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Sri Lanka
- Date submitted: 1 Nov 2011
- Stakeholder type: Member State
- Name: Sri Lanka
- Submission Document: Download
Full SubmissionEXPECTED OUTCOME OF RIO+20 BY SRI LANKA Rio+20 is expected to provide mechanisms and enabling environment to fulfill technological and financial needs for member countries to achieve their sustainable development targets and economic development goals. Mechanisms agreed should continue to strengthen the green growth options, low carbon climate resilient development, technology transfer, institutional strengthening, national and international level coordination and human capital. Sri Lanka being a tropical island is prone to natural disasters and climate induced risks such as sea level rise, extended droughts, increased floods and landslides and changes in the biodiversity etc. Climatic induced extreme events can take away much of the development gains, quickly. Main climate induced challenges have been identified as food, water and energy security. Mainstreaming climate sensitivity and adaptation practices are primarily needed in agriculture, livestock, fisheries, health, water, energy and infrastructure sectors. Investment needs for Climate change adaption measures are significant and it is expected that Rio+20 will improve the access to technical support and resources for adaptation. Promotion of renewable energy sources as opposed to fossil fuel based energy is the better solution for the increasing energy demand and as a Climate change mitigation measure. Potential for wind, biomass and solar energy development is significant in Sri Lanka. Energy efficiency is another area especially in new constructions, urban energy use and water pumping. It is necessary to develop the innovative investment plans to effectively develop potential renewable energy sources in the country. It is expected that Rio+20 will provide opportunities for increased investment on renewable energy development and use efficiency improvements. The institutional architecture to support the sustainable development must be build to meet the challenges in design and implementation of development programs including support to low carbon growth. Improved skills and institutions are necessary to implement innovative financing systems and technologies to facilitate green growth. The national and international institutional systems should be strengthened to support three pillars of sustainable development, namely, social, economic and environmental. Greening an economy involves integrated development in various sectors such as industry, agriculture, trading, transport, energy, infrastructure, and services such as health, education and telecommunications etc. Planning and coordination mechanism need to be established with the capacity to evaluate and decide on different growth options to suit the country requirement, while ensuring the growth is sustainable and resource efficient. This process requires improved in country capacity to compute and adopt environmental and ecosystem services into development planning and budgeting processes. It is expected that the Rio+20 will enable mechanisms and tools to improve integrated planning and coordination capacities including ecosystem based approaches. Opportunity also exists to better coordinate the inputs and mechanisms of international agencies to minimize duplication and to meet country needs. Rio+20 could go beyond the Paris Declaration related approaches to harness international knowledge and resources in an efficiently coordinated manner. It should include the optimization of procedures to be adopted by Multilateral Implementing Agencies. STATUS REPORT ON SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN SRI LANKA TO RIO+20 Background At the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (Earth Summit) held in Rio de Janeiro from 3rd to 14th June 1992, the full text of Agenda 21 which is an unprecedented global action plan for sustainable development was revealed. The number 21 refers to an agenda for the 21st century. It may also refer to the number on the UN's agenda at this particular summit. There are 40 chapters in the Agenda 21, divided into four main sections. The World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) or Earth Summit 2002 took place in Johannesburg, South Africa, from 26th August to 4th September 2002. It was convened to discuss the sustainable development by the United Nations. WSSD gathered a number of leaders from states, business and non-governmental organizations, 10 years after the first Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro. It was therefore also informally nicknamed "Rio+10". In 2012 the United Nations will convene the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development', also known as Rio 2012 or "Rio+20", hosted by the Brazilian government in Rio de Janeiro, as a 20-year follow-up to the historic 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) that was held in the same city. The conference is organized by the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs. The objective of the Rio Conference is to secure renewed political commitment for sustainable development, assess the progress to date and the remaining gaps in the implementation of the outcomes of the major summits on sustainable development, and address new and emerging challenges. The ?Rio+0? Conference will focus on following two themes: i. A green economy in the context of sustainable development and poverty eradication ii. The institutional framework for sustainable development. Status of Sri Lanka Sri Lanka, with an area of about 65,610 km2 lies between 6oN and 10oN latitude and between 80oE and 82oE longitude. There is a significant temporal and spatial variation in the Island?s climate. The annual temperature in the coastal belt ranges from 26.0oC while in the central highlands it ranges from 15oC to 19oC. The total land area of Sri Lanka is divided based on the elevation as low country, mid country and up country. The highland (> 1000 m above mean sea level; amsl) constitutes 3% of the land mass. Based on the annual rainfall received, the island is divided into two zones, the dry zone and wet zone. The south-west part of the country, which receives an annual rainfall of 2500-5000 mm through the south-west monsoon, is called the wet zone. The north-east part, which receives an annual rainfall of less than 1900 mm through north-east monsoon, is called the dry zone. In between these two parts, there exists the intermediate/transition zone. The water received by Sri Lanka through annual precipitation amounts to approximately 40 million ha meters. The Central mountainous region, which rises to an elevation of 2524 metres, is the source of the country?s major rivers. A wide range of agro ecological region is distributed across the country, contributing to a rich bio-diversity. Ecosystems range from rain forest to grass land, rivers, wetlands, fresh water bodies, coastal and marine ecosystems. Sri Lanka is a country having 21,283,913 number of population which consist of 73.8% Sinhalese, 7.2% Sri Lankan Moors, 4.6% Indian Tamil, 3.9% Sri Lankan Tamil, 0.5% other and 10% unspecified. The population growth rate of the country is 1.1%. Sri Lanka has taken many initiatives in paving the path to a Green Economy of the country through sustainable development in different ways. The Ministry of Environment initiated a new programme in 2009 named ?Haritha (Green) Lanka? with a view to integrate environmental aspects/issues in to the economic development process ensuring long term sustainability of human development. The programme includes establishment of a National Council for Sustainable Development (NCSD) and development of a National Action Plan for Haritha (Green) Lanka Programme aiming at greening the economic development within the framework of sustainable development. The National Action Plan under the Haritha Lanka Programme covers ten broader thrust areas namely: Clean Air ? Everywhere, Saving the Fauna, Flora and Ecosystems, Meeting the Challenges of Climate change, Wise Use of the Land Resources, Responsible Use of the Land Resources, Doing Away with the Dumps, Water for All and Always, Green Cities for Health and Prosperity, Greening the Industries, Knowledge for Right Choices. This Action Plan is a product of the concerted efforts of all relevant ministries. During its preparation a high level participatory process was followed to ensure that sustainability would not just remain a concept but would translate into a practical reality. The Action Plan includes short term, medium term, and long term targets spanning from 2009 to 2016, with comprehensive, achievable and measurable eighty two (82) strategies and three hundred and seventy five (375) actions. The National Council for Sustainable Development (NCSD) was established under the leadership of HE the President of Sri Lanka to obtain policy directions at the highest level and ensure integration of environmental concerns into the economic and social development processes throughout the country. The NCSD is chaired by HE the President of the country. The members of the Council are the Cabinet Ministers of major economic development related subjects. The Ministry of Environment acts as the secretariat to the NCSD. Key Sectors of Sustainable Development This report will provide Sri Lanka?s inputs and contribution in fulfilling the objectives of WSSD, key challenges, future priorities and commitment under the following sectors; Energy Transport Water Land Waste Management Agriculture and Livestock Health Industry Education Biodiversity Urban Development Fauna, Flora and Eco Systems Climate change Coastal and Marine Environment Energy Energy is a highly significant sector in development. The main energy resources used in Sri Lanka are Biomass (47%), hydropower (8%) and petroleum (45%) with per-capita consumption about 0.4toe. Sir Lankan government moves to use alternative sources of energy such as coal and renewable sources. In year 2010, Sri Lanka produced 53.38% of the total electricity requirements from renewable energy sources. Ceylon Electricity Board has 16 large hydroelectric power plants of total capacity 1205MW and a wind power plant of 3MW. Considering the need to address the sustainable development and Climate change issues, Sri Lanka Sustainable Energy Authority was established in 2007 with a view to promote environmental friendly energy production and consumption in the country by the Ministry of Power and Energy. Further, in order to facilitate conversion to renewable energy sources, the Sri Lanka Sustainable Energy Authority was to realize the necessity of having an apex institution to drive Sri Lanka towards a new level of sustainability in energy generation and usage, through increasing indigenous energy and improving energy efficiency within the country. Further, its objective is to guide the nation in all its efforts to develop indigenous energy resources and conserve energy resources through exploration, facilitation, research & development and knowledge management in the journey of national development, paving the way for Sri Lanka to gain energy security by protecting natural, human and economic wealth by embracing best sustainability practices. The Hiru Saviya project of the Sri Lanka Sustainable Energy Authority aims at providing solar powered electricity for rural villages that have no access to the national grid. The first solar powered village was built in Galgamuwa of Monaragala district and was vested in the public by the Government of Sri Lanka in June 2009. This project has successfully provided electricity to over 260 houses and the village school and solar powered street lamps. The speciality of this project is that it has provided solar powered electricity to the indigenous Veddha community in Rathugala. Transport Transport system in Sri Lanka is intrinsically linked to the social and economic development of the country. Public transportation in Sri Lanka is mainly based on road network and railway network. The Government of Sri Lanka had to address serious weaknesses in the infrastructure of transport system of the country such as weak institutional capacity at all levels, the inability of transport agencies to mobilize resources, and underdevelopment of private sector over their way to sustainable development in the transport system. Ministry of Ports and Highways has implemented Conflict Affected Areas Rehabilitation Project which addresses the rehabilitation of essential economic and social infrastructure, thereby contributing to the restoration of community livelihoods in the conflict?affected areas; 8 districts (Jaffna, Kilinochchi, Mullaitivu, Vavuniya, Mannar, Trincomalee, Batticaloa, Ampara) that of the Northern and Eastern Provinces. Rehabilitation and Reconstruction of 32 Bridges were successfully completed by the Ministry of Ports and Highways on 04th April 2011. This project benefit to the every citizen of Sri Lanka by shorten the travel time, reduce the vehicle operating cost and decrease the traffic accidents and also it improve the quality of public transportation services and provide basic framework for regional economic growth by facilitating the improvement of passengers and freight between the region. "Maga Neguma" Rural Road Development Programme was initiated in 2004 when His Excellency, the President was then Hon Prime Minister & the Hon Minister of Highways. Under this program, most of rural roads are being improved to motorable level through direct labour of RDA or with the participation of Community Based Organizations (CBOs) which would thereby uplift the living standards of rural community. Water Fresh water is a precious resource in terms of sustainable development of the country. Annual water resource of Sri Lanka is estimated as 50 km3. Water withdrawals for agriculture, industry and domestic needs are estimated as 83%, 6% and 5% respectively. The government is aiming to provide safe drinking water and adequate sanitation facilities, ensure protection of water sources and environmental equality. Around 80% of the population has access to safe drinking water of which 30% is through piped water supply systems of the National Water Supply & Drainage Board of Sri Lanka. Sri Lankan government established a Ministry of Water Supply and Drainage separately for the subject area of water supply & drainage in 2007. Ministry of Environment commenced a programme calls ?Clean River (Pavithra Ganga)? in 1998, to keep the water bodies clean in the country and one of major objectives of this Program is assisting relevant local authorities to keep the water quality of main water bodies of the country in acceptable conditions for human use. In the face of increasing urbanization, the downstream areas of rivers are getting seriously threatened. The river banks are being eroded and water quality is deteriorating. A multi stakeholder approach has been taken in achieving this objective and the owners of the project will be relevant local authorities. Pavithra Ganga Program for the Western Province is implemented for Kelani River as a pilot project. Kelani River being the major drinking water source for the Western Province is getting high pollution loads making water unsustainable for human consumption. 