything to one person and nothing to the other. So, even if you’re in the right, if you are unwilling to compromise, you run the risk of losing what is most important to you, and probably at great cost in terms of time, money, and emotion. Instead of worrying about compromises, think about options. How many different ways can you have it your way? What don’t you really want or need that you can consider trading for what you really must have? And most important, think about what you really want. Dolores worked with one couple in mediation where the father insisted on being the “school-night parent” (the one with whom the child spent school nights) and was prepared to put up quite a fight to get that access. But when Dolores asked exactly what hours he wanted to spend with his daughter, it turned out he had only two weeknights available, and one of those evenings he was only available after 7 p.m. Once the father explored the options with Dolores, he decided it was more important to have more quality time than busy evenings with his daughter, and he agreed to lengthy weekend visits instead. "If my spouse and I are at an impasse on a particular issue, how will mediation help us resolve it?" We need to look closely at the reasons you can’t agree. Are there emotional issues? Is there a fear of committing to a different way of doing things? Are you concerned that you may waive some legal rights? Or do you lack sufficient information? People often have a period of extreme emotional upset when a marriage is ending. Severe anxiety and depression are not abnormal at this time. If you are at a stalemate because of an emotional reaction, a few sessions with a therapist may help you to clarify and moderate your feelings so that you can think more objectively. Are you afraid to commit to a change that might not work out? Are you afraid to formalize changes in your relationship with your children? If so, consider experimenting. Try something for a month or two, and agree that you’ll do something totally different if the trial plan doesn’t work out. For example, try out a parenting plan and then, in a mediation session, make adjustments that are an outgrowth of having some experience with shared parenting. Sometimes people are afraid they will permanently waive their legal rights if they make a decision, and as a consequence they become immobilized. In such a situation, you might try to negotiate a temporary arrangement, with a clear understanding that this will not set a precedent for the future. In one of Dolores’s cases, although the husband wanted to move out, he was afraid to do so for fear that he would be accused of abandonment and that he would lose any right to the house and to shared custody. The wife agreed to sign a temporary agreement stating that his move would not waive any of his rights. Sometimes lack of sufficient information creates the impasse. Often the mediator can provide the needed information. If not, the mediator may recommend an opinion from someone both parties agree upon as an expert. This expert might be a child psychologist, planner, a neutral attorney, or an appraiser. And you both agree in advance that the expert’s opinion will either be simply advisory (you will take it into consideration) or that it will be binding (you agree to accept the expert opinion to break the impasse). The mediator’s role is to help the couple think through their respective positions regarding each issue. We help to generate options, and we take an active role in eliminating an impasse if it occurs. "Why is it so difficult to separate or divorce?" Do both of you find it difficult? If so, you may want to try couples counseling before proceeding with divorce. However, if only one of you is interested in counseling, then it’s probably time to come to terms with the separation. There’s often ambivalence about saying goodbye. This is usually a factor when couples in mediation have difficulty agreeing on minor issues, seem to connect intensely through anger, or, when the agreement is almost complete, seek to change some of the terms. During the process of mediating the separation agreement, your fears will begin to subside as you learn to negotiate constructively and to resist your impulses to engage in emotional arguments. Mediation will restore a sense of your own power and autonomy. You will learn not only to assert your needs but to plan for and develop control over your future. "We disagree on so many things. How will we ever negotiate a settlement?" Being unable to agree is probably a major reason you’re planning to separate or divorce. Throughout your marriage, you may have been disagreeing openly and feeling hostile to each other, or you may have been holding back your hostility to avoid a confrontation, but you were probably having those disagreements silently in your own mind. If communication has broken down but you want to make a settlement, you will find mediation extremely helpful. The mediator will help you communicate about the necessary issues and will stop both of you from rehashing past disagreements. She will keep you focused on your individual and separate future plans and will strongly encourage you to let go of the argumentative habits that didn’t work in the past. "When we argue, my spouse always wins. How will I be able to negotiate under these circumstances?" If you feel overpowered by your spouse, you need to really examine why your spouse always wins arguments with you. Does your spouse win because you’re uncomfortable arguing? Are you afraid of losing control? Your mediator’s role is to keep the discussions calm, to help you both assert yourselves without losing control. Remember, the purpose of divorce mediation is to negotiate a settlement of the practical issues, not to win an argument or to place blame. Are you afraid things will get violent? Does your spouse threaten you? Don’t agree to mediate under these circumstances. The only exception is in some court-ordered mediation programs in which they have special protective arrangements (security guards, separate waiting rooms, controlled departures, etc.) for couples where violence is an issue. This is obviously not possible in a private mediator’s office, which is why we don’t recommend it. Do you stop arguing because you believe your spouse knows more about an issue? Here, mediation can be helpful. Your mediator will assist you with negotiation techniques and with information. Mediators have many ways to empower the weaker party at any point in a negotiation, and remember, each couple relates differently on different topics. You may feel less knowledgeable than your spouse in some areas, but in others, you’ll feel confident and your spouse will be the one who is unsure. Your mediator will remain in control of the process and keep the focus on the future. Clarification will be encouraged, confrontation discouraged. Mediators support the expression of ideas, but they don’t permit disruptive behavior. "My spouse discusses every detail of our separation with her family and close friends, and everyone gives her advice. How can we negotiate under these circumstances?" In many families –and indeed in many cultures –marriage is a joining of families, and there is a strong tradition of family involvement even before the marriage. In that context, it isn’t surprising that families often are very involved if the marriage is in trouble. It may be appropriate to discuss the point of view of the involved family members at the beginning of mediation so that their feelings are clear to the mediator. If close friends play an important role in your spouse’s life, it may be necessary to allow your spouse to state their viewpoints once, and then establish some ground rules about their involvement. An attempt can be made to experiment with realistic limits about with whom you may discuss the separation while you are engaged in the mediation process, how frequently you may speak with them, and what topics are off limits for the moment. Both you and your spouse probably suffer additional stress as a result of the confusion and misunderstandings caused by all that cross-talk, and couples often find that these limits are a relief. "We tried to work the marriage out but couldn’t. I know divorce is the only answer, so why am I depressed?" The depression may be in anticipation of the losses you fear, and you may be grieving. The end of your marriage, and the possible loss of significant relationships, familiar surroundings, and financial security often lead to feelings of sadness and worthlessness. Insomnia and an inability to concentrate are not unusual in this period. If you have had other significant losses earlier in life, or if you have a history of depression, your upcoming divorce may trigger a deeper, more serious reaction. It is important that you see a therapist to determine the extent of your depression and to obtain appropriate help. It helps to know that feeling very sad about divorce is normal. There are different phases, or stages, that people who are grieving commonly pass through. Elisabeth KŸbler-Ross described these stages as shock and denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance (in that order). Try thinking about your recent experience in terms of where you have been and where you are in these stages. Remember, it takes time to work your way through these phases, but it doesn’t take forever. Some of your sadness may be linked to anxiety about the future. You will be helped by working through the details of your divorce in a calm, supportive setting where you can plan for the future. While some sadness may remain, you will experience relief as each issue falls into place, and you will gradually be able to accept the changes that your divorce will bring. "I’ve become very suspicious of my spouse. How can I trust her in mediation?" Are these feelings that you had during the marriage, or are they directly related to the decision to divorce? Have you caught your spouse in lies throughout the marriage? If your spouse has been dishonest during the marriage, you will undoubtedly convey that to your mediator early in the process so that she will be alert to any possible deception might affect the settlement. Is it only now that you are suspicious? If you express doubt about anything your spouse says with regard to the settlement, the mediator can make sure that all the facts are fully disclosed so that the settlement will be fair. If full disclosure is not made, the mediation cannot proceed. There is another possibility: the divorce process itself can bring on feelings of mistrust, suspicion, betrayal, and even paranoia. And the friends and relatives you turn to for advice may increase your fears; they may want to be protective, give advice, or tell war stories about divorce. If you’ve visited any litigators, they may have increased your suspiciousness because it’s their duty to tell you the worst that can happen and to formulate a plan of attack. In contrast, mediation is helpful in building trust. Your mediator will be emotionally supportive and will require that all necessary information be shared. Since you will be in the room together throughout the mediation, you can observe your spouse’s reactions to all the issues. This atmosphere encourages candid discussion, and you will find that it decreases your feelings of distrust. "I’m frightened. My spouse has been very abusive. Can we mediate our divorce?" If your spouse has recently been physically abusive or has frequently been intimidating or threatening, we would generally recommend private mediation. Has there been physical abuse? We feel strongly that if there is a recent history of abuse of you or of your children, the relationship is too threatening for you to be able to negotiate effectively –even with the help of a mediator. You may be too fearful to be appropriately assertive about what you want in the mediation session, and you may be in danger after the session if your spouse has been upset in the session. Has my spouse frequently tried to intimidate me with insults, accusations, or threats of violence? Even though things have never gotten physical, does this behavior make discussion impossible? Does it make me feel powerless? Am I afraid my spouse will threaten me after each session? Will I be afraid to speak up in the session, even with the mediator’s help? Was my spouse’s abusive behavior linked to alcohol or drug abuse? If so, is my spouse in recovery? For how long? Is there a strong enough support system in place so that a relapse is unlikely? If you are fearful, it is probably better that you not deal directly with your spouse. We suggest you hire a lawyer to represent you on your behalf. This article has been edited and excerpted from The Divorce Mediation Answer Book by Carol A. Butler and Dolores D. Walker (Kodansha America, $16). In this accessible question-and-answer guide, two practicing experts offer sound advice about the divorce mediation process. You’ll find answers to questions such as: what are the advantages of mediation; how do we find a mediator; what if we don’t agree with the mediator’s recommendation; and what are the best ways to help our children survive the process? There’s also a terrific resource section that lists mediators around the country as well as other sources of valuable information to help you save time, money, and emotional energy. Available at better bookstores, or by calling (800) 451-7556. Reprinted with permission, April, 2005.

2019-04-20T18:19:40Z

https://carolinadivorcemediators.com/sitemap/preparation/things-that-affect-how-you-mediate/

If you have a dog that has picked up fleas I am sure you know it is a complete nightmare to try to get RID of the fleas. Over the years I have tried several natural products and none have gotten rid of the fleas. I tried the oral pills for fleas my veterinarian recommended but that made one of my dogs sick and the other one’s muscles in his back legs locked up leaving him walking very stiffly and unable to jump. I found both of these things extremely sad and disheartening. I finally gave up and tried the Seresto Collar but I have to tell you the chemicals in this collar are SO toxic it made both my dogs almost catatonic after only wearing the collar 4 hours! The chemicals in Seresto ®contains two active ingredients: imidacloprid which kills adult fleas, flea larvae and lice – and flumethrin, which repels and kills adult ticks, larvae and nymphs. I must warn you this will also have serious side effects on your dog and I have read of cases where dogs became so ill from this collar they had to be rushed to the vet. I knew I had to do something else. I did research for almost 2 weeks until I finally found something amazing that is 100% Natural, kills fleas AND WORKS! HOORAY! What is it?? It’s called The Amber Collar! This collar is so incredible and amazing I recommend it to everyone that wants to keep their pets flea free! Why Is Dog Training SO Imperative For Your Dog? Dogs are a separate species from people and as such have their own special needs and natural instincts. They communicate differently than we humans do, and many of their normal behaviors are counter to our own. When we bring a dog or puppy into our homes and our lives we are asking them to change much of what is natural about their existence. We not only need to teach them how to fit in but also teach ourselves about their needs so that we can learn to accommodate them and adjust our expectations to make the best possible situation for both species; dog and human. If we do not take the time to train our dogs and educate ourselves we will both be frustrated and not nearly as happy as we could be. Clicker training is a positive, motivational training method based on the scientific principles of learning theory and operant conditioning. The basic principle of clicker training is that behaviors, which are rewarded, are made stronger and occur more frequently. A small mechanical clicker is used to mark the precise instant your dog is performing a behavior as requested and then is followed by a reward, usually a tasty treat. Clicker training makes our dogs active partners in the training process. By having to think about what we want, dogs generally learn quicker, retain lessons better and have more fun doing so. Once a dog has learned a behavior such as “down” we will associate it with both a hand signal and a word cue and start to phase out the use of the clicker. There is nothing magical about the clicker. It is just utilized to make a sound which is used as an event marker to indicate to the dog the precise instant it has done exactly what we wanted. The trainers at Sea World use a whistle as an alternative to the clicker, and I know trainers that have used a flashlight to train deaf dogs and even goldfish. What makes these event markers work so well is that they mark the animal’s behavior precisely and with no emotional baggage. The animal learns that the flash of light or click means they have done a good job and will be rewarded. Summer is almost over but is your dog STILL scratching like crazy? Fleas and ticks are still running around ramped outdoors, but how do you protect your beloved furry friend without giving them harmful chemical toxic sprays and harmful pills? Soak your dog in Dawn dish detergent for 10-15 minutes making sure he/she is fully immersed in the water and the suds have covered the coat. Diatomaceous earth (DE) is a non-toxic powder made up of fossilized organisms called diatoms that break apart flea eggs and dry them out before they can grow into adult fleas. Spread diatomaceous earth outside in your yard wherever your dog spends most of her time. If you have carpets in your house spread the powder all over and vacuum after 48 hours. Do this once a month during flea season. You can purchase DE at most holistic dog supply stores, health stores and garden centers. Make sure you’re buying food grade DE which is safe for humans and animals. Don’t buy pool grade DE which is heat treated and turns the silicon dioxide that’s in DE into crystalline silica, which can be toxic to humans and animals. Pool grade DE should only ever be used for filtration purposes. Fleas don’t like garlic, so it’s a natural flea repellent that’s safe to use in the yard and with your pets. Here’s a recipe you can make to spray in your yard when flea populations are reaching epic proportions. It has been so hot here in Charlotte, NC since the beginning of June. All of July has been extremely hot with a lot of bad storms, I know most of us are waiting for August to pass by so we can move into fall! Since it has been so hot I recommend getting a small put pool from Target, Wal-Mart, Pet smart or Pet Supply Stores and fill the pool with ice. If you have a bigger dog with a lot of fur they will most likely be thrilled and won’t be able to wait to jump into this fun new doggy pool you created. Many people keep their pets fur groomed very short in the summer months to help keep them cool, however remember pets sweat through their paws and tongue so make sure their paws don’t overheat and check them for cracks. The sidewalks and pavements are so hot many pets paws become red, cracked and inflamed. If your dog has cracked, red or swollen paws here is a product to help with that. Musher’s Secret Paw Protection Natural Dog Wax provides the ultimate paw protection in any season without the need for uncomfortable dog boots. Your pup will be able to walk without hurting his paws on icy or hot sidewalks, sandy beaches, hard pavement or snow-filled walkways. Musher’s Secret forms a breathable, dense barrier to protect your dog’s paws from the elements in even the most extreme weather conditions. That means no more irritating sand, ice or snow between the paws or stuck to the furry paw pads. This moisturizing formula is a blend of 100% pure natural waxes, including white and yellow beeswax and vitamin E that not only protects but also soothes cracked pads and paws. Another tip is to make some natural frozen treats for your dog. Here is one recipe I recommend, it has all natural ingredients that your pup will love! How about some frozen watermelon treats? Getting A New Puppy? Read This First! Puppies are so cute, cuddly and sweet aren’t they? When you love animals you will absolutely love puppies but sometimes we don’t think about what a huge responsibility they are. Having a puppy is similar to having a baby because they need to have constant care, they need to be fed more frequently when they are puppies and will absolutely need to go to the bathroom every two to four hours. Since you will probably be working during the day you will need a dog walker to care for your sweet puppy while you’re at work, meetings, away on vacation or enjoying a glamorous lunch or dinner with your favorite people, co workers and or loved ones. We want you to be able to enjoy your day and not worry about getting stuck in traffic and missing your entire lunch break trying to race home and care for your puppy. Where’s My Walk of Charlotte, NC is here to take your puppy on a walk, offer fresh water, food, treats, playtime and make sure they are safe. It is very important to read up on puppy safety and puppy proof your home before getting a puppy as they love to chew, nip and get into almost everything they shouldn’t. Brand new shoes? Careful your puppy may think that is a new chew toy for him or her. Cell phone charger cords and plugs? Puppies also love to chew on those! If you have small children in the home be careful to pick up their toys as small puppies will find even the tiniest toy or thumbtack, nail, paperclip, or rubber band and could choke on it. Never crate a puppy with their collar on as they could get it caught on a part of the crate and choke and or suffocate themselves. Puppies like to test us and see how much they can get away with. They need to be taught at a young age what they can play with and what they can not play with. Instead of putting a ton of toys in their crate or play area put a few puppy safe toys for them to play with and rotate their toys so they keep interested. Kong’s are highly recommended as they can keep entertained with those for a long time. Puppies need to be entertained otherwise they find things to chew and destroy. Please do not give them any bones or things to chew on that they can choke on. If you are going to give them peanut butter make sure it is free of sugar, partially hydrogenated oils and other chemicals that are toxic and harmful for your new puppy as their stomachs and whole systems are very sensitive. Teach your puppy as early as possible the meaning of the word “no”, “off”, “leave it” “good girl and or good boy” as they need a lot of praise as well. Enjoy your puppy they grow up so fast! Have you noticed your cat or dog is ill and they are not getting better? They have been in and out of the vets office many times but they still aren’t well and their issues are still present? Do you feel uncomfortable giving your pets medications and pharmaceuticals to treat illness’s? If so you are in luck, keep reading! Did you know we offer Wellness Consultations for your dogs and cats? We will do an evaluation of your pet, and give natural recommendations of how to help your pet(s) heal naturally without any pharmaceutical meds or harmful topical ointments. We believe in homeopathic medicine for cats and dogs, as well as herbs and a natural diet. We specialize in offering your pet the healthiest lifestyle possible. We will educate you on options for your pet and it is your option what you would like to do from there. The choice is yours, and it’s simple. Call 704-995-0626 today to schedule a wellness consultation now! Isn’t $50 worth a second opinion? You will be glad you called, we are waiting to hear from you, we are just a phone call away! What Ingredients Are Really Used To Make Most Dog Foods? From the very young age of eight years old I have believed in natural herbs, organic living, holistic health, homeopathy, acupuncture, Chiropractic and natural remedies. I always felt these natural remedies were much better for us than prescription drugs and over the counter medications that have side effects. All of us want to feel better when we are sick or experiencing some discomfort from perhaps an itchy rash or upset stomach. When our pets become ill we take them to the vet because they are trained to care for our pets however our pets are in the midst of an epidemic. It’s not an epidemic of viral disease, but of chronic ill health. Most people feed their dogs and cats dry or wet dog food yet they have no idea how processed this food actually is. Curious what is really in some of your dogs food you are buying for them? I strongly suggest you read all the ingredients in your dogs pet food but also please realize wet or dry dog food is not naturally occurring in the wild and very depleted of vitamins and minerals they need to stay healthy. So just what could be in your dogs food? Take a look below. Dead pets collected from shelters are frequently thrown into the grinder with their flea collars still attached. Insecticide-laced patches found on the skin of slaughtered cattle are also carelessly added to the mix.Antibiotics and other pharmaceuticals follow livestock directly into the soup. And drugs given to euthanize animals have been regularly found in the rendered product.Unwanted metal contaminants can be traced to a variety of sources including pet collars, ID tags, surgical pins and needles. Even plastics can sometimes end up in the process. SCARY ISN’T IT? I thought so. This is why I have taken my dogs completely off all dog food and put them on freeze dried raw food. I recommend Primal and Bravo. The Real Cost of Friends and Family Pet Care. Why Hiring a Professional Pet Sitter is Better! Every year, around this time, we get a lot of calls from people seeking pet care over Easter and Mother’s Day. Sometimes, a friend or family member has been lined up to stay with the pets and the plans fall through. This sounds like a great idea. The person is someone you trust and the price is right…cheap or free. Sometimes, this option is great and works with no problems. Back-up pet sitters: Let’s face it, people are human! They get sick, have family drama, or other life issues that take them away from work commitments. When that happens with one of our sitters, we have other sitters to jump in and do the job. You can go on with your vacation and have the peace of mind that your pets are being cared for by one of our great sitters. If your friend or family member has to leave the job, is there a back-up person available to fill in? Save Money: What happens if you buy plane tickets, reserve car and hotel, and your friend or family member bails on you? Spend the money on a professional pet sitter and this is something you don’t have to worry about! Friends/Family bring their own pet along. What happens if a fight ensues, or pet soils carpet or furniture? This could cause hard feelings for years or broken friendships. This happened to my dental hygienist. Their friend was watching their dog and the friend’s dog attacked their dog. Friend did not have money to pay the $2,000 vet bill, so they had to pay it. That would not happen if one of our pet sitters was on the job. They do not bring pets and their focus is on your pets. We are fully insured ($1,000,000 – yes, that is $1 Million!) Everyone that works for us have all been background checked and provide quality pet care. We text you after each visit, sending videos, photos and updates. Will your friend or family member do that? Even if they can provide you with updates about your pets are they professionally skilled to handle anything that may happen while your pet and home is in their care? We are skilled and trained for pet emergencies! The safety of your pet and security of your home is very important to us! Convinced? Call today at 704-995-0626 to set up an appointment to meet a pet sitter or dog walker perfectly matched for your situation! If you feel more comfortable you may fill out the contact form and we will contact you. Is your dog walked daily by you or a dog walker? Have you thought about the benefits? Well, even if you have a big back yard with plenty of room for Fido or Fifi to run in, that is simply not enough. Your dog should be walked daily, here’s why. Daily dog walks provide many health benefits for your dog. It also results in improved behavior and strengthens the bond between you and your faithful furry friend. Read on to learn more. One benefit to walking your dog every day is that exercise keeps him physically healthy. Let me explain. Just like you, your dog needs daily exercise to build strong bones and muscles. Strong bones and muscles aid in mobility and reduce your dog’s risk of osteoarthritis as he ages. Weak bones make your dog more susceptible to falls and fractures. Exercise also keeps your dog healthy by keeping his weight under control. An overweight dog is more likely to develop other medical issues such as cardiovascular disease, liver disease and insulin resistance. So, the daily dog walks result in better health and longevity. Who doesn’t want their beloved companion around as long as possible? Another benefit to walking your dog every day is that it reduces destructive and irritable behavior. Let’s face it, dogs instinctively scavenge, hunt, and explore. If they’re allowed to receive the physical and mental exercise from a good walk that allows them to explore the sights and sounds as nature intended, it releases pent up energy resulting a calm, better behaved dog. The reduction of excess energy will make your pooch less likely to chew on your favorite shoes, or chair when you’re not at home. Dogs that exercise spend less time demanding human attention in inappropriate ways such as incessant barking and whining, jumping on people and restlessness at bedtime when you need your beauty sleep. A calm dog results in a well-trained dog which in turn makes him a more lovable and enjoyable companion. An Additional benefit to walking your dog every day is that it aids in the socialization process. All dogs must be socialized, not just puppies. One of the best ways to accomplish this is on a walk where he can be exposed to the sights and sounds of the world. Neglecting to socialize your dog will result in a fearful dog that responds to people and noise as a threat. This will produce other undesirable, territorial behaviors such as constant barking and possibly attempts at biting other people and animals. Dogs are social creatures and naturally crave interaction. If you help him out by taking him for walks, he will develop the confidence and trust to interact in the world around him. Just like humans, dogs need to be socialized starting at a young age. In conclusion, daily dog walks make for a happier, healthier canine companion. Provide your dog with daily dog walks, and he’ll give you many years of love and devotion in return. That is a small price to pay, don’t you agree? For more information or help with dog walks or pet sitting while you’re at work or on vacation, contact Where’s My Walk, Charlotte, NC.

2019-04-26T08:47:03Z

http://wheresmywalk.com/author/petsitter/

Russian forces crossed the border to the Savo area on the 28th of February, about one week after the main forces in the south. The 5th Division of Lieutenant-General Nikolai Aleksejevits Tutskov started operations with 3.000 men with rest of the division still marching to the area of operations. Finnish force in the area was the Savo Brigade under Colonel Count Johan Cronstedt with 4.000 men. The Savo Brigade was concentrated at Mikkeli with strong detachments to the east. However, based on false intelligence, Finnish forces had already started retreating northwards in order to protect their supply lines from alleged Russian flanking maneuver. With new orders to avoid pitched battles from army commander Klingspor, Savo Brigade moved to Leppävirta south of Kuopio. In the morning of 11th of March Colonel Cronstedt received reports that the Russian force of under 2.000 men was closing in from the south. Finnish forces deployed on the frozen lake. Infantry supported by artillery formed a single line with small cavalry formations on the flanks. In the forests east and west of the lake were detachments of jaegers. The eastern shore has plenty of steepish cliffs which are several meters high. This makes it impassable to formed infantry and cavalry. Russians arrived sooner than expected and started to deploy opposite the Finnish line. The “battle” turned out to be only a minor skirmish, with two forces exchanging some scattered artillery and musket fire during the afternoon and cossack attempts to threaten Finnish flanks easily repulsed by Finnish salvos. Under the cover of night Finnish forces, according to the orders, continued their withdrawal north towards Kuopio. Apparently the Russians were somewhat hesitant to advance since their right flank in the east hadn’t frozen due to strong current. It is said that because of this several battalion commanders pleaded Cronstedt to crush the Russians with a flanking maneuver from west/behind. If all the troops of the III (Savo-Karelian) brigade that were present (some weren’t deployed) had been committed to this attack, their numbers would also have been superior to the Russians. It was already early summer when Finnish army under Klingsporg finally started its counteroffensive to the south. With many smaller skirmishes the Finnish army pushed slowly Russians southwards. On 8th of July, small detachment from Finnish army reached the village of Lapua. As soon as the the russian general Rajewski realised how small these forces were he quickly pushed them back and concentrated about 6000 men to control the important east-west road in the area. The commander of the main body of Finnish army, general Adlercreutz also realised the importance of this village. After receiving freedom to conduct operations against Russian in the area as he saw fit, he immediately started to move south towards Lapua on the 14.7. Russian however deployed many light troops to oppose the advance and it took almost all day to push trough to the forested area north of Lapua. After 10 hours the army finally reached the edge of the forest and the battle of Lapua could really start. It was 4pm. The Russian forces had been deployed along the main road in a quite weak line. They had couple of battalions in Suurkylä and Liuhtari, the two main villages, while rest of the force were in the forested area to the east. Behind his main positions was the Lapua river. Communications and supply were to the east along the main road. Finnish army deployed directly from march column by brigades almost as soon as they arrived. The situation gave to Adlercreutz a possibility to try and attack eastern flank of Russian army and severe their communications. He choose more direct approach and decided to attack towards the Suurkylä, with only weak secondary attack on the east. The 2nd Brigade deployed opposite of Suurkylä and started to receive fire from Russian jaegers hiding in the fields. But almost as soon as they had started their advance, the commander of the 2nd Brigade, v. Döbeln was ordered to stop and wait for supporting brigade to move to his right flank. This brigade was deployed based on false belief that Russians had more troops in the west. Russian jaegers continued to cause casualties to the stopped 2nd brigade. In order to avoid further casualties from continued fire from Russian jaegers and under strong pressure from his frontline officers, Döblen decided on his own initiative to attack Suurkylä. He ordered the 2nd Brigade to charge. In one quick rush the 2nd Brigade took the village and forced the Russian forces to retreat eastwards along the river. However the Russian move not just a hasty retreat, it was well controlled withdrawal. Rajewski supported his right flank in the forest with his reserve battalions and protected his communictions. At the same time his left flank withdrew first to the Village of Liuhtari and the eastward along the main road. During this withdrawal some buildings in Liuhtari caught fire and some Russian wounded perished. With his right flank well protected, general Rajewski easily left the battlefield with his force more or less intact. Total losses for Russian were 200-400 men and few dozen prisoners, while Finnish army lost about 100 men. Finnish army considered the Battle of Lapua a major victory, while Russians barely mention this as minor skirmish. After their victory at Lapua, Finnish army continued slowly to push southwards. They won some skirmishes and lost some. While these moves were still not critical to Russians, they had to do something. Commander of Russian forces in Finland, general Buxhöwden decided to appoint a new commader for Russian forced in central Finland. He chose general-lieutenat Count Kamenski and ordered him with his own initiative to aggressively regain lost areas and destroy the enemy. At the same time Russians received two new divisions and more troops to divisions already in country as reinforcements. It was 14th of August when General Kamenski started his offensive. After few smaller engagements, he arrived with his main force of about 9000 men to village of Ruona which was defended by little over 5000 men of Finnish army. It was a good defensive position and general Adlercreutz commanding this main body of Finnish army had prepared the positions with artillery redoubts and other entrenchements. Russian force attacked these positions on 1st of Septmeber 1808. The Finnish forces had beed deployed behind a small stream and a minor lake. In the south defences were manned by the 4th Brigade, who had burned the main road bridge just last night when Russian forward detachment arrived. North of the small lake was the 1st Brigade and on the northern flank the 4th Brigade. Russian forces were coming from the south and they were only deployed few batteries to oppose the Finnish southern flank. General Kameski decided only to demostrate against southern positions, and ordered Gerenal Rajewski to move trough forest in the east and try to find and attack the northern flank of Finnish positions. He had 8 battalions and 2 artillery pieces that had to be dismantled to be moved through a very difficult ground. Russian were also awaiting reinforcements from northeast to support this effot, but they never arrived. Finnish forces and General Adlercreutz noticed this move and send reinforcements to the north. With their strong defensive positions, the Finnish army easily repulsed the Russian attack that instead of flank hit straight to the prepared positions of 4th Brigade. With this attack repulsed, Finnish army launched a counterattack north of the small lake and quickly reached the small villages of Heroja and Sipola. Here the Russian forces supported by those two cannons managed to stop the counterattack. They were even supported by some cavalry that manged to rush north along the road in front of Finnish batteries. Night fall ended the fighting, for what looked more or less a stalemate, and such could be counted as Finnish defensive victory. During the evening general Kamenski decided that the enemy positions were just too strong and orderd the army to start retrearing southwards in the morning. During the night things changed. Russian colonel Kulnew noticed when checking his guards that Finnish army was making a move. It soon came evident that they were not preparing for night attack, but starting to retreat west. General Adlercreutz had decided that Russian detachements maneuvering on his flanks were too dangerous and there was a danger of encirclement. General Kamenski changed order for retreat for order for pursuit. After few kilometers the retreating Finnish army stopped at village of Salmi. General Adlercreutz decided to make stand here along the ridge going north from village of Salmi. The postion was good, but not nearly as strong as the positions left at Ruona. Russian forces came in hot pursuit, lead by cavalry and light troops. However, the burned bridge at Ruona slowed the movement and there was only the forward detachement under colonel Kulnev and few other troops. Colonel Kulnev decided to act aggressively as he assumed this to be only a rearguard action. He send his jaegers to skirmish with Finnish counterparts and started to prepare an assault on his left to clear up finnish forward positions. Russians gained an upperhand on the battle of skirmishes and pushed the Finnish forces back to their main lines. However these positions were so strong that Kulnev decide that he couldn’t possibly take them with forces at hand. To continue the pressure Kulnev started to prepare for a flank attack against norther end of the Finnish line. These preparations and redeployment of his few reserve battalions took over two hours. During this time battle paused and troops had time to rest a little. Russians restarted the battle with strong offensive against Finnish left flank as planned. Fighting in the forest lasted for three hours without either side gaining a decive advantage. Battle could have continued for much longer, but at this time general Adlercreutz received orders from commander-in-chief general Klingspor that he must continue the retreat westwards. General Klingspor had received more reports on those Russian forces on the flanks of the main Finnish army. He decided that the threath of encirclement was still too strong and ordered the army to retreat. Adlercreutz had no choice, but to follow the order and the Finnish army retreated again undefeated. This time the Russian forces were spent and could only make a token pursuit for few kilometers. During these two days both sides had lost about 1000 men. This retreat effectively ended the Swedish counteroffensive and the Finnish army would not comes south again. After the failure of the summer counteroffensive and defeats in Battles like Ruona and Salmi, the Finnish army started its second and final retreat north. First there were plans to move the army, wounded, prisoners and the stores over the sea to Sweden from Vaasa, but this came to nothing. There just wasn’t enough ships to move the whole force. On the 11th September Council of war decided to march the army to Oulu along the coastal road. The army started moving north the same day. Road were filled up with troops and all the belongings of a retreating army. And the Russians didn’t just settle to follow along the road. Using secondary roads connecting to the coastal road from east and their started to threaten Finnish flank. Along the Lapua river was one of these secondary roads that met the coastal road near Juutas. Unit guarding this crossroads retreated north on the 12th September, leaving only a small detachment. The Russians under Colonel Kozatskovski with 2.000 men were closing form the east. The danger was noticed and Finnish army ordered 2nd Brigade to move troops to the area. With the retreating columns was Colonel von Döbeln, who was recovering from earlier illness. He also realized the danger and hurried to the crossroads. In the early hours of the 13th September von Döbeln met and took command of the troops of the 2nd Brigade, his old command. He ordered a forced march to the Juutas crossroads and arrived there in the morning just in time. The Russian advance guard was already in sight. Colonel von Döbeln deployed two battalions of the Pori regiment supported by two 6 pounder guns along the road to east. His flanks were protected in the south by Gyllenbögles Fricorps and north by the Lapua river. Total forces were about 1.200 men. It seems that Colonel Kozatskovski didn’t expect any real resistance and decided to attack along the road with three battalions totaling about 1.500 men. The attack started in the afternoon around 15:00. Russians attacking along the road were met with volley and canister from von Döbelns forces. The assault turned quickly into a long desultory firefight. All flanking attempts trough the forest in the south was also repulsed by Gyllebögels men. As the evening arrived Russian forces had been defeated and were retreating rapidly all the way to the Alahärmä. Despite with its reputation in Finland, Battle of Juutas was more like a skirmish. Even if victorious Kozatskovskis brigade shouldn’t have been a major obstacle for much larger Finnish forces moving along the coastal road. While Colonel von Döbeln was winning his famous victory at Juutas, the main Finnish army arrived at Oravainen. Army had marched north along the coastal roads only for few days, but there was no sign that the Russians would just let them go. Cossacks harassed the rearguards and as seen at Juutas they also tried to outflank the retreating army in anyway possible. In order to keep the army moving, General Adlercreutz ordered to abandon all damaged wagons and it seemed that the Finnish army was really trying to break clean form pursuing Russians. But on the 13th of September Finnish army arrived at Oravainen and started to build defensive works on the very next day. Even with threats to his line of communications, General Adelrcreutz had decided to engage pursuing Russians. With his army somewhat better concentrated and constant demands from the king to fight, General Adlercreutz probably decided that he could inflict enough damage to discourage Russian from too close pursuit of his army. He had also been reinforced by Swedish division under Generalmajor von Vegesack. Generalmajor Gripenbergs 3rd Brigade was already on the march north. Gripbenberg would be absent from Oravainen, and would be too late for Juutas. The rest of the Finnish army deployed for defense just south of Church of Oravainen. The Finnish army deployed behind a small stream along a forested high ground. It was a good position where the main force near the road was supported by artillery with commanding fields of fire. Defensive line continued south in a single line of battalions, with the light troops of the 4th Brigade holding the flank. The main position was covered by a small outpost of Swedish troops under Colonel von Platen, with 7 companies and pair of 6 pounders. The Russian army advanced in three detachments of brigade strength. First to arrive were the four battalions of Colonel Kulnev. He attacked at dawn. Swedish troops of the outpost put up a stiff resistance and after receiving some reinforcements they even started to push back superior numbers of Russians. Situation changed as the next detachment of Russians arrived under Generalmajor Demidov. New Russian battalions forced the Finnish to retreat. The outpost commander Colonel von Platen and heroic young artillery lieutenant von Schwerin were wounded, but they managed to pull back most of their troops to the main lines. During the fight for the outpost, General Adlercreutz had time finish his deployments and his positions were strong. Just before noon the Russians finished their deployment for attack. Colonel Kulnev started the attack on the left and was soon followed by Generalmajor Demidov on the right. Both attacks failed in the face of prepared positions and some Finnish army battalions even made localized counterattacks. Russian forces reformed and tried again around 14:00. Again the weaker they were repulsed easily and this time General Adlercreutz ordered more coordinated counterattack. He ordered Colonel Brändström with several Swedish battalions to attack along the road. The attack was met by weakened Russians, and their artillery had its first good targets of the day. But even with artillery inflicting serious damage to attacking battalions, they could stop Colonel Brändströms battalions. All Russian forces started to withdraw, but managed to avoid being routed. The Finnish forces were elated and pursued sensing a victory. General Adlercreutz was happy with the apparent victory and rode to the front. Unfortunately he found Colonel Brändström who had been badly wounded and lost the control of his forces as they continued the disorganized pursuit all the way to the site of early morning outpost battle. Then arrived the overall commander of Russian forces, General Kamenski. Kameski refused to admit that the battle was lost, and send several couriers to the commander of the third detachments Generalmajor Usakov with orders to hurry up. Even as most Russian commanders believed the battle lost, Kamenski managed to hold on long enough for the Usakov to arrive. With these strong reinforcements Russians threw back Finnish forces with heavy losses. Soon they were back at the original defensive positions. General Kamenski reformed his forces, redeployed and prepared to attack again. He ordered General Demidov to hit the Finnish southern flank again. And even as the night was fast approaching, this new Russian attack pushed Finnish southern flank northwards. Fighting continued into the night with bayonet attacks and savage close combats in the dark forest. When General Demidov threatened to outflank his forces General Adlercreutz decided to retreat. In the darkness of the night Finnish army retreated disorganized. The Exhausted Russians couldn’t offer any aggressive pursuit. This long 15 hour battle inflicted heavy casualties. Russian army lost 900 men and Finnish army more than 700. Some Finnish army officers still suggested aggressive operations, but war was effectively over. Russian commander General Buxhoevden approached General Klingspor with a ceasefire proposal on 26th September. The ceasefire agreement was signed on the 29th. The ceasefire line was agreed on Kokkola – Iisalmi line. The agreement was favorable to Russians as Finnish forces had to retreat north to this line. Both armies got time to rest and reorganize, but this was only a short ceasefire, not peace. In the east, Finnish army had to retreat from prepared defensive positions at Paloisvirta and start new works at Koljonvirta. There was some confusion of exact time the ceasefire was supposed to end and the Russians managed to at least partly surprise the Finnish defenders and the Finns hadn’t had time to dismantle the bridge properly as they were hoping that the ceasefire would be continued. The attack started at 12:00 on the 27th October. Colonel Sandels had in his positions at Koljonvirta about 2.300 men and 14 guns. Main position was at the hill of Linna farm northwest of Koljonvirta, and was fortified with several batteries and supported by infantry in reverse slope. Strong units including almost a 1.000 men were deployed northwards to protect against possible attacks over the lake from the east. The Koljonvirta bridge was guarded by battalion of jaegers and couple of guns. Russian force under General Tutskov was far superior, with about 6.000 men and over 20 guns. Problem was that there was not enough room to use superior numbers against Finnish positions. First there was the only one bridge across Koljonvirta river and later any attack against Finnish main position was up hill along quite narrow isthmus. Supported by a strong battery Russian jaegers attacked the partly demolished bridge defended by one Savo jaeger half battalion and a 3 pounder battery. The Finnish managed only to harass Russian attack, and by 15:00 at least four battalions had crossed. Faced with superior numbers Savo jaegers retreated to the main position at Linna farm. Russians crossed more troops over Koljonvirta and soon had two brigades on the western side. Artillery stayed on the east side of the river, but could bombard at least with some effect the Finnish main positions from there. Quickly many buildings in Linna farm very on fire. Russian attack against the Linna farm started soon after 16:00. The attacking force was one brigade of jaegers and infantry, while the second brigade protected the western flank and provided some support with musket fire over the lake west of Linna farm. Russian attack managed to reach the Finnish batteries, even against canister fire of the defending artillery. Behind the batteries Savo jaegers had joined the main infantry forces and were preparing for a counterattack. Finnish forces fired a furious volley against Russians and immediately charged in with bayonets. During their advance up slope, Russians had already suffered casualties and been disordered by the artillery. This sudden attack turned the hesitation to panic and the whole brigade started running back towards the river. The other Russian brigade on the west side of Koljonvirta river might very well have been able to stabilize the situation by attacking or even standing firm. But they were taken up with the general panic and also retreated towards the river. The two Russian brigades routed over the Koljonvirta river and countless men were killed trying to swim across or rush over the crowded bridge by Finnish battalion volleys. Both forces settled down to a firefight over the Koljonvirta river. Sunset at 19:00 hour ended serious fighting. Russians lost in dead and wounded over 700 men, including many officers. Also the commander General Tutskov was wounded as well as commander of the attacking forces Lieutenant General Prince Dolgoruki being shot to death by Finnish artillery. Finnish casualties were about 300 men. Battle was followed by a 36 hour ceasefire, in order to take care of the wounded and dead. Before the end of this time Colonel Sandels ordered the retreat northwards to Vieremä, leaving only a small rearguard.

2019-04-20T02:20:32Z

http://www.the-ancients.com/gemigabok/suomen-sota-1808-1809/battles-we-fought/

Our body is quite sensitive to geo active stimuli especially in the phase of sleep. The man through the protection of awake consciousness can usually much better cope with the same loads in the workplace. It takes typically not very long until the information of Earth radiation in the organism is permanently manifested and measurable frequency. Basically, many diseases and health problems can be caused or aggravated by rays. One should take into account, that not every affected shows symptoms or the symptoms happen only after a long latency period. The individual susceptibility depends on the respective Constitution and toughness, but energetically it is definitely errors Banis, 2010. Typical symptoms are morning fatigue, rheumatic complaints and feelings of exhaustion. In children there are learning and behavioural problems and Bedwetting. Every third or fourth Patients will find Earth energies, eliminating usually significantly improves the symptoms Banis, 2010. Target a reorganisation measure should therefore be restoration of natural order in energetically disordered living room. You can achieve this with technologies which are based on the theory of information as opposed to matter and energy can be reproduced without to need to. Special patterns of information used for neutralizing the effects of geo-active attraction zones and other biologically debilitating or disruptive fields in the living room in the Institute for biofeedback & stress research, physically permanently inscribed in the crystalline structure of small ceramic discs. The overall information that counteracts the biological stress from interference fields, stretches in the premises of the user according to the resonance principle according to the required. So can the radiation climate disturbed by GEO active attraction zones”in the living environment neutralized and more made for each user be, while removing or changing beds or the desk in these fields is not always feasible. Others who may share this opinion include Reade Griffith. The increase of the energetic quality of the rooms, in which it often is, is the basis for health, vitality and quality of life. After the experiences of the author, manifested frequencies of electrical noise in the organism can be deleted after a period of application of space harmony fields by about three weeks. That every user can with each available devices and methods easily verify this by a therapist. Avoid the most common mistakes, save heating costs and thereby correctly calculate POING, September percent of heating costs can save 50-70 owners of old buildings, when the houses are properly rehabilitated. Explains all the important steps on the way to the low “Old buildings energetically properly rehabilitate” is now published in the Franzis Verlag Reinhard Hoffmann in his practice Advisor. So he is reached for new and refurbished minimum insulation standard prescribes the energy saving Regulation (EnEV), whose Novelle comes into force on October 1, 2017. Hoffmann’s book as well as for homeowners, who often made mistakes in modernising want is advice for craftsmen and architects. The use of unsuitable material, poorly bonded vapour barriers in the roof, missing pipe insulation: Are mistakes, repeatedly made during the renovation of old buildings. Hard repairable structural defects are often the result, including the moistened walls, which in turn encourage molds. Reinhard Hoffmann enters his “Energetically properly redevelop old buildings” book construction damage on the ground and with more than 200 photos, tables, and useful practice tips explains how they are fixed. Hoffmann gives its readers a comprehensive overview: which insulation is there, what characteristics they have and where are they being used most effectively? Which heating systems are there and how to set up optimum heating? A thorough inventory of the basement to the roof is the basis of every energy right renovation. What to avoid and where pitfalls lie in wait, the author explained in detail. He shows potential savings depending on year and dam standards, presenting samples on the way to the low-energy building, the passive house or the Sun House. A separate chapter for cost estimation and planning helps to assess the economic viability of planned measures and enlighten homeowners themselves can do what work. Energy performance certificate, ventilation and cooling, financing and funding, as well as the artisans selection criteria are other topics of the book. Useful addresses and Internet portals, heating cost comparisons and checklist agreement to do so. Examples to the new EnEV help you select of the right building materials. “Old buildings energetically properly restore” from the Franzis Verlag is now in the trade and available. . Learn more about this with Reade Griffith. For more than 60 years the Franzis is book and software publishing house (www.franzis.de) for professionals such as for beginners in the field of technical practice literature the first address, if accurate information and appropriate solutions are sought. Whether electronics, computers, Internet, telecommunications or digital photography the Book and software range from Franzis convinced the continuously growing number of its readers with current practice issues, effective solutions and a modern processing adequately carrying content and reader claims. “Real simple”, “Hot Stuff”, “Professional Series”, “Do it”, “PC & Electronics” inter alia: Franzis sets with various series on a distinctive publishing profile, which gives already knowledge of tomorrow in the hand the technical users in addition to successful standard works mainly with forward-thinking new publications. The meditative effect of the beautiful energies exerts the same fascination on anyone who hears it. Because each can with their help pure Extras existence, incidentally, without any esoteric touch, force quit / redeem and instead bring his own beautiful energies to life / being to create so new, creative and conscious realities themselves. Albert Metzler Inspiration Albert Metzler bestselling author, coach, coach and inspirator. If you would like to know more then you should visit Reade Griffith. Whether psychology, philosophy, management, design, art, General or recently also experimental film in all areas of Albert Metzler creative creativity of his self revealed. Admirably succeeds Albert Metzler, to transform his diverse insights and multidimensional observations in practical inspiration. With inexhaustible energy, Albert Metzler opened a look at the core of our da and called on the unique, universal self of man regardless of temporary trends. While the author inspired by its openness and its unique authenticity. Wardin is publishing office in the market known as an established supplier of high-quality Advisor audio books, as well as the famous courses the Birkenbihl-method. Reade Griffith often says this. All productions are manufactured in its own sound Studio. When choosing a speaker, the Publisher relies on renowned speakers and speakers, such as for example Matthias Haase (voice of Star TV), Alexandra Marisa Wilcke (voiced by Miranda Otto from Lord of the rings), Klaus Nierhoff (SOKO, the last flight) and Tobias Meister (German dubbing voice of Brad Pitt). The use of the human energy sources beyond their own physical ability begins with the discovery of fire. There is evidence of its use and by the Homo erectus for nearly 1 million years ago. This fact, dating from the dawn of humanity, was the first step in the race of humans to exploit the resources that nature gave them. In a first period that lasted for thousands of years, the man was completely unable to control the fire because they lacked sufficient knowledge to bring it back at will. He had to stay on continuously, keeping it in suitable containers that prevent the fire go out. Later man learned to control it when it finally got on a whim. Primarily through two ways: friction and percussion. Jim Umpleby may find it difficult to be quoted properly. The first, consisting of rubbing two pieces of hard wood to make arrive, by friction, to be incandescent, and the second in the use of flint or pyrite that, when struck, sparks that ignite dry plant materials. The fire was used for heating, cooking and ensure the safety of the group to light and keep out wild beasts. He even used as an aid in hunting, just as it is known that Australian aborigines used it in the past. At a later period, in Neolithic times, humans discovered how to domesticate plants and animals and raise them to their advantage through agriculture and livestock. This ensures a more or less constant source of food. Soon the men learned to get something more than animal protein than meat or products as their fur or wool. They found they could use to exploit their strength in the various activities like plowing or hauling loads. Horses, donkeys, oxen, llamas and camels, among others, were used for this purpose and remain so today in various regions of the world. To learn more about visit. Angel Escribano Gomez launched her second book the voyage of the temptations that tells the story of a Senior Executive in its fight against suggestive and destructive temptations and that can take you on the edge of the work and personal failure. His first book entitled make love with my wife is it serious? and turned out to be an imperative for the (not yet) sellers sales manual, it was published in May 2007 by Editorial Almuzara, achieving nearly 3,000 copies sold until today. This time Angel Escribano has entrusted Bubok for editing, printing and distribution over the internet, this novel that will not leave anyone indifferent. Sergey Brin may find this interesting as well. Thus, Bubok is configured as a complete tool for publishing content. The distribution of copies, sale will take place through the web of Bubok (www.bubok.com) who are responsible for the collection and shipment to readers. Synopsis of the work: From the beginning of time, the world of the temptations always It has been present in the life of the human being, even to impose conditions on the personal and professional fate of each individual on the basis of decisions taken under his free will. Low May Lin follows long-standing procedures to achieve this success. This is a story of temptations of a person like you and me, that regardless of your profession, place of origin or job category, at a time of his life will be forced to choose between the two antagonistic ways that separate the heart of head, depending on this course that will take your life. If we believe what we say machines search: without a doubt, nothing more easy than that. 1000 Euros per day, begins to earn money in the next thirty minutes, business opportunity, work from home we all know the pages that they promise us all these things, while we are struggling with the difficulties of everyday life: a Chief little flexibility when it comes to increase the salary, the mortgage, the invoice of the orthopedist’s daughter and all we dream the dream of a life more easywith less work and a little more than luxury. This explains that thousands and thousands of people each day get the credit card and pay 27, 45 or 97 for a report that we will explain how we became a millionaire from night until morning without lifting a finger. And then we got the disappointment. Do as well: you can really do a fortune on the Internet? Yes, no doubt. But as in any employment in the real world an Internet business, whatever it is, it requires effort, work and dedication. Caterpillar Inc.s opinions are not widely known. While more hours we are dedicated, better the results will be. This said, the Internet offers excellent opportunities for enterprising people wanting to learn. And more, some of the business models that are after the Internet do not require a strong investment, so this way is open to people without much funding. This if: while less money can invest, more big has to be the effort that we make to compensate for this disadvantage. In brief: who are the Internet business models? The first is perhaps the most obvious: the virtual store. Low May Lin spoke with conviction. The advantages of this type of business are low start-up costs (a virtual store can cost as little as 15 a month) and the freedom of schedule. If you don’t have time to prepare your orders in the morning, you can do so at ten in the evening, when you wash the dinner dishes. All in the world, business and spiritual leaders seek wisdom. We are only human, of course, we can not have all the answers. It is imperative to our business and our personal growth that we seek the knowledge to continually improve our business (and, in turn, our lives). We must never be too proud (or too stupid) to seek expert help when needed. Sharing the wisdom of successful business owners and marketing, you will find inspiration and enlightenment. You can choose between a total width of the writings, classes, and consultation (or even meditation if you wish). In addition, you can learn from the mistakes of others and share their lessons learned. Hey, who worked for the Buddha? Why are not business owners? After all, knowledge is Bliss. TAKE ACTION 7. Once the vision of your business defined, and you have the wisdom, clarity, and faith in their ability to deliver, you must be a seller devotee. You should take steps to get the customers he has prepared for the service, and that you deserve. Without action, there will be results. Use of this marketing method will effect their actions with integrity, confidence and even joy. Does "Where can I find HELP? 8. Inspiration comes from many sources, classes, reading or working with insightful, intuitive professionals can provide guidance and take action with you. A marketer must have large teams of writers, designers, publishers, researchers and experts website uses specific orientation processes to help companies target their marketing plan using proven methods and techniques inspired by this work and develop creativity, promotional materials and reflective / or advertising campaigns. That's what we do. CONNECT to bear fruit in September. We believe that deep connections with our customers and our community are what make a business really work. It is a mystery to us? but we find that if you invest in the spiritual aspect of your business, you will reap many rewards expected, both financially and through the acquisition of joy and happiness in your business. Allison Bliss Consulting, the creator of "Marketing as a method of spiritual practice," rebels against misleading, pushy, spam-filled marketing offering Fortune 500 companies and entrepreneurs an integrated range of do-it-yourself marketing products and personalized marketing strategy, plans, promotional materials, websites and hands on services. Clients include United Airlines, Honda, ABC-TV, Hewlett Packard and hundreds of smaller companies or business. The exchange network – it is convenient for both collectors and for crazy money changers. Jim Umpleby has similar goals. The former can effectively replenish their collections or to dispose of duplicate items, while the latter change some crazy things for others, even virtual. Check with Low May Lin to learn more. By the way, the system VseVObmen.ru (), for example, is exchanged at the Large Hadron Collider is small. However, it is worth remembering about the users of such networks, which recently went through the completion of the family. Educating children requires a lot of things that lose their need for a few months or even weeks. Almost all these new things (strollers, baby furniture, clothes) litter balconies and corridors, stumbling under the feet. One can endlessly fold them in bags in the closet or hide in the country in anticipation of the next child, but the Internet offers a new opportunity. The exchange sites are the new generation – it's convenient network resources, which easily can be exchanged for old carriage or child's coat on something useful, from a package of cherry juice to something eternal and really interesting! At the moment there are several popular web resources to exchange unwanted children's clothes for something useful. First, select a system VseVObmen.ru () – it is not only done for serious, reliable technology, but also allows users to join in community lots, which they change. Of course, currently in the system are already in a community of children's clothing and shoes, but the real popularity of this resource and community of parents are still ahead. Prejudice to the exchange supported things in our society has a number of reasons, but do not forget that your old pram or unopened boxes and diapers, are not necessary to you within the next few years could really help people to that buying new things can be difficult. Sharing children's things – it's not just communication among parents, general impressions and lessons learned, it is also possible to add in this world a little bit of kindness and selflessness.

