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Coffee FAQ
General questions and answers about our campaign.
- Coffee in the Global Economy
- Coffee Production and Labor
- Coffee and the Environment
- A History of Fair Trade
- Fair Trade Criteria and Monitoring
- Coffee Industry's Code of Conduct
- The Fair Trade Certified Coffee Campaign
- What You Can Do
- Fair Trade Coffee Cooperatives
What role does coffee play in the global economy?
A: Coffee is the world's second most valuable traded commodity, behind only petroleum. There are approximately 25 million farmers and coffee workers in over 50 countries involved in producing coffee around the world. Coffee was traditionally developed as a colonial cash crop, planted by serfs or wage laborers in tropical climates on large plantations of landowners for sale in colonial countries. Coffee producers, like most agricultural workers around the world, are kept in a cycle of poverty and debt by the current global economy designed to exploit cheap labor and keep consumer prices low. An estimated 11 million hectares of the world's farmland are dedicated to coffee cultivation. The largest producer and exporter is Brazil, followed by Colombia, Vietnam, Indonesia, and Mexico. Around the globe, the annual consumption of coffee has expanded to 12 billion pounds. For more information about the history of Latin America and coffee, see Coffee and Power by Jeffrey Paige (in bibliography)
What role does coffee play in the US economy?
A: Coffee is the US's largest food import and second most valuable commodity only after oil. According to the International Coffee Organization, the US imported 2.72 billion pounds of coffee from September 2001 to September 2002. The US primarily purchases coffee from Brazil, Colombia, Mexico, Guatemala, and Vietnam. The U.S. also buys coffee from Indonesia, Costa Rica, Peru, El Salvador, Ecuador, Venezuela, Honduras, Uganda, Thailand, Nicaragua, India, and Papua New Guinea. In the U.S. alone, over 130 million consumers are coffee drinkers. In recent years, new cafés have been opening at an explosive rate, making specialty coffee mainstream and increasing profit margins for specialty coffee roasters and retailers. The Specialty Coffee Association of America estimated that there are 10,000 coffee cafes and 2,500 specialty stores selling coffee. Chains represent 30% of all coffee retail stores, but the majority remain in the hands of independent owners or small family businesses.
How are coffee prices currently set?
A: Coffee prices are set according to the New York "C" Contract market. The price of coffee fluctuates wildly in this speculative economy, generally hovering around fifty cents per pound. Most coffee is traded by speculators in New York, who trade approximately 8-10 times the amount of actual coffee produced each year. The single most influential factor in world coffee prices is the weather in Brazil. Droughts and frosts portend shortages of coffee and the price increases.
Specialty coffee is often imported at a negotiated price over the C market, which is considered a 'quality premium'. Most of those premiums never reach the coffee farmer, but rather stay in the hands of the exporter. This creates a disincentive for farmers to increase their quality, as they do not receive the direct benefits of increased investment in producing better coffee.
What is the commodity chain of the coffee industry?
A: Coffee is an extremely powerful commodity, reigning as the world's most heavily traded product, behind petroleum, and the largest food import of the United States. The global commodity chain for coffee involves a string of producers, middlemen, exporters, importers, roasters, and retailers before reaching the consumer.
Coffee is a vital source of export for many of the developing countries that grow it. Some 20 million families in 50 countries now work directly in the cultivation of coffee; an estimated 11 million hectares of the world's farmland are dedicated to coffee cultivation. Arabica and Robusta are the two principle species of coffee harvested today. Approximately 70% of the world's production is the Arabica bean, used for higher-grade and specialty coffees, and 80% of this bean comes from Latin America. Robusta is grown primarily in Africa and Asia.
Most small farmers sell directly to middlemen exporters who are commonly referred to as coyotes. These coyotes are known to take advantage of small farmers, paying them below market price for their harvests and keeping a high percentage for themselves. In contrast, large coffee estate owners usually process and export their own harvests that are sold at the prices set by the New York Coffee Exchange. However, extremely low wages ($2-3/day) and poor working conditions for farmworkers characterize coffee plantation jobs.
Importers purchase green coffee from established exporters and large plantation owners in producing countries. Only those importers in the specialty coffee segment buy directly from the small farmer cooperatives. Importers provide a crucial service to roasters who do not have the capital resources to obtain quality green coffee from around the world. Importers bring in large container loads and hold inventory, selling gradually through numerous small orders. Since many roasters rely on this service, importers wield a great deal of influence over the types of green coffee that are sold in the US.
There are approximately 1200 roasters in the US today. Large roasters usually have one blend of recipes and sell to large retailers - the Big Three (Kraft, which owns Maxwell House and Sanka, owned by Philip Morris; Procter & Gamble, which owns Folgers and Millstone; and Nestle) maintain over 60% of total green bean volume. Microroasters, or those who roast up to 500 bags of coffee a year, offer the product we know as specialty coffee. Most roasters buy coffee from importers in small, frequent purchases. Roasters have the highest profit margin in the value chain, thus making them an important link in the commodity chain.
Retailers usually purchase packaged coffee from roasters, although an increasing number of retailers are also roasting their own beans for sale. The Specialty Coffee Association of America estimated that there are 10,000 cafes and 2,500 specialty stores selling coffee. Chains represent approximately 30% of all coffee retail stores. However, supermarkets and traditional retail chains are still the primary channel for both specialty coffee and non-specialty coffee, and they hold about 60% of marketshare of total coffee sales. Around the globe, the annual consumption of coffee is 12 billion pounds and in the U.S. alone, over 130 million consumers are coffee drinkers.
What is the economic situation of small farmers in the coffee industry?
A: Coffee is produced both on large plantations and by small farmers. Typically, Fair Trade farmers cultivate less than 3 hectares of coffee and harvest 1,000-3,000 pounds of unroasted coffee a year. Small farmers are perhaps more aptly defined by those farmers who rely principally on their own families' labor. This makes Fair Trade potentially representative of an estimated 75% of all coffee farmers. Many coffee farmers receive prices for their harvest that can be less than the costs of production, forcing them into a cycle of poverty and debt. They are often forced to sell to middlemen who pay them half the market price, generally between $.30-.50 per pound. Family farmers usually bring in a cash income of $500-$1,000 a year for their coffee.
What are the labor problems and working conditions in the coffee industry?
A: Conditions for coffee workers on large plantations varies widely, but most are paid the equivalent to sweatshop wages and toil under abysmal working conditions. In Guatemala for example, coffee pickers have to pick a 100-pound quota in order to get the minimum wage of less than $3/day. A recent study of plantations in Guatemala showed that over half of all coffee pickers don't receive the minimum wage, in violation of Guatemalan labor laws. Workers interviewed in the study were also subject to forced overtime without compensation, and most often did not receive their legally-mandated employee benefits. The total average income reported was Quetzales 1006 ($127.37/month). According to 1998 data published by Guatemala's National Institute of Statistics, the cost of the Basic Food Basket for a family of five was 1353.86 Quetzales per month ($171.37 @7.90 exchange rate). The Basket of Goods and Services (including food, education, healthcare, clothing, and transportation) was Q2470.55 ($312.72).
Because of this situation, many coffee workers bring their children to help them in the fields in order to pick the daily quota. These child workers are not officially employed and therefore not subject to labor protections. While children in most rural families work at an earlier age than urban children, a February 4 investigative report by ABC-affiliate KGO television in San Francisco revealed children as young as 6 or 8 years old at work in the fields. We believe that the best way to prevent child labor in the fields is to pay workers a living wage.
Working conditions on these plantations are harsh; as migrant farmworkers, many workers sleep in temporary shelters with rows of bunk beds. Many times they cook, wash and bathe from the same water source. The study of coffee plantations in Guatemala revealed that only 13% of coffee workers have completed their primary education. Most were not provided with legally-mandated adequate health care.
Most coffee workers, like many agricultural workers around the world, are not guaranteed their basic labor rights including the right to organize. The rural nature of farmwork makes them especially vulnerable to threats and coercion, as plantation owners can take advantage of their control over the workforce to keep them from organizing into unions to demand their rights. Many countries have adequate labor laws such as minimum wage, mandated health and safety requirements, and freedom to form a union, but these rights are usually not enforced.
What are some of the environmental issues, like pesticides and biodiversity, with coffee production?
A: Coffee farming originally developed in Africa as an understory crop beneath diverse shade trees that provided habitat for wildlife such as birds, butterflies, insects, and animals. Traditional farmers usually use sustainable agricultural techniques including composting coffee pulp, rotating crops, and not applying expensive chemicals and fertilizers. In addition, they usually cultivate food alongside cash crops, and intercrop other plants such as banana and nut trees which provide food security as well as additional sources of income.
In the 1970s and 80s, as part of the general shift to 'technified agriculture' during the so-called Green Revolution, the US Agency for International Development and other groups gave $80 million dollars for plantations in Central America to replace traditional shade grown farming techniques with 'sun cultivation' techniques in order to increase yields. This resulted in the destruction of vast forests and biodiversity of over 1.1 million hectares. 'Sun cultivated' coffee involves the cutting down of trees, monocropping, and the input of chemical fertilizers and pesticides. This type of industrial coffee farming leads to severe environmental problems, such as pesticide pollution, deforestation and the extinction of songbirds through habitat destruction. The Smithsonian Institute has identified industrial coffee production as one of the major threats to songbirds in the hemisphere due to deforestation - the birds no longer have a habitat in which to live. Soil and water sources continue to be severely degraded by many coffee farms, as coffee pulp is often dumped into streams. In addition to the harmful effects on the environment caused by the use of chemical pesticides and herbicides in coffee cultivation, workers are also at risk of drinking contaminated water and being poisoned by pesticides.