26 water quality information display boards have been established along the river to disseminate information of the water quality among the general public. It is expected that this approach will enable public participation in keeping Kelani River away from being polluted. Land Sri Lanka is a country having land area of 65,610 Km2. During past two decades, Sri Lanka has given highest attention for protection and proper management of land resources. The government owns or controls about 80% of all land in the country under different agencies. The Ministry of Land and Land Development is responsible for identifying land suitability for development. The principle land uses for agriculture in the country are paddy, tea, rubber, coconut, sugarcane, horticultural crops, field crops and spice and other beverage crops. The Soil Conservation Act of 1951 was amended in 1996 for better control of land use. Environment safeguards have been incorporated in several Acts and Ordinances such as Land Development Ordinance, State Lands Ordinance, Agrarian Services Act, Mahaweli Authority of Sri Lanka Act and National Environmental Act. Some of these legislations include mapping out state land for prevention of soil erosion, measures to prevent encroachments etc. Sri Lanka ratified the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) on 09th December 1998. The Ministry of Environment serves as the focal point for UNCCD. National Action Programme for combating land degradation was prepared in 2002. Degraded catchment area restorations, rehabilitation of minor tanks in the Dry Zone and tree planting programmes have been implemented and continuing. Several donor-funded projects have been undertaken primarily to address issues of land degradation in the critical watersheds. Waste Management The issue of waste has become a major environmental issue. Solid waste management is an obligatory function of all local authorities in Sri Lanka. According to the available data, solid waste in Sri Lanka comprise 62% biodegradable waste, 6.5% of paper, 6% polythene and plastic, 6% of wood based products and 2% of glass. The Central Environment Authority in its effort to resolve this problem has planned to take legal action against local bodies that fail to take proper steps to manage solid waste disposal. Government of Sri Lanka has taken steps to ban polythene products- bags and sheets less than 20 microns in thickness. Sri Lanka ratified the Basal Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Waste and their Disposal in 1992. To implement this Convention at country level Sri Lanka has developed and published guidelines for the implementation of hazardous waste management regulations, Ministry of Environment developed Harmonized System codes for Annex IX (List B) items under Basel Convention in collaboration with Department of Customs and developed a Guidance Manual for Safe and Effective Detection and Investigation of illegal Traffic and Transboundary Movement of Hazardous Waste and other Waste in Sri Lanka. Central Environment Authority in Sri Lanka has established a project titled 'Pilisaru Project' commencing from 2008 to solve solid waste problem with in the next 5 years. Under this Project waste management is done by adhering to reduction of waste generation by reuse, recycling and resource recovery to the maximum extent possible followed by appropriate treatment and finally the disposal of residual waste in an environmentally sound manner. National E-waste Management Programme was developed by the Central Environmental Authority, Sri Lanka with the active co-operation and assistance of some leading private companies involved in selling and assembling of Electronic equipments in Sri Lanka for collecting e-waste Island-wide in order to dispose of them in a proper manner was launched in year 2010. The Mobile Waste (m-waste) Project was launched by a leading mobile service provider in Sri Lanka in 2007 to collect, transport and store Mobile waste within the country as an extended product responsibility of the company. The main objectives of the project were, creating awareness in consumers to return used handsets and batteries, to develop a dynamic take-back channel using Dialog?s established channel network and dispose of stockpiles responsibly and To operate a proactive and sustainable handset take-back programme at no cost to the customer supported by a robust communications campaign. Regulations with respect to hazardous waste management were gazetted in 1996. Having identified the difficulties and draw backs and to facilitate the easy implementation, this regulation was further amended as National Environmental (Protection & Quality) regulation No.01 of 2008 by the extra ordinary Gazette notification in 2009. Agriculture and Livestock The agriculture sector is the cornerstone in the economy of Sri Lanka. It contributes about 18% of the Gross Domestic Product and 30% of employment. Sri Lankan government vision on agriculture is an agriculture sector contributing to regionally equitable economic growth, rural livelihood improvement, and food security through efficient production of commodities for consumption for agro-based industries and for exporting competitively to the world market. Ministry of Agriculture has initiated many development activities for strengthening the agriculture industry of the country such as National Campaign to motivate domestic food production, promotion of production and use of organic fertilizer, and Community Based Seed Production Village Programme. Ministry of Environment developed a National Policy and Strategy on Cleaner production for Agriculture Sector in 2010 to ensure standard quality and required quantities of food and other agricultural products, promote ecologically sound agriculture practices, enhance income and quality of the farming community and to promote efficient utilization of inputs and natural resources for economically viable food production. Health Government mission on health sector in Sri Lanka is to contribute the social and economic development of Sri Lanka by achieving the highest attainable health status through promotive, preventive, curative and rehabilitative services of high quality made available and accessible to people of the country. The government of Sri Lanka is committed to provide free healthcare to the people in Sri Lanka. However the healthcare cost is on the increase due to population growth, epidemiological and demographic transitions and advancement of science and technology in the areas of diagnosis and treatments. This is further aggravated by the increase demand on the natural resources leading to environmental degradation and pollution which adversely affected heath of the population. In Sri Lanka, government expends 3.7% of GDP as the expenditure on health annually. It is necessary that strategies and interventions are adopted to meet the challenges without compromising the free healthcare delivery system. Therefore, adoption of ?Cleaner production concept? has been identified as one of the interventions to address those concerns as it advocates environmental friendly practices, optimal use of resources and life cycle management of products and provisions of services. Accordingly, the Ministry of Healthcare and Nutrition in collaboration with the Ministry of Environment developed a National Policy and Strategy on Cleaner Production for Health Sector in 2007. Sri Lanka ratified the Stockholm Convention of Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in 2005 to protect human health and the environment from persistent organic pollutants. Accordingly, Sri Lanka established a National Coordinating Committee for the implementation of the Stockholm Convention in Sri Lanka. Development of National Inventories for PCBs, Dioxins and Furans and Pesticides identifying existing situation of the country and future trends, Development of a National Implementation Plan for the implementation of the Stockholm Convention and development of a website and an information system for POPs were done to implement the protocol at country level. Sri Lanka ratified the Rotterdam Convention in 2006 to promote shared responsibility and cooperative efforts among parties in the international trade of certain hazardous chemicals in order to protect human health and the environment from potential harm, to contribute to the environmentally sound use of those hazardous chemicals by facilitating information exchange about their characteristics, by providing for a national decision-making process on their import and export and by disseminating these decisions to Parties. To provide leadership, guidance and facilitation to manage the air resource by mitigating the air pollution in order to enhance the health and well being of public and the quality of the environment, an Air Resource Management Center (Air MAC) was established under the Ministry of Environment in 2007. As a strategy of improving the quality of ambient air in Sri Lanka, Vehiculer Emission Testing (VET) program was officially commenced in 2008 as a Pilot Project in the Western Province. The VET programme is conducted under the supervision of the Air-MAC of the Ministry of Environment. Vehicle Emission Testing centers were established with the private partnerships in island-wide to issue emission certificates for owners when they become mandatory to obtain the annual revenue licenses and the testing centers to issue emission certificates will be accredited by the Commissioner of Motor traffic, Department of Motor Traffic. Industry Industry sector is the most significant sector that is interlinked with many other sectors in economic development and environment management. Transforming the country towards a green economy needs environmental friendly (green) employment, environmental friendly technologies, and behaviors in economic and social development activities. The goal is to maintain a healthy environment throughout the country. Sri Lanka is a member country of a regional project for production of Green Job opportunities and produce low carbon, climate resilient and environmental friendly development of the country. This project is implemented by the Ministry of Labour and Labour Relations and Ministry of Productivity Promotion in Sri Lanka in collaboration with the International Labour Organization (ILO). The Ministry of Environment established a Green Job Awards programme in 2008 to recognize and reward the individuals and organizations who are engaging in green jobs related to environmental friendly technologies/activities. Green Job Awards are offered annually on the World Environment Day (5th June). Meeting the challenges of sustainable development is needed the innovative approaches in today's context. Nationally appropriate frameworks are necessary to promote such innovation in all socio-economic sectors of the country. Establishment of a National Green Reporting System is an important framework that can be used to promote reporting of sustainability performance in industry and services sectors. It enhances the capacity of these sectors to exert positive changes on the state of country's economic, environmental and social conditions. The guidelines of the National Green Reporting System were initially developed with the technical assistance of the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce through the SWITCH-Asia Programme funded by the European Union and finalized in collaboration with the key stakeholders. This programme will facilitate to the manufacturing and service sector organizations to be recognized, appreciated and rewarded based on their sustainability performance. The institutional setup for the National Green Reporting System of Sri Lanka comprises with the Governing Council and a National Green Reporting Steering Committee. The Governing Council provides policy directions and guidance to ensure that organizations' activities are aligning with Sustainable Development. The Governing Council includes government entities responsible to setting policy guidelines for the Sri Lankan manufacturing and services sector. A cross section of all stakeholders including department and authorities, civil society organizations, standard setting organization and private and government sector industries shall be the members of the National Green Reporting Steering Committee will monitor the performance of the system and make arrangements to improve the efficiency of the performance of the system continuously. National Cleaner Production Centre (NCPC) was established under the Ministry of Industries in Sri Lanka in 1998 for Cleaner Production (CP) promotion and capacity building in the country. The National Cleaner Production Centre will be instrumental in promoting of dissemination of CP in the country and as well as capacity building for the successful application of CP in industries. Education Sri Lanka is a country that having a high literacy rate of 91% and providing the education for it?s all the citizens in free of charge. School children are being educated about the environment in hope that they will transfer the knowledge to elder family members and people in the country so to raise awareness and make change in behavioral patterns as much as possible. The first Environmental Pioneer Brigade was established under the direct supervision of the Central Environmental Authority (CEA) in 1986. The programme was expanded in 6500 schools throughout the island as at year 2010. The Environmental Pioneer Brigade Programme believes that if children have been made aware of environmental problems and how to overcome the problems or be preventative so that the problems would not occur, they would change their behavior to be more environmental friendly. Objectives of establishing the Environmental Pioneer Brigades Programme in Schools are Promoting environmental awareness and motivating school children to participate in environmental activities, broadening the knowledge on environmental protection and management, carrying the environmental message to their elders at home, building a new generation of environmentally concerned and changing the children behavioral patterns and attitudes to be more environmentally friendly. An ?Environmental Diary 2010? was developed by the Ministry of Environment with a view to promote student?s attitudes towards the environment and teaching them early, how to be friendly and live in harmony with the environment. A communication model was developed to promote eco-habits in the purpose of changing attitudes of general public towards sustainable consumption practices. This awareness material consists of 12 habits for prompting efficiency use of natural resources and prevents the environment pollution. Existing curricular of Universities and Technical Collages were reviewed and curriculum based principle subject areas were identified relating to sustainable development for grade 6-13 in Science subjects and environmental education for sustainable development have been incorporated to the current syllabi of school education. A study was done to identification of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and constraints of environmental education system in Sri Lanka, to develop a comprehensive National Strategy and an Action Plan to integrate environmental aspects in to the education system in Sri Lanka and to identify the priority programs to be implemented. Biodiversity Sri Lanka is very rich in biodiversity. Sri Lanka has been identified by the environment activist group Conservation International (CI) as one of 25 biodiversity hot spots in the world. A noteworthy feature of Sri Lanka's biodiversity is the remarkable high proportion of endemic species among its flora and fauna: 23% of the flowering plants and 16% of the mammals in the island are endemic. Sri Lanka has a wide range of topographic and climatic variation and this contributes