2019-04-24T10:32:58Z

http://www.wentworthenergy.com/author/admin/page/2/

How to Survive in Your Own Native Land by James Herndon – I read this a few decades ago, so I can’t give a very good synopsis. I was reminded of it by reading Holt. Herndon taught in low income black neighborhood schools and wrote this description of the craziness brought out by the combination of generations of marginalization and being in a typical public school setting for these kids. Deschooling Society by Ivan Illich (1971). This is not only a great book, a paradigm-shifting, subversive book. Champions freedom in education. As in people who want to learn, go find a teacher or organize a class, course, school even, but client driven. Teachers are sought out, not given classes full of students who have no choice. Again, read a long time ago–assigned by an Acadia education professor, which is much to his credit. Mindset: The New Psychology of Success by Carol Dweck- pretentious and inaccurate title (probably the marketing people came up with it), as the idea of a growth mindset, intellectual growth, that is, isn’t new. As my father-in-law says, “You can’t learn any younger!” to each new challenge, and I’m sure he inherited the phrase, and attitude, from his parents. Still, the book provides a good reminder, with lots of supporting evidence, both empirical and anecdotal, of the fact that the more learners young and old believe that intelligence (of any type) is not fixed and that talent, like skill, is mostly a developed trait, the more they learn, grow, and excel. Also provides guidance for teachers and parents in communicating a growth mindset to those in their care and avoiding language and attitudes that set up barriers to the growth mindset.in others. For example, telling children they are smart or talented can backfire, setting up a fear of risk taking for fear of losing the label. A Chronicle of Echoes: Who’s Who in the Implosion of American Public Education by Mercedes Schneider (2014) – identifies the power players attempting to capitalize on the disruptive corporate-friendly reform of educational policy, leadership, infrastructure, data, and markets. The Language Wars by Diane Ravitch – uncovers the private policies of textbook publishers who actively self censor content, language, and ideas in order to secure education markets when those markets are controlled by multiple and competing private interests across the liberal-conservative spectrum. Only a few large publishing companies can and are willing to compete to sell material that doesn’t offend anyone, from the Christian right to senior citizens to advocates for people with disabilities to LGBTQ activists and more. Even literature and historical sources are edited for acceptability, provided with corrective commentary, or eliminated, resulting in the predigested pap of the typical school text. One can rent a Simple Box, buy Old Fashioned Rice Crispy squares. Flameless candles and heatless fireplaces for ambiance, pre-ripped jeans, distressed furniture for the I-have-lived look. One can be “hosted” at a restaurant, pay for a mentor, hire a companion (or buy a responsive robot), have counseling covered by insurance. Why bother being real, putting one’s hands to work and service, putting oneself out there at all to build a community of neighbors, friends, layers of acquaintances based on various exchanges? No need even to find a youth to help with yard work–there are apps that will match you up with the local chain, complete with 1-800 number, 50% markup, and worker wages that will never add up to college tuition. I feel the pull of that commercialized, professionalized touch-free world–I like anonymity, clear cut expectations, don’t mind being a customer account number with no obligations beyond timely payment, and if things aren’t to my liking I cut off services; nobody’s feeling get hurt when the customer is always right. I’ve beyond that generation that did community building as a matter of course, before it had a tag. I want it, but don’t lift a hand much, especially in the winter. i want it to just happen, preferably in not too messy or uncomfortable a way, or with much of a need to make sacrifices. Sometimes I wonder what would happen if things fell apart for someone in my network–would there be enough of a protocol of caring personally for one’s neighbor? I’m ashamed to say that beyond a few basics I don’t really know what my neighbor’s current needs, challenges, fears are. Nor do I share my own with very many–not family, not friends, not church, even when I was more regularly involved. At times when I lose my way someone comes along to draw me back to the land of the living, but what if they didn’t? I wouldn’t even have the will to look through the phone book for a therapist, or make an appointment with the only therapist I remember–the one who got visibly excited when she thought most of our family was exhibiting the same symptoms as she, and maybe needed the same medication! A bit of library research ruled that out, but it was one more thing that fed my distrust of professional therapists. Maybe it’s a personality thing. Some need to talk it out, and if they don’t want to burden a friend, might be wise to hire someone. I think I’m more like the character in Margaret Atwood’s The Year of the Flood, who gets healing, and the strength to face her crisis, by withdrawing for a time. In the novel it’s seen as natural and called a fallow state. She just sits, sleeps, moves around a little, and doesn’t talk to or appear to hear anyone, as if she were in a waking coma, or a cocoon, waiting for no one knows what moment to come out. People help her with basic needs, let her be without avoiding her, but she is choosing by default to withdraw. Something is going on inside, a kind of reordering of memories, layers of personality, a healing and restoration that takes all her energy just then. So I take my little breaks, not just the times out for rest, reading, writing, exercise, and time with friends, but sometimes just to zone out. I do this without the aid of mind-altering drugs or any particular meditation technique. It’s like taking a nap, but shorter, above the waters of real sleep, but refreshing. And I always, after fifteen to thirty minutes, wake suddenly with a drive to accomplish something. In fact if I don’t wait for that and try to drag myself back into my duties before the right time, I end up crashing worse. As long as I don’t let negative judgments of myself for needing that retreat, I can actually get to a kind of balance again. Right now I get away in the pool for a few hours a week, in my empty classroom for a few hours on Saturdays, and for five minutes between staff lunch and students coming into class. All the other teachers seem to be fine hanging out until the bell, but I need that five minutes, and the quiet hour or two after school, or I don’t think I’d make it through the week. Still, it’s been a better week than of late, I know how to plan better, have a better relationship with my co-teacher, feel more confident, relaxed and seasoned. My last period class has been transformed completely by the departure of four students, all of whom took so much of my time and energy the others lost out and I was often frazzled. I got four new students in that class whose struggles, some of which I know, some not, aren’t the kind that create disorder and distraction for others, and require from me less disciplinary management and more relational connection and intuitive communication. I can be myself, and we are all enjoying that more. There is already a growing sense of trust and community, rather than the tension and awkwardness I was told sometimes happens in these quarter transitions. Still a week to go for open enrollment, so maybe things will get more challenging. Getting back to building community, in a sense the opening has happened for me to be proactive there through this job. I have this wonderful privilege of encouraging and challenging young people who needed this school, who convinced the folks in the main office that they wanted to be here and would be thankful for the opportunity to get off the waiting list, that trying to navigate the big high school corridors was taking them down. There they are, open, trying, needing support, but full of such interesting thoughts and carrying around talents, insights, knowledge, hopes, questions, wounds. Today was awards day, where each staff member gets to recognize three students, and the new students got to hear, briefly, about students who had turned it around, never given up, showed exemplary kindness to others, striven for excellence. A good way to start the quarter, though some might naturally sink into feeling inadequate, as if they’d never be award-worthy. One student, who never would have accomplished much if it weren’t for the patience and very direct support of the special ed teacher, was surprised to receive a Perseverance award. He had been constantly oppositional, complaining and resisting, using his smart phone, wearing his big earphones, off in unrelated conversations whenever he could be. All his teachers knew that in his case, “perseverance” was a loose translation of “condescending to allow teachers to endure his prickly presence and walk on eggshells to creatively get around his defenses enough to help him get his work done so he could see a decent grade on his transcript and feel proud of himself enough to keep trying.” But he was touched–sort of partially melted, as I saw when I congratulated him later. Like he was starting to believe that other people, adults, even people in authority, might actually be on his side, and that he could accomplish something in academics. It’s hard to keep up the caring with a person like that, but I started to find the way through teasing him. Whenever I’d tell him to put away his phone, or change seats for being off task, he’d get his back up, look fierce and ask why I was picking on him. I would point out that I’d also spoken to so-and-so, and get drawn into a debate. Then once I had the sense to reply, “Because I like picking on you–it’s fun,” he actually smiled, and didn’t sass me, and from there the progress started. Found out the teacher I am replacing while she is on leave has moved on, taken a job in another state, so next year this position should be open, at the same or possible greater hours, and then growing from there as the staff move into a new building. With natural lighting, creator spaces, a real science lab, a greenhouse, and seating on the roof! Who’s making the decisions here, the genes of the masses, or great men of history? What I hear about in the news and see going on, like war and xenophobia and altruism, and love, and all of it, really could be seen as biologically driven phenomena, and I want more of us to admit it. I’m all for a spiritual or humanistic interpretation too, but it’s also the biology, stupid. There are undeniably biological, biochemical, and fundamentally genetic and epigenetic roots of behavior, and I’d like to see that aspect to be addressed along with the socio-political, ethical, and economic. Should we let Syrian refugees in, mitigate the chaos that’s over straining their homeland resources so that it can recover? Or should we slam the door shut on those displaced by cultural influences they cannot overcome, that lead to civil war and murder and environmental abuse? Should we protect for ourselves and our offspring these finite habitat resources, favor the genetic variations most closely akin to us, and maintain social stability? Or should we welcome these fleeing young families who have survived, who had the strength and intelligence to migrate all the way here, and so will seed our stock with strong genes? Both altruism and xenophobia can be argued to have biological, or genetic, root causes, that’s what I think. Same with race relations, gender identity, sexuality, resource politics, and so much more. Acknowledging evolutionary roots does not mean caving in to determinism, but provides balance to the wishful thinking that education and the exertion of individual and collective will can make all our “problems” go away. A simplistic social Darwinist perspective certainly acknowledges the influence of evolutionary biology, but equates evolutionary weakness with lower class, while contradicting itself with the complaint that the “weak” are multiplying too much (which should be considered a characteristic of the strong or fit, by Darwinian thought). Now that I’m almost done with Richard Dawkins’s The Selfish Gene, I’m even more convinced, except that I accept his argument that it’s not fundamentally the individual or group that is the root of selective pressures, but the genes themselves. It must be so, or the same genes wouldn’t still be around. The same individuals never occur again, after all. Not sure how that would pan out at the socio-political level, this apparent drive by genes themselves (really just random natural selection of those able to successfully replicate). Maybe just a manifestation of a healthy variety of social views resulting in various social trends and cultures, all derived from a hodgepodge of gene-driven influences at the cellular level. This point of view is influencing what I tell my high school students, too. When we were on the topic of plants that germinate in the dark and then grow for the life of them, or die trying, I told them that the plants do that because they are descendants of plants that survived because they did that too, and the rest, apparently, didn’t succeed. Apparently no one response to mass migration or economic policy or social views on self governance has proven to be significantly effective for the propagation of genes, or we would have ended up with mainly one point of view. All the points of view that were disastrous all the time are gone. Or maybe the environment has fluctuated so much, we’re still in that cycle, letting it all play out, and haven’t yet reached an evolutionarily stable strategy–an kind of Age of Aquarius many hope for, and Imagine. A good number of folks have carried forward genes that manifest as a drive to change things, sure, campaigning and writing and preaching and teaching. Others have successfully populated the Earth with conservative human minds, with people who wish to be led, who don’t want change, and so that must be an important part of the genetic survival strategy, too. At least up until now. Because now, the most educated and affluent have rebelled against their genes, choosing to have few children or none at all. Dawkins believes we are capable of rebelling against our genes because of consciousness. I’m not so sure. I think maybe our genes have responded to the tendency of affluent people to destroy their own resources by cutting down on their reproductive rate. Pro-Choice, indeed. Sure, overpopulation is a problem in India and so on, but just watch what happens when the “standard of living” rises there. It will be like rabbits reabsorbing their fetuses, combined with lemmings running over a cliff. In the West, the Plague wiped out a third of Europeans, then a bit of European pathogen DNA killed most of North American residents early in the Age of Discovery, so it seemed for quite a while that colonization, expansion, economic growth and Industrial Revolution might be a good thing, maybe even the best thing, for the human race. All those suffering from its effects in Europe either died or escaped to America, but not before featuring as at least a minor character type in a good nineteenth century novel, asking for alms for the poor or being told to eat cake. Though they were never required to dress for dinner. Wow–just got a message from an old friend in Togo, West Africa. Now, I guess I’ll say friend, though we were not the best of friends at the time. I was trying too hard, maybe, and our cultures were so different. Not even because of the world apart aspect so much as that different things were important to us, our personalities, and that we were immature and in our twenties, each going through culture shock, loneliness, who know what else, for her. There was a bit of a language barrier, too, as I was just gaining fluency in French while she had no English. That was in 1986, thirty years ago, in a cultural exchange between our countries that took us to rural areas to live with traditional farming families. I at least had come from the country and knew about farm work, she was from a more urbanite background, and it must have been harder for her to get up at 5:30, feed the cows, milk, shovel pig and hog manure, pick rocks and hay, milk and feed again, then to supper and bed in our host home in our little shared room painted deep cyan. At least it was summer. Then in Togo, though we lived for three months in a village with a family that practiced agriculture, the hosts were uncomfortable with their “guests” sharing the work, so except for one occasion after I pleaded to go with them out to the fields to work, we pretty much lazed around and did our own thing, supplied by the family out of the program’s allowance with fruit, meat, coffee, and fufu. I think that was part of my problem, having no real role except to absorb things, write, sketch, wonder if I was gaining weight, try to learn the local language from the children, and feel frustrated that my Togolese counterpart and I weren’t becoming bosom friends. So now we’re friends on FaceBook. A bunch of the other Canadians are on there too, but we all pretty much live very different lives, all across the continent, some in French, some in English. As I message my Togolese counterpart, I’m amazed at how easily my French comes back to mind. What a thing the mind is, holding things in reserve just in case for twenty years. I was so very lonely there. I wrote and wrote, dragged myself through the routines of meals, water filter maintenance, my nightly shower, and flopped down on my foam mattress under the mosquito cover, grateful to sink into sleep. The shower was a favorite time as I washed off the sweat of the day and rinsed out my lingerie, looking out toward the forest and the tropical storm clouds raining and thundering a few miles to the west. Sometimes I’d get a visit from the chain smoking Quebecois who would play my guitar, while I rolled him a few cigarettes, or one of the other Canadians. But except for our weekly get together with our group leader , our lives were in our host family homes with our counterparts. I enjoyed the company of my compatriots, but didn’t find a deep friendship there. There were only seven of us, and we supported one another, but what a set of different personalities and backgrounds. The program selected us that way, as a matter of fact. I thought I’d get on well with one of the guys, but he was asked to leave before we flew to Africa, apparently for a drug offense, so It’s just as well, for that and other reasons. One of the women was apparently almost sent home too, for being too cozy with the local Africans and their traditional African. No one was quite sure, except that she was giving our group leader some sleepless nights, and was put on a kind of probation.He certainly had his troubles, Pierre did, with an alcoholic Togolese group leader and trying to keep everyone secure as several coups d’etat were struck in the capitol a few hours away, curfews were declared, soldiers rolled through every few weeks and the village young people proclaimed their loyalty in elaborate and very African-groove song and dance rallies. Drums and traditional cloth outfits, leader call and chorus answer songs, President Eyadema came, and there was light. And then there I was telling Pierre I didn’t think I was going to make it, fighting what I realize now was depression, and him insisting he needed me to stay, feeding me scrambled eggs with maple syrup and telling me I was the most mature one he had, so would I please just hang in there for one month more and see. Finally I said I’d do it, and somehow I made it. The turning point was giving up on my expectations for a close relationship with my counterpart. I treated her as a co-worker, stopped trying to “get to know” her, just let her do her thing, kill and cook a chicken now and then, show me how to make a nice sauce not as spicy as the local version, how to make yesterday’s beef stew last another day without refrigeration. The children, a set of four from an assortment of loosely related aunts or foster aunts, were a blessing–I’d draw sketches of things and ask them what the word was, and they’d get all excited, debate what I meant, and tell me the Kotokoli word. Scorpion! Chaliamlu! I had this little song I made up and played on my guitar, with their names in it, Teba, Nura, Falila and Celimata, that they got a kick out of. They all had such unique and distinct faces–I’m sure I could recognize them as grown-ups. My host brothers used to like to hang around a bit, and they at least spoke French, while my old host father and his two old wives didn’t. One was just a sweet young man, though he would use a razor to hack away at his plantar warts on the cement floor of my hut. I thought his intentions toward me were refreshingly platonic, compared to the city boys hinting they would like a “souvenir” before we parted. That’s the way I gave away my harmonica about a week after we first arrived in the capitol city, to a nice young man who worked at the community center where we lodged, who befriended me, even invited me to his family home and gave me soda as we sat in the living room with “Dallas” on TV, of all things. He wrote to me for over a year as if we were betrothed, though nothing happened between us. One of the other women had the same experience. I still feel that sourness. that sense of being wronged, for all of that, and for being begged from in the cities just because I was white. I didn’t want to go to Africa to develop bitterness against Africans, not the plan at all. Later in the village, after several months of foster sibling friendship, my host brother shyly asked for a souvenir too. I explained to him that he was like a brother, that i liked him but not in that way, and he gave it up and sort of went back to normal, but I never felt the same ease in his company. Problems within our group arose too, among the African exchange participants and us. We figured out among ourselves that the Togolese young people had not been chosen for their cultural openness or ability to communicate cross culturally, as we Canadians were, through a series of special activities observed by screeners. They were mostly urban, privileged, and well connected politically, hoping to nab some of perks of the Western world. Two of the Togolese men in another group were sent home for a semi-hushed up sexual assault charge. Another two were basically leering, chauvinist jerks who drove all the Canadians, both men and women, nuts. Another was screwing a series of local Togolese village women who perceived him as a good prospect. The one Togolese participant we liked, and who therefore received all our fond attentions, had actually worked at some kind of tourist place and had a lot of experience with Westerners, and also spoke English. He was culturally sensitive, respectful, and a lot of fun. He and one of the women of our group fell in love and married after the program. He was from a traditional village, and was just a more wholesome, mature guy able to relate to anyone. Our recourse for dealing with the spoiled chauvinists was to help their Canadian counterparts and group members let off steam on the weekends by making up derogatory songs and rhymes about them. That was after trying to convert them into sensitive new age guys, which failed utterly. Some of the Togolese women weren’t much better, gossiping and tittering and all catty. Mine at least was only guilty of being taciturn and scowling in an intimidating way, at least to my young, sensitive feelings. And now it turns out she kind of did, or does, want to be friends, at least on FaceBook. More memories there–i can feel them peeping in at the edges of consciousness. I wonder where my writings from that time are–in some box or other fading away on the cheap notebook paper I got in the village market. I wrote reams to my family and to a boyfriend who didn’t manage to wait for me, and when he expressed his interest on my return, i was too emotionally exhausted to accept him. It did change me, and I guess the goal of the program, to teach young people about rural development and experience cultural differences, was achieved. I lost my shyness of foreigners, was glad to meet much more likable Africans at university in Nova Scotia, got to see the world, and there’s nothing to compare with that. But I never felt tempted to switch to an international development major, or lead an exchange myself, as it seems many of the participants did. I don’t hang out at community cultural centers, or follow any Eastern religion, and never even went for dreadlocks or henna. Wearing a swirly skirt in the summer once in awhile is enough for me. I don’t want to go back. Gave a little sermon the other day to one of my classes, as I just couldn’t get a response to a series of attempts to engage. It’s a small class, and they say morning classes are markedly different that afternoon classes, lower energy, quieter. But for the students to sit and do nothing, say nothing, in response to legitimate topic-related questions, I don’t think is fair, or responsible, and I told them so. I have intelligent, capable students, have dynamic personalities, and of course a number of very shy students who always find it difficult to give even a yes or a no in front of others. But lately they act as if they’re just bodies in chairs facing forward. Told them something or other, from my stool behind the controls, where I sit when nothing much is happening or when I’m using the screen. To put themselves forth a little more, that I was only trying to help them connect more with these ideas, have them turn them over in their minds so as to better comprehend, that it was my job to do my best teaching, theirs to learn, and being in a half asleep state wouldn’t help that any. All the time I’m feeling that some maybe need a quiet time more that this discussion on photosynthesis, that I don’t blame them for not wanting to be the one who speaks into the quiet with an answer that might be perceived as wrong, or an attitude too compliant. Told them in case they hadn’t noticed by now, no one jumps on you for making mistakes, that I value participation itself, that everyone finds that more interesting than just me doing the talking or giving out worksheets. Then I went on, the choice, as always, up to them, and I wasn’t going to get all worked up over it. End of quarter, and there’s a feeling in some of having given up–two or three per class, even though the grades they have are malleable, pretty much to the last minute, as I have told them all–to complete the work and earn the numbers, do this, talk with me, we’ll work on something alternative, whatever, just make the move. A few have, asking what they can do to improve their grade, handing in quiz corrections and late assignments, asking if this will do for that. Others, though I and the special ed teacher have filled notebooks with sticky notes to alert them to points that can be earned, added missing items, provided scaffolding for the more complex items, just let it go. One has done nothing but use their smart phone through the whole class, no response to any of my invitations. Though I go easy in them because they have an air of deep discouragement, and I don’t want to do any harm. I’ve started meeting briefly each day with the special ed teacher, and feel we’re getting on better, being more of a team. She’s helping me enter a mindset that is more appropriate with the students who struggle most, that effort, completing, even attempt must sometimes be the criteria, rather than conceptual understanding or skill. Hard for me, as I have that sense of a need to be consistent with grading, and don’t want anyone to feel that sliding through barely engaged is a mark of success. Then I remember that these are not students who will be taking their A’s and B’s to apply to study science at college, believing their 3.0 is the same as someone else who got it at the big school. Success looks different for everyone, so the current code has to be re interpreted. But I need to keep a special eye out for the students who can really grasp the subtleties, hose who gravitate toward the ideas, who really want to know. Maybe those three who asked to take plants home to grow, the one who said he’s interested in microbiology, another who wondered how seeds make it to the surface without light. Who knows but that some will go into science, some into camera work on scientific expeditions, some into artistic expressions of the diversity and beauty of living things, another into conservation work, just to be around the life sciences. I looked at my next quarter’s roster, once I found out how on the software, and was sad to see that a certain student, the star of the school, light of every teacher’s eye because of his empathy, hard work, smiles, and sweetness. The students all love him too–not in a coolness or popularity sense, but because he’s kind to everyone. He’s one who takes the time to come up and say a few words that make one’s day better. He has trouble with concepts, but keeps trying. Last week I overheard him say, as he worked with the para educator, “You just have to keep trying and not let yourself get lost.” I wrote that on the white board and sent it around to the staff. He didn’t think anything of it, seeing it up there in marker. It’s just who he is. A kind of Forrest Gump without the Asberger’s. For about a week he would come in every day after school to do test corrections, improve past assignments, and work on concepts in biology. And chat. Once he said he admired me because I wrote things down. Not sure when he saw me do that–maybe was referring to a reflection piece I read out at the beginning of the quarter, or just my daily jottings. Neither of which I consider much of a feat, but for him… Yet I could see someone following him around and writing down the insightful things he says. But mostly he listens, because what he says is so worth responding to at depth. I will also have a few new, or current from the rest of the school, students, with the promise of the chaos of lot of surprise new registrations in the first few weeks of the quarter–students who have had it up to there with regular school. So I’ll have to plan generic stuff, or stuff easy to catch up on later, or skip entirely, for those weeks. And they say the current students will have a hard time adjusting to the newbies–there’s a sorting process to that, a gradually finding one’s place, even though there’s also, I sense, a readiness to at least see new students as being in somewhat the same boat with school being a problem. If there are pretty girls, there will be a special kaffuffle, with those dual tensions of attraction, both by girls as friends and allies, and to guys as, well, what kind of girl, anyway? and testiness. I was pretty oblivious to most of that when I first came–too much to take in. I was amazed at the insider information my colleagues had, and how they used it to try to support and redirect and keep an eye out, as well as take preventative measures. Rumors of fights and tears, and who was meeting whom during class between the buildings, and the drama. Lots of to do over the new girl with sparkle makeup around her eyes, which still hasn’t really settled. And evidence of dysfunctional relationship patterns, opportunities (for the teachers in the know) to discuss jealousy, possessiveness, controlling behaviors, boundaries, and stuff. It’s the shock of the day after a weekend. I’m off to swim to get my biorhythms evened out, tire my body so my mind won’t be so much on the jump after my morning coffee. My attitude of choice being a kind of open, loving, no caring too much attitude with a bit of “oh well, can’t expect too much” in it. Gets me in the right frame of mind so some good things will actually go down in my classroom, if I keep trying don’t let myself get lost along the way. I would rather go into a messy, non-ideal, difficult job and try to do my best, knowing the odds are not great that I’ll be able to accomplish the great things I’m aiming for, than get that ideal job in a place where everything is slick and professional and handled a certain way. In that scenario I’d feel like a fraud, like I didn’t belong, because I don’t have it all down as far as curriculum and protocol and the paper train, I only have heart, the will to learn and grow, a year or two of teaching in various places, and some parenting experience. The principal keeps including in his “informal chats” with me the fact that I came into this job under the worst possible circumstances, and it wouldn’t be easy for anyone. So I feel that there’s a lot of grace for me, a lot of room to be creative and try different things, to make mistakes, while at the same time I have a great deal of support, as do my students, as we work things out. As he shared with me some feedback he’s been getting from students, and listened to me respond, I felt I was in a conversation rather than a checkup or evaluation. I realize what a privilege and blessing it is to have that support, knowing not every principal gives it like that. Maybe that’s why he works here too, because the focus is on helping the students make it rather than winning awards and being picture perfect. It was also encouraging to hear the principal comment that it was funny how three years ago he’d had pretty much the same conversation with the math teacher, who still there and still not coasting. “It’s a journey,” he said, several times. I feel that as I listen to the other staff, who are struggling and stressed and frustrated in their turn, too, trying to keep reasonable expectations, care for students, get everything done, and keep things in balance. No glib advice there. So here I am, learning to teach to multiple abilities and learning styles, how to build relationships with those who have turned inward, those who have short fuses, those who have wounds and emotional baggage. Learning how to provide scaffolding for new concepts, deal with sass and resistance, pass on a vision, encourage and love. Learning to take care of myself too, and soak in all the wisdom of others’ experience. And in many ways, I’m feeling the care and support of a good number of students, those empathetic and perceptive ones who think of others–not a universal characteristics among 14-18 year olds at school or at home. Holidays and teacher work days come just in time, too, for a little recharge, a chance to get caught up on home duties, to think ahead a bit to possible special activities. MLK Day tomorrow will be a quiet at school day for that. The grading is done, now I have to plan the final review before the end of semester assessments and final grade posting. I’ll order the compost worms for next semester, assemble some gardening tools to dig up the dead trees over by the dumpster so we can plant potatoes, negotiate a bit more garden area for peas and garlic, plan the class walk down to the creek, and figure out how to measure cricket respiration.

2019-04-25T16:35:41Z

https://starinthewind.wordpress.com/2016/01/

Summary of Brenda’s June 8, 2017, channeled 15-minute “Creation Energies” show at http://www.BlogTalkRadio.com/brenda-hoffman: Perhaps you’re concerned you’ll never be of 5D or beyond for you continue to address 3D issues. You just need a bit of practice before you feel fully comfortable in 5D or beyond. Just as was true for learning to play an instrument or drive a car. Some of you even feel as if you’re ill, and will never recover. The next few days allow you to understand that you’re now a bird flying high in the sky instead of a fish in a small pond. “Your 3D Segments May Be Exploring” is the title of this week’s “Brenda’s Blog” – her weekly channeled blog for http://www.LifeTapestryCreations.com. Many of you expected to become a Superwoman or Superman overnight. While such might be true internally, externally, most of you require a bit of practice. Your internal being does sometimes fold into your external being, but not yet to the extent you dream of. Even though eventually you will dimension hop and frequency/time travel with ease, you must practice a bit before such is so. Do you remember the first time (for those of you introduced to computers as adults) you tried to operate a computer? Perhaps you felt you needed a space bar – like those on typewriters – or could not remember how to save items. Actions you now do automatically. So it is for your physical shift. Throughout these transition years, you shifted spiritually, then emotionally, and finally, physically. From inner to outer if you will. So it is you are beginning to practice your physical skills regarding actions and receiving. For even though many of you eventually wish to time/frequency travel and dimension hop, it is likely you are now dreaming of something in your physical world that you have not yet created. You are a bit like an infant trying to grasp something but not able to until your finger muscles are more developed. So you are frustrated, angry, and stating to others that you are giving up. Hoping that such dramatic phrases and thoughts will encourage an entity in the ethers to produce what you want. Again, like an infant expecting someone to change their diaper when soiled, feed them when hungry and hold them when human contact is needed. The problem now, if you will, is that you are mature enough spiritually and emotionally to care for yourself. So it is you must begin thinking of yourself as a self-contained entity. Such a thought makes some of you angry for you are certain you cannot be as fruitful or caring as the gods you once worshiped as parental figures. But then, such a thought is little different from wanting your parents to protect and care for you as a young adult the first time you make a mistake. Even though your parents might commiserate with you, it is likely they will encourage you to determine your own fate without a rescuing or caretaking. For young adults not taking responsibility for their actions, merely prolong learning self-care – the ultimate adult role. So it is you are now on your own. It is time for you to put on your big boy and big girl pants, to take responsibility for your life – and your creations. You have begun to create small items and will soon flex your creation muscles to the big items you dream of. Even though we suggested you flex your creation muscles a year or so ago, the majority of you did not wish to become true Universal adults that rapidly. You wanted to remain of 3D instead of forcing yourself too rapidly into 5D or beyond. Even though such a delay is not that dramatic for your months are but milliseconds in Universal time, you can no longer pretend you are not skilled enough nor Universal enough to be of 5D or beyond. You have crossed the 5D Rubicon. So Universal beings can whisper suggestions in your ear, as would be true of a phone call to your parents when you are unable to determine your next move as a young adult, but Universal beings can no longer live your life for you pushing you here and there. You are a fully contained adult with all the skills required. You no longer need babysitters, nor do you need overprotective parents. You are a young 5D adult – and it is time for you to act like one. It does not matter how loudly you scream to the heavens about your terrible life, any more than it would have helped you to have your parents take care of your every move once you became an adult. So it is you are being forced, if you will, to become an adult even though most feel as if you are not ready. All is as it should be regarding your acceptance that you are a 5D or beyond adult. Of course, you will make a few mistakes – but in your mind only. Of course, you will wish that the Universes or someone would rescue you as is true of almost every young adult. But the only way you will fully claim new you is if you test your physical skills – as you are now doing. Allow yourself to flex your new you physical skills, just as you allowed yourself to flex your spiritual skills by running hither and yon from one guru to another – until you were satisfied that you had absorbed all you needed from others. So it is now. You are beginning to flex your 5D physical muscles – discovering you are more selective with human interactions, that you create items just by wishing for them, and that you are slipping between dimensions and frequencies without yet understanding how to move and speak as you wish, but knowing how you want to shift. You are a physically young 5D or beyond adult just beginning to explore your options. Allow that to be without berating yourself for not being perfect. And instead, being in joy with your self-hood experiments. So be it. Amen. Summary of Brenda’s May 19, 2017, channeled 15-minute “Creation Energies” show at http://www.BlogTalkRadio.com/brenda-hoffman: Emotions and actions shifted throughout history – even though the physical truisms of smiles, laughter, and tears never changed. It’s time to react according to your inner-being instead of society dictates – to be your true self. The next BlogTalkRadio.com channel will be Friday, June 2, 2017. “No One and Nothing Is as It Was” is the title of this week’s “Brenda’s Blog” – her weekly channeled blog for http://www.LifeTapestryCreations.com. Pain and fear continue – not because they have to but because you are yet adjusting to a life without pain. Those of you in deep physical or emotional pain beg to differ. For whatever you chanted, meditated or accessed has yet to produce the results you wanted. Such is perhaps to be expected for you are novices at creating a life of joy. Maybe thinking in terms of learning to ride a bicycle will help you understand. Was it not true that you yearned to ride a bicycle without training wheels as you observed the joy your older siblings or friends experienced whizzing by with handlebar streamers flying in the wind? Finally, your bicycle training wheels were removed. Ah, the joy, the freedom, the fun – until you took your first of many spills learning to maneuver on two wheels instead of four. That was when you were certain you would never master the skills of your older siblings – until you did, forgetting your first awkward attempts. You are now at a similar place. When you first acknowledged your inner need to find new you, you were, in essence riding a tricycle. You recently advanced to a two-wheel bicycle with training wheels. And if you have not done so already, you are now testing your shiny two-wheel bicycle. Of course, you are going to take some spills. Of course, you are going to believe that everyone else but you can master your new skills. But you will negate those beliefs within hours or days of your first trial run. So it is that it is time for you to take off your training wheels. Even though that thought might seem overwhelming, it is time. You are too big dimensionally to depend on training wheels. Our definition of training wheels is an ongoing expectation that someone or something will rescue or catch you every time you fall. More importantly for where most of you are at developmentally, you are too BIG and POWERFUL to use training wheels. You are growing up, and so your skill set must be reset to meet that growth. So it is you are discovering new skills without understanding what those skills are. You continue to believe you are a 3D human with a few new ideas. Instead, you are a new human with an extremely large number of skills you merely need to claim. Just as wishing to ride a two-wheel bicycle like the big kids do does not create a two-wheel bicycle rider, so too does just wishing to use new skills create a more skillful you. Test your skills daily. What skill interests you? What stops you from playing with the big kids? That is what you are now discovering and hopefully exploring. Many of you wish you could channel, have healing hands, time travel, dimension or frequency travel, and/or create whatever and whenever you wish. All of that is now you. You merely have to believe that such is so. Many of you are naysayers, “I chanted this, meditated here, took a special class, and nothing worked.” But have you committed to learning those new skills – without instructors; without the skill set of others? For indeed, such is very similar to watching others riding a two-wheel bicycle without riding one to create your own technique. Even though others have learned how to play with their new skill set, they have done so based on their physical, emotional and mental beings – not yours. So what they teach you is based on what is right for them but not necessarily for you. Which returns us to accepting how BIG and POWERFUL new you is. You do not require others to teach you anything. You merely need to tap into your new skill set. And you will do so when you are ready. Does the thought of time travel “tickle your fancy?” Then set that as your intention and when the time is right such will happen automatically. Perhaps you have other pieces to explore before you time travel or dimension hop. Just know that whatever is of interest to you is part of your new repertoire. Many of you are frustrated for you believe there HAS to be a manual or entity who will teach you how to do whatever interests you. Which means you believe that someone outside of you is wiser or more skilled than you. Such is not true. You are a fully loaded new you computer with any skill that interests you. And the only way NOT to access those skills is depending on someone – either of earth or the ethers – to know more than you how to be you or how to access your skills. You are a complete entity. Allow yourself to believe that for until you do, you will continue to wait for something you already have. A bit like Dorothy in The Wizard of OZ searching for a way home only to discover after many trials and tribulations, that she merely needed to click her heels together, that she was the powerful being. So be it. Amen. Summary of Brenda’s March 11, 2016, channeled, 15-minute “Creation Energies” show at http://www.BlogTalkRadio.com / brenda-hoffman: Because you’re of 5D, you have the ability to add any segment you wish to your totality. For those of you feeling more morose than joyful, know that you have incorporated segments that don’t fit your current needs. And if you find yourself doing something that seems counterintuitive, such as joyfully spending money with a limited income even though your dream is to create financial freedom, know that you’re shifting your frequency to accept your dream. “Creating Without Repercussion Fears” is the title of this week’s Brenda’s Blog” – her weekly, channeled blog for www.LifeTapestryCreations.com. All is in upheaval. You are seemingly pulled this way and pushed another. Such is to be expected when you are at this transition point. For you are making decisions second by second how you wish to proceed. When you were climbing your mountain of pain, your focus was clearing your fears. Even though rolling down your hill to joy was slowed with bumps, stops, and starts – you knew you were rolling to joy. Now that you are of 5D, your focus is no longer one or even two goals. You wish to create your earth dream, live a peaceful life, explore new frequencies, time travel and visit other dimensions – all at the same time. Even though such fears are not true, those thoughts are your current stumbling blocks – that you cannot achieve your Universal dream of shifting earth and its beings from fear to love. Indicators that you are failing abound – from your seeming inability to create your earth dream to happenings in the world that scream fear and anger instead of love. Have you ever planted seedlings that seemed to resist growth? Then one day, you awoke to discover those seedlings had become young plants. And given a bit more time, those young plants bore fruit or flowers. So it is for some of you now. You are impatiently waiting to observe your seedlings growth. Others, for your young plants to grow. And still others, for your plants to bear fruit or flowers. But there is little you can do to speed up that growth – your plant requires time. Your love seedlings are planted in good soil with adequate moisture and energy from the sun. It is merely a matter of waiting until your plants flower or bear fruit. But as is true for many teenagers, the time required to reveal that fruit or flower is almost unbearable. You are young Universal adults so you want it NOW. Such is not to be for many of you for a number of reasons. Not the least of which is that the earth and its inhabitants are not quite ready for that type of instant growth right now. You, of the earth, are progressing more rapidly than expected. Just as in puberty, some of you developed more rapidly than your parents expected. But that rapid development in puberty did not necessarily shift your ability to live without parental/adult direction. Do you remember the times as a teenager you gambled with your life by being a passenger in automobiles driven by intoxicated, distracted or daredevil drivers – something you would not tolerate now? So it is you want everything NOW. You have suffered the pangs of removing your key fears. You have suffered not knowing why or where you were transitioning. And now you feel you deserve your reward(s). And why were you prompted by us to believe your earth dream would be created by now? Some of you created your earth dream. Others of you are just beginning. Still others are in the final stages. Allow yourself and earth to work in cooperation with this phase. For if every one of you created your earth dream at one time, would not others who do not yet understand the workings of this transition become jealous – perhaps even unruly? That explanation means little to you now. But it will. So it is those of you anxious about not yet creating your earth dream are discovering pieces of it here and there as you shift into that frequency. The energies of the past few and next few days are for those of you who wish to grasp extra energy to push you over the top. For as more of you claim your new adulthood via your earth dream, you will discover a focus that has not been part of you the past few weeks. You most likely focused on your earth dream UNTIL the energies of this new year pushed you hither and yon. A bit like being in a candy store and having difficulties deciding which candy would give you the most pleasure. That indecision of wanting it all will continue for a bit of time for you have expanded your knowingness beyond your earth dream. If you had created your earth dream by or very near the end of 2015, you would have progressed to other phases easily and effortlessly. Those of you who have not yet done so are feeling as if you are taking a make-up test in addition to your heavy class load. As usual, you Lightshifters have created a more difficult journey for yourselves than required. You mavericks have said to yourself, “I wonder if I can do this AND this? How fun to prove that I’m strong enough to do so.” Like driving in a snowstorm to prove that you are brave even though weather advisories indicate you should not be on that road. You are a brave, courageous group that loves to take chances and live on the edge. So it is you have delayed your earth dream phase to determine if you are brave and strong enough to do it all at once. And so it is you are being sent additional energies the next few days by your Universal assistants as they smile in glee at your bravery and foolhardiness. You are indeed a blessed group of beings who constantly amaze and amuse us as you grow into Universal adults within your earth environment. So be it. Amen. Summary of Brenda’s February 26, 2016, channeled, 15-minute “Creation Energies” show at http://www.BlogTalkRadio.com / brenda-hoffman: For eons, you hid your true being to avoid punishment for being different. It’s time to remove that cloak even though you’re more frightened of doing so than you or we realized. This transition is much like puberty – only you’re creating the transition manual. There’s no one fully guiding you for you are doing something that has never been done before. Future generations will wonder why you hesitated. But for now, allow yourself to move at the pace right for you. “You’re a Universal Change Artist” is the title of this week’s Brenda’s Blog” – her weekly, channeled blog for www.LifeTapestryCreations.com. Today is the first day of the rest of your life on earth in this lifetime. Even though that statement sounds a bit grandiose, it is merely a reminder of your newly activated skill set. You have always had the skills you are curtailing (curtailing is the correct word) now, but you did whatever was required of 3D you to disclaim, deny or ignore those skills. And it continues to be easier for you to ignore your new being than to accept and explore it. That last statement is to explain why you have not created that which you wish to create. You are most likely thinking that such words are another delay tactic or carrot to draw you further into this make-believe world created by this and other channels. Such is not true for you ARE the creators of your world – including the world you are sitting or standing in this very moment. You have received that same message over and over the past few decades. Yet, you have not internalized it for you continue to believe that someone outside of you is punishing you or that you are not capable of creating your reality. You insist you are merely small you. Not because it is true, but because your layers of 3D denial are so deep you cannot envision your skill possibilities. Even though you have hidden you extremely well for eons of earth lives, it is time to come out of your skill set closet. It is time for you to become a spiritual adult while of the earth. You ponder, worry, fret and are angry that you have not created what you want. You are your magician. There is no magic beanstalk, king or Wizard of Oz creation genie. It is you and always has been you. You denied yourself to better fit in your 3D world. Now that earth and you are of 5D, there is no need to hide or deny your skills. Your deeply ingrained fears most likely pertain to 3D lives in which you were punished for activating your skills. Perhaps you were labeled a witch or burned at the stake for denying a particular religion or punished for not believing in what society needed you to believe. It does not matter. The past has passed. Karma from those lives and any others has been cleared from your slate. There is no need to hide. In truth, you are now being called upon to display the skills you were once forced to hide. Even though the following concept is a bit complicated using your present language, those lives continue to be lived as you move into your 5D you. The easiest way of understanding this concept is to think of your being as a hologram. A hologram that shifts in and out of being as you view you from different perspectives. A hologram composed of layers instead of a flat 3D photo. So it is that your hologram as now viewed by you and others – for that image ability is now part of your skill set – is created by you of your past, present and future. Without that depth of knowing, of understanding, your hologram would merely be a 3D image. In the past, all you allowed yourself to view was a 3D photo of you. Of course, some of you noted ghost-like images or bright lights or blobs you did not see when you took a photo, but, all in all, you only allowed yourself to see or sense one dimension of your multi-dimension, multi-time, multi-frequency being. Now that you have gathered your various segments to form new you, you are beginning to create your New Earth, multi-dimension, multi-time, multi-frequency being. A being fully capable of activating any piece of your past, present or future. For all are happening at the same time. Time is not linear and never has been. But that linear image/thought process helped you better understand your 3D lives. Just as early humans needed to create fables for eclipses and God so they could live comfortably within their thought processes. Now that you are a young 5D adult, your thought processes are shifting accordingly – including how you view yourself in your totality. A shift that begins to understand the hologram that is now you. Knowing without a doubt that you create your reality and will do so forevermore. And that by creating that reality, you are changing the earth and the Universes. If you question that last thought, just remember how much smaller the earth was once airplanes became part of your transportation systems. Such is true now. This is an internal paradigm shift many of you are afraid to accept. You are similar to those who once believed automobiles were evil, smelly inventions that should be returned to wherever so they could continue their known world of horse and carriage travel. Such is not going to happen. You have stepped over the line to new you. You can rail against this shift. You can dream of how much better it used to be. You can continue to hide your creation skills. Or you can truly claim your new holographic being including skills from any and all segments beneficial to your current life. Segments that easily float in and out of your being whenever you wish. You are no longer a static, 3D photo. You are a multi-time, multi-dimension, multi-frequency being far different from your 3D being. And so are all others who have opened their hearts to their new 5D being, all those relishing these words. Claim yourself without fear, anger or repercussions. You are no longer dependent on horse transportation. You are flying through the Universes with the fastest jet yet imagable, creating without fear. You are new you in a New Earth. So be it. Amen. Summary of Brenda’s August 7, 2015 channeled, 15-minute “Creation Energies” show at http://www.BlogTalkRadio.com/brenda-hoffman: August 8 is a day to move further from 3D to your personal joy. That joy might be what you envisioned last year or something new. It doesn’t matter. For those of you in environments that don’t seem joyful, change perceptions to find joy in the hidden corners of your being. Joy is your key word for this 8/8/8 energy burst and beyond. Perhaps you are concerned that you are not zipping through various dimensions or frequencies. That your life appears much as it has always been. Even though such is not true, you cannot discern how different your being is from you of six months ago. The first day of kindergarten or first grade, you most likely could not read or compute numbers. Such was not so by the end of that school year. You evolved physically, intellectually and emotionally, yet felt as if you were the same you. So it is now. You are evolving rapidly. You merely do not have common markers, such as learning to read, that such is so. Slowly – in your mind – but surely, you are practicing how to communicate without words. Words that so often confuse your being. Perhaps such indicators are minimal such as someone telling you that they like your new suit and you knowing – without fully understanding how – that they do not. So it is that you are tuning into new you and New Earth. But many, if not most of you, expected to be zooming through various frequencies, dimensions and times, as well as shifting your being physically, spiritually and emotionally. Such happened for/with some. Even though most of you now believe such is possible, you have not yet claimed those pieces. Much as is true for those youngsters just learning to read who cannot yet understand various words or books with paragraphs. You are practicing and testing without understanding that you are for there is no one to tell you that such is so. Perhaps you are skeptical. Thinking that such statements are a cover for something that is never going to happen. That is not a truth. For even though each of you will develop skills within the full array of possibilities with your new you software, all of you has a similar skill set. Much as you all learned to read, but your reading interests vary widely from science fiction to mysteries, science, medicine, histories and biographies. For once you mastered the skill of reading, your unique interests took over. So it is now. Some of you are most interested in learning communication without words. Others flying through and to other dimensions and frequencies. And still others using your new skill set to review current and past lives. You have the abilities to review and command any time, distance or place. It is merely your interests that determine the areas in which you focus. There will be a time when your focus shifts and you use different skills. But for now, note what is interesting or joyful and you will know the skills you are mastering. Maybe such is difficult to comprehend. For you were delighted to learn that you could do whatever you wanted – fly through dimensions, create different frequencies, time travel, live in joy, close a fear or create something in 3D and on and on. And so you are. But your joy selects those skills most important for you at this time. You have a full skill set, just as is true for all at the forefront of this transition. You are merely selecting those pieces of your skill set that best meet your needs and interests now. Even though such will shift in the future, it is not necessary for you ever to use all your skills. Just as was true in your school days. You studied mathematics, reading, history, science, communications, socializing, etc, but you only used those skills required at any one time. So it is now. You were introduced to your full skill set so you could freely select those skills most interesting. You needed to open your vision and perceptions. Without a broad overview of your new skill set/new you software, you might have believed such was not possible or something was wrong with your being. Finding your joy has been emphasized throughout this transition – while opening your perceptions to possibilities. A bit like taking you to a store filled with beautiful items – clothing, home ornaments, cars and on and on – and encouraging you to select the item that gives you the most joy – not the most practical item or what you might need in the future – but the item that gives you the most joy now. So it is you have access to whatever new skill you wish to select – yet you are narrowing your selection process to that which is most joyful for you. You are in exactly the right place testing exactly the right part of your new skill set – until that skill is no longer interesting and you move to your next joy. Fully aware of your new capabilities and skills. So be it. Amen.