For these reasons, many bird, tree, and biodiversity conservationists have developed standards for promoting "shade-grown" or "bird-friendly" certified coffee -- that is, coffee grown under a canopy of diverse trees that provide habitat to birds. The Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center, as well as Rainforest Alliance and the Seattle Audubon Society, all promote various labels of coffee that promote tree and bird conserving farming practices. In addition, many consumers are committed to purchasing organic coffee in order to promote sustainable farming techniques in poor countries.
For more information, see the Proceedings of the First Sustainable Coffee Congress by the Smithsonian Institute, which is a valuable resource on all issues of sustainability.
How does Fair Trade address environmental issues such as shade grown and organic?
A: About 85% of Fair Trade Certified coffee is shade grown and either passive or certified organic. Over half of the certified organic coffee is produced by Fair Trade cooperatives, but unless the coffee is Fair Trade Certified, there is no guarantee that the farmer received the benefit. Certified organic coffee in the Fair Trade market receive a $.15 premium per pound. Typically, small farmers have never had the money to finance cutting down of the trees or purchase large amounts of chemical fertilizers and pesticides. Small farmers have traditionally passed on sustainable farming techniques to their children. We believe that small farmers are the best stewards of the land, with the highest interest in living in and passing on land with healthy soil free from harmful pesticides to their children. Paying farmers a fair wage with incentives for ecological practices is the best way to encourage sustainable farming. Fair Trade helps guarantee that the benefits of organic farming techniques reach the farmer as well as the consumer and the environment.
We support the shade grown/bird-friendly as well as organic labeling movements as an important tool for consumers to make responsible choices about environmental conservation, and support the double- or triple-labeling of coffee. Most consumers who believe in supporting living wages for farmers also support sustainable farming practices that promote environmental conservation.
How does the Fair Trade certification process differ from organic and shade grown certifications?
A: Organic, Shade Grown, and Bird-Friendly certification labels have contributed important and valuable efforts to promoting sustainable agriculture techniques that benefit farmers and the environment. However, they do not carry the encompassing attributes of the Fair Trade Certification process. Organic coffee is certified according to strict legal criteria. There are a number of different certifying agencies (QAI, OCIA) that all certify according to the same California Organic Foods Act an in accordance with the standards of the International Federation of Organic Agricultural Movements (IFOAM). Shade coffee (bird-friendly) is currently certified by several groups (Rainforest Alliance, Seattle Audubon Society, Smithsonian Institute) but they work with slightly different criteria and do not have comprehensive monitoring procedures. Of these, the Smithsonian Institute has the strongest and most scientifically-based criteria and the best monitoring capability. Fair Trade Certification works with a ten year old comprehensive system of monitoring according to international standards.
Most (85%) Fair Trade Certified coffee is organic and shade grown, and most Shade and Organic coffee comes from farms that are organized as part of the Fair Trade network. Unfortunately, most organic or shade grown coffee is not Fair Trade; you still have to look for the Fair Trade Certified label to know if the farmer got a fair price.
Notably, unlike organic certification, all Fair Trade coffee monitoring and certification costs are paid by the roasters in the consuming countries, not the farmers.
In sum, we believe Fair Trade, Shade/Bird Friendly and Organic labeling initiatives to be symbiotic, because what is good for the workers is good for trees, birds, and our shared environment. Many consumers are looking for coffee that is multiply certified; labor and ecological standards overlap and are mutually beneficial.
How did the concept of Fair Trade originate?
A: The Fair Trade movement began in the late 1950s as alternative trade organizations (ATOs) emerged in Europe and the US to promote grassroots development through direct, equitable trade. These ATOs bought directly from Third World producers, eliminating the middlemen, and paid the producers a fair price while providing assistance in developing trading experience and market contacts. Such experiences helped producers raise their incomes while reducing their dependency on commercial middlemen. These first ATOs were primarily "Third World shops" which dealt mainly in handicrafts. Today, there are 3,000 of these shops in Europe organized in the Network of European World Shops, and about 100 in the US, organized in the Fair Trade Federation.
How was the concept of Fair Trade Certification developed?
A: The first Fair Trade certification initiative, called Max Havelaar, was proposed in Holland in 1988. It marked an important departure from the ATO model. The Fair Trade seal was offered to mainstream coffee roasters who were willing to trade even a fraction of their total volume on Fair Trade terms. By bringing in larger coffee roasters and pushing Fair Trade into mainstream supermarkets, this seal exposed many more consumers to the benefits of Fair Trade coffee and greatly increased the number of farmers who benefit from Fair Trade.
After the Fair Trade seal demonstrated itself as a viable marketing concept, several groups from other countries in Europe adopted the initiative, many under the name of Fair Trade USA. However, for most of their history, the Fair Trade labeling organizations remained a collection of independent, autonomous, nationally based initiatives that shared criteria and worked with the same farmers, but pursued common goals with different strategies. There are currently Fair Trade Certification seals in 17 different importing countries.
How did the Fairtrade Labeling Organizations international originate?
A: In 1997, Fair Trade labelers formed an international umbrella group called Fair Trade Labeling Organizations (FLO) International. The 17-member organization follows a set criteria which defines Fair Trade for each product certified under the Fair Trade system, including coffee, tea, cocoa, sugar, honey, bananas and orange juice. For each commodity, there is a shared International Fair Trade Registry of farmers who have undergone a formal application process and have been approved to sell to the Fair Trade market. Monitoring and certification systems are maintained by FLO, which has field monitors in each producer region or country who annually visit all of the producer coops. Each member of FLO contributes to international monitoring costs with its annual dues.
How did Fair Trade coffee in the US get started?
A: In 1986, Equal Exchange was established to import Nicaraguan coffee as an expression of solidarity with the people and revolution of Nicaragua, after the Reagan administration imposed an unfair trade embargo. Equal Exchange became the only ATO in the US to focus exclusively on Fair Trade coffee, trading according to the international standards before there was a monitoring agency in the US. In the fourteen years since its inception, Equal Exchange has built a small but important niche for Fair Trade coffee, earning the respect and recognition of the specialty coffee industry and helping many farmers to keep their land during the low ebbs in the world coffee market. Other companies such as Peace Coffee in Minneapolis, Zapatista Coffee in Denver, Café Mam in Oregon, Café Campesino in Georgia, and Dean's Beans in Massachusetts have also been active promoting fair prices for farmers over the last five years, as well as promoting education about the coffee industry and the need for Fair Trade.
How did Fair Trade Certification in the US get started?
A: Fair Trade USA is the only FLO-affiliated, non-profit Fair Trade certification organization in the United States. Fair Trade USA was founded in 1996, but due to lack of funding was stagnant until 1998, when it incorporated in Oakland under the leadership of longtime coffee farmer advocate Paul Rice. Initially, the organization focused on certifying coffee importers who were willing to trade according to Fair Trade criteria. In 1999, that focus shifted to roasters. In 1999 they focused most of their energies on Bay Area companies, but many socially responsible roasters across the nation have become licensees, especially after the April 2000 SCAA conference where Fair Trade USA brought producers from a dozen different Fair Trade cooperatives to show their product. In the fall of 2000 their focus is on Boston and the greater Northeast. As of mid-2000, there were over 50 importers and roasters licensed to sell Fair Trade coffee with the Fair Trade USA label. In addition, Fair Trade USA is active around promotion and consumer education around Fair Trade coffee. See www.fairtradeusa.org for more information.
Fair Trade Criteria and Monitoring
What are the Fairtrade Labeling Organizations (FLO) criteria for roasters and importers?
A: Any coffee roaster that complies with the following conditions can apply for the right to use of one of the Fair Trade Labels of FLO-International.
- The purchasing price must have been fixed in accordance with the conditions established for this effect by FLO-International:
- Guaranteed floor price of $1.26 per pound for washed arabica.
- For Arabicas the New York "C" market shall be the basis of calculation. The price shall be established in US$-cents per pound, plus or minus the prevailing differential for the relevant quality, basis F.O.B. origin, net shipped weight. Over the established prices, there shall be a fixed premium of 5 US$-cents per pound.
- For certified organic or biological coffee with officially recognized certification, that will be sold as such, an additional premium of 15 US$-cents per pound green coffee will be due, on top of the FLO-International price.
- The roaster/buyer is obliged to facilitate the coffee producers access to credit-facilities at the beginning of the harvest season, up to 60% of the value of the contracted coffee at Fair Trade conditions, at regular international interest rates. The credit will be cancelled upon shipment of the coffee.
- Producers and roasters/buyers depend on reliability and continuity. For that reason, relations between both should be based on long term contracts (1 to 10 years).
The floor price of the Fair Trade criteria acts as a safety net, protecting small farmers when fluctuating market prices fall extremely low. Currently, the floor price for conventionally grown Arabica beans is $1.26/pound and $1.41/pound if the coffee is certified organic. When the market price is above the floor price, as it was during the 1994-98 period, the Fair Trade price is an additional $0.05/pound premium above normal market price. Therefore, the Fair Trade floor price is most relevant in times like the present, when the world market price hovers around $0.85/pound (meaning that most small farmers are only getting $0.20-0.40/pound). The Fair Trade floor prices were determined after considerable field research into production and living costs in various coffee-growing countries. Negotiation in 1988 between European Fair Trade leaders, farmer representatives and the industry established the initial floor prices.
