text:
He has some poignant advice for people who carry concealed weapons.
Advice to legal CCW license-holders:
Most states now issue CCW licenses to non-police citizens with no criminal record. In those states, CCW licenses cannot be arbitrarily denied. They' re not hard to get, for the most part. The CCW license itself does not require the holder to carry a concealed gun, nor, for that matter, to even own a gun! It simply gives him the option, at his discretion.
Some states, such as FL, have had their CCW statute in place for several decades now. In other states, such as WI, its passage and implementation is very recent.
A few states legally require all CCW License holders to "promptly inform" police officers with whom they come in close contact (such as in a traffic-stop) of their legally-armed status. Most states have no such requirement. Even where there is such a requirement in law, the manner in which it is to be actually carried out by the CCW licensee is not specifically described.
Most individual police officers and police executives have no objection to these "shall-issue" CCW laws, and have in fact, secured CCW licenses for their own spouses and other eligible family members. However, some officers, even entire departments, still exhibit a depraved anti-gun agenda that has led to unnecessarily disagreeable, even menacing, confrontations with legitimate CCW licensees.
Here is my advice to CCW licensees:
1) Be in bed by ten o'clock! Police regard those who are up and about late at night as less respectable, and more dangerous, than "normal" people, who sleep during the night and are active during daylight hours. A " nocturnal" life-style is fraught with peril and unhappiness!
2) Have a "normal" appearance. Police officers automatically focus on " unusual" things and circumstances. That's their job! Simply looking " normal" goes as long way toward putting police officers at ease. Who insist on covering themselves with tattoos, dyeing their hair purple, and having a " face-by-Ace-Hardware" will discover that they garner a great deal of attention, most of it unwanted.
3) Keep your pistol discreetly concealed, and don't talk about it. The vast majority of people with whom you associate should never know it is there.
4) Stay away from places where people are in a highly-emotional state. Emotionally-charged sporting events, political rallies, picket-lines, et al are good places not to be. When confronted by highly-emotional people, politely disengage and withdraw.
5) Don't hang-out with boisterous, slatternly, rowdy people, nor with people who have been drinking excessively. They will have a unhappy evening. Don't join them!
6) Be a courteous, cautious, conservative driver. Don't speed and don't show-off. Who do had better get used to talking with police!
7) When pulled over in traffic by police, don't voluntarily bring up the subject of guns, unless required by law.
In that case, put it something like this, "Officer, I have a permit. Would you like to see it?" Drive a " normal-looking" car.
Be polite, but boring. Don't "interrogate" police. Answer questions truthfully, but don't be chatty. Don't volunteer information. Don't answer questions that weren't asked! When around police, don't verbalize the term, "gun."
When berated, even threatened, by police, do not answer in kind. Remain calm and polite. Indicate to them that you want to talk with their supervisor. When bombarded with accusations and threats, indicate to them that you want your lawyer personally present before answering any further questions. Repeat as necessary.
9) Don't fail the "attitude test!" Displaying a belligerent, arrogant, combative attitude around police will almost certainly lead to caustic confrontations and a cheerless evening. Be always even-tempered, polite, reasonable, and in-control, never loud and defensive.
Here is my advice to my brother police officers:
1) Get over it! It's the law now. Your personal opinion is irrelevant. Besides, no class of citizens represents less of a threat to police officers than do legal CCW license-holders. They are the ones we should fear least!
2) Don't ask legally-armed citizens why they own, and carry, guns. Frankly, it's none of your business! They are merely exercising their rights as Americans and as citizens of your state. It is no different than attending the church of their choice or writing letters to their Congressman. None of those activities are immoral, nor illegal.
3) Don't pointlessly humiliate and denigrate people legally carrying concealed guns. No legitimate purpose is served by stripping them of their dignity by disarming them in public and in front of their families and friends.
Legally concealed guns need to stay in holsters, out of sight, and out of conversation. The last thing you want is a gun being waved around inside a car, because you indicated that you "wanted to see it!"
A little respect goes as long way, both ways!


text:
Useful Devices
Reviewed By C Bertram P (MANTEO, NC) Reviewed for a 2011 Ford F-150 —2/2/2017 6:51 AM
These brackets made attaching my 22" LED lightbar to the Aries Bull bar I recently purchased a snap! There was a bit of adapting to fit the lightbar to the 16" pre-drilled holes, but making spacers was no big deal. Thanks!

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Review Group Week 202 - HELLBOY: THE BRIDE OF HELL
Hey you! Reader! Want to be a part of the GREATEST COMIC BOOK AND GEEK COMMUNITY on the web?! Well, they're not accepting new members, but we'll take anyone here, so why not sign up for a free acount? It's fast and it's easy, like your mom! Sign up today! Membership spots are limited!*
*Membership spots not really limited!
Hey you! Reader! Want to be a part of the GREATEST COMIC BOOK AND GEEK COMMUNITY on the web?! Well, they're not accepting new members, but we'll take anyone here, so why not sign up for a free acount? It's fast and it's easy, like your mom! Sign up today! Membership spots are limited!*
*Membership spots not really limited!
by Garofani Spruzzo » Wed Dec 23, 2009 10:35 pm
I was pretty sorry that wasn't picked up. I think someone said it was a one-shot only, but I found the site where they solicited opinions of it as a pilot for a series. That would've been excellent.
by john lewis hawk » Wed Dec 23, 2009 10:39 pm
I don't if Giamatti would've stayed on though if it became a series.
by S.F. Jude Terror » Wed Dec 23, 2009 10:41 pmI'll be making my monthly trip to the comic shop on Saturday, so I'll pick up this and the Walt Disney Comic I missed as well, and review both then.
by Garofani Spruzzo » Wed Dec 23, 2009 10:50 pm
It's hard to say--it would be pretty easy work for a (probably) small number of episodes.
He's excellent in that pilot, but could be replaced.
by Garofani Spruzzo » Wed Dec 23, 2009 11:03 pmI liked the issue, but I never review after only one read. It's a solid one-shot, though, trade-waiters needn't worry. The back cover advertises it and 8 other one shots as a cure for crossover fatigue. Smart. Know that I know that Goon issue is a oner too, I'll probably pick that up.
Poop potato!
by Old Man » Wed Dec 23, 2009 11:30 pm
I understand what you are saying, but really, if a business is barely surviving from week to week, it is inevitable that they will crash and burn anyway. My LCS is the biggest in Toledo, Ohio, and it wouldn't surprise me if it closed. And I think it is the biggest because it is also a gaming shop. Lot of Warhammer guys.
by Old Man » Wed Dec 23, 2009 11:33 pm
Isn't Goon essentially a semi-annual book now? The issue in November was the first in about 6 months.
by Garofani Spruzzo » Thu Dec 24, 2009 9:10 am
I'd've bought it if I'd known it was totally stand-alone.
Dark Horse and other companies should promote more of their established series to new readers by reprinting an issue or one-shot at a lower than normal cover price (dare I say $1?). I've tried random issues of stuff from my LCS' dollar bin, and often it leads to me buying up the trades if I like the sample. Fear Agent and The End League, for example, are both books I've bought up on the strength of a single issue in the cheapo bin that didn't even make much sense taken out of context but make me want to know more.
This one-shot reminded me of the Hellboy FCBD issue, which is what make me think of that. I think Vertigo's $1 issues really pay off for them.
by Mr_Batman » Thu Dec 24, 2009 4:32 pmI haven't had internet access the past couple of weeks, nor have I gone to my LCS. But I'll be going next week for BN 6, so I'll get stuff
by Jess Nukem » Thu Dec 24, 2009 6:49 pmI've already read the comic but didn't buy it since Hellboy's not my cup of tea. But Richie Corben totally drew the heck out of that thing. I would freakin' love a Hulk vs Thing fight sequence drawn by him someday. He is seriously the MAN.
by thefourthman » Sat Dec 26, 2009 12:37 pmHey Amlah, are you gonna start a new thread for webcomics recommendations? Are you gonna do that soon? It would be helpful like before the thread goes up. Especially since I might be able to make one or two happen for right away. Also, would this not be a good kind of thing to do a drive with in the Asylum?
Also, the rest of you suck. Where are the reviews?
by guitarsmashley » Sat Dec 26, 2009 1:54 pm
I've had no time to myself.
by guitarsmashley » Sat Dec 26, 2009 2:42 pmThat was disappointing. That's all I can say right now. It was maybe the weakest Hellboy story I've read in a long time or just maybe the weakest Helboy story period. I need some time and maybe a re-read.
by Garofani Spruzzo » Sat Dec 26, 2009 4:47 pm
Post a review before you say that, suck-ass!
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Preliminary replacement for gtkftpd FTP server
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Joined: 17 Jun 2005
Posts: 250
Posted: Sun 26 Jun 2005, 04:39
Post subject:
Preliminary replacement for gtkftpd FTP server
I can't get gtkftpd to work properly for me so I started looking for an alternative and decided to use betaftpd.
Despite its name it's not beta software, although it is pretty old. It will this will work for me although I'd like some feedback to make sure we can make it useful for most.
I had to mess with the code because it wouldn't compile under Vector Linux 5 STD, but I finally have it running in puppy.
The advantages first:
- doesn't require inetd or xinetd which is not available in puppy (in fact it won't work with inetd or xinetd)
- small: the executable I have is about 35k uncompressed, the author claims it can be reduced down to 20k although it's with an older compiler.
- fast and memory efficient
- easy to configure (there is no configuration to speak of)
- can be started at power up as a background daemon
- anonymous ftp works
The disadvantages:
- it doesn't have command line options, so if you want a feature it needs to be compiled in, and if it's compiled in it can't be turned off. The biggest feature where I could se this being a problem is with allowing uploads.