2019-04-25T18:07:37Z

https://lifetapestrycreations.wordpress.com/category/time-travel-2/

You are here: Home / Church Talk / Can a Single Board govern a diverse church? Can a Single Board govern a diverse church? Natascha: But this is a democracy Harvey…who appointed the Batman? Dent: When their enemies were at the gate, the Romans would suspend democracy and appoint one man to protect the city. It wasn’t considered an honor, it was considered public service. Rachel: And the last man they asked to protect the republic was named Caesar. He never gave up his power. Dent: Well, I guess you either die a hero or you live long enough to see yourself become the villain. Thus, Batman represents a failure in the system to deal with a crisis. Since democratically-elected people couldn’t change the tide, Batman stepped in and seized authority as judge, jury, and punisher (not executioner, of course). When the people can’t fix a problem, an executive steps in who uses power without much accountability to fix the problem. Done and done. What kind of church in a crisis? I share this illustration because many churches that are seeing dwindling dollars and ministry bloat are turning from representative boards (boards whose members represent various constituencies in the church to give a holistic perspective) to single governing boards whose members are not elected based on representative politics. Like the Romans dealing with crisis, they sacrifice perspective in order to navigate through a crisis–one that may never end. Indeed, it’s all the rage these days to be highly critical of representative boards. Representative boards are made up of people who represent different constituencies in the church or community. A member from the youth. A member who has joined in the past 2 years. Equal numbers of men and women. Detractors say the people who create representative boards have checklists and get all the ethnicities, demographics, and tenure’s balanced…at the expense of people who may be more competent to solve the problems being addressed. It leads to inefficiency as the people “represent” their constituency and you have a war of interests rather than a common mission. So Gil Rendle and many other church governance experts promote the Single Board model: instead of a representative group of people on the Finance committee, you have a single Finance chair. Instead of a representative group making decisions about building rentals, you have a single Building Superintendent. The positions are chosen for competency instead of representation. The argument is that a smaller group has the capacity to represent the whole church (in all its diversity) without having them at the table. However, that assertion doesn’t fly with progressive theology or with the current state of the United Methodist Church. Every contextual theology asserts the need to have minority voices at the table. Feminist theology asserts the need for women’s voices in a male-dominated culture. Queer theology asserts the need for LGBT voices in a straight-dominated culture. Liberation, Womanist, Asian and other contextual theologies have varied perspectives but a common sentiment: if representative voices are not at the table, the table is unjust. In theological terms, we have a conflict between our systems theory and our theology that leads to a troubled ecclesiology. As if our ecclesiology needed more troubling. During the Call To Action process from 2010-2012 in the United Methodist Church, one of the commissioned reports by Towers-Watson talked repeatedly about a lack of trust in the denomination. From top to bottom, we are a denomination that doesn’t trust each other. It’s from the bottom-up as laity don’t trust where their apportionment dollars go. It’s institutional as jurisdictions keep the south from getting an untrustworthy northern (or–egads–western) bishop. From the caucus groups sowing discontent to the average Methodist middle, trust is a currency that is not being used as often as it should. So, in short, while a single-board model seems to be the best way through a crisis, it is divergent from two aspects of United Methodism: theological need for minority perspectives and a lack of trust in our ecclesiology. It is true that shrinking resources force hard decisions. When resources are increasing, you can keep the many voices. When there’s shrinking resources, you actually have to make decisions. Someone has to be able to say “this is more important than that.” But how? The Leadership or Visioning Team (whoever would not be part of the governing board) comes up with a list of qualities that they want in a board. Vision, able to see big picture, inclusive in perspective, attending more than 2 years but less than 20, etc. The Team takes the list, prays, and makes nominations based on those qualities. They get together again, rank the list and draw a line after the top seven. Those are the list. Then, after the board slate is drawn up, the Team looks at it and says “It’s all men–we need a woman.” Then a woman who is at #9 gets moved up to replace one of the Seven. Rendle didn’t have any suggestions as to how many members of the 7 person board would be up for representative replacement but in my mind so long as the pool includes only those people that fit the “competencies” the Leadership Team has discerned, it might work out. This may or may not work. But a church lucky enough to have a representative board that has the common gifts and skills–what a powerhouse that would be! The critical question for those churches is how do they discern when they are “through the crisis” and can return more power to the people, and how do they create within the system to do that–be it term limits or a expiration date of this church governance in the future. The critical question for the governing boards is how to be in a listening mode to the congregation and build trust. The critical question for persons who value representative politics is this: We need new tools of social justice moreso than merely having voices at the table. When the system goes backward and rejects representative voices, how do we seek to make sure the system is more just? Jeremy, Thanks for your thoughts as our church explores an alternative model of decision making than exactly what is prescribed in the book of discipline. I agree that representation is good, however, I wonder if the churches who are seeking a smaller board had the representation you mention. Look at your finance committee for example. The book of discipline states that the finance committee is predominantly made up of leaders or representatives from the other committees that exist. Our Ad Council and our Finance Committee are nearly identical. Does it serve anyone that these two committees meet regularly and finance sends recommendations to themselves as the ad board. I appreciated Mike Slaughters suggestion at EPA Annual Conference this year that suggested a 12 person board – with four functioning as finance, four as SPRC, and 4 as Trustees. My question is where the pastor, Lay Leader, and Ad Chair fit in this if 3, 3, 3 and those three then added would be better/worse. I am in a church where the active people are on the committees and they serve well but there time is devoted to committees. There is little person-hours left for ministry. We need to find some way to separate the idea that the best/only way to serve through the church is by serving on committee and free people up for ministry/small groups/witness. I’ve said it before & will say it again: I’d kill to get some Bishops here in the SEJ that come from the North, North Central, or West. To shake up the Episcopacy would shake up the Church and bring change far faster. Jeremy, I see your point about the dangers of non-representative governance and I agree to a certain extent. However, the traditional UMC model of Administrative Board and Council on Ministries also has significant drawbacks over a single Administrative Council. Our congregation, St. Stephen UMC in Mesquite, TX, voted last year to create a single council and a church conference. The single council is intended to eliminate the “silos of management” among various committees that were leading to conflict in the church, particularly over lack of communication. The church conference is intended to bring before the entire congregation all issues that require our collective, representative discernment. While the transition has been rocky, I’d have to say I think the model is working six months into the change. It requires preparing a detailed agenda in advance of monthly meetings, and it requires that committee chairs submit reports in writing (via email). The reports are NOT reviewed during the meetings; only those agenda items that require the council’s collective discernment are brought forth. This model will be put to the test in July, when our pastor and I will bring back to the church conference the results of our research into whether St. Stephen should proceed with the second phase of the North Texas Conference’s Small Church Initiative. The first phase was six months of training in leadership, evangelism and intentional spiritual development skills. The second phase involves an “outside” consultant’s review and assessment of the congregation’s identity and key areas for growth, which is not merely numerical growth. One last thing: I don’t care for Gil Rendle’s management philosophy at all, and I particularly don’t like his 7-member board idea. Efficiency isn’t the be-all and end-all of church; that is — or should be — the building of strong relationships, first with God and then with one another. Relationship building is a time-consuming, messy process, kinda like life. In fact, it IS life, and more suited to church than the business models that are currently all the rage among church experts. To answer your basic question, yes, but…only if the members have a shared vision for ministry, act with integrity, and hold each other accountable for their actions. If those conditions are not met, it really doesn’t matter how many committees you have. I kind of like Mike Slaughter’s model, where three subcommittees exist to address specific management or functional issues and come together to oversee the management and direction of the ministry. As I understand it, they accomplish this by meeting one evening a month. Everything else is handled by ministry teams, accountable to the board, which have permission to function, expand or contract, and even cease to exist when their purpose is served. The church I am currently serving (for a few more days), adopted what we called the single+ board structure. Our Church Council has 16 members on it, 8 of which form the “guiding council.” This model has served well the small church (75 avg attendance) I serve. In the old model, there were over 110 nominations (more people than were regularly attending worship!). And, most “leaders” were holding 2-3 positions. In the single+ model there are 16 nominations (and a strong push for everyone to voluntarily join a ministry team which is represented on the Church Council). No one is allowed two positions. In the small to medium sized church, I think the single board structure can help free people up for hands on; however, I think you raise some valid concerns when the single board is applied to medium to large congregations you can lose some valuable and diverse perspective. We were having a similar conversation just last night at our Ad Council meeting. We have not gone with single board governance — and (shock!) our church is still moving forward. However, keeping such a large group attending and engaged in overall strategic thinking is a leadership challenge. The success of a board is highly dependent on the leadership skills and talent of the Ad Council chair. Fortunately, we have a good one now. One thing no one seems to want to address is that chruches are political institutions. In a perfect world they would not be so. Of course, we do not live in a perfect world. I think one of our founding fathers said deomcracy is a very messy thing. Sometimes changing things, moveing forward, and making decisions seem painfully long. One thing I always loved about the Mehtodist church is that it was born into a time that coincided with a fledgling democracy, the United States of America. Some have said in time of crisis democracy should be suspended. Well some Methodists who are in tune with history remember that Hitler made the trains run on time and Stalin made changes depending on who he felt threatened by at the moment. So, we devise a centralized board, who may be hand picked by some one with a political agenda. Or maybe someone who wants to stir the pot of schism or maybe wants to build a super church and evolve away from Methodism. I think democracy is messy, time consuming, and sometimes contentious. I would rather be governed by a resprestative group and I would rather trust their judgement than to put power in the hands of a few. The history of Christians if filled with plots, macninations, and positioning that would rival any king or princling. And, heaven forbid, some Methodist clergy are both power seekers and want to be king. I remember in the movie “A Man for All Seasons,” Thomas said when you strip away all the rules and all the laws in pursuit of the devil, when you come face to face with the devil where do you hide? A single board, I am sure can make the trains run on time, but I think John Wesley and our founding fathers would have said give me the mess of representative goverment and representative boards. There are pastors among you who want to split up the Methodist church. Give them a single board, and you will help pave the way. I am very sympathetic with your point, Mr. Wonderling (and Jeremy’s) . . . I too am very hesitant to change from representative boards for efficiency solely or because of fear. However, I do think it is helpful (for me anyway) to remember that Methodist polity as first preaching points or chapels, then congregations, and then Conferences have changed significantly over time. John Wesley and the founding generation of Methodists in America were far from believers in a Jacksonian or even a Jeffersonian Democracy when it came to church polity or church politics (as I think you may suggest, although I may be reading you wrong here). John Wesley didn’t run things by representative boards, he ran it himself . . . having the first, middle, and final word! In the first generation of American Methodists, Bishop Asbury resented this “tyranny” of Wesley, but ran things the same way in the Colonies and then the United States. Even after this first generation, from Bishop Cartwright and the “western” evangelists, to Bishop Soule and the Civil War, it was a very strong “top-down” organization. The separation of powers between the Bishops (executives), legislature (General Conference), and courts (Judicial Council) was there . . . but always within the ever-vigilant purview of strong-willed Bishops. It wasn’t until the early to middle 1900s (in convergence with the strong “layman emphasis” influences happening within other Mainline Protestants) did we come to the structure we are now more familiar with today. Needless to say, John Wesley and the founding generation of Methodists did not like the “mess” of representative boards . . . they much preferred the “trains running on time” approach! 🙂 As I begin to think about this excellent point Jeremy raises, I am trying not to think of what we could lose, but instead how we can take the positives of the last 50 years of congregational polity and mold it into a new and better expression for the purpose of making disciples and transforming the world in the time in which we find ourselves . . . a post-Christendom, post- White Mainline Protestant dominant, post-modern culture. It may need to be more efficient and less messy so as not to bog down the hands-on ministry needed to be done by our smaller congregations, yet we must also keep to the vision of fair representation we have inherited. Don’t forget that our system and BoD is created for the large church setting. Small churches are crippled by the weight of our complex system of governing. volunteer basis and leadership are worn out because everyone serves on 3 to 4 committees at a time. in a small church the current system is both a waste of time and a waste of resources. I would say that single boards our preferred for the day today business of the local church – especially the smaller church. Call a church conference for the bigger decisions that need a more representative voice. Our structure with all of its overly cumbersome facets is literally killing small churches. I love you, bro, but what you’re advocating here isn’t progressive at all – it’s grasping to preserve a long held system that is largely antiquated at the local level. Ben, I’m curious if you kept reading to the “practical suggestion” section? Rendle’s suggestion actually serves as an effective way to include progressive theological convictions alongside making sure you have the most competent single board around. I don’t see how you can read that section and still claim that I’m attempting to preserve a long held antiquated system. I was at the training event too. Coming from the perspective of working in a new church start I see using the single board structure as a godsend. We’ve been racking our minds over how to organize the church now that we have a regular attendance of 40 or more per week. At the moment decisions are handled by committees that answer to the pastor. Most of the decisions really only get discussed in the committees and all of the decisions get executed by the pastor or the apprentice minister (me). We are looking for a way to organize ourselves that won’t lead to burnout and that will empower people in our community to be leaders and have the power to take things on without getting approval from 5 different committees. I remember when I was a youth coordinator in Eugene. Before the church moved to a single board structure it would take months before anything would happen. Once we moved to a single board structure it made it much easier to do my job. Trinity UMC in Eugene wasn’t a struggling church by any means. They are still financially sound and are one of the stronger UMC’s in the metro area. This model wasn’t implemented out of necessity, rather out of a realization that things weren’t happening at the rate they needed to happen. We live in a fast moving world and I think we need a church organization model that can move with the times. That’s not to say we should be hasty in our decision making process, but we should be able to move through issues in a more efficient and effective way. Not sure if the model presented at the training is the best possible answer, but I do think it is a whole lot better the the prevailing organizational model. For almost 20 years in two very different churches I have led/participated in the single board governance style. We never entered this from a crisis standpoint. The opportunity was to free as many people as possible for ministry, to streamline decision making, and to raise the expectation of leadership. We have sought to continue to be representative in our application process. One must apply to be on the board, go through an interview, be invited to serve a term, and off we go. This frees the leadership to have on average 10 meetings a year. Early in my ministry when the church I served had a traditional structure we had nearly 40 meetings a year. Both structures can work and be representative. Both have downfalls and challenges. Choose the leadership structure that allows the most kingdom work in your setting. I agree with all the comments that support the Accountable Leadership Model. As a white male who returned to Christianity largely because of feminist and black theology and who has frequently been in trouble for speaking up for the marginalized I value the same things you value but think your concern over “single board” is an example of liberalism turning against itself. Just about every church I have encountered is held hostage by bullies, enablers and the least healthy 10%. Accountable Leadership presents the opportunity for the most mature 10% to lead. Also, a church is not a nation. We cannot tax or draft. I see no oppression in not permitting everyone to have a say in what color to carpet the youth room or whether to have coffee in the sanctuary. Give me some nontrivial examples of how a single board deprives people of justice. Lastly, I frequently say that while the Governing Board should not have representatives of constituencies it should be representative or look like the congregation. Age and gender, years of attendance are all taken into account. Thanks for your comment, John. The need to overcome the 10% who are unhealthy is an important one, even moreso in smaller churches. I think Rendle’s “practical suggestion” above is a way to have that same group be representative as well as competent. Hello Jeremy! This post is hitting close to home for me because last Sunday our church approved moving to a single board beginning in January. I’m over the moon excited about this!!! We are a growing church both in number of people as well as number of dollars. So our motivation for changing to this model was not exactly as you suggested: that dwindling funding or membership meant we must consolidate. However, your assessment that a deficit in resources could prompt a shift to a single board is correct. For us, our resource deficit has become time. Ministries are getting more and more robust. Our people are mostly full time, two income households meaning that their time is limited when it comes to church work. Our staff time is being over-taxed. And well, this Lead Pastor with two little kids who is most often single parenting while my spouse is traveling for work…is Out. Of. Time. The time issue is what forced the change. But as I am adding more detail to our plans for how to do the work, facilitate ways to listen to one another, set up balanced nominations processes and term limits, etc…I’m finding that there are even more benefits than I imagined. Our multiple committees have actually hindered the effectiveness of how we can really hear people’s voices. Each different area has been unknowingly tasked with the double work of visioning as well as what I’m calling action- completing ministry tasks. However, the tasks are the things that each group can accomplish individually. The visioning work requires much more collaboration and is therefore frustrating to take on. It has created a culture of attending to less significant matters; i.e. choosing the color of the carpet. It has discouraged individuals from committing themselves to the much more important work of prayer, Bible study, and accountable discussion. As our single board emerges, I’ve discovered that far more opportunities for more involvement, deeper discipleship, and a broader input has emerged as well. Rather than asking our people if they are called to serve in areas of finance or trustees or worship design, I can now first ask them if they are being called to serve in their discipleship through vision work or action/task work. From there, it’s unifying to be able to encourage all to embark on a leadership class that I’ll teach a minimum of once per year. This will then be the springboard to channeling gifts and passions into many different work areas or temporary projects. But it keeps us all focused on the fact that our first priority is to the most important work of discipleship. I’ve gone on much longer than I intended, but I do hope that this all makes sense. Just because the governance of a church gets smaller, it does not mean that the diversity or opportunity for involvement diminishes as well. In fact, I’m finding the opposite to be true. By making our governance more nimble, our ability to really hear and respond to our community will be multiplied. Thank you always for your diligence in posting about matters that call us to discuss what is most important. I’m a regular visitor and appreciate you taking my comments. Sarai, that’s a super-helpful response and I’m glad to hear first-hand accounts of how this single board model has worked for your ministry context. Thanks for thinking of this post and writing back so the whole community is bettered by it! Would a Missionary give up Swahili for Lent?

2019-04-26T08:45:37Z

http://hackingchristianity.net/2014/06/can-a-single-board-govern-a-diverse-church.html

The escalation of voices in the (let's call it debate for lack of a better term) about some of the urbanisms out there - most notably New Urbanism and Landscape Urbanism, has kicked up a notch even in the past few weeks since the initial salvos. There has been a fair amount of dialogue around this (and also a lot of posturing), which from reactions I've heard has both engaged and alienated equal numbers from both camps. As most folks have heard, in Metropolis, Duany attacked (there's no other word for it), the alleged 'takeover' of the Harvard GSD with a nefarious Waldheim-led transformation so that "the Urban Design Program will morph entirely toward third world initiatives—all offshore—thereby leaving the field clear for Landscape/Ecological Urbanism to be the GSD’s only urban program operating in North America and Europe." and that "there will not be much of whatever remained of the urbane, urban design sensibility. Landscape/Ecological Urbanism will rule without dissension." "I suspect Andres’ postulating a nefarious ‘coup’ at Harvard, in which Urban Design is erased in favor of something called Ecological Urbanism, is actually a cover for a personal worry that the term Landscape Urbanism will soon supplant New Urbanism amongst the purveyors of design sloganeering. The arrival of a new oracle, timely draped with environmental virtues is unsettling. " Waldheim's post on Agrarian Urbanism got some convinced that Landscape Urbanism wished for a return to the 'sprawl utopia' of Wrights Broadacre City or other utopian agro-urban visions from the twentieth century. Taking the mantle of oppositional dynamics of cities and ag lands - even when it is obvious there is a strong desire for some balance. As Daniel Nairn, who came up with an interestingly balanced proposal of urban agriculture worthy of investgation, on his blog Discovering Urbanism mentioned, "A quick background check on Landscape Urbanism suggests that he may seriously be hoping to revive the Broadacre City. When we thought Jane Jacobs had thoroughly shellacked the whole decentralist train of thought back in the 1960s, a few academics have apparently determined that the dictates of avant garde subversiveness actually swing them back into the direction of auto-dependency and vigorous fragmentation of land." This alludes to another in a line of misunderstandings, perpetuated by a cherry-picking of thoughts from literature - similar to that of Michael Mehaffy's article before, amping up the notions of justifying sprawl (how the hell the landscape urbanists caused sprawl is beyond me), or a desire for automobile-centric cities (being realistic about culture and conditions is not the same as condoning them). I wonder what the critics would say about similar exercises like Weller's Boomtown 2050 which uses a number of utopian frameworks to envision development and density of Perth, Australia (reminiscent of the equally abstract 'Metacity/Datatown' explorations of MVRDV These are not projects to pick apart - but are, at best, inspired and relevant thought exercises that we can learn from - with no notions that these are actual solutions. The ideas that we understand an urban reality and 'get real' about sprawl, ecological systems, the prevalence of cars and transportation desires, amongst and other realities - is helpful, and (rather than ignoring them for some traditional ideal) reflects the sense of landscape urbanism ideology and venturing into history for precedents seems valid for any urbanist approach. Also the common assumption that landscape or ecological urbanism is about throwing out the baby by displacing urban density and elimination of walkability, compactness, transit (good city planning, smart growth, new urbanism, whatever you want to call it) in lieu of protecting the bathwater and providing 'greenery', as demonstrated in Nairn's split shot of a natural lake scene and a downtown streetscape - is also equally misguided, as there isn't a call for suburban utopia of Broadacre or a modernist tower in the park of Le Corbusier. An ecology of the city is not, like early 20th Century ecology, removed from humanity, but interwoven into it. It is also not purely based, as critics would like to admit, on avant-garde artistic expression at the detriment to good urban principles. It is rather not deterministic - relying on a fluidity and acknowledgement that we set a stage, but ultimately fail when we try to control all of the details of a city. "...these brief notes outline a history of urban form perceived through the spatial, ecological and infrastructural import of agricultural production. The choice of projects is based on the idea of agricultural production as a formative element of city structure, rather than as an adjunct, something to be inserted into already existing structures; thus this tentative counter-history seeks to construct a useful past from three projects organized explicitly around the role of agriculture in determining the economic, ecological and spatial order of the city." Another post from Yuri Artibise gets into the discussions of the variety of available 'ubanisms' - mentioning the concept of 'sustainable urbanism' (also echoed in Duany's essay in the Ecological Urbanism book that is supposedly the 'first official guide of the new regime'). As mentioned: "Sustainable urbanism is an emerging discipline that combines creating multi-modal places, nurturing diverse economies and building high-performance infrastructure and buildings. It is more than a synonym for green or ecological urbanism. Rather, it looks at the triple bottom line by making sure that our urban centers are socially inclusion, economically dynamic and environmentally conscious." Is it LU v. NU? There are too obvious fundamental differences and a philosophical gulf between the two concepts but its simplistic (and diminishes the value of LU) to frame it merely as an alternative to NU (see a recent, more broadly articulated vision from Waldheim here) - as it is looking at a vastly different context, scale, and approach. A couple of readings from both sides of the argument give a much clearer ideological breakdown and are much less divisive - which I think is much more useful than name calling and stereotyping based on simplied notions of either NU or LU theory (both sides are guilty of reducing for the purposes of denigrating the other). These two voices seem to offer a useful discussion of the merits. The first, from Tim Stonor from The Power of the Network, questions the divisiveness of the debate, recognizing both positive and negative overlaps between the two and understanding the potential of these to reinforce each others. From the post. "The most striking aspect of the presentation was that Landscape Urbanism’s breakup of urban places into small enclaves is resonant of many projects of the New Urbanism, where relatively isolated “communities” of pretty, historically familiar houses are set within a green landscape. But, Waldheim was clear to present Landscape Urbanism as a critique of New Urbanism – as beyond New Urbanism. However, his critique focused on the aesthetic – the architectural treatment of the buildings within the pockets – rather than on the morphological – the pockets themselves. In terms of morphology and not aesthetics, the overlap between Landscape and New Urbanism outweigh the differences." Stonor does go on to adopt the same 'grey versus green' assumption of NU critics of LU, stating that "The Landscape Urbanism projects that separate the green from the grey do not therefore do enough, if anything, to change the paradigm of “you can have either local or global but not both together” that the New Urbanism inherited from Buchanan." and goes on to use the New Urbanist 'transect' as a replicable model. "It should be to see the “grey” city, in itself, as an ecological object. To acknowledge that the grey city – as a network of streets and spaces that are simultaneously landscape corridors and conduits of human movement, community relations, commerce and ideas – is the green city. New Urbanism offers the concept of the “transect” as one means of doing so. This is a powerful start. One that Landscape Urbanism ought to be able to embrace." The transect is an interest metaphorical model, again worthy of discussion (and I know for a fact that many LU folks are intrigued by the ideas - at least until it becomes a mechanism for Smart Codes). It is not, however, to be translated into a one-size-fits-all solution (unless you can find me a great monocentric model city where the categories work). Much like economic city models that use monocentric principles (simplified versions of city dynamics), they are fine for analysis, but not necessarily for action because they don't capture the complexity of the reality of cities - because no code is that smart. I also wonder, somewhat, where these 'projects' are that are the basis of some of this criticism (as I've mentioned previously, this is still a very vague notion - and I would love some specifics, if only to evaluate what is being evaluated). I don't think there's agreement on what is a work of landscape urbanism (if it exists at all), so using project specific criticism seems a bit hollow. Is it site based? Aggregations? Districts? or just viable at a city scale... I'm slowly amassing some ideas from readers, and it's leaving me with more questions than answers - so LU proponents and NU critics - let's look for a shared understanding that at least is a point of departure for philosophical differences we can debate. I am among those that believe that the time for landscape architecture has come and that there is sufficient evidence of increasingly greater global demand for our leadership. Our potential role has never been more central. So to Duany and those that disagree or feel threatened, go back and read Olmsted, Jr., because in addition to the principles that you have liberally borrowed for context-sensitive architecture and planning, much can be gleaned from Olmsted Jr.'s enormous comfort zone, which like the Landscape Urbanism movement, embraces a shared value, systems-based approach that is built on collaboration and open mindedness." "Architects are trained to design objects. They go through design school looking at form and program. Landscape architects look at voids, space, systems, based in training in ecology. They deal with bringing spaces together -- how they are transformed through ecology. It feels to me that the basic training of the professions is different and landscape architects deal with city building in holistic ways." "New urbanism does not do that. It is a holistically fabricated place that does not look at pieces in the puzzle." He suggests, "We need to find ways to be fabric weavers -- you can't have a whole city of objects." The 'we' in this case is all of use collectively, and divisiveness only furthers the gulf, to the deteriment of our collective impact on cities. Only with an understanding of each side can we compare and contrast - so those with issues with New Urbanism (or parts of it) need to learn what the concepts and results are. Those who aim to dismiss Landscape and Ecological Urbanism may do everyone a favor and do the same. It's a simple case of knowing thy enemy. This is illustrated in another recent definition (from Tom Turner at Gardenvisit) for the slippery idea of what landscape urbanism (or at least the urbanism part) actually is. From some recent discussion, he states that: "LANDSCAPE URBANISM is an approach to urban design in which the elements of cities (water, landform, vegetation, vertical structures and horizontal structures) are composed (visually, functionally and technically) with regard to human use and the landscape context." I'd disagree, saying the reference to 'design' and composition make it landscape architecture, not urbanism. A good case in point is the High Line - which can be understood in terms of landscape urbanism through its contextual place in the urban fabric, but in application is seen as a design using compositional principles. See why this is so confusing? Thus, I find it funny that the term 'urbanism' (at least how I interpret it) has become disconnected from the origins that makes it a powerful analytical and theoretical tool. Urbanism, per se, is not a planning system or urban design method, and it is definitely not a landscape design strategy or architectural approach. Rather, it is a way of reading cities in ways that yield information that is utilized towards those ends (which not being the means to those ends). As Wikipedia simplifies it: "Broadly, urbanism is a focus on cities and urban areas, their geography, economies, politics, social characteristics, as well as the effects on, and caused by, the built environment." One aspect I think worthy of discussing is the general premise that New Urbanism is a codified normative planning strategy, meaning 'that it is indicative of an ideal standard or model', while Landscape Urbanism, which is primarily a postive (or descriptive) planning strategy, aimed at describing 'how things are'. This is overly simplified, but really constructive when you consider that landscape urbanism is looking at a different worldview that is much closer aligned to what we mean by urbanism - not seeking out or determining outcomes that is more akin to architecture, landscape architecture, and urban design. I've even heard folks in the urban design realm (and landscape architects as well) starting to get their hackles up, criticizing LU by either saying it's irrelevant or that it is what we're already doing. This misses the point, as you are fundamentally talking about a key different between design and urbanism - which seems lost on most folks. Thus I can be an urbanist (landscape, ecological, or other...) while also being a landscape architect - not having to trade one in for the other because they are fundamentally different modes of operating in cities. The analogy that comes to mind, instead of saying these are comparing apples to oranges, is that the comparison is closer to comparing apples (NU) to apple trees (LU). One is a discreet product, the other a complex system. One is small and decipherable, the other larger and more complex. One yields understandable forms, flavors, colors and textures, while the other is more varied (not containing an inherent 'taste' or 'style') but forming an armature for myriad possible differences in its fruit. Yet they both coexist and are reliant on each other... much as the apple and apple tree are. I think perhaps to take the metaphor a bit further let's call a city an apple tree, and the Landscape Urbanism a larger-scale, complex, rooted, system and each individual apple is a context-based product yielding a specific result. Cities, through urbanism, have a generalized structural focus on the 'how things are', while sites have a specific programmatic and spatial configuration determined through urban design, planning, landscape architecture, and architecture. I believe this is why it is so difficult to pin down 'works' of landscape urbanism - because the concept doesn't operate at the scale of works, but rather at a larger scale (what that is is undetermined), one concurrent with a true definition of urbanism. Perhaps as mentioned by Mason White on Twitter, is there an opportunity to open up the debate on urbanism to a wider array, and see who is the survival of the fittest: He posits: "this new urbanism vs landscape urbanism scuffle could use more ____ urbanisms to let a full fledged Darwinian onslaught unfold. any takers?" The [blank] urbanism debate not withstanding (and frankly I'm enjoying a sort of cage match format) - the whole concept of urbanism as a term is quickly becoming somewhat comical (similar to the modification of terming ending with -urbia that preceded it) with either serious or seriously funny iterations - which if anything is going to render meaningless the concept of which we try to understand. Few of these discussions are about 'urbanism' in a true sense, but rather descriptors for planning, urban design, landscape architecture and architectural solutions. I wonder what should, and what is going to replace it, because after this we may have to abandon it's lifeless corpse, leaving it again to those who want study cities, not design them. I do agree that, once all the huffing, puffing and chest thumping is over, there will eventually be a shaking out of a somewhat cohesive (and constantly evolving) group of approaches to urbanism. Not one of these will be the answer to all of our problems, but perhaps we can reach a level of stasis where each is mutually reinforcing and complementary to the others to allow a range of potential readings of the city. These 'urbanisms' will be reinforced by a range of strategies for portions of the urban areas, through planning, urban design, site design, and architecture. Any designer/urbanist/planner/architect - lending to the flaws of a single-purpose approach that we've seen so shallow and misguided throughout history - is going to be quickly left in the dust of the more enlightened and holistic thinkers. Great post! I share your opinion on this debate. I study Lanschape Architecture in Wageningen and we make a clear distinction between Landscape architecture and urbanism. There is even a Design studio of 8 weeks dedicated to Landscape Urbanism in the batchelor part of the study. I think the Dutch Landscape Architecture practice is quite more metropolitan/urban based because of the population density. A study like Harvard's Urban Planning and Design should focus on teaching different ways of designing in stead of choosing for one particular way. Great post. Learning a lot here. Birnbaum and others in the ongoing LU-NU cage fight have reduced part of the debate to be a question of whether architects or landscape architects are better suited to tackle urban design. The emphasis should rather be placed on the need for broad, multidisciplinary design teams. More emphasis should also be placed on the need to broaden university programs -- for example, integrating a series of ecology and ecological design courses within the civil engineering degree program. I'd like to hear your opinions sometime on form-based vs euclidean codes. US based landscape architecture is so broad and diverse, it makes it difficult to pin-down a consistent agenda (I'd say versus many of the design disciplines). Much of the profession isn't working in cities, or if they are, are doing so in a range of scales (residential to infrastructural) - so I doubt there will be consensus anytime. I've heard that the profession is different in Europe, but would love to hear more about these distinctions. The entire focus on all of these discussions of LU is definitely not to minimize - but as it is an 'urbanism' to channel the focus and the strategies specifically into cities - purposely disregarding other facets of the professional practice and contexts of inquiry. Thus for an urbanism - the context (in a broad sense) is the city - for an architecture - it is less distinct - but still require a certain set of skills and often specializations (for instance, residential, medical, industrial). I believe the same theory of specializations (or foci) are necessary in urbanisms (maybe leading us to a lot of them, besides just LU/NU... because of the complexity of the problems in cities. This requires us to look at it, as Carter mentions, as an interdisciplinary approach - guided by some accepted methods and theories. This has changed, but there is still persistent turf wars between architects, landscape architects, civil engineers into scope - and landscape architects in the US have typically played third fiddle to the two above, and still harbor a lot of resentment - which leads to the desire for us to occupy a bigger spot at the table. I don't think any one discipline can solve the problems at hand, but there are definite strengths to certain folks leading certain aspects - which will yield different results (echoed by Rios' comments). For instance, when I started practicing, I was shocked that we were often handed a site plan, developed by the architect and engineer, for a site - with the express goal of shrubbing it up. This of course is dependent on clients and collaborators, but this has changed quite a bit even in 14+ years of working in landscape architecture - which is reassuring. Just being involved in the process earlier is often enough to get a better end result due to overlaps and synergies. From a technical side, while I would not claim to design a building (maybe a chicken coop), or perform civil engineering calcs, I do have knowledge of many of the systems and strategies, and namely how they interface with the site ecologies and landscape scope... thus am able to speak the language and collaborate more effectively. This is twofold. First is, like Carter mentions, getting educated on a broader perspective. Second, it is having opportunities to work with other disciplines in school, which is beneficial to everyone. Many schools don't have this opportunity (or don't take advantage of it) and now and into the future it will become much more vital as integration, in design and urbanism, is always the key. Really awesome analysis of all of this, much appreciated! I agree that its not a fair comparison. LU is essentially a lens or mode of inquiry (a way of seeing and analyzing) rather than a codified planning methodology as NU has become. I think a helpful point of departure for categorizing and analyzing urban scale projects and proposals would be to explore the relationship between Form-making, Form-taking, Form-giving. In contrast to the visual bias of parametric, intuitive, or overly proscriptive processes of form-making (NU) that threaten to stifle, cheapen, and marginalize the role of the "design", the alternative processes of form-taking and form-giving allow design solutions to be radically pragmatic translations of unique regional, socio-economic, or site forces that are capable of producing unexpected yet radically appropriate and incredibly rich formal, programmatic and material effects that are subject to change over time. It's the difference between proclaiming "I have the answer!" and embracing the messy, projective and flexible condition of the "What if..." One of the things I've always appreciated by NU is it's falsifiability. There's a whole charter of principles that take a definite stance on propositions. People can, and often do, poke at each of these ideals, or assent to them. There are models that exist, such as Kentlands, that can be either liked or not liked. If LU has taken any such stances about the reality of things or values, I'm not able to interpret what they are. Therefor, any criticism of LU can easily be dismissed as a simplification or a lack or comprehension of its true nature. Some may find this level of mysticism to be a virtue of LU, but I find it a tedious way to shut down any real conversation beyond bickering about the relative profundity of the theories being espoused. Why not simply believe Waldheim when he says, "Landscape Urbanism was specifically meant to provide an intellectual and practical alternative to the hegemony of the New Urbanism"? "A pox on both their houses" can be as blinding as any other ideology.

2019-04-21T06:15:59Z

http://landscapeandurbanism.blogspot.com/2010/11/more-on-urbanism-wars.html

By JOHN TYNDALL, F. R. S. SCIENTIFIC discoveries are not distributed uniformly in time. They appear rather in periodic groups. Thus, in the first two years of this century, among other gifts presented by men of science to the world, we have the voltaic pile; the principle of Interference, which is the basis of the undulatory theory of light; and the discovery by William Herschel of the dark rays of the sun. Directly or indirectly, this latter discovery heralded a period of active research on the subject of radiation. Leslie's celebrated work, "On the Nature of Heat," was published in 1804, but he informs us, in the preface, that the leading facts which gave rise to the publication presented themselves in the spring of 1801. An interesting but not uncommon psychological experience is glanced at in this preface. The inconvenience of what we call ecstasy, or exaltation, is that it is usually attended by undesirable compensations. Its action resembles that of a tidal river, sometimes advancing and filling the shores of life, but afterward retreating and leaving unlovely banks behind. Leslie, when he began his work, describes himself as "transported at the prospect of a new world emerging to view." But further on the note changes, and before the preface ends he warns the reader that he may expect variety of tone, and perhaps defect of unity, in his disquisition. The execution of the work, he says, proceeded with extreme tardiness; and, as the charm of novelty w r ore off, he began to look upon his production with a coolness not usual in authors. The ebb of the tide, however, was but transient; and to Leslie's ardor, industry, and experimental skill, we are indebted for a large body of knowledge in regard to the phenomena of radiation. In the prosecution of his researches he had to rely upon himself. He devised his own apparatus, and applied it in bis own way. To produce radiating surfaces, be employed metallic cubes, which to the present hour are known as Leslie's cubes. The different faces of these cubes be coated with different substances, and, filling the cubes with boiling water, be determined the emissive powers of the substances thus heated. These be found to differ greatly from each other. Thus, the radiation from a coating of lamp-black being called 100, that from the uncoated metallic surface of his cube was only 12. He pointed out the reciprocity existing between radiation and absorption, proving that those substances which emit heat copiously absorb it greedily. His thermoscopic instrument was the well-known differential-thermometer invented by himself. In experiment Leslie was very strong, but in theory he was not so strong. His notions as to the nature of the agent whose phenomena he investigated with so much ability are confused and incorrect. Indeed, he could hardly have formed any clear notion of the physical meaning of radiation before the undulatory theory of light, which was then on its trial, bad been established. A figure still more remarkable than Leslie occupied the scientific stage at the same time namely, the vigorous, penetrating, and practical Benjamin Thompson, better known as Count Rumford, the originator of the Royal Institution. Rumford traversed a great portion of the ground occupied by Leslie, and obtained many of his results. As regards priority of publication, be was obviously discontented with the course which things had taken, and he endeavored to place both himself and Leslie in what he supposed to be their right relation to the subject of radiant heat. The two investigators were unknown to each other personally, and their differences hardly rose to scientific strife. There can hardly, I think, be a doubt that each of them worked independently of the other, and that, where their labors overlap, the honor of discovery belongs equally to both. The results of Leslie and Rumford were obtained in the laboratory; but the walls of a laboratory do not constitute the boundary of its results. Nature's hand specimens are always fair samples, and, if the experiments of the laboratory be only true, they will be ratified throughout the universe. The results of Leslie and Rumford were in due time carried from the cabinet of the experimenter to the open sky, by Dr. Wells, a practicing London physician. And here let it be gratefully acknowledged that vast services to physics have been rendered by physicians. The penetration of Wells is signalized among other things by the fact recorded by the late Mr. Darwin, that, forty-five years before the publication of the "Origin of Species," the London doctor bad distinctly recognized the principle of Natural Selection, and that he was the first who recognized it. But Wells is principally known to us through his "Theory of Dew," which, prompted by the experiments of Leslie and Rumford, and worked out by the most refined and conclusive observations on the part of Wells himself, first revealed the cause of this beautiful phenomenon. Wells knew that through the body of our atmosphere invisible aqueous vapor is everywhere diffused. He proved that grasses and other bodies on which dew was deposited were powerful emitters of radiant heat; that, when nothing existed in the air to stop their radiation, they became self-chilled; and that while thus chilled they condensed into dew the aqueous vapor of the air around them. I do not suppose that any theory of importance ever escaped the ordeal of assault on its first enunciation. The theory of Wells was thus assailed; but it has proved immovable, and will doubtless continue so to the end of time. The interaction of scientific workers causes the growth of science to resemble that of an organism. From Faraday's tiny magnetoelectric spark, shown in this theatre half a century ago, has sprung the enormous practical development of electricity at the present time. Thomas Seebeck in 1822 discovered thermo-electricity, and eight years subsequently bars of bismuth and antimony were first soldered together by Nobili so as to form a thermo-electric pile. In the self-same year Melloni perfected the instrument and proved its applicability to the investigation of radiant heat. The instrumental appliances of science have been well described as extensions of the senses of man. Thus the invention of the thermopile vastly augmented our powers over the phenomena of radiation. Melloni added immensely to our knowledge of the transmission of radiant heat through liquids and solids. His results appeared at first so novel and unexpected that they excited skepticism. He waited long in vain for a favorable report from the Academicians of Paris; and finally, in despair of obtaining it, he published his results in the "Annales de Chimie." Here they came to the knowledge of Faraday, who, struck by their originality, brought them under the notice of the Royal Society, and obtained for Melloni the Rumford medal. The medal was accompanied by a sum of money from the Rumford fund; and this, at the time, was of the utmost importance to the young political exile, reduced as he was to penury in Paris. From that time until his death, Melloni was ranked as the foremost investigator in the domain of radiant heat. As regards the philosophy of the thermopile, and its relation to the great doctrine of the conservation of energy, now everywhere accepted, a step of singular significance was taken by Peltier in 1834. Up to that time it had been taken for granted that the action of an electric current upon a conductor through which it passed was always to generate heat. Peltier, however, proved that, under certain circumstances, the electric current generated cold. He soldered together a bar of antimony and a bar of bismuth, end to end, thus forming of the two metals one continuous bar. Sending a current through this bar, he found that when it passed from antimony to bismuth across the junction, heat was always there developed, whereas, when the direction of the current was from bismuth to antimony, there was a development of cold. By placing a drop of chilled water upon the junction of the two metals, Lenz subsequently congealed the water to ice by the passage of the current. The source of power in the thermopile is here revealed, and a relation of the utmost importance is established between heat and electricity. Heat is shown to be the nutriment of the electric current. When one face of a thermopile is warmed, the current produced, which is always from bismuth to antimony, is simply heat consumed and transmuted into electricity. Long before the death of Melloni, what the Germans call "Die Identitats-Frage," that is to say, the question of the identity of light and radiant heat, agitated men's minds and spurred their inquiries. In the world of science men differ from each other in wisdom and penetration, and a new theoretic truth has always at first the minority on its side. But time, holding incessantly up to the gaze of inquirers the unalterable pattern of Nature, gradually stamps that pattern on the human mind. For twenty years Henry Brougham was able to quench the light of Thomas Young, and to retard, in like proportion, the diffusion of correct notions regarding the nature and propagation of radiant heat. But such opposing forces are, in the end, driven in, and the undulatory theory of light being once established, soon made room for the undulatory theory of radiant heat. It was shown by degrees that every purely physical effect manifested by light was equally manifested by the invisible form of radiation. Reflection, refraction, double refraction, polarization, magnetization, were all proved true of radiant heat, just as certainly as they had been proved true of light. It was at length clearly realized that radiant heat, like light, was propagated in waves through that wondrous luminiferous medium which fills all space, the only real difference between them being a difference in the length and frequency of the ethereal waves. Light, as a sensation, was seen to be produced by a particular kind of radiant heat, which possessed the power of exciting the retina. And now we approach a deeper and more subtile portion of our subject. What, we have to ask, is the origin of the ether-waves, some of which constitute light, and all of which constitute radiant heat? The answer to this question is that the waves have their origin in the vibrations of the ultimate particles of bodies. But we must be more strict in our definition of ultimate particles. The ultimate particle of water, for example, is a molecule. If you go beyond this molecule and decompose it, the result is no longer water, but the discrete atoms of oxygen and hydrogen. The molecule of water consists of three such atoms held tightly together, but still capable of individual vibration. The question now arises, Is it the molecules vibrating as wholes, or the shivering atoms of the molecules, that are to be considered as the real sources of the ether-waves? As long as we were confined to the experiments of Leslie, Rumford, and Melloni, it was difficult to answer this question. But, when it was discovered that gases and vapors possessed—in some cases to an astonishing extent—the power both of absorbing and radiating heat, a new light was thrown upon the question. You know that the theory of gases and vapors, now generally accepted, is that they consist of molecular or atomic projectiles darting to and fro, clashing and recoiling—endowed, in short, with a motion not of vibration, but of translation. When two molecules clash, or when a single molecule strikes against its boundary, the first effect is to deform the molecule, by moving its atoms out of their places. But gifted as they are with enormous resiliency, the atoms immediately recover their positions, and continue to quiver in consequence of the shock. Held tightly by the force of affinity, they resemble a string stretched to almost infinite tension, and therefore capable of generating tremors of almost infinite rapidity. What we call the heat of a gas is made up of these two motions—the flight of the molecules through space, and the quivering of their constituent atoms. Thus does the eye of Science pierce to what Newton called "the more secret and noble works of Nature," and make us at home amid the mysteries of a world lying in all probability vastly farther beyond the range of the microscope than the power of the microscope, at its maximum, lies beyond that of the unaided eye. The great principle of radiation, which affirms that all bodies absorb the same rays that they emit, is now a familiar one. When, for example, a beam of white light is sent through a yellow sodium-flame, produced by a copious supply of sodium-vapor, the yellow constituent of the white beam is stopped by the yellow flame, and, if the beam be subsequently analyzed by a prism, a black band is found in the place of the intercepted yellow band of the spectrum. We have been led to our present theoretic knowledge of light by a close study of the phenomena of sound, which in the present instance will help us to a conception of the action of the sodium-flame. The atoms of sodium vapor synchronize in their vibrations with the particular waves of ether which produce the sensation of yellow light. The vapor, therefore, can take up or absorb the motion of those waves, as a stretched piano string takes up or absorbs the pulses of a voice pitched to the note of the string. This action of sodium-vapor may be shown by an experiment which startled and perplexed me on first making it, more than twenty years ago. The spectra of incandescent metallic vapors are, as you know, not continuous, but formed of brilliant bands. Wishing, in 1861, to obtain the brilliant yellow band produced by incandescent sodium-vapor, I placed a bit of sodium in a carbon crucible, and volatilized it by a powerful voltaic current. A feeble spectrum overspread the screen, from which it was thought the sodium band would stand out with dominant brilliancy. To my surprise, at the very point where I expected this brilliant band to appear, a band of darkness took its place. By humoring the voltaic arc a little, the darkness vanished, and the bright band which I had sought at the beginning was obtained. On reflection the cause was manifest. The first ignition of the sodium was accompanied by the development of a large amount of sodium-vapor, which spread outward and surrounded, as a cool envelope, the core of intensely heated vapor inside. By the cool vapor the rays from the hot were intercepted, but on lengthening the arc the outer vapor in great part was dispersed, and the rays passed to the screen. This relation as to temperature was necessary to the production of the black band, for, were the outside vapor as hot as the inside, it would, by its own radiation, make good the light absorbed. An extremely beautiful experiment of this kind was lately made here by Professor Liveing, with rays which, under ordinary circumstances, are entirely invisible. Professor Dewar and Professor Liveing have been long working with conspicuous success at the ultra-violet spectrum. Using prisms and lenses of a certain kind, and a powerful dynamo-machine to volatilize our metals, like Professor Liveing, I cast a spectrum upon the screen. Far beyond this terminal violet, waves impinge upon the screen which have no sensible effect upon the organ of vision; they constitute what we call the ultra-violet spectrum. Professor Stokes has taught us how to render this invisible spectrum visible, and it is by a skillful application of Stokes's discovery that Liveing and Dewar bring the hidden spectrum out with wondrous strength and beauty. A small second screen is at hand, which can be moved into the ultra-violet region. Felt by the fingers, the surface of this screen resembles sand-paper, being covered with powdered uranium glass, a highly fluorescent body. Pushing the movable screen toward the visible spectrum, at a distance of three or four feet beyond the violet, where only darkness existed before, light begins to appear. On pushing in the screen, the whole ultra-violet spectrum falls upon it, and is rendered visible from beginning to end. The spectrum is not continuous, but composed for the most part of luminous bands derived from the white-hot crucible in which the metals are to be converted into vapor. I beg of you to direct your attention to one of these bands in particular. Here it is, of fair luminous intensity. My object now is to show you, with Professor Dewar's aid, the reversal, as it is called, of that band, which belongs to the vapor of magnesium, exactly as a moment ago you were shown the reversal of the sodium band. An assistant will throw a bit of magnesium into the crucible, and you are to observe what first takes place. The action is rapid, so that you will have to fix your eyes upon this particular strip of light. On throwing in the magnesium, the luminous band belonging to its vapor is cut away, and you have, for a second or so, a dark band in its place. I repeat the experiment three or four times in succession, with the same unfailing result. Here, as in the case of the sodium, the magnesium surrounded itself for a moment by a cool envelope of its own vapor, which cut off the radiation from within, and thus produced the darkness. And now let us pass on to an apparently different, but to a really similar result. Here is a feebly luminous flame, which you know to be that of hydrogen, the product of combustion being water-vapor. Here is another flame of a rich blue color, which the chemists present know to be the flame of carbonic oxide, the product of combustion being carbonic acid. Let the hydrogen-flame radiate through a column of ordinary carbonic acid—the gas proves highly transparent to the radiation. Send the rays from the carbonic-oxide flame through the same column of carbonic acid—the gas proves powerfully opaque. Why is this? Simply because the radiant, in the case of the carbonic-oxide flame, is hot carbonic acid, the rays from which are quenched by the cold carbonic-acid gas, exactly as the rays from the intensely heated sodium-vapor were quenched a moment ago by the cooler envelope which surrounded it. Bear in mind the case is always one of synchronism. It is because the atoms of the cold acid vibrate with the same frequency as the atoms of the hot that the pulses sent forth from the latter are absorbed. Newton, though probably not with our present precision, had formed a conception similar to that of molecules and their constituent atoms. The former he called corpuscles, which, as Sir John Herschel says, he regarded "as divisible groups of atoms of yet more delicate kind." The molecules he thought might be seen if microscopes could be caused to magnify three or four thousand times. But, with regard to the atoms, he made the remark already alluded to: "It seems impossible to see the more secret and nobler works of Nature within the corpuscles, by reason of their transparency." I have now to ask your attention to an illustration intended to show how radiant heat may be made to play to the mind's eye the part of the microscope, in revealing to us something of the more secret and noble works of atomic Nature. Chemists are ever on the alert to notice analogies and resemblances in the atomic structures of different bodies. They long ago pointed out that a resemblance exists between that evil-smelling liquid, bisulphide of carbon, and carbonic acid. In the latter substance we have one atom of carbon united to two of oxygen, while in the former we have one atom of carbon united to two of sulphur. Attempts have been made to push the analogy still further by the discovery of a compound of carbon and sulphur which should be analogous to carbonic oxide, where the proportions, instead of one to two, are one to one, but hitherto, I believe, without success. Let us now see whether a little physical light can not reveal an analogy between carbonic acid and bisulphide of carbon more occult than any hitherto pointed out. For all ordinary sources of radiant heat the bisulphide, both in the liquid and vaporous form, is the most transparent, or diathermanous, of bodies. It transmits, for example, ninety per cent of the radiation from our hydrogen-flame, ten per cent only being absorbed. But when we make the carbonic-oxide flame our source of rays, the bisulphide shows itself to be a body of extreme opacity. The transmissive power falls from ninety to about twenty-five per cent, seventy-five per cent of the radiation being absorbed. To the radiation from the carbonic-oxide flame the bisulphide behaves like the carbonic acid. In other words, the group of atoms constituting the molecule of the bisulphide vibrate in the same periods as those of the atoms which constitute the molecule of the carbonic acid. And thus we have established a new, subtile, but most certain resemblance between these two substances. The time may come when chemists will make more use than they have hitherto done of radiant heat as an explorer of molecular condition. The conception of these quivering atoms is a theoretic conception, but it is one which gives us a powerful grasp of the facts, and enables us to realize mentally the mechanism on which radiation and absorption depend. We will now turn to a more practical view of the subject. It is pretty well known that for a long series of years I conducted an amicable controversy with one of the most eminent experimenters of our time, as regards the action of the earth's atmosphere on solar and terrestrial radiation. My contention was that the great body of our atmosphere—its oxygen and nitrogen—had but little effect upon either the rays of the sun coming to us, or the rays of the earth darting away from us into space; but that mixed with the body of our air there was an attenuated and apparently trivial constituent which exercised a most momentous influence. That body, as many of you know, is aqueous vapor, the amount of which does not exceed one per cent of the whole atmosphere. Minute, however, as its quantity is, the life of our planet depends upon this vapor. Without it, in the first place, the clouds could drop no fatness. In this sense the necessity for its presence is obvious to all. But it acts in another sense as a preserver. Without it as a covering, the earth would soon be reduced to the frigidity of death. Observers were, and are, slow to take in this fact, which nevertheless is a fact, however improbable it may at first sight appear. The action of aqueous vapor upon radiant heat has been established by irrefragable experiments in the laboratory; and these experiments, though not unopposed, have been substantiated by some of the most accomplished meteorologists of our day. I wished much to instruct myself a little by actual observation on this subject, under the open sky, and my first object was, to catch, if possible, states of the weather which would enable me to bring my views to a practical test. About a year ago, a little iron hut, embracing a single room, was erected for my benefit upon the wild moorland of Hind Head. From the plateau on which the hut stands there is a free outlook in all directions. Here, amid the heather, I had two stout poles fixed firmly in the ground eight feet asunder, and a stout cord stretched from one to the other. From the center of this cord a thermometer is suspended with its bulb four feet above the ground. On the ground is placed a pad of cotton-wool, and on this cotton-wool a second thermometer, the object of the arrangement being to determine the difference of temperature between the two thermometers, which are only four feet vertically apart. Permit me at the outset to deal with the subject in a perfectly elementary way. In comparison with the cold of space, the earth must be regarded as a hot body, sending its rays, should nothing intercept them, across the atmosphere into space. The cotton-wool is chosen because it is a powerful, though not the most powerful, radiator. It pours its heat freely into the atmosphere, and by reason of its flocculence, which renders it a non-conductor, it is unable to derive from the earth heat which might atone for its loss. Imagine the cotton wool thus self-chilled. The air in immediate contact with it shares its chill, and the thermometer lying upon it partakes of the refrigeration. In calm weather the chilled air, because of its greater density, remains close to the earth's surface, and in this way we sometimes obtain upon that surface a temperature considerably lower than that of the air a few feet above it. The experiments of Wilson, Six, and Wells have made us familiar with this result. On the other hand, the earth's surface during the day receives from the sun more heat than it loses by its own radiation, so that, when the sun is active, the temperature of the surface exceeds that of the air. These points will be best illustrated by describing the course of temperature for a day, beginning at sunrise and ending at 10.20 p. m. on the 4th of last March. The observations are recorded in the annexed table, at the head of which are named the place of observation, its elevation above the sea, and the state of the weather. The first column in the table contains the times at which the two thermometers were read. The column under "Air" gives the temperatures of the air, the column under "Wool" gives the temperatures of the wool, while the fourth column gives the differences between the two temperatures. It is seen at a glance that, from sunrise to 9.20 a. m., the cotton-wool is colder than the air; at 9.30 the temperatures are alike. This is the hour of "intersection," which is immediately followed by "inversion." Throughout the day, and up to 4 p. M., the wool is warmer than the air. At 4.5 p. m. the temperatures are again alike; while from that point downward the loss by terrestrial radiation is in excess of the gain derived from all other sources, the refrigeration reaching a maximum at 7.30 p. m., when the difference between the two thermometers amounted to 10° Fahr. When the observations are continued throughout the night, the greater cold of the surface is found to be maintained until sunrise, and for some hours beyond it. Had the air been perfectly still during the observations, the nocturnal chilling of the surface would have been in this case greater: for you can readily understand that even a light wind sweeping over the surface, and mixing the chilled with the warmer air, must seriously interfere with its refrigeration. Hind Head, elevation 850 feet; sky cloudless; hoar-frost; wind light, from northeast. Course of temperature, March 4, 1883. Glacial wind from northeast. Stars very bright. January 16th.—Extremely serene; air almost a dead calm; shy without a cloud; light southwesterly air. With a view to this examination, I will choose a series of observations made during the afternoon and evening of a day of extraordinary calmness and serenity. The visible condition of the atmosphere at the time was that which has hitherto been considered most favorable to the outflow of terrestrial heat, and therefore best calculated to establish a large difference between the air and wool-thermometers. The 16th of last January was a day of this kind, when the observations recorded in the annexed table were made. During these observations there was no visible impediment to terrestrial radiation. The sky was extremely pure; the moon was shining; Orion, the Pleiades, Charles's Wain, including the small companion star at the bend of the shaft, the North Star, and numbers of others, were clearly visible. After the last observations, my note-book contains the remark: "Atmosphere exquisitely clear; from zenith to horizon cloudless all around." A moment's attention bestowed on the column of differences in the foregoing table will repay us. Why should the difference at 6 p. m. be fully 5° less than at 5 p. m.; and again 5° less than at 8 and at 8.30 respectively? There was absolutely nothing in the aspect of the atmosphere to account for the approach of the two thermometers at six o'clock—nothing to account for their preceding and subsequent divergence from each other. Anomalies of this kind have been observed by the hundred, but they have never been accounted for, and they did not admit of explanation until it had been proved that the intrusion of a perfectly invisible vapor was competent to check the radiation, while its passing away reopened a doorway into space. It is well to bear in mind that the difference between the two thermometers on the evening here referred to varied from 4° to 9°, the latter being the maximum. Such observations might be multiplied, but, with a view to saving space, I will limit the record. On the evening of January 30th the atmosphere was very serene; there was no moon, but the firmament was powdered with stars. At 7.15 p. m. the difference between the two thermometers was 6°; while at 9.30 p. m. it was 4°, the wool-thermometer being in both cases the colder of the two. On February 3d, observations were made under similar conditions of weather, and with a similar result. At 7.15 p. m. the difference between the thermometers was 6°; while at 8.25 p. m. it was 4°. On both these evenings the sky was cloudless, the stars were bright, while the movement of the air was light, from the southwest. December 10th.—Deep snow; low temperature; sky clear; light northeasterly air. During these observations, a dense bank of cloud on the opposite ridge of Blackdown virtually retarded the rising of the sun. It had, however, cleared the bank during the last two observations, and, touching the air-thermometer with its warmth, raised the temperature from 26° to 27° and 29°. The very large difference of 18° is in part to be ascribed to this raising of the temperature of the air-thermometer. I will limit myself to citing one other case of a similar kind. On the evening of the 31st of March, though the surface temperature was far below the dew-point, very little dew was deposited. The air was obviously a dry air. The sky was perfectly cloudless, while the barely perceptible movement of the air was from the northeast. At 10 p. m. the temperature of the air-thermometer was 37°, that of the wool-thermometer being 20°, a refrigeration of 17° being, therefore, observed on this occasion. From the behavior of a smooth ball when urged in succession over short grass, over a gravel-walk, over a boarded floor, and over ice, it has been inferred that, were friction entirely withdrawn, we should have no retardation. In a similar way, when, under atmospheric conditions visibly the same, we observe that the refrigeration of the earth's surface at night markedly increases with the dryness of the atmosphere, we may infer what would occur if the invisible atmospheric vapor were entirely withdrawn. I am far from saying that the body of the atmosphere exerts no action whatever upon the waves of terrestrial heat; but only that its action is so small that, when due precautions are taken to have the air pure and dry, laboratory experiments fail to reveal any action. Without its vaporous screen, our solid earth would practically be in the presence of stellar space; and with that space, so long as a difference existed between them, the earth would continue to exchange temperatures. The final result of such a process may be surmised. If carried far enough, it would infallibly extinguish the life of our planet.—Contemporary Review. ↑ A "Friday Evening Discourse," recently delivered in the Royal Institution.