The Fair Trade criteria around credit are especially important for small farmers. Without access to credit during the "lean months" between harvests, small farmers often are forced to sell the future rights to their harvests to local middlemen at extremely low prices in exchange for some cash up front. At harvest time, the farmers are not allowed to pay off the middlemen with cash - they must hand over the coffee. So without access to credit, many farmers would not be able to take advantage of the opportunity to sell at Fair Trade prices. This is why credit is built into the Fair Trade criteria as an obligation of the importer.
What are the Fairtrade Labeling Organizations criteria for producers?
A: FLO maintains a Coffee Producers Registry that is open to associations of small farmers who meet several criteria that can be summed up in the following way. They have to be poor; only small farmers who are not dependent on hired labor, not plantations, are represented. And they have to be democratically organized as small farmer associations that are independent and transparent. Representatives from FLO annually inspect Fair Trade farms in producing countries.
The exact FLO criteria for Producers are the following:
- the majority of the members of the organization are small scale producers of coffee. By small producers are understood those that are not structurally dependent on hired labor, managing their farm mainly with their own and their family's labor-force;
- the organization is independent and democratically controlled by its members. This means that the members of the organizations participate in the decision-making process which determines the general strategy of their organization, including decisions related to the destiny of the additional resources which result from operations in the framework of this agreement;
- administrative transparency and effective control by the members and its Board over the management is secured, minimizing the risk of fraud and offering members the necessary instruments to be able to act adequately in case of fraud;
- the philosophy motivating the organization is based on the concept and practice of solidarity;
- no form of political, racial, religious or sexual discrimination is practiced;
- the organization is statutarily open to new members;
- the organization is politically independent, and there are sufficient guarantees that the organization will not become the instrument of any political party or interest;
- the organization shares with the FLO-International and with the other organizations inscribed in the Producers' Register the following principles and general objectives:
- integral economic development, concentrating on improvement of production techniques and diversification of the production, in order to diminish dependency on one single product as a cash crop;
- integral organizational development, improving the managerial and administrative capacity of the actual and future leadership of the organization and ensuring full participation of the members in the definition of strategies and the use of extra income resulting from fair trade;
- integral social development, for instance through health care and educational programs, improvement of housing and water supply, thus creating better living conditions for the members and their families and the communities they live in;
- sustainable development strategies, applying production techniques which respect the specific ecosystems and contribute to the conservation and a sustainable use of natural resources, in order to avoid as much as possible - or even totally - the use of chemical inputs;
- integral human participation, offering especially women the opportunity to play a more active role in the development process and in the decision making process and management of the organization;
- improvement of the quality of the products as a strategic requirement for the small producers to defend themselves on both the Fair Trade Market and the regular market.
Logically, it is necessary that the quality of the coffee offered for exportation complies with the minimum quality standards as required by the different markets, and the organization must count with the management capacity to effectively export the coffee and act as a reliable commercial partner.
There are no criteria made for farm practices that the Fair Trade farmers must follow, even though Fair Trade standards explicitly support the development of organic agriculture and environmental protection. At the Fair Trade Producers' Assembly in June 1997, the producer groups themselves proposed a set of environmental standards. These standards included the use of leguminous trees, cultivation of timber species on the coffee farm, and windbreaks. These producer-derived indicators emphasize the awareness of "shade" as a beneficial farm practice, decreasing the likelihood that farmers will transfer to "sun" grown coffee as they increase their profits.
How does the certification process work?
A: As a member of the international Fair Trade network, Fair Trade USA is responsible for monitoring the paper trail from crop to cup to ensure Fair Trade practices were followed throughout.
FLO maintains a Coffee Producers Registry that is open to associations of small farmers as detailed above. FLO maintains field monitors in countries and regions of origin, and makes annual visits to ensure producer compliance with the Fair Trade criteria. The majority of cooperatives fulfill or surpass the requirements of FLO's criteria wholeheartedly. If producer cooperatives are found not in compliance, they can be put on probation for a period to allow for improvement, and in rare cases, dismissed from the list for serious violations.
Importers and Roasters
In the U.S., coffee importers and roasters must sign a licensing agreement with Fair Trade USA in order to sell Fair Trade Certified coffee using Fair Trade USA's trademarked seal on their products. Fair Trade USA's Monitoring Department handles the US side of the coffee trail by monitoring licensee paperwork, including sales receipts and tracking numbers. Roasters must pay a licensing fee of 10 cents per pound to Fair Trade USA to ensure the sustainability of the system, and to ensure that costs for certification are born in the North rather than by the farmers.
Coffee Industry's Code of Conduct
Does the Fair Trade system work with large plantations?
A: Fair Trade is fundamentally focused on the small farmer, the producer of the great majority of the world's coffee. Therefore, it cannot address all of the social inequities associated with coffee production around the world. As noted earlier, by deliberately excluding plantations from the Fair Trade coffee market, the movement does little to improve the lot of landless farmworkers employed on those estates.
In contrast, in the case of tea and bananas, two largely plantation-grown crops, Fair Traders have developed criteria that address wages, living and working conditions of farmworkers, the right to organize, and even mechanisms for profit-sharing. Fair Trade inspectors report that monitoring and verification of fulfillment of these criteria for large estates are more challenging tasks than with small farmer cooperatives. Nevertheless, Fair Trade labelers made a political decision to engage the large-estate sector in the case of these two commodities. However, there has been contention involving bringing plantation grown coffee into the scene, because of the importance of the issue of land reform.
The Fair Trade coffee market is still too small to support both small farmers and plantations. Presently, less than half the total production volume of the small farmers on the International Fair Trade Register is sold at Fair Trade terms because worldwide demand is still too small to absorb it all. Bringing plantation grown coffee into the Fair Trade market would further dilute the position of the small holders. Therefore, any discussion of opening Fair Trade markets to estate owners (and farmworkers) should be postponed until the market grows large enough to absorb them without undermining the position of the small farmer cooperatives.
Is there a Code of Conduct for the treatment of workers on large plantations?
A: In lieu of developing Fair Trade criteria for plantation grown coffee, some Fair Trade leaders in Europe are promoting the development of a Code of Conduct to address the industry's sourcing practices and, in particular, the issues of wages and working conditions on large coffee estates. In July 1999, the European Fair Trade Association issued an open invitation to consumer and religious organizations across Europe to join them in a campaign to pressure the European Coffee Federation to implement a Code of Conduct or "Guidelines for Ethical Trading". A television documentary exploring the deplorable conditions on Guatemalan coffee estates sparked a massive response to this invitation. The European Coffee Federation, representing the large European roasters and importers, responded by discussing the subject of responsible business in their 1999 annual meeting. Global Exchange has agreed to be the US partner in this international effort, and is looking for other labor advocates interested in participating in this effort.
So far, the only effort in this direction in the U.S. has been Starbucks' 1995 Framework for action for sourcing coffee in Guatemala, which it only half-heartedly implemented after consumer pressure (coordinated by the US/Guatemala Labor Exchange, now US/LEAP) was applied. Global Exchange is maintaining pressure on Starbucks, demanding that they implement their Framework for Action plan. The rest of the U.S. coffee industry has yet to seriously look at Sourcing Guidelines or a Code of Conduct that effectively addresses the issues of wages, working conditions and organizing rights on plantations.
The Fair Trade Certified Coffee Campaign
Why did Global Exchange decide to start a Fair Trade coffee campaign?
A: Because coffee is so widely traded and consumed, it has an immense impact on the economic well-being of people in poor countries. For the same reason, it also offers one of the most promising avenues for bringing about positive change. Global Exchange believes that as we criticize free trade and corporate globalization for its lack of democracy and exploitation of poor people around the world, we need to promote our own vision of a just global trade system based on economic justice. In our work against sweatshops, we have struggled for years with the need for a comprehensive system of monitoring of wages and factory conditions that doesn't yet exist for garments as it does for coffee. With the inception of Fair Trade USA, Fair Trade Coffee certification became the first commodity where an independent monitoring system could track and verify that Fair Trade criteria had been met. We have been involved for ten years in promoting Fair Trade through our craft stores in San Francisco and Berkeley. Recognizing an alternative to free trade in Fair Trade Certified coffee, Global Exchange initiated a campaign in the summer of 1999.
What is the history of the Fair Trade coffee movement?
A: Global Exchange began spearheading a campaign to promote Fair Trade coffee in the summer of 1999. During the summer we focused our campaign on our local Bay Area. We organized a coalition of interested human rights, environmental, church, social justice, and student organizations that believed in the model of Fair Trade and wanted to help promote living wages for farmers. We outreached to the local press and generated stories about Fair Trade in the Oakland Tribune, San Francisco Chronicle, Contra Costa Times, San Francisco Examiner, and San Jose Mercury News about Fair Trade coffee. We helped to host Santiago Rivera, a farmer from San Francisco's Sister City of Estelí, Nicaragua, for an event with San Francisco Supervisor and living wage advocate Tom Ammiano. We worked with San Francisco, Berkeley, and Oakland city councils to be the first governments in the country to offer Fair Trade Certified purchasing restrictions.
We increased the retail outlets that offer Fair Trade Certified coffee from just 4 to over 100 in just a few months! Our volunteers set up informational tables at many local events, hosted speakers on Fair Trade coffee at local schools and churches, and brought awareness to the need to purchase Fair Trade to a critical mass of people in the Bay Area.