For my own use I want to allow uploads so I will compile it with uploads enabled, but that means that you can't prevent people from uploading to your server.
- when you log in, the root directory is that user's home directory. If you want to limit access to a particular directory you need to create a user and make that directory the user's home
- it will not let root log in, although I can remove that limitation by changing the program.
- it will not let a user log in that doesnt't have a password. I can probably remove that limitation althoguh my first attemt at doing so failed.
The two points above make sense from a security point of view, however in puppy you are generally the root user and that account doesn't have a passord. In fact passwd doesn't seem to wrok on root or spot.
I'm still playing with this and trying to figure out how it should be configured but I'm thinking about doing the following:
The install script asks you if you want to allow anonymous ftp. if yes, it creates a new user "ftp" with its home directory in /root/ftp (I have been thinking about changing the name of the anonymous user to "rover" in the code
The install script asks if you want to create a passworded user and creates a new user with its home directory under root, for example /root/papaschtroumpf
menu entries in the WM menu: (or maybe a single entry that calls a script with the different options)
- start ftp server
- stop ftp server
- run/don't run at boot
- add user
when you choose any of those you'd get a pop up message that confirms it was started/stopped or would offer to toggle the boot state.
I'm not sure exactly how to write the add user, but basically it would create a new user with a home directory under /root, for example /root/papaschtroumpf
This way you can choose to have anonymous ftp fo everyone, and a few private accounts for your friends. each friend gets their own directory though, so you can't have friend A upload a file and friend B pcik it up, unless they know each other's password or use the anonymous account if it's there.
Personally, the main reason I want an FTP server is to use as a "poor man's Samba" so I only plan to use the anonymous account.
Let me know what you think.
Mandriva LE 2005 user and puppy newbie
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Posts: 250
Posted: Sun 26 Jun 2005, 04:52
Post subject:
Here's the current version of the server, although it's subject to change.
EDIT: mozilla couldn't upload the file while running from puppy???? will try again from another machine.
OK I figured it out, I didn't have an extension to the file because I didn't tar.gz it. Well it gave me a chance to test my theory of using FTP as a replacement for Smaba: I opened a browser and used anonyous ftp to retrieve the file from puppypc to the machine I'm using now.
1) place it somewhere (I'm thinking /sbin?)
2) for anonymous FTP create a user called ftp with the home at /root/ftp:
adduser -h /root/ftp ftp
(will prompt you for a password but ftp will ignore it since it's the anonymous account)
3)run the server by clicking on it or on the command line:
./betaftpd &
Logging is not working, I thought I had enabled logginf to /var/log/... I'll look into it. I'm not sure how I feel about logging anyway, since it could be filling RAM with logs when booting from a CD with no HD access.
This is still in the experimental stage, so use at your own risk
Also betaftpd supports shadow passwords but I don't think this version has that option enabled.
Finally I think that I may hack the program has follows:
- allow user "root" to log in
- don't allow user root to log in without a password, however since I puppy root doesnt't have a password, when you try to log in as root, the server will look up a "dummy root user" and try to match the password entered to the password of the dummy user, even though it will share everything in /root
experimental - see setup instructions in the post above. I will make a dotpup and/or unleashed once everything is sorted out.
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Last edited by papaschtroumpf on Sun 26 Jun 2005, 05:18; edited 1 time in total
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Official Crustacean
Joined: 04 May 2005
Posts: 15240
Location: Paradox Realm
Posted: Sun 26 Jun 2005, 05:04
Post subject:
I think my medication must be wearing off because I could not find the file - did you teleport it in some unusual manner?
I appreciate you are green - but are you related to Papa Smurf? What style of Karate do Smurfs do incidentally? I used to do Mugendo and Mushindo - but I was rubbish - people used to attack me all the time - sometimes even during the class.
YinYana AI Buddhism
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Posts: 250
Posted: Sun 26 Jun 2005, 05:21
Post subject:
I had trouble uploading the file because I hadn't tarred and gzipped it. It's there now.
Schtroumpf is French for smurf
Sounds about like what you'd expect too (somewhere short of a sneeze).
I practice the Shotokan style of Karate. They teach you to run if attacked
3:45am, time to hit the sack, I'll play with FTP servers later...
Mandriva LE 2005 user and puppy newbie
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Official Crustacean
Joined: 04 May 2005
Posts: 15240
Location: Paradox Realm
Posted: Sun 26 Jun 2005, 06:08
Post subject: Morizot Firewall
papaschtroumpf wrote:
I practice the Shotokan style of Karate. They teach you to run if attacked
tee hee - and he ain't joking. I did one Shotokan class and that is indeed what they taught me. Non-lethal and multiple attacker friendly too.
Talking of self defense . . . The Morizot Firewall seems to be very simple and good (it doesn't bother me and I do not bother it) - perhaps worth putting on by default?
YinYana AI Buddhism
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Posted: Mon 27 Jun 2005, 02:31
Post subject: Re: Morizot Firewall
Lobster wrote:
We could if we had to...
Back to the subject. I have now spent more time on an install script and a "Control Center" than on porting the software itself.
The install script install the software, creates the "ftp" user and inserts a menu item in the fvwm95 start menu under "Networking" but not in JWM or iceWM yet.
There is also no uninstall facility.
The item installed in the menu is my homebrewed "control center":
The HELP button does nothing either.
I need to create an html man page since betaftpd doesn't have one.
The compile options I settled on are:
so that you can upload files to the server
to provide a lof of all transfers. I discovered that if the log file doesn't exist when the program is started, it will not log anything, so that's what I use in my "Control Center" to enable and disable logging.
the server runs silently in the background, "daemon-style"
The options I decided to not enable are:
allows non-root users to start the server. it seemed somewhat flaky and puppy runs as root most of the time anyway
caches the content of the directories so that "ls" commands on the server are faster. Also seemed a little flaky, not updating the list properly. It also made the app larger and use more memory
enabled the welcome message / message of the day. I don't care for that deature and the readme says that it's not very intelligent and will display the message every time you display that directory
puppy doesn't seem to use shadow password, so removing support for it kept the executable smaller
who does ascii transfers nowaday? transferring text file s in bin mode works just fine.
consumed more memory and more code to to support he STAT command (user statistics?) didn't seem useful in a lightweight server.
I'll upload a tarball shortly for those of you that want to give it a try. Not ready to create a dotpup yet.
Mandriva LE 2005 user and puppy newbie
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Joined: 17 Jun 2005
Posts: 250
Posted: Mon 27 Jun 2005, 03:44
Post subject: Near-final version of replacement for gtkftpd FTP server
Here's something close to a final version. Let me know what you think.
The safesst way to test this if you're worried about messing up something is to do a mode 2 install so that if something goes wrong, you can reboot and start clean. Not that anything will go wrong
I need to do a little more testing of the installation scripts and add support for other WMs and an uninstall function.
When all that is done I intend to make both a dotup and an unleashed.
Barry, what do you need exactly to make a sorcerer package, do you have instructions yet?
unar.zip, cd into it, run installftpd.sh
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Mandriva LE 2005 user and puppy newbie
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Joined: 09 May 2005
Posts: 8806
Location: Perth, Western Australia
Posted: Mon 27 Jun 2005, 07:27
Post subject:
Sourcerer, no, but I will upload a "core" package hopefully at the same time as 1.0.4 is released. It will have all the instructions in it.
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Posts: 250
Posted: Tue 28 Jun 2005, 03:42
Post subject:
I think I'm statisfied with the final product. Ill definitely be usng it myself.
See therelease thread here: http://www.murga.org/%7Epuppy/viewtopic.php?t=905
Is there a list of PupGets on the Wiki or does everyone else do DotPups?
Mandriva LE 2005 user and puppy newbie
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Ray, I can't find any guideline prices anywhere on the net - what would you roughly expect to pay for a Rushbrooke weight?
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In May 1993, the little school with a big heart in the middle of apple country — Edneyville High School — closed its doors for the final time.
In May 1993, the little school with a big heart in the middle of apple country — Edneyville High School — closed its doors for the final time.
It was the cumulation of 67 years of pride, lifelong friendships and allegiance to a school of excellence in academics and sports. It was the end of an affair of the heart between the school, its people and the community. It was a part of our heritage and is now a part of our history.
Through the years, two and three generations of families stomped the same grounds. We studied together, played together, loved together and cried together. There is a special camaraderie among our people unlike any other. We are descendants of the first pioneers, we are country people, we are good people, we are proud people, and we are Edneyvillians. Now all of our ghosts roam the hallowed grounds of the old Edneyville High School — now the N.C. Justice Academy.
Edneyville High School nurtured us through the awkward years, helped us grow into adults, dared us to dream the impossible dream, and encouraged us to become the very best we could be in the game of life. We shall always cherish and share our memories of Edneyville High School as long as we live. It was with a very sad and heavy heart that we had to say goodbye to the little school with a big heart in 1993. We are very proud and very lucky to have had the opportunity to pass that way for a brief moment in time. Thanks for the beautiful memories, EHS.
We Edneyvillians invite everyone to attend the dedication of a historic marker representing the 18 feeder schools that became a part of Edneyville High School starting in the 1920s. We will have a reunion from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday at the N.C. Justice Academy cafeteria. Tours of the academy will be available at 3 p.m. for anyone interested.
We invite all Edneyvillians, all community members and all the good people of Henderson County to attend this grand celebration of the history of our school. This celebration is calling all Yellow Jackets home to remember, to reconnect and to cherish the memories. It has been 20 years since the closing of EHS, but she will continue to live on in our hearts and memories.