to the special features of its biodiversity. Biodiversity Secretariat was established in 1998 under the Ministry of Environment. The Biodiversity Secretariat provides leadership to the nation in managing country's biodiversity without depletion of natural resources and environment while ensuring the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity to ensure national commitment for sustainable development. In order to achieve this objective, Biodiversity Division in the Ministry of Environment involves in providing policy directives towards the conservation of biodiversity. Sri Lanka signed the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety on 24th May 2000, during the fifth meeting of the Conference of Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity in Nairobi, Kenya, when it was first open for signatories. The country ratified Cartagena Protocol on 28th April 2004 and consequently the Protocol has entered into force in country on 28th July 2004. Sri Lanka ratified the United Nations Convention of Biological Diversity in 1994 and conducted many activities to implement the Convention at country level such as preparation of a Biodiversity Conservation Action Plan, strengthen the key institutes in the forestry, wildlife, agriculture and coastal sector, setting up the implementing mechanism for coordinating Biodiversity activities in the Ministry of Environment, in-country capacity assessment for biodiversity conservation and carried out a capacity assessment under the National Capacity needs Self Assessment for Global Environmental Project to implement the Rio Convention and preparation of a Capacity Development Action Plan (2005-2007) Ministry of Environment has taken actions to facilitate sustainable use of biodiversity through benefit sharing mechanisms by developing databases on Marine shells and data updating due to the on-going identification of marine shells activities and on faunal observation and the information input by the island wide surveys. National Science and Technology Policy formulated in 2008 by the National Science and Technology Commission for the Ministry of Science and Technology, has involved several initiatives for scientific investigations on biodiversity conservation. Fauna, Flora and Eco Systems Sri Lanka is featured of its high degree of endemism, which is observed in several taxonomic groups. Even more interesting is distribution of endemics. A large proportion is found in the wet zone in the south western region of the island. 23% of the flowering plants are endemic and most of them are confined to the wet evergreen and wet montane forests of the central and southwest part of the country. The fauna of Sri Lanka is also as diverse as the flora. While sharing common features with the neighboring subcontinent, the fauna exhibits very high endemism among less mobile groups. For endemic species, the distribution patterns are similar to the flora: the wet zone has many more endemic species than the dry zone. In terms of mammals, birds and fishes, the three major groups that are well studies in Sri Lanka, each group has a different distribution pattern. There is a wide range of ecosystem diversity in the country. The major natural ecosystems in the country are forests, grasslands, inland wetlands, coastal and marine ecosystems. Marine ecosystems include sea-grass beds, coral reefs, estuaries, lagoons and mangrove swamps. Climate change In order to address the cross sectoral nature of major environmental challenges caused by Climate change, the Ministry of Environment, which is the National Focal Point for the UNFCCC and Kyoto Protocol has taken the initiatives to establish a Climate change Secretariat under its preview. The Climate change Secretariat in the Ministry of Environment adopts a comprehensive national approach to address Climate change challenges that as these concerns categorize as an environmental concern, which is also a development issue of Sri Lanka. The Ministry of Environment established Sri Lanka Carbon Fund (SLCF) to actively participate in the carbon trading business. The SLCF was established in 2008 (Reg.No. PV63181) by a Cabinet decision as a company registered under the Companies Act No. 7 of 2007. The fund is a private company, which will facilitate CDM project development within the country and will facilitate the potential CDM project developers in project development, facilitate financing and other related matters. It will also participate in Carbon market scheme and to obtain maximum benefit to the country via carbon trading. Objectives of establishing SLCF are to provide technical and financial assistance to the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) Project developers for the preparation of project documentations, to facilitate bundling of small CDM projects, to facilitate access to capital funding for CDM projects through commercial banks, to provide investment capital for CDM projects, to engage in Carbon Trading through purchasing and subsequent sale for carbon credits. Ministers of Environment of all the eight nations of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) have adopted a three-year Action Plan on Climate change at the SAARC Ministerial Meeting on Climate change, held in Dhaka from 1st to 2nd July 2008. The Action Plan, covering 2009-2011, and focuses on seven thematic areas - from adaptation of Climate change to regional stance for international negotiations. The Cabinet of Ministers in Sri Lanka granted the approval to implement the national obligations under the SAARC Action Plan on Climate change in collaboration with relevant line Ministries and other agencies. The year 2009 Action Plan was prepared and submitted to the SAARC Secretariat and 2010 - 2011 Action Plans were prepared in collaboration with the line Ministries and Agencies. Commitments under the Thimphu Statement agreed to be implemented in the 10th SAARC Summit were communicated to the relevant line agencies. Sri Lanka ratified the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate change (UNFCCC) by a cabinet decision in November 1993 and is among the first 50 countries that have ratified it. As an obligation of the UNFCCC, Sri Lanka is required to prepare the National Communication on Climate change periodically. Accordingly, the Initial National Communication on Climate change has been prepared and submitted to the UNFCCC in 2000 and the Second National Communication report has been completed and is about to be submitted. The Asian Development Bank (ADB) supported the Government of Sri Lanka?s initiative to focus on Climate change adaptation through the provision of a technical assistance (TA) grant titled ?Strengthening Capacity for Climate change Adaptation. The assistance was provided to develop a National Climate change Adaptation Strategy and to formulate Public Information and Awareness Strategy. Accordingly, National Climate change adaptation strategy was prepared for year 2011 ? 2016. The sector vulnerable profiles (SVPs) were prepared for Agriculture and Fisheries, Water, Human Health, Urban Development Human Settlements and Economic Infrastructure, Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services sectors based on the consultation of stakeholders Costal and Marine Environment Coastal regions are homes to a large and growing population in Sri Lanka. The term coastal zone is legally defined in the Coastal Conservation Act 57 of 1981 as a narrow strip 300m landwards of the mean high water line and 2km seawards of the mean low water line, with the primary focus of regulating all development activity within this zone. The high concentration of population have produced many economic benefits from the coastal resources, in particular from fishing, tourism, and maritime activities, while having improved transportation links, developed industrial and urban centers, and modified physical nature in the coastal zone. Eventually the increasing beneficiaries cause for degrading the natural coastal environment. Hence Engineering and Management of Coastal Zone is vital for the sustainability of Coastal Resources. Sri Lanka?s mission of coastal resources is to achieve prominence as a country with the sustainable management of coastal resources in the Asian Region. Coastal and marine environmental degradation includes sea erosion, coastal pollution and threats of oil spills to the sustainability of coastal habitats. Sri Lanka ratified the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships and Protocol in 1997 to preserve the marine environment by achieving complete elimination of international pollution by oil and other harmful substances and the minimization of accidental discharge of such substances. To protect the economic, environmental, and national security concerns of coastal states, Strengthen the state sovereignty over the enforcement of environmental regulations up to 200 miles offshore and to protect the marine environment, promote the maintenance of international peace and security, protect the freedom of navigation on the high seas as well as the right of innocent passage, including non-wartime activities of military ships, Sri Lanka ratified with United Nations Convention of the Law of Seas in 1994. Marine Environment Protection Authority (MEPA) was established under the Marine Pollution Prevention Act No. 59 of 1981 empowering to give effect to international conventions for the prevention of pollution of the Sri Lanka waters as one of its key responsibilities. According to the provision of section 13 of Marine Pollution Prevention Act, the MEPA is responsible in facilitating reception facilities within or outside any port in Sri Lanka on behalf of the State enabling ships to discharge or deposit oil residues or other pollutants. At present the MEPA has made arrangements to collect shipboard waste through private sector service providers in Colombo, Galle and Trincomalee ports. The MEPA plans to have in place a proper reception and disposal system with no adverse effect on marine and terrestrial environment. OTHER INITIATIVES HAVE BEEN TAKEN Sustainable Human Development Index Considering the present multiple global crises it is evident that such indices are essential for the county to evaluate human development and take decision. Human Development Index (HDI) developed by UNDP provides a better assessment of human wellbeing than the broadly used indices such as GDP. However, HDI also ignores the distributional aspects of income, the quality of life of human beings and the detrimental impacts on the environment with the rapid economic development. The Ministry of Environment developed a Sustainable Human Development Index (SHDI) in 2008 by considering few additional parameters to HDI to reflect SHDI than HDI itself adding environmental aspects and quality of the life such as 'carbon emission', 'bio capacity', 'ecological footprint' and 'poverty'. National Green Accounting Mechanism Sri Lanka is endowed with a rich profile of natural resources, which is consisted of numerous productive physical and biological assets. Recent attempts to achieve a higher rate of economic growth have brought this heritage of environmental resources under constant stress. The country at present faces a numerous environmental problems that include various forms of land degradation, deforestation, loss of bio diversity, indoor and outdoor air pollution, pollution of water sources, mismanagement of solid waste, and over-exploitation of biological resources. Failure to incorporate the role of natural capital in the System of National Accounts (SNA) has led to neglect environmental resources by policy makers, thereby it is resulting in further degradation of environmental and natural resources. Therefore, achieving the sustainable development goals of the country demands formulation and implementation of wise policies that can positively contribute to the economy as well as the environment of the country. Ministry of Environment of Sri Lanka has taken necessary steps to develop a green accounting mechanism for Sri Lanka with the collaboration of other relevant stakeholders in the country. Initially, it has been started to value the forestry sector contribution to the National Economy. Sri Lanka Strategy for Sustainable Development As an emerging economy, the challenge for Sri Lanka is to achieve sustainable high economic growth with greater equity, whilst integrating into the process of globalization, achieving permanent peace and rehabilitating and reconstructing the war affected areas. A sustainable high level of economic growth must be ensured without causing irreversible damage to the environment. Macro-economic policies for sustainable development must be developed through an environmentally sensitive macroeconomic framework. Sri Lanka vision for sustainable development is ?Achieving sustained economic growth that is socially equitable and ecologically sound, with peace and stability?. Sri Lanka needs to accelerate economic growth in order to meet the rising expectations of a growing population, about a quarter of which is still below the poverty line, and there is a need to be judicious in resource use in view of the alarming rate at which the resource base is being depleted. Therefore, an appropriate and commonly agreed national sustainable development strategy is an urgent requirement for Sri Lanka. The ministry of environment in Sri Lanka developed The Sri Lanka Strategy for Sustainable Development in 2008 to meet the country?s various development needs as well as its development challenges, and to mainstream environmental considerations in policy-making and policy implementation. The system should enable the setting up of national level priorities in order that the country is able to select and act on those actions that support poverty reduction, economic development and environmental protection. CHALLENGES, OBSTACLES AND OPPORTUNITIES Though, Sri Lanka is a middle income country, it reveals almost all the characters of a developing country where the socio economic development and poverty alleviation are paramount important in the global economic context. Therefore, alleviating poverty of the people, ensuring the food security without assuring further land and water degradation, supplying clean water and provide sanitation, supplying adequate energy for basic needs, and providing access to electricity, providing a healthy environment for people who are exposed to dangerous levels of outdoor pollution and indoor air pollution and vector-borne diseases, providing safe shelter for those who are vulnerable to natural disasters are the urgent needs to be addressed today. In this context, various obstacles and challenges are being featured by the country to meet the incremental cost of meeting the transition phase of greening the economy. Hence the country needs the external assistance for technical, financial and skilled human capital for country driven priorities to integrate the various development scenarios, social and environment related concerns together in the country. During the past two decades, better institutional framework was established to mange the environment and natural resources, sound national polices were developed and therefore it is an opportunity for implementation of regional and local level projects to uplift the living standards of the people and conserve the environment and natural resources in the country. Further it is highly supported to the increased awareness on sustainable consumption and production practices among the general public for a paradigm shift from brown to green Economy.