In the fall of 1999 we began sowing the seeds for our nationwide campaign focusing on helping community activists and college students coordinate Fair Trade coffee campaigns on their campuses. We had a network of over 50 communities, predominantly colleges, that are organizing educational outreach and campaigning to promote Fair Trade coffee and purchasing restrictions locally. Students at schools including Ohio University, Portland State, University of Chicago, Tulane, and Columbia are working to get sweatshop coffee off their campuses and replace it with Fair Trade Certified coffee, and students at UC Davis, College of the Atlantic, and SUNY Binghamton have already been successful. United Students Against Sweatshops, the Student Alliance to Reform Corporations, and student environmental organizations have participated in Fair Trade Certified coffee activities on their campuses, identifying it as an important tool towards decorporatizing our universities and greening our campuses. In addition, we worked with churches, environmental groups, unions, and other social justice communities to promote Fair Trade for farmers. We have an Action Kit full of tools to get started!
What is the history of the Starbucks campaign?
A: In the spring of 2000 we turned our sights towards Starbucks with the plan of pressuring them to offer their customers the choice to buy Fair Trade coffee at all of their stores across the country. Starbucks is the largest retailer of specialty coffee, owning a fifth of all cafes nationwide. In November, 1999, Global Exchange approached then Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz, and requested that Starbucks buy Fair Trade Certified coffee. We then organized several peaceful demonstrations promoting Fair Trade in front of Starbucks in Seattle that same month. Starbucks was initially very hesitant, alleging low bean quality and insufficient consumer demand. We then initiated a massive letter writing campaign involving citizens across the nation, writing as consumers of Starbucks demanding they carry Fair Trade coffee.
In February, 2000, an investigative report by ABC-affiliate KGO in San Francisco exposed child labor and incredibly low wages in plantations in Guatemala, some of which sell coffee to Starbucks. On February 4th we organized a local protest as a result. On February 14th we petitioned stockholders at their Annual General Meeting in Seattle to respond to consumer demand and fairness and offer Fair Trade Certified coffee. In a meeting we had that day with Starbucks officials, they stated that they would not yet commit to doing so. That week, Starbucks announced a one-time shipment of 75,000 pounds of Fair Trade coffee as a sign that they were aware of the demand. We responded that for a company the size of Starbucks, this represented a "Drop in the Cup," an average of about 30 pounds per store - and that the coffee was not certified! We quickly dismissed this move in the media as an obvious public relations ploy, because this tiny token amount is only enough for about 30 pounds per store!
We then circulated an Open Letter, signed by 84 student, environmental, church, and social justice organizations, asking Starbucks to pay farmers a living wage and offer them the choice to buy Fair Trade Certified coffee. We helped organize 30 demonstrations to be held on April 13 across the country at Starbucks shops, with a large base of activists committed to helping farmers earn a living wage. Over 500 concerned people faxed in letters to Starbucks from our website, and hundreds more sent in postcards asking the giant retailer to offer Fair Trade coffee.
Three days before the launch of our campaign on April 13, Starbucks capitulated to our demands and announced an agreement with Fair Trade USA to begin offering Fair Trade Certified coffee at all of its stores nationwide with a launch date of October 4. They will also be developing educational materials including posters, brochures, packaging, and training for coffee bar workers, so millions of customers will have the chance to learn about the benefits of Fair Trade. This is a huge victory for farmers whose incomes will triple, as hundreds more farmers will be able to sell their coffee at Fair Trade prices. It is also an importance victory for the corporate accountability movement. Starbucks' quick capitulation in the face of nationwide protests illustrates that grassroots organizing and education can indeed bring about major results. Starbucks has agreed to offer the coffee in whole bean form only, and we will be pressuring them to offer it in brewed coffees and espresso drinks this fall when the beans are on the shelves.
What is your relationship with the Specialty Coffee Association of America?
A: From April 14-18, 2000, we attended the Specialty Coffee Association of America, titled "Quality, Sustainability, and Social Responsibility." Fair Trade and discussions of fairness and sustainability played a major role in the conference, held in San Francisco. After the conference, we have been working with the SCAA to develop a workplan for their newly created Fair Trade Working Group. We have identified key areas in which the trade association, in an historic move, can help to play a leadership role in promoting Fair Trade amongst its members, including officially endorsing Fair Trade Certification, educating its members through trade publications, assisting in research needs, and helping to channel funding resources for product quality improvement to Fair Trade cooperatives.
Is there enough consumer demand for Fair Trade coffee?
A: According to the 1998 Cone/Roper benchmark study, 78% percent of consumers would rather purchase a product associated with a cause about which they believe. 54% say that they would pay more for a product that supports their cause. Fair Trade USA's 1997 consumer study revealed that 49% of specialty coffee drinkers surveyed said they would buy Fair Trade coffee. In the post-WTO climate, more and more people are demanding Fair Trade products. Most people in this country would rather buy a cup of coffee picked under fair trade conditions than sweatshop labor conditions.
Be sure to check out our Action Kit which is full of ideas and resources.
What can any community organization do to support Fair Trade?
A: Help start a campaign in your community that will highlight the importance of paying farmers a living wage. Distribute educational leaflets and local events and local cafés, particularly ones that might be interested in offering Fair Trade coffee. Send a letter to local roasters and cafés from your organizational letterhead asking them to talk with Fair Trade USA about offering Fair Trade coffee. Make sure that your local community serves Fair Trade Certified coffee at community events. Encourage your community organization to purchase Fair Trade products for fundraisers and organizational gifts. Check out our Action Pack for more ideas.
What role can campus activists play?
A: Fair Trade provides a sustainable alternative to corporate free trade practices. Bringing Fair Trade Certified coffee to our campuses to replace corporate coffee is an important step towards replacing environmentally & socially exploitative product sourcing with sustainable development practices and decorporatizing our universities. It is a visible and achievable goal that can be incorporated into current campaigns, used to recruit new activists, and network labor, environmental, social justice, and other organizations, not to mention Asian, African, and Latin American Studies, along with International Relations, Labor Departments, Women's Studies, Environmental Studies, students, staff, and faculty, etc. Fair Trade practices are environmentally sustainable, fair, and independently monitored - all of which are essential components of a green campus and a democratic global economy. Campus activists have been key players in the anti-sweatshop movement. Now we have a chance to promote purchasing restrictions on our campuses for Fair Trade Certified coffee. Check out our Action Pack for tools and resources.
What can teachers, professors, and graduate students do?
A: Invite a guest speaker to your classroom to talk about Fair Trade. Order a copy of the video Santiago's Story and show it to your students. Have them discuss Fair Trade, what it means and what they can do to support it. Follow up with concrete actions (delivering postcards and petitions to a local Starbucks for example, or organizing a public education presentation on Fair Trade for the community). Discuss with the students what it means to take concrete action in promoting fairness in the global economy. Check out our Action Pack for more ideas.
There is also a serious need for expanded research around Fair Trade issues, such as the improvement in farmers' lives, working conditions on coffee plantations, consumer research, and movement strategies. If you are interested in researching themes of use to the Fair Trade movement, contact email@example.com.
What role can labor unions play?
A: Labor unions have been at the forefront of the movement for Fair Trade in the global economy, and have played an important role in the Fair Trade movement in Europe and Canada. Make sure that your local workplace serves Fair Trade Certified coffee. Make it a demand of a union contract that the worksite sells on Fair Trade Certified coffee, for example at a hotel. Make the connections between farmworker issues at home and abroad. Check out our Action Pack for more ideas.
What role can religious groups play?
A: Religious organizations have a long history of supporting social justice and promoting positive solutions to global injustice. Send a letter to local cafes and grocery stores asking them to sell Fair Trade coffee. Have an event at your social hour or religious education classes to show the video, Santiago's Story, discuss Fair Trade, and write letters to your local stores. Make sure that your local place of worship serves Fair Trade Certified coffee at coffee hour or other events. Encourage your church to purchase Fair Trade coffee as a fundraiser - check out the Fair Trade Certified vendor list. Check out our Action Kit for more ideas.
Also, see this article from The Catholic Voice.
What can regular consumers do to support Fair Trade?
A: Consumers can play a powerful role in demanding that coffee companies offer us the choice to buy Fair Trade Certified coffee. We can demand that they take responsibility for the working conditions of the people who produce the product that makes their business successful.
- Buy Fair Trade Certified coffee.
- Ask for Fair Trade Certified coffee where you shop.
- Drop a note in the suggestion box at your local grocery store or café.
- Get involved in the Fair Trade movement -- contact us for information on how you can help build Fair Trade in your community!
- Check out Ten Things You Can Do for Fair Trade for more suggestions.


text:
DOPAMINE (Dopastat®, Intropin®) helps your heart pump more effectively. It is for use in certain serious conditions such as shock and heart failure. Generic dopamine injections are available.
They need to know if you have any of the following conditions:
heart disease
heart or circulation problems
an unusual or allergic reaction to dopamine, sulfites, other medicines, foods, dyes, or preservatives
pregnant or trying to get pregnant
Dopamine is for infusion into a vein. It is usually administered by a health care professional in a clinic or hospital setting. Use of dopamine requires frequent monitoring to make sure that it is being used safely and effectively.
This does not apply.
beta-blockers, often used for high blood pressure or heart problems
medicines for high blood pressure
medicine for mental depression
Tell your prescriber or health care professional about all other medicines you are taking, including nonprescription medicines, nutritional supplements, or herbal products. Also tell your prescriber or health care professional if you are a frequent user of drinks with caffeine or alcohol, if you smoke, or if you use illegal drugs. These may affect the way your medicine works. Check before starting or stopping any of your medicines.