Some facts:
u The first school in Edneyville was established by one of Samuel Edney's sons in 1810.
u The first Edneyville High School graduation was April 3, 1927 (11 grades). The 12th grade was added in 1946. Three students graduated twice from Edneyville.
u In 1921, 53 schools represented 53 school districts in Henderson County.
u One-room schools became obsolete, and 18 feeder schools consolidated with Edneyville School.
u The "Old Brown Building" served as the center for education until 1926 when it was replaced by the then-new, up-to-date brick building across the road on Highway 64 East at a cost of $60,000.
u Edneyville's first gymnasium was built in 1939, moving from clay courts to polished wooden floors.
u In 1957, football was added as a sport, and in 1962-63, a new football field.
u In 1973, a new gym was added to the EHS campus.
u A two-story building was added in 1951 for classroom and auditorium use. It served students until the closing of the school in May 1993.
u In 1970, a new brick building was built on Pace Road to house elementary students.
u The 1926 brick building was replaced by a modern facility in 1984 for junior high students. This building served as the most modern building until EHS closed in 1993. It now houses classroom and cafeteria facilities for the N.C. Justice Academy.
u Seventeen principals served the school throughout the years.
u Smallest class: 1946, three students.
u Largest class: 1982, 88 students.
u Graduates of Edneyville High School from 1927-1993: 3,323.


text:
Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil
From BioenergyWiki
Bioenergy > Initiatives > Sustainability standards > Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO)
|The BioenergyWiki is no longer being actively updated.
The Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO), created in April 2004, is an "association created by organisations carrying out their activities in and around the entire supply chain for palm oil to promote the growth and use of sustainable palm oil through co-operation within the supply chain and open dialogue with its stakeholders."
From an RSPO press release:
- In the RSPO, oil palm growers, oil processors, food companies, retailers, NGOs and investors work together towards a global supply of palm oil that is produced in a socially and environmentally responsible way.
- The Roundtable promotes palm oil production practices that help reduce deforestation, preserve biodiversity, and respect the livelihoods of rural communities in oil-producing countries. It ensures that no new primary forest or other high conservation value areas are sacrificed for palm oil plantations, that plantations apply accepted best practices and that the basic rights and living conditions of millions of plantation workers, smallholders and indigenous people are fully respected.
- At present, more than 340 organizations subscribe to the Roundtable's principles, representing about half of the world's palm oil supply. Membership of the Roundtable is growing.
- The first sustainable oil palm plantations were certified in 2008. In November 2009, the first shipment of RSPO-certified sustainable palm oil was delivered to ports in Europe. Among the first buyers were Unilever and Sainsbury's Supermarkets. Initial volumes of RSPO-certified palm oil will still be relatively small, but supply will gradually grow over the coming years so that sustainable palm oil can be used in a growing number of products. In due course, the Roundtable aims to see all the world's palm oil produced in a sustainable way.
Information Provided by the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil
Note: The following is reprinted from the RSPO Factsheet: Promoting The Growth And Use Of Sustainable Palm Oil
About Palm Oil
Oil Palm
Palm oil is an edible vegetable oil produced from the fruits of single-stemmed oil palms. The plants can grow 20 meters tall, with leaves up to 5 meters long. They bear clusters of fruit all year long with each fully matured cluster weighing up to 50 kilograms. The fruits contain about 50 percent oil.
Highly efficient oil producers
Oil palms are highly efficient producers of oil, requiring less land than any other oil-producing crop. One hectare planted with oil palm yields about three tonnes of oil per year on average, with the most efficient farms getting more than six tonnes out of a hectare. To produce that much oil from rapeseed (canola), sunflower or soy, up to ten times more land would be required.
Palm oil's long supply chain
Oil palms are cultivated on large-scale plantations and on small-scale family farms. Smallholders in Indonesia and Malaysia manage about 3 million hectares, or 20 percent of the land used to produce oil.
After harvest, fruits are brought to mills where they are crushed and crude oil is collected. Part of the oil is traded locally; the rest is shipped to regions like China, Europe, India, Pakistan and Japan. There, the oil is refined before manufacturers apply it in all sorts of food and non-food products.
Palm oil applications
Because of its distinct properties, palm oil is perfectly suited for application in a wide range of food and non-food products. For example, palm oil is used to make shampoos, soap and other cosmetics more 'creamy'. The oil can also be used as an ingredient to margarine, chocolate, ice cream and many other food products. In fact, palm oil is used in about half of all packaged food products in supermarkets today. More recently, palm oil has also been used to make fuels for transportation and power plants.
Palm oil exports support developing countries
Thanks to palm oil's versatility, world production has grown steadily in recent years. Last year, palm oil accounted for a third of the 130 million tonnes of vegetable oil produced worldwide. Palm oil has recently surpassed soy oil as the world's most popular vegetable oil.
Malaysia and Indonesia together produce about 85 percent of the world's palm oil; they are also by far the biggest exporters. Other exporters include Nigeria, Thailand, Colombia, Ecuador, Papua New Guinea, Ivory Coast and Brazil. All are developing countries where palm oil trade has the potential to contribute significantly to local economic growth and poverty reduction. Palm oil production employs and supports more than seven million plantation workers, smallholders and their families.
Of the estimated 29.4 million tonnes of palm oil exported in 2007, 56 percent went to Asia, 16 percent went to the European Union, and 12 percent went to Africa.
The need for sustainable palm oil
Oil palms are highly efficient producers of high-quality, versatile oils. However, they only grow in the tropics, where their cultivation can have negative side effects for local populations or the environment. There is growing demand for palm oil that has been certified by independent auditors to have been produced in a sustainable way.
Social side effects
Among the social side effects of oil palm cultivation have been displacements of communities that used to farm or live in the area and whose legal or customary rights to the land became sources for dispute. Also, there have been reports of plantations that violated the rights of workers, including those to fair payment, safe working conditions or the freedom to unionize.
Environmental side effects
Growing production of palm oil has in some cases led to oil palm cultivation on land that was previously covered with peat-swamp forests, primary forests or other high conservation value areas. Such areas, already under pressure from other factors such as logging, are highly valued for their biodiversity and their capacity to sequester carbon dioxide.
Forest parcels are sometimes cleared by fires, which can burn out of control. The building of roads through forests has been blamed for hindering the migration of endangered species and exposing them to human activities.
Criteria defining sustainable palm oil production
In 2003, many of the world's biggest palm oil producers and processors, together with retailers and leading environmental and social NGOs such as WWF and Oxfam International, came together in the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil. According to the Roundtable's definition, sustainable palm oil production comprises 'environmentally appropriate, socially beneficial, legal and economically viable' operations.
The Roundtable has drawn up general principles, criteria and specific indicators to measure the sustainability of palm oil production at plantations and mills. They include standards on dealing fairly with employees, small farmers and impacted communities, on expanding production without clearing new pieces of primary forest or other high conservation value areas, and on actively conserving natural resources and biodiversity.
The RSPO
The Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) is a multistakeholder initiative dedicated to promoting sustainable production of palm oil worldwide. The Roundtable's more than 340 members include palm growers, oil processors, traders, consumer good manufacturers, retailers, investors and social and environmental NGOs. Through co-operation and open dialogue, they work to put on the market sustainably produced palm oil and to maximize its use.
The journey of the RSPO started in 2003 as an informal co-operation among Aarhus United UK Ltd, WWF, Golden Hope Plantations Berhad, Migros, the Malaysian Palm Oil Association, Sainsbury's and Unilever. In 2004, the RSPO legally registered in Switzerland and set up offices in Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia) and Jakarta (Indonesia).
Between 2004 and 2008, important milestones were passed. The Roundtable developed a code of conduct and principles and criteria for sustainable palm oil production.
It also devised systems to certify whether palm oil is produced and shipped according to the criteria. The first shipments of RSPO-certified sustainable palm oil arrived in Europe by the end of 2008. Initial volumes are relatively small, and it will take some years before sustainable palm oil will find its way to most consumer products.
The Roundtable itself is a work in progress, created to promote the growth and use of sustainable palm oil. The Roundtable ultimately aims to see all the world's palm oil produced in a sustainable way.
Governance and membership
Members of the RSPO subscribe to its mission and principles, adhere to its code of conduct, and together set the organization's course. The Roundtable recognizes seven membership categories, which are all represented in its Executive Board. Membership has grown dramatically. In August 2008, the RSPO had 249 ordinary members:
- 67 Oil palm growers;
- 96 Palm oil processors and/or traders;
- 5 Social/developmental NGOs;
- 13 Environmental/nature conservation NGOs;
- 36 Consumer goods manufacturers;
- 24 Retailers;
- 8 Banks and investors.
Also, 92 organizations had registered as affiliate members. A full and up-to-date listing of Roundtable members can be found at www.rspo.org.
Independent auditors and certification bodies
While the Roundtable sets the principles, criteria and indicators that define sustainable palm oil production, the actual auditing and certification of palm oil plantations and the supply chain is carried out by independent certification bodies approved by the RSPO. The certification systems are described in more detail in seperate technical fact sheets.
World market coverage
About 40 million tonnes of palm oil are produced worldwide. Roundtable members represent about half of that volume, so the RSPO's efforts will potentially have a large impact. While in due course the RSPO aims to see all palm oil certified, initial volumes of sustainable palm oil will be relatively small.
By the end of 2008, RSPO-certified production capacity is projected to be about 1.5 million tonnes per year, about 4 percent of world production capacity; one year later, at least double that capacity can be expected.
Definitions of sustainable palm oil production
The Roundtable principles for sustainable palm oil production ensure that fundamental rights of previous land owners, local communities, workers and their families are respected and fully taken into account. The principles also ensure that no primary forests or other high conservation value areas have been cleared for oil production since November 2005, and that mills and plantation owners minimize their environmental footprint.
The Roundtable has defined 8 principles and 39 criteria to define sustainable production of palm oil. A full listing of principles, criteria and indicators is given in Principles and Criteria for Sustainable Palm Oil, a document that can be found under 'Key documents' at the Roundtable's website (www.rspo.org).