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City of Wilmington Officials Work With Housing Agencies During Housing Strategy Meeting and Discuss How to Strengthen Community Neighborhoods
Posted on 04/19/2013 3:36 pm
On April 17, 2013, the City of Wilmington invited seven local, non-profit housing agencies to attend its first Wilmington Housing Strategy Meeting. Cornerstone West, Habitat for Humanity, Interfaith Community Housing, Wilmington Housing Authority, Wilmington Housing Partnership, Wilmington Renaissance Corporation and Woodlawn Trustees joined City officials at the Delaware Historical Society's Copeland Room and presented their accomplishments and visions for the City.
The event was moderated by Sophia Hanson, Director of Planning and Urban Design, and included representatives from the City's Neighborhood Planning Councils and the University of Delaware's Center for Community Research and Service.
Mayor Williams opened the meeting by thanking the organizations for their commitment to the City. He also highlighted the importance of homeownership and the positive impact it has on the lives of City residents.
Velda Jones-Potter, the Chief Strategy Advisor for the Mayor's Office, presented the City's Preamble which highlights a theme of "working together with a unity of purpose." Themes from the City's Preamble echoed throughout the various presentations.
Joan Fultz of Cornerstone West noted that their West Side Grows Together Revitalization Plan includes many elements of the City's Preamble, including community-based park improvements, youth engagement and collaborative neighborhood redevelopment.
There was new excitement and energy present as the non-profit organizations were able to collaborate cohesively with City officials and address methods for strengthening our City's neighborhoods.
Fred Purnell, Executive Director of the Wilmington Housing Authority (WHA), expressed gratitude for the City's willingness to include outside agencies. Mr. Purnell presented plans for the redevelopment of Riverside and stressed the importance of collaborating to make the project a major success.
Carrie Gray of Wilmington Renaissance Corporation, presented the vision of the Artist Live/Work Initiative, which proposes the development of affordable housing for artists in West Center City. Ms. Gray urged the City to promote its vast assets and to encourage residents to celebrate City life and enjoy "being urban."
The Question and Answer Roundtable was moderated by Raheemah Jabbar-Bey, Associate Policy Scientist, from the University of Delaware. Ms. Jabbar-Bey issued a challenge to all attendees to develop terms for collaboration and to make a true commitment to a common goal.
The City will continue to work with these organizations to strengthen and redevelop our neighborhoods.