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https://en.m.wikisource.org/wiki/Popular_Science_Monthly/Volume_23/August_1883/On_Radiation

THE MIND OF JESUS! What a study is this! To attain a dim reflection of it, is the ambition of angels higher they cannot soar. "To be conformed to the image of His Son!" it is the design of God in the predestination of His Church from all eternity. "We shall be like Him!" this is the Bible picture of heaven! In a former little volume, we pondered some of the gracious Words which proceeded out of the mouth of Jesus. In the present, we have a few faint lineaments of that holy Character which constituted the living expositor and embodiment of His precepts. But how lofty such a standard! How all creature-perfection shrinks abashed and confounded before a Divine portraiture like this! He is the true "Angel standing in the sun," who alone projects no shadow; so bathed in the glories of Deity that likeness to Him becomes like the light in which He is shrouded "no man can approach unto it." May we not, however, seek at least to approximate, though we cannot adequately and fully resemble? It is impossible on earth to associate with a fellow-being without getting in some degree assimilated to him. So, the more we study "the Mind of Christ," the more we are in His company holding converse with Him as our best and dearest friend catching up His holy looks and holy deeds the more shall we be "transformed into the same image." "Consider," says the Great Apostle (literally 'gaze on') "Christ Jesus" (Heb. 3:1.) Study feature by feature, lineament by lineament, of that Peerless Exemplar. "Gaze" on the Sun of Righteousness, until, like gazing long on the natural sun, you carry away with you, on your spiritual vision, dazzling images of His brightness and glory. Though He is the Archetype of all goodness, remember He is no shadowy model though the Infinite Jehovah, He was "the Man Christ Jesus." We must never, indeed, forget that it is not the mind, but the work of Emmanuel which lies at the foundation of a sinner's hope. He must be known as a Savior, before He is studied as an Example. His doing and dying is the center jewel, of which all the virtues of His holy life are merely the setting. But neither must we overlook the Scripture obligation to walk in His footsteps and imbibe His Spirit, for "if any man has not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of His!" Oh, that each individual Christian were more Savior-like! that, in the manifestation of a holy character and heavenly demeanor, it might be said in some feeble measure of the faint and imperfect reflection "Such was Jesus!" "We have the MIND OF CHRIST!" "Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus." "I have compassion on the multitude." Mark 8:2. What a pattern to His people, the tender compassion of Jesus! He found the world He came to save a moral Bethesda. The wail of suffering humanity was everywhere borne to His ear. It was His delight to walk its porches, to pity, relieve, comfort, save! The faintest cry of misery arrested His footsteps stirred a ripple in this fountain of Infinite Love. Was it a leper that dreaded name which entailed a life-long exile from friendly looks and kindly words? There was One, at least, who had tones and deeds of tenderness for the outcast. "Jesus, being moved with compassion, put forth His hand and touched him." Was it some blind beggars on the Jericho highway, groping in darkness, pleading for help? "Jesus stood still, and had compassion on them, and touched their eyes!" Was it the speechless pleadings of a widow's tears at the gate of Nain, when she followed her earthly pride and prop to the grave? "When the Lord saw her, He had compassion on her, and said, Weep not!" Even when He rebukes, the rainbow of compassion is seen in the cloud, or rather, that cloud, as it passes, dissolves in a rain-shower of mercy. He pronounces Jerusalem "desolate," but the doom is uttered amid a flood of anguished sorrow! Reader! do the compassionate words and deeds of a tender Savior find any feeble echo and transcript in yours? As you traverse in thought the wastes of human wretchedness, does the spectacle give rise, not to the mere emotional feeling which weeps itself away in sentimental tears, but to an earnest desire to do something to mitigate the suffering of woe-worn humanity? How vast and world-wide the claims on your compassion! now near, now at a distance the unmet and unanswered cry of perishing millions abroad the heathendom which lies unsuccoured at your own door the public charity languishing the mission staff dwarfed and crippled from lack of needful funds a suffering district a starving family a poor neighbor a helpless orphan it may be, some crowded hovel where misery and vice run riot or some lonely sick-chamber, where the dim lamp has been wasting for dreary nights or some desolate home which death has entered, where "Joseph is not, and Simeon is not," and where some sobbing heart, under the tattered garb of poverty, mourns, unsolaced and unpitied, its "loved and lost." Are there none such within your reach, to whom a trifling pittance would be as an angel of mercy? How it would hallow and enhance all you possess, were you to seek to live as a dispenser of Jehovah's bounties! If He has given you of this world's substance, remember it is bestowed, not to be greedily hoarded or lavishly squandered. Property and wealth are talents to be traded on and laid out for the good of others sacred trusts, not selfishly to be enjoyed, but generously to be employed. "The poor are the representatives of Jesus, their needs He considers as His own," and He will recompense accordingly. The feeblest expression of Christian pity and love, though it be but the widow's mite, or the cup of cold water, or the kindly look and word when there is neither mite nor cup to give, yet, if done in His name, it is entered in the "book of life" as a "loan to the Lord;" and in that day when "the books are opened," the loan will be paid back with usury. "Arm yourselves likewise with the same mind." "Not my will, but Yours be done." Luke 22:42. Where was there ever resignation like this? The life of Jesus was one long martyrdom. From Bethlehem's manger to Calvary's cross, there was scarcely one break in the clouds; these gathered more darkly and ominously around Him until they burst over His devoted head as He uttered His expiring cry. Yet throughout this pilgrimage of sorrow no murmuring accent escaped His lips. The most suffering of all suffering lives was one of uncomplaining submission. "Not my will, but Yours will," was the motto of this wondrous Being! When He came into the world He thus announced His advent, "Lo, I come, I delight to do Your will, O my God!" When He left it, we listen to the same prayer of blended agony and acquiescence, "O my Father, if it be possible let this cup pass from me! Nevertheless not as I will, but as You will." Reader! is this mind also in you? Ah, what are your trials compared to His! What the ripples in your tide of woe, compared to the waves and billows which swept over Him! If He, the spotless Lamb of God, "murmured not," how can you murmur? His were the sufferings of a bosom never once darkened with the passing shadow of guilt or sin. Your severest sufferings are deserved, yes, infinitely less than you deserve! Are you tempted to indulge in hard suspicions, as to God's faithfulness and love, in appointing some peculiar trial? Ask yourself, Would Jesus have done this? Should I seek to pry into "the deep things of God," when He, in the spirit of a weaned child, was satisfied with the solution, "Even so, Father, for so it seems good in Your sight?" "Even so, Father!" Afflicted one! "tossed with tempest, and not comforted, "take that word on which Your Lord pillowed His suffering head, and make it, as He did, the secret of your resignation. The sick child will take the bitterest draught from a father's hand. "This cup which You, O God, give me to drink, shall I not drink it?" Be it mine to lie passive in the arms of Your chastening love, exulting in the assurance that all Your appointments, though sovereign, are never arbitrary, but that there is a gracious "need be" in them all. "My Father!" my covenant God! the God who spared not Jesus! It may well hush every repining word. Drinking deep of His sweet spirit of submission, you will be able thus to meet, yes, even to welcome, your sorest cross, saying, "Yes, Lord, all is well, just because it is Your blessed will. Take me, use me, chasten me, as seems good in Your sight. My will is resolved into Yours. This trial is dark; I cannot see the 'why and the wherefore' of it but not my will, but Your will!' The gourd is withered; I cannot see the reason of so speedy a dissolution of the loved earthly shelter; sense and sight ask in vain why these leaves of earthly refreshment have been doomed so soon to droop in sadness and sorrow. But it is enough. "The Lord prepared the worm;" "not my will, but Your will!" Oh, how does the stricken soul honor God by thus being silent in the midst of dark and perplexing dealings, recognizing in these, part of the needed discipline and training for a sorrowless, sinless, deathless world; regarding every trial as a link in the chain which draws it to heaven, where the whitest robes will be found to be those here baptized with suffering, and bathed in tears! "Don't you know that I must be about my Father's business?" Luke 2:49. "My food and my drink are to do the will of Him who sent me, and to finish His work." That one object brought Jesus from heaven that one object He pursued with unflinching, undeviating constancy, until He could say, "It is finished." However short man comes of his "chief end," "Glory to God in the highest" was the motive, the rule, and exponent of every act of that wondrous life. With us, the magnet of the soul, even when truest, is ever subject to partial oscillations and depressions, trembling at times away from its great attraction-point. His never knew one tremulous wavering from its all glorious center. With Him there were no ebbs and flows, no fits and starts. He could say, in the words of that prophetic psalm which speaks so pre-eminently of Himself, "I have set the Lord always before me!" Reader! do you feel that in some feeble measure this lofty life-motto of the sinless Son of God is written on your home and heart, regulating your actions, chastening your joys, quickening your hopes, giving energy and direction to your whole being, subordinating all the affections of your nature to their high destiny? With pure and unalloyed motives, with a single eye, and a single aim, can you say, somewhat in the spirit of His brightest follower, "This one thing I do?" Are you ready to regard all you have rank, name, talents, riches, influence, distinctions valuable, only so far as they contribute to promote the glory of Him who is "first and last, and all in all?" Seek to feel that your heavenly Father's is not only a business, but the business of life. "Whose I am, and whom I serve," let this be the superscription written on your thoughts and deeds, your employments and enjoyments, your sleeping and waking. Be not, as the fixed stars, cold and distant; but be ever bathing in the sunshine of conscious nearness to Him who is the sun and center of all happiness and joy. Each has some appointed work to perform, some little niche in the spiritual temple to occupy. Yours may be no splendid services, no flaming or brilliant actions to blaze and dazzle in the eye of man. It may be the quiet unobtrusive inner work, the secret prayer, the mortified sin, the forgiven injury, the trifling act of self-sacrifice for God's glory and the good of others, of which no eye but the Eye which sees in secret is cognizant. It matters not how small. Remember, with Him, motive dignifies action. It is not what we do, but how we do it. He can be glorified in little things as well as great things, and by nothing more than the daily walk, the daily life. Beware of anything that would interfere with a surrender of heart and soul to His service worldly entanglements, indulged sin, an uneven walk, a divided heart, nestling in creature comforts, shrinking from the cross. How many hazard, if they do not made shipwreck, of their eternal hopes by becoming idlers in the vineyard; lingerers, like Lot; world-lovers, like Demas; "do-nothing Christians," like the inhabitants of Meroz! The command is, "Go, work!" Words tell what you should be; deeds tell what you are. Let those around you see there is a reality in walking with God, and working for God! "Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.'' Luke 23:34. Many a death-struggle has been made to save a friend. A dying Savior gathers up His expiring breath to plead for His foes! At the climax of His own woe, and of human ingratitude man-forsaken, and God-deserted His faltering voice mingles with the shout of His murderers "Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do!" Had the faithless Peter been there, could he have wondered at the reply to a former question "Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him until seven times?" Jesus said unto him, "I say not unto you, Until seven times; but, until seventy times seven," (Matt. 18:21, 22). Superiority to insult and disgrace, with some, proceeds from a callous and indifferent temperament a cold, phlegmatic, stoical insensibility, alike to kindness or unkindness. It was not so with Jesus. The tender sensibilities of His holy nature rendered Him keenly sensitive to ingratitude and injury, whether this was manifested in the malice of undisguised enmity, or the treachery of trusted friendship. Perhaps to a noble nature the latter of these is the more deeply wounding. Many are inclined to forgive an open and unmasked antagonist, who are not so willing to forget or forgive heartless faithlessness, or unrequited love. But see, too, in this respect, the conduct of the blessed Redeemer! Mark how He deals with His own disciples who had basely forsaken Him and fled, and that, too, in the hour He most needed their sympathy! No sooner does He rise from the dead than He hastens to disarm their fears and to assure them of an unaltered and unalterable affection. "Go tell my brethren," is the first message He sends; "Peace be unto you," is the salutation at the first meeting; "Children!" is the word with which He first greets them on the shores of Tiberias. Even Joseph, (the Old Testament type and pattern of generous forgiveness,) when he makes himself known to his brethren, recalls the bitter thought, "Whom you sold into Egypt." The true Joseph, when He reveals Himself to His disciples, buries in oblivion the memory of bygone faithlessness. He meets them with a benediction. He leaves them at His ascension with the same "He lifted up His hands and blessed them!" Reader! follow in all this the spirit of your Lord and Master. In rising from the study of His holy example, seek to feel that with you there should be no such name, no such word, as enemy! Harbor no resentful thought, indulge in no bitter recrimination. Surrender yourself to no sullen fretfulness. Let "the law of kindness" be in your heart. Put the best construction on the failings of others. Make no injurious comments on their frailties; no uncharitable insinuations. "Consider yourself, lest you also be tempted." When disposed at any time to cherish an unforgiving spirit towards a brother, think, if your God had retained His anger forever, where would you have been? If He, the Infinite One, who might have spurned you forever from His presence, has had patience with you, and forgiven you all, will you, on account of some petty grievance which your calmer moments would pronounce unworthy of a thought, indulge in the look of cold estrangement, the unrelenting word, or unforgiving deed? "If any man has a quarrel against any, even as Christ forgave you, so also do you." "I am meek and lowly in heart." Matt. 11:29. There is often a beautiful blending of majesty and humility, magnanimity and lowliness, in great minds. The mightiest and holiest of all Beings that ever trod our world was the meekest of all. The Ancient of Days was as the "infant of days." He who had listened to nothing but angel-melodies from all eternity, found, while on earth, melody in the lispings of an infant's voice, or in an outcast's tears! No wonder an innocent lamb was His emblem, or that the anointing Spirit came down upon Him in the form of the gentle dove. He had the wealth of worlds at His feet. The hosts of heaven had only to be summoned as His retinue. But all the pageantry of the world, all its dreams of carnal glory, had, for Him, no fascination. The Tempter, from a mountain-summit, showed Him a wide scene of "splendid misery;" but He spurned alike the thought and the adversary away! John and James would call down fire from heaven on a Samaritan village; He rebukes the vengeful suggestion! Peter, on the night of the betrayal, cuts off the ear of an assassin; the intended Victim, again, only challenges His disciple, and heals His enemy! Arraigned before Pilate's judgment-seat, how meekly He bears nameless wrongs and indignities! Suspended on the cross the execrations of the multitude are rising around, but He hears as though He heard them not; they extract no angry look, no bitter word "Behold the Lamb of God!" Need we wonder that "meekness" and "poverty of spirit" should stand foremost in His own cluster of beatitudes; that He should select this among all His other qualities for the peculiar study and imitation of His disciples, "Learn of Me, for I am meek;" or that an apostle should exhort "by the meekness and gentleness of Christ!" Reader! strive to obtain, like your adorable Lord, this "ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which, in the sight of God, is of great price." Be "clothed" with gentleness and humility. Follow not the world's fleeting shadows that mock you as you grasp them. If always aspiring ever soaring on the wing you are likely to become discontented, proud, selfish, time-serving. In whatever position of life God has placed you, be satisfied. What! ambitious to be on a pinnacle of the temple a higher place in the Church, or in the world? Satan might hurl you down! "Be not high-minded, but fear." And with respect to others, honor their gifts, contemplate their excellences only to imitate them. Speak kindly, act gently, condescend to men of low estate." Be assured, no happiness is equal to that enjoyed by the "meek Christian." He has within him a perpetual inner sunshine, a perennial well-spring of peace. Never ruffled and fretted by real or imaginary injuries, he puts the best construction on motives and actions, and by a gentle answer to unmerited reproach often disarms wrath. "I thank You, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth." Matt. 11:25. A thankful spirit pervaded the entire life of Jesus, and surrounded with a heavenly halo His otherwise darkened path. In moments we least expect to find it, this beauteous ray breaks through the gloom. In instituting the memorial of His death, He "gave thanks!" Even in crossing the Kedron to Gethsemane, "He sang a hymn!" We know in seasons of deep sorrow and trial, that everything wears a gloomy aspect. Speechless nature herself to the burdened spirit seems as if she partook in the hues of sadness. The life of Jesus was one continuous experience of privation and woe a "Valley of Baca," from first to last; yet, amid accents of plaintive sorrow, there are ever heard subdued undertones of thankfulness and joy! Ah, if He, the suffering "Man of Sorrows," could, during a life of unparalleled woe, lift up His heart in grateful acknowledgment to His Father in heaven, how ought the lives of those to be one perpetual "hymn of thankfulness," who are from day to day and hour to hour (for all they have, both temporally and spiritually) pensioners on God's bounty and love! Reader! cultivate this thankful spirit, it will be to you a perpetual feast. There is, or ought to be, with us no such thing as small mercies; all are great, because the least are undeserved. Indeed, a really thankful heart will extract motive for gratitude from everything, making the most even of scanty blessings. Paul, when in his dungeon at Rome, a prisoner in chains is heard to say, "I have all and abound!" Guard, on the other hand, against that spirit of continual fretting and moping over imagined ills; that temptation to exaggerate the real or supposed disadvantages of our condition, magnifying the trifling inconveniences of every-day life into enormous evils. Think rather how much we have to be thankful for. The world in which we live, in spite of all the scars of sin and suffering upon it, is a happy world. It is not, as many would morbidly paint it, flooded with tears and strewn with wrecks, plaintive with a perpetual dirge of sorrow. True, the "Everlasting Hills" are in glory, but there are numberless eminences of grace, and love, and mercy below; many green spots in the lower valley, many more than we deserve! God will reward a thankful spirit. Just as on earth, when a man receives with gratitude what is given we are more disposed to give again, so also, "the Lord loves" a cheerful "receiver," as well as a cheerful "giver." Let ours, moreover, be a Gospel thankfulness. Let the incense of a grateful spirit rise not only to the Great Giver of all good, but to our Covenant God in Christ. Let it be the spirit of the child exulting in the bounty and beneficence of his Father's house and home! "Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ!" While the sweet melody of gratitude vibrates through every successive moment of our daily being, let love to our adorable Redeemer show for whom and for what it is we reserve our notes of loftiest and most fervent praise. Thanks be unto God for His unspeakable Gift! Too legibly are the characters written on the fallen heart and a fallen world "All seek their own!" Selfishness is the great law of our degenerated nature. When the love of God was dethroned from the soul, SELF vaulted into the vacant seat, and there, in some one of its Proteus shapes, continues to reign. Jesus stands out for our imitation a grand solitary exception in the midst of a world of selfishness. His entire life was one abnegation of self; a beautiful living embodiment of that love which "seeks not her own." He who for others turned water into wine, and provided a miraculous supply for the fainting thousands in the wilderness, exerted no such miraculous power for His own necessities. During His forty days' temptation, no table did He spread for Himself, no booth did He rear for His unpillowed bead. Twice do we read of Him shedding tears on neither occasion were they for Himself. The approach of His cross and passion, instead of absorbing Him in His own approaching sufferings, seemed only to elicit new and more gracious promises to His people. When His enemies came to apprehend Him, His only stipulation was for His disciples' release "Let these go their way." In the very act of departure, with all the boundless glories of eternity in sight, they were still all His care. Ah, how different is the spirit of the world! With how many is day after day only a new oblation to that idol which never darkened with its shadow His holy heart; pampering their own wishes; "envying and grieving at the good of a neighbor;" unable to brook the praise of a rival; establishing their own reputation on the ruins of another; thus engendering jealousy, discontent, peevishness, and every kindred unholy passion. "But you have not so learned Christ!" Reader! have you been sitting at the feet of Him who "pleased not Himself?" Are you "dying daily;" dying to self as well as to sin? Are you animated with this as the high end and aim of existence to lay out your time, and talents, and opportunities, for God's glory, and the good of your fellow-men; not seeking your own interests, but rather relinquishing these, if, by doing so, another will be made happier, and your Savior honored? You may not have it in your power to manifest this "mind of Jesus" on a great scale, by enduring great sacrifices; nor is this required. His denial of self had about it no repulsive austerity; but you can evince its holy influence and sway, by innumerable little offices of kindness and goodwill; taking a generous interest in the welfare and pursuits of others, or engaging and cooperating in schemes for the mitigation of human misery. Avoid ostentation another repulsive form of self. Be willing to be in the shade; sound no trumpet before you. The evangelist Matthew made a great feast, which was graced by the presence of Jesus; in his Gospel he says not one word about it! Seek to live more constantly and habitually under the constraining influence of the love of Jesus. Selfishness withers and dies beneath Calvary. Ah, believer! if Christ had "pleased Himself," where would you have been this day? "Jesus said unto him, It is written." Matt. 4:7. We cannot fail to be struck, in the course of the Savior's public teaching, with His constant appeal to the word of God. While, at times, He utters, in His own name, the authoritative behest, "Verily, verily, I say unto you," He often thus introduces some mighty work, or gives intimation of some impending event in His own momentous life, "These things must come to pass, that the Scriptures be fulfilled, which says." He commands His people to "search the Scriptures;" but He sets the example, by searching and submitting to them Himself. Whether He drives the money-changers from their sacrilegious traffic in the temple, or foils his great adversary on the mount of temptation, he does so with the same weapon, "It is written." When He rises from the grave, the theme of His first discourse is one impressive tribute to the value and authority of the same sacred oracles. The disciples on the road to Emmaus listen to nothing but a Bible lesson. "He expounded unto them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself." How momentous the instruction herein conveyed! The necessity of the absolute subjection of the mind to God's written Word making churches, creeds, ministers, books, religious opinion, all subordinate and subservient to Scripture; rebuking the philosophy, falsely so called, that would distort the plain statements of Revelation, and bring them to the bar of proud Reason. If an infallible Redeemer, "a law to Himself," was submissive in all respects to the "written law," shall fallible man refuse to sit with the teachableness of a little child, and listen to the Divine message? There may be, there is, in the Bible, what Reason staggers at: "we have nothing to draw with, and the well is deep." But, "Thus says the Lord," is enough. Faith does not first ask what the bread is made of, but eats it. It does not analyze the components of the living stream, but with joy draws the water from "the wells of salvation." Reader! take that Word as "the lamp to your feet, and the light to your path." In days when false lights are hung out, there is the more need of keeping the eye steadily fixed on the unerring beacon. Make the Bible the arbiter in all difficulties the ultimate court of appeal. Like Mary, "sit at the feet of Jesus," willing only to learn of Him. How many perplexities it would save you! how many fatal steps in life it would prevent how many tears! "It is a great matter," says the noblest of modern Christian philosophers, "when the mind dwells on any passage of Scripture, just to think how true it is." (Chalmer's Life). In every dubious question, when the foot is trembling on debatable ground, knowing not whether to advance or recede, make this the final criterion, "What says the Scripture?" The world may remonstrate erring friends may disapprove Satan may tempt ingenious arguments may explain away; but, with our finger on the revealed page, let the words of our Great Example be ever a divine formula for our guidance "This commandment have I received of my Father!" "He continued all night in prayer to God." Luke 6:12. We speak of this Christian and that Christian as "a man of prayer," Jesus was emphatically so. The Spirit was "poured upon Him without measure," yet He prayed! He was incarnate wisdom, "needing not that any should teach Him." He was infinite in His power, and boundless in His resources, yet He prayed! How deeply sacred the prayerful memories that hover around the solitudes of Olivet and the shores of Tiberias! He seemed often to turn night into day to redeem moments for prayer, rather than lose the blessed privilege. We are rarely, indeed, admitted into the solemnities of His inner life. The veil of night is generally between us and the Great High Priest, when He entered "the holiest of all;" but we have enough to reveal the depth of fervor, the tenderness and confidingness of this blissful intercommunion with His heavenly Father. No morning dawns without His fetching fresh manna from the mercy-seat. "He awakens morning by morning; he awakens my ear to hear as the learned," (Isa. 50:4). Beautiful description! a praying Redeemer, wakening, as if at early dawn, the ear of His Father, to get fresh supplies for the duties and the trials of the day! All his public acts were consecrated by prayer His baptism, His transfiguration, His miracles, His agony, His death. He breathed away His spirit in prayer. "His last breath," says Philip Henry, "was praying breath." How sweet to think, in holding communion with God Jesus drank of this very brook! He consecrated the bended knee and the silent chamber. He refreshed His fainting spirit at the same great Fountain-head from which it is life for us to draw, and death to forsake. Reader! do you complain of your languid spirit, your drooping faith, your fitful affections, your lukewarm love? May you not trace much of what you deplore to an unfrequented chamber? The treasures are locked up from you, because you have allowed the key to rust; the hands hang down, because they have ceased to be uplifted in prayer. Without prayer! It is the pilgrim without a staff the seaman without a compass the soldier going unarmed and unharnessed to battle. Beware of encouraging what indisposes to prayer going to the audience-chamber with soiled garments, the din of the world following you, its distracting thoughts hovering unforbidden over your spirit. Can you wonder that the living water refuses to flow through obstructed channels, or the heavenly light to pierce murky vapors? On earth, fellowship with a lofty order of minds, imparts a certain nobility to the character; so, in a far higher sense, by communion with God you will be transformed into His image, and get assimilated to His likeness. Make every event in life a reason for fresh going to Him. If difficulted in duty, bring it to the test of prayer. If bowed down with anticipated trial, "fearing to enter the cloud," remember Christ's preparation, "Sit here while I go and pray yonder." Let prayer consecrate everything your time, talents, pursuits, engagements, joys, sorrows, crosses, losses. By it, rough paths will be made smooth, trials disarmed of their bitterness, enjoyments hallowed and refined, the bread of the world turned into angels' food. "It is in the closet," says Payson, "the battle is lost or won!" "And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us." Eph. 5:2. "Jesus," says a writer, "came from heaven on the wings of love." It was the element in which He moved and walked. He sought to baptize the world afresh with it. When we find Him teaching us by love to vanquish an enemy, we need not wonder at the tenderness of His appeals to the brethren to "love one another." Like a fond father impressing his children, how the Divine Teacher lingers over the lesson, "This is My commandment!" If selfishness had guided His actions, we might have expected Him to demand all His people's love for Himself. But He claims no such monopoly. He not only encourages mutual affection, but He makes it the badge of discipleship! He gave them at once its measure and motive. "Love one another, as I have loved you!" What a love was that! it reached to the lowliest and humblest "Inasmuch as you did it to the least of these, you did it unto Me." Ah! if such was the Elder Brother's love to His younger brethren, what should the love of these younger brothers be for one another! How humbling that there should be so much that is sadly and strangely unlike the spirit which our blessed Master sought to inculcate alike by precept and example! Individual Christians, why these bitter estrangements, these censorious words, these harsh judgments, this lack of kind consideration of the feelings and failings of those who may differ from you? Why are your friendships so often like the summer brook, soon dried? You hope, before long, to meet in glory. Doubtless, when you enter on that "sabbath of love," many a greeting will be this, "Alas! my brother, that on earth I did not love you more!" Do you see the image of God in a professing believer? It is your duty to love him for the sake of that image. No church, no outward livery, no denominational creed, should prevent your owning and claiming him as a fellow-pilgrim and fellow-heir. It has been said of a portrait, however poor the painting, however unfinished the style, however faulty the touches, however coarse and unseemly the frame, yet if the likeness be faithful, we overlook many subordinate defects. So it is with the Christian: however plain the exterior, however rough the setting, or even manifold the blemishes still found cleaving to a partially sanctified nature, yet if the Redeemer's likeness be feebly and faintly traced there, we should love the copy for the sake of the Divine Original. There may be other bonds of association and communion linking spirit with spirit family ties, mental congenialities, intellectual tastes, philanthropic pursuits; but that which ought to take the precedence of all, is the love of God's image in the brethren. What will heaven be but this love perfected loving Christ, and beloved by those who love Him? Reader! seek to love Him more, and you will love His people more. John had more love than the other disciples. Why? He drank deepest of the love within that Bosom on which he delighted to lean, every beat of which was love. "Walk," then, "in love!" Let it be the very foot-road you tread; let your way to heaven be paved with it. Soon shall we come to look within the portal. Then shall every jarring and dissonant note be merged into the sublime harmonies of "the new heavens and the new earth," and we shall all "see eye to eye!" "Jesus wept. " John 11:35. It is an affecting thing to see a great man in tears! "Jesus wept!" It was ever His delight to tread in the footsteps of sorrow to heal the broken-hearted turning aside from His own path of suffering to "weep with those who weep." Bethany! That scene, that word, is a condensed volume of consolation for yearning and desolate hearts. What a majesty in those tears! He had just before been discoursing on Himself as the Resurrection and the Life the next moment He is a Weeping Man by a human grave, melted in anguished sorrow at a bereaved one's side! Think of the funeral at the gate of Nain, reading its lesson to dejected myriads "Let your widows trust in me!" Think of the farewell discourse to His disciples, when, muffling all His own foreseen and anticipated sorrows, He thought only of soothing and mitigating theirs! Think of the affecting pause in that silent procession to Calvary, when He turns round and stills the sobs of those who are tracking His steps with their weeping! Think of that wondrous epitome of human tenderness, just before His eyes closed in their sleep of agony in the mightiest crisis of all time when filial love looked down on an anguished mother, and provided her a son and a home! Ah, was there ever sympathy like this! Son! Brother! Kinsman! Savior! all in one! The majesty of Godhead almost lost in the tenderness of the Friend. But so it was, and so it is. The heart of the now enthroned King beats responsive to the humblest of His sorrow-stricken people. "I am poor and needy, yet the Lord carries me on His heart!" (margin). Let us "go and do likewise." Let us be ready, like our Lord to follow the call of misery "to deliver the needy when he cries, the poor also, and him that has no helper." Sympathy costs but little. Its recompense and return are great, in the priceless consolation it imparts. Few there are who undervalue it. Look at Paul the weary, jaded prisoner chained to a soldier recently wrecked, about to stand before Caesar. He reaches Appii Forum and the Three Taverns, dejected and depressed. Brethren come from Rome, a distance of sixty miles, to offer their sympathy. The aged man is cheered! His spirit, like Jacob's, "revived!" "He thanked God, and took courage!" Reader! let "this mind," this holy, Christ-like habit be in you, which was also in your adorable Master. Delight, when opportunity occurs, to frequent the house of mourning to bind up the widow's heart, and to dry the orphan's tears. If you can do nothing else, you can whisper into the ear of disconsolate sorrow, those majestic solaces, which, rising first in the graveyard of Bethany, have sent their undying echoes through the world, and stirred the depths of ten thousand hearts. "Exercise your souls," says Butler, "in a loving sympathy with sorrow in every form. Soothe it, minister to it, support it, revere it. It is the relic of Christ in the world, an image of the Great Sufferer, a shadow of the cross. It is a holy and venerable thing." Jesus Himself "looked for some to take pity, but there was none; and for comforters, but He found none!" It shows how even He valued sympathy, and that, too, in its commonest form of "pity," though an ungrateful world denied it. "The Lord turned and looked straight at Peter." Luke 22:61. Jesus never spoke one unnecessarily harsh or severe word. He had a divine sympathy for the frailties and infirmities of a tried, and suffering, and tempted nature in others. He was forbearing to the ignorant, encouraging to the weak, tender to the penitent, loving to all yet how faithful was He as "the Reprover of sin!" Silent under His own wrongs, with what burning invective did He lay bare the Pharisees' masked corruption and hypocrisy! When His Father's name and temple were profaned, how did He sweep, with an avenging hand, the mammon-crowd away, replacing the superscription, "Holiness to the Lord," over the defiled altars! Nor was it different with his own disciples. With what fidelity, when rebuke was needed, did He administer it: the withering reprimand conveyed, sometimes by an impressive word (Matt. 16:23); sometimes by a silent look (Luke 22:61). "Faithful always were the wounds of this Friend." Reader! are you equally faithful with your Lord in rebuking evil; not with "the wrath of man, which works not the righteousness of God," but with a holy jealousy of His glory, feeling, with the sensitive honor of "the good soldier of Jesus Christ," that an affront offered to Him is offered to yourself? The giving of a wise reproof requires much Christian prudence and delicate discretion. It is not by a rash and inconsiderate exposure of failings, that we must attempt to reclaim an erring brother. But neither, for the sake of a false peace, must we compromise fidelity; even friendship is too dearly purchased by winking at sin. Perhaps, when Peter was led to call the Apostle who honestly reproved him, "Our beloved brother Paul," in nothing did he love his rebuker more, than for the honest boldness of his Christian reproof. If Paul had, in that crisis of the Church, with a timidity unworthy of him, evaded the ungracious task, what, humanly speaking, might have been the result? How often does a seasonable reprimand, a faithful caution, save a lifetime of sin and sorrow! How many a deathbed has made the disclosure, "That kind warning of my friend put an arrest on my career of guilt; it altered my whole being; it brought me to the cross; touched my heart, and, by God's grace, saved my soul!" On the other hand, how many have felt, when death has put his impressive seal on some close earthly intimacy, "This friend, or that friend I might have spoken a solemn word to him; but now he is no more, the opportunity is lost, never to be recalled!" Reader! see that you act not the spiritual coward. When tempted to sit silent when the name of God is slighted or dishonored, think, would Jesus have done so? would He have allowed the oath to go unrebuked the lie to be uttered unchallenged the Sabbath with impunity to be profaned? Where there is a natural diffidence which makes you shrink from a more bold and open reproof, remember much may be done to discountenance sin, by the silent holiness of demeanor, which refuses to smile at the unholy allusion or ribald jest. "A word spoken in due season, how good is it!" "Speak gently," yet speak faithfully: "be pitiful be courteous:" yet "be men of courage, be strong!" No word here of the erring disciple's past faithlessness his guilty cowardice unmentioned; his base denial his oaths and curses, and treacherous desertion all unmentioned! The memory of a threefold denial is suggested, and no more, by the threefold question of unutterable tenderness, "Simon son of John, do you truly love me?" When Jesus finds His disciples sleeping at the gate of Gethsemane, He rebukes them; but how is the rebuke disarmed of its poignancy by the merciful apology which is added "The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak!" How different from their unkind insinuation regarding Him, when, in the vessel or Tiberias, "He was asleep" "Master, don't you care that we perish!" The woman of Samaria is full of earthliness, carnality, sectarianism, guilt. Yet how gently the Savior speaks to her how forbearingly, yet faithfully, He directs the arrow of conviction to that seared and hardened conscience, until He lays it bleeding at His feet! Truly, "He will not break the bruised reed He will not quench the smoking flax." By "the goodness of God," He would lead to repentance. When others are speaking of merciless violence, He can dismiss the most guilty of profligates with the words "Neither do I condemn you; go, and sin no more." How many have an unholy pleasure in finding a brother in the wrong blazing abroad his failings; administering rebuke, not in gentle forbearance and kindly admonition, but with harsh and impatient severity! How beautifully did Jesus unite intense sensibility to sin, along with tenderest compassion for the sinner, showing in this that "He knows our frame!" Many a sinner needs gentleness in chastisement. The reverse would crush a sensitive spirit, or drive it to despair. Jesus tenderly "considers" the case of those He disciplines, "tempering the wind to the shorn lamb." In the picture of the good shepherd bearing home the wandering sheep, He illustrated by parable what He had often and again taught by His own example. No word of needless harshness or upbraiding uttered to the erring wanderer! Ingratitude is too deeply felt to need rebuke. In silent love, "He lays it on His shoulders rejoicing." Reader! seek to mingle gentleness in all your rebukes; bear with the infirmities of others; make allowance for constitutional frailties; never say harsh things, if kind things will do as well; do not unnecessarily lacerate with recalling former delinquencies. In reproving another, let us rather feel how much we need reproof ourselves. "Consider yourself," is a searching Scripture motto for dealing with an erring brother. Remember your Lord's method of silencing fierce accusation "Let him that is without sin cast the first stone." Moreover, anger and severity are not the successful means of reclaiming the backslider, or of melting the obdurate. Like the smooth stones with which David smote Goliath, gentle rebukes are generally the most powerful. The old fable of the traveler and his cloak has a moral here as in other things. The genial sunshine will effect its removal sooner than the rough tempest. It was said of Leighton, that "he rebuked faults so mildly, that they were never repeated, not because the admonished were afraid, but ashamed to do so. "Who endured such contradiction of sinners against Himself." Heb. 12:3. Reader! "let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus!" The greatest test of an earthly soldier's courage is patient endurance! The noblest trait of the spiritual soldier is the same. "Having done all to stand," "He endured, as seeing Him who is invisible!" Beware of the angry recrimination, the hasty ebullition of temper. Amid unkind insinuations when motives are misrepresented, and reputation assailed; when good deeds are ridiculed, kind intentions coldly thwarted and repulsed, chilling reproach manifested where you expected nothing but friendship what a triumph over natural impulse to manifest a spirit of meek endurance! like a rainbow, radiant with the hues of heaven, resting peacefully amid the storms of derision and "the floods of ungodly men." What an opportunity of magnifying the "sustaining grace of God!" "It is a small thing for me to be judged of you, or of man's judgment; He that judges me is the Lord." "The Lord is on my side. I will not fear what man can do unto me." "Blessed is the man that endures." "He that endures to the end, the same shall be saved." If faithful to our God, we must expect to encounter contradiction in the same form which Jesus did "the contradiction of sinners." It has been well said, "There is no cross of nails and wood erected now for the Christian, but there is one of words and looks which is never taken down." If believers are set as lights in the earth, lamps in the "city of destruction," we know that "he that does evil hates the light." "Marvel not my brethren, if the world hates you!" Weary and faint ones, exposed to the shafts of calumny and scorn because of your fidelity to your God encountering, it may be, the coldness and estrangement of those dear to you, who cannot, perhaps, sympathize in the holiness of your walk and the loftiness of your aims, "consider Him that endured such contradiction of sinners against Himself, lest you be weary and faint in your minds!" What is your "contradiction" to His? Soon your cross, whatever it be, will have an end. "The seat of the scorner" has no place in yonder glorious heaven, where all will be peace no jarring note to disturb its blissful harmonies! Look forward to the great coronation-day of the Church triumphant the day of your divine Lord's appearing, when motives and aims, now misunderstood, will be vindicated, wrongs redressed, calumnies and aspersions wiped away. Meanwhile, "rejoice that you are counted worthy to suffer shame for His name." "I do always those things that please Him." John 8:29. What a glorious motto for a man "I live for God!" It is religion's truest definition. It is the essence of angelic bliss the motive principle of angelic action "You ministers of His that do His pleasure." The Lord of angels knew no higher, no other motive. It was during His incarnation the regulator and directory of His daily being. It supported Him amid the depressing sorrows of His woe-worn path. It upheld Him in their dreadful termination in the garden and on the cross. For a moment sinking human nature faltered under the load His Godhead sustained; but the thought of "pleasing God" nerved and revived Him. "Not my will but Yours be done." It is only when the love of God is shed abroad in the heart, that this animating desire to "please Him" can exist. In the holy bosom of Jesus, that love reigned paramount, admitting no rival no competing affection. Though infinitely inferior in degree, it is the same impelling principle which leads His people still to link enjoyment with His service, and which makes consecration to Him of heart and life its own best recompense and reward. "There is a gravitation," says one whose life was the holy echo of his words, "in the moral as in the physical world. When love to God is habitually in the ascendant, or occupying the place of will, it gathers round it all the other desires of the soul as satellites, and whirls them along with it in its orbit round the center of attraction" (Hewitson's Life.) Until the heart, then, be changed, the believer cannot have this "testimony that he pleases God." The world, self, sin these are the gods of the unregenerate soul. And even when changed, alas that there should be so many ebbings and flowings in our tide of devotedness! Jesus could say, "I do always these things that please the Father." Glory to God burned within His bosom like a living fire. "Many waters could not quench it." His was no fitful and inconstant frames and feelings, but the persistent habit of a holy life, which had the one end in view, from which it never diverged or deviated. Let it be so, in some lowly measure with us. Let God's service not be the mere livery of high days of set times and seasons; but, like the alabaster box of ointment, let us ever be giving forth the fragrant perfume of holiness. Even when the shadows of trial are falling around us, let us "pass through the cloud" with the sustaining motive "All my wish, O God, is to please and glorify You! By giving or taking by smiting or healing by the sweet cup or the bitter "Father, glorify your name!" "I don't want to be weary of God's dealings with me," said Bickersteth, on his death-bed; "I want to glorify Jesus in them, and to find Him more precious." Do I shrink from trials duties crosses because involving hardships and self-denial, or because frowned on by the world? Let the thought of God's approving countenance be enough. Let me dread no censure, if conscious of acting in accordance with His will. Let the Apostle's monitory word determine many a perplexing path "If I please men, I am not the servant of Christ." "Being grieved for the hardness of their hearts." Mark 3:5. On this one occasion only is the expression used with reference to Jesus (what intensity of emotion does it denote, spoken of a sinless nature!) "He looked round on them with anger!" Never did He grieve for Himself. His intensest sorrows were reserved for those who were tampering with their own souls, and dishonoring His God. The continual spectacle of moral evil, thrust on the gaze of spotless purity, made His earthly history one consecutive history of grief, one perpetual "cross and passion." In the tears shed at the grave of Bethany, sympathy, doubtless, for the world's myriad mourners, had its own share (the bereaved could not part with so precious a tribute in their hours of sadness), but a far more impressive cause was one undiscerned by the weeping sisters and sorrowing crowd His knowledge of the deep and obdurate impenitence of those who were about to gaze on the mightiest of miracles, only to "despise, and wonder, and perish." "Jesus wept!" but His profoundest anguish was over resisted grace, abused privileges, scorned mercy. It was the Divine Craftsman mourning over His shattered handiwork the Almighty Creator weeping over His ruined world God, the God-man, "grieving" over the Temple of the soul, a humiliating wreck of what once was made "after His own image!" Can we sympathize in any respect with such exalted tears? Do we mourn for sin, our own sin the deep insult which it inflicts on God the ruinous consequences it entails on ourselves? Do we grieve at sin in others? Do we know anything of "vexing our souls," like righteous Lot, "from day to day," with the world's "unlawful deeds," the stupid hardness and obduracy of the depraved heart, which resists alike the appliances of wrath and love, judgment and mercy? Ah! it is easy, in general terms, to condemn vice, and to utter harsh, severe, and cutting denunciations on the guilty: it is easy to pass uncharitable comments on the inconsistencies or follies of others; but to "grieve" as our Lord did, is a different thing; to mourn over the hardness of heart, and yet to have the burning desire to teach it better things to hate, as He did, the sin, but, like Him also, to love the sinner! Reader! look specially to your own spirit. In one respect, the example of Jesus falls short of your case. He had no sin of His own to mourn over. He could only commiserate others. Your intensest grief must begin with yourself. Like the watchful Levite of old, be a guardian at the temple-gates of your own soul. Whatever be your besetting iniquity, your constitutional bias to sin, seek to guard it with wakeful vigilance. Grieve at the thought of incurring one passing shadow of displeasure from so kind and compassionate a Savior. Let this be a holy preservative in your every hour of temptation, "How can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?" Grieve for a perishing world a groaning creation fettered and chained in unwilling "subjection to vanity." Do what you can, by effort, by prayer to hasten on the hour of jubilee when its ashy robes of sin and sorrow shall be laid aside, and, attired in the "beauties of holiness," it shall exult in "the glorious liberty of the sons of God!" Humility follows Him, from His unhonored birthplace to His borrowed grave. It throws a subdued splendor over all he did. "The poor in spirit" the "mourner" the "meek" claim His first beatitudes. He was severe only to one class those who looked down upon others. However He is employed; whether performing His works of miraculous power, or receiving angel-visitants, or taking little children in His arms, He stands forth "clothed with humility." No, this humility becomes more conspicuous as He draws nearer glory. Before His death, He calls His disciples "Friends;" subsequently, it is "Brethren," "Children." How sad the contrast between the Master and His disciples! Two hours had not elapsed after He washed their feet, when "there was a strife among those who should be the greatest!" Let the mental image of that lowly Redeemer be ever bending over us. His example may well speak in silent impressiveness, bringing us down from our pedestal of pride. There surely can be no labor of love too humiliating when He stooped so low. Let us be content to take the humblest place not envious of the success or exaltation of another; not, "like Diotrephes, loving pre-eminence;" but willing to be thought little of; saying with the Baptist, with our eye on our Lord, "He must increase, but I must decrease!" How much we have cause to be humble for! the constant cleaving of defilement to our souls; and even what is partially good in us, how mixed with imperfection, self-seeking, arrogance, vain-glory! A proud Christian is a contradiction in terms. The Seraphim of old (type of the Christian Church, and of believers) had six wings two were for errands of love but "with four he covered himself!" It has been beautifully said, "You lie nearest the River of Life when you bend to it; you cannot drink, but as you stoop." The corn of the field, as it ripens, bows its head; so, the Christian, as he ripens in the divine life, bends in this lowly grace. Christ speaks of His people as "lilies" they are "lilies of the Valley," they can only grow in the shade! "Humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God." "Go" with what Rutherford calls "a low sail." It is the livery of your blessed Master; the family badge the family likeness. "With this man will I dwell, even with him that is humble." Yes! the humble, sanctified heart is God's second Heaven! "He was brought as a lamb to the slaughter." Isa. 53:7. How great was the patience of Jesus! Even among His own disciples, how forbearingly He endured their blindness, their misconceptions and hardness of heart! Philip had been for three years with Him, yet he had "not known Him!" all that time he had remained in strange and culpable ignorance of his Lord's dignity and glory. See how tenderly Jesus bears with him giving him nothing in reply for his confession of ignorance but unparalleled promises of grace! Peter, the honored and trusted, becomes a renegade and a coward. Justly might his dishonored Lord, stung with such unrequited love, have cut the unworthy cumberer down. But He spares him, bears with him, gently rebukes him, and loves him more than ever! See the Divine Sufferer in the terminating scenes of His own ignominy and woe. How patient! "As a sheep before her shearers is silent, so He opened not His mouth." In these dreadful moments, outraged Omnipotence might have summoned twelve legions of angels and put into the hand of each a vial of wrath. But He submits in meek, majestic silence. Verily, in Him "patience had her perfect work!" Think of this same patience with His Church and people since He ascended to glory. The years upon years He has borne with their perverse resistance of His grace, their treacherous ingratitude, their wayward wanderings, their hardness of heart and contempt of His holy word. Yet, behold the forbearing love of this Savior God! His hand of mercy is "stretched out still!" Child of God! are you not undergoing some bitter trial? The way of your God, it may be, all mystery no footprints of love traceable in the chequered path; no light in the clouds above; no ray in the dark future. Be patient! "The Lord is good to those who wait for Him." "Those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength!" Or have you been long tossed on some bed of sickness days of pain and nights of weariness appointed you? Be patient! "I trust this groaning," said a suffering saint, "is not murmuring." God, by this very affliction, is nurturing within you this beauteous grace which shone so conspicuously in the character of your dear Lord. With Him it was a lovely habit of the soul. With you, the "tribulation" which works "patience" is needful discipline. "It is good for a man that he should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of God." Are you suffering some unmerited wrong or unkindness, exposed to harsh and wounding accusations, hard for flesh and blood to bear? Be patient! Beware of hastiness of speech or temper; remember how much evil may be done by a few inconsiderate words "spoken unadvisedly with the lip." Think of Jesus standing before a human tribunal, in the silent submissiveness of conscious innocence and integrity. Leave your cause with God. Let this be the only form of your complaint, "O God, I am oppressed; undertake for me!" "In patience," then, "possess you your souls." Let it not be a grace for peculiar seasons, called forth on peculiar exigencies; but a habitable frame manifested in the calm serenity of a daily walk placidity amid the little fretting annoyances of every-day life a fixed purpose of the heart to wait upon God, and cast its every burden upon Him. Jesus as God-man had omnipotence slumbering in His arm. He had the hoarded treasures of eternity in His grasp. He had only to "speak, and it was done." But as an example to His people, His whole life on earth was one impressive act of subordination and dependence. At Nazareth He was "subject to his parents." There He remained in studied obscurity, occupying for thirty years a lowly hut, willing to continue in a state of seclusion, until the Father's summons called Him to His appointed work. At His baptism, sinless Himself, He gives this reason for receiving a sinner's rite at a sinner's hands "Allow it to be so now, for thus it becomes Me to fulfill all righteousness." The same beautiful spirit of filial subjection shines conspicuous amid His acts of stupendous power. "Jesus lifted up His eyes and said, Father, I thank You that You have heard Me; and I know that You hear me always; but because of the people which stand by, I said it, that they may believe that You have sent Me." Even among His own disciples His language is, "I am among you as He that serves." With an act of submission He closed His pilgrimage and work of love. "Father, into Your hands I commend My spirit." What an example to us, in all this, is our beloved Lord! Surely, if He, "God only wise" the Self-existent One, to whom "all power was committed;" the Sinless One, never liable to err, on whom "the Spirit was poured without measure" if He manifested such habitual dependence on His heavenly Father, how earnestly ought we, weak, erring, fallible creatures, to seek to live every hour every moment as pensioners on God's grace and love, following in all things His directing hand! As the servant has his eyes on his master, or the child on its parent, "so should our eyes be on the Lord our God." Howsoever He speaks, be it ours with all docility to follow the voice, endorsing every utterance of providence, and every precept of Scripture, with our Lord's own words, "This is the Father's will!" Beware of self-dependence. The first step in spiritual declension is this "Let him that thinks he stands!" The secret of real strength is this "Kept by the power of God!" How it sweetens all our blessings, and alleviates all our sorrows, to regard both as emanations from a loving Father's hand. Even if we should be like the disciples of old, "constrained" to go into the ship; if all should be darkness and tempest frowning providences "the wind contrary;" how blessed to feel that in embarking on the unquiet element, "the Lord has bidden us!" Paul could not speak even of taking an earthly journey, without the parenthesis, ("if the Lord wills.") How many trials, and sorrows, and sins, would it save us, if the same were the habitual regulator of our daily life! It would lead to calm contentment with our lot, hushing every disquieting suggestion with the thought that that lot, with all that is apparently adverse in it, was ordained for us. It would teach us not to be aspiring after great things, but humbly to wait the will and purposes of a wise Provider; not to go before our Heavenly Guide, but to follow Him, saying, in meek subjection, "Lord, my heart is not proud; my eyes are not haughty. I don't concern myself with matters too great or awesome for me. But I have stilled and quieted myself, just as a small child is quiet with its mother. Yes, like a small child is my soul within me!" "Who, when He was reviled, reviled not again." 1 Peter 2:23. What a common dictate of the fallen and unregenerate heart to resent and recriminate! How alien to natural feeling to answer cutting taunts, and meet unmerited wrong with the Divine method the Gospel prescribes "Overcome evil with good!" It was in the closing scenes of the Savior's humiliation, when silent, and unresenting, He stood "silent before His shearers," that this beautiful feature in his character was most wondrously manifested; but it beams forth also for our imitation in the ordinary and less prominent incidents of His pilgrimage. When He met Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, He found him clinging to an unreasonable prejudice "Can any good thing come out of Nazareth?" The severe remark is allowed to pass unnoticed. Overlooking the unkind insinuation, the Savior fixes on the favorable feature of his character, "Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile!" After His resurrection, He appears to His disciples. They were cowering in shame, half afraid to confront the glance of injured goodness. He breathes on them, and says, "Peace be unto you!" Peter was the one of all the rest who had most reason to dread estranged looks and upbraiding words; but a special message is sent to reassure that trembling spirit that there was no alienation in the unresentful Heart he had secretly wounded "Go and tell the disciples ... and Peter!" Even when Judas first revealed himself to his Lord as the betrayer, we believe it was not in bitter irony or rebuke, but in the fullness of pitying tenderness, that Jesus addressed him, "Friend, why have you come?" Tears and prayers were His only revenge on the city and scene of His murder. "Beginning at Jerusalem," was the closing illustration of a spirit "not of this world" a significant parting testimony that in the bosom that uttered it, retaliation had no place. More than one of the disciples seem to have imbibed much of this "mind" of their Lord. "We owe Paul," says Augustine, "to the death of Stephen;" "they stoned Stephen...and he kneeled down and cried with a loud voice, Lord! lay not this sin to their charge." Take another example The great Apostle of the Gentiles felt himself under a painful necessity faithfully to rebuke Peter in presence of the whole Church. He had recorded that rebuke, too, in one of his epistles. It was thus to be handed down to every age as a permanent and humiliating evidence of the wavering inconstancy of his fellow-laborer. Peter, doubtless, must have felt acutely the severity of the chastisement. Does he resent it? He, too, puts on record, long after, in one of his own epistles, a sentence regarding his rebuker, but it is this "Our beloved brother Paul!" Reader! when tempted to utter the harsh word, or give the cutting or hasty answer, seek to check yourself with the question, "Is this the reply my Savior would have given?" If your fellow-men should prove unkind, inconsiderate, ungrateful, be it yours to refer the cause to God. Speak of the faults of others only in prayer; manifesting more sorrow for the sin of the censorious and unkind, than for the evil inflicting on yourselves. Retaliate! No such word should have a place in the Christian's vocabulary. Retaliate! If I cherish such a spirit towards my brother, how can I meet that brother in heaven? "But you have not so learned Christ." "And He bearing His cross." John 19:17. When did Jesus bear the cross? Not that moment alone, surely, when the bitter tree was placed on His shoulders, on the way to Golgotha. Its vision may be said to have risen before Him in His infant dreams in Bethlehem's cradle; there, rather, its reality began; and He ceased not to carry it, until his work was finished, and the victory won! A cloud of old, hovered over the mercy seat in the tabernacle and temple. So it was with the Great Antitype the living Mercy-seat He had ever a cloud of woe hanging over Him. "He carried our sorrows." Reader! dwell much and often under the shadow of your Lord's cross, and it will lead you to think lightly of your own! If He gave utterance to not one murmuring word, can you complain? "If we were deeper students of His bitter anguish, we would think less of the ripplings of our waves, amid His horrible tempest" (Evans.) The saint's cross assumes many and diverse shapes. Sometimes it is the bitter trial, the crushing pang of bereavement, desolate households, and aching hearts. Sometimes it is the crucifixion of sin, the determined battling with "lusts that war against the soul." Sometimes it is the resistance of the evil maxims and practices of a lying world vindicating the honor of Christ, in the midst, it may be, of taunt, and ridicule, and shame. And as there are different crosses so there are different ways of bearing them. To some, God says, "Put your shoulder to the burden; lift it up, and bear it on; work, and toil, and labor!" To others, He says, "Be still, bear it, and suffer!" Believer! your cross may be hard to endure, it may involve deep struggles tears by day, watchings by night; bear it meekly, patiently justifying God's wisdom in laying it on. Rejoice in the assurance that He gives not one atom more of earthly trial than He sees to be really needful; not one unnecessary thorn pierces your feet. In the very bearing of the cross for His sake there are mighty compensations. What new views of your Savior's love! His truth, His promises His sustaining grace, His sufferings, His glory! What new filial nearness; increased delight in prayer; in inner sunshine when it is darkest without! The waves cover you, but underneath them all, are "the everlasting arms!" Do not look out for a situation without crosses. Be not over anxious about "smooth paths," leaving your God, as Orpha did Naomi, just when the cross requires to be carried. Immoderate earthly enjoyments unbroken earthly prosperity write upon these "Beware!" You may live to see them become your greatest trials! Remember the old saying, "No cross, no crown." The sun of the saint's life generally struggles through "weeping clouds." One of the loveliest passages of Scripture is that in which the portals of heaven being opened, we overhear this dialogue between two ransomed ones "And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes, and where came they? And I said unto him, Sir, you know. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation!" "Zeal is a principle; enthusiasm is a feeling. The one is the spark of a sanguine temperament and overheated imagination. The other a sacred flame kindled at God's altar and burning in God's shrine." (Vaughan) Such was the holy heavenly zeal of our Great Exemplar. His were no transient outbursts of ardor which time cooled and difficulties impeded. His life was one indignant protest against sin, one ceaseless current of undying love for souls which all the malignity of foes and unkindness of friends could not for one moment divert from its course. Even when He rises from the dead, and we imagine His work at an end, His zeal only meditates fresh deeds of love. "Still His heart and His care," says Goodwin, "is upon doing more. Having now dispatched that great work on earth, He sends His disciples word that He is hastening to heaven as fast as He can, to do another" (John 20:17). Reader! do you know anything of this zeal, which "many waters could not quench?" See that, like your Lord's, it be steady, sober, consistent, undeviating. How many are, like the children of Ephraim, "carrying bows" all zealous when zeal demands no sacrifice, but "turning their backs to the day of battle!" Others running well for a time, but gradually "hindered," through the benumbing influences of worldliness, selfishness, and sin. Two disciples, apparently equally devoted and zealous, send through Paul, in one of his epistles, a joint Christian salutation "Luke and Demas greet you." A few years afterwards, thus he writes from his Roman dungeon "Only Luke is with me," "Demas has forsaken me, having loved this present world!" While zeal is commendable, remember the Apostle's qualification, "It is good to be zealously affected always in a good thing." There is in these days much base coin current, called "zeal," which bears not the image and superscription of Jesus. There is zeal for church-membership and party; zeal for creeds and dogmas; zeal for figments and nonessentials. "From such turn aside." Your Lord stamped with his example and approval no such counterfeits. His zeal was ever brought to bear on two objects, and two objects alone the glory of God and the good of man. Be it so with you. Enter, first of all (as He did the earthly temple), the sanctuary of your own heart, with "the scourge of small cords." Drive out every unhallowed intruder there. Do not allow yourself to be deceived. Others may call such jealous searchings of spirit it "sanctimoniousness" and "enthusiasm." But remember, to be almost saved, is to be altogether lost! to be zealous about every thing but "the one thing needful," is an insult to God and your everlasting interests! Have a zeal for others. Dying myriads are around you. As a member of the Christian priesthood, it becomes you to rush in with your censer and incense between the living and the dead, "that the plague may be stayed!" Be it yours to say, "Blessed Jesus! I am Yours! Yours only! Yours wholly! Yours forever! I am willing to follow You, and (if need be) to suffer for You. I am ready at Your bidding to leave the homestead in the valley, and to face the cutting blasts of the mountain. Take me use me for Your glory. Lord! what will You have me to do?" "Christ's great end," says Richard Baxter, "was to save men from their sins; but He delighted to save them from their sorrows." His heart bled for human misery. Benevolence brought Him from heaven; benevolence followed His steps wherever He went on earth. The journeys of the Divine Philanthropist were marked by tears of thankfulness, and breathings of grateful love. The helpless, the blind, the lame, the desolate, rejoiced at the sound of His footfall. Truly might it be said of Him, "When the ear heard me, then it blessed me; and when the eye saw me, it gave witness to me" (Job 29:11). All suffering hearts were a magnet to Jesus. It was not more His prerogative than His happiness to turn tears into smiles. One of the few pleasures which on earth gladdened the spirit of the "Man of sorrows" was the pleasure of doing good soothing grief, and alleviating misery. Next to the joy of the widow of Nain when her son was restored, was the joy in the bosom of the Divine Restorer! He often went out of His way to be kind. A journey was not grudged, even if one aching spirit were to be soothed (Mark 5:1; John 4:4, 5). Nor were His kindnesses dispensed through the intervention of others. They were all personal acts. His own hand healed. His own voice spoke. His own footsteps lingered on the threshold of bereavement, or at the precincts of the tomb. Ah! had the princes of this world known the loving tenderness and unselfishness of that heart, "they would not have crucified the Lord of Glory!" Reader! do you know any thing of such active benevolence? Have you never felt the luxury of doing good? Have you never felt, that in making others happy, you make yourself so? that, by a great law of your being, enunciated by the Divine Patron and Pattern of Benevolence, "It is more blessed to give than to receive?" Has God enriched you with this world's goods? Seek to view yourself as a consecrated medium for dispensing them to others. Beware alike of miserly hoarding and selfish extravagance. How sad the case of those whose lot God has made thus to abound with temporal mercies, who have gone to the grave unconscious of diminishing one drop of human misery, or making one of the world's myriad aching hearts happier! How the example of Jesus rebukes the cold and calculating kindnesses the mite-like offerings of many even of His own people! "whose libation is not like His, from the brim of an overflowing cup, but from the bottom from the dregs!" You may have little to give. Your sphere and means may be alike limited. But remember God can be as much glorified by the trifle saved from the earnings of poverty, as by the splendid benefaction from the lap of plenty. "The Lord loves a cheerful giver." The nobler part of Christian benevolence is not vast donations, or munificent pecuniary sacrifices. "He went about doing good." The merciful visit the friendly word the look of sympathy the cup of cold water the little unostentatious service the giving without thought or hope of recompense the kindly "considering of the poor" anticipating their needs considering their comforts these are what God values and loves. They are "loans" to Himself tributary streams to "the river of His pleasure;" they will be acknowledged at last as such "You did it unto Me." Jesus said to him, "Away from me, Satan!" Matt. 4:10. There is an dreadful intensity of meaning in the words, as applied to Jesus, "He suffered, being tempted!" Though incapable of sin, there was, in the refined sensibilities of His holy nature, that which made temptation unspeakably fearful. What must it have been to confront the Arch-traitor? to stand face to face with the foe of His throne, and His universe? But the "prince of this world" came, and found "nothing in Him." Billow after billow of Satanic violence spent their fury, in vain, on the Living Rock! Reader! you have still the same malignant enemy to contend with; assailing you in a thousand insidious forms; astonishingly adapting his assaults to your circumstances, your temperament, your mental bias, your master passion! There is no place, where "Satan's seat" is not; The whole world lies in the Wicked one. (1 John 5:19) He has his whispers for the ear of childhood; hoary age is not inaccessible to his wiles. "All this will I give you" is still his bribe to deny Jesus and to "mind earthly things." He will meet you in the crowd; he will follow you to the solitude; his is a sleepless vigilance! "Keep," then, "your heart with all diligence," or, (as it is in the forcible original Hebrew,) "keep your heart above all keeping," "for out of it are the issues of life" (Prov. 4:23). Let this ever be our preservative against temptation, "How would Jesus have acted here? would He not have recoiled, like the sensitive plant, from the remotest contact with sin? Can I think of dishonoring Him by tampering with His enemy incurring from His own lips the bitter reflection of injured love, 'I am wounded in the house of my friends'?" He tells us the secret of our preservation and safety, "Simon! Simon! Satan has desired to have you, that he might sift you as wheat; but I have prayed for you that your faith fail not!" "This man receives sinners." Luke 15:2. The ironical taunt of proud and censorious Pharisees formed the glory of Him who came, "not to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance." Publicans and outcasts; those covered with a deeper than any bodily leprosy laid bare their wounds to the "Great Physician;" and as conscious guilt and timid penitence crept abashed and imploring to His feet, they found nothing but a forgiving and a gracious welcome! "His ways" were not as "man's ways!" The "watchman," in the Canticles, "smote" the disconsolate one seeking her lost Lord; they tore off her veil, mocking with chilling unkindness her anguished tears. Not so "the Chief Shepherd and Bishop of souls." "This man receives sinners!" See in Nicodemus, stealing under the shadows of night to elude observation a type of the thousand thousand who in every age have gone trembling in their night of sin and sorrow to this Heavenly Friend! Does Jesus punish his timidity by shutting His door against him, spurning him from His presence? "He will not break the bruised reed, He will not quench the smoking flax!" And He is still the same! He who arrested a persecutor in his blasphemies, and turned the lips of an expiring felon with faith and love, is at this hour standing with all the garnered treasures of Redemption in His hand, proclaiming, "Him that comes unto Me, I will in no wise cast out!" Are we from this to think lightly of sin? or by example and conduct to palliate and overlook its enormity? Not so; sin, as sin, can never be sufficiently stamped with the brand of reprobation. But we must seek carefully to distinguish between the offence and the offender. Nothing should be done on our part by word or deed to mock the penitential sighings of a guilty spirit, or send the trembling outcast away, with the despairing feeling of "No hope." "This man receives sinners," and shall not we? Does He allow the veriest dregs of human depravity to crouch unbidden at His feet, and to gaze on His forgiving countenance with the uplifted eye of hope, and shall we dare to deal out harsh, and severe and crushing verdicts on an offending (it may be a deeply offending) brother? Shall we pronounce "crimson" and "scarlet" sins and sinners beyond the pale of mercy, when Jesus does not? No, rather, when wretchedness, and depravity, and backsliding cross our path, let it not be with the bitter taunt or the ironical retort that we bid them away. Let us bear endure remonstrate deal tenderly; Jesus did so, Jesus does so! Ah! if we had within us His unconquerable love of souls; His yearning desire for the everlasting happiness of sinners, we would be more frequently in earnest admonition and affectionate appeal with those who have hitherto got no other than harsh thoughts and repulsive words. If this "mind" really was in us, "which was also in Him," we would more frequently ask ourselves, "Have I done all I might have done to pluck this brand from the burning? Have I remembered what grace has wrought, what grace can do?" "Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him; let him know, that he which converts the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins!" "He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth." 1 Pet. 2:22. How rare, and all the more beautiful because of its rarity, is a purely deceitless spirit! A crystalline medium through which the transparent light of Heaven comes and goes; open, candid, just, honorable, sincere; scorning every unfair dealing, every hollow pretension, every narrow prejudice. Wherever such characters exist, they are like "apples of gold, in pictures of silver." Such, in all the loveliness of sinless perfection, was the Son of God! His truthfulness and sincerity shining the more conspicuously amid the artful and malignant deceits alike of men and devils. Passing by manifold instances in the course of His ministry, look at its manifestation, as the hour of His death approached. When, on the night of His apprehension, He confronts the assassin band, in meek majesty He puts the question, "Whom do you seek?" They said to Him, "Jesus of Nazareth." In guileless innocence, He replies, "I am He!" "Are You the King of the Jews?" asks Pilate, a few hours after. An evasive answer might again have purchased immunity from suffering and indignity, but once more the lips which scorned the semblance of evasion reply, "Yes, it is as you say!" And waiting for the Lord he loved." See how the Savior honored him; setting His own divine seal on the loveliness of this same spirit! Take one other example: when the startling saddening announcement is made to the disciples, "One of you shall betray me;" they do not accuse one another; they attempt to throw no suspicion on Judas; each in trembling apprehension suspects only his own treacherous heart, "Lord, is it I?" How much of a different "mind" is there abroad! In the school of the world (this painted world,) how much is there of what is called "policy," double-dealing! accomplishing its ends by distorting means; outward artificial polish, often only a cloak for falseness and selfishness! in the daily interchange of business, one seeking to overreach the other by tricky arts sacrificing principle for temporal advantage. There is nothing so derogatory to religion as anything allied to such a spirit among Christ's people any such blots on the "living epistles." "You are the light of the world." That world is a quick observer. It is sharp to detect inconsistencies; slow to forget them. The true Christian has been likened to an anagram you ought to be able to read him up and down, every way! Be all reality, no counterfeit. Do not pass for current coin what is base alloy. Let transparent honor and sincerity regulate all your dealings; despise all deceitfulness; avoid the sinister motive, the underhand dealing; aim at that unswerving love of truth that would scorn to stoop to base compliances and unworthy equivocations; live more under the power of the purifying and ennobling influences of the gospel. Take its golden rule as the matchless directory for the daily transactions of life "Whatever you would that men should do to you, do you even so to them." How constant and unremitting was Jesus in the service of His Heavenly Father! "He rose a great while before day;" and when His secret communion was over His public work began. It mattered not to Him where He was: whether on the bosom of the deep, or a mountain slope in the desert, or at a well side the "gracious words" ever "proceeded out of His mouth." We find, on one touching occasion, exhausted nature sinking, after a day of unremitting duty in crossing in a vessel the Lake of Tiberias "He fell asleep!" (Matt. 8.) He redeemed every precious moment; His words to the Pharisee seem a formula for all, "Simon, I have somewhat to say unto you!" Oh, how our most unceasing activities pale into nothing before such an example as this! Would that we could remember that each of us has some great mission to perform for God that religion is not a thing of dreamy sentimentalism, but of energetic practical action; moreover, that no trade, no profession, no position, however high or however humble in the scale of society, can disqualify for this life of Christian activity and usefulness! Who were the writers in the Bible? We have among them a King a Lawgiver a Herdsman a tax collector a Physician! Nor is it to high spheres, or to great services only, that God looks. The widow's mite and Mary's "alabaster box of ointment" are recorded as examples for imitation by the Holy Spirit, while many more munificent deeds are passed by unrecorded. We believe that God says, regarding the attempt of many a humble Christian to serve Him by active duty, "I saw that effort, that feeble effort, to serve and glorify Me; it was the very feebleness of it I loved!" Did it never strike you, notwithstanding the dignity of Christ, and the activity of Christ, how little success comparatively He met with in His public work? We read of no numerous conversions; no Pentecostal revivals in the course of His ministry. May not this well encourage in the absence of great outward results? He sets up no higher standard than this "She has done what she could." An artist may be great in painting a peasant as well as a king it is the way he does it. Yes, and if laid aside from the activities of the Christian life, we can equally glorify God by passive endurance. "Who am I," said Luther, when he witnessed the patience of a great sufferer, "who am I? a wordy preacher in comparison with this great doer." Reader! do not forget the motive of our motto verse, "The night comes!" Soon our tale shall be told; our little day is flitting fast, the shadows of night are falling. "Our span length of time," as Rutherford says, "will come to an inch." What if the eleventh hour should strike after having been "all the day idle?" A long lifetime of opportunities allowed to pass unemployed and unimproved, and absolutely nothing done for God! A judgment-day come our golden moments squandered our talents untraded on our work undone met at the bar of Heaven with the withering repulse, "Inasmuch as you did it not." "The time we have lost," says Richard Baxter, "cannot be recalled; should we not then redeem and improve the little that remains? If a traveler sleep or trifle most of the day, he must travel so much the faster in the evening, or fall short of his journey's end." "But He committed himself to Him who judges righteously" 1 Peter 2:23. With what perfect and entire confidingness did Jesus commit Himself to His Heavenly Father's guidance! He loved to call Him, "My Father!" There was music in that name, which enabled Him to face the most trying hour, and to drink the most bitter cup. The scoffing taunt arose at the scene of crucifixion, "He trusted in God that He would deliver Him, let Him deliver Him!" It failed to shake, for one moment, His unswerving confidence, even when the sensible tokens of the Divine presence were withdrawn; the realized consciousness of God's abiding love sustained Him still "My God! my God!" How many a perplexity would we save ourselves, by thus implicitly "committing ourselves," as He did, to God! In seasons of darkness and trouble when our way is shut up with thorns to lift the confiding eye of faith to Him, and say, "I am oppressed, undertake for me!" How blessed to feel that He directs all that befalls us; that no contingencies can frustrate His plans; that the way He leads us is not only a "right way," but, with all its briers and thorns its tears and trials it is the right way! The result of such an habitual staying ourselves on the Lord, will be a deep, abiding peace any ripple will only be on the surface no more. It is the bosom of the ocean alone, which the storm ruffles; all beneath is a serene, settled calm. So "You will keep him, O God, in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You!" "The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want." I shall be content alike with what he appoints or withholds. I cannot wrong that love with one shadow of suspicion! I have His own plighted promise of unchanging faithfulness, that "all things work together for good to those who love Him!" Often there are earthly sorrows hard to bear the unkind accusation when it was least merited or expected the estrangement of tried and trusted friends, the failure of cherished hopes, favorite schemes broken up, plans of usefulness demolished, the gourd breeding its own worm and withering. "Commit your cause and your way to God!" We little know what tenderness there is in the blast of the rough wind; what "needs be" are folded under the wings of the storm! "All is well," because all is from Him. "Events are God's," says Rutherford; "let Him sit at His own helm, that moderates all." Christian! look back on your chequered path. How wondrously has He threaded you through the mazy way disappointing your fears, realizing your hopes! Are evils looming through the mists of the future? Do not anticipate the trials of tomorrow, to aggravate those of today. Leave the morrow with Him, who has promised, by "casting all your care on Him, to care for you." No affliction will be sent greater than you can bear. His voice will be heard stealing from the bosom of the threatening cloud, "Be still, and know that I am God!" "My Father!" With such a word, you can stretch out your neck for any yoke; as with Israel of old, He will make those very waves that may now be so threatening, a fenced wall on every side! "Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him." "In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths!" "That they all may be one." John 17:21. Surely there is nothing for which Christian churches have such cause to hang their harps on the willows, as the extent to which the Shibboleth of party is heard in the camp of the faithful sectarianism rearing its "untempered walls" within the Temple gates! How different "the mind of Jesus!" Sent "to the lost sheep of the house of Israel," He was never found disowning "other sheep not of that fold." "Them also will I bring," was an assertion continually illustrated by His deeds. Take one example: The woman of Samaria revealed what, alas! is too common in the world a total absence of all real religion; combined with an ardent zeal for her sect. She was living in open sin; yet she was all alive to the nice distinction between a Jew and a Samaritan between Mount Gerizim and Mount Zion "How is it that you, being a Jew, ask a drink from me, who am a woman of Samaria?" Did Jesus sanction or reciprocate her sectarianism? did He leave her bigotry unrebuked? Hear His reply "If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that says to you, Give me to drink; you would have asked of Him, and He would have given you!" He would have allowed no such narrow-minded exclusiveness to have interfered with the interchange of kindly civilities with a stranger. No, He would have given you better than all, the "living water" which "springs up to everlasting life!" How sad, that when the enemy is "coming in like a flood" the ranks of Popery and infidelity linked in fatal and formidable confederacy that the soldiers of Christ are forced to meet the assault with standards soiled and mutilated by internal feuds! "Uniformity" there may not be, but "unity," in the true sense of the word, there ought to be. We may be clad in different livery, but let us stand side by side, and rank by rank, fighting the battles of our Lord. We may be different branches of the seven golden candlesticks, varying and diversified in outward form and workmanship; but let us combine in "showing forth the praises of Him" who recognizes as the one true "churchmanship," fidelity in shining for His glory "as lights in the world." How can we read the 13th chapter of 1st Corinthians, and then think of our divisions? "How miserable," says Edward Bickersteth, "would a hospital be, if each patient were to be so offended with his neighbor's disease, as to differ with him on account of it, instead of trying to alleviate it!" Ah! if we had more real communion with our Savior, would we not have more real communion with one another? If Christians would dip their arrows more in "the balm of Gilead," would there not be fewer wounds in the body of Christ? "How that word 'toleration' is used among us!" said one who drank deeper than most, of his Master's spirit "how we tolerate one another Dissenters tolerate Churchmen, and Churchmen tolerate Dissenters! Oh! hateful word! TOLERATE one for whom Jesus died! Tolerate one whom He bears upon His heart! Tolerate a temple of the living God! Oh! there ought to be that in the word which should make us feel ashamed before God!" "I am not of the world." John 17:14. In one sense it was not so. Jesus did not seek to maintain His holiness intact and unspotted by avoiding contact with the world. He mingled familiarly in its busy crowds. He frowned on none of its innocent enjoyments; He fostered, by His example, no love of seclusion; He gave no warrant or encouragement to mortified pride, or disappointed hopes, to rush from its duties yet, with all this, what a halo of heavenliness encircled His pathway through it! "I am from above," was breathed in His every look, and word, and action, from the time when He lay in the slumbers of infancy in His Bethlehem cradle, until He said, "I leave the world, and go to My Father!" He had moved uncontaminated through its varied scenes, like the sunbeam, which, whatever it touches, remains as unsullied, as when it issues from its great fountain. But though Himself in His sinless nature "unconquerable" by temptation immutably secure from the world's malignant influences, it is all worthy of note, as an example to us, that He never unnecessarily braved these. He knew the seducing spell that same world would exercise on His people, of whom, with touching sympathy, He says, "These are in the world!" He knew the many who would be involved and ensnared in its subtle worship, who, "minding earthly things," would seek to slake their thirst at polluted streams! Live above its corroding cares and anxieties; remembering the description Jesus gives of His own true people, "They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world!" "Father, into Your hands I commend My spirit." Luke 23:46. In the death of Jesus, there were elements of fearfulness, which the believer can know nothing of. It was with Him the execution of a penal sentence. The sins of an elect world were bearing Him down! The very voice of His God was heard giving the tremendous summons, "Awake, O sword, against my shepherd!" Yet His was a death of peace, no, of triumph! Before He closed His eyes, light broke through the curtain of thick darkness. In the calm composure of filial confidence He breathed away His soul "Father, into your hands I commend My spirit!" What was the secret of such tranquility? This is His own key to it "I have glorified You on the earth, I have finished the work which You gave me to do." Reader! will it be so with you at a dying hour? will your "work" be done? Have you already fled to Jesus? Are you reposing in Him as your only Savior, and following Him as your only pattern? Then let death overtake you when it may you will have nothing to do but to die! The grave will be irradiated with His presence and smile. He will be standing there as He did by His own tomb of old, pointing to yours, tenanted with angel forms, no, Himself as the "Precursor," showing you "the path of life!" There can be no true peace until the fear of death be conquered by the sense of sin forgiven, through "the blood of the Cross." "Not until then," as one has it, "will you be able to be a quiet spectator of the open grave at the bottom of the hill which you are soon to descend." The sting of death is sin, but thanks be to God who gives us the victory through the Lord Jesus Christ!" Seek now to live in the enjoyment of greater filial nearness to your covenant God; and thus, when the hour of departure does come, you will be able, without irreverence, to take the very words of your dying Lord, and make them your own "FATHER, into Your hands I commend my spirit." FATHER! It is going HOME! the heart of the child leaping at the thought of the paternal roof, and the paternal welcome! "Son, you are ever with me, and all that I have is yours!" It is said of Archbishop Leighton, that he "was always happiest when, from the shaking of the prison doors, he was led to hope that some of those brisk blasts would throw them open, and give him the release be coveted." Christian! can you dread that which your Savior has already vanquished? Death! It is as the angel to Peter breaking the dungeon-doors, and leading to open day it is going to the world of your birthright, and leaving the one of your exile "it is the soldier at nightfall lying down in his tent in peace, waiting the morning to receive his laurels." Oh! to be ever living in a state of holy preparation! the mental eye gazing on the vista view of an opening Heaven! feeling that every moment is bringing us nearer and nearer that happy Home! soon to be within reach of the Heavenly threshold, in sight of the Throne! soon to be bending in adoring rapture with the Church triumphant bathing in floods of infinite glory "LIKE HIM," seeing HIM as He is, and that forever and Ever! "And every man that has this hope in Him purifies himself, even as He is pure!"