The principles
- Commitment to transparency
- Compliance with applicable laws and regulations
- Commitment to long-term economic and financial viability
- Use of appropriate best practices by growers and millers
- Environmental responsibility and conservation of natural resources and biodiversity
- Responsible consideration of employees, smallholders and other individuals and communities affected by growers and mills
- Responsible development of new plantings
- Commitment to continuous improvement in key areas of activity
Social criteria
The social criteria are directed at strengthening local poor people's livelihoods by preventing conflicts about the rights to use land, providing income security, protecting their health and living environment, respecting human and labor rights, and supporting legal compliance. Important examples of social criteria are:
- The right to use the land can be demonstrated, and is not legitimately contested by local communities with demonstrable rights. Use of the land does not diminish legal or customary rights of other users without their free, prior and informed consent.
- Pay and conditions for employees and for employees of contractors meet legal or industry minimum standards and are sufficient to provide decent living wages.
- The employer respects the right of all personnel to form and join trade unions and to bargain collectively. Where laws restrict such rights, the employer facilitates other ways of independent and free association and bargaining.
- An occupational health and safety plan is effectively communicated and implemented. The use of pesticides may not endanger people's health or the environment. In general, pesticides are only used if there's a real threat.
- Children are not employed or exploited. Work by children is acceptable only on family farms, under adult supervision, and when not interfering with education. Children are never exposed to hazardous working conditions.
- Smallholders are paid and treated fairly by oil mills.
Environmental criteria
The environmental criteria are directed at preventing further loss to primary forests or other high conservation value areas, reducing negative impacts on soil, habitats of endangered species and overall biodiversity, and development of water and energy efficient production methods. Important examples of environmental criteria are:
- New plantings since November 2005 have not replaced primary forest or any area required to maintain or enhance one or more 'high conservation values'.
- Practices minimize and control erosion and degradation of soils.
- The conservation of rare, threatened or endangered species and high conservation value habitats are taken into account.
- Plantations and mills implement and monitor plans to reduce pollution and emissions from greenhouse gases. Waste is reduced, recycled, re-used and disposed of in an environmentally and socially responsible manner.
- Use of fire for waste disposal or for land preparation is avoided except in some very specific situations.
Roundtable meetings
- 8-11 November 2010, Jakarta, Indonesia: 8th Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil meeting
- Documents: "Principles and Criteria for sustainable Palm Oil Production (PDF File)" - November 2005
- Website: http://www.rspo.org
- RSPO Seeks to Certify Indonesian Crude Palm Oil, 23 November 2011 by Jakarta Globe: "The Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil aims to certify 3 million tons of Indonesian crude palm oil as sustainable, up 50 percent from this year's original target of 2 million."
- "Green campaigners say palm plantations are some of the biggest threats to the sustainability of rainforests in countries like Indonesia and Malaysia, which produce 85 percent of the world's supply of the commodity."
- "A producer's CPO can be certified if it can demonstrate that the production process does not cause undue harm to the environment or society."
- "Worldwide demand for CPO is around 45 million tons, with the biggest markets in India, China and Europe."
- "Indonesia's Palm Oil Association (Gapki) in October withdrew its membership from RSPO, saying it would focus on helping to develop the government-backed sustainability scheme."[1]
- Sustainable palm oil initiative falters, 20 November 2011 by Mail & Guardian Online: "Environmentalists have warned that an effort to encourage the sustainable production of palm oil launched several years ago has not kept pace with expanding cultivation driven by rising demand."
- "The issue will loom large this week at the annual meeting of the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil from November 22 to 24 in key producer Malaysia."
- "Despite some progress, major users of palm oil are not making enough effort to source and buy sustainably produced oil, while incentives for green production remain inadequate, green groups say."
- "Growers produced 5.2-million tonnes of certified sustainable palm oil (CSPO) -- accounting for about 10% of world supply -- last year but only about 56% of it was purchased."
- "Environmentalists say the consequences for rainforests in major producers Malaysia and Indonesia -- which account for 85% of world production -- and other producing nations will be dire unless the situation changes."
- "The forest loss contributes to climate change and further imperils threatened species like the orangutan while land disputes between local communities and large palm producers seeking to expand cultivation are rising."[2]
- McDonald's Joins Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil; Commits to Sourcing Sustainable Palm Oil, 19 October 2011 by Marketwire: "McDonald's Corporation today announced its membership in the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO)."
- "This membership represents significant progress in the company's commitment to source palm oil only from RSPO member companies by the end of this year, and to use only RSPO-certified palm oil in restaurants and pre-cooked chicken and potato products by 2015."
- "McDonald's membership in the RSPO is an extension of its Sustainable Land Management Commitment (SLMC) announced earlier this year."
- "The McDonald's SLMC requires that, over time, its suppliers will only use agricultural raw materials for the company's food and packaging that originate from sustainably-managed lands, ensuring the food served in its restaurants around the world is sourced from certified sustainable sources."
- "Based on a thorough analysis conducted in collaboration with World Wildlife Fund (WWF) to identify the top raw materials which have the most potential sustainability impacts, McDonald's SLMC actions initially are focused on Beef, Poultry, Coffee, Palm Oil and fiber for Packaging."[3]
- Indonesia's withdrawal puts Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil on shaky ground, 5 October 2011 by The Star Online: "The jury is still out on the implications of Indonesia's withdrawal of its membership from the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO)."
- "On the one hand, some industry observers reckon the absence of Indonesia, being a sizeable producer, can derail the workings of RPSO."
- "But others think that as long as major palm oil producers such as Sime Darby Bhd and Wilmar International are still members of RSPO, there should be no negative impact on the grouping."
- "It is unclear if the decision by GAPKI will have any bearing on the Malaysia Palm Oil Association's (MPOA) stand on RSPO."
- "Fadhil Hasan, the executive director of GAPKI, was quoted as saying the association decided to resign because Indonesia already had the Indonesian Sustainable Palm Oil (ISPO)."
- "RSPO has just recently achieved one million hectares of certified production area around the world. Malaysia and Indonesia contribute 88% of total certified sustainable palm oil (CSPO). Out of this, Indonesia produces 40% of global CSPO, second to Malaysia with 48% of production."[4]
- Sustainable Palm Oil Milestone Reached Ahead of Major WWF Evaluation, 1 September 2011 by Food Ingredients First: "The world's largest sustainable palm oil body reached a major milestone last week in its on-going efforts to halt deforestation and bring sustainable palm oil to market – the millionth hectare of plantations has just been certified, an area roughly equivalent in size to the nation of Jamaica."
- "The result comes as WWF prepares its second installment of the WWF Palm Oil Buyers' Scorecard, which tracks the progress of major brands on their commitments and actions on buying and using sustainable palm."
- "Plantations owned by Brazil-based Agropalma, a leading producer of palm oil in South America, recently achieved certification against the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) standard, pushing the area of certified palm oil plantations past the 1 million hectare mark."
- "WWF worked with a group of NGOs and the palm oil industry to set up the RSPO in 2003. Certified sustainable palm oil has been available since November 2008, and provides assurance that valuable tropical forests have not been cleared and that environmental and social safeguards have been met during the production of the palm oil."[5]
- Cargill Sets Sights on Worldwide Sustainable Palm Oil by 2020, 13 July 2011 by GreenBiz.com: "Agribusiness giant Cargill plans to only offer palm oil -- an ingredient in Girl Scout cookies and numerous other foods -- that is certified sustainable in select countries by 2015 and worldwide by 2020."
- "Cargill aims to have all of the palm oil it sells in Europe, United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand be certified by the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) within the next four years."
- "Cargill then plans for all palm oil sold in China, India and elsewhere to be RSPO-certified by 2020."
- "The first goal, however, excludes palm kernel oil, which is produced from the same oil palm trees that palm oil comes from and is used in food products, soaps and other goods."
- "The Rainforest Action Network, which has been dogging Cargill about its palm oil use, says that while the goals are a good start, the deadlines are too far away, RSPO certification is weak and palm kernel oil shouldn't be left out."
- "Cargill says, though, that it's trying to be realistic with its goals, and is aiming for achievable targets."[6]
- Cargill Smallholders Receive First Premiums for RSPO Certified Sustainable Palm Oil, 27 June 2011 by PR Newswire: "Smallholders at Cargill's oil palm plantation, PT Hindoli, today received their first premiums for the certified palm oil they produced."
- "The smallholders were first to be certified under the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) Smallholder Principles & Criteria in late 2010."
- "'The premium received by our smallholders today shows that sustainable farming practices can contribute to the livelihoods of rural farmers,' said Anthony Yeow, president director of PT Hindoli."
- "The smallholders receiving more than IDR 870 million (approximately US$100,000) in combined premiums today are organized in 17 cooperatives with 17,594 hectares of planted oil palm as part of Cargill's plantation operations. PT Hindoli's crushing mills in South Sumatra process fresh fruit bunches from its own oil palm estates as well as those purchased from the smallholders' scheme."
- "Cargill's own palm estates at PT Hindoli received certification from both RSPO and International Sustainability and Carbon Certification (ISCC) in 2009 and 2010 respectively, and the company is currently working towards RSPO certification for its other palm plantations, PT Harapan Sawit Lestari and PT Indo Sawit Kekal."[7]
- Palm oil threatens New Guinea's species says study: how to buy sustainably, 27 June 2011 by The Independent: "A new report by environmental organization WWF examines the threat faced by the unique species of New Guinea, over 1,000 of which were discovered as recently as 1998-2008."
- "The report identifies the production of palm oil as one of the major threats facing the wildlife of New Guinea; however there are several steps consumers can take to ensure that foods containing palm oil come from sustainable sources."
- "To combat the threat posed to these species and others around the world by continuing unsustainable production of palm oil, consumers can ensure they buy from companies registered with RSPO."