subset: commoncrawl


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Never Don't Stop At The Peg House
The Peg House now offers American Steel Carports Inc line of steel buildings. Serving Mendocino, Humboldt, Trinity and Lake County as well as the rest of California, Oregon, Washington, and Nevada. CALL GARY - 707 925-6444
- Garages
- Agriculture Buildings
- Storage Style Steel Buildings
- A-Frame Style Steel Buildings
- Hex Shape Steel Buildings
Standish-Hickey State Park is OPEN.
We encourage everyone to please use and support locally operated parks.
Reservations can be made by calling 707-925-6482
10 YEAR Anniversary
Friday Oct 24th - 6:00 PM
Adam (Super) Manus' band 454 will open with some classic rock starting at 6PM. That will be followed by the Blues of JC Smith, http://jcsmithband.com/ just returned from Argentina and Russia. JC Smith band is also renowned for being the best dressed band in the Bay area so we are asking (not requiring) that you dress up (to the nines). Hope to see you there.
The Peg House is definitely a must see when traveling through the Redwoods in Northern California. Hence the saying Never Don't Stop At The Peg House.
You never know when you stop, if you may walk in on live entertainment on stage any given day, or just enjoy a great meal hot off the grill on the patio, or a deli sandwich freshly made in the store.
The store has many one of a kind items, and many may not be necessary, but most are must have items.
One of the questions people often ask is why the name Peg House? It is because what is now the general store and gas station, was built with a construction method using Pegs instead of nails to join the timbers. It has been a land Mark along the US 101 since the early days. Sporting a Police car with a couple of dummies inside that resemble the Blues Brothers, non-residents of the area who maybe exceeding the speed limit can often be seen hitting the brakes as they pass mistaking it for a real police car. But be aware there maybe a real officer near by.
The Peg House just voted top ranking for hamburgers in Sunset Magazine.
The Peg House, Leggett, CA (Sunset reader favorite). The Summer of Love returns to the California redwoods: back-to-the-Earth groove, live music, and a barbecue that grills lustfully juicy bacon cheeseburgers.
The Peg House offers many features to help the traveling souls and the local folks as well:
- StoreGet all the basics here plus some unusual items.
- FOOD!!Tri-ips, Burgers, Deli Sandwiches, Salads and Brownies of unusual sizes.
- U-HaulEasy access U-Haul rentals.
- MUSICLive music through-out the spring, summer and fall.
- CampingEasy Access to Standish Hickey State Campground.
- FriendlyFriendly atmosphere with helpful folks.