Let your prescriber or health care professional know if you are getting side effects, especially if your heart beats irregularly or starts pounding; or if you have fainting spells or feel dizzy.
You may get dizzy. To reduce dizzy or fainting spells, do not sit or stand up quickly.
Side effects that you should report to your prescriber or health care professional as soon as possible:
chest pain
difficulty breathing
extreme weakness or tiredness
fainting spells, lightheadedness
fast heartbeat. or irregular pounding heartbeat
pain, swelling, redness, or irritation at the injection site
skin rash
Side effects that usually do not require medical attention (report to your prescriber or health care professional if they continue or are bothersome):
Keep out of the reach of children.
After mixing the injection solution use within 24 hours. Throw away any unused injection solution.
Copyright© 2009 Krames except where otherwise noted.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Serve your family this rich barley soup made with turkey and vegetables – a hearty skillet dinner.
You also can use leftover cooked turkey or chicken in this soup. Just add the turkey with the frozen vegetables.
Using quick-cooking barley really saves time, taking 10 to 12 minutes to cook, versus 45 to 50 minutes for regular barley.
One cup of cooked barley provides the same amount of protein as an 8-ounce glass of milk.
© 2017 ®/TM General Mills All Rights Reserved


text:
Nope, totally clear-white. The test-shot proto had a purple eye, looked way cooler, probably too dark on production though.
Technically he's not a tuner, he's a Mazdaspeed upgraded model but nothing aftermarket, it's all factory.
Nope, totally clear-white. The test-shot proto had a purple eye, looked way cooler, probably too dark on production though.
Technically he's not a tuner, he's a Mazdaspeed upgraded model but nothing aftermarket, it's all factory.
Darth Vader is becoming the Mickey Mouse of Star Wars.
Kylo Ren - came from Space Brooklyn, although he moved to Space Williamsburg before it was trendy.
The use of a lightsaber does not make one a Jedi, it is the ability to not use it.
yeah, but i could argue that a mazdaspeed car is just a tuner out-of-the-box.
does the white eye look good, or is it distracting? i thought the original eye was yellow, though... no?
Nachos are the right of all sentient beings.
The guns... They've stopped!
- Dan Akroyd, Star Wars Episode IV - A New Hope
What's a tuner?
THAT'S a tuner.
(man, i tried to find the most hideous example, and i think i exceeded my imagination on that one...)
Nachos are the right of all sentient beings.
The guns... They've stopped!
- Dan Akroyd, Star Wars Episode IV - A New Hope
I still don't get it.
It's a car that's had further modification after the factory. spoilers, lowriders, lights, paint aps...that sort of thing. Think, "Pimp my ride".Originally Posted by Tycho
I was under the impression that a tuner had to be aftermarket-modified.Originally Posted by darthvyn
The clear "white" eye doesn't look bad, but it's not outstanding either, just kinda "there", kinda plain. It's true to the G1 figure's eye I suppose (although the G1 does look a little yellow where this is most definitely not), but it's just not that cool IMO.
Good pic on the Tuner, though there are even worse ones on my block.
Tuners are these Japanese sedan class and other relatively non-sporty bland cars that get a bunch of junk tacked on for performance and looks. San Diego isn't far enough away from LA to not have any, so I can't imagine you not having seen at least a dozen in your city Tycho.
I picked up Galaxy Force Skids last week and Autolander & Gasket this week, and I only noticed today that none of them have sculpted or painted faction symbols anywhere on them. Their force chips have the planet symbols, but they're generic chips so no factions. This reminds me of RID, where the Autobot brothers had only hidden faction symbols so when Hasbro released them in the US they tampographed symbols onto them. I can see where Gasket (US name: Ransack) might get one, on either the top or sides of his gas tank (if on the top, it'd split in half when making the shoulders), but I don't see anywhere on Skids (US name: Clocker) could get one unless it's slapped over the detail sculpting on his chest or hood, or perhaps across his windshield, and Autolander (no idea US name) only has room for small ones on his shins or a REALLY tiny one somewhere on his chest. Might Hasbro end up following Takara's lead and not giving them faction symbols?
Here's what I got yesterday...
Energon Blight - Hasbro went twistie-crazy on this one, a stupid amount of these things, one of which seems to have damaged the tread piece in-package by keeping it mistransformed thus stressing the connector (now it comes off easily). The yellow and black colorscheme brings nothing to the table unlike his recolor brother Kickback, if Kickback is a grasshopper I guess Blight is supposed to be a weevil or something, but the colors don't work here, it's like a little kid pounding on the keyboard of a piano, there's sound but not music. The original colors of this mold are 10 times better, this use is a letdown.
Energon Blackout - More ridiculous numbers of twisties. This recolor is the saviour of the mold after the misery that was Electric Kool-aid... er, I mean, "Stormcloud". Dark gray and purple work very well together here, very Decepticon-y. The gold is an ok accent but not really the best note, good use on the vents though; the light blue is pointless and sloppily-applied but scarce enough to not matter that much. The purple holding the energon weapon together works much better than orange on the original, but I still don't think the weapon looks good with vehicle mode. With this, I have the final piece to the Bruticus Maximus puzzle, which unfortunately doesn't look all that great thanks once again to Stormlcoud's horrid color.
Galaxy Force Gasket - I am a sucker for motorcycle toys, so I caved and bought this one. Red color doesn't really work for me here, and is very un-evil for a Decepticon; dull gold and silver accents just don't bring anything to the table. Vehicle is a large basic, he's an overly-long, lanky, sorta-gappy, futuristic motorcycle with very little in the way of details; wheels are translucent red, flat and wide enough to stand the bike up. Force Chip weapon is oversized here and beyond pointless. Transformation is quite clever, but is too limited by being a basic, a deluxe or mega would make better use of this tf scheme though. Bot mode is tiny, only as tall as a Star Wars figure (3.75") and that's with the tall toe and heelspurs; shoulders are too low and large, out of proportion; and to top it off there's that weird kibbly section behind the head. Legs are thin "big boots", rear wheel is just kibble on the sides of the legs, and front wheel is hanging off the back I suppose as a jump-jet thruster or something (if you're feeling generous). Torso is sparsely detailed, head is red and shaped like it's wearing a hat, face is simple silver with a smirk and green eyes (which are painted over red light-piped eyes, you can get this to show through a little under the right conditions) surrounded by black. Posture is very strange indeed and tiny heel/toe situation makes it worse. Articulation is good at neck, shoulders, inner side-"flap" shoulders, ball-jointed elbows, standard waist (able to bow forward thanks to tf scheme), ball hips, and ball knees. Weapon is an oversized nothing-gun, and force-chips into a very bland twin-fork gun. Bottom line, fairly disappointing all around, at least the US name sounds better for a Decepticon, "Ransack".
Galaxy Force Autolander - from the second I left him behind last week, I regretted it, so I went back and got him yesterday. Vehicle mode is a standard-sized basic that seems smaller due to small front end; massive rear end with huge wheels tapers down to a small cockpit and tiny sled-like front end, very effective "fast" look. Black, gray, and translucent yellow work very well together, there is also a very dark metallic accent paint here and there which brings a little extra flavor to the table. Rear end is a high-tech engine, top of the fig's head sticks up as an intake, front end has weapon acting as another techy bit. Of the 3 GF basics I have so far, only one that can't use or stow force chip in vehicle mode. Transformation is simple but somehow not boring. Bot mode is another shorty that's SW-figure height (and not Chewie either, but Luke), yet he's got great dimensions almost bordering on Gundamness and a very powerful look with plenty of details. Articulation is decent with neck, limited-ball shoulders, ball elbows, semi-limited waist (depends on if you move the back part or not), ball hips, ball knees, and hinged-for-tf ankles; the ankles are a little too loose for some poses. The shoulders are so high that bringing the arms up too high looks odd, and the forearms are really stubby, but he still looks really cool. Head is very gundam-like except for large chinstrap/beard which seems out of place, eyes are yellow light-pipe but because there's so much translucent yellow at the shoulders and above the head, it doesn't seem as impressive. Weapon can be stowed on back, and is another "nothing-gun" until force-chipped, then it becomes a nifty sword/gun thing. Bottom line, the front-end of vehicle mode is unorthodox but Autolander rules and with his dark colors and no faction symbol is almost more believable as a Decepticon.
Darth Vader is becoming the Mickey Mouse of Star Wars.
Kylo Ren - came from Space Brooklyn, although he moved to Space Williamsburg before it was trendy.
The use of a lightsaber does not make one a Jedi, it is the ability to not use it.
Incidently, my Transformers are all in vehicle mode and have been for a while.
I have:
I transformed Tracks into his robot mode and thought I'd check him out that way for a while. I don't want to transform him back. Tracks' bot looks waaay cool and while we're talking Alternators here, I loved Tracks back in the G1 days as well. What is it with him? I don't know, but I really like the guy.
Um, okay, does this "Shockblast" really exist? I normally have no problem finding any Alternators, but he's eluded me for some time. I keep seeing the Energon character by the same name sitting beside the Alternators, getting all giddy, and being disappointed.
That's my jacket!
Shockblast is being shipped 1 per case as I understand it, with *more* Swindles (like we needed that) and Battle Ravages which means stores aren't likely to put these on shelves. I think Shockblast is pretty awesome for an Alternator, he's got a great color and just works really well in both modes.