- "The RSPO, or Roundtable Sustainable Palm Oil, provides certification to companies which produce palm oil from sustainable resources and ensures that all aspects of the production are environmentally friendly."
- "Consumers can find retailers in their country selling products made with RSPO certified palm oil by searching the organization's website for certified companies by type, country, and name."[8]
- GreenPalm defends palm oil certificate trading, 24 May 2011 by FoodNavigator.com: "Earlier this month, the supplier of the food, cosmetics and homecare product ingredient, New Britain Palm Oil Limited (NBPOL), said a deal to increase the supply of sustainably certified segregated palm oil (CSPO) into Europe could herald the demise of the GreenPalm certification system."
- "Alan Chaytor, executive director of NBPOL, said that many industry players 'view green certificates with a great deal of suspicion as to what effect, if any, purchasing them has on making the palm oil industry sustainable.'"
- "But Bob Norman, general manger of GreenPalm has retaliated, saying: 'The NBPOL comments were not in the spirit of the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO).'"
- "The RSPO-approved GreenPalm certificate trading scheme, argues Norman, enables RSPO certified producers to earn more – $14m in additional income - for their efforts, wherever they are in the world and, crucially, not whether they export to Europe."
- "Most palm oil is produced through processes that see large quantities from multiple sources mixed to achieve the critical mass practical for refining, and then again for transportation."
- "Moreover, in relation to the allegations by NBPOL that the offset scheme was 'unaudited and therefore open to abuse,' Norman stressed that, on the contrary, every aspect of the GreenPalm programme is RSPO audited and fully transparent, with 'strong and clear rules.'"[9]
- RSPO to address issues with launch of trademark, 25 April 2011 by The Star Online: "The Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) hopes to address some of the strategic thinking and considerations behind the Truth in Labelling – Palm Oil Bill 2011 in Australia via the launch of the RSPO trademark slated by the middle of this year, said RSPO secretary-general Darrel Webber."
- "The purpose of the Act is to ensure that consumers have clear and accurate information about the inclusion of palm oil in foods; and to encourage the use of certified sustainable palm oil to promote protection of wildlife habitats."
- "While RSPO supports the latter objective, distinguishing palm oil as the only edible oil that requires labelling will imply that other edible oils do not face similar challenges."
- "'Such a labelling exercise that singles out palm oil may only serve to ostracise agricultural farmers in developing countries such as Indonesia, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, South America and West Africa, whose key source of income comes from palm oil.'"[10]
- Malaysian palm oil giant in fight with forest people gets rebuke from RSPO, 6 April 2011 by Mongabay.com: "RSPO said IOI Corp breached 'two core membership mandates and obligations' on land conflict and conversion of high conservation forest into oil palm plantations. IOI Corp will have 28 days to deliver a proposal to resolve the outstanding issues."
- "Should it fail to do so by May 2, 2011, RSPO told IOI it will consider 'further sanctions against your company, which may include the suspension of your license for new transactions involving Certified Sustainable Palm Oil materials including GreenPalm certificates.'"
- "Such a move could cost IOI dearly in the marketplace. In 2009 and 2010, PT Sinar Mas Agro Resources and Technology (PT SMART), an Indonesian subsidiary of Golden Agri Resources, lost a number of major customers after it was found to be clearing carbon-dense peatlands and rainforests in Indonesian Borneo."
- "The rebuke from RSPO comes just days after the Rainforest Action Network (RAN) highlighted the struggle between the people of Long Teran Kenan and IOI over two plantations on native lands in Baram, Sarawak in Malaysian Borneo."[11]
- Palm oil company gives up land contested by local communities as part of sustainability pledge, 21 March 2011 by MongaBay.com: "The company PT Agro Wiratama, a subsidiary of the Musim Mas group, will give 1,000 hectares of its 9,000 hectare concession in West Kalimantan (Indonesian Borneo) back to the community. The decision is a direct result of Agro Wiratama's RSPO membership, which now requires member companies to publicly announce plans to expand their operations."
- "Until now, palm oil expansion has at times resulted in social conflict between traditional forest users — often indigenous people and small-scale farmers — and companies granted concessions by the government (most forest land is state-owned in Indonesia, independently of who actually uses it)."
- "Forest Peoples Programme, together with Gemawan, note that Agro Wiratama's decision has implications for other palm oil companies operating in Sambas Regency: 17 of them are members of RSPO."
- "More than 3,000 land conflicts between palm oil developers and local communities in Indonesia have been registered with the country's National Land Agency."
- "With more than 8 million hectares of oil palm plantations, Indonesia accounts for more than 40 percent of global palm oil production. But expansion has had a high environmental cost: millions of hectares of forest and peatland have been cleared in the name of palm oil production."[12]
- McDonald's Commits to 100% Certified Palm Oil By 2015, 11 March 2011 by SustainableBusiness.com: "McDonald's Corporation has committed to source only palm oil certified by the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) by 2015."
- "The commitment is part of a larger Sustainable Land Management Commitment (SLMC) announced in conjunction with the release of McDonald's 2010 Worldwide Corporate Responsibility (CR) Report."
- "The SLMC requires that, over time, McDonald's suppliers will only use agricultural raw materials for the company's food and packaging that originate from sustainably-managed land."
- "McDonald's actions initially will be focused on five raw material priorities - Beef, Poultry, Coffee, Palm Oil and Packaging."
- "McDonald's also joined the Sustainability Consortium--an independent organization dedicated to implementing measurable progress based on life-cycle science."[13]
- Palm oil giant vows to spare most valuable Indonesian rainforest, 9 February 2011 by The Guardian: "Golden Agri-Resources Limited has committed itself to protecting forests and peatlands with a high level of biodiversity, or which provide major carbon sinks, as part of an agreement with conservation group the Forest Trust."
- "However, the agreement announced on Wednesday will still leave GAR free to exploit other areas of forest, and land that is judged to be of lower conservation value."
- "Scott Poynton, executive director of the Forest Trust, said 'It's about going to the root causes of deforestation – we have shown that the destruction of forests is anchored deeply in the supply chains of the products we consume in industrialised nations, and we are showing we can do something about that.'"
- He said pressure from Nestlé, which last year drew up a set of sustainability guidelines and signalled that it would not accept palm oil from sources connected to deforestation, had been instrumental in bringing GAR to the table."
- "Experts in Indonesia will be asked to judge whether GAR forests have "high conservation value" under guidance from the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil, a coalition of the palm oil industry and conservation groups."[14]
- Malaysian palm oil destroying forests, report warns, 2 February 2011 by the Guardian: "Study by Wetlands International claims level of palm oil-related deforestation in Malaysia is higher than previously thought."
- "The report claims that between 2005 and 2010, almost 353,000 hectares of peat swamp forests were cleared – a third of Malaysia's total – largely for palm oil production."
- "The clearing, draining and burning of peat swamp forests is responsible for about 10 per cent of mankind's greenhouse gas emissions, according to Wetlands International."
- "Palm oil firms in Malaysia and Indonesia are under increasing pressure by major Western retailers and consumer goods brands, many of which use palm oil in their products, to halt the expansion of plantations that lead to forest clearance."
- "Some Malaysian palm oil producers have also joined the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil, but strong demand from India and China for unsustainably sourced oil means others can avoid doing so without necessarily harming their market share."[15]
- Palm Oil Plantations Embrace Biodiversity In Attempt To Change Environmentally Destructive Reputation, 20 January 2011 by The Huffington Post: "Palm oil plantations carry a history of controversy. The cash crop is used for fuel and food, but at the same time, it destroys rainforests. Also, compared to diverse forests, monoculture plantations do not trap greenhouse gases as efficiently."
- "These challenges are no more visible than on the United International Enterprises Estate, located in the Majung District of Malaysia. The plantation has over 1.4 million trees. Unfortunately, they are all the same."
- "A nature reserve has been created on the plantation, populated by rare trees. The manager's goal is to increase the plant diversity to 500 plant variations."
- "The plantation is the first to be certified by the Round Table on Sustainable Palm Oil Production, a group working to make palm oil more eco-friendly."[16]
- RSPO calls for faster market uptake of sustainable palm oil, 10 January 2011 by ConfectionaryNews.com: "Jan Kees Vis, RSPO executive board president, said that many companies have pledged to switch to RSPO-certified sustainable palm oil fully by 2015, but until then, it will also be important that users of palm oil such as the leading confectionery and food manufacturers match a rising supply with rising market demand."
- "The volume of actual RSPO-certified sustainable palm oil on the market jumped from 1.3m tonnes in 2009 to 2.3m tonnes in 2010. Sales of sustainable palm oil more than tripled from 0.4m tonnes in 2009 to about 1.3m tonnes in 2010."
- "Nestlé, which uses the ingredient in its Kit Kat and Aero bars along with its Quality Street range, bolstered its sustainable palm oil commitments in May 2010 by partnering with The Forest Trust (TFT)."
- "In November last year it was announced that all palm oil used in The Netherlands will be certified by the RSPO by 2015, as all the suppliers and buyers in the Dutch market have signed a manifesto and pledged to work towards this goal."[17]
- Netherlands Will Only Use Certified Sustainable Palm Oil by 2015 - First National-Level Commitment, 5 November 2010 by TreeHugger: "In a big boost for the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil certification standard, the Netherlands has committed to only using sustainable palm oil by the end of 2015--and becomes the first nation to do so. Dutch businesses are Europe's largest importer and exporter of palm oil (about 2 million tons annually) with much of it going into products sold throughout the European Union."
- "Here's more: Manifesto of the Task Force Sustainable Palm Oil (PDF)."[18]
- World Bank Group publishes draft framework for sustainable palm oil, 27 July 2010 by Cosmetics Design: "The World Bank and the International Finance Corporation (IFC) have released a draft framework for engagement in the palm oil sector, in the hope of promoting positive change."