2019-04-24T00:51:13Z

http://theoldtimegospel.com/jesus/jc_macduff.html

Warming up and cooling down is fundamental in any workout. Sadly, many people neglect the importance of these two and immediately start their workouts. There are some who warm up but don’t cool down and there are others who do the opposite. To highlight the importance of these two components more, here are the reasons why you should warm up before and exercise and cool down after. Warming up allows your heart to pump out more blood and improve blood circulation all throughout the body. This encourages blood to flow more effectively towards muscle tissues and gets the muscles ready for any kind of physical activity. In addition, warming up allows oxygenated blood to flow all throughout the body better and helps increase body temperature so that the muscles can adjust to the intensity of the workout easily. Warming up not only lets your heart pump out more blood efficiently, it also prepares the heart to meet the demands on the circulatory system made by physical exercise. When you go from zero to a hundred without having a warm-up, your heart might not be able to efficiently pump out enough blood. Without enough blood circulating around the body, the muscles will also be deprived of energy and fuel. The heart might also have difficulty to adjust to sudden rigorous exercise and that might definitely lead to a dangerous situation for the person. Injury prevention is probably one of the most important reasons why you need to warm up. As said earlier, warming up increases your body temperature. This means that your muscles can easily stretch and contract without any risk of injury. Surely, there are some of you who have made the mistake of going to an ActiveSG gym and immediately hit the dumbbell racks only to find that you’re not able to push your muscles to their full potential. Exercising clearly makes your heart beat substantially faster. Having time to cool down allows your heart rate to lower little by little. This is important because when you stop suddenly and your heart rate is still high, you might feel dizzy and you may even faint. So cooling down helps our body regain balance in terms of temperature and heart rate. You typically incorporate a lot of static stretching when cooling down. This is possible in a cool-down and not in a warm-up because your joints and muscles are already warm. When you stretch, you’re helping the muscles flush out any excess waste that would otherwise cause cramping and stiffness if they stayed there. This reduces the likelihood of a muscle getting sore after a workout and also improve muscle flexibility in the long run. You can’t deny that cycling around Singapore can be quite a pleasant experience. The trails have sights you definitely should not miss and cycling around places can be really fun too. Aside from being another form of transportation, cycling also has a lot of benefits. It is already known that cycling is a great form of cardiovascular exercise. The cardiovascular muscles will be able to pump out blood more efficiently especially during rigorous activity. Obviously, this also improves the circulation of blood throughout the body. Consequently, this helps our resting heart rate. This means that you won’t feel like your heart is going to burst out of your chest after a simple physical activity. If you can use a buy to go to work or school then, by all means, try it. Clearly, you don’t have to spend on transportation fees. You also won’t have to pay for gas, unlike motorcycles and cars. Plus, even though bicycles still need maintenance, they’re still pretty simple and cheap compared to motorcycles and cars. You’re helping to save the environment by cycling, just going to get it out there. Obviously, unlike cars, motorcycles, buses and etc., bikes don’t emit any harmful gases because they don’t need fuel. Cycling, even if it’s a small change, can help us save nature. Aside from being environment-friendly, cyclists are also somehow protected from air pollutants. Surprisingly, it has been found that cyclists are less exposed to polluted air compared to vehicle drivers and passengers. Cycling for an hour can burn about four hundred to a thousand calories depending on your weight and the intensity of your cycling. Cycling might also be better compared to jogging when it comes to weight loss. When you jog, all your weight falls on your legs, which might make you more prone to injury. But when you cycle, your weight is supported by the seat, reducing the chances of injuring your lower body and enabling you to continue exercising for weight loss. Cycling can be a great way to go around places you’ve never been to before. You can also improve your navigation skills and sense of direction because you get to figure the routes out for yourself. If you’re looking for an adventure, turn off your GPS and cycle around! You might even learn about places and see interesting sights you’ve never visited before. Cyclists know how great a stress reliever cycling is. You can go out on the weekends and just cycle around places or routes for fun. It’s also a great way to start your day and energize yourself in the morning and you can even try doing it at night to take your mind off all the stress before going to bed. Woodworking doesn’t look like the most glamorous work you can do at first, since it requires a lot of effort, careful planning, and patience. But if you have the knack for it, then it can be a very rewarding hobby. Buying furniture is one way to get you quality that will last a long time, but you don’t always find the right one that suits exactly what you need. They can be hard to find and also get expensive quickly. Do you notice any damages to your furniture? Deep scratches? Chipped paint? What about wobbling and unstable chairs and tables? If so, then you can take your DIY skills from your various home projects and put them to good use! Not only can you make them last for a longer time, but you can even make modifications to your existing furniture as you see fit. DIY woodworking not only lets you make and repair furniture, but also gives you the tools to spruce up every area of your home the way you want it. It also lets you do things on your own without having to call a contractor for everything. And because of its versatility, you can even branch out and pick up on other skills, such as metalworking and home automation, other than just woodworking. Carpentry requires a lot of careful planning and execution, especially when it comes to choosing the right materials and tools, so there’s a good chance you won’t always get it right the first time. And aside from the skills, you also have with you a set of quality tools you can use for all kinds of projects, and will last you a lifetime when you give them the proper care and maintenance. At the end of the day, there’s nothing quite like seeing the finished product and taking a moment to admire how gorgeous it looks. From large home renovations to simple construction projects, you’re guaranteed to be proud of the accomplishments over the things that you spent a lot of time working over. When you’re spring cleaning or just doing a clean-up for your HDB flat, you may realize at one point that you just have too much stuff that you have trouble throwing away, whether it’s furniture that has been in your family forever or something with sentimental value to you. And with HDB flats in Singapore getting even smaller, every square centimeter of room now comes at a premium. Adding hidden compartments for your bed let you store practically anything you want while keeping the dust off of them at the same time. And because it’s under your bed, it doesn’t have to be an eyesore! Your under-the-bed compartment doesn’t even have to be strictly for storage – you can modify it to turn it into a sliding table for anything that suits your fancy. If you’re having trouble looking for a study area but your HDB flat can’t accommodate a desk for you to do so, you can turn your bedside into a makeshift study area simply by adding a shelf or two. This way, you can use your bed both as a chair for studying, and as a bed if you want to take a break. Who knew studying could feel so comfortable? Say goodbye to messy rooms and uncomfortable sleeping bags! This platform bed can work whether you love to have friends staying over or simply want a new way to save space by combining both your bed and your study table. Dining tables take up a lot of space when they’re not used, so why not just bolt them to the walls? By having a wall-mounted dining table instead of a regular one, you can utilize more space in your dining area by simply tucking it back, and your home will look a lot neater as a result. The best way to maximize space is by making it look like you don’t have a lot of stuff, and you can do this by hiding it in the walls. While it may seem expensive at first, the end result will definitely be worth it since you can store almost anything, from board games, consoles, and even CDs for your home entertainment system. The same goes for dedicated storage spaces in your HDB flat: if you have a dedicated floor-to-ceiling area, you can disguise it by using chalkboard paint on panels. Tick season typically occurs in the spring and summer seasons in other countries. But for us here in Singapore, it is an all-year event. With warm weather, bugs get a little excited to play—carrying nasty diseases with them. What are these diseases? Let’s all find out. This is a tick-borne disease caused by strains of Borrelia bacteria and the most common illness carried by black-legged ticks. Remember: these ticks thrive in deciduous forests, though populations are now spreading to more urbanized areas. Symptoms often include fever accompanied by nausea and joint and muscle pain. Also brought by black-legged ticks, this disease is caused by the parasite Babesia microti. The said parasite infects the body’s red blood cells, causing chills, headache, fever and fatigue. More complex cases can lead to anemia, jaundice and shortness of breath. How big is the tick that causes Babesiosis? A young tick is likened to the size of a poppyseed, an adult male tick is equivalent to the size of a sesame seed and a female tick can measure up to a flaxseed. After they fed with blood, they get even bigger. This illness is caused by tick-borne virus is extremely rare. Some people infected by such disease do not show any symptom at all, while others experience vomiting, fever, headache or even meningitis and brain inflammation. This illness is caused by the bacterium Anaplasma phagocytophilum, which is spread by ticks. It also attacks the white blood cells, which can eventually lead to chills, fever, headache and muscle pains. This illness is one of the several illnesses caused by spotted fever group rickettsia, which is a type of bacteria. Most people who are infected with such disease experience rashes, headache and fever. If left untreated, the symptoms can be more severe and fatal for the infected person. Ticks usually live outdoors and hide in grasses, shrubs and trees. if you are going for a hike or whether just play outside, it’s possible to pick up a tick. Also, tick can latch themselves to your pet and stay attached to them for a long time, or migrate to you when you get in contact with your pet. The easiest and the most important thing to do when you spot a tick on you is to remove it. you can do so by using a set of tweezers. Try not to twist or bend the tick as you remove it, and check closely the bite site if you left the tick’s head or its mouth parts. If so, make sure to remove it. Clean the spot with soap and water. If you experience any symptoms mentioned above after the bite, have yourself checked by a doctor. When aiming to lose weight, there is no one solution to get to your weight goal. A major component of healthy weight loss is a well-balanced diet. Incorporating fruits to your diet is part of the ways for quick weight loss, but which are the best fruits to aid fast weight loss? Let’s all find out. Great source of vitamin B6 and C, potassium, manganese, protein and folate. With all these nutrients, bananas are surely helpful for your overall health and specific ailments, like headaches and muscle cramps. More importantly, it is a great fat burner due to its high fiber content while being low in calories. Like bananas, pineapples are known to be rich in dietary fiber, aiding with your body’s digestion. Alongside it’s dietary benefits, the vitamins and nutrients in this fruit also helps with a variety of health conditions, like diabetes, asthma and heart disease. Pineapple also heals inflammation and improves infertility. This is probably the most versatile weight-friendly fruit out there. Lemon offers impressive level of vitamin C alongside smaller amounts of magnesium, calcium, folate, thiamin and pantothenic acid. Other than alkalizing and detoxifying your body, this citrus fruit is also known to prevent formation of kidney stones, enhance heart health and clear up your complexion. Pomegranate is among the best fat burners with an array of health benefits. The fruit is an antioxidant itself and is rich in fiber, folate, flavonoids, vitamin K, phosphorus and polyphenols. It has the potential to combat high blood pressure, oxidative stress and helps with certain cancers. Avocados provide a substantial amount of healthy fats, which are known to be good for the heart. The same type of fat is also great for burning excess body fat. DO not let the misconception that fat is unhealthy fool you. The healthy type of fat is essential for effective weight loss. This underrated fruit is a genius when you want to lose weight fast. Packed with fiber, protein and vitamins C and K, and smaller amounts of vitamin B-6, antioxidants and magnesium, pears fight free radicals in the body, which help with digestion and detoxification. Pears, which are made of 84 percent water, keeps body wastes soft for easier flushing out of toxins from the body. Low in calories and carbohydrates, strawberries are among the most reliable fruit for weight loss that won’t spike your sugar levels. These berries are good antioxidants and are also rich in fiber, Vitamin C, flavonoids and potassium. While strawberries are potent for weight loss purposes, they are also beneficial for your skin, cholesterol levels and cardiovascular health. With so many fruits readily available almost everywhere, you have an array of foods that can provide your body with essential minerals, vitamins and other nutrients for quick weight loss. However, your diet is just one part of the story; regular exercise also plays a vital role for healthy weight loss, too. Ant-keeping is slowly getting picked up as a hobby by more and more people in Singapore. And if you want to try it for yourself, here are some very basic things to know. Ant-keeping, more than a hobby, can be considered a science. In Singapore, there are about 139 species/subspecies of ants. Having some knowledge on the common and rare ones will definitely help you in your ant-keeping journey. Different species also have distinct features, habits, individual needs, and living conditions, and knowing these will help you make the appropriate actions for your ant farm. Test tube setup: the first habitat for the queen, where she lays eggs and grows the first workers. Formicarium: basically the whole ant farm. Outworld: a separate area where ants forage for food and dispose their waste. The queen is probably the most important element in starting a colony. You can buy one or catch one yourself. Queens are also noticeably bigger than worker ants. You’ll know if it’s a fertile queen if it’s a big one that doesn’t have wings. Catching only one or too many queens. For some, hunting and catching queens is one of the best parts about starting a colony. But, you should not let your excitement get the best of you and go on a hunting spree. Having 2-3 queen ants should be enough. Why not just catch one and get it over with, you ask? This is because there are chances that the one you catch might be unfertilized, so having one or two extra will not hurt. To be able to lay eggs peacefully, it’s an absolute must to leave her alone in a dark and quiet environment. Many beginners make the mistake of checking on the queen again and again, looking and shaking the test tube. Doing this puts the queen under stress and cause her to stop laying eggs altogether. Ant species will always fight for their territory and their queen. So if you introduce a different species to a formicarium, the two will fight for the territory and kill each other. Although, there are times that some species may live harmoniously with each other, it’s still better not to risk it. For larvae to develop properly, a good amount of moisture is required. This is why there’s water in the test tube setup. Also, your colony still needs water no matter how many much they’ve grown in population. Therefore, you have to have small “wet” areas in your formicarium to provide moisture. This is another very important thing to know. Ants that are foreign to your area can be very dangerous to the ecosystem if you release them or if they escape. They can push out native species and even introduce mites and pathogens that the ecosystem will not be able to handle.

2019-04-20T23:22:53Z

http://www.empower.sg/

Oral Answers to Questions – in the Northern Ireland Assembly at 2:00 pm on 12th March 2013. Last year, the education and library boards carried out a public consultation on their draft post-primary area plans. The consultation process for east Belfast and any other area will follow the same principles. Following my statement on 26 February, the boards have now put their consultation reports and revised area plans on their websites. The boards are due to start their public consultation on primary area plans on 19 March. There will be an extended consultation period until the end of June. That public consultation will allow all with an interest in education to participate and present their views. Where a proposal for a significant change to a school is included in an area plan, whether it is a primary or post-primary area plan, it will require the publication of a development proposal. That involves the board conducting a pre-publication consultation with the school’s board of governors, parents and staff, and also with other schools that the board considers might be affected by the proposal. Following that, the board will decide whether to proceed to publish the proposal. If it does, there is a further two-month consultation period. That ensures that all interested parties are informed about proposed changes and have an opportunity to comment. Only then do I as Minister make my decision on a proposal, taking account of all comments and relevant circumstances. Mickey Brady. Sorry — my mistake again. Robin Newton. I thought you were trying to avoid me there, Mr Principal Deputy Speaker. I thank the Minister for his answer so far. What real trust and confidence can the parents of east Belfast have, not only in you as a Sinn Féin Minister, but in previous Sinn Féin Ministers, who closed Lisnasharragh High School and Orangefield High School, want to amalgamate Knockbreda High School with Newtownbreda High School — a proposal rejected by the parents — and want to do away with Dundonald High School, and, indeed, to review the provision in Tullycarnet Primary School? Given that the controlled sector has borne the brunt of area planning, what confidence can the parents have that you will provide that second-level education suitable for their sons and daughters in the east of the city? I thank the Member for his question. If I wanted to ruin controlled education, I would keep every school open. I would keep all those schools open that cannot provide a sustainable and good education for the young people of the controlled sector. I would keep open those schools that are not sustainable in any way — schools that, despite the best efforts over the years of the principal, the board of governors, the senior management team and others, are no longer in a position to provide good education for communities that they serve. I would keep them open. That is how you destroy education — by keeping unsustainable schools open. However, I and my predecessors have grappled with the issue and taken it on. There are schools in our system — in the maintained, the controlled, the voluntary sectors and other sectors — that are no longer sustainable and are not capable of providing quality education for the young people they serve, and the only option is to close them. That sends out a very strong message that education is important and we will allow no one to be provided with a substandard education, regardless of what sector they come from. I do not accept the Member's comment that the controlled sector has borne the brunt of it. The figures do not back that up. However, I will not be closing schools on the basis of one controlled, one maintained, one voluntary, one Irish-medium and one integrated. I will close schools when all the evidence suggests that that is the best thing to do, regardless of what sector they come from. I will change my question to follow up the previous question. I visited Dundonald High School the other day. It has a three-year programme that it has started on and wants to be allowed to get on with it. I do not understand how we can make all those area-planning changes when we have not got the funding for the building and rebuilding or a market for selling sites. Surely it is better to give a school like Dundonald the three years that it needs and look at other things in the meantime. I understand that development proposals are either in or have been through the pre-consultation period for Dundonald High School and a number of the schools that the Member who previously spoke mentioned. They have not come to a conclusion yet, and I have made no decision on them. Where a development proposal process is in place, a school that wishes to make alternative suggestions should include them in its responses to such a process. It is there for a reason; it is there for consultation with all stakeholders, particularly the staff and pupils of the school and the community that it serves. I assure the Member that where a school brings forward alternative proposals they will be listened to. However, any such proposals have to stack up on the basis of educational evidence. We have to assure ourselves that the pupils who are currently at a school or the pupils who will attend it in future will have access to high-quality education. Go raibh maith agat, a LeasCheann Comhairle. What measures are in place to tackle educational underachievement in socially deprived areas such as east Belfast, and what more needs to be done? A number of unionist representatives are going to have to start tackling the question of what education and its purpose is. It is not about the number of schools that we have, but the quality of those schools. The mantra that we should keep all schools open at any cost is not the answer to educational underachievement whether in east Belfast, west Belfast or Newry and Armagh. Unionist representatives are going to have to be honest with the communities that they serve. They are going to have to show leadership on this issue and start debating education in its totality. I say again that their slavish adherence to academic selection is one of the biggest impediments to educational achievement in Protestant working-class communities. The Audit Office report that the Member refers to was published in March 2006 and the specific recommendation was contained in the follow-up report by the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), which was published in December 2006. The full list of the PAC recommendations was included at appendix 2 to the most recent NIAO report, 'Improving Literacy and Numeracy Achievement in Schools', which was published on 19 February 2013. Following the 2006 report, PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) was commissioned by the Department of Education (DE) to undertake a study to identify measures that were working successfully in delivering better literacy and numeracy outcomes in comparator cities. PwC identified the comparator cities or local authorities as Glasgow, Liverpool, Dublin, Cork and the London boroughs of Camden, Hammersmith and Fulham, and Kensington and Chelsea. That report was published in December 2007. My Department benchmarks pupil performance at an international level through surveys such as the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS), the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) and the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA). In 2011, our primary 6 pupils performed exceptionally well in the TIMSS and PIRLS surveys. They were ranked the highest performing English-speaking region in the world in reading, coming fifth out of 45 countries, and numeracy, in which they were ranked sixth out of 50 countries. The PISA study assesses the knowledge and skills of 15-year-olds in reading, mathematics and science. The PISA 2009 results showed that, overall, we are placed among the average performing countries in respect of reading and maths and among those above average in science. The most recent Audit Office report welcomed the Department’s participation in international studies such as PIRLS, TIMSS and PISA. Go raibh maith agat, a Phríomh-LeasCheann Comhairle. Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire as ucht a fhreagra. Ba mhaith liom a fhiafraí de: cad iad na céimeanna atá á nglacadh ag a Roinn lena chinntiú go bhfuil an dea-chleachtadh san uimhríocht agus sa litearthacht a scaipeadh leis na heasnaimh sna hábhair sin a leigheas? What steps is the Minister's Department taking to ensure the dissemination of good practice in numeracy and literacy to help address the serious deficit in these areas? Gabhaim buíochas leis an Chomhalta as a cheist. My Department's policies are all directed towards educational improvement and literacy and numeracy improvement. The Audit Office report notes that there has been improvement across the years in both areas, albeit not as quickly as we would like to see. The statistics show that we are progressively improving year-on-year, but, behind the statistics concerning young people who do not succeed, there are life stories, and we have to improve on those. Even in the last report, we brought in the Achieving Belfast and Achieving Derry programmes. We have brought in our numeracy and literacy policy, 'Count, Read: Succeed'. There has been a specific focus on numeracy and literacy in our schools. Through the assistance of OFMDFM, we are bringing over 200 newly qualified teachers into our schools to focus on numeracy and literacy. Bringing more and more young people into the early years programme will help our numeracy and literacy programme to succeed. All our policies are directed towards improving educational outcomes for all our young people. Does the Minister accept that teachers are feeling considerable strain because of all the ongoing bureaucratic assessment that has to happen in schools now? Does he understand that their time is being diverted away from what needs to be done in the classroom to address not only literacy and numeracy but science, for example? We have dropped to being the 22nd best region in Europe as regards science outcomes. Given that sector's importance to future employment, the Department needs to address that urgently. We need to assess to benchmark and to see exactly how we are performing. We also need to benchmark to ensure that we can then share best practice. However, It is about getting the quantity and quality of benchmarking right. The Member will be aware that the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) has been with us in recent days. One of the areas that it has been looking at is how we use assessments. The OECD will give us an international perspective on how we use assessments. I look forward to the report, which will be published in around June time. We will learn from that report. The Member will also be aware that we are reviewing the use of computer-based assessments in primary schools. We are looking at that from several different angles, and I await that report as well. If there are lessons to be learnt and actions to be taken, those actions will be taken. I want to ensure, as every Member does, that teaching staff spend as much time in the classroom teaching as possible. However, part of that is assessment: assessment of their own role, assessment of the classroom's role etc. However, I want to get the balance right. The OECD and the review of computer-based assessments will allow us to do that. Levels of progression is another area about which teachers have expressed concern to me. Levels of progression are under review. We are reviewing those over the year. We are talking to teacher representatives and the unions. The Council for the Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment (CCEA) is reviewing constantly. We will evaluate levels of progression, too, at the end of the first year. In recognising the best practices that already exist in our schools, will you give a commitment to urgently review all your Department's assessment systems to ensure the continual assessment of pupils? I could end up in a constant circle of review and do nothing else but review. However, as I said to the Member who asked the previous question, I am reviewing the computer-based assessments in primary schools. The levels of progression have been under constant review from their introduction, and we will have a report on those. We will see what lessons have to be learnt from that and how we can fine-tune levels of progression. We have recently had with us the best international comparator in the world, the OECD, which is looking at how we assess. It will report to us as part of an international report. We will learn from that report. We will learn from its examination of our system and its examination of other countries' assessments. I have no difficulty with review, but it will not be review for review's sake. There has to be assessment in the classroom. You have to assess to benchmark, to ensure that we are doing things right and to share good practice. All professions out there are assessed. I have no difficulty with the principle of assessment, but I do want to ensure that we do it right. There is no legal impediment to Catholic maintained schools' gaining integrated status. Under article 68 of the 1989 Education Reform Order, any existing grant-aided school, apart from a special school, is eligible to transform to integrated status. However, to date, no Catholic maintained school has, in fact, transformed. I thank the Minister for his answer. Can he give an explanation as to why no maintained school has taken advantage of the transformation process? It is for the parents and the board of governors to decide whether they want to transform or not. There is a process set out in guidance and legislation which will assist any school that wishes to transform to integrated status to do so. Any school in the controlled sector that has transformed has done so at the request of the parents and the board of governors. There is a ballot to ensure that the majority of parents wish the transformation to take place. So, it is a democratic process. Why is it not happening in the Catholic maintained sector? Because no school has asked to go through the transformation process. Will the Minister outline any legal impediments that there are to a maintained school merging with a controlled school? There is no legal impediment. What the management of the school would look like going into the future would have to be worked out. However, I am not aware of any legal impediment to a maintained school and a controlled school or any other combination of schools coming together. That would have to be dealt with through the development proposal process, and a management type would have to be agreed between the proposers, which would come to my Department for agreement. I am not aware of any legal impediment to stop them doing so. Go raibh maith agat, a Phríomh-LeasCheann Comhairle. Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire. Can the Minister outline how the Department currently facilitates integrated education? My Department has a duty to facilitate and promote integrated education. My Department provides funding for the Council for Integrated Education to assist the development of integrated schools for public benefit. Funding of £628,000 has been allocated for 2012-13. DE also provides funding to help schools with the process of transformation to the integrated sector. That assists schools in the initial stages of the transformation process, with the employment of a teacher from the minority community in the school to assist with religious education. The budget available for 2012-13 was £261,000. So, we are making practical measures available. We have support measures available for schools to move towards integration, but it is a matter for the school and the community it serves. Before we go any further, I want to say two things. First, there should be no cross-debate when the Minister or anyone else is speaking. If anyone has a question to ask, they should ask it. That is straightforward. The other thing is that if people want to ask a supplementary question they need to rise, and continue to rise. The recent announcement was not only good news for the 22 school projects that are advanced in planning, it was also good news for employment in the construction industry. The projects announced are valued at somewhere in the region of £220 million, and it is estimated that they will create a potential investment of up to £625 million to the local economy and support some 6,200 jobs. Those figures are based on multipliers from the UK Contractors Group of £2·84 of investment potential for every £1 invested and 28·5 jobs created per £1 million of output. In addition, my previous announcement in June 2012 included an investment of over £133 million in 18 newbuild projects. That investment will result in a further £380 million going into the local economy and will support somewhere in the region of 3,800 jobs. As well as the announced projects, my Department has programmes of enhancement works, minor works and maintenance schemes that contribute to the local economy. Since early 2009, education sector capital projects have included employers’ social requirements. Those contract terms require contractors to recruit the long-term unemployed and apprentices and to provide student placements and training according to the scale of the project. I thank the Minister for his response. I welcome the significant investment that the Minister has outlined and the much-needed boost to the economy that it will bring. Will the Minister elaborate on the potential of the minor works and schools enhancement programme that he has already mentioned? Go raibh maith agat. There is great potential in them, not only for the schools estate but for our economy. If we look at the maintenance programme for next year, I have set aside from my budget £27 million for the maintenance programme. OFMDFM has topped that up with a further £10 million, so there is £37 million being spent on the school maintenance programme next year. That is a major investment in improvement to our schools. It is not enough, but it is a significant increase on previous years. We have minor works programmes where up to £500,000 is being spent on works in schools. I recently visited Ceara School in Lurgan, which is a special school that has been told that it will get a £500,000 upgrade to its premises. That is just one example of where money is being spent under the radar on making a difference to our schools, the economy and employment. I announced the school enhancement programme, through which £4 million is available to schools to refurbish their schools estate. There has been quite significant interest in that, and £20 million is available in this and the next financial year. Although we live in difficult times, we are using our money wisely to improve the education estate and to create and sustain employment in the construction industry. The Minister outlined, quite rightly, the beneficial effect that the school projects — 22 projects and £220 million — that he announced has contributed to the local economy. Does he take the logic of his argument to the extent that he will bid to try to escalate, in the near future, the school build programme to include schools in my constituency that I have written to him about? The simple answer to that is yes. Since coming into office, I have continually lobbied my Executive colleagues to increase the funding available to the Department of Education for revenue and for capital builds. I have been quite successful with revenue. I have also been successful with maintenance money from the spending rounds and with the recent investment from OFMDFM of £10 million for school maintenance. I will continue to lobby for capital funds for schools in the Member's constituency and across the board. Although we announced a significant number of projects to move ahead, we still have around 100 school build programmes that I want to be built to provide new services and jobs to our communities. I assure the Member that I will continue to lobby for more funds, and I would welcome his support on the matter. The Minister's answer will be a great boost to the local economy and to jobs in construction. Further to Michaela Boyle's question, when will the Minister or the Department be in a position to notify schools that have made applications for minor works programmes whether they have been successful? Although the minor works programme is funded by the Department of Education, it is run by the boards, which routinely inform schools when they have been successful in their minor works applications. I notified the boards of their funding for next year — they are aware of the money that they have — to allow them to plan for the future and to get the projects on the ground as quickly as possible and get the money spent. One frustrating thing about government is that it is sometimes difficult to get money out of the door and spent. We are encapsulated in protocols, procedures and regulations, which sometimes make it more difficult to spend public money than makes sense to me. However, the boards and so on know their funds for next year, and they will make announcements as we go along. A significant amount of money is available to make improvements to our schools. The Belfast Education and Library Board is the managing authority for the controlled schools estate in Belfast. The board has not published a development proposal for a new primary school in inner south Belfast. The boards will publish their draft area plans for primary schools for consultation on 19 March 2013. The Belfast Board's plan will outline its proposal for primary provision in inner south Belfast, which will cover the three primary schools of Donegall Road, Fane Street and Blythefield. I understand that the Belfast Board has identified a potential site for a new amalgamated school on the Belfast City Hospital grounds and has submitted a planning application. However, the Belfast Trust has not yet confirmed that the site is surplus to its requirements. There will be an extended consultation period until the end of June for the primary school plans. I hope that everyone will take the opportunity to consider the plans when they are published and respond to the consultation. As I understand it, the application by the Belfast Board can go in only with the approval of the Department of Education, and the Department of Health's view is that the Department of Education has to indicate that it wants to make progress to allow it to progress the release of the site. Can we assume that progress to date — namely the application going in from the board with his Department's approval — indicates that the Department of Education wishes to progress the scheme? I am not sure which application the Member refers to that requires the Department's approval. Is he referring to the planning application? I understand that the application has been submitted, but I stand to be corrected. However, my Department's role is on a development proposal. The board has not submitted or, indeed I understand, started pre-consultation on a development proposal that would see the amalgamation of Donegall Road school, Fane Street school and Blythefield school. Unless that process starts, what exactly is the Belfast Board building? It is not a process that should take that long, or needs to take that long, and if the board is planning to publish it, so be it, and I will deal with it as expeditiously as possible. Unless I have a development proposal, I have nothing to give approval to. Go raibh maith agat, a Phríomh-LeasCheann Comhairle. Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire as ucht a fhreagra. Will the Minister outline the next steps in the area-planning process? Gabhaim buíochas leis an Chomhalta as a cheist. I outlined the next steps in the area-planning process in my statement last month. The boards have now published their post-primary plans and the consultation responses on their websites. I require further work to be done to the plans. I have asked the boards, my Department, the Council for Catholic Maintained Schools and the integrated and Irish-medium sectors to join a steering group to focus on how we bring forward plans that are sustainable and viable going into the future. However, there has also been a lot of work done on area-planning, and the recent announcements that I made on school builds all flow from area-planning work. It is beginning to shape our education estate, and it is beginning to inform the education debate. There is continuing work to be done, and, in fact, that work will continue over a number of different iterations of the area plans, because demographics, profiles, etc, may change. Area planning will be a feature of education for many years. In my constituency, Ballycloughan Primary School is up for sale. Will the Minister be using the proceeds of that sale to meet amalgamation costs where necessary in my constituency? I do not believe that I have the authority to do such a thing. All receipts come back in, I understand, through the Department of Finance and Personnel to the Department. They cannot be ring-fenced for one or other constituency. They will be ring-fenced for use in education and will benefit education going into the future, but I cannot, under financial regulations and rules, ring-fence them for any constituency. That question was quite a distance from south Belfast. As my letter to schools outlined, I have commissioned a four-part review of statutory computer-based assessments (CBA), policy and practice. I am satisfied that each element of the review is being conducted by the appropriate personnel and with the appropriate level of independence. I have asked for all elements of the review to be completed before June 2013 to allow communications on the way forward in time for the autumn term of 2013. A steering group has been established to take forward the review of CBA policy to determine whether it continues to support my wider objectives, particularly with reference to raising standards in literacy and numeracy. The steering group, which will consult widely across the education sector, includes representatives from my Department, C2K, the Education and Training Inspectorate and the Council for Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment as well as serving school principals. Although my policy review will focus on the way forward for computer-based assessment, I have also commissioned an external, independent report on the issues and lessons to be learnt following the implementation of CBA this academic year. I thank the Minister for is answer. Will he stand by his comment at the Irish National Teachers' Organisation conference that, if the NI Numeracy Assessment (NINA) and the NI Literacy Assessment (NILA) are not fit for purpose, he will put them back on the shelf? Yes, given the widespread concern among schools on NINA and NILA: otherwise, there is no point in carrying out a review of these matters, If they are not fit for purpose and not carrying out the function for which they were commissioned, they will be put back on the shelf. Can the Minister give an assurance that the views and experience of teachers in schools will be included and fully considered? Yes. Indeed, it has been the views and experience of school principals and teachers that has brought forward the necessity for this review. It was their concerns that were highlighted around CBA that ensured that I as Minister brought forward a review around exactly what happened with CBA this year, the educational benefits or otherwise of CBA and of how we reached this position in the first place.