BTW, I held Shocko's head up to the light, it turns out the eye is in fact very lightly colored yellow. So strange.
I went to pick up Energon Energon Strongarm and Offshoot in the bonus 2pack at TRU because I decided I liked them enough to buy, and next to them was Bonecrusher, the final piece of the Constructus Maximus Dopius Namus figure. I like the colors here, they seem a little more realistic for a jobsite machine than the green they often use. The combined figure is a little knock-kneed, but the color pallette works well together, better than Bruticus Maximus. It's still not as cool a combiner as Bruticus in terms of shapes, but waaaay better than Superion Max in that department.
And I'm glad I got E-Strongarm and Offshoot, Offshoot looks more military than Signal Flare and E-Strongarm looks like he belongs with my Galaxy Force Skids.
Darth Vader is becoming the Mickey Mouse of Star Wars.
Kylo Ren - came from Space Brooklyn, although he moved to Space Williamsburg before it was trendy.
The use of a lightsaber does not make one a Jedi, it is the ability to not use it.


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The image of sitting next to the fireplace conjures thoughts of cozy comfort on a cold night. Watching a fire burn is beautiful, feeling the…
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Exhibit Greta Garbo
Greta Garbo, the Swedish Sphinx, and Salvatore Ferragamo, the 'Shoemaker of Dreams', as his autobiography is titled, met in what was to be a small chapter in these two great figures' historic lives. Their first encounter lasted just long enough for Ferragamo to create a pair of custom-made shoes. The year was 1927 and the place was Hollywood, before Salvatore returned to Florence to found his company in Italy.The star continued to buy her shoes at the 'Hollywood Boot Shop' while it remained under Ferragamo's ownership and later she went to Saks Fifth Avenue in New York. In August 1949, the pair met again in Florence. "As young as when I first met her" Greta Garbo entered the shop with an old pair of cord sandals. "I don't have any shoes," she said, "and I want to walk."This is how the idea first came about for an exhibit on the legend of Greta Garbo beyond the silver screen, a show on one of the most mysterious icons of an era when the new art of film was just beginning to experiment with its ability to seduce and influence the masses.Photo Credit picture n.1: Foto Locchi, FirenzePhoto Credit pictures n.2; n.3 and n. 5: Clarence Sinclair BullPhoto Credit picture n.4: Cecil Beaton


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I don't believe Gatsby is pointless. Heck, I even thought it was a delightful read that doesn't require the same intensity from the reader that the likes of...oh say Joyce would.Originally Posted by mastermatt24
I don't believe Gatsby is pointless. Heck, I even thought it was a delightful read that doesn't require the same intensity from the reader that the likes of...oh say Joyce would.Originally Posted by mastermatt24
Back and more bearded than ever before
Gatsby is one of my all-time favorites. Go read it again.
"Rise and Fall" is a fantastic book. Gatsby is not objectively bad, but it is force-fed to many people.
And, yes, Fitzgerald beats Joyce hands down. Joyce is a large part of the reason I left English as a major.
I haven't posted much in this thread lately because...
1) SSG has been down, of course,
2) since my school dropped its 20-minute silent reading period so I haven't had as much time to read, and
3) II haven't had as much time to read (only 4 books in the last few months ).
But, I've read...
Rebel Commando: 000 which was okay story-wise, but well-written nonetheless.
A Million Little Pieces by James Frey, which had the most wretched, disturbing first 50-some pages of any book I've ever read. I actually had to put the book down, leave it, and purposely do some other activity to take my mind off it. But, by the end, it was a good read; who cares if it was an "exaggerated" memoir. It could be a good lesson for someone needing a helping hand.
The Gun Seller by Hugh Laurie (the guy who plays Dr. Gregory House on... well, House the TV show) which was funny at the start, but petered out by the end. I can see a lot of the character "House" in this story.
And I'm currently reading a new biography of Roberto Clemente (in chapter 4 so far).
As far as TGG goes, I can't label it "THE Great American Novel" (I give that to Steinbeck's Grapes of Wrath) but I'd consider it "A Great American Novel." It's meant to show the shallowness and thoughtlessness of the rich at a time when things were supposed to be great. Sorry if my English teacher-ness is oozing out, even if I've never actually taught the novel to my students (here, it's an 11th grade title and I teach 9th and 10th).
I predict that the upcoming Star Wars Episode VIII: The Last Jedi film will include the word "and." Multiple times.
Bel-Cam, you're the first person I know who has read A Million Little Pieces.
I was on a WWII kick for a while. Read The Bunker by James O'Donnell. It was slow at first but picked up. I actually sat it down and read a book or two before coming back to it.
I started to read The Murder of Adolf Hitler, but it delved into medical issues way too much. I couldn't finish the first chapter.
More recently, I read Timothy Zahn's Outbound Flight and Luceno's Dark Lord. Very good. I highly recommend both. I've also read the third book in Jude Watson's Last Jedi series; I'll have to pick up the fourth.
Reading a cheap WWII thriller at home now.
At the gym, I've read Robert Harris' Fatherland, a post-WWII thriller, and am now re-reading Heir to the Empire. It's the second time for Heir; read it about 10 years ago.
And yes, reading at the gym makes the time on the treadmill go by quicker.
I wanted to read for myself to delve through all the hype in the news about it. I find most of that unfounded now. I read The Bridges of Madison County, Who Moved My Cheese?, The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistlestop Cafe, The Da Vinci Code and Left Behind #1 for the same reasons. Media hype often blows things out of proportion (news flash! really? ).Originally Posted by OC47150
Read anywhere! I tried doing that while driving, but now I'm floating with a harp, and wings on my back...
I predict that the upcoming Star Wars Episode VIII: The Last Jedi film will include the word "and." Multiple times.
I want to reread The DaVinci Code after I see the movie. I've had interesting conversations with those who've read it.
My niece and nephew live 90 minutes away. I can get through a Jude Watson SW book on the trip up and back.
I just started the The Dark Tower series. One of my uncles lent my the whole series last summer, but just haven't had the time (or wanted to make the time) to start until now. I'm about half way though the The Gunslinger. I'm not sure whether I like it yet or not. There's only been two books I've never finish and less the story picks up a bit one of the later books might be the third.
"I'm sick and tried of these motherfrakkking Sith on this motherfrakkker plane!"
Mace Windu - Episode 2.5: Sith on a Plane
Thats ok- Ive already started on the Catcher in the Rye, which Im enjoying much better.Originally Posted by El Chuxter
hurray for birthdays!
A'ight. It's no Gatsby, but it is a fine piece of American literature. However, please seek help if you find yourself compelled to buy every copy of it that you see.
That's my jacket!


text:
Close today 9, 885.79
Is this a level we can break through or a barrier to anything higher?
Close today 9, 885.79
Is this a level we can break through or a barrier to anything higher?
cave canem...beware of the dog
Richard Halstead (halst001 at yahoo.com)
when it gets to 13000 let me know...
Article [I.]
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
Article [II.]
A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.
As long as Congress continues to get bogged down with healthcare the market will climb. Once they pass health insurance reform, or move on and pass some other major legislation the climb will stop or at least stall.
My point was it was 14,000 not that long ago so, I am not sure 10,000 is a real barrier.
Article [I.]
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
Article [II.]
A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.
Don't mean to throw a wet blanket on your fire, folks, but if you are still 'playing' with your own money in this market, you may want to guard against trying to 'find the top', and take some profits before there are none to get.
Not sure what the 'correction' will amount to, or when it will begin, but if you think Wall Street has it pegged, and you're "all in" as they say in Texas hold-em lingo, you will get hurt.
My other brother Bill sez it this way:
The Biggest Bust Will Follow the Biggest Bubble
by Bill Bonner
London, England
Our 'Crash Alert' flag goes back up the pole...
October is almost half over. Will we get through the month without a major sell-off?
Dear reader, if you think we know the answer to that, you've got us mixed up with someone else. Someone who is crazy.
No one with his wits about him thinks he knows what the stock market is going to do.
Still, here at The Daily Reckoning, we have our hunches. We think it's time for a major pull back. Frankly, we'll be disappointed if we don't get one soon. Because, once again stocks are too expensive.
Too expensive for what? Too expensive for the circumstances.
The Dow rose another 20 points yesterday to a new bounce record. Oil rose to over $73. Gold didn't budge.
Of course, everyone now knows that the recession is over. NABE interviewed 44 economic forecasters. Four-fifths of them said the recession was over.
But we don't care what they said. These are the same seers who missed the biggest single event in financial history. There are many banking crises, recessions, panics and defaults in the record books. But none were as great as the one that hit September a year ago. Most economists didn't see it coming; why should we trust them to tell us when it is going?
Besides they've got the whole thing wrong. It isn't a recession; it's a depression. There is no recovery from a depression; instead, the economy has to re-invent itself in another form. Things aren't going 'back to normal,' in other words. Because the period leading up to the crisis was not 'normal;' it was a bubble. After a bubble explodes, you have a lot of debris to clean up. The bigger the bubble, the more damage it does when it blows up.
"The force of a correction is equal and opposite to the deception that preceded it."
You've heard our dictum before. In fact, you've heard our explanations for all these points before.
We just lived through the biggest bubble in history. Get ready for the biggest bust. Not just two years of falling stock prices and news- making bailouts. Not just 10% unemployment. Not just 100 bank failures and 30% off housing prices.