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As one half of Booker T. and the MGs' rhythm section, Donald "Duck" Dunn was house bass player at the legendary Stax label, where his artistry helped define one of the most distinctive and enduring sounds in popular music. Among the recordings for which Dunn laid down the bottom end: Otis Redding's "Respect," "Dock of the Bay" and "I've Been Loving You Too Long;" Wilson Pickett's "In the Midnight Hour" and Sam and Dave's "Hold On I'm Coming" and "Soul Man." He also played on sessions with such artists as Neil Young, Eric Clapton and Jerry Lee Lewis, to name but a few.
Born in Memphis on November 24, 1941, Dunn was given his nickname by his father as the two watched a Donald Duck cartoon on television. Although one of his grandfathers played fiddle, there was no music in Dunn's immediate family. He recalled: "My father was a candy maker. He made peppermints and hard candies. He didn't want me to go into the music industry. He thought I would become a drug addict and die. Most parents in those days thought music was a pastime – something you did as a hobby, not a profession."
Dunn picked up a ukulele when he was about 10 years old and started playing bass when he was 16. Influenced by blues and R&B stars like B.B. King and Ray Charles, Dunn and his childhood friend, guitarist Steve Cropper, formed their first band, the Royal Spades, in high school. "We played anything from Jerry Lee Lewis and Little Richard to Chuck Berry and Bo Diddley stuff. We were a white band trying to play rhythm & blues music, kinda the first in Memphis to do that. We used to play for, like, $5 and a few free beers. It was just a joy to play," Dunn said. The Royal Spades evolved into the Mar-Keys, and Cropper subsequently left to become a full-time session musician at the Stax studio. He urged Dunn to follow him, and the two became part of Booker T.'s MG's, which, in turn, become the house band at Stax. Dunn joined the MG's when original bassist Lewis Steinberg left the band. After reaching Number Three with the instrumental "Green Onions" in 1962, the MG's continued to hit the charts well into the Seventies. Among their biggest successes were "Hang 'Em High" (Number Nine, 1968) and "Time Is Tight" (Number Six, 1969).
When Booker T. disbanded the MG's, Dunn and drummer Al Jackson Jr. kept the band's name afloat. In 1975, Jackson was shot dead when he disturbed an intruder in his home. The incident left a deep impression on Dunn, who said: "I think the gun issue is the biggest issue….I'm really a firm believer in no guns."
In 1977, Booker T. Jones, Dunn and Cropper reunited. The band recorded two more albums during the next 20 years, eventually receiving a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 1995 Rhythm & Blues Pioneer Awards. In 2007, the MG's were awarded a Lifetime Achievement Grammy. After his appearance in the 1980 movie The Blues Brothers, Dunn became part of the Blues Brothers Band, which also featured Steve Cropper. Of his lifelong musical relationship with Cropper, Dunn said: "Steve and I are like married people. I can look at him and know what he'll order for dinner. We don't hang out as much as we used to. I moved to Florida, and he moved to Nashville. We used to play a lot of golf together and we've kind of separated. But when we play music together we both know where we're going."
Dunn died in Tokyo on May 13, 2012, only hours after playing his final show with Cropper. Donald "Duck" Dunn was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Booker T. and the MG's in 1992.
WATCH: Paul Shaffer organized an all-star jam of Booker T. and the MGs classic "Green Onions," with bassist Donald "Duck" Dunn, Booker T. Jones, guitarist Steve Cropper, as well as U2 guitarist The Edge, Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards, guitarist Neil Young and more during the 1992 Hall of Fame Inductions Ceremony.


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June 1, 2013
| NCAA Championships
May 31- June 2nd | Eagle Creek Park– Indianapolis, Ind. | Live Streaming |
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. - The weather in the Indianapolis area continued to cause havoc at the second day of the NCAA Championships, altering the times of the races for the fourth time in the last 48 hours.
Despite the weather conditions and changing start times, Washington stayed composed against tough competition to advance two of three boats to Sunday's Grand Finals at the NCAA Championships. The varsity eight and varsity four both secured their spots in tomorrow's championship finals, while the second varsity will race in their respective petite final.
On Friday, the crews battled pouring rain and thunder and lightning warnings throughout the day, but the Huskies handled the conditions well to advance all three shells—the varsity eight, second varsity eight, and varsity four—to this morning's semifinals.
Late last night the order was shifted and the times were moved up to ensure that they could get the feature races in before the weather had a chance to disrupt day two of the championships. The scheduling change proved to be significant as the C/D semifinals were canceled when rain and wind pounded the area later in the morning.
According to head women's coach Bob Ernst, boats were flooding and athletes were being pulled from the water. Everyone made it out safe, but the rest of day two's scheduled races were postponed until tomorrow.
"These were the most challenging conditions for rowing I've ever experienced," said Ernst. "It was tough out there, but for the most part the women handled it well."
That means a lot coming from Ernst, who is in his 40th year at Washington and been around thousands of regattas on both the national and international scene.
Washington's varsity eight held off a late push by Yale in the final 500 meters to come in third behind Ohio State (7:14.40) and Princeton (7:15.30) and grab the last grand final qualifying spot in their semifinal. Washington finished less than a half a second ahead of Yale (7:17.68), crossing the line with a time of (7:17:22).
The varsity four continued to perform well at the championships, taking second in their semifinal behind Ohio State (7:36.71). The Huskies came in with a time of 7:38.97, that was good for second best qualifying time out of the two semifinal heats.
"The varsity eight and varsity four both had really good races today," said Ernst. "They've been performing better and better each week of the season and they continued that here [at the championships], performing better and better each race."
Washington's second varsity is the Huskies' most inexperienced crew, with three freshmen all on one side of the boat, including one walk-on. The weather took its toll on the young Huskies, as they suffered a bad start and couldn't overcome the rough conditions. The Huskies finished with a time of 7:34.16, good for sixth place and a spot in Sunday's petite finals.
The weather conditions are suppose to improve, although the wind is suppose to stick around so every crew will have to use their skills to maneuver the course on the last day of the NCAA Championships.
The last day of NCAA means one thing: everything is on the line tomorrow for these crews. It's what the student-athletes work towards all year.
"We are glad to be here," said Ernst. "We are ready to fight."
NCAA Day 2 Results (For Full Results please click here):
Varsity 8 A/B Semifinal:
1) Ohio State 7:14.40
2) Princeton 7:15.30
3) Washington 7:17.22
4) Yale 7:17.68
5) Harvard 7:20.11
6) Michigan 7:37.73
Second Varsity 8 A/B Semifinal:
1) Ohio State 7:19.61
2) Yale 7:22.77
4) Harvard 7:26.05
5) Stanford 7:31.67
6) Washington 7:34.16
Varsity 4 A/B Semifinal:
1) Ohio State 7:36.71
2) Washington 7:38.97
3) Brown 7:41.88
4) California 7:46.10
5) Stanford 7:52.28
6) Yale 8:00.45


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Need Help? Call 1.866.472.4001
Football Collage Wall Mural
- Overview
Kick off your space with this collage of shots, designed to keep football fans inspired during the on and off seasons.
- 48" wide x 72.5" high
- Printed with water-based ink on a durable nonadhesive panel.
- Matte finish eliminates glare on the surface.
- Top and bottom rails ensure a smooth and easy hang.
- Dimensions + Care
- Art canvas is nonwoven 66% polypropylene, 25% polyester, 9% viscose.
- Aluminum tube and hanger.
- Water-based ink.
- Includes metal hanger and end caps for mounting.
- Dust with a soft, dry cloth.
- Avoid the use of any adhesive-backed products (tape, stickers, etc.) on the mural's surface.
- Shipping Info
Please allow approximately 5-7 business days for delivery of in-stock items. Delivery estimate includes monogrammed and gift-wrapped items.