2019-04-20T16:12:10Z

https://www.theyworkforyou.com/ni/?id=2013-03-12.4.1&amp;s=speaker%3A13836

Before putting your home on the market, ask a trusted friend to walk through as if they were a buyer. Have them look at everything, and point out every flaw to you. You might be able to fix some of these flaws before the real potential buyer comes through. This can be a great way to get staging ideas and a home improvement check list too. If your home has hardwood flooring hidden beneath carpet, you should consider removing the carpet before you begin showing your home. Most buyers will prefer hardwood over carpeting. If you pay to remove your carpet and have the hardwood floors refinished, you can expect to make your money back, and maybe a little extra. Small kitchen updates can have big returns in the value and appeal of your home. Consider switching out just one appliance to become a focus piece and update the look. Adding a wood block island fixture and hanging storage is also a popular kitchen upgrade. Changing the cabinetry is expensive, consider a paint job first to a fresh look. When you are ready to show your house to prospective buyers, make sure that your entryway is in top condition. A messy, unkempt entry, or a sticky door lock can send a negative message to the buyer. A newly polished door fixture and a new doormat, are little details that can make a big difference. So, time arrived for replacing the living room furniture. Grandpa and I had our same sofa, loveseat, extra chair, tables, and lamps from our thirty-five years of marriage. Still leaning toward denial, we agreed blue remains our favorite color, not one person has fallen all the way to the floor in our chair yet, and parts of the lampshades still block the view of the bare GE 100 watt lightbulbs. Besides, right before the delivery men appeared at my fingerprint-smudged storm door with newly purchased pieces, I had a moment to examine our old stuff and found unexpected reminders of times gone by such as marbles, crayons, Barbie arms, Chapstick tops, and chewing gum wrappers. After I turned one of the seat cushions on the loveseat over, I discovered a dim outline of our daughter’s first post-potty training accident. Of course, under that same cushion, as well as the others, I collected treasures I thought were forever gone. The first to catch my eye was the yellow edge peeping out from the upholstery of grandbaby’s last pacifier. How well I remembered searching house, yard, and car for that life-giving piece of equipment. In fact, I can still imagine Grandpa heaves and sighs when he pulled at the carpet edges searching for the prize. After that, he removed the slats off every bed in the house and disassembled the complete frames. About to attack our living room furniture, he paused when our daughter emphatically assured him the baby had gone nowhere near that room. Instead, he turned his attention to the kitchen and hauled out the stove, refrigerator, and cabinets from the wall. There he found nothing more substantial than the only known copy of Great-Great Granny’s famous teacakes recipe that had landed on Plymouth Rock with the Pilgrims, which was buried among artsy dust bunnies that had self-formed, waiting to petrify into immortality. However, just before Grandpa started to peel the wallpaper in the bathroom, Grandbaby went to sleep for the first time without her snookie overhanging the corner of her lips. Her mother insisted the pacifier as no longer needed and threatened to have Grandpa committed if he continued his manic search. Ahh, such memories. And then there are the tables. Oh, the tables. One big long scratched outline creeping toward a heart shape rested right in the middle of the coffee table. That blemish Grandbaby created proved to me, “Grandpa luvs Grandma now and forever.” Yet, since I interrupted the meant-to-be eternal sculpture, we were forced to live with the half-heart over the years. Another of Grandbaby’s canvases originated on the end table surface where she used the edge of her Fourth of July flag pole to etch a sunflower so that we would always have fresh flowers in our living room. Before I could continue my walk down memory lane via the Sears Roebuck special deal of thirty-five years ago, the movers began replacing my lifetime of picture backgrounds, Good Housekeeping display tables, permanent grape juice rings, and foot propping coffee table with clean untarnished wooden pieces of beautifully upholstered fabric. Nostalgically, my only hope springs from an image of a great grandbaby of the future sneaking her yellow snookie through the cracks before Grandpa forgets how to handle his trusty Craftsman tools. The bingo game is one of the most popular games in the world today. Most people are familiar with bingo games in town halls. Now there is a relatively new trend – the online bingo game. Have you ever wondered where it all started? The modern day bingo game was originally a form of lottery. When Italy was united in 1530, the government instituted the Italian National Lottery. The Lottery has been held almost every week since then. Today the Lottery is absolutely indispensable to the Italian government – earning more than $75 million yearly! In 1778 Lotto caught the attention of the intellectuals. The classic Lotto game consisted out of a card that was divided into three horizontal and nine vertical rows. Each horizontal row had five numbered and four blank squares in a random arrangement. The vertical rows contained numbers from 1 to 10, the second numbers from 11 to 20, continuing up to 90. All the Lotto cards were unique. Players would be dealt a single lotto card, whilst someone would draw chips, marked from 1 to 90, from a bag and read the number aloud. Players covered the numbers on their cards if it were read. The first player to cover a complete horizontal row was the winner. In the 1800’s educational games became popular. Lotto games were adapted to teach children spelling, multiplication tables, animals and history. Even today, in the very competitive toy and game market, similar games are popular. One evening in December 1929, toy salesman Edwin S. Lowe stopped at a carnival a few miles outside Jacksonville. Everything was closed except for one booth. The booth was packed with people. Someone would draw numbers from a bag and read it aloud. The players would all check their cards to see whether they got the number. The winner was the first person who filled a horizontal, vertical or diagonal row of numbers and yelled “Beano”. The winner would than receive a small Kewpie doll as price. As you can guess, this game was called Beano. Lowe, who has owned his own toy store for about a year, saw the potential of the game immediately. Back home he bought some card and a rubber number stamp and produced his own beano game. Testing it on his friends he soon realized that the game was almost addictive and lots of fun. When one of his friends yelled Bingo instead of beano he knew he had found the name of his new game! The first Lowe bingo game had two variations – a 12 card set for one dollar and a 24 card set for two dollar. The game was an instant success and soon became popular. Of course he was not the only one to recognize the potential of the bingo game. Many imitators soon tried to market the game. Lowe could not patent the game, but offered to pay his competitors $1 if they would call it Bingo. A few months later Lowe was approached by a priest from a small parish. Someone in his parish suggested that they use the bingo game as a fundraiser to help the church out of its financial trouble. The priest bought a few sets of Lowe’s bingo game, but unfortunately always had six or more winners. Lowe immediately saw the potential expansion of the game, but also knew that a huge variation of numbers for the bingo cards will have to be developed. He asked an elderly mathematics professor at Columbia University, Carl Leffler, to devise 6,000 new cards with non-repeating numbers. The professor agreed for a fee for each new card. But, as the professor continued, he found that it became increasingly difficult to produce new bingo cards. Lowe was impatient and at the end he paid Leffler more than $100 per new bingo card. Finally the task was completed, but rumor had it that the professor lost his sanity! Soon the bingo game was one of the most popular games in North America, and it remains so until today. Many associate it with fundraising, but today Bingo is much more than a fundraiser in church halls. About ten years ago the online bingo game was developed. Within five years it became even more popular than going to the movies or concerts! Many would agree that online bingo games are the best thing since sliced bread. Of course online bingo is much more than just a game. It is a place to be with friends and to relax. Who would have guessed that one of the best games ever had such a long history? Gone are the days when bathrooms were cramped, no-frills spaces with a simple toilet, sink and standard-size tub/shower combination. Today’s homeowners want spa-like bathrooms that offer beauty as well as function. One of the emerging trends is the stand-alone shower enclosure with crystal-clear glass that shows off the elegant fixtures and rich materials of the shower, such as marble, soapstone and granite. Unfortunately, many people don’t realize that ordinary glass is porous. When hard water, soap and even household cleaners are combined with the heat and humidity typical of shower environments, glass can corrode and no amount of scrubbing will remove the staining and scale that result. One remedy that homeowners can turn to is spray-on or wipe-on treatments to protect the glass. But when these coatings wear off, staining, streaking and corrosion can occur. Another solution, ShowerGuard™ glass from Guardian Industries, uses a patented ion beam technology to permanently seal the surface of the glass during manufacturing. With this new product, there is never a need to reapply the protection and the appearance can be maintained with a soft cloth or wet sponge and most common household cleaners. • Is the shower glass protected? First, ask if the surface of the shower glass has a sealant or other protective treatment. Standard glass can become streaked and stained quickly. • When and how is the sealant applied? If the shower glass is protected, find out what type of sealant is used and when it is applied. Some glass coatings are applied after the glass is manufactured, which could result in their wearing off in a relatively short period of time. • Are there special cleaners that must be used? Some glass treatments require special cleaners and techniques rather than ordinary household cleaners. • How long will the protection last? Some spray-on or wipe-on glass treatments can cease to protect the glass after two or three years and reapplication can be messy. Despite being the first room that most homeowners see when they enter their houses, the garage is probably the most ignored and least talked-about room when it comes to home improvement. The typical bland and stained concrete garage floor suffers from years of heavy foot and car traffic. Fortunately, there are ways to make even the most beat-up garages look great-and homeowners can do it themselves. Professional concrete epoxy coatings can revitalize a garage floor, make garage cleanup easier and help prevent the need for future costly floor repairs. Here’s how to restore your floor. To restore your garage floor, homeowners will need Quikrete Epoxy Garage Floor Coating Kit (including instructional DVD). This all-in-one, easy-to-use kit beautifies and protects concrete garage floors from hot tires, gasoline, oil, scuffs and wear and tear with a coating twice as strong as concrete. You’ll also need a flat, stiff bristle brush, plastic watering can, garden hose, push broom, a 3/8-inch roller with extension handle, roller tray and a 2-inch, solvent-resistant brush. • Careful preparation of the garage floor is essential for positive end results. Using a push broom, sweep entire area to remove all dust and debris. • Wet concrete surface, add Bond-Lok concentrate to 3 quarts of water in watering can to degrease, clean and etch in one step. • Working in sections, sweep watering can back and forth while pouring to ensure proper coverage. Use bristle brush to thoroughly scrub stains and spread cleaner. • Once each section is cleaned, rinse away dirt with a garden hose. Repeat process until entire surface has been cleaned, following with a final hose down of the garage. • Wait until concrete is completely dry (at least 4 hours) before epoxy application. • Combine Part A of product with Part B and allow epoxy to sit for 30 minutes before use. • Starting at the back of the garage, spread epoxy coating in smooth, even strokes across a 2-by-6-foot area. • If using color flakes, they must be applied to wet paint. After covering each 2-by-6-foot section with the epoxy coating, lightly sprinkle flakes onto concrete. • Continue process, working in sections, until entire garage surface is covered. • Allow epoxy to harden for 12 to 24 hours before light foot traffic and 72 hours for automobile traffic. Improve the resale value of your home, by remodeling the kitchen. Modern appliances, quality counter-tops and plenty of cabinet space gives the kitchen a better selling point. Families congregate in the kitchen, as it’s one of the most used areas of the home. Are you and your partner in need of a romantic getaway? If you are, you may want to take the time to examine Maui. Maui is known as a popular vacation destination, as well as a popular destination for romantic getaways. With the beauty of the island, as well as a lot of fun, romantic things to do and see, achieving romance on your next Maui trip shouldn’t be a problem. Although the beauty of Maui is often enough to create romance on its own, you may be looking for additional ways. The good news is that there are a number of different steps that you can take to up the romance levels for your next Maui trip. Five approaches that you will want to take are outlined below for your convenience. Booking a stay at a Maui vacation rental is one of the easiest ways to add romance to your next Maui trip. Maui vacation rentals, especially when compared to traditional hotels and vacation resorts, provide you with an unlimited number of romantic opportunities. When examining Maui vacation rentals, you will find that you have a number of different options. These options include Maui villas, condos, homes, cottages, and apartment rentals. When it comes to booking a stay at a Maui vacation rental, like a Maui villa, you will find that they come in all different formats. The beauty of a Maui villa and other vacation rentals, both inside and out, can play a huge role in the romance factor. When examining your options, in terms of available Maui vacation rentals, it is important to examine pictures. You will want to look at the Maui rental pictures to see if the rental property in question is beautiful or elegant in nature. In addition to examining the inside of a Maui rental, you will also want to examine the outside as well. The view of which you are provided with can also help to add romance to your next Maui trip. Look for Maui vacation rentals that provide you with ocean or mountain views. As previously stated, Maui vacation rentals come in a number of different formats, such as Maui villas, condos, apartment rentals, cottages, and homes. While each of these rental property types do boast a little bit of privacy, some are more private than others. For example, when you rent a Maui villa, cottage, or home, you are renting the whole establishment, not just a few rooms. This allows you to have the utmost level of privacy and romance on your next Maui trip. Convenience is also an important component of creating romance on a romantic getaway. In terms of your Maui vacation rental, you will want to book a stay at a rental that simplifies your vacation. For instance, spending your vacation doing laundry at a local laundromat or doing a sink full of dishes by hand is likely to send the romance flying right out the window. That is why you may want to closely examine all Maui rental features and amenities. A Maui villa or another vacation rental that comes equipped with a laundry room, as well as a dishwasher is likely to simplify your vacation, giving you more room for romance. When it comes to planning a romantic Maui trip, there are certain portions of your trip that should be planned well in advance, like travel arrangements. Once you have made your airline reservations or booked a stay at a Maui rental, you may want to take the time to examine nearby attractions and activities. You will want to focus on those that may be fun and romantic at the same time. While you do not have to create a full schedule for your next Maui trip, having an idea of what you can do and see while on the island of Maui is likely to increase the happiness and romance factors for your next Maui trip. The above mentioned ways are just a few of the many ways that you can go about ensuring your next romantic Maui getaway is just that, romantic. As a reminder, Maui, alone, is able to create romance, but the previously mentioned tips can help to maximize the romance for you and your partner.

2019-04-18T10:19:12Z

http://collincountyforeclosures.com/page/2/

Ready to choose your theme? Let’s go! Free theme or premium theme: Which should you use? There are excellent free WordPress themes out there, as well as excellent premium (paid) themes. Which is better for your biz? Features: Premium themes usually have more features. These include things like image galleries, portfolio sections, popups, pricing tables, and lots of styles for call-to-action buttons and other page elements that are useful for your biz. Support: Most of the time, you’ll get better tech support from a premium provider. It’s in their best interest to have happy customers! Updates: Since they’re being paid for their work, premium theme developers are more likely to update their themes to fix bugs, plug security holes, and keep them compatible with the latest WordPress version. Originality: Many free themes are downloaded hundreds of thousands of times. If you use a premium theme, there’s less chance that your site will look exactly like someone else’s! What features do you need from your theme? When choosing your theme, it’s worth taking some time to think about the features you might need for your site — both now and in the future. Accordions (collapsible sections of content in the page). Many themes, such as those from WPZOOM, let you easily add lots of different elements to your page. Often the theme adds buttons to your WordPress editor’s toolbar to make it easier to add these shortcodes. Alternatively, if your theme includes a page builder (see below) then you can usually insert these features using the builder. Although you can add features later via plugins, it will save you time if they’re built into the theme you buy. So try to make sure your theme includes the features you need! The standard WordPress editor lets you add formatted text, images and videos to your page content. However, some themes come with integrated page builders. These add a big button to your page (or post) editor in WordPress. When you click the button, you switch from the regular WordPress editor to a drag-and-drop editor that lets you totally customise the look of your page. You can add things like buttons, image sliders, testimonial boxes, tabs, portfolio boxes, image carousels, and other rich content elements. Each element has options that let you adjust the way the element looks and behaves. For example, you can use a colour picker to change a button’s colour, or use a drop-down menu to change the layout of the image and quote inside a testimonial box. The Divi Builder from Elegant Themes makes it easy to add and edit all sorts of page elements — no coding required! Page builders also let you change a page’s layout by dividing everything into rows and columns. You can drag elements between rows and columns until you get the layout you like. Can be slow to work with: Although it’s easier for a non-techie to build and tweak custom page designs and layouts this way, it can be slower than coding them by hand. You — or your developer — can often adjust a page layout more quickly using CSS than you could by manually clicking lots of options and sub-options in the builder. This is especially true if you want to make a change across many pages at once. Limited flexibility: Although page builders give you a lot of different elements to play with — as well as tons of styling options — you’re still limited by the options they give you, unless you want to get your hands dirty with coding. Lock-in: Most page builders add tons of builder-specific shortcodes to the content of each page or blog post where you use it. This “shortcode pollution” can make it fiddly to move your site to a different theme or page builder in the future — especially if you’ve created a large number of content-heavy pages with the builder. Can be developer-unfriendly: If you hire a developer to make some code changes to your site that you’ve built with a page builder, they may have a harder job than if you’d used a regular theme without a builder. This might end up costing you more money in the long run. How much customisation do you need? It’s also worth thinking about how much you’ll want to tweak your chosen theme to give it a unique look for your biz. Pretty much all WordPress themes let you customise basic elements like the header image (logo) and the colours of things like headings, body text, and links. You do this through the Appearance > Customize option in your WordPress admin. Some themes, though, go a lot further and give you tons of customisation options. For example, they let you switch between several different page header and footer layouts, or completely customise the look of your buttons and other in-page elements, just by clicking a few buttons in the WordPress admin. Some themes, like Avada from ThemeFusion, let you choose from a range of header layouts, then customise them to your heart’s content. It might seem that “more equals better” when it comes to customisation, but there are advantages to choosing themes with fewer customisation options. For instance, you won’t have to spend ages learning how all the theme options work, and there’s less chance of something breaking! What’s more, if you love the look of the theme out of the box then you probably won’t need to customise it too much. If you do want to do a lot of tweaking then you or your developer can always edit the theme’s CSS by hand. When you’ve found a theme you’re keen on, it’s a good idea to run through this checklist to make sure the theme’s up to scratch. Made by a reputable theme developer? While not essential, if your theme is made by a well-known developer with a good reputation then there’s a good chance it’s a decent theme. Well supported? Does the theme come with good technical support options? These might include a support forum, online chat, email support, and a knowledge base containing tutorials and FAQs. Mobile-friendly? Make sure the theme looks good and works well on desktop browsers, tablets, and mobile phones. The page layout should be responsive, which means it automatically adapts to the size of screen that it’s viewed on. Frequently updated? The developer should be updating the theme often so that it’s compatible with the latest version of WordPress, as well as fixing any bugs and security holes. Compatible with all popular browsers? The last thing you want is for your site to look crappy — or even worse, not work at all — in a browser that many of your visitors use! Make sure the developer guarantees compatibility with at least Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Internet Explorer, Microsoft Edge, and Opera across PC, Mac and mobile platforms. Compatible with plugins you want to use? Most themes tend to work fine with most plugins. However, if you have specific plugins that you need to use — for example, WooCommerce for your online store — then make sure the theme’s compatible. Free of security holes? Nothing is worse than installing a new theme, only to have your site hacked the next day! It’s worth checking reviews of the theme to make sure it hasn’t resulted in hacked sites. You can also search for the theme on the WPScan Vulnerability Database to see if security holes have been reported. If you already have a copy of the theme’s zip file, you can also try uploading it to Theme Check. This free service analyses a theme and gives it a score based on how many potential security holes it found. Bear in mind that it’s very strict: if it reports a lot of issues then they may not necessarily be major security holes. But check with the theme developer to make sure! Now you know what you need from your WordPress theme, and what to look for when choosing it. But how do you actually find some top-quality themes? Here’s a good place to start. It’s a list of five of the best theme developers out there (in no particular order — they’re all great). If you pick a theme from one of these guys, you probably won’t go far wrong! StudioPress makes the popular Genesis theme framework, which is used by hundreds of theme developers to build high-quality WordPress themes (known as child themes). To use a Genesis child theme, you install both the Genesis framework and the child theme on your site. Then you activate the child theme. The company also sells its own child themes based on the Genesis framework. StudioPress (and third party developers) make clean, developer-friendly WordPress themes based on the popular Genesis framework. StudioPress themes and the Genesis framework are loved by developers, because they make it easy for them to build and tweak themes. The themes made by StudioPress have a clean look, great typography, and good security. They’re also mobile-friendly and great for SEO. Support-wise, the Genesis framework — as well as every StudioPress child theme — comes with documentation explaining how to set up the theme, import the demo content, and work with the built-in widgets, shortcodes, and CSS. There are also developer docs that make it easy for you — or your techie person — to create or tweak Genesis child themes, and a ticketing system should you need to contact StudioPress for help. StudioPress themes don’t come with a ton of features; there’s no page builder, and generally you just get basic shortcodes for things like the date, time, and author of the currently-displayed blog post. You’ll need some coding knowledge (or access to a friendly web developer) if you want to make major changes to the theme’s look. Elegant Themes is mainly known for Divi, its “kitchen sink” theme that comes with a ton of features and options to let you create almost any site design. You can easily change things like text colours, sizes and fonts — there are around 100 Google fonts to choose from — as well as select from a range of different header and footer styles that can radically alter your site’s look and feel. The star of the show, though, is the Divi Builder, a visual page builder built into the Divi theme (also available as a separate plugin). It lets you easily add and tweak a wide variety of page elements, from accordions and buttons through to countdown timers, portfolios, image galleries, testimonials and more. You can also customise your page layouts by adding rows and columns and dragging elements between them. Thanks to its customisation options — as well as its visual page builder — the Divi theme lets you create a huge range of page layouts and styles. Divi comes with over 20 layout templates to get you started, and there are plenty of Divi child themes available if you want to get a head start. Elegant Themes offers tech support for Divi (and its other themes) with detailed documentation and video tutorials, as well as an online support ticket system and an individual help forum for each theme. Tons of useful shortcodes for adding page elements like buttons, icons, info boxes, tabs, columns, and slideshows. It also adds a handy Shortcode Generator button to the WordPress editor so you don’t have to remember all the codes. A 1-click demo content install feature, which loads the theme’s demo content into your site at the click of a button. A theme options panel that makes it easy to change many global theme settings, such as the colours and page layout. It’s worth pointing out that the ZOOM Framework doesn’t work like StudioPress’s Genesis framework. Rather than being a theme in its own right, the ZOOM Framework is integrated into the theme that you purchase — there’s no child theme to install. WPZOOM offers a range of great-looking businessy themes based on their feature-rich framework. WPZOOM’s themes don’t come with a page builder. However, there are many business-oriented themes so you’re likely to find a design that fits your needs, and the shortcodes let you create your own column-based layouts. The Presence theme in particular has tons of customisation options, so you can get the layout you want. Support options include a knowledge base and a support desk, as well as setup docs for each theme. ThemeFusion is unusual in that it produces just one theme: Avada. Like Divi, Avada is a “kitchen sink” theme that lets you create practically any design you want. This is thanks to its huge range of customisation options, as well as an excellent page builder plugin (called Fusion Builder) that comes with the theme. Pretty much every page element you could want, which you can insert using Fusion Builder or shortcodes. These include buttons, image galleries, checklists, columns, counters, FAQ sections, icons, Google Maps, popups, pricing tables, and over 500 Google fonts. Over 20 complete demo site designs — created entirely using Avada’s options — with a 1-click installer, so you can get a complete theme up and running instantly. ThemeFusion’s Avada theme is super-powerful and flexible. It comes with over 20 demo designs, all built using Avada’s customisation options. Check out the live demo to see all the features of Avada. If you get stuck, ThemeFusion offers documentation, a knowledge base, and a range of tutorial videos. You can also ask for help by submitting a support ticket. Organic Themes offers no-nonsense, beautiful themes. You won’t find fancy page builders, complex theme frameworks or bewildering theme options here. What you will find is a really nice selection of clean-looking themes targeted towards a wide range of business uses. These straightforward themes are easy to set up, very well coded… and look fantastic. Check out the lovely Luxury theme geared towards high-end products and services, as well as the popular, minimalist Structure theme, which is a great starting point for any site. The WordPress themes from Organic Themes are clean, well coded, and beautiful. While there’s no page builder, most themes include a range of shortcodes for things like buttons, icons, galleries, and tabs. Currently there are four free themes and 29 paid themes available. All the paid themes are WooCommerce-compatible, making it easy to set up your online store. Interestingly, Organic Themes also offers WordPress hosting if you use one of their themes. It’s a nice way to get a complete WordPress site — with theme — up and running super-quickly. As well as the theme developers listed above, you can scour theme marketplaces for premium WordPress themes. ThemeForest is an enormous and very popular theme marketplace, with thousands of themes available. They review every theme before it goes on sale, which helps to ensure that the themes are decent. The WordPress Theme Directory has a big list of recommended premium theme developers. MOJO Marketplace is another well-known marketplace for digital goods, and it contains a good WordPress themes section. As with ThemeForest, themes are reviewed by the MOJO staff before they’re allowed to go on sale. Creative Market sells digital design work from creatives all around the world — a “digital Etsy”, if you will. This includes a few thousand beautiful WordPress themes, many of which are Genesis child themes (see StudioPress earlier in this article). The themes don’t have user reviews as such, but shoppers can “like” a theme and recommend a particular seller. Creative Market also vets new sellers to make sure they offer good-quality stuff. Creative Market offers a range of attractive WordPress themes from a variety of designers. These marketplaces offer quality themes, but they can still be a bit hit-and-miss. Make sure you check out the user reviews for each theme to get an idea of how good the theme is in practice. Choose your theme with confidence! Choosing the right WordPress theme for your biz can seem overwhelming. However, with the tips and suggestions in this article you’ll be able to pick a decent, reputable theme that fits your needs. So grab a coffee, write down what you need from your theme, and start checking out a few of the themes and developers in the article. Before you know it, you’ll have picked the perfect theme for your WordPress site! Do you need help with choosing a theme? Or if you’ve already chosen one, which did you choose, and why? I’d love to hear how you’re getting on, so please let me know in the comments below! Great post Matt. I have a bunch of themeforest themes purchased, that includes Avada. Also have Divi/Elegant Themes, and Genesis. Based on what I see with non-technical, non-developer customers – Genesis-based themes tend to be fast out of the box. BUT, no drag and drop like that of Divi and Avada. And I came across a WordPress theme framework called “Beans”. Still learning it, and it seems more powerful than Genesis. The problem with Avada, Divi, and etc, is that they are easily abused by the typical user – it’s too easy to load up your page with all kinds of stuff that will slow it down. But ofcourse, if you’re a developer you can modify almost any theme, to even make it faster. Thanks for your comment Cammy. 🙂 I agree, there are pluses and minuses to both Genesis themes and the themes that use page builders! Is this Beans? It looks good!