Noooo... We're talking about a worthy correction...a real correction...a noble and distinguished correction...a correction that can hold its head up in public.
This is a correction that will take many years...one that will knock housing prices down for at least five years...and stock prices down to the point where people no longer want to buy them. It's a correction that goes deep enough and continues long enough to do its work - wiping out the bad investments and mistakes of the Bubble Era, while allowing the survivors to pay down their debts and build up their savings.
Now, here's a confusing little item. Yesterday's news tells us that consumer spending as a percentage of the entire economy has edged up to 71%. Now wait just one cotton-pickin' minute. How could consumer spending be going up?
Hold on, cupcake. It's not going up. It's going down. It's just that the other components of the economy are going down even more.
In the second quarter consumers spent $195 billion less than they did the year before - a 1.9% drop. In the 20 years before that, consumer spending increased at an average rate of 3.3%. So, you do the math... that's an about-face of more than 5% of GDP - a loss to the economy of about $700 billion!
Consumer credit is going down (we reported the figures earlier in the week)...unemployment is going up...consumer spending is going down...
..those are not the circumstances in which stocks sell for 27 times earnings...and move higher. Those are the circumstances in which stocks crash.
David Rosenberg:
"By some measures, the S&P 500 is already trading at valuation levels that would ordinarily be consistent with an economic expansion that is five-years old as opposed to a recovery that, at best, is in its infancy stages.
"On an operating ('scrubbed') basis, the trailing P/E multiple on the S&P 500 has expanded a massive 10 points from the March lows, to stand at 27.6x. Historically, when the economy is taking the turn away from contraction towards expansion, which indeed was the case in Q3, the trailing P/E multiple is 15x or half what it is... While we will not belabor the point, when all the write-downs are included, the trailing P/E on 'reported' earnings just widened to its highest levels in recorded history of nearly 140x, which is three times the levels prevailing during the height of the tech bubble."
So, here goes...yes...today, we are officially running our "Crash Alert" flag up the pole here at the London headquarters of The Daily Reckoning. Cross Blackfriars Bridge and you might see if flapping in the wind, between the two huge gold balls on the roof.
Our Crash Alert flag is out because stocks have become too expensive...and because this bounce should be reaching its apogee by now. Already, central banks are talking about cutting back on their efforts to sustain the bounce with easy credit. Australia led the way last week with a rate hike.
It is also becoming clearer and clearer that the feds' efforts aren't really working. They can give money to their friends in the banking industry. They can give money to speculators who then make bets on the stock market, among other things. They can bailout major companies. But they can't really get much money into the real economy.
Au contraire; they take money OUT of the real economy. The feds will absorb $700 billion of private savings this year alone...to finance their deficit. They expect $1 trillion deficits at least for another 10 years. That won't leave much money for the private sector.
Naturally, Washington, DC, is doing well. While unemployment is near 10% in the rest of the nation, it's only about 6% in the Washington area.
But let's face it... What's good for Washington is bad for the rest of the nation. The feds have used this correction to increase their power...and add to their wealth. The average federal employee now earns twice as much as his counterpart in the private sector - if the fellow in the private sector has a job at all.
A news item tells us that TARP recipients spent $114 million lobbying for their bailout money - most of it going into Washington, of course.
And the feds now own major stakes in what used to be the private sector - insurance, automobiles, and banking industries.
This has been a great period for government. Money, power...it is all floating down the Potomac like raw sewage...and coming to rest in the capitol city.
Our advice to the feds: enjoy it while you can. When stocks fall again...and people figure out what a mess you've made of the economy...you'll be lucky if you aren't tarred, feathered and run out of town on a rail.
Bill Bonner
The Daily Reckoning
When the one you love becomes a memory, that memory becomes a treasure.
You can throw a wet blaket on my Dow 10,000 today it closed down 14.74 still hovering close at 9,871.05 still hovering close to the 10,000 level. All monies gained during this bubble spendas well as those dollars what do you propose I do with the Bank of America stock bought at 2.00 to 17.80 or several of the other gains :Uncle Bill you need to do more than copy a magazine article.
cave canem...beware of the dog
Richard Halstead (halst001 at yahoo.com)
I'm the exact opposite of an authority on the matter, but that was most definitely a rare opportunity. It is really odd how that stuff works, and I have to wonder what someone was thinking when they were selling at $2.00. It must have been someone who bought at $3.00 and was losing their shirt. I am not all that familiar with Bank of America, but I quess you knew they weren't going to disappear anytime soon. Where we are at right now, I imagine is anyones guess, but there won't be a repeat of BAC at $2.00 anytime soon, that is pretty obvious. Congratulations.
That is excellant, Richard. I'm not saying lots of money hasn't been made in the stock market...just like you have. All I'm warning folks about is this is not the time for euphoria...this is the time for extreme caution.
I'm NOT in this business, but I've been taken to the cleaners so often, I'm only offering some thoughts to prevent you and others from doing likewise.
The 401's I had no control over have gone by the wayside, like I suspect many others have. The same is true of many pension plans. So what I'm saying is if you have been buying stocks and have hit the bullseye, get your principle out and play with their money, or at least snug up your stop-loss margins, so should it all go in the crapper, you'll be able to get out in time before going under.
All I was providing with the Bonner piece was a different take than what ALL the talking heads on TV are selling you. Regardless, my views are only that. I'm not in this rally, except for the gold part. After the dot-com era, I had lost all I wanted to, so I took what was left and bought gold. Haven't had to watch and read the market sheets since.
I'm happy for you Richard, and wish you well. Just don't let Wall Street rip you off.
When the one you love becomes a memory, that memory becomes a treasure.
An interesting site is dividendgroup.com, that has a chart showing a comparison with dividend paying to non-dividend paying stocks. Most of my holdings are in larger dividend stocks.
The biggest holding is the energy company serving this area. The company had problems and I purchased a block of shares around 6.75 now the stock paying 5% dividend at the current price of 19.50. That's nearly 15% on the initial investment plus the gain.
And the Dow is nearing 10,000.
cave canem...beware of the dog
Richard Halstead (halst001 at yahoo.com)


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What You'll Get
The deal
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Providing hungry diners with an authentic American culinary experience since 2006, Bobby's Restaurant and Bar prides itself in serving American comfort food in the form of BBQ ribs, rack of lamb, tenderloin steak, and sausage platter, to name a few. Blending its mix of industrial and Wild West themed interiors with traditional hearty fare, this eatery also comes replete with a wide selection of wines, signature cocktails and beer on tap, with restaurant hire available for special events and functions. The restaurant attempts to provide its customers with food that is both authentic and affordable at its convenient location in the heart of Chijmes fountain courtyard, with a shopping area available for customers to purchase wines and liquors to enjoy in the comfort of their own home.
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By Gene Phelps/NEMS Daily Journal
Hayden Buckley's khaki-colored golf cap has five blue stars sewn on the back – one for each of the consecutive state championships Tupelo has won.
The junior golfer and his Golden Wave teammates want to make sure they add a sixth star this season.
"You don't want to lose," Buckley said. "You don't want to be the one to end the streak."
Tupelo heads into today's opening round of the 36-hole MHSAA Class 6A golf tournament on its home course – the Tupelo Country Club – the favorite to capture a sixth straight state championship.
Madison Central, Northwest Rankin, Oak Grove and DeSoto Central are expected to challenge the Golden Wave.
Tupelo junior Austin Rose, whose father is the club's former pro, knows the TCC course as well as any player. He believes the final three holes are tough to navigate with the pressure on.
"The last three are where it's won or lost," he said. "You need to manage your game and shoot low on the front. Things tighten up on the back."
Nos. 16 – its long green protected by water – and 18 – a long hole with an uphill second shot – are both par 4s. No. 17 is a par 3 playing between 190 and 205 yards with bunkers on the right and left front of the green.
Wave coach Mark Enis believes the TCC's Champion Bermuda greens can be the difference.
"Putting is what wins a golf tournament," he said. "It's all about the greens out there, especially for high school kids."
The Baldwyn Bearcats, powered by Tucker Jenkins and Clayton Gray, are bidding to win their fourth consecutive Class 2A state championship when they tee it up today at Mississippi State's Golf Course in Starkville.
Baldwyn had a strong showing earlier this season, finishing third behind 6A powers Tupelo and Madison Central in a match at the Tupelo Country Club.
The Bearcats, coached by Michael Gray, return their entire lineup from the 2012 title team.
Tupelo Christian Prep will host the Class 1A state tournament today and Thursday at Big Oak Golf Course in Saltillo.
The Class 3A tournament will be played at Lake Caroline Golf Club in Madison while the 4A tournament is at the Oaks Golf Club in Pass Christian. 5A is at the Ole Miss Golf Course in Oxford.


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Dan Bothe
Dan Bothe
- Dean, Fermanian School of Business
- Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
- MBA, University of Southern California
- B.S., San Diego State University
PLNU is pleased to announce that Dan Bothe has been selected as the new dean of the Fermanian School of Business (FSB) at PLNU.
Bothe joined the FSB full-time as an Associate Professor of Finance in 2009 after having served as an adjunct faculty member at PLNU since 2005.
Bothe earned a BS in Accounting from San Diego State University and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Southern California. He is nearing completion of his Doctor in Business Administration (DBA) - Finance from Anderson University. In addition, Bothe is a Certified Public Accountant (inactive) in the state of California.