- "In the draft document, the World Bank Group, one of the biggest sources of funding for developing countries, has set out the possible ways it can help move the sector onto a more sustainable footing."
- "The Group proposes action on four major themes – policy and regulatory environment, sustainable private sector investment, benefit sharing with small holders and communities, and sustainability codes of practice."
- "Actions proposed include working with governments to design appropriate policy institutions, strengthen small holder producer organizations and improve smallholder access to finance, as well as working with the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) in order to strengthen its sustainable palm oil certification program."[19]
- Download the consultation draft of the document, The World Bank Group's Framework for Engagement in the Palm Oil Sector.
- Greener palm oil arrives in the United States, 29 June 2010 by Mongabay.com: "The first shipment of palm oil certified under sustainability criteria [has] arrived in the United States, according to the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO)."
- "AAK, a vegetable oils and fats manufacturer based in Malmo, Sweden, announced the arrival of the first shipment of segregated RSPO-certified palm oil to its refinery in Port Newark, New Jersey. Segregated RSPO-certified palm oil has been kept separate from conventional palm oil throughout the supply chain. Most 'sustainable' palm oil users don't actually use segregated certified sustainable palm oil (CSPO), Instead they offset conventional palm oil buy purchasing the equivalent amount of GreenPalm certificates, which represent real CSPO sold elsewhere as conventional palm oil."
- "The RSPO also announced that daily production of CSPO has now surpassed 5,000 metric tons per day."
- "Some critics say the [RSPO] lacks oversight, sets a low bar for compliance, and is underfunded. Supporters argue that RSPO is still a relatively new initiative that needs more time to prove itself."[20]
- Success of Palm Oil Brings Plantations Under Pressure to Preserve Habitats , 17 September 2009 by New York Times: Each year, the oil palm plantations in Indonesia and Malaysia "produce millions of tons of palm oil, which has soared in popularity since the 1970s and is now found in foods like margarine, potato chips and chocolate, as well as in soap, cosmetics and biofuel."
- "But the palm plantations are in the cross hairs of consumer groups and corporations in Australia, New Zealand, Europe and the United States. Echoing the longstanding concerns of environmental groups, they say palm oil producers continue to fell large tracts of forest to make way for plantations, destroying habitat for endangered species like the orangutan."
- "The increasingly vocal protests are not what the industry expected five years after it began developing a certification system for producing environmentally sustainable palm oil. In 2004, the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil was formed, representing palm oil producers; consumer goods manufacturers including Unilever, Johnson & Johnson and Kellogg; environmental groups like the World Wide Fund for Nature; and social and development organizations."
- "The roundtable requires plantations to develop plans to protect rare or endangered species on their land and to assess whether there are cultural relics that need to be preserved."[21]
- Controversial palm-oil plan may save the orang-utan, 22 July 2009 by New Scientist: Orang-utan "researchers and conservationists in Sabah, in Malaysian Borneo, may have to do what had until recently been unthinkable: join forces with the palm oil industry whose plantations have eaten into much of the orang-utan's habitat. October this year will see an unprecedented meeting of Malaysia's palm oil producers, conservationists and local government to figure out how to protect the world's last orang-utans."
- "Such collaborations will be especially important given the poor start for the international Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO), set up in 2002, which is supposed to address the issues of environmental damage and wildlife conflict by encouraging producers to ensure their plantations are certified as sustainable."
- "The conservation group WWF wants palm oil to be 100 per cent sustainable by 2015, but the initial results have been dispiriting. A WWF report released in May showed that just 1 per cent of the 1.3 million tonnes of sustainable palm oil produced since November 2008 had been sold - in part because it is more expensive."[22]
- Sustainable palm oil gets boost in China, 14 July 2009 by WWF: "Major China-based producers and users of palm oil have announced they intend to provide more support for sustainable palm oil, an important boost for efforts to halt tropical deforestation."
- "The public statement, made at the 2nd International Oil and Fats Summit in Beijing on July 9, committed the companies to 'support the promotion, procurement and use of sustainable palm oil in China,' as well as 'support the production of sustainable palm oil through any investments in producing countries.'"
- "China is currently the world's largest importer of palm oil, accounting for one third of all global trade. Increasing demand for palm oil, which is used in everything from soap to chocolate bars, is causing considerable damage to fragile rainforest environments, threatening endangered species like tigers, and contributing to global climate change."
- "Palm oil producers and buyers making the statement included Wilmar International, IOI Corperation, KLK Berhad, Kulim Malaysia Berhad, Asia Agri., Premier Foods PLC and Unilever PLC. Oxfam International, TransAsia Lawyers, and Solidaridad China were signatories."[23]
- Significant rise in RSPO-certified palm oil in EU, 26 June 2009 by Commodity Online: "The volume of RSPO-certified sustainable palm oil imported in European Union markets have increased significantly as producers in South East Asia comply with the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil, the multi-stakeholder association working to make all palm oil production sustainable. The equivalent of more than one third of all palm oil imported into the EU could now be sold as 'sustainable'..."
- "RSPO rules and audits on the ground guarantee that social and environmental standards were met during the production of certified sustainable palm oil. For example, producers need to protect the habitats of endangered species and no new primary forests can be cut for oil palm plantations. The rights of local communities, smallholders and workers have to be respected as well..."
- CPO Producers Say Green Efforts Not Paying Off, 31 May 2009 by JakartaGlobe: "While many palm oil plantations and farmers are struggling to get certificates proving their palm oil is produced in a sustainable manner, others that have the certificates are complaining that buyers in Europe don't want to buy their products because they are too expensive."
- "When the first batch of RSPO-certified palm oil arrived in Europe in November 2008, the company involved, Malaysia-based United Plantations, was accused by environmental organizations Greenpeace and Wetlands International of not actually meeting the RSPO's requirements...Greenpeace maintains that the roundtable's system fails to adequately address issues like deforestation, peatland clearance and other land-related conflicts."
- "The EU is in the process of requiring all palm oil producers to certify both crude palm oil and derivative products. Companies that do not obtain certification by 2010 will not be allowed to sell to EU countries."
- "Green" palm planters struggling to find buyers, 30 May 2009 by Alibaba.com: "JAKARTA, May 27 - Palm oil planters in the world's top two producers Indonesia and Malaysia are struggling to find buyers for their eco-friendly palm oil...threatening to slow momentum."
- "Under fire from green groups and some Western consumers, the palm oil industry established the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) in 2004 to develop an ethical certification system that includes commitments to preserve rainforests and wildlife."
- "...the industry had so far sold only 15,000 tonnes of certified green palm oil since the first shipment last November while output might have reached around 600,000 tonnes."
- "The issue of 'green' palm remains contentious and some conservation groups argue that the current voluntary rules are not effective in protecting the environment."
|Sustainability standards
Multi-stakeholder initiatives: Responsible Commodities Initiative, Roundtable on Sustainable Biofuels, Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil
| Companies | Industry organizations | International organizations | Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) | Research organizations
What is bioenergy? | Benefits/Risks | Who is doing what?


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Kathmandu (काठमांडौ) [3] is the largest city and capital of Nepal and the namesake of the Kathmandu Valley.
Once thought to be the fabled and inaccessible Shangri-La, Kathmandu is now a hub for independent travelers as well as a growing vacation spot catering to all budgets.
Districts with own articles:
Get in
Visas are available on arrival for citizens of most countries, and one passport-sized photograph plus US$30 (for 60 days) are required to complete the process. Facilities for taking passport-sized photographs are available near the immigration desk, though it saves a lot of time if they are prepared before arrival. SAARC nationals are exempt from visa fees.
There are no trains to Kathmandu, renting a car without a driver is not a reasonable option. You can hire bikes in India and ride up, but you need to be brave. Alternatively, catch a bus. They run from Varanasi and Delhi on a regular basis. Check with other travelers to find a safe busline, some are quite dangerous and travel at stupid speeds through mountain passes.
By plane
Kathmandu's Tribhuvan International Airport (IATA: KTM), [4] is the largest, and only international airport in Nepal.
Most flights arrive via Delhi or Bangkok, and of the remaining only a few originate from outside Asia.
Airport service charge is not included in tickets for flights departing from Kathmandu, and a charge Rs 791 for SAARC destinations and Rs 1,130 out of SAARC destinations must be paid at Tribhuvan International Airport before check in.
Major airlines serving Kathmandu:
To and from airport
Many hotel and guest houses offer complimentary pick up and delivery from the airport. Taxis are also available. As always, negotiate the price beforehand with the driver. A taxi ride to Thamel or Boudha should not exceed 300 NPR. Otherwise, order a taxi at the pre-paid booth inside the airport, which costs 400 NPR. This is more than double the meter rate, but saves the hassle of long negotiations.
By bus
Kathmandu has frequent and cheap bus service to nearly all parts of Nepal, unfortunately due to poor roads and frequent delays the buses are some of the slowest and least comfortable in South Asia.
Connections include India (usually Gorakhpur, Varanasi or Lucknow) and other parts of Nepal such as Royal Chitwan National Park and the trekking hubs of Pokhara to the west, Langtang to the north and Jiri to the east of Kathmandu. For points of departure in India or Tibet see the Nepal 'Get in' section. Buses arriving from the Indian border, Pokhara and Chitwan terminate either at the bus station at Balaju at north of the city or Kalanki at the south of the city since large vehicles and long distance vehicles are not allowed to enter the city due to traffic congestion.
Get Around
The first thing many visitors may notice about Kathmandu is the general lack of street names (except for major roads such as Tri Devi and Ring Road) and address numbers. In most cases directions are given relative to the nearest chowk or tole (an intersection or square, often with a market) or a noteworthy building such as a temple or restaurant. In the tourist district of Thamel, the Kathmandu Guest House and Hot Breads bakery are two main landmarks.