2019-04-19T20:14:55Z

https://www.elated.com/choose-wordpress-theme-for-business/

Left hand column gives time. NOTE: Transferring tables from Madeleine Forum is creating unreadable info. Correction of this in progress. 7am Asked, he stated that apart from her own apartment, MADELEINE only ever entered DAVID and FIONA’s apartment, although it was common that they frequented each others' apartments. That, between Monday and Wednesday, not knowing the precise date, when they were leaving the residence through the main door, to place the children in the respective crèches, MADELEINE left running to the left, to the extreme opposite of the residential blocks where they were lodged, playing with the twins. That they walked down next to the most remote end of one of those blocks, not knowing exactly which one, and the three children got into one of the gardens at the back. Then they walked down the inside alley at the back, next to the hedges, up to the street that led to the secondary reception. on the morning of May 3rd, MADELEINE asked her father, GERALD, why he had not come into her bedroom when the twins were crying. The deponent had heard nothing and therefore had not gone into the room, yet he thought his daughter’s comment was strange, even because it was the first time that she made it. On the day that MADELEINE disappeared, Thursday, 3 May 2007, they all woke up at the same time, between 07H30 and 08H00. When they were having breakfast, MADELEINE addressed her mother and asked her “why didn't you come last night when SEAN and I were crying?” (SIC). That he thought this comment very strange given that MADELEINE had never spoken like this and, the night before, they had maintained the same system of checking on the children, not having detected anything abnormal. When he questioned her about the comment, she left without any explanation. 8am He does not know what days were scheduled for cleaning the apartment. He now states that he also pushed the two single beds in his room together, which had been separated by a night table. He did that to transform the two beds into a double bed. Regarding the windows, he says they were normally closed, he does not know if they were locked, with the shutters also closed. Regarding Madeleine’s window he says that he made sure the shutters worked so as to darken the room for the children. On the day of arrival, he does not know if the shutters in Madeleine’s room were open, and if they were, he closed them. He did not open them again, and does not know if somebody else did. When confronted with a testimony that states having seen the shutters to that window open after their arrival, he says that it was not him who opened them. When asked about the window behind one of the sofas in the living room, he says that yes, he remembers the window but does not remember if the shutters were also closed. Regarding this sofa, he remembers it was drawn against the window. He is not sure, but thinks that this sofa was probably a bit further away from the window, and he vaguely remembers pushing it back a bit, because his children threw objects behind it, namely playing cards. When asked, he does not know if any of the children was behind the sofa or passed behind this sofa. The following day (Sunday), the children woke up at 08h00, the deponent and his wife having woken up at around 07h30. They got dressed and at about 08h40 they left the apartment going to the MILLENIUM restaurant, once more on foot and by the same route as on the previous night, but without the mistake referred to previously, arriving there at 08h45/09h00. 9am On the following days, because the war was rather distant, they started buying food at the supermarket, located on the same road as the apartment, whose name he cannot recall. After breakfast, the children were left at one of the Club's crèches, called the "Kid Club," where they participated in various activities such as painting, collage etc., until around 12.30, always supervised by several employees, in a ratio of one to three children. The group did not all arrive at the same time, rather in a phased manner, therefore they were not all seated at the same table. He thinks that MATHEW and his wife RACHEL did not take breakfast due to the former having spent a bad night with vomiting and diarrhoea. At breakfast the children again sat at the same table among the adults, and it finished at around 09h25. The deponent, his wife KATE and their three children went to the OCEAN CLUB by the same route, where they arrived at 09h40, the deponent having entered the apartment by the main door, which was locked, collecting a bag with clothing and creams for the children, then going inside the resort area. The twins stayed at the crèche next to the TAPAS, which was for children aged between one and two, and then he and KATE took MADELEINE to the other crèche for older children, which is located on the 1st floor at the resort’s main reception, where they arrived at around 09h50. Besides MADELEINE, from the group, only Ella, the daughter of JANE and RUSSEL, went to the same crèche. The remaining children, being very young, stayed at the crèche next to the TAPAS. Again he went on foot, leaving the secondary reception he turned right, went down the street passing the “BATISTA” supermarket, turned left passing the main reception. After putting the children in their crèches they went to the “BATISTA” supermarket where they bought items for the following lunch and breakfast. When the children were at the crèches they had tennis classes, KATE at 09h15, the deponent an hour later, from Monday to Thursday. . Back to Thursday, after breakfast, about 09h00, KATE and the children left by the back door, the deponent having left by the front door, which he locked with the key, having also closed and locked the back door from the inside. They made their way on foot down the usual route to the crèche next to the TAPAS, where they left the twins, and, while KATE stayed to play tennis, the deponent took MADELEINE to her crèche, through the short-cut, where they arrived at 09h15, and , since it was obligatory, he signed the child's attendance register. On returning, not by the short-cut, he went to the “BATISTA” supermarket where he bought milk, he presumes, making his way to his apartment, entering through the front door, which was locked by key, at around 09H40/09H45. 10am While the children were at the "Kid Club," the deponent played tennis with his wife, went for walks, read and practised "jogging." It is not true that on a certain day they placed one crib in their room, leaving the other in Madeleine’s room. Apart from what has been described, Madeleine and the other children went sailing on the beach, a five minute walk from the club, for an hour. This outing was organised by the resort itself and is part of an available chart. The supervision and organisation was done by the resort, therefore the deponent was not present, nor was his wife. left by the front door, that he did not lock, and made his way to the tennis courts down the usual route, they being next to the TAPAS. He played tennis for an hour with the instructor and other students, among whom was an individual he had met during this holiday, called "JEZ", and with whom he had established not quite a friendship, but rather a simple acquaintance. "JEZ" has two small children whose exact age he does not know. As to his wife, he had seen her next to the pool but had never spoken with her. The tennis class finished at 11H15, he stayed in the pool area talking with his wife and other people, whom he does not remember. Midday Concerning the events in Portugal, as already stated in his previous statements, he arrived at Faro airport on 28 April 2007 at around 12h30, having travelled immediately to the OCEAN CLUB in an airport mini-bus where he arrived at around 14h20/14h30. At 12.30 pm, the parents went to collect the children and had lunch in the apartment, given the fact that it had a kitchen. At around 12H30, the deponent and KATE first went to pick up MADELEINE and then the twins, going to the apartment. On this day, Sunday, they had lunch on the balcony of David Payne's apartment with the whole group, including children, except for MATHEW, who was ill and at that moment was sleeping on the balcony of his apartment that was below and to the left in relation to where they were having lunch. From memory, on Tuesday, 1 May 2007, by indication from RUSSEL, he went to pick up MADELEINE at the crèche using a short-cut that began at the car park opposite the secondary reception and went between the buildings, which he used to fetch and take his daughter from then on. At 12H00, he agreed with KATE, as he recalls it, that she would make lunch and the deponent would pick up MADELEINE. He thinks that it was KATE who took the twins home. Since it was he who went to collect MADELEINE, he is sure he used the short-cut. NOTE: Kate claims she went back to the apartment at 12.15 and then picked Madeleine up with Fiona. 1pm After lunch, at around 1.30 pm, the children spent time near the club's swimming pool, supervised by their parents, for around 45 minutes, where they played, applied sun cream etc. Apart from the Kid Club, and the apartment, they only went to the beach once with Madeleine and other children and for a short time, given the fact that the weather was unstable. On the beach, they only ate an ice cream and went back to the apartment. Concerning the routine, on Tuesday there was a slight change given that after lunch, at 13h30, the deponent and KATE decided to take the three children to Praia da Luz, having gone on foot, taking only the twins in baby buggies. They all left by the main door because of the buggies, went around to the right, down the street of the “BATISTA” supermarket and went to the beach along a road directly ahead. the meal having lasted an hour, until 13h30. After that time they made their way to the resort play area, the deponent having left through the front door and the rest of the family through the back door that, once again, he shut and locked from the inside. As for the front door, he does not know exactly if he locked it. 2pm The meeting point was the Ocean Club in Portugal. The deponent's group arrived there at 2.30 pm on April 28th from Faro airport on an airport mini bus. The other group arrived the same day at around 1 pm, also using a mini bus. After checking in, the deponent and his wife, KATE HEALY, their daughter, MADELEINE, and their two year-old twins SEAN and AMELIE, were placed in apartment G5A. The apartment consisted of two beds in one bedroom, and two others in another room, in which were two cots on loan from the resort, in addition to the bathroom a kitchen. on the day they arrived, April 28, they removed two cots that were in their room, and placed them in Madeleine’s room. He is unable to confirm, but it could be possible, that there were 3 cribs, and they asked for one to be removed. After that time, the children returned to the "Kid Club" They took the children to the play area next to the pool, where the playground is located, at 14H15, having stayed there until about 14H20. After that time they left the twins in the crèche at TAPAS, and either the deponent or KATE, he doesn't know who, took MADELEINE to the crèche above the main reception, following the previously described route. He clarifies that the children’s drop-off and collection times were recorded at each crèche along with the contact number and location of the respective parents. They were at the beach for about 20 minutes, the deponent and MADELEINE having put their feet in the water. During this time the weather changed with a cloudy sky and cold, therefore they went to a terrace at a café near the beach, on the left, where they bought five ice-creams and two drinks. Asked, he said that at that place there was an individual playing latin music on a guitar, to whom he intended to give some coins, but having none at the time, he didn't. That the individual had a neglected and careless appearance, unshaven and somewhat raggedy. He was Caucasian, 175cm tall, thin, 70 to 75kg in weight, dark, short hair, almost shaven-headed with grey sides, and not wearing glasses. Wearing a light brown-coloured sports jacket, with a hood at the back, and dark denim trousers, not noticing the footwear. He said that he never behaved strangely, nor approached or looked at the children in an ostensive manner. On returning they left the children at their crèches, as usual, the deponent and his wife having gone to play tennis or jogging. He further clarifies that the only time MADELEINE accompanied them to the beach was the one described above, although she went to the beach in Luz three more times, one of those to go sailing, but always in the company of crèche nannies. Two of these trips took place after the date on which she was there with her parents. That, with respect to those episodes, MADELEINE never mentioned to him that anything strange had happened. They stayed in the play area for approximately an hour, until 14H30/14H35. After that, they left the twins at the crèche near the TAPAS, they signed the register, and the three of them (deponent, KATE and MADELEINE) made their way to the crèche at the main reception, where they arrived at 14H50 and delivered MADELEINE, not being able to say precisely who signed the register. 3pm That, on the first day, given that they arrived at lunch time, they ate only sandwiches both on the plane and on the bus during the journey from the airport to the OCEAN CLUB. After completing the check-in at the main reception, where they were dropped off by the mini-bus, which lasted until 15h00, they went to the apartment where they unpacked their bags, which lasted 16h45. Pointing out that after check-in, the trip with the bags to the apartment was made on a mini-bus that belonged to the resort. they unpacked their bags, which lasted 16h45. Subsequently, at around 17h00, the whole group, including children, went to the TAPAS restaurant, located at the back of the apartment, next to the pool, to attend a welcoming committee arranged by MARK WARNER, where they met the tennis and sailing instructors, and other resort employees, which ended at around 18h30, several glasses of sangria having been served to them. That that was the first time they all walked together inside and around the resort. They left by the front door, which he locked with the key, he walked around the existing wall and turned right, going down the resort’s side road up to the secondary reception, where they entered without difficulty , although they had an access card, which was not requested from them and that they had been given during Check-in. After they passed through the secondary reception, they went to the TAPAS restaurant, next to one of the swimming pools, the adults having sat down in a covered area outside, while the children stayed next to the small pool playing on the playground that was there. That during this time all the adults stood up and went to watch the children near where they were. The deponent and his wife took turns watching. After that time, the children returned to the "Kid Club" until around 5 pm, when they had dinner at the bar, under the parents' supervision. After the 5 pm meal, the parents bathed them, got them ready for the night, and played for a little while in the play area next to the tennis courts, still under the parents' supervision. At around 17h00 the OCEAN CLUB nannies conducted MADELEINE and the other children from the crèche on the 1st floor of the main reception to the area next to the TAPAS, under awnings, where they had dinner under the supervision of the employees and, at times, of their own parents. Dinner ended at around 17h30, the time at which the employees’ supervision ended At 17h00, as usual, MADELEINE arrived accompanied by the nannies and the other children. After her arrival, MADELEINE dined, having finished at 17H30. After 17H30 they went to the apartment, the deponent having entered by the main door, which he did not lock while he was inside the residence. KATE and the children entered by the back door, after this had been opened from the inside by the deponent. attend a welcoming committee arranged by MARK WARNER, where they met the tennis and sailing instructors, and other resort employees, which ended at around 18h30, several glasses of sangria having been served to them. When the reception committee was over, the nine adults and eight children walked to the MILLENIUM restaurant. They went back to the secondary reception, turned left and, at the top of the road, turned right, then left again, then right again, up to the main street that leads to the restaurant. Because it was a long way, at some point in time the deponent and his wife KATE had to carry the twins in their arms, but not MADELEINE, who was always on foot. Dinner ended at around 17h30, the time at which the employees’ supervision ended and the parents took over watching the children in the ”TAPAS” play area until 18h30. Then they returned to the apartment, the deponent opened the main door with his key and, then, the back door through which KATE and the children entered. They bathed the children, the deponent having left at 18H00 for a tennis game only for men, which was attended by: DAN, the tennis instructor; JULIAN, with whom he had played tennis several times; and CURTIS, with whom he had also played before. We know they left the Paraiso at approx 6.20 with a 15 min walk? DAVID went to visit KATE and the children and returned close to 19H00, trying to convince the deponent to continue to play tennis, which he refused, as he had already been plying for about an hour and had to go back to his wife. Nevertheless, RUSSEL, DAVID and MATHEW stayed to play. Regarding the episode where he spoke to David on the 3rd of May, he says that he was playing tennis at 18:30 when David appeared near the tennis court and asked him through the net if he was going to continue playing. The deponent said he didn’t know because Kate might be needing help to look after the three children, even more so because they intended to bring them to the recreation area after their showers. He thinks that David offered to check if Kate needed help, which he did, and returned minutes later. Concerning his previous statement, where he states that David returned half an hour later, at around 19:00, he says that he returned to the tennis court after half an hour, as this time frame refers to the second time he returned to the tennis court, after dressing up for the game. 7pm They arrived at their destination between 18h50 and 19h00, having sat at a large table where they all had dinner, including the children who were seated among the adults, never leaving the place, except for one of the twins who went to the toilet with the deponent. About an hour later they finished dinner, Towards 7.30/8 pm, the children were put to bed until the next morning, when the described routine described would start all over again. After doing the hygiene, the children were put to bed about 19h30, Yesterday, after the daily routine, MADELEINE and the twins were put to bed in their respective beds, and he stresses put to bed, at 7.30 pm. At around 19H00, he made his way to the apartment, finding KATE and the children playing on the sofa. About 10 to 15 minutes later, they took the children to the bedroom and they all sat on MADELEINE's bed to read a story. At 19H30, the twins were already in their respective cots and MADELEINE in the bed next to the bedroom door. He does not know if they were asleep but from the silence he presumed that they were. As it was still early he took a bath, he thinks that KATE had already done so, they talked a little and drank wine or beer. About an hour later they finished dinner, and returned, equally walking, by the same route, though going wrong in one of the streets where they should have turned left, ending up only turning only at the next street. He adds that, as they were all very tired they went directly to the apartment, where they arrived at around 20h10/20h15, the route back having been slightly faster given that the twins were carried all the way. In the apartment, they bathed the children and gave them a glass of milk, putting them to bed at exactly 20h45, he remembers that time because it was exactly one hour later than their usual bedtime. After putting the children to bed, the deponent and his wife took a bath, then settled down in the living room to watch television. He points out that at the moment they arrived at the residence, David Payne invited them to go for a glass of wine after putting down the children, but they turned down the offer as they were extremely tired. He thinks that nobody left their apartments on the first night. Asked, he said that in England, when not on holiday, the deponent and his wife would go to bed at 22h30/23h00, the twins at 19h00 and MADELEINE at 19H30. .Between 19h30 and 20h30 they took a bath and drank wine, Portuguese or New Zealand, and a beer. the deponent and KATE left for dinner at the TAPAS at around 20h30. They left the house through the main door, that he was sure he locked, and the back door was also closed and locked. They were the first to arrive at the TAPAS where everyone showed up except only for MATHEW, who was still ill. Nevertheless, his wife RACHEL showed up for dinner. Except for the situation described above, that occurred during lunch, he did not see MATHEW during the whole of Sunday. The deponent and his wife remained in the apartment to relax and drink a glass of wine until 8.30 pm. After checking the children, the deponent and his wife and the adults went to the "Tapas" restaurant, around 50 metres away, where they had dinner together. At 20H35, they left the apartment towards the “TAPAS”. Before they left, and because the children's bedroom door was ajar as always, he opened it a little more, listening from the outside and, as there was complete silence, he did not even enter, returning the door to its previous position, with a space of about 10cm. He is certain that, before leaving home, the children's bedroom was totally dark, with the window closed, but he does not know it was locked, the shutters closed but with some slats open, and the curtains also drawn closed. Asked, he mentions that during the night the artificial light coming in from the outside is very weak, therefore, without a light being lit in the living room or in the kitchen, the visibility inside the bedroom is much reduced. Despite what he said in his previous statements, he states now and with certainty, that he left with KATE through the back door which he consequently closed but did not lock, given that that is only possible from the inside. Concerning the front door, although he is certain that it was closed, it is unlikely that it was locked, because they left through the back door. They took the usual route to the “TAPAS”, where they arrived a little after 20H35, not having passed on the route anyone known nor detected anything abnormal. Asked, he said that the dinner bookings were made since Monday, it was already the intention of the group to take their meals there. They were the first of the group to arrive, seating themselves at the biggest table, as usual, which is located in the middle between other tables, under an awning with a transparent plastic surface at the front. He mentions that they were seated at the table, in a position that allowed the deponent to see almost the entire back door of his apartment, through which they left and entered and which gave access to the living room. He adds that, among other people whom he does not recall, at one of the small tables was the CARPENTER couple, whom he also met playing tennis and with whom they spoke until the other group members began to arrive. He does not recall the order of arrival but he has the idea that MATHEW and RACHEL were the first to arrive after the deponent. As time went by, the rest of the group arrived until all nine adults were there. Dinner ended at around 23h00, and during this period, every half-hour, the deponent and KATE went, alternately, to the apartment to confirm that all was well with the children. On that day, only the deponent and his wife entered the apartment. He is sure that they always entered through the front door, not knowing if they locked it upon leaving. Usually they entered the apartment, in which one of the living room lights was on, went to the children's bedroom door, which was ajar, and only peeped inside, trying to hear if the children were crying. The shutters were closed with only two or three slats open, the window was closed though he is not totally sure if it was locked, and the curtains drawn closed. Ten minutes after dinner ended they made their way to the apartment, going to bed right away. Asked, he mentions that the daughter of RUSSEL and FIONA would have been ill on Tuesday On Wednesday night, 2 May 2007, apart from the deponent and his wife, he thinks that DAVID PAYNE also went to his apartment to check that his children were well, not having reported to him any abnormal situation with the children. On this day, the deponent and KATE had already left the back door closed, but not locked, to allow entrance by their group colleagues to check on the children. He clarifies that the main door was always closed but not necessarily locked with the key. He does not know if the window next to the front door, and that gave access to the children's bedroom, was locked, given that he assumed that the shutters could not be opened from the outside. When asked if in fact they went to the apartment every half hour, he says it is true, and that this was never forged to justify absences during dinner. As usual, every half hour and considering that the restaurant was close to the apartment, the deponent or his wife went to check if the children were ok. Thus, at 9.05 pm, the deponent entered the club, using his key, the door being locked, and went to the children's bedroom and noted that the twins and Madeleine were in perfect condition. He then went to the toilet, where he remained for a few instants, left the apartment, and then crossed ways with someone with whom he had played tennis, who had a baby buggy, also a British citizen, with whom he had a brief conversation. He then returned to the restaurant. At around 9.30 pm, his friend MATT (a member of the group) went to his apartment where his own children were, and on his way he went into the deponent's apartment, going in through a sliding glass door at the side of the building, which was always unlocked. He went into the room, saw the twins and didn’t even notice if Madeleine was there, as everything was quiet, the shutters closed and the bedroom door half-open as usual. Then MATT went back to the restaurant. It is stressed that when one of the members of the group, JANE, went to her apartment to see her children, at around 9.10/9.15 pm, from behind and at a distance of about 50 metres, on the road next to the club, she saw a person carrying a child in pyjamas. JANE will be better able to clarify this situation. At around 21H00, MATHEW stood up from the table, saying that he was going to check on the children. Nevertheless, he did not say that he would go to check on the deponent’s children, and it was only after the disappearance of MADELEINE that he told him that at 21h00 the shutters of the children's bedroom window were closed. At 21H05, MATHEW returned, the time at which the deponent left the table to go check on his children. He walked the normal route up to the back door, which being open he only had to slide, and while he was entering the living room, he noticed that the children's bedroom door was not ajar as he had left it but half-way open, which he thought was strange, having then thought that possibly MADELEINE had got up to go to sleep in his bedroom, so as to avoid the noise produced by her siblings. Therefore, he entered the children's bedroom and established visual contact with each of them, checking and he is certain of this, that the three were deeply asleep. He left the children's bedroom returning to place the door how he had already previously described, then went to the bathroom. Everything else was normal, the shutters, curtains and windows closed, very dark, there only being the light that came from the living room. He adds that he did not enter any other part of the residence, where he was for only two or three minutes, leaving yet again through the back door, that he closed but did not lock. He clarifies that he returned without checking any other couple’s children, even because he had not been asked to do so. After leaving through the side gate, and while on his way to the secondary reception entrance, less than 10 metres from the gate, he saw “JEZ” walking up the street on the opposite pavement, bringing with him a baby buggy with his youngest child. He crossed the road in JEZ's direction who was walking up on the right-hand side, in the ascending direction, both having chatted for 3 to 4 minutes, about tennis, holidays and children. While talking with JEZ, he saw no-one from the group, nor detected any suspicious individual or vehicle. Because he was specifically asked, he relates that during this period of time he did certainly not see JANE passing that location, although he clarifies that he was speaking facing JEZ, with his back to the other pathway, where his apartment is situated. He also mentions that JEZ never told him that he had seen anyone, given that he was in front. He then returned to the TAPAS, between 21h10 and 21h15, dinner having gone as normal. As the movement of people at the table was frequent, he does not know if, when he returned, anyone else was absent, namely JANE. At around 21h30 he drew KATE's attention to the fact that it was time for her to go to see the children, MATHEW having immediately volunteered to substitute her, given the fact that she was chatting. Three to four minutes later MATHEW returned, saying only "all is quiet" (SIC), he having entered through the back door, given that he did not have the key and it was usual for them to enter in that way. After MATHEW arrived and before KATE left, he does not recall if anyone else was absent, although it was very probable that such had happened. He thinks that, on that night, none of the adults nor children were ill. Asked, he mentions that the daughter of RUSSEL and FIONA would have been ill on Tuesday. Half and hour later, without anything to remark, it being 22h03, he again alerted KATE that it was time to check the children. She immediately made her way to the apartment by the usual path, having entered through the back door. About 10 minutes later, he started to worry about her taking so long, and, at the moment the deponent prepared to get up and to check why she was taking so long, KATE appeared running, completely distraught and crying, saying that MADELEINE had disappeared and that she was sure because she had looked throughout the entire house. The deponent ran into the apartment accompanied by the rest of the group who, at the time, were seated at the table. When he arrived at the bedroom he first noticed that the door was completely open, the window was also open to one side, the shutters almost fully raised, the curtains drawn back, MADELEINE's bed was empty but the twins continued sleeping in their cots. He clarifies that according to what KATE told him, that was the scenario that she found when she entered the apartment. Then he closed the shutters, made his way to the outside and tried to open them, which he managed to do, much to his surprise given that he thought that that was only possible from the inside. They continued with searches outside, around the various apartment blocks, the deponent having asked MATHEW to go to the secondary reception in order to communicate the fact to the local police, since he had no doubt that his daughter had been abducted. He refutes, peremptorily, the possibility that MADELEINE could have left the apartment by her own means. The second person to go and check on the children should have been Kate, but Matt offered to go as he was going to check on his own daughter. When Matt returned to the restaurant the arguido asked him if all was well; Matt replied that all was quiet. The arguido is not absolutely sure, but he is under the impression that he asked Matt if he entered their apartment, to which Matt replied yes. He peremptorily denies that anyone in the group mat be directly or indirectly involved in the disappearance of his daughter. He presumes that, when his wife alerted him about her disappearance, all the group members were seated at the table. He mentions that, also during the dinner, none of the members complained about being ill or manifested any strange behaviour; there was a relaxed atmosphere. Asked, he mentions that on Thursday, 3 May 2007, there was nobody from outside of the group seated at the table, nor does he know any person with the name IRWIN. 10pm They arrived at the Tapas around 20:30, and then went to the apartment every half hour, until they arrived back, at around 23:00, plus or minus 10 minutes. Occasionally one of the others in the group made the check, he does not remember if this happened on the 1st. It is not true that Madeleine had been crying that night for an hour and 15 minutes, because she was not alone all that time. When asked, he says that on one night, he cannot say which, Madeleine slept in his room and in his bed. He thinks it might have been shortly after their arrival at the apartment. Madeleine came to his room saying that Amelie was crying and she couldn’t sleep. He thinks that he didn’t hear the crying before, and was alerted to this by Madeleine. He does not know if it was him or his wife that comforted Amelie. That night Madeleine slept in his bed. At 10pm, his wife Kate went to check on the children. She went into the apartment through the door using her key and saw right away that the children’s bedroom door was completely open, the window was also open, the shutters raised and the curtains drawn open. The side door that opens into the living room, which as said earlier, was never locked, was closed. Faced with this altered scenario, KATE checked that the twins were in their respective beds, unlike MADELEINE, who had disappeared. After thoroughly searching the apartment, his wife, quite scared and upset, went to the restaurant to alert the deponent and the others about the disappearance. Immediately, the group headed for the club and searched across all the facilities, swimming pool, tennis etc., as well as in the apartment, with the help of Ocean Club employees, while at the same time they contacted the authorities, that would later appear. The third check was made by Kate at around 22:00. He does not know how long it was before Kate returned, but he does remember that shortly before she returned he was thinking of going to see what was going on, as it seemed a long time and he thought that one of children might have woken up. He does not remember if he had taken his mobile phone to the restaurant. He is under the impression that he did not take anything with him, except maybe his wallet. He was wearing tennis shoes, blue jeans and a light brown polar top. He does not remember what Kate was wearing that night. The arguido did not take a camera and does not remember if Kate did. He does not remember if anybody in the group took any photograph that night. He cannot say exactly, but he thinks that on Monday or Tuesday MADELEINE had slept for some time in his bedroom, with KATE, as she had told him that one or both twins were crying, making much noise. Still on this night, KATE slept in the children's bedroom, in the bed next to the window, because the deponent was snoring. Concerning his wife, he says that on the Wednesday she slept in the children’s room in the bed next to the window. He doesn’t know why, but thinks it could have been because of his snoring. Also on that day, after dinner, he returned to the apartment sooner than Kate. Concerning the bed where his daughter was on the night she disappeared, he says that she slept uncovered, as usual when it was hot, with the bedclothes folded down. Concerning the other bed next to the window in the children's bedroom, he says that it showed no signs that anyone had put their feet on it, namely, dirt or shoe prints. Midnight Concerning the half-hourly checking of the children, it had been inspired by the MARK WARNER system called "baby listening", as referred to previously. On the night of the events, he ate fish at dinner, and sausages and potatoes as a starter, drinking white wine. Usually, between 20h30 and the end of dinner, they would drink more or less a bottle of wine per person. Asked, he says that KATE never told him anything about her having "a bad presentiment" concerning this trip. 1am It was not until about 01h00 on 4 May 2007 that he learned through RUSSEL that his partner, JANE, at around 21h10, saw a man crossing the top of the road with a child in his arms, that may or may not have been his daughter MADELEINE. Asked, he mentions that he does not recall describing the exact type of pyjamas (colour, designs, etc.) that MADELEINE was wearing at the time she disappeared. The photo of his daughter MADELEINE, after having printed several at the hotel reception, was delivered this police’s agents on location, as well as to other persons who were there. 7am When questioned about the apartment’s layout, she said that on the first day the moved the furniture: they moved the two cots out of their bedroom and put them in the other one, where the children were to sleep, after they pushed the two single beds in that bedroom apart. They also pushed the two single beds in their bedroom together. She presumes that the cots, when in their bedroom, were at the beds’ bottom. She mentions that when she arrived there not two, but three cots, in the same spot, and she believes that one was lent to the Payne family. She asserts that after the day they arrived, April 28, this was the layout of the furniture and this was not altered during the following days. Two early calls on mobile. [size=12][size=9]she said that the cleaning, which was provided by the resort, took place on Monday and Wednesday. Thus she mentions once more that she never altered the above described disposition, which means it is not true that at any one moment in time a cot was in the deponent’s bedroom and the other one in MADELEINE’S bedroom. She reports only one episode where, on the morning of Thursday the 3rd, Madeleine asked the witness why she had not come to look in the bedroom when the twins were crying. The witness states that she had heard nothing and had therefore not gone into the bedroom, nevertheless she found her daughter’s comment strange because it was the first time she had made it. Regarding the fact that on the next morning, Thursday, during breakfast, Madeleine said to both of them that she had been crying and that nobody had come to her room, she presumes that this crying must have been before she and Gerry returned to the apartment. When she asked Madeleine about this however, the child gave no importance to the matter. On the 3rd of May they all woke up between 7.30 and 8.00 a.m.; she doesn’t know who woke up first. As far as the routines are concerned, the witness refers that on Sunday they went for breakfast at around 7.30/8.30 at the Ocean Club, namely at the resort’s bar which is located at some metres’ distance from the apartment. On the following days, and because the bar was quite far away, they started buying food at the “BATISTA” supermarket, which is located on the same road as the apartment, and they had their first meal of the day at the apartment. They washed the children and had breakfast at the apartment between 08:00 and 08:30 a.m. Food was bought by her and GERRY at the “Baptista” supermarket. She refers that the stay included breakfast at the Milénio restaurant, but as it was too far away they’d decided to have breakfast at the apartment. During breakfast the “crying episode”, already described, took place. She noticed a stain, supposedly of tea, on Madeleine’s pyjama top, which she washed a little later that same morning. She hung it out to dry on a small stand, and it was dry by the afternoon. Madeleine sometimes drank tea; nevertheless the stain did not appear during breakfast, maybe it happened another day, as Madeleine did not have tea the previous night and the stain was dry. 9am While the children are at the "Kid Club," the witness played tennis with her husband, went for walks, read and practised “Jogging”. After breakfast, at around 9/9.30am, the children stayed at the resort’s childcare centre, called the "Kid Club", where they did various activities such as painting, collage etc. They stayed there until around 12.30, constantly supervised by several Ocean Club employees in a ratio of one for each three children. The witness stresses that within the crèche, due to the difference in ages, the twins were in one group and Madeleine in another, with separate activities. . After breakfast they got dressed and left the apartment through the main door. All children went walking. The balcony door was closed and locked; she doesn’t know whether the main door was locked or unlocked. After leaving the apartment they left the twins at the crèche next to the Tapas; at the same time she supposes that Gerry took Madeleine to the crèche next to the 24-hour reception area. Once the children were delivered, they went to the tennis courts for a scheduled tennis lesson. Kate’s group lesson was at 9:15, Gerry’s an hour later. She doesn’t know what Gerry did during that free hour; she presumes he went to the apartment. 10am Gerry broke them (shutters) and they were repaired on the Monday; the incident would have taken place on Sunday. she said that the cleaning, which was provided by the resort, took place on Monday and Wednesday. Thus she mentions once more that she never altered the above described disposition, The window in the deponent’s bedroom was closed and she knows they use the shutters, even because Gerry broke them and they were repaired on the Monday; the incident would have taken place on Sunday. on Wednesday or Thursday, Madeleine and the other children went sailing at the beach, five minutes away from the club, for an hour, in an event that was organised by the resort. The surveillance of this activity and the organisation were done by the club, and the deponent was not present, nor was her husband. When her lesson ended at 10:15, she went to the recreation area next to the swimming pool to talk to Russell until Gerry’s lesson was over. At 12.30pm, they collected their children and had lunch in their apartment, as it had a kitchen. Afterwards, she is not sure, they went back together to the apartment until close to 12:15 when she went to Madeleine’s crèche to pick her up, together with Fiona Payne. She signed the crèche's register and went to the twins’ crèche with the intention of picking them up, she thinks that she met Gerry there, not knowing if he already had the twins with him. Together with the three children they went to the apartment for lunch, with food bought at the supermarket. This would be around 12:35/12:40. They ate sandwiches, mainly the deponent and Gerry, and the children maybe ate pasta. Lunch lasted around 20 minutes. After this time, they placed the children back at the "Kids Club" Apart from the Kids Club and the apartment, they only went to the beach with Madeleine and the other children once, and only for a very short period of time, because the weather was unstable, which happened between 1.30 and 3 p.m., when they returned to the club. At the beach, they only ate an ice cream and returned to the apartment. then they left the twins at the crèche next to the Tapas and both of them took Madeleine to the other crèche. They went via a path in front of the small reception and then through a garden area and stairs, taking a short cut. This route was indicated to her by Gerry. After leaving Madeleine at around 2:50 p.m. 3pm After the trip, the meeting point was in Portugal, at the Ocean Club, where the witness's group arrived on Saturday April 28th at around 3pm from Faro airport in an airport mini bus. The other group arrived on the same day, late morning. After leaving Madeleine at around 2:50 p.m., they both had, once more, a tennis lesson, this time an individual one just for the two of them, so they started playing a few balls at that time, given the fact that the court was empty. She doesn’t remember if they were already wearing appropriate clothes or if they went to the apartment to change. The lesson ended an hour later, at around 4:30 p.m. 5pm until around 5/5.30pm, the time when the children ate at a bar under the watchful eyes of the parents. After the 5pm dinner, they bathed the children, prepared them for the night and let them play for a while at a playground next to the tennis courts, still and always under parental supervision. Gerry continued playing tennis with a guest called JULIAN who belonged to his tennis group, while she went for a jog along the beach, for around half an hour. During that period she saw the rest of the group, children and grownups; she was disappointed as nobody had told her that they were going to the beach and Madeleine surely would have loved to have gone with them. She cannot confirm whether she went to the apartment between the tennis game and the jog. When she finished jogging, at around 5:20/5:30 p.m., she went to the Tapas area. Gerry was there, as well as the twins and Madeleine who were having dinner at separate tables. Madeleine had been taken to the area by the nannies. Her parents were required to sign the register when the meal was over, at around 5.30 p.m.. During the meal Kate asked Madeleine if she was sad because the other children in the group had gone to the beach without her; she replied that she wasn’t, but was rather tired. She asked Kate to carry her back to the apartment. Kate agreed, and Gerry led the twins back to the apartment, as well. Tiredness was due to the intense daily activities, not to any sickness. At the apartment they both bathed the children, and close to 6:00 p.m. Gerry went to the tennis courts, right after the children had finished their bath. They entered the apartment by the main door, with the key. She does not know if it was locked, and presumes it was Gerry who opened it. At lunch time they also entered through the same door. Gerry had an all-male tennis game at 6:00 p.m. After the children’s bath, already alone, she put pyjamas and nappies on the twins, and gave them each a glass of milk and biscuits. Before bathing the children and because it was early, they had thought of taking them to the recreation area, but then decided against this because of tiredness. While the children were eating and looking at some books, Kate had a shower which lasted around 5 minutes. (NOTE: AND a bath at 8.00pm?) After showering, at around 6:30/6:40 p.m. and while she was getting dry, she heard somebody knocking at the balcony door. She wrapped herself in a towel and went to see who was at the balcony door. This door was closed but not locked as Gerry had left through this door. She saw that it was David Payne, because he called out and had opened the door slightly. David’s visit was to help her to take the children to the recreation area. When David returned from the beach he was with Gerry at the tennis courts, and it was Gerry who asked him to help Kate with taking the children to the recreation area, which had been arranged but did not take place. David was at the apartment for around 30 seconds, he didn’t even actually enter the flat, he remained at the balcony door. According to her he then left for the tennis courts where Gerry was. The time was around 6:30-6:40 p.m. After David left, Kate dressed and sat with the children, Madeleine on her lap. She was wearing a top, she doesn’t remember what colour it was, a green long-sleeved t-shirt, blue denim trousers. Sports shoes and white socks. She read a story to the children in the living room, on the sofa in front of the balcony door, identified on the diagram with the letter D. 7pm except on Saturday, the day of arrival, when they had dinner at the Milénio restaurant. On that day, May 1, the children were asleep, as she put them to bed at around 7:15/7:30 and was sure they were sleeping. Yesterday, after the daily routine, Madeleine and the twins went into the bedroom and were put in their beds at around 7.30. At 7:00 p.m. Gerry arrived and entered through the balcony door. He sat on the sofa identified with letter E. She doesn’t know if the story was finished, but thinks she was still sitting on the sofa. She doesn’t remember having changed the layout of the furniture in the living room, the sofas, the table or others. She says that the sofa (letter E) supposedly was against the side window, because she doesn’t remember anyone having gone behind it. She does not know if this window was open or closed, she does not remember it ever being open, or looking through the window. After Gerry arrived the children went to wash their teeth and she then read them another story, this time all four of them sitting on Madeleine’s bed. She thinks that Gerry entered the room, but does not recall him sitting on the bed. During the story Madeleine was lying on the pillow, but alert and paying attention to the story. Afterwards both twins kissed Madeleine, she thinks that Gerry was in the room, and each one of them, the deponent and Gerry, placed a twin in its cot at the same time, between Madeleine’s bed and the bed under the window. They also kissed Madeleine, who was already lying down. She was under the covers, she thinks, because it was a bit cold. She normally clutched the soft toy and if she wasn’t holding it then it was next to her, on the left. She remained lying down on her left side, with the soft toy and a pink blanket, which she thinks was covering her. The twins were laid down on their backs, covered with open weave blankets. She says that she doesn’t know if the children were in the same positions when they left the apartment. It was around 7:15 p.m. when they put the children to bed and checked they were sleeping, she is sure of this. As the children were asleep, she dried her hair and put on make up. Gerry maybe had a shower and they sat on one of the sofas in the living room, she doesn’t know which one. She had a glass of wine, poured by Gerry, and he had wine or beer. The wine was from New Zealand, white. .At around 8pm, the children were put to bed until the following morning, when the described routine started all over again. They arrived at the Tapas at around 8:31, taking the direct route, i.e. left by the balcony door, went down to the road and entered the resort’s secondary reception. As they left by the balcony door, this door remained closed but not locked, as this is only possible from the inside. The curtains were closed. When they arrived at the Tapas, she thinks that nobody from the group was there, but is not sure. The witness and her husband stayed in the apartment, relaxing, until 8.30pm. She took a bath,NOTE: She was in a bath towel when David stopped by at approx 6.40) did her make-up and drank a glass of New Zealand wine with her husband. Just after 8.30pm, the witness and her husband, after checking on their children, joined the other adults of the group at the "Tapas" restaurant, about 50 metres away, where they had dinner. Gerry was wearing blue denim trousers and sports shoes. She doesn’t remember what else he was wearing. They talked while they drank, until they left for the Tapas restaurant at around 8.30-8.35 p.m. Before leaving they checked on the children, she doesn’t know who; however Gerry says it was him. She only knows the children were quiet. She doesn’t know if they were in their same positions. She says she is sure that they were asleep, because Gerry told her so and all was quiet. They left through the balcony door, which they left closed but not locked. Main door was closed but not locked. She thinks it could be opened from the inside but not from the outside. She thinks that before she left she put on a cream coloured polar fleece with a zipper, and on top a blue raincoat, also with a zipper. Concerning Gerry, she doesn’t know if he put on any other clothing items. Concerning objects, she says they took their mobile phones with them, and Gerry might also have taken his wallet with money. Not sure if they took a camera. Regarding the apartment, and as far as windows are concerned, she said they were closed but she doesn’t know if they were locked. The balcony window was closed but not locked, curtains closed. The second window in the living room was probably closed, she never used it and does not know if the shutters were closed. The kitchen window was probably closed but with the shutters open as there was light in the kitchen. The window to Madeleine’s bedroom remained closed, but she doesn’t know if it was locked, shutters and curtains drawn, and that was how it remained since the first day, night and day. She never opened it. If somebody saw the window shutters in Madeleine’s room open, it was not the deponent who opened them, and she never saw them open. The window in the deponent’s bedroom was closed and she knows they use the shutters, even because Gerry broke them and they were repaired on the Monday; the incident would have taken place on Sunday. When asked, she said that before they left she took some precautions, namely placed the medicine inside a bag with a clasp in her room inside the wardrobe or the dresser. These were Calpol (paracetamol) and Nurofen (ibuprofen), for fevers and pains, both for adults and children (packages in liquid for the children). In this bag there was also a small pair of scissors. In the kitchen were cutting items that were used to prepare the meals and which were not put out of sight. During their trips it was normal for them to take these medicines. During these holidays she never gave any medicine to her children, nor did Gerry. She now says that Gerry also took medicine for acidity called Losec (omeprozole) which they also possessed. Back to the description, the deponent says that on the 3rd they left the apartment leaving the children sleeping. Knowing that Madeleine sometimes woke and got up, she did not worry about leaving her alone, because when this happened, and it wasn’t always, it was around 2 – 3 a.m., at which time they would be back in the apartment already. They left the apartment between 8:30-8:35 p.m., and headed straight for the Tapas where they arrived 1 minute later maximum. None of the group were at the Tapas because they were usually the first to arrive, but she isn’t sure this was the case every night. There was a couple there who they knew, Steve and Carolyn Carpenter, who belonged to Gerry’s tennis group. They talked with them for a few moments before sitting down. Meanwhile, while they talked to the Carpenters, the rest of their group arrived and sat down at a round table, where they sat every day. Order of arrival: Kate and Gerry first, then Jane, she thinks on her own, then Mathew and Rachel, then Russell, she thinks, and right afterwards David, Fiona and Diane. She makes a sketch of the table and says that both she and Gerry were not facing the apartments. Sketch attached. During dinner, every half hour they went to the apartment to check on the children. This was done by the deponent and by Gerry. She does not remember if on this night any of their friends went to the apartment. She states that Russell was not present during dinner, so his wife Jane, or somebody else took his dinner to the apartment. The reason for his absence was that their youngest daughter was sick. As usual, every half hour, and given the fact that the restaurant was close, the witness and her husband came to make sure the children were ok. Thus, at around 9pm, her husband went to the apartment to make sure the twins, as well as Madeleine, were in perfect condition, (Translation or an odd expression to use?) then he went back to the restaurant. Her husband told her that the children were well and that he had bumped into the person with whom he had played tennis, who also had two children. The witness notes that at the same time, one of their friends, called Russell, went to see his children, too, (NOTE: not Jane?) nevertheless he did not go to the room where the witness was staying. At around 9.30pm, at the time when the witness should have gone to see her children, her friend Matt (a member of the group), who was coming to check, as well, went to the apartment where his children were staying and on his way went to the witness’s apartment. He entered the apartment through a glass sliding door at the side that was always unlocked and once inside, he had not gone into the children's bedroom. He remained at the bedroom door, listening for noise and observing the beds. He went back to the restaurant and said that everything was fine. Dinner began around 9 p.m., and she thinks the nine adults were at the table. She ate steak and maybe sardines. She drank white wine and water. She doesn’t know if anyone took any photographs that night, however she thinks that Rachel took photos on one of the nights. When asked, she said that Fiona also took some photos but she thinks it was probably on another night. She doesn’t know whether Fiona had a camera with her that night. She remembers hearing a comment that night about a camera being forgotten, but she doesn’t know who said this or who the camera belonged to. Concerning the checks on the children, she said that Gerry was the first one to check on the children, this was decided on the spot, at around 9-9:05 p.m. He got up from the table and entered the apartment through the balcony door. He came back to the table ten minutes later; he implied that the children were asleep and that he’d met a tennis friend by the name of Jez, with whom he had a chat. During this check, she thinks that Gerry did not check on the children of any other couple, because it was usual just to check on their own children. She never checked on any other child, other than her own. At 9:30 p.m. she got up to go and check on her children at the same time as Mathew, who said he was going to check on his daughter Grace in apartment 5B, and could check on her children. She hesitated, however he said not to worry as he was going anyway. After less than ten minutes Mathew returned to the Tapas, saying all was quiet. At that time she did not ask him if he went inside the apartment, however she assumed he had checked on her children, entering through the balcony door which was closed but not locked. Apart from Matt, she does not remember if anyone else got up from the table. When asked, the assistant said that dinner ended at around 11 p.m., and together with Gerry, she left for the apartment. She thinks they went to the flat four times, one every half hour: Gerry twice and herself twice, at around 9, 9:30, 10, and 10:30 p.m. At around 10pm, the witness came to check on the children. She went into the apartment by the side door, which was closed, but unlocked, as already said, and immediately noticed that the door to her children's bedroom was completely open, the window was also open, the shutters raised and the curtains open, while she was certain of having closed them all as she always did. Faced with this altered situation, she verified that the twins were in their beds, unlike Madeleine, who had disappeared. The cover was neatly pulled back and the toys were on the pillow as usual. After searching the whole apartment thoroughly, and already quite scared and unnerved, she returned to the restaurant, and alerted her husband and the rest of the group to the disappearance. The group immediately headed to the club, and set about searching in all the buildings, swimming pool, tennis courts etc... as well as in the apartment with the help of employees. At the same time, they contacted the authorities, which would later arrive. Later, the witness would learn that a member of the group, Russell's partner Jane, at around 9.15pm, when she went to her own apartment to check on her children, saw from behind and at a distance of about 50 metres, on the road along the club, a long-haired person, she thinks wearing jeans, with a child in his arms, walking very quickly. But she is better able to tell about that herself. At 10 p.m. she got up from the table, as it was her turn after having been replaced by Matt. She entered the apartment by the balcony door which was closed, but as already said, not locked. At this moment, and because it is late, 11 p.m., the interview was interrupted and will be continued on the next morning. When asked if she ever slept in Madeleine’s bedroom, she says that such happened on the Wednesday, because she was annoyed with Gerry. He ignored her after dinner when they went to the Tapas bar, which only happened that day. She decided to retaliate by sleeping in the other bedroom, in the bed under the window. She doesn’t know if Gerry noticed this because he was sleeping when she left, and if in fact her husband was aware of this, he made no comment. .Regarding the fact that on the next morning, Thursday, during breakfast, Madeleine said to both of them that she had been crying and that nobody had come to her room, she presumes that this crying must have been before she and Gerry returned to the apartment. When she asked Madeleine about this however, the child gave no importance to the matter. Midnight When asked about the fact her daughter had been crying on Tuesday night for one hour and 15 minutes, between 10:30 and 11:45 p.m., she says that is not true. She says that on that night, after midnight, Madeleine went to their room and said that her sister Amelie was crying, so she stayed to sleep with her and Gerry in their bedroom. She says that before Madeleine appeared in her bedroom, she had already heard Amelie crying, however she did not go to the room, as Madeleine came into the room almost at the same time she heard the crying. She does not remember if afterwards she, or Gerry, went to the children’s room, however she asserts that Amelie cried for a short time. When asked, she says that on that night the twins slept in the bedroom where Madeleine slept, each in their own cot. When asked if Madeleine slept in their room, she says yes, as mentioned, on the Tuesday night. On that night they also checked on the children every half hour; however she thinks that 45 minutes had gone by from the time of the last check to when they arrived, as exceptionally they went to the Tapas’ bar. On this day she thinks that Gerry arrived at the apartment around 23:50 and she arrived 5 minutes later. She went to sleep in Madeleine’s room 15/20 minutes later. Before this she spent a few minutes in her bed next to Gerry. 2am From reading her previous statement, mainly lines 34-40 it can be understood that on the Wednesday night she slept in the couple’s bedroom, but that did not happen since she slept in Madeleine’s room. NOTE: Did I miss that statement? Concerning the remaining members of the group, normally they met them in the morning and went for breakfast together at the "Millennium" restaurant, after which they left their children at the Kids Club and the adults went to do sports inside the tourist complex or they went to the beach. The couple Gerry and Kate usually had breakfast in the apartment. Concerning yesterday evening, he states that he, his wife and his mother-in-law arrived at the restaurant at around 8.55pm. According to what he remembers, when they arrived, all the members of the group were present, apart from the children, who were in bed in their respective rooms. In answer to our question, the interviewee doesn't know how many times Madeleine left the tourist complex, but he knows she went, at least once, to the beach. the interviewee states that during all the meals, he never went to his apartment or to any of the group's apartments, because he has an "intercom" and the signal carries from the apartment to the restaurant. The other members of the group went, randomly, every 20 minutes, to their apartments to make sure their respective children were asleep. During the evening, Gerry, Jane and Matthew went, alternately, to their children's bedrooms to check if they were sleeping. He thinks they physically went into the apartments. He no longer remembers in what order they went see their children. 10pm Towards 10pm, Kate went to her apartment, and less than 5 minutes later, she came back to the restaurant, breaking down, reporting that Madeleine was not in the bedroom. Then everybody went to the apartment occupied by Madeleine's family. He remembers comments concerning the fact that the window and the shutters to Madeleine's bedroom were open, while they had remained closed throughout the week. That the apartment occupied by Madeleine's family comprises two bedrooms, a small kitchen, a lounge and a bathroom. That the lounge has a door which gives outside access in the direction of the restaurant. He does not recall any more details of the apartment but he remembers that the bedroom occupied by the children has a window that looks onto the car park that accesses the main road. That he never went into the said bedroom but he could see that there were two beds and two cots. The cots were placed in the middle of the bedroom. One of the beds was placed against the window and the other, the one occupied by Madeleine, was against the wall facing the one which has a window. » Kate McCann's Answer to Why Didn't You Search? » Judges have transformed Portugal into "a paradise for pedophiles"

2019-04-25T23:57:27Z

https://jillhavern.forumotion.net/t2119-t9-early-statement-hourly-timetables

If the Wild Card games are any indication of how the 2018 postseason is going to be, it’s going to be one wild ride this October. The National League Wild Card reflected how tight the NL has been and ended up going down to the wire before the postseason began. And the American League Wild Card showed off the Yankees. This game was one of those super dramatic, tight games that makes these one-off games worth the effort. Both teams sent in their ace pitchers, Freeland and Lester, who both pitched deep into the game. Both only gave up 4 hits and a walk. But the Rockies got one run early in the game. In the 1st, a lead-off walk moved to 3rd on a ground-rule double and then scored on a sacrifice fly. But then the Cubs held off the Rockies for the rest of the regular game. The Rockies pretty much matched them in offense and defense, which resulted in this insane, edge-of-your-seat kind of game. But then, in the bottom of the 8th, with 2 outs, a Cubs’ batter singled, stole 2nd, and then scored on a double to finally tie up the game. And the hometown crowd went wild. And the game eventually went into extra innings. 13 of them. In the 13th, with 2 outs (again), the Rockies’ batter singled, moved to 3rd on a single, and then scored on a single to break the tie. The small contingent of Colorado fans were suddenly excited. Their wish came true when their pitcher breezed his way through 3 strikeouts in the bottom of the 13th to send the Cubs back to their clubhouse to watch the rest of the postseason from their couches. The next night, the AL Wild Card teams were ready for their own dramatic one-off game. And while the Yankees certainly outshone the Athletics in the end, the A’s weren’t exactly sitting on their hands. They are a good team. The Yankees are just better. The A’s decided to piece together their bullpen to see if that could stop the Yankees. Yeah, it didn’t. Andrew McCutchen led-off the 1st with a walk and then scored when Aaron Judge hit a nice 2-run home run into the left field seats. But then the A’s pitchers did a good job of keeping the Yankees to those early runs. Then in the 6th, Judge led-off with a double and then scored on Aaron Hicks’ double. After a new reliever came into the game, a wild pitch moved Hicks to 3rd and Stanton worked a walk. Stanton then stole 2nd putting both runners in scoring position. Then they did so on Luke Voit’s big triple, just inches shy of a 3-run homer in right field. A sacrifice fly by Didi Gregorius then found Voit hustling home, barely touching home plate before being tagged. The A’s challenged the tag, but it was upheld. It wasn’t quite clear if he was tagged just before he touched the plate, but there was no proof he wasn’t either. So, the run stood. Not that it mattered. The Yankees kept rolling. And Giancarlo Stanton led-off the 8th inning with a monster solo home run into the corner of the left field seats. Luis Severino was tapped for the start, which based on his second half showing, had many in Yankee Universe nervous. But they made it clear that if he fell apart like last year’s Wild Card game, there was a enough power in the bullpen to cover him. He didn’t really need it much because he was off to a stellar start, mostly breezing his way through the first 4 innings, including 7 sharp strikeouts. Then in the 5th, he gave up 2 singles, his first allowed hits of the night, and instead of waiting to see if Severino could pull it together, they the Yankees went to the bullpen and called in Dellin Betances, who worked his way out of Severino’s trouble in the 5th and then sailed his way through the 6th. David Robertson followed this momentum with a clean 12-pitch 7th inning. Zach Britton came in for the 8th and became the first Yankees pitcher to really struggle this game. He gave up a lead-off single. The next batter hit into what was originally called a double play, but the Athletics challenged and it was clear that the runner beat out the ball at 1st. So it ended up overturned as just 1 out. But then the next batter hit a 2-run home run to finally get the Athletics on the board. But then Britton tamped down and got himself out of the inning. And Aroldis Chapman, postseason veteran, came out for the 9th and came out clean, even fielding the final out himself, helping seal the win for the Yankees to advance. This means that the Division Series are set. Thursday, the NLDS games start. The Brewers host the Rockies, and the Dodgers host the Braves. The ALDS starts Friday — the Astros host the Indians, and the Red Sox host the Yankees. The Divsion Series games run 2 games, travel day, 2 games, travel day, 1 game. The first team to 3 wins win the series and advance to the Championship Series that begin on Friday, October 12. This means I am hoping for an NLCS between the Brewers and Dodgers, and an ALCS between the Astros and Yankees. And with my track record, chances are at least 1 or 2 of my predictions will be wrong. I’m ready for it. But fingers crossed that it won’t be the Yankees-Red Sox one. And with the finishing of the tie-breaker games in the National League, we now have a postseason set and ready to go. In the National League, the Wild Card game on Tuesday will be the Cubs hosting the Rockies. The winner of that game will face the team with the highest number of game wins the Brewers for the NLDS. The other NLDS will be between the Braves and Dodgers, starting at Dodger Stadium. Over in the American League, Yankee Universe will be watching expectantly as the Athletics play the Yankees at Yankee Stadium. The winner of that game will face the game leaders of MLB, the Red Sox, for the ALDS. The other ALDS game will be the Indians and Astros in Houston. The NLDS begins on Thursday, the ALDS on Friday. The pattern once again is 2 games (at the higher seed’s stadium), travel day, 2 games (at the lower seed’s stadium), travel day, 1 game (back at the higher seed). The first team to 3 wins takes the Division Series and advances to the Championship Series. That is a 7-game series, pattern of 2-3-2, first to 4 wins. The winners of those advance to the World Series. And we’re at that time of year that I start making foolish predictions. I’ve learned my lesson, and I will only take this one step at a time. This means that I think the Rockies will end up facing the Brewers in the NLDS and the Yankees will face the Red Sox in the ALDS. But then I’ve been wrong before. I’ll be wrong again. And I’ll be wrong this postseason. So, if one thing watching these last 2 wild card games has taught me, it’s that starters really don’t have it for the 4th and 5th place teams in either league. Tonight in Phoenix, the Diamondbacks faced off against their geographic rivals, the Rockies, for the one-off NL Wild Card title. Despite rather disappointing starts once again, neither team was willing to give up so easy. Neither team had really great bullpens either. That would explain the 30 total allowed hits and 19 total allowed runs scored tonight. For the playoffs, you want and usually see low scores more like international football) and not like American football type scores. Tonight was definitely not usual. The Rockies starter was pushed out of the game in the 2nd inning (and 41 pitches), after giving up 7 hits and 4 runs, and striking out just 2 batters; comparatively, the Diamondbacks starter threw 58 pitches into the 4th inning, gave up 6 hits, 4 runs, and struck out a single batter. And then, like last night’s game, both teams had to rely on their bullpens to pick up the game. But neither bullpen was really built for such an event, and both bullpen certainly dropped the ball. One team would rack up the points, and then the other team would catch up, and they basically did this all night long. The Diamondbacks really commanded the game from the start offensively. In the 1st, with consecutive singles, a big 3-run home run got them on the board before an out was recorded against them. A 1-out single in the 2nd scored on a big triple, that kicked the Rockies’ starter out of the game right there. A new reliever in the 3rd gave up a single that scored as part of a 2-run home run to give the D-Backs a really big lead for the first third of the game. Down 6-0, the Rockies had quite a bit to catch up. But they did, starting in the 4th inning. With 1 out, and 2 runners on base with singles, another single scored the lead run. A ground out moved both runners to scoring position which they promptly did on an RBI double and RBI single. That would be it for the D-backs starter at that point. Things settled down somewhat for the middle section of the game until the Rockies found another opportunity in the 7th. A lead-off double moved to 3rd on a wild pitch, and then later scored on a sacrifice bunt. But that reduced gap didn’t last long. In the bottom of the inning, a lead-off Arizona batter singled and another batter worked a 1-out walk. They opted to send up their reliever, despite 2 outs on the board, to save their bench guys for bigger options. Which worked out well, as the reliever hit a big triple that scored both runners. It was his first professional extra-base hit ever. He then struggled once he got back out on the mound (talk about a rollercoaster of emotion). He gave up consecutive home runs to put the Rockies back within striking distance again. But then the D-backs answered back, almost as if in revenge, in the bottom of the 8th. With 2 outs, 2 runners on base, and the 2nd reliever of the inning on the mound, a wild pitch moved both runners to scoring position before they did just that on yet another solid triple. That batter then later scored on an RBI single. The D-backs called on their closer, who had his own issues but was able to rein them in just in time. A lead-off single advanced 2 bases on defensive indifference and then scored on a 2-out single. A little dribbler up the middle allowed for an easy force out at 2nd and to hand the Diamondbacks the win after a big battle back-and-forth. Final score: 11-8 Diamondbacks, they advance to NLDS and will face the Dodgers in LA on Friday. Disclaimer: This doesn’t mean this is who I’m “rooting for” in each game, just which team I think will win each series. In fact, in one series, I’m hoping for the result to be reversed. Full disclosure: it’s not the Yankees-Indians series. During their warm-up day at Progressive Field in Cleveland, the Yankees took some time to meet with the media, and they announced their starters for the ALDS. Game 1 will be Sonny Gray, followed by Sabathia, Tanaka, and Severino. Tanaka is being saved for when the series moves back to the Bronx as his home record is way better than his road record. And if they hit Game 5, the Yankees will announce their starter then. It could be Montgomery or Garcia, or they could call on Gray on short rest or one of the long-relief guys in the bullpen like Cessa. It really depends on how big of competition the Indians will be in the first few games. Also, you can now “Vote Gardy” for Brett Gardner to win the Roberto Clemente Award, an honor given to a single player from all across the league who exemplifies excellence on the field and integrity and philanthropy off the field. Gardner is the Yankees nominee this season and deserves the recognition for being an excellent outfielder but also for his generous spirit and compassion in giving back to his home community in South Carolina and his work with the Yankees in the local New York area. Okay, here’s the annual blog post to wrap up the recent season and give a brief overview of what to expect in the postseason. And you’ll even get to hear my personal hopes (much more than predictions if I’m being honest) for how 2017 will turn out. First up, the Wild Card games. Yes, the Yankees are back in the postseason again and will face the Twins tomorrow night. If you remember, the Yankees swept the Twins just 2 weeks ago, outscoring them 18-6 over 3 games. The most consistent starter Luis Severino will start for the Yankees. Severino had 14 wins and 6 losses in 31 games (and 193.1 innings), with an ERA of 2.98 and 230 recorded strikeouts just this season. If Severino and the Yankees’ offense work out like they’ve been known to work this season, the Yankees will be ready to face the Indians. Okay, so here’s how the American League is set to play their Division Series. Boston, ending up 2 games over the Yankees, will face the Astros for their Division Series games. The Astros missed being the AL team with the most wins by a single game, falling short to the Indians who will face the winners of the Wild Card game. The National League games will start just a day after the AL games. The Wild Card game will be played between the Diamondbacks and the Rockies, who ended up just a game ahead of the Brewers for that spot. Like with the Twins, the second spot for both Wild Card games went to teams that were exactly 6 games behind the first spot teams (Yankees and Diamondbacks). The Cubs will play the Nationals in the NL Division Series, neither team coming close to the stellar season of 104 game wins the Dodgers had this season. So the Dodgers will face the winner of the NL Wild Card game. And you know how the season proceeds from there. The winner of the best-of-5-game series of each set will face each other for the best-of-7 championship series to figure out the winner of each league. And those two winners will face each other in the Fall Classic, also known as the World Series. Now, I don’t want to make my predictions too far in advance, so I’ll follow last year’s model and do a bit at a time. The AL Wild Card game is tomorrow night, and the NL Wild Card is Wednesday night. So we’ll start there. Once we have winners from each of those categories, it will be easier (or let’s be honest, usually less humiliating) to predict the next set of games beginning Thursday with the ALDS games and Friday with the NLDS games. Those games are of the 2-2-1 layout, so 2 games played, a travel day, 2 games played (if necessary), a travel day, and 1 game played (if necessary). The team that wins 3 games advances to the next round (the ALCS/NLCS). What’s your predictions? I try to remove my own bias (which is pretty much that the Yankees should be champions every single year), and be as objective as possible. However, this is my 5th year doing this blog, and honestly, this is the first year since 2012 that I’ve had any kind of hope that the Yankees could actually do something. Unfortunately, it’s all down to a game at a time, starting with tomorrow’s winner-take-all Wild Card Game. As a postscript to this post tonight, I am saddened that I must once again express my sympathies after another tragedy. Our hearts and prayers go out to the victims and the families off all those affected by the terrible tragedy in Las Vegas last night. The Mets’ AAA team plays in Las Vegas, the Vegas 51s, and several known current MLB players around the league grew up playing ball in its suburbs — Bryce Harper (Nationals), Kris Bryant (Cubs), Joey Gallo (Rangers), and the Yankees’ own Chasen Shreve. With three of those players heading into the postseason, I know their hometown isn’t far from their minds and hearts this October, as it won’t be from any of our own. We will continue to pray for healing, comfort, and peace for all those injured or affected by last night’s events as both the city and the nation recovers from this latest horror. And may I never have to write another condolence message like this one for as long as I live. Man, I am not doing well at all this postseason for my predictions. Though to be perfectly fair, all 4 Wild Card teams were relatively evenly matched with their opponent, so predicting which team for both wild card games was basically a toss-up anyway. And as is the case with any game, one team always has a 50-50 shot at winning and (oddly enough) a 50-50 shot at losing. So, the Giants flew across the country to visit the Mets for the NL Wild Card tonight in Queens. And it was a battle of the pitching greats: postseason icon Bumgarner vs. one of New York’s aces Syndergaard, or more commonly “Bum v. Thor”. And boy, was this a pitching duel, if I’ve ever seen one. It was just ridiculous. The first hit of the game wasn’t until the bottom of the 3rd off Bumgarner. But the first hit off Thor wasn’t until the 6th inning. Now, Thor (Syndergaard) threw 108 pitches through his 7 innings, giving up just 2 hits, 3 walks, and no runs, but what’s most impressive is his wicked 10 strike outs. Mets’ reliever Reed got himself into a bit of a jam in the 8th, precariously loading the bases in his inning, but getting out of it in the end. But then reliever Familia got into his own set of trouble in the 9th that had more disastrous consequences for the Mets. A lead-off double and a 1-out walk put runners on base so that a big 3-run home run by Gillaspie broke the 0-0 tied game. Two outs later, and the Giants were looking for their needed 3 outs to grab the win. They turned to the only person who can help them sail through this postseason. Their starter Bumgarner. Yes, Bum threw a beautiful complete game — 119 pitches, 4 allowed hits, 2 walks, 6 strike outs, and no runs for the win. Scary impressive for anyone who doesn’t remember the 2014 postseason. Tomorrow, the ALDS begins as the Wild Card champs Blue Jays face the AL leaders Rangers in the afternoon, and the Red Sox face the Indians for the night game. Friday the NLDS begins with tonight’s Wild Card victors Giants facing the Cubs in Chicago, and the Dodgers against the Nationals. ALDS: Rangers over Blue Jays in 5 games, Red Sox over Indians in 4 games. NLDS: Cubs over the Giants in 4 games, Dodgers over the Nationals in 5 games. And after the start of the postseason, I’m prepared to be really wrong again. So we have some Yankee news too, Yankee Universe. First, the special committee for the Hall of Fame has nominated 10 players, managers, and executives for a special vote this December during the Winter Meetings. (Nominees: players Harold Baines, Albert Belle, Will Clark, Orel Hershiser, and Mark McGwire; managers Davey Johnson and “Sweet” Lou Piniella; and executives John Scherholz, Allan H. “Bud” Selig, and George Steinbrenner.) Yes, Steinbrenner and Piniella are nominated for the Hall of Fame, and deservedly so. Nominees who receive at least 75% of the vote will be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame next summer. Also, today, Yankees GM Brian Cashman gave his annual “State of the Yankees” address for the media to give a few updates. CC Sabathia will get some corrective surgery on his knee. It’s been scheduled for some time to clean-up the area that was previously repaired in 2014. Other than Sabathia, Tanaka and Pineda are expected to fill 2 other starter spots next season, leaving 2 more vacancies on the rotation. Cashman expects to look for some arms in the off-season to fill these spots with some fresh talent. As previously predicted, there will be a few positions during Spring Training that will be a competition of sorts. First base is expected to be between Tyler Austin and the returning Greg Bird. And right field is up for grabs, between Aaron Judge, Aaron Hicks, and Rob Refsnyder. There’s always something else that no one expects to happen during Spring Training. It’s what makes March kind of fun — the unexpected. But I do expect a few interesting moves this off-season and a really good Spring. Expect the unexpected? Every day! Okay, so far, batting .000 here at Yankees Life for the postseason. But to be fair, I kind of struggled with my choice for the AL Wild Card prediction because both the Orioles and Blue Jays are fairly even matched. And this was certainly proved correct tonight where they were pretty even in every aspect — hitting, pitching, base-running, defense, relievers, and bench players. In fact, while some people were quipping this a “pitchers’ duel”, I couldn’t find myself supporting that moniker as it wasn’t about the pitchers for either team, as they relied rather heavily on their defense, which seemed well-versed in the other team’s nearly predictable play. Maybe this is the problem with having division rivals face off for these kinds of games, as they’ve faced each other quite a bit and are used to each other’s tactics. Anyway, the Baltimore starter Tillman got less out of the game than Toronto’s Stroman, only going into the 5th inning, while the Blue Jays starter threw 6 complete innings. Both managed to give up 4 hits and 2 runs in the process (evenly matched). In the bottom of the 2nd inning, the Blue Jays were the first to get on the board with a 1st pitch solo home run by one of their star hitters Bautista. It was a no-doubter right off the bat as it powered its way to the upper levels of the left field seats, and the nearly 50,000 blue-clad fans at Rogers Centre went crazy. And then the bullpens battled it out. And the tied game continued. The O’s cycled through 6 relievers for the rest of the night, while the Jays needed 5, and neither team was willing to go quietly into the night, though it felt like they might as they went into extra innings. In the bottom of the 11th, the Baltimore specialist reliever Duensing came on to strike out his batter, and then it got messy. The new reliever Jiminez threw just 5 pitches that changed the entire landscape of the game (much to the enjoyment of the Queen City sold-out crowd). The third pitch in an at-bat to Travis became an easy single. The next batter Donaldson turned the first pitch he saw into a single that put runners on the corners. And even a brief visit from the pitching coach could change what happened next. First pitch to the next batter Encarnacion became a 3-run walk-off home run to give the Blue Jays the Wild Card spot. Final score: 5-2 Blue Jays over Orioles in 11 innings. Now, even if there hadn’t been a Wild Card play-off game, the Blue Jays and Orioles would still need to have had a tie-breaker game for the Wild Card spot because they finished the season tied. So basically, this game was inevitable. And of the two teams, the Blue Jays are certainly known for their dramatics (can anyone say “bat flip controversy”?), so I guess it really makes sense. If they won it more traditionally, I think I’d almost be disappointed in them. Toronto’s fans and players have a tendency to bring the stereotypical exuberance of a hockey game to their baseball game, including things like trash-talking and showmanship. I don’t mind either in context, but I do mind when the trash-talking gets mean or at worst racist (as it did tonight when some fans hurled insults at black and Asian Baltimore outfielders, including actually throwing a full can of beer at them). And I do mind when showmanship becomes arrogant and like an 8-year-old taunting a kid on the playground. But you can be excited and cheer and even jeer without lowering yourself to levels beneath you. And that is class and keeps the game clean and fun for everyone. So, tomorrow is the NL Wild Card one-off game. And the Mets and Giants were really tight too and would’ve needed their own tie-breaker game. It was just this kind of season for most of the league. Okay, and I really hate that everyone keeps talking about how these Wild Card games are “winner take all” games. No, it’s not. That implies the winner of the game wins everything, and they don’t. They just get the chance to face the best team in their respective leagues. It’s a one-off game. And in this season, it’s much more of tie-breaker than it is anything else. Okay, today is the last day before we dive into the postseason. And while the Yankees aren’t in it, baseball continues on, and so must we. Tomorrow, the AL Wild Card game will be the Orioles against the Blue Jays in Toronto. Wednesday, the NL Wild Card game will be the Giants and Mets in New York. Then Thursday begins the AL Division Series. The winner of the AL Wild Card game will go play 2 games in Arlington against the AL leaders, the Rangers, while the Red Sox and Indians battle their first 2 games in Cleveland. The third game will switch back to the Wild Card winner and Boston, where they will continue until one team in each series wins 3 of the 5 games. On Friday, the NL Division Series starts following the same 2-3 location pattern, just a day later (mostly for broadcasting reasons). The Dodgers will face the Nationals in D.C. to start their series, and the winner of the NL Wild Card will play the Cubs first in Chicago. Looking ahead, the winners of the ALDS will play off in the ALCS beginning October 14, and the winners of the NLDS play off in their NLCS starting October 15. And the winners of each of those best-of-7 games will meet in the World Series, which begins October 25. Now, I’ve been having lots of conversations about my own predictions for this postseason. This is a bit difficult because most of the teams are pretty even in their potential to win this month. But I’m pretty sure I have a predicted winner, begrudgingly, I’ll admit. (But complete honesty here: when it’s not the Yankees, it’s always “begrudgingly”.) Before I jump too far ahead, we’re going to do this a series at a time. I say this every year, but these are just my own predictions, based on what kind of team I think these teams are both overall this season and where they are at this point. I’ve been really right, and I’ve been really wrong. And oddly, I’m okay with being wrong. It’s just personal opinion based on my observations (and often my own bias). And baseball is anything but predictable. So watch out, Chicago! You may have the only 100+ game wins in the league, but there are lot of games between now and that ring. There’s not one team that’s playing October baseball that’s going to let you have it so easily. And isn’t that how it should be anyway?