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Measure the housing length of your original Briggs & Stratton starter to find a replacement. Refer to the HOUSING LENGTH specification to ensure you have the proper-sized starter.
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CLEVELAND (December 9, 2008) - The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum is proud to present an evening with Grammy-award winner Marty Stuart as part of From Songwriters to Soundmen: The People Behind the Hits, a popular FREE monthly program. Stuart will be interviewed at the Rock Hall on Wednesday, December 17 at 7 p.m. in the Museum's 4th Floor Theater.
Stuart, not only a musician but also an avid collector, recently traveled to Cleveland to unveil the Rock Hall's new exhibit Sparkle & Twang: Marty Stuart's American Musical Odyssey. The collection represents over 40 years of rock and roll, classic country, rockabilly, bluegrass and southern gospel greats. It encompasses an astounding array of performance costumes, accessories, handwritten lyrics, personal letters and instruments compiled by Stuart.
At the age of nine, he formed his first band in his hometown of Philadelphia, Mississippi before joining legendary guitarist Lester Flatt and his band as their mandolin player. Before he was 20 years old, Stuart joined Johnny Cash's band on the road. While he was on tour with Cash in London in 1980, Stuart became motivated to become a collector. He had met Isaac Tigrett, a co-founder of the Hard Rock Café, who invited Stuart to the Hard Rock in London. Fascinated by the scene created around memorabilia from the world's most influential musicians, such as the Beatles, the Rolling Stones and Janis Joplin, Stuart was inspired to formally craft his own collection, Sparkle & Twang.
After his time on the road with Cash, Stuart eventually became a solo artist, achieving fame on his own and earning hit songs, a platinum album, five gold records, four Grammy awards and recording 14 studio albums. In addition to these and many other musical achievements, Stuart is also a published writer, a photographer and hosts a country music television show on RFD-TV called The Marty Stuart Show.
Members and visitors will have the opportunity to hear Marty Stuart's incredible stories firsthand in a discussion led by Lauren Onkey, vice president of education and public programs. Questions will be taken from the audience at the end of the interview. Please email email@example.com or call (216) 515-8426 to RSVP.
This event is part of the series From Songwriters to Soundmen: The People Behind the Hits, a groundbreaking Rock Hall program that shines the spotlight on the people whose contributions to the rock and roll art form are often as powerful as those of the artists themselves.
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum has FREE educational offerings year round. Additional adult education programs include Teachers Rock, which shows educators how to bring rock and roll music into their classrooms and Rock and Roll Night School, which gives interested adults the opportunity to expand their rock and roll-related knowledge.
For more information about these and other Rock Hall educational programs, visit http://www.rockhall.com.
About the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum is the nonprofit organization that exists to educate visitors, fans and scholars from around the world about the history and continuing significance of rock and roll music. It carries out this mission both through its operation of a world-class museum that collects, preserves, exhibits and interprets this art form and through its library and archives as well as its educational programs.
The Museum is open seven days a week from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. On Wednesdays, the Museum is open until 9 p.m. Museum admission is $22 for adults, $17 for seniors (65+), $13 for youth (9-12), $18 for adult residents of Greater Cleveland. Children under 8 and Museum members are free. The Museum is generously funded by Cuyahoga County residents through Cuyahoga Arts and Culture. When you become a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum, the world of rock and roll becomes yours to explore. Call 216.515.1939 for information on becoming a member. For general inquiries, please call 216.781.ROCK or visit http://www.rockhall.com.


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Dear all,
I would like to use PLASMA 2.5 on Windows.
I already tested the PLASMA libraries on a Linux machine and I was very satisfied with its performances. But now I need to port the code also on a Windows machine.
Do you know if there are any binary packages for PLASMA 2.5 for Windows (better if for MS Visual Studio) or do you have any ideas about how to compile the libraries on Windows?
Thanks a lot.


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William Charles Wolford
Position: T-G
Height: 6-5 Weight: 294 lbs.
Born: May 18, 1964 in Louisville, KY
High School: St. Xavier
College: Vanderbilt (school history) (Wolford college stats)
Drafted by the Buffalo Bills in the 1st round (20th overall) of the 1986 NFL Draft.
Weighted Career AV (100-95-...): 75 (456th overall since 1950)
3-time Pro Bowler (fine print)
Other SR Links: College Football at Sports-Reference.com
Let people know you like this site. Sponsor this page for $10. Your message will replace this ad.
1993 Game Log: Regular Season · Playoffs · vs.


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Families of Montana Tech students and Career Services share a common goal: to help students prepare for their future career. Career Services offers advice and assistance in developing the life skills to make this goal a reality.
Tips to Help your student be successful
The career planning process can be daunting, and students need support from their families to help them be successful. Take a minute to browse these helpful tips.
Encourage your student to take advantage of Career Services early.
Career Services offers advice on anything from choosing a major to finding a full-time job after graduation. Have your student register for DIGGERecruiting, the online source for job postings, company and recruiter information, interview sign-ups, career events, and much more.
Motivate your student to be proactive in setting and achieving career goals.
The earlier a career is chosen, the sooner your student will know if it is a good fit. Long-term planning will keep your student on the right track. Planning will also increase awareness of job market demand, salary ranges, long-range opportunities, skills required, etc. It is also important for your student to have some idea of the next step after graduation. Have your student contact Career Services early so he or she can get the most help with preparation for employment and life after college.
Encourage your student to make academics a high priority from the beginning.
While it is important to allow for an adjustment period, keep in mind that one semester with a low GPA will adversely affect your student's overall GPA. It is much easier to maintain a good GPA than it is to take multiple semesters to bring it back up.
Motivate your student to obtain marketable skills during college.
- Computer (programming, word processing, creating spreadsheets, working with databases)
- Quantitative (accounting, statistics, economics)
- Communication (writing, public speaking)
- Marketing (sales, publicity, fund raising)
- Scientific (lab, scientific research, and technical writing skills)
- Foreign Language (Spanish, French, German, etc.)
- Leadership (extra-curricular leadership, teamwork, time management, supervisory)
Encourage your student to get involved with clubs and organizations on campus.
Employers value participation, especially where your student has held leadership positions. It is more important to be in a few meaningful leadership roles than to be a member of many clubs and organizations. Leadership experiences will not only look great on a resume, but will also give your student the opportunity to gain marketable skills.
Influence your student to gain work experience through Career Services' experiential learning program.
Students often don't know if they will like a particular career until they try it out in a real-world setting. Through Career Services' experiential learning program, students work at summer jobs or internship positions related to their major while gaining valuable on-the-job experience. Students may also receive better-than-average pay and qualify for academic credit.
Career Services is available to help all Montana Tech students with resumes, interviews, job search strategies, and the internship and job search process. Encourage your student to take advantage of all that Career Services has to offer. For more information, visit the Student Resources page.