It is possible to get across the city by foot, but it is not always a pleasant walk and you may want to consider a rickshaw for anything more then wandering around a specific area. Rickshaws are bicycle driven; the motorized ones have been banned from the valley in a bid to check rising pollution. Rickshaws can hardly be found outside the tourist area of Thamel, however, since they are mostly only used by the tourists. Negotiate on a price before you get in, if you can't agree, just look for another driver. Prices go up after dark and in less busy areas. Taxis are easy to find; they park near all major streets and have fare-meters.
There are also buses and taxis for longer trips (see Kathmandu Valley for information on getting to Patan and Bakhtapur), and can be used for trips in town. For longer trips and to hire them by the day negotiate with the driver.
Kathmandu Durbar Square
The heart of Kathmandu this ancient square crowded with palaces and temples, including the current incarnation of the Kasthamandap or "Wooden house" that gives the city its name. The square has been in active use since the construction of a palace around 1000 AD. This site is the most popular UNESCO World Heritage Site in Nepal.
There is a charge of Rs 200 (Around 3 US Dollars) to enter this area. Magical in the very early morning and evening, Durbar Square can be an exhausting experience due to the overwhelming number of young men offering to be "guides." Be firm with saying "no" if you are not interested, but realize that looking at a map, or even standing still for a moment will be an invitation to a dozen other would-be "helpers". A place not to be missed is a visit to Kathmandu Durbar Square Museum.
There are more than a dozen buildings and statues of note in this small areas. They include:
It is possible to climb the steps of many of the temples for a better look, or to join the people sat at the top watching the bustle below.
Kathmandu itself has limited activities for visitors beyond the amazing sightseeing and general experience of being there, but it is the starting point for numerous adventures in the rest of the country including trekking, rafting, jungle adventures, and more extreme sports.
If you would like to see some of the Himalayas, but do not want to go on a trek it is possible to spend a few days (two or more) walking from Kathmandu out of the valley. This is less intense than the trekking available in the rest of the country, but can still reward you with some great views of the mountains. For instance, the walk up to Nagarkot, which offers a great spot for watching surrounding mountain ranges at sunrise or sunset from atop the hill, can be done in a couple of days. Any of the trekking companies in Kathmandu will be willing to organise this for you.
Draped along the greatest heights of the Himalaya, the kingdom of Nepal is a land of sublime scenery, time-worn temples, and some of the best walking trails on earth. It's a poor country, but it is rich in scenic splendor and cultural treasures. The kingdom has long exerted a pull on the Western imagination and it's a difficult place to dislodge from your memory once you leave. This is why so many travelers are drawn back to Nepal, armed the second time round with a greater appreciation of its natural and cultural complexity, a stout pair of walking boots and a desire for improved leg-definition.
Trekking is the emphasis of many visits to Nepal on account of the wide range of geographical features. The country nurtures a variety of vegetation and landscape. In addition to the natural environment is the rich Himalayan culture. Thousand of visitors trek to different parts of Nepal every year to experience its rustic charm, nature and culture. Most treks go through areas between 1000 to 3000 meters, although some popular parts reach over 5000 meters.
Three regions are famous for teahouse trekking in Nepal, which is Annapurna (3 to 28 days), Everest (6 to 30 days) and Langtang/Gosainkunda/Helambu (5 to 18 days) and between these regions, Annapurna is the most well-known teahouse route in Nepal.
Kathmandu and Dubar Square is the center for many of Nepal's festivals. Note that many businesses are closed for all of these holidays-- and often a few days before and after. Dasain in particular tend to shut down much of the city for October.
Kathmandu is a great place to stock up or trade in reading material. Used bookstores cover everything from backpacker favorites, to classics, to local history and culture.
Traditional Tibetan dumplings, momos have been borrowed to become tourist tapas. Try them fried or steamed stuffed with buffalo, chicken, or veggies with a Tuborg or San Miguel beer. In a local place expect to pay 25 NPR for a dozen momos, 45-75 NPR in a tourist place. Also a good place to sample Newari and Tibetan dishes.
Besides the aforementioned momos tibetan cuisine includes a variety of other dishes, some based around a noodle soup, like a thukpa. A Nepali set meal will usually include rice, dhal, vegetable/meat curry, a vegetable dish, chutney and curd. Expect to pay around 120-280 NPR at a tourist place, much less at local places. Chia (similar to the Indian chai), a milky spiced tea, is ubiquitous and good for a break to calm one's nerves.
There are dozens of tourist restaurants clustered in the Thamel district serving everything from Middle Eastern to Mexican food. Indian and Nepali dishes are always the best tasting-- and best priced. Don't hesitate to state your preference for spiciness. A good place to sample Korean food. Travelers who venture into smaller places are often rewarded with better prices and friendlier staff. Inspect your bill and count your change at the places frequented by short trip tourists.
Outside Thamel
Yes, there is a whole world waiting outside Thamel!
Nepal is also a coffee producing country, though the people are famously tea drinkers. Most often coffee comes as a dishwater-colored cup of instant; however, good coffee IS available. The first thing to remember is that people who don't drink coffee don't understand coffee. When ordering, try ordering "Strong coffee", as opposed to just "Coffee", to minimise those dishwater blues. Also note that cafes here don't follow the equal espresso, milk and froth rule. Expect your cappuccino to be anywhere from very little froth in large cup to something laced with whipped cream. And there is little difference between latte and cappuccino. Places to look for ground coffee, either drip or espresso, are:
Chobhar Cafe-Restaurantwith panoramic views of the Himalayas, in Kathmandu suburbs, on the road to Daskshinkali (8km). Peace, no air or noise pollution. Recommended by Lonely Planet for its good food. In natural setting, surrounded by flower & sculpture garden. 20 min away
Beer and mixed drinks are available at almost every bar and restaurant. For a quick drink and cheap cultural experience try the local 'Nepali wine' (raksi) or 'Nepali Beer' (chang) neither of which taste anything like their namesakes. Ask for these at local places. San Miguel, Everest Beer and Tuborg beer are the principal beers served in Kathmandu.
Virtually all tourist accommodations are located in Thamel, near the Kathmandu Guesthouse. Upscale hotels tend to be a few blocks away on Durbar Marg near the Royal Palace. A few guest houses still remain on Freak Street below Durbar Square, they tend to be somewhat cheaper, and a bit less well cared for than Thamel, but the neighbourhood is quieter and there are fewer touts.
Prices can range from 1 - 350 USD for a double room.
Get out
Domestic flights also leave from Tribhuvan International Airport. There is a 170rs airport tax.
Stay safe
Canadian Consular Affairs, UK Foreign and Commonwealth office, and The US State department discourage non-essential travel to Nepal, including Kathmandu, due to military conflict between Maoist rebels and the government.
At present, the Maoists and government have reached an agreement to solve the problem of conflict permanently. However, visitors should avoid public demonstrations and may want to register with their consulate on arrival. Although tourists haven't been directly targeted with politically motivated violence, it is possible to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. The frequent strikes are a major inconvenience for most tourists as all transportation stops, and shops and restaurants close.
It is however a great time to have a glimpse of Kathmandu before cars where introduced and walk at ease everywhere, if you don't need to go further than you can walk and have your own food. Following the news and government warnings is important, be sure to check on current road conditions before leaving Kathmandu.
While in Kathmandu, always keep an eye on belongings, violent crime is rare, but pickpockets are not, especially in crowded places. If your hotel room door doesn't have a good lock or safe windows, store valuables on your person or in a hotel safety deposit box at all times. As with any large city, avoid walking alone in unlit areas.
Stay healthy
Internet cafes and are almost stacked on top of each other in Thamel and around the stupa at Boudha, and you can surf to you heart's content for about 15Rs to 20Rps an hour (10Rps in Putalisadak). ISD and STD telephone services are available in almost all internet cafes. Roadhouse Cafe has free WiFi internet service between 12PM and 5PM, that and the best coffee we found makes it a great place to catch up on emails.


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BuDu series race # 3 throw down at Fort Steilcoom park, south of Tacoma, was on the schedule for today. Racer Boy Ian was a little on the fence about hitting this race, but having him waking me up at 6:00 AM proved his interest. Fort Steilcoom not being one of his favorite places to race, not enough singletrack for his riding style. We've hit these places a few times over the course of a few race series now, so he's getting a little picky...
We head out the door for the hour plus drive to the start line complete with 38 degree temps, wet ground, and wet snow falling. Could be a painful day. We agree if the weather continues to look this ugly, we retain the right to bag it all and head home. Halfway to Tacoma, the skies clear a bit. Not bad at all, though on the chilly side.
A bit of confusion while signing up at the registration tent - well - turned to confusion later. Girls at the tent mention 1 lap for Beginner class and 2 laps for Sport. About a 4+ mile lap. I ask Ian what he wants to ride, he says 2 laps. I sign him up for U-19 Sport class. That race doesn't start until 11:00 AM, now we have some time to kill. Ian takes off to pre-ride the course.
The 9:00 AM racers line up and I see a few of Ian's teammates ready to roll. I ask 'em what class they're doing, they mention Beginner class for 2 laps. Uh? A few minutes later, boom, off they go. I head back to the registration tent, now confused. I find out Sport class is actually 3 laps. That's a 12 mile race, plus warm up lap, for 16 miles or so. Add in racing against kids up to 19 years old. Middle of summer, Ian could handle this. Middle of March, with only two or so mountain bike rides under his belt since 'cross season ended in December - no way. He'd be hurting big time, no doubt.