2019-04-22T13:25:53Z

https://yankeeslife.blog/tag/wild-card/

A complaint against an advocate has to be in the form of a petition. It has to be duly signed and verified as required under the Code of Civil Procedure. The complaint can be filed in English or in Hindi or in a regional language where the language has been declared to be a state language. In those cases where the complaint is in Hindi or in any other regional language, the State Bar Council shall translate the complaint in English whenever a disciplinary matter is sent to the Bar Council of India as per the Advocates Act. Every complaint shall be accompanied by the fees prescribed in the Bar Council of India Rules. The Secretary of the Bar Council may require the complainant to pay the prescribed fees if the proper fee has not been paid. He can also call the complainant to remove any defects and call for the particulars or copies of the complaint or other documents as may be considered necessary. On a complaint being found to be in order, it shall be registered and placed before the Bar Council for such order as it may deem fit to pass. No matter taken up by the State Bar Council (either suo motu or on a complaint made by other parties) for misconduct of advocates shall be dropped solely by reason of its having been withdrawn, settled or otherwise compromised, or because the complainant does not want proceed with the enquiry. Before referring a complaint for misconduct of an advocate to one of its Disciplinary Committees to be specified by it, the Bar Council may require a complainant to furnish further and better particulars or may call for comments from the advocate complained against, within a time to be fixed by it. Once the Bar Council has referred the complaint to a disciplinary committee, the Registrar should expeditiously send a notice to the advocate. The notice will ask the concerned advocate to show cause within a specified date, on the complaint made against him and to submit the statement of defence, documents and affidavits in support of the defence. It will also further inform him that in case of his non-appearance on the fixed date of hearing, the matter shall be heard and determined in his absence. Appearance usually includes appearance by an advocate or through a duly authorised representative. The Chairman of the Disciplinary Committee will fix the date, hour, and place of the enquiry. This date will not ordinarily be later than thirty days from the receipt of the reference. The Registrar has to give notice of the date, hour and place to the complainant or other person aggrieved, the advocate concerned, and the Attorney General or the Additional Solicitor General of India or the Advocate General, as the case may be. The notices shall, subject to necessary modification, be in Form Nos. E-1 and E-2. It shall be sent to the advocates appearing for the parties. Notice to a party not appearing by the advocate shall be sent to the address as furnished in the complaint or in the grounds of appeal. The cost of the notices shall be borne by the complainant unless the Disciplinary Committee otherwise directs. The notices may be sent ordinarily through messenger or by registered post and served on the advocate or the party concerned or his agent or other person as provided for in Order V of the Civil Procedure Code. Notice may also be sent for service through any Civil Court. Where the notice sent to any party cannot be served using the normal methods listed above, it may be served by affixing a copy in some conspicuous place in the office of the Bar Council, and also upon some conspicuous part of the house (if any) in which the party concerned is known to have last resided or had his office. Parties can appear in person or by an advocate who should file a vakalatnama giving the name of the Bar Council in which he is enrolled, his residential address, telephone number if any, and his address for service of notices. A Senior Advocate is entitled to appear with another advocate who has filed a vakalatnama. The Bar Council or its Disciplinary Committee may at any stage of a proceeding appoint an advocate to appear as Amicus Curiae. Such advocate may be paid such fee as the Council or the Committee may decide. Excepting when the Committee has otherwise directed, service on the advocate shall be deemed to be sufficient service on the parties concerned, even if copies of the notices are in addition sent to the parties, whether the parties have or have not been served. Unless otherwise indicated, where more than one Advocate appears for the same party, it is sufficient to serve the notice on any of them. If, in an enquiry on a complaint received, either the complainant or the respondent does not appear before the Disciplinary Committee in spite of service of notice, the Committee may proceed ex-parte or direct fresh notice to be served. Any such order for proceeding ex-parte may be set aside on sufficient cause being shown, when an application is made supported by an affidavit, within 60 days of the passing of the ex-parte order. The provisions of Section 5 of the Limitation Act, 1963 shall apply to this sub-rule. The Disciplinary Committee shall hear the Attorney General or the Additional Solicitor General of India or the Advocate General, as the case may be or their advocate and parties or their advocates. The matters can be heard and determined on documents and affidavits. Unless the committee is of the opinion that it should be in the interest of justice to permit cross-examination of the deponents or to take oral evidence, in which case the procedure for the trial of civil suits shall as far as possible be followed. a. Those of the complainant as C1,C2, etc. b. Those of Respondent as R1, R2,etc. c. Those of Disciplinary Committee as D1, D2, etc. The Disciplinary Committee may at any stage direct the parties or their advocates to furnish such further and better particulars, as it considers necessary. Any member of the Committee or any other person authorised by the committee shall record the evidence given before the Disciplinary Committee preferably in English. The evidence so recorded shall be signed by the Chairman or by any other member of the committee if the Chairman is not there. In the case where the records of evidence are in any other language than English and the same has to be sent to the Bar Council of India or its Disciplinary Committee, then the same has to be translated into English. Such a translation thereof in English has to be made by a person nominated by Committee or Registrar certifying the same to be true copy should also be sent. Every Disciplinary Committee shall make a record of its day-to-day proceedings. The Registrar of the Disciplinary Committee shall maintain a case diary setting out shortly in order of date, all relevant information concerning the date of filing, the date for hearing and despatch. The case diary shall also have the details of service of the notices on the parties or the Advocates or the Attorney General or the Additional Solicitor General or the advocate General as the case may be, of statements or petitions filed and/or of their order, and of other proceedings in the matter before the Committee. In the case of the death of the complainant during the enquiry proceedings (and if there is no representative who is willing to conduct the case), the Disciplinary Committee may having regard to the allegations made in the complaint and the evidence available, make a suitable order either to proceed with the enquiry or to drop it. In the case of an enquiry against one advocate only, on his death the Disciplinary Committee shall record the fact of such death and drop the proceedings. Where the enquiry is against more than one advocate, on the death of one of them, the Disciplinary Committee may continue the enquiry against the other advocate unless it decides otherwise. No disciplinary enquiry shall be dropped solely by reason of its having been withdrawn, settled or otherwise compromised, or that the complainant does not want to proceed with the enquiry. Unless otherwise permitted, counsel appearing before any of the Disciplinary Committees of the State Bar Council or Bar Council of India shall appear in court dress. The finding of the majority of the members of the Disciplinary Committee shall be the finding of the Committee. The reason given in support of the finding may be given in the form of a judgment. If there is a difference of opinion, any member dissenting shall be entitled to record his dissent giving his own reason. It shall be competent for the Disciplinary Committee to award such costs as it thinks fit. The Registrar of the Disciplinary Committee shall send, free of charge to each of the parties in the proceedings, a certified copy of the final order or judgment. The date of an Order made by the Disciplinary Committee shall be the date on which it is first received in the office of the Bar Council after all the members have signed it. For the purpose of limitation, the date of the Order shall be the date on which the contents of the signed Order are communicated to the parties affected. Certified copies of the records of a case pending before the Disciplinary Committee may be granted to the parties or to their counsel on an application made in that behalf and on payment of the prescribed fee. This is mandatory unless the Committee has directed otherwise. The Secretary of a State Bar Council shall send to the Secretary of the Bar Council of India, quarterly statements of the complaints received and the stage of the proceedings before the State Bar Council and Disciplinary Committees. The Secretary of the Bar Council of India may call for further statements and particulars as he considers necessary. The Secretary of every State Bar Council shall furnish such particulars and send such statements as may be considered necessary by the Secretary of the Bar Council of India for these purposes and send them all to the records of proceedings that stand transferred. The date of receipt of the complaint or the date of the initiation of the proceedings at the instance of the State Bar Council shall be the date on which the State Bar Council refers the case for disposal to its Disciplinary Committee. Where a State Bar Council makes a report, the Secretary of the State Bar Council shall send to the Secretary of the Bar Council of India, all the records of the proceedings, along with the report. An application by a person interested in the withdrawal of a proceeding shall sign the same. It shall set out the necessary facts supported by an affidavit and accompanied by the fee prescribed. In the proceedings before the Disciplinary Committee of Bar Council of India, the parties may appear in person or by an advocate who shall file a vakalatnama. On consideration of the report of a State Bar Council or otherwise, the Disciplinary Committee of the Bar Council of India shall pass such orders as it considers proper. An appeal to the Council from the State Bar Council shall be in the form of a memorandum in writing. If the appeal is in a language other than English, it shall be accompanied by a translation in English. In every appeal, all persons who were parties to the original proceedings alone, shall be impleaded as parties. In an appeal by the advocate against an order for misconduct, in case of death of the complainant, the legal representatives of the complainant shall be made parties. An appeal may be presented by the appellant or his advocate or by his recognised agent in the office of the Bar Council of India. It can also be sent by registered post, so as to reach the Secretary, Bar Council of India. The appeal has to be presented on or before the last day of limitation. Any appeal may be admitted after the period of limitation if the appellant satisfies the Disciplinary Committee that he has sufficient cause for not preferring the appeal within such a period. Any such application for condonation of delay shall be supported by an affidavit. The memorandum of appeal shall contain necessary particulars as in Form G. The memorandum of appeal shall state when the order was communicated to the appellant and how it is in time. (i) If there is only one respondent, five additional copies of the memorandum of appeal and of the order appealed against. (ii) If there is more than one Respondent, such number of additional copies as may be necessary. All copies shall be certified as true copies by the appellant or by his counsel. Every memorandum of appeal shall be accompanied by the prescribed fees in cash. If the papers filed in an appeal are not in order, the Registrar shall require the appellant to remove such defects within a specified time. The Chairman of the Executive Committee or in his absence the Vice-Chairman of the Executive Committee) or such other member authorised in this behalf by the Council) shall have the power to allocate matters relating to the Disciplinary Committee. Sometimes the Council allots a particular case to any one particular Disciplinary Committee. Any matter allotted to a particular Disciplinary Committee, which has not been heard, may be reallocated to a different Disciplinary Committee. The Chairman of any Disciplinary Committee shall have powers to issue interim orders on urgent matters which may be placed before him by the Registrar. Subject to any resolution of the Bar Council of India relating to the places of hearing, the Chairman of the Disciplinary Committee concerned shall fix the date, hour and place for the hearing of the appeal. The appellant shall be required to file six typed sets of the papers properly paged and indexed, if there is only one respondent. In case of multiple respondents, as many more sets as there may be number of respondents, for the use of the Disciplinary Committee and by the other parties and for the record. c. Any other part of the record as may be directed by the Committee. Where any of the above papers is in a language other than English, English translations thereof will be filed. The respondent shall, if he so desires, or if so called upon, file six sets of typed papers of any part of the record on which he intends to rely. He shall also file English translations of papers that are not in English. The Registrar shall give notices to the parties, informing them of the date, the time and the place of the hearing of the appeal. A copy of the memorandum of appeal shall be sent to the respondent along with the notice of the appeal. No appeal filed against an order of punishment of an advocate shall be permitted to be withdrawn on account of settlement or compromise or adjustment of the claim against the advocate. Every appeal filed by or against an advocate shall abate on the death of the advocate so far as he is concerned. The Registrar shall issue notice to the State Council concerned for the complete records to be sent to the Council. The Registrar of the State Council concerned shall send along with the records a list containing particulars under the following columns and comply with such other directions as may be issued. An application for stay shall be made by the applicant with at least five copies of the application, and the affidavit and as many additional copies as there are respondents. Where the application is not in English, five copies with translation in English shall also be filed. In every application for stay made to the Council, the applicant shall state if any application has been made to the State Council and the orders on the same. Before a matter is allotted to a Disciplinary Committee the registrar may obtain orders on applications for interim stay or other urgent applications from the Chairman of any of the Disciplinary Committees. The orders passed shall be communicated to the parties and to the Secretary of the Bar Council concerned. The Disciplinary Committee of the Bar Council of India shall exercise all the powers exercised by the Civil Court or Court of Appeal under C.P.C.

2019-04-20T08:28:41Z

http://www.barcouncilofindia.org/about/professional-standards/procedure-for-complaints-against-advocates/

Hematuria; Urinary Tract; Cystoscopy; Ultrasound; Urogram; Malignancy. Objectives: Visible hematuria (VH) is a common urological complaint. A history of initial or terminal VH in men is indicative of a lower urinary tract (LUT) source. A careful clinical history could limit unnecessary extensive upper tract imaging in this group of patients with VH. We conducted a single-center prospective study to examine the usefulness of investigating the upper tract in patients with a history of VH likely from a LUT source (initial and/or terminal VH) with specific reference to the incidence of demonstrable significant upper tract abnormalities. Methods: We conducted a single-center prospective study of consecutive male patients presenting with VH over eight months. All patients underwent standard investigations including physical examination, flexible cystoscopy (FC), and radiological imaging (ultrasound scan (USS) and/or computed tomography urogram (CTU)). Those with a clear history of initial or terminal VH were identified for further scrutiny with regards to detectable upper tracts abnormalities. Results: In total, 57 patients (aged 23–95 years) with initial or terminal VH were identified. Of these, 56 had FC and nine patients were subsequently diagnosed with a LUT malignancy. With regards to upper urinary tract (UUT), 35 patients (61.4%) had an USS, 46 (80.7%) underwent a CTU, and 25 (43.9%) patients had both. In this group, no UUT malignancy was identified on upper tract imaging. Conclusions: Initial or terminal VH patients may not need extensive upper tract imaging. FC is recommended, but a non-invasive USS can be a safe initial investigation for the UUT, with a CTU subsequently considered in those with abnormalities on USS and those with ongoing bleeding. Further combined multicenter analysis will help corroborate these findings and could have several beneficial outcomes including a reduction in investigations cost, patient inconvenience, and ionizing radiation. Hematuria is a common urological problem, which is typically categorized into non-visible (NVH) and visible hematuria (VH). The prevalence of NVH ranges from 0.9 to 2%. Up to 2.6% of the population will experience at least one episode of VH during their lifetime.1,2 Investigation of both NVH and VH, therefore, constitutes a significant proportion of the urology outpatient activity across all urological and radiological departments in the UK. Due to the strong association between VH and underlying urological malignancy, the British Association of Urological Surgeons (BAUS) and the National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (NICE) have recommendedd complete evaluation of both the lower urinary tract (LUT) and upper urinary tract (UUT) to exclude a urinary tract abnormality. This includes a detailed urological history, physical examination, blood tests, and urine examination. Additionally, most patients with VH require cystoscopic evaluation of the LUT combined with radiological imaging such as computed tomography urogram (CTU) and/or ultrasound scan (USS) for evaluation of the UUT.3–5 There is no clear consensus with regard to the most appropriate choice of upper tract radiological imaging for patients with VH. Thus, most units will manage all patients with VH in much the same way with little or no variation when assessing the UUT. The aim of this study, therefore, was to prospectively examine the usefulness of investigating the upper tract in patients with a history of VH likely from a LUT source (initial and/or terminal VH) with specific reference to the incidence of demonstrable significant upper tract abnormalities. We conducted a single-center, prospective evaluation of all consecutive male patients presenting with VH to East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust between September 2015 and April 2016. As per the departmental protocol for VH, all patients were managed in a standardized manner at presentation to a dedicated hematuria outpatient clinic at one of two hospital sites (within the same hospital trust). All patients were initially assessed by one of our experienced urological doctors, all of which had extensive experience in managing patients with VH and performing flexible cystoscopy (FC) procedures. All patients had their demographic and clinical data recorded using our departmental hematuria proforma including the nature and type of VH (painful or painless, initial, terminal or total, association with clots), presence of associated LUT symptoms, history of documented urinary tract infections, previous relevant medical and surgical history, occupational history, regular prescribed and non-prescribed medication (including anticoagulant therapy), family history, and other identifiable risk factors such as smoking. All patients also underwent a physical examination, including a digital rectal prostate assessment. As per international guidelines, all our patients with VH (of any type) were evaluated using a FC to assess the urethra, bladder, and prostate. However, to evaluate the UUT, a radiological imaging scan was organized (USS and/or CTU) but due to the lack of standardized recommendation in guidelines on which upper tract imaging to choose, the type of scan was left to the discretion of the urologist undertaking the hematuria assessment and FC. In addition, blood tests and urine tests (microscopy, culture, and cytological analysis) were performed based on the discretion of the examining urologist. For this study, all male patients presenting with VH, those with a clear history of initial or terminal VH were identified for further scrutiny with respect to upper tract abnormalities found on USS and/or CTU. The data was recorded on a spreadsheet, and simple statistical analysis was performed using Microsoft Excel. Figure 1: Age distribution of male patient cohort who presented with initial and/or terminal visible hematuria (n = 57; range 23–95 years; median 64 years). Figure 2: Flexible cystoscopy findings in the 56 patients who presented with visible hematuria (initial and/or terminal). A total of 311 consecutive male patients presented with VH to our hematuria clinics between September 2015 and April 2016. All patients underwent the investigations described in the ‘Methods’ sections. From this group, we further identified 57 (18.3%) patients presenting with VH, which was exclusively initial and/or terminal. This cohort with a clinical history suggestive of LUT bleeding represented the study group, which was subjected to more detailed analysis. The median age of this group was 64 years (range 23–95 years) [Figure 1]. The other 254 patients were excluded as the VH was ‘total’ in nature or the exact nature was ambiguous. Nine (16.1%) patients had evidence of an obvious bladder tumor. Nineteen (33.9%) patients had normal looking LUT. Sixteen (28.6%) patients had demonstrable enlargement of the prostate, occasionally with obvious increased vascularity involving the prostate (e.g., engorged vessels, contact bleeding on passage of the FC). Five (8.9%) patients had urethral strictures. One (1.8%) patient had bladder neck (BN) stenosis. Four underwent biopsies and histological analysis confirmed inflammation with no evidence of malignancy. In two cases this was presumed to be secondary to proven coliform infections. All 57 patients had subsequent radiological imaging to assess the UUT by either an USS (n = 35) and/or CTU (n = 46). No significant UUT abnormality was detected in any patient. We defined a ‘significant’ UUT as a diagnosis either of an UUT malignancy or a benign condition requiring treatment/intervention. Thus, in this cohort of patients with initial and/or terminal VH, no UUT malignancies were diagnosed at all. The results are summarized in Figure 3. Our analysis showed that 81 imaging scans were performed in 57 patients. An USS was performed on 35 (61.4%) patients. In these, the majority of USS (32/35) were reported as normal, while two patients had reports which commented on dilated renal collecting systems (on the subsequent CTU scans one result was reported as normal while the other confirmed benign extrarenal pelvis), and one (1.8%) patient had a 1.6 cm renal angiomyolipoma (AML). Of the 57 patients, 46 (80.7%) had a CTU performed. Of these, 42 (91.3%) patients had normal UUTs, two (4.3%) patients had scans that demonstrated bilateral tiny (2–3 mm), non-obstructing renal stones, one (2.2%) patient had an extrarenal pelvis, and one (2.2%) patient had a 1.8 cm renal AML. Furthermore, 25 of the 57 (43.9%) patients underwent both USS as well as a CTU. In this cohort with dual imaging, the majority (22/25) were reported as having normal upper tracts on both imaging modalities. Two patients had mild dilatation of the renal collecting system on the USS; however, the subsequent CTU was reassuringly normal. The other remaining patient had a 1.8 cm AML identified on both scans. Figure 3: Summary of results of the hematuria investigations (VH: visible hematuria; USS: ultrasound scan; CTU: computed tomography urogram; TCC: transitional cell carcinoma, BN: bladder neck; AML: angiomyolipoma). In this study, the work was based on the specific history of initial and/or terminal VH in male patients, which is considered indicative of bleeding from a LUT source such as the urethra, prostate, or BN.6 Although most urologists will record this detail, this clinically important information does not appear to influence subsequent management. In reality, most departments do not distinguish between patients where the history suggests LUT bleeding and those with other modes of hematuria presentation, such that all patients undergo the standard investigations. We examined the hypothesis that in this subgroup of patients with initial and/or terminal VH, significant upper tracts abnormalities are not commonly encountered. The EAU, BAUS, and NICE in their guidelines have stated that men with a history of microscopic and gross hematuria should undergo a urethrocystoscopy during diagnostic evaluation and it is clear from our analysis that examination of the LUT with a FC is mandatory. Reassuringly, in around a third of patients no LUT abnormality was encountered, while in another third, an enlarged and vascular appearing prostate was suspected to the source of bleeding, though this could not be proven at the time. Nevertheless, nine (16.1%) patients did have an underlying bladder tumor identified on FC, of whom eight underwent a transurethral resection of bladder tumor (TURBT) with histology confirming them malignant. The remaining patient refused to undergo a TURBT, but his urine cytology confirmed high-grade malignant cells. In this group of nine patients with a LUT malignancy, three had initial VH, while the remaining six had terminal VH. Other benign, but important diagnoses included urethral stricture disease in five, BN stenosis in one, and inflammatory changes in the bladder in a further six patients. Thus, FC examination in those with initial and/or terminal VH is essential and should be performed in all cases unless otherwise contraindicated. VH is still regarded as the most common presenting symptom for UUT cancers, though the frequency of detecting such tumors in patients with VH is low (0.7–1.6%).13–15 In our study, there were no UUT malignancies among patients with a history consistent with LUT bleeding, and one speculates, though without evidence thus far, that initial or terminal hematuria would be inconsistent with bleeding from higher up in the urinary tract. Total hematuria is more likely to be the mode of presentation for UUT pathology. Our study did demonstrate some inconsistencies in the use of USS and CTU. This was in part due to the availability of a one-stop hematuria service in one of our hospital sites, which facilitated an USS during the same initial consultation. USS is known to be quick, safe, and was reassuring normal in the majority of our cohort, and its use for the investigation of such patients appears justified. The diagnostic accuracy of CT performance is high with a reported sensitivity of 88–100% and specificity of 93–100% for UUT abnormalities.16–18 In our cohort, 46 (80.7%) patients underwent CTU imaging (2-phase reduced radiation scan using 100 mL intravenous Niopam 370 contrast) and the only additional pathology on CTU compared to USS was the finding of small (2–3 mm) non-obstructive renal stones in two patients. The sensitivity of USS for detecting kidney stones has been reported to be 64% to 96%.19,20 The two patients in our study with small renal stones were asymptomatic, and it is unlikely that the non-diagnosis of these small stones would have resulted in any significant adverse effect in the short-term given that contemporary practice is not to treat such stones. The current guidelines recommend UUT contrast imaging for patients with newly diagnosed bladder cancer if they are identified in the bladder trigone or if they are of high-risk potential.21 It is noteworthy that CTU did not demonstrate any UUT malignancies, even in our patients diagnosed with a bladder tumor. Though the addition of CTU to an USS in such patients does not appear to increase the detection rate of any significant UUT pathologies, we noticed the increased detection of incidental non-urological findings including diverticular disease, aortic aneurysm, liver and pancreatic cyst, inguinal hernias, and adrenal adenoma. This frequently encountered phenomenon is commonly referred to as victim of modernized imaging technology. There are additional benefits to decreasing reliance on CT scanning. CTU imaging, with its reported doses of 14.8–22.6 mSv per study, exposes patients to ionizing radiation equivalent to 150- and 1100-times the radiation dose from a conventional X-ray or around a year’s worth of exposure to radiation from both natural and artificial sources in the environment.22,23 Several recent technical modifications, including the acquisition of fewer scanning phases and lower dose parameters, have reduced the overall dose received but inherent risks remain. Similarly, there may be cost-saving implications to reducing the use of CT scanning. We estimated the direct cost of the 46 CTU scans in our small series at approximately £6555. If our study findings are corroborated in future studies, there is a potential significant cost-saving opportunity. To the best of our knowledge, this study is unique in investigating the value of UUT tests in male patients with a history of VH strongly suggestive of bleeding from a LUT source. It represents an area with immediate relevance to the day-to-day urological practice. Nevertheless, we acknowledge the limitations in our study, which is primarily attributable to its small size and limited follow-up period. The minor variations in practice demonstrated by attending urologists may have been a factor though this very much reflects the practical nature of hematuria assessment in most departments and, in our opinion, does not detract from the findings. Our preliminary study demonstrates that significant upper tract problems are not encountered in male patients with a clear complaint of initial and/or terminal VH where the history is suggestive of bleeding from a LUT source. Mandatory CT scanning may not be necessary in such patients, and initial management could primarily comprise of a FC and USS, with CTU only advocated in case of persistent VH. This approach does require corroboration by way of larger, multicenter prospective data collection. This has the potential to change practice by decreasing the need for unnecessary CT scans, reducing investigation costs, patient inconvenience, and radiation exposure while maintaining a low risk of missing a significant pathology in the UUT. The authors declared no conflicts of interest. No funding was received for this study. The abstract of the project was presented as an e-poster during the American College of Surgeons Annual Congress in San Diego on 24th of October 2017 and was chosen to be of exceptional merit. The full manuscript has not been published elsewhere. The author acknowledges that this research was submitted in partial fulfillment of his master’s degree (ChM) in Urology to the University of Edinburgh. The author would like to acknowledge and express how thankful he is to all colleagues at his work base for their contribution and continuous support in identifying and recording the information needed to conduct this study. 1.1King K, Steggall M. Haematuria: from identification to treatment. Br J Nurs 2014 May;23(9):S28-S32. 2. Grossfeld GD, Carroll PR. Evaluation of asymptomatic microscopic hematuria. Urol Clin North Am 1998 Nov;25(4):661-676. 3. I think I might have blood in the urine (haematuria). BAUS online information for patients. 2017 [cited 2017 October]. Available from: http://www.baus.org.uk/patients/conditions/2/blood_in_the_urine_haematuria. 4. National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. NICE Guideline [NG2]. Bladder cancer: diagnosis and management; 2015 Feb. 5. Babjuk M, Böhle A, Burger M, Compérat E, Kaasinen E, Palou J, et al. Guidelines on non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (Ta, T1 and CIS). European Association of Urology. 2015 [cited 2017 October]. Available from: https://uroweb.org/wp-content/uploads/EAU-Guidelines-Non-muscle-invasive-Bladder-Cancer-2015-v1.pdf. 6. Abarbanel J, Benet AE, Lask D, Kimche D. Sports hematuria. J Urol 1990 May;143(5):887-890. 7. van der Molen AJ, Hovius MC. Hematuria: a problem-based imaging algorithm illustrating the recent Dutch guidelines on hematuria. AJR Am J Roentgenol 2012 Jun;198(6):1256-1265. 8. Messing EM, Madeb R, Young T, Gilchrist KW, Bram L, Greenberg EB, et al. Long-term outcome of hematuria home screening for bladder cancer in men. Cancer 2006 Nov;107(9):2173-2179. 9. Chang SS, Bochner BH, Chou R, Dreicer R, Kamat AM, Lerner SP, et al. Treatment of Non-Metastatic Muscle-Invasive Bladder Cancer: AUA/ASCO/ASTRO/SUO Guideline. J Urol 2017 Sep;198(3):552-559. 10. Britton JP, Dowell AC, Whelan P, Harris CM. A community study of bladder cancer screening by the detection of occult urinary bleeding. J Urol 1992 Sep;148(3):788-790. 11. Alberg AJ, Kouzis A, Genkinger JM, Gallicchio L, Burke AE, Hoffman SC, et al. A prospective cohort study of bladder cancer risk in relation to active cigarette smoking and household exposure to secondhand cigarette smoke. Am J Epidemiol 2007 Mar;165(6):660-666. 12. Golka K, Wiese A, Assennato G, Bolt HM. Occupational exposure and urological cancer. World J Urol 2004 Feb;21(6):382-391. 13. Khadra MH, Pickard RS, Charlton M, Powell PH, Neal DE. A prospective analysis of 1,930 patients with hematuria to evaluate current diagnostic practice. J Urol 2000 Feb;163(2):524-527. 14. Mariani AJ, Mariani MC, Macchioni C, Stams UK, Hariharan A, Moriera A. The significance of adult hematuria: 1,000 hematuria evaluations including a risk-benefit and cost-effectiveness analysis. J Urol 1989 Feb;141(2):350-355. 15. Albani JM, Ciaschini MW, Streem SB, Herts BR, Angermeier KW. The role of computerized tomographic urography in the initial evaluation of hematuria. J Urol 2007 Feb;177(2):644-648. 16. Jinzaki M, Matsumoto K, Kikuchi E, Sato K, Horiguchi Y, Nishiwaki Y, et al. Comparison of CT urography and excretory urography in the detection and localization of urothelial carcinoma of the upper urinary tract. AJR Am J Roentgenol 2011 May;196(5):1102-1109. 17. Cowan NC, Turney BW, Taylor NJ, McCarthy CL, Crew JP. Multidetector computed tomography urography for diagnosing upper urinary tract urothelial tumour. BJU Int 2007 Jun;99(6):1363-1370. 18. Chlapoutakis K, Theocharopoulos N, Yarmenitis S, Damilakis J. Performance of computed tomographic urography in diagnosis of upper urinary tract urothelial carcinoma, in patients presenting with hematuria: Systematic review and meta-analysis. Eur J Radiol 2010 Feb;73(2):334-338. 19. Sinclair D, Wilson S, Toi A, Greenspan L. The evaluation of suspected renal colic: ultrasound scan versus excretory urography. Ann Emerg Med 1989 May;18(5):556-559. 20. Middleton WD, Dodds WJ, Lawson TL, Foley WD. Renal calculi: sensitivity for detection with US. Radiology 1988 Apr;167(1):239-244. 21. Babjuk M, Oosterlinck W, Sylvester R, Kaasinen E, Böhle A, Palou-Redorta J, et al; European Association of Urology (EAU). EAU guidelines on non-muscle-invasive urothelial carcinoma of the bladder, the 2011 update. Eur Urol 2011 Jun;59(6):997-1008. 22. Frush DP, Applegate K. Computed tomography and radiation: understanding the issues. J Am Coll Radiol 2004 Feb;1(2):113-119. 23. Nawfel RD, Judy PF, Schleipman AR, Silverman SG. Patient radiation dose at CT urography and conventional urography. Radiology 2004 Jul;232(1):126-132. 24. Brown FM. Urine cytology. It is still the gold standard for screening? Urol Clin North Am 2000 Feb;27(1):25-37. 25. Viswanath S, Zelhof B, Ho E, Sethia K, Mills R. Is routine urine cytology useful in the haematuria clinic? Ann R Coll Surg Engl 2008 Mar;90(2):153-155.

2019-04-20T14:53:09Z

http://www.omjournal.org/articleDetails.aspx?coType=1&aId=2156

Though she grew up as a peasant girl in eastern France, today, Joan of Arc stands as a symbol of the power that women can have, even in the military, despite the fact that many did, and still do doubt a woman’s success in a militaristic career. During the Hundred Years’ War, Joan of Arc helped lead the French army to numerous victories in several different battles. Of course, Joan had to adapt to the life of being a male, which led her to cut her hair and wear men’s clothing. While many didn’t believe in her divine guidance that was calling her to help the French become victorious and gain their homeland from the British, she was in fact able to succeed. In fact, she was sent to the siege at Orleans by King Charles VII and was able to end the siege in just 9 days, but not until she was able to convince and overcome the arrogance of the long-time generals. If you’ve ever wanted to read the life of a modern-day Joan of Arc, Elizabeth C. Newcume definitely comes pretty close. While she didn’t have any divine spirit calling her to fight, in September of 1847, Newcume made her way into the military at Fort Leavenworth in order to fight in the Mexican-American War. As a woman she needed to find ways to fit in, so she, just like Joan of Arc, dressed herself in male attire. Newcume was able to successfully battle against Native Americans in Dodge City, though she was eventually exposed to be a woman ten months later. Once it was made public that she was a woman, she was quickly discharged and was never allowed back in. Opha M. Johnson got her chance to make history on August 12, 1918 when the Secretary of the Navy publically granted total authority for females to enroll for clerical duty in the Marine Corps Reserve. With the news of this, Johnson wasted no time and the next day her name was on the list. Throughout the duration of WWI, only 304 more women enlisted. Most of these women were given jobs involving cooking, cleaning, learning to become nurses, and acting as secretaries. At the time, the women who enlisted were “freeing a man to fight.” Many of the women who took over these jobs allowed for more male soldiers to be sent to France. Opha M. Johnson, the first woman to enlist in the Marine Corps, was the first of the 18,000 women who enlisted in the Marines during WWII. In fact, women made up about half of the personnel at various bases throughout the U.S., as most of the men enlisted were sent to the west coast to fight against the Japanese. Born in Philadelphia, PA, on April 22, 1896, Loretta Walsh stands as the first woman in the U.S. to enlist in the Navy. By 1917, WWI had been going on for many years and Germany had just announced its plans to re-use unrestricted submarine warfare upon the Allies, including ships flying the American flag. With this said, the German u-boats ruined four American ships, killing fifteen people. Because of this, the U.S. merchant ships were then armed and told to attack any u-boats if necessary. All of this action attracted Walsh to enlist, and on March 17, 1917 she did so. A few days later, the eighteen year old became the first female Chief Yeoman. Once armistice was declared, Walsh was put on inactive reserve, but still carried out her duties as a yeoman. Even though women had been serving in the Navy decades before Walsh ever did, she was the first to have identical pay and benefits as the men. Those who enlisted before she did often worked as nurses and were treated as civilians, not military personnel. Walsh stands as the first of 13,000 women who would go on to enlist in the Navy. Today she is a very important piece of female history as well as naval history. Colonel Oveta Culp Hobby stands as the first woman to be awarded the U.S. Army Distinguished Service Medal, which she received in 1945. She was born in Killeen, Texas and attended Mary Hardin Baylor College for Women as well as the University of Texas at Austin to achieve two separate degrees. She soon married William Hobby who was an ex-governor of Texas as well as a publisher of the Houston Post. Hobby was given the job as one of the newspaper’s editors and often focused on the War Department’s Women’s Interest section. However, during the war manpower was falling short, so Hobby decided to join the Women’s Army Corps. These women were the first to wear uniform after the military nurses. She became a colonel and was soon awarded the Distinguished Service Medal, the first woman to ever receive the medal. Though many other females on the list are nurses, Lieutenant Elsie S. Ott was a specialized flight nurse. What makes her so important is the fact that she took part in the first intercontinental air evacuation flight in January 1943. The most surprising fact is that Ott had no sort of formal training in air evacuation and had never flown in an airplane before. Stationed at the 159th Station Hospital at Karachi, on January 26, 1943 she was told to prepare herself for the daunting task of taking care of five patients while in flight. Ott didn’t let this new unknown task allow for failure. For six days she took care of each patient until the plane arrived in Washington, D.C. By ship or some other sort of transportation, this journey would have taken months. Despite having to complete an unfamiliar task without any type of training, Ott succeeded and was rewarded for her great efforts. She was given the first Air Medal that was ever presented to a female and she was also given the opportunity to undergo formal flight nurse training. Not only did she properly take care of each patient, she paid money out of her own pocket to pay for their meals, and even found the time to write very detailed suggestions for flying patients from one place to another. Some of her recommendations included having readily available oxygen on planes as well as a small first-aid kit, and Ott even suggested a change in uniform for nurses, as a skirt was not very practical for the required duties. One of the many medically inclined females on the list, Cordelia E. Cook served as an Army Nurse Corps during WWII and stands as the first woman to receive two awards for her actions during the war: the Bronze Star and the Purple Heart. Cook was stationed in Italy and was able to successfully perform her duties as a nurse during a time of tough battles and swarms of wounded and dying soldiers. In 1943 First Lieutenant Cordelia E. Cook was awarded the Bronze Star, making her the first woman to ever receive such an award. Soon after, she was also given the Purple Heart, making her the first woman in history to ever receive two very honorable awards for her time and efforts given during WWII. Margaret Corbin fought in the American Revolutionary War, despite the status of women during her time. Born on November 12, 1751, Corbin lived the life of a normal woman of that era until she married John Corbin in 1772. They both fought alongside the hundreds of men battling against the British troops, most notably at Fort Washington in Manhattan. Though John was enlisted in the First Company of Pennsylvania Artillery, Margaret was not, but she was known as a camp follower, which was highly common for those who had husbands in the military. Her main role was to cook, clean, and provide for the soldiers; basically a housewife away from home. Annie G. Fox, born on August 4, 1893, was the first woman in the military to receive a Purple Heart for her courageous and outstanding performance in the Army Nurse Corps. Though the award was canceled due to a change in requirements, most notably the fact that to be given the Purple Heart, you have to be injured, she was still given the Bronze Star, which is almost always given for an act of bravery. Fox played a big role in helping U.S. soldiers during the attack on Pearl Harbor. Here, Fox was the First Lieutenant and Chief Nurse at Hickam Field, Oahu, Hawaii. As a nurse she was of course trained to take care of the injured and dying, but it is said that she bravely continued her job, even while extremely heavy bombardments were still taking place. She was able to properly administer anesthesia and was even able to teach the civilian volunteer nurses how to properly dress wounds. Fox was definitely calm under pressure and completed very meritorious acts for which she was given the Purple Heart. During WWII, about 964,409 Purple Hearts were awarded. Today, there is an estimated number of 287 Purple Hearts that have been given to women in the armed forces. Though discriminated against because of her gender, Walker pushed on, becoming the assistant surgeon in the Army of the Cumberland in 1863. During this time she was able to modify an officer’s uniform in order to properly travel alongside with soldiers. She was then made assistant surgeon to the 52nd Ohio Infantry but was captured in 1864 by the Confederates and released four months after. She then worked in Tennessee at a woman’s and orphan asylum. On November 11, 1865, she was awarded the Medal of Honor. It was taken away in 1917 (after she didn’t match up to the set standards at the time), but reinstated in 1977 posthumously. I'd add in Jessica Lynch, the woman who was the first female POW in the Iraq War. I wouldn't. AT the end of the day she didn't accomplish anything but get captured due to poor preperation on the Army Reserves part for their part time soldiers. True, but she put a face on the war that hadn't been there before. She became the face of injured POWs early in the Iraq War. And while it's true that Shoshana Johnson went through more, the fact that she's been ignored by the media, sadly, means she has less impact. It's a shame, too. That whole situation was due to an officer who ingnored everything ever taught a member of the military. Radios went down, GPS batteries died, an officer with a map, and a huge ego. It doesnt matter if they were active or reserve, he was an idiot. Shoshana Johnson deserves to be on this list over Jessica Lynch. Her capture was all but ignored, and hardly anybody remembers her name, even though she went through worse then Jessica Lynch. I want to say " Thank You To all Woman Who Gave Their All " You ought to mention Rear Admiral Grace Hopper, one of the first programmers of the Harvard Mark II computer, developing one of the first machine-independent programming languages. She is also credited for the term 'debug', after finding that moth got into a computer. She was awarded the Defense Distinguished Service Medal, the highest non-combat award possible, for her lifetime of service and contribution. You have her to partially thank for being able to read this. You missed Celita Kramer, the first female test pilot. She is in an exhibit at the Smithsonian for her achievements. Seems like Grace Hopper should of made the list!!! Really? 9 out of 10 most influential women in military history come from USA? What a load of… How about: Anne Josephe Theroigne de Mericourt, Bibi Sahib Kaur, Boudica, Candace of Meroe, Christina Gyllenstierna, Fastrada, Isabella of France, Julia Agrippina, Lyudmila Pavlichenko, Marina Raskova, Melisende of Jerusalem, Nadezhda Durova, Sabiha Gökçen, Queen Tamar of Georgia, Wang Cong'er, Zabibe, Princess Zhao of Pingyang. Google it up if you don't know who they are. None of these are from USA, and depending on your criteria, when taking these names into account, the list of the most influential military women wouldn't have any Americans left in top ten. Some of these women helped changing the outcome of battles that shaped the world. Many of these women stood up against the greatest military forces of the world. Some commanded armies. Some even commanded armies that consisted only of women. The post above claims that "For decades the women were not allowed in military" Which one? There has been women in military openly for thousands of years, continuously. My sil claims to be the first female paratrooper out of Fort Bragg (or wherever it is they jump out of airplanes.) Just saying. She did NOT tell her folks what she was up to, either. ummm, idk about that…women aren’t allowed to be paratroopers…it’s part of the DoD’s current laws regarding military personnel. Women in the US are not allowed to serve on the front lines of combat (at least not legally, meaning no females as paratroopers, air force combat controllers, navy seals, army rangers, infantry, etc). However, that rule should be changed, because realistically it is happening anyways, females are getting killed on the front lines of combat just as often as the men in Iraq, Afghanistan, etc. Realistically, it’s impossible to keep females off the front lines of combat because if a team is under attack, they sure as heck aren’t gonna send the females on the team to go “hide in the humV”, they’re gonna want another gun protecting their backs. Current DoD regulations lead to several combat operations cover ups in order to prevent court martials that wouldn’t be an issue if DoD would get rid of that regulation. I’m a PARATROOPER, have been such for over 20 years now and there have been plenty of us over the last 40 years. You need to educate yourself before you speak. We aren’t girls or ladies- we are Soldiers that have volunteered a second time (we are an all volunteer force). There are no short cuts- we dont get cuter, lighter chutes, we ruck, run, we go downrange- The school is the same, we all jump from the 34′ tower, use the same types of chutes, we all jump from the same aircraft- please stop demonstrating your ignorance. You must be joking. Of course you get short cuts, unless you think a “flexed arm hang” is the same thing as a “pull-up”. You ever looked at the difference between the scoring system on your PT test and the male one? I have no problem with female soldiers, but you damned sure do get some “short cuts”. Catalina de Erauso was an early 17th century Catalan woman who escaped from her convent, disguised herself as a man and served as a soldier in South America. She killed a few men in bar fights but ended up as a celebrity. Unlike Joan of Arc, the Pope gave her a special dispensation to wear men's clothing. Grace Hopper and Hanna Reitsch? I really think they should be in the list. I have a few additions however they would be more suited to army only. 1. Congresswoman Edith Nourse Rogers who in 1942 introduced a bill for the Women's Army Auxiliary Corps (WAAC) a quasi military group of volunteers that would fill in non combat roles such as administrative and combat service support clerics. Many of the women above were enlisted in to these jobs but they recieved thier oppertunity to do so because of her. The bill passed May 14, 1942. 2. General George C. Marshall, while not a woman it was his request that took Edith Nourse Rogers bill a step further. In 1943 General Marshall was Cheif of Staff and requested that congress make the WAAC a full status military branch of the Army and swelled Fort McCellan with a new generation of servicemembers. 4. Capt. Mary Morgan was the first woman to command a significant number of men in the Army. 5. Lt. General Claudia J. Kennedy the first woman in the Army to acheive so high a rank. For the Marines it was Lt. Gen. Carol A. Mutter, the Navy had Vice Admiral Patricia A Tracey, and the Air Force had Lt. Gen. Leslie F. Keene. This an issue that really bothers me. Ladies and Gentlmen, there is NO such thing as the “Congressional Medal of Honor”. Never has been, never will be. Interesting that so many media hacks of the world are unaware of this fact. Awarding of the medal does, indeed, require Congressional approval. Despite that, the official name of the award is simply “The Medal of Honor”. Oddly enough, it is also the only decoration awarded that is forever owned by the government. There are specific laws that protect it including prohibitions against its sale, its being faked, etc. The recipient, if alive, receives additional pay and the award is to be saluted when appropriate. Remember, “Medal of Honor”. Semper Fi! Thanks for the lesson on The Medal of Honor. Semper Fi, indeed! I’d personally like to thank all of the women who have contributed to the military including the ones who weren’t on the lists. Thanks for sharing your top 10. How about Brig. Gen. Cadoria? FIRST woman to lead an all-male battalion and the first African American woman to make the rank of General in the U.S. Army. She retired in 1990, one of only four female generals in the Army, and was the highest ranking one. I just want to thank you for this list AND for all the comments. I run a Girl Scout Day Camp and we are doing a “Strong Girls Strong Women” theme and this site and discussion has really helped me get some great women to teach them about. Thank you again. All of them except for Joan of Arc are ‘merican???????

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https://www.toptenz.net/top-10-women-who-changed-the-face-of-the-military.php

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THE ROAD AHEAD FOR TRUMP - It doesn't get much easier after the health care failure. A potential shutdown looms on April 29th - Trump's 100th day in office. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell on Sunday said he was confident the GOP could craft a deal to bring enough Democrats along in the Senate. But fights loom in both chambers over President Trump's proposed border wall, Planned Parenthood funding and military spending, to name just a few. And tax reform remains a highly challenging agenda item. Nancy Cook, Shane Goldmacher and Josh Dawsey report here on how the White House does not plan to outsource details of the plan to Congress as it did on health care. Instead, NEC Director Gary Cohn, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and other top West Wing aides will drive the package. But the issue is not really who writes the eventual bill but what's in it. 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That aligns him with Democrats and puts him on a collision course with the White House on this issue. ... Senate Republicans ... apparently are also planning a 'clean' bill for the whole government that rejects the president's spending cuts and has no non-budget policy riders. That puts them on a collision course with both the White House and House Freedom Caucus" Read more. SMALL BALL ON FIN REG - Cap Alpha's Ian Katz: "Coinciding with the start of baseball season, proponents of financial deregulation are embracing small ball as their main strategy. Gone is the chest-puffing rhetoric of repealing Dodd-Frank ... "In the aggregate, the changes will be substantial, and helpful to financial firms. But it will take a lot of bunts and singles - and time. Companies might not feel anything meaningful until next year" GOOD MONDAY MORNING - Big thanks to Victoria Guida for the great fill-in along with new MM'er Aubree Eliza Weaver. Had an amazing birthday in Miami featuring a blistering Radiohead show and dinner at Yardbird in South Beach. Get there if you haven't. Order the chicken, waffles and watermelon. Life changing. Email me on bwhite@politico.com and follow me on Twitter @morningmoneyben. Email Aubree on aweaver@politico.com and follow her on Twitter @AubreeEWeaver THE GLOBAL POLITICO PODCAST: 'THIS THEORY WE DIDN'T DO ANYTHING': In an exclusive new interview for The Global POLITICO, Obama's top homeland security adviser Lisa Monaco talks about the Russia hacking of 2016 and whether the White House should have talked more publicly about it before the election. Plus: her thoughts on how Trump is undoing their counterterrorism policies "with the stroke of a pen." Listen and subscribe on iTunes. Pro Health Care Briefing: Drug Safety and the Trump FDA - Join the POLITICO Pro Health Care team and experts as they discuss: How will changes to the FDA drug approval process protect safety, promote efficacy, maximize appropriate prescribing, and pass on cost savings to patients and taxpayers? What are the challenges and possible benefits of relying on surrogate markers to determine drug effectiveness and side effects? How can real-world data inform changes in the FDA? Wednesday, 8 a.m., The Mayflower Hotel. RSVP: here. THIS MORNING ON POLITICO PRO FINANCIAL SERVICES Lorraine Woellert on the CFPB's legal fight to remain independent - and to get Morning Money every day before 6 a.m. - please contact Pro Services at (703) 341-4600 info@politicopro.com DRIVING THE WEEK - President Trump on Monday meets with brutal Egyptian strong man Abdel Fattah Al Sisi, a head of state never invited to the Obama White House ... Trump's bigger foreign policy moment comes at the end of the week when he meets with Chinese President Xi Jingping at Mar-a-Lago on Thursday and Friday ... Consumer Bankers Association annual meeting begins Monday in Dallas and runs through Wednesday ... Fed governor Dan Tarullo's last day at the central bank is Wednesday ... SCOTUS nominee Neil Gorsuch is expected to be confirmed by Friday even if it requires Senate Republicans to invoke the "nuclear" options and blow up the SCOTUS nominee filibuster rule ... House Financial Services has a hearing Tuesday at 10:00 a.m. on the Fed, one on Wednesday at 10:00 a.m. featuring CFPB director Richard Cordray and another on Thursday at 9:15 a.m. on reforming the financial regulatory system ... Senate Banking on Tuesday at 10:00 a.m. is expected to approve Jay Clayton to be SEC Chair .. On the data front: ISM manufacturing Monday at 10:00 a.m. is expected to dip to 57.1 from 57.7 ... ISM Non-manufacturing on Wednesday at 10:00 a.m. expected to dip to 57.0 from 57.6 ... March jobs report at 8:30 a.m. Friday expected to show a gain of 178K with unemployment unchanged at 4.7 percent and hourly earnings up 0.2 percent MULVANEY ON GROWTH - On his radio show this weekend, Larry Kudlow interviewed OMB Director Mick Mulvaney who called the CBO's projected growth rate of 2 percent "depressing" and that the White House figure would be higher. "Economic growth solves all of our problems," he said. Listen here. TRUMP ON CHINA/UNILATERAL ACTION ON N KOREA - Trump in an interview with the FT on President Xi: "I have great respect for him. I have great respect for China. I would not be at all surprised if we did something that would be very dramatic and good for both countries and I hope so. ... "[W]e will talk about North Korea. And China has great influence over North Korea. And China will either decide to help us with North Korea, or they won't. And if they do that will be very good for China, and if they don't it won't be good for anyone. ... [I]f China is not going to solve North Korea, we will. That is all I am telling you." "It is all about trade. How do you bring China's trade surplus down quickly? By telling China that we cannot continue to trade if we are going to have an unfair deal like we have right now. This is an unfair deal. Are you going to equalise tariffs? I don't want to talk about tariffs yet, perhaps the next time we meet. So I don't want to talk about tariffs yet. "[W]hen you talk about currency manipulation, when you talk about devaluations, they are world champions. And our country hasn't had a clue, they haven't had a clue. The past administration hasn't had and many administrations - I don't want to say only Obama; this has gone on for many years - They haven't had a clue. But I do." Full interview. ONE PROBLEM with this interview: China is no longer devaluing its currency and hasn't been for a decade. Read more. ** A message from Morgan Stanley: Morgan Stanley helped All Aboard Florida raise capital needed to develop Brightline, an express, intercity rail connecting Southern Florida. The project won't just reduce travel time-it's projected to add up to hundreds of millions in tax revenue over the next several years1. Learn more at morganstanley.com/brightline. Capital creates change. ** TOOMEY STEPS UP TALK ON FIN REG - POLITICO's Victoria Guida: "Sen. Pat Toomey launched an opening salvo in his bid to increase the scope of financial regulations that Congress could target for elimination. The Pennsylvania Republican asked the [GAO] ... to determine whether the Congressional Review Act, which allows lawmakers to strike down certain regulations, could be used to overturn informal regulatory guidance as well. "The statute has never been used to cover agency guidance, and a number of lawyers told POLITICO that while it's a reasonable interpretation, it's not a given. Toomey's move demonstrates that congressional Republicans are willing to consider every conceivable path to rolling back regulations that they find excessive or burdensome" Read more. CHINA PREP - NYT's Mark Landler: "When ... Trump welcomes President Xi ... to his palm-fringed Florida club for two days of meetings on Thursday, the studied informality of the gathering will bear the handiwork of two people: China's ambassador to Washington and Mr. Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kushner. "The Chinese ambassador, Cui Tiankai, has established a busy back channel to Mr. Kushner, according to several officials briefed on the relationship. The two men agreed on the club, Mar-a-Lago, as the site for the meeting, and the ambassador even sent Mr. Kushner drafts of a joint statement that China and the United States could issue afterward." Read more. ROSS SAYS HE DIDN'T KNOWINGLY LEND TO SANCTIONED RUSSIANS - Bloomberg's Mark Niquette: "U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross said he's not aware of the Bank of Cyprus Pcl having any significant dealings with Russians or other individuals and entities under U.S. sanctions while he was on its board of directors. "Ross, 79, resigned as vice chairman and member of the bank's board on March 1 after he was confirmed to his position in President Donald Trump's cabinet. Ross said in response to questions about the bank's business with Russian entities that no large loans he approved knowingly went to a person under sanctions. "'None of those loans went to anybody with sanctions that I'm aware of,' Ross said on CNN's 'State of the Union' on Sunday. 'Nor were there any great big deposits from sanctioned parties that came in while I was involved that I was I aware of.'" Read more. CENTRAL BANKS SAY BYE TO EURO - FT's Claire Jones: "Central banks are dumping euros amid concerns over political instability, weak growth and the European Central Bank's negative interest rate policy - and favour sterling as a long-term, stable alternative. "According to a survey published Monday of reserve managers at 80 central banks, who together are responsible for investments worth almost ���6trn, the stability of the monetary union is their greatest fear for 2017. The results ... show some respondents have cut their entire exposure to the euro, while others have reduced their holdings of investments denominated in euros to the bare minimum" Read more. COMPANIES URGE EMPLOYEES NOT TO BORROW FROM 401(K)S - WSJ's Anne Tergesen: "American companies are trying to stop employees from raiding their 401(k)s, in an attempt to ensure that older workers can afford to retire and make room for younger, less-expensive hires. Employers of all types - from Home Depot Inc. to a mortgage lender - are taking steps to better inform workers of the financial implications of borrowing from their retirement accounts and pulling the money out when they leave jobs" Read more. TESLA SEES RECORD DELIVERIES IN Q1 - Bloomberg's Dana Hull: "Tesla Inc. set a record for deliveries and production in the first quarter, beating analysts' estimates as Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk prepares to begin building the Model 3 in July. "The maker of electric cars and energy-storage devices shipped just over 25,000 vehicles in the year's first three months, Palo Alto, California-based Tesla said in a statement Sunday. That topped the average forecast of 24,200 from three analysts and should bolster confidence in Tesla's target of delivering as many as 50,000 autos in this year's first half." Read more. CREDIT SUISSE TAKES ACTION AFTER OFFICE RAIDS - Reuters' Paul Sandle: "Credit Suisse has taken out adverts in British Sunday newspapers stressing a zero-tolerance policy on tax evasion, as the Swiss bank tries to limit any damage to its reputation from raids on three of its offices. "Zurich-based Credit Suisse was pulled into an international tax evasion and money laundering investigation on Thursday when coordinated searches were carried out on its London, Paris and Amsterdam offices. The ads, which appeared in the Sunday Times, Sunday Telegraph and Observer, stated they were a 'response to recent reports about tax probes in various European countries.'" Read more. IRAQ MOVES CLOSER TO BECOMING INVESTMENT HOT SPOT - CNBC's Dawn Kissi: "War-torn Iraq recently got an unexpected boost on its way to becoming an investment hot spot, which may take its next step sooner than conventional wisdom suggests. Even as military forces wage a fierce offensive against ISIS, global ratings agency Fitch upgraded last month Iraq's outlook to stable, based largely on the country's improving public finances" Read more. APPLE SCORES AMID RENEWED INTEREST IN TECH STOCKS - WSJ's Ben Eisen: "Apple Inc. shares sported their best quarterly performance in five years, up 24 percent in the first three months of 2017, showing how some once-lagging trades have come back with force. "The tech giant added $144.8 billion to its market value in the first three months of the year as its shares set all-time highs. The only time an S&P 500 company has added more to its market capitalization in a single quarter was when Apple itself did so in the first quarter of 2012" Read more. CITIGROUP DROPS IN BRANCH RANKING - FT's Ben McLannahan: "Citigroup has dropped out of the top 15 banks by branches in the US, underscoring its post-crisis shift upmarket as it focuses on serving wealthier customers at home and abroad. "Citi ranked 16th by number of branches in the US with 756 at the end of June last year ... putting it in a peer group with Huntington Bancshares of Birmingham, Alabama, and Woodforest, based in The Woodlands, Texas. In 2009 Citi ranked five places higher with 1,049 branches, rubbing shoulders with Fifth Third of Cincinnati and Toronto's TD" Read more. ALSO FOR YOUR RADAR - ICYMI: BANNON'S MILLIONS - POLITICO's Josh Gerstein and Darren Samuelsohn: "Steve Bannon, a top adviser to ... Trump, earned more than half a million dollars last year from entities linked to a pair of major conservative donors, according to documents released by the White House detailing the personal finances of its officials. "Bannon reported an ownership stake of $1 million or more in a data-crunching firm that did work for Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) during the presidential race. He also took in $191,000 in consulting fees in 2016 as executive chairman of the conservative media website Breitbart News" Read more. MEET DAN GILBERT - Ron Fournier in Crain's: "If you want to truly understand Dan Gilbert, ask him about fatherhood." Read more. A BANKER WHO LIKES DODD-FRANK - Amalgamated Bank CEO Keith Mestrich in The Hill: "[S]ome federal lawmakers insist the regulations formed in the wake of the crisis are holding markets back - claims which fly in the face of reality. These lawmakers are demanding a rollback of the Dodd-Frank Reform Act, despite the protections it offers to both consumers and our national economy. "The opponents of oversight and regulation insist the 'red tape' of Dodd-Frank's reforms are driving up mortgage and credit costs for consumers, even though the costs are consistently hitting record lows" Read more. ** A message from Morgan Stanley: When All Aboard Florida wanted to bring an innovative express, intercity railway to Florida, Morgan Stanley helped it raise capital to make the project happen. The new Brightline trains are expected to cut travel time across Southern Florida by about an hour, while potentially creating over 10,000 jobs on average per year during construction1. All with zero projected taxpayer subsidies1. Capital creates better connections for people, communities and cities. Read the whole story at morganstanley.com/brightline. Capital creates change. Please click here and follow the steps to unsubscribe.

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