To his role as dean, Bothe brings approximately 20 years of senior level management, management consulting, and accounting experience that includes capital market transactions, investor and lender relations, strategic planning, acquisition sourcing and due-diligence, process and procedures assessment and design, financial and operational forecasting, accounting and reporting, and risk management. He has served as the Chief Financial Officer of several companies, has worked as a management consultant for both Ernst & Young and Paloma Advisors, and as an auditor at KPMG.
Colleagues both internal and external to PLNU acclaim Dan as a man of deep faith with exceptional leadership skills, a capacity for creative and strategic thinking and the ability to work well with people from a variety of audiences.
"Dan has demonstrated excellence in teaching during his time at PLNU, and based on the passion and vision that he demonstrated throughout the interview process, I have no doubt that he will provide excellent leadership for the FSB," said PLNU provost Dr. Kerry Fulcher. "I especially want to thank Dr. Ken Armstrong for stepping in as the interim dean and am excited to see where Dan will take the FSB and PLNU under his leadership."
The Fermanian School of Business includes the Center for International Development and the Fermanian Business and Economic Institute. In addition, the FSB is the largest undergraduate school at PLNU, and also serves the business community by offering both part-time evening and one-year daytime MBA programs.
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Latest Headlines
Why Juventus should be wary of bringing back Zlatan Ibrahimovic
Posted on 3 May 2013 by Mahmoud Ghellai.
Follow @GhellaiMahmoud In many ways Zlatan Ibrahimovic is the protypical modern soccer player. Tall, strong, athletic and, perhaps most importantly, has almost no loyalty to his club. One-man clubs are becoming more and more rare as the years go by, but Zlatan is almost truly an example of a soccer mercenary. He's played for six teams since 2004 and is the world's most expensive player in h...


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The Way I See It!
I am an Ultra-Conservative, Alpha-Male, True Authentic Leader, Type "C" Personality, who is very active in my community; whether it is donating time, clothes or money for Project Concern or going to Common Council meetings and voicing my opinions. As a blogger, I intend to provide a different viewpoint "The way I see it!" on various world, national and local issues with a few helpful tips & tidbits sprinkled in.
Election 2012 - What Went Wrong Part 1
We cut Obama's Wisconsin win by half, but I thought we would carry Wisconsin, Ohio, and Florida.
And to the people emailing me that the people I voted for all lost, I don't vote for who I think will win, I vote for who I think will get and do the best job.
It isn't a guess, you vote on your principles, just because you vote for a candidate that lost doesn't mean you are wrong, candidates make mistakes that cause them to lose.
People voted in their best interests and not the country, that is what my ex-friend failed to see with the Walker campaign, short-sighted and see only as far as their noses.
One of my friends said Wisconsin people must be "Bipolar" just months ago we reelected Walker with strong numbers and now 6-7% for Obama – well many people on the left didn't vote in the recall election – I talked to one of my single women friends that has kids, Walker was not going to personally take from her, whereas she felt Romney was going to go after her paid daycare, Badgercare, and so on.
I did talk to a few of my Democrat friends who originally said they were not happy with Obama and just were going to sit home, well after call after call from the Democrats they both felt compelled to vote.
Two of my Democrat converts friends who did vote for Romney and told people at work (big union shop) they were going to vote for Romney – Well they did and as I was told by both (they work together) that they had to listen that they voted for a loser and will not do that again.
We are not a nation ready to face our fiscal responsibilities, curtailing entitlements scares too many people!
Businesses will be the bad guys as they lay off people to pay for the upcoming tax hikes including Obamacare. People will be mad at businesses when they let them go from health insurance and pay the fine instead.
I don't think most of this is Monday Quarterbacking because I talked about plenty of it before.
Let's talk radio ads – too many of the rights ads were on talk shows and not enough on young adult radio like Kiss FM. We already had our base and we should have been courting the young. I said this back in 2008.
We didn't embrace the black vote with supporters like 50 Cent. He needed to be front and center. I think Nicki Minaj really did support Romney and then she was told, "Do you know what the backlash will be?" and she then changed and said it was a joke.
We didn't go looking for young Hispanics that supported us. They are out there; we just didn't go mining for them. I said all of this in 2008 as well.
So what went wrong?
Well for starters we allowed the media and the Establishment Republicans to mold, shape and select or candidates for President and U.S. Senate into picking the moderate guy. We saw this with McCain in 2008 and it didn't fare well for us then and now, same outcome. Now you can say the best of what we had was there and you would only be half right. We allowed the media to take out our other guys when they had flubs. I was a good soldier and backed the guy we had to the best of my ability.
Let's look at it in better detail:
President – Mitt Romney he is a moderate that leans conservative.
We could not fight Obamacare because he was too proud to admit Romneycare is a failure.
Face it the Mormon religious angle was a strike on us. Come on and be honest, it was. It gave the left another area of attack.
Romney is a long line of the Establishment Republicans that did their so-called dues and it just was his time. Baloney, that goes against everything us on the right stand for, the best person for the job and not some arbitrary sonority he is next in line crap!
Romney was too nice of a guy to bring the attack to Obama. Like it or not, we needed a conservative bulldog. Romney was best on the first debate and then he moved to the middle where he was comfortable.
Romney chained up and muzzled Ryan. I said it before, the ticket doesn't work when the conservative is NOT on the top. Too much difference in ideology.
Tommy Thompson – another Moderate who was big government and didn't want to put his own money in the game at first and allowed Tammy to define him and weeks of unanswered points just like in football.
Thompson's connection to healthcare hurt us and his being a lobbyist.
Throw in Thompson's aid and his son's month and that damaged him. In the end Republicans damaged many of ourselves with stupid comments.
More too come…
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Before there was eHarmony, there were harmony and disharmony, and Jerry Bock and Sheldon Harnick make hay of both in the evanescent 1963 Broadway musical She Loves Me (presented by the Huntington Theatre Company at the Boston University Theatre through June 15). You know the drill from the show's Internet-era edition, the film You've Got Mail, not to mention from the 1940 Jimmy Stewart movie The Shop Around the Corner and the 1949 Judy Garland vehicle In the Good Old Summertime, all, like She Loves Me, drawn from Hungarian-born playwright Miklós László's 1937 play Illatszertár, or Parfumerie. It's clear László had a marketable idea in his pair of lonely hearts who, when not pouring their feelings into anonymous epistolary amore, work in the same shop and can't stand each other.
Joe Masteroff's book for She Loves Me hews to the original setting and period, Budapest in the 1930s (when cigarettes were kept in music boxes rather than relegated to the street), and it's bolstered by the ebullient, Eastern European–accented score by the Fiddler on the Roof team of Bock and Harnick. The show wasn't a huge hit in 1963, but original star Barbara Cook is still dining out on the Toscanini's-worthy ditty "Vanilla Ice Cream." And a 1993 Scott Ellis–directed Broadway revival reminded folks of the musical's considerable charm. Now outgoing Huntington Theatre Company artistic director Nicholas Martin makes it his sweet, antic swan song — one that will also serve as his "Good Morning, Good Day" to the Williamstown Theatre Festival, where he takes the artistic reins this summer.
It's clear that Martin, who entered his Huntington tenure by filling the orchestra pit with water for a splashing Dead End, didn't want to go out on a sour or anticlimactic note. He would appear to have shaken the Huntington piggy bank vigorously for this lavish if whimsical staging with 13-person orchestra floating above it like a blue heaven. Set designer James Noone provides the tall, revolving and dissolving parfumerie and environs, Robert Morgan the comically vivid yet well-tooled threads. Musical director Charlie Alterman conducts the able musicians on high. And Martin has cast the show to emphasize its dance of nervous romance and old-fashioned musical-comedy shtick, the latter provided not just by the appealing second and third bananas but by unlikely leading man Brooks Ashmanskas, a talented Nathan Lane–alike with a rubber baby face, a lovably awkward air, and a physical dexterity that turns the title tune into one giddy and gratifying caper.
The production, with its rhythmic replication of the daily traffic, tribulations, and tedium of the high-end soap trade, starts a tad slowly. But it soon picks up, the metronomic "Sounds While Selling" giving way to the merry melancholy of shop owner Mr. Maraczek's reminiscence of his bachelor "Days Gone By," a tune delivered with seasoned spryness by Tony-winning old pro Dick Latessa. By the time Kate Baldwin's sparkling-eyed Amalia seats herself on the apron to launch a "Will He Like Me?" that, as she eases the throttle, bursts into full melodious flight, the audience is in heaven like the band.
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The ARC offers a variety of free programs and services to help students refine and develop effective college academic strategies.
Academic Specialists provide one-on-one coaching and study skills assistance to students experiencing challenges in their approach to their coursework. By working one-on-one, the Academic Specialists are able to address areas specific to the student. Some common areas addressed are procrastination, managing time, how to study and prepare for tests, test anxiety and getting the most out of assigned readings.
ARC 0101: Strategies for Academic Success, a voluntary 4-5 week seminar for first-year students, is designed to help you enhance learning strategies and adapt to the expectations of a college liberal arts education. Topics for the seminar include how to:
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- Manage your time effectively and organize unscheduled time
- Combat procrastination
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- Read strategically
- Take notes that convert into effective study tools
- Conquer test anxiety and do well on tests
- Become an engaged member of Emmanuel College's scholarly community
Workshops for Academic Success, open to all students and offered throughout the semester, focus on topics to promote academic success, such as adapting to college expectations, time management, study skills, grammar and essay revision and writing personal statements.
For more information on the above services and programs, contact the ARC or visit us in LIB G-04.
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