Racer Boy Ian is in a bit of gray area, being 12 years old. His racing age is 13, since he turns 13 this year - those are the rules. That bumps him up into the 13-18 Beginner class for this series, or U-19 for Sport class. Different race venues run different number of laps depending on the course. For the 12 and under division, where Ian was last year, the 1 lap races felt short to him, 2 would be about right. So today, that would have been Beginner class.
Ian rolls in from his warm up lap and I give him the news. At one point, the race director tells me the Sport class may only do two laps, but later it remains at three. I elect to pull the plug on Ian's race day. I want to keep all this as positive and fun as possible, with reasonable challenges along the way. Ian agrees. The race folks are cool, we get a refund and change numbers back to Beginner class, where I'll keep him for the remaining races in the series. I always keep in mind we're talking about a 12 year old here, and would rather error on the easy side of things.
Getting up a 6:00 AM and driving 100 miles round trip for nothing is a bummer, but hey - stuff happens. The BuDu gang run a great series and even though my gut said no to the Sport class for Ian, thought the laps would be right. No big deal, many more races in the future, including the next BuDu race. We're not talking world peace or pro contracts here.
After the drive home and homework time spent on a science project, Ian and I hit the local trails for the late afternoon roll. Super muddy today, but felt great to get out. We did about 10 miles of woods rolling and Ian was pretty toasted at the end. I made the right call earlier in the day - for sure.
As long as his interest remains, plenty of rides and races remain in Ian's future. I plan to keep it as fun as possible, ramp it up as needed, and error on the low side of things if required. For us, the best approach to it all, and it's been working well.


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My cross-country kNOw THEM America Bicycle Trip, May – August 2016, is about getting past THEMification in my own country. Below is the final progress map and I am still posting images, reflections, learnings and experiences daily to Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
Astoria, OR – Boston, MA – May 10 – August 20, 2016
Total Miles: 3,957.5 – Total Ascent: 104,680
[click to enlarge map]
This site is dedicated to the most-dangerous four-letter word in the English language. This word carries a sharply stinging insult and leaves lasting bitterness. When we stop to really think about it, we realize the damage this word can do, yet it has become so engrained in our daily speech that it seems nearly impossible to erase from our vocabulary. Adults everywhere should know better than to use this four-letter word, and yet we rarely make concerted efforts to keep our children and ourselves from saying it. Wars throughout history have been started and fought over this word, millions have been enslaved, and genocides have threatened the existence of entire populations as a result of its deep embedding into our cultures. What is this four-letter word? – Them.
In over a decade of travels throughout the world, I have spent time with people on all sides of conflicts. Through our interactions together I have found that individual stories are the key to dispelling stereotypes, fighting misconceptions, and dispelling preconceived notions. This site is designed to be a means of increasing real understanding and humanizing the "other side" by sharing the insights I have gained from these personal interactions. I echo the words of Mark Twain in saying that "Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness."


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Lauren Alaina, 'Eighteen Inches' – Song Review
In Lauren Alaina's new single 'Eighteen Inches,' fans get to hear what's special about this 17-year-old country singer, along with a few skills that are still underdeveloped. Like so many of the songs from her debut album 'Wildflower,' the single fits the 'American Idol' runner-up like a tailored prom dress.
Vocally, Alaina is a powerhouse that tears through the chorus. "When you're young and in love, yeah / You might do some things that don't seem all that smart / Cause there ain't no greater distance / Than the eighteen inches from your head to your heart."
This story of two young lovers stumbling and bumbling through life will resonate with a large audience. After all, who hasn't paid for a nice dinner out when the water bill is sitting unattended to on the kitchen counter? It's painful lessons like this that define young love — for better or worse.
"They can barely make rent on a rundown apartment / She's waiting tables and he's a valet / They're behind on the bills and the car's barely running / But he buys a ring with the tips that he's saved," Alaina continues in the second verse. The plot is a little predictable, but mostly because it's a story all of us know so well from personal experience.
That's where Alaina has room for growth. While it's certainly not her fault that she's never begged a landlord for one more week, her lack of expertise shows. She's not a master storyteller yet — this tale sounds more like a really good one she heard from a friend, in this case songwriters Ashley Gorley, Kelley Lovelace and Carrie Underwood. The song's sweet ending may overcome any issues of credibility, however.
"She wakes him up at three thirty in the morning / Ready or not their new life's gonna start / Seven pounds and eighteen inches / The doctor lays that new baby's head right on her heart."
It's difficult to tell if this will be Alaina's breakthrough hit, as she seems to be being punished for coming from reality television. It's a potential Top 10 for somebody.
Listen to Lauren Alaina, 'Eighteen Inches'


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(989) 964-4954(989) 964-4954
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The designated or immediate supervisor is responsible for monitoring the work progress of the student employee. Deficiencies must be brought to the student's attention at the earliest possible time with suggestions for improvement, and the student must be afforded a reasonable opportunity to correct the deficiency.
In the event that a student employee demonstrates unsatisfactory work, a supervisor, prior to the termination of the student must follow the procedures outlined below.
The Director of Career Services may suspend without pay or discharge without any prior warning, and without utilization of the immediate due process defined in this section if it is determined, based upon the preponderance of reasonable evidence, to charge that a student employee is guilty of gross misconduct, insubordination, sabotage, theft, assault upon another student, student employee or staff member or a supervisor, or the commission of any act or acts which constitute a felony under State or Federal law. The student retains the right to appeal the Director of Career Services decision to the Associate Provost for Student Affairs. Upon review, the decision of the Associate Provost will be binding upon both the student employee and SVSU.
In addition to termination for cause previously specified, a student employee may be terminated for the following reasons: attendance, budget constraints, completion of the project, or other such valid reasons unrelated to job performance. In such cases, a minimum of two weeks in advance of the termination date, the employer must provide a copy of the written termination notice stating reason(s) for termination to the Student Employment Coordinator.


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On the day that Anna Nicole Smith's ex boyfriend appeared in court charged with contributing to her death, a friend of the former Playboy model told OK! that he "took advantage of her".
A fellow Playmate of the Year and one-time pal of Anna's, Victoria Silverstedt, said that the reality show Anna and Howard K. Stern appeared in together may have been the catalyst that lead to the collapse of her life.
Victoria, who now stars in her own reality show, The Perfect Life, says that she intentionally avoided making a show like The Anna Nicole Show, which aired on E! in 2002, five years before Anna died from a drug overdose.
"That was my guide lines — not to go that way," said the Swedish pin-up.
"I don't know if it was that show that really got [Anna Nicole] more and more messed her up — because there was the fame, and Howard and everyone were taking advantage of her," added Victoria.
"It was a disaster."
Victoria's own show follows her ultra glamorous life as she flits around the world from New York and LA, to London, Paris and Rome via her home in Monaco and the village where she grew up in northern Sweden, as she goes to celebrity parties, hosts TV shows and looks for love.
"I just wanted it be light-hearted, fun, easy to watch," Victoria told us. "I'm not trying to prove anything to anyone, I'm just doing my thing, enjoying having a good life, but not taking life too seriously.
"I really wanted to be careful not to go along that line [like the Anna Nicole Show]."


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Despite the enthusiastic support of California gay activist Rick Jacobs, the Chuck Hagel nomination for Defense Secretary is getting more flack from LGBT groups Tuesday. On Monday, Jacobs called out the Log Cabin Republicans, saying the group's hypocrisy on Hagel (after supporting Romney) is worthy of The Onion.
A sleeper issue is how Hagel would enforce Section 533(a)(1) of the new National Defense Authorization Act, which requires the military to accommodate the conscience, moral principles, or religious beliefs of all members of the military. Written by Rep. Todd "Legitimate Rape" Akin, R-Mo., the clause worries civil libertarians who worry it could be used to discriminate against gays and lesbians. President Obama singled it out in his signing statement, saying his "administration remains fully committed to continuing the successful implementation of the repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell, and to protecting the rights of gay and lesbian service members; Section 533 will not alter that."
At a minimum, the consensus among gay groups seems to be to hold Hagel's feet to the fire in his Senate confirmation hearings. Hagel cannot afford to lose any Democratic votes given the unease with the nomination on the pro-Israel left.
GetEqual came out against the nomination Tuesday, citing Hagel's 4 percent rating with the Human Rights Campaign. The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force demanded Monday that Hagel "fully explain his views during the confirmation process and what steps he intends to take as defense secretary to demonstrate his support for LGBT members of the military…"
Richard Socarides, former President Bill Clinton's liason to the LGBT community, called Hagel's comments during the James Hormel nomination fight "discouraging and damaging," saying, "Hagel's remarks signaled that the extreme anti-gay right wing was increasing the pressure on Republican senators to oppose the nomination because Hormel was gay, and that moderate Republicans were failing in line."
That brought this riposte from Andrew Sullivan: "I recall no moment in his career in which Socarides apologized for selling out the gay community in every single possible way in order to stay comfortably ensconced in the Clinton White House." Like Jacobs, Sullivan said if anyone should be held to account for the wave of anti-gay policies during the 1990′s, it's Bill Clinton, who actually signed the Defense of Marriage Act and imposed Don't Ask, Don't Tell, among other things, including the ban on persons with HIV entering the U.S.
Andrew Belkin, director of the pro-gay Palm Center think tank, laid out five things Hagel should promise to do for LGBT troops to demonstrate his new-found commitment, including addressing the issue of transgender troops.
California Sen. Dianne Feinstein supports the nomination; Sen. Barbara Boxer is neutral.


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Sequentia Environics has paired up with author and tech journalist Jon Evans to produce a five part series of online articles demystifying the technological underpinnings of the social web. The first article is up, looking at the online identity management environment since the early efforts of Microsoft's Passport, and examining the current players in the landscape, including Facebook Connect, OpenID, and others.
Read more on the Sequentia Environics blog at: http://sequentiaenvironics.com/blog/?p=109