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One of the most divisive questions facing residents of Utah is how to manage our spectacular public lands. More than two-thirds of the state's deserts and mountains are, for better or worse, controlled by the federal government.
Last year, the Utah Legislature passed a bill challenging that status and has begun efforts to negotiate or legally wrest that land away from the federal government. Proponents of state ownership say they would develop more of it to fund the state's needs, particularly education.
Utah's lands initiative has become grist for debates and the subject of national analysis. Some lawmakers say it defines what the world thinks of Utah and the people who live there.
This so-called land grab is nothing new. It's been a goal of the Sagebrush Rebellion in the last century and the more recent Tea Party movement. Some see it as nothing short of a last chance for state's rights as envisioned by the Founding Fathers.
Their opposition sees it as an environmentally catastrophic threat to a unique landscape cherished by the nation and the world.
Recently, powerful opposition to state takeover of public lands emerged from a group of business owners who make an economic argument for preservation. The outdoor recreation industry warns that increased drilling, mining and real estate development will destroy the long-term and sustainable economic treasure of Utah's wildlands.
Utah's ongoing land war is being watched throughout the West and nationally. And last summer, new battle lines were drawn.


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Rated 3 out of 5 by 1 reviewer.
Rated 3 out of 5 by dede6 Loved design and colors. Perfect size. Loved product but became so disappointed. Assembled lanterns and hung them for my annual girls night out party. Looked great! Lots of compliments. In less than 2 hours, 3 of the 5 light bulbs had blown! There were suppossed to be 4 extra bulbs, but there was only one. Called WM very co-operative, sending new product. Free shipping. Unfortunately the party was over. The only other thing that disturbs me are your shipping fees. $150.00 is the highest amount on-line. Please consider bringing your store back to the Cincinnati area. East or North side! Really miss WM!!! August 22, 2014
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The the idea of the Cabury Filled Dessert Bar excited me from the beginning. It's as if a box of assorted chocolate bonbons were smooshed together and made into a conveniently filled chocolate bar. Genius! Why wasn't something like this made sooner? Really!
Cadbury was clever about labeling the flavors in the bar. On the back of the wrapper there's a key to all the different flavors, so there's no surprises to what you're getting when you break off a section. They were very creative with the shapes too; using pineapples, hearts, triangles, etc. to decorate the bar. I wish I took a picture of it before I ate it. Sometimes I'm too excited to do that though, and this was one of those times. I promise to be better about it in the future.
My first taste was underwhelming because the chocolate doesn't taste up to the normal Cadbury standard. It's very sweet, but I am missing the cocoa and the dairy flavors that are usually so consistent with their chocolate. Deciding to not let that taint the rest of my experience, I pressed on…
Orange: was so untociceable, really, I can't remember tasting much!
Coconut Ice: I didn't taste coconut per se, but there was a coconut essence to it. It was as if someone whispered "coconut" to me from across the room and I thought I heard something…maybe" kind of a way.
Turkish Delight: This one was awful. It tasted like I was eating a bar of soap.
Pineapple: thebest of the bunch, yet that doesn't say much, the brightly yellow colored goo on the inside didn't taste of pineapple. It did have the zestiness after it that you expect with pineapple, but the flavor was more "mystery articicial fruit" than pineapple. It was tasty at least, which is more than what the others can say for themselves.
Strawberry: Extremely bright pink in color. The flavor actually has a fruity essence to it, but it doesn't really taste of strawberry. It just tastes "pink" which for me is a generic berry flavor that's hard to lay your finger on.
Caramel: Sadly, there's not much caramel flavor to be found. Actually, it's totally missing. Oh, Caramello, you'd be so ashamed!
This was such a disappointment. Granted, I had really hyped it up in my mind, but considering how Cadbury usually is pretty solid in terms of good chocolate delivery. I can't help but feel this bar leaves a lot to be desired still. I'm see this as a starting point for some good improvement!
Rating: Not Worth It
Cadbury Dair Milk Snack Webpage


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kcdyer, Saturday August 30, 2008 - 7:57pm
If you had a chance to read the interview WebWizard Dale posted yesterday, you may have noticed editor Lisa Rector mentioned a very exciting piece of news, but just in case you missed it, here it is, straight from Lisa:
In recognition of the talent of young writers world-wide, I am pleased to announce the Lisa Rector Young Writer's Scholarship. The inaugural event will be held at this year's Surrey International Writers Conference Oct. 24-26, 2008. A full 3-day scholarship to attend the conference, including workshops, meals and banquets will be awarded to a student demonstrating outstanding achievement or promise in the areas of poetry, fiction, non-fiction or screenwriting. Students must be between the ages of 12-18 at the time of the conference in order to qualify. Travel not included. The winner will be announced Oct. 1, 2008.
Lisa tells us she will have more details of the award available for us to publicize here shortly, but in the meantime, if you'd like further information, you can reach Lisa at
also blogging as leftwirter
Anonymous replied on Permalink
Do academics actually give a
Do academics actually give a damn what the subjects of their scholarship think about their assessments? While wearing those hats (author, critic), the most healthy and productive answer for each is probably "no."
Anonymous replied on Permalink
Really good to hear this,
Really good to hear this, that Editor now donating funds in a shape of Scholarship, which really helps a lot to young students and i hope this will continue in this way a lot.


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NY Times Public Editor Questions T Magazine Photoshopping Policy
In an editorial published yesterday in The New York Times, the newspaper's public editor, Margaret Sullivan, questioned the rules regarding Photoshopping at T, the monthly style magazine published by the Times, and suggested that readers should be notified when fashion images have been digitally manipulated. She also pointed out that editors shouldn't assume that readers understand the difference between the standards for a news photograph and a fashion photograph.
Responding to comments last week from readers that a T cover model was too skinny, T editor Deborah Needleman told Sullivan that T editors had considered "adding fat" to the model using Photoshop.
Another Times reporter called the comment "jaw-dropping" because journalistic standards would never allow for photography manipulation.
Drawing on comments from other Times picture editors including Michelle McNally of The Times and Kathy Ryan of The New York Times Magazine, Sullivan affirmed the Times' photography standards: "The Times does not stage news photographs, or alter them digitally." Except, Sullivan noted, in T's case, where it's deemed acceptable to alter fashion and glamour photography. The assumption being that readers are aware that fashion and glamour is a "different genre of photography," and therefore the Times' obligation to those readers is different.
"It would be best if all the photography produced by the Times newsroom could be held to the same standard," Sullivan wrote. But, she said, if fashion photography must exist as its own world of assumed fantasy, there should be a disclaimer for readers.
Is it realistic to expect that the Times could hold fashion photography to the same standards as news photography? Do readers need to be told that fashion images aren't "real?"


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Mixed Media Madness at the de Young Summer Art Camp
Submitted by Eileen Lew Morris on
The de Young's annual Summer Art Camp has begun! Each week throughout the summer, we'll be sharing posts about the amazing activities and artworks our creative campers are doing. Here's the scoop from week one, submitted by guest blogger Ashley Harris.


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PICTURE the scene: You are weary from a long day at the office and, on opening the front door, your favourite tune is playing, the lighting is just so and the heating is nice and toasty, just how you like it.
Either you are living in domestic bliss, or you are experiencing life in the futuristic iSpace dorm at the University of Essex.
Researchers at the university have joined forces with academics and companies in Germany, France and Greece to find a way of making technology work more efficiently with our everyday lives.
This translates into lights automatically switching on when you sit down at a computer, blinds closing when lying down on the bed and music following you as you move from room to room.
To illustrate how far technology has come, when the university was founded back in 1964, its first mainframe computer, complete with plug-in boards and cooling system, filled a space equivalent to the entire iSpace.
I went along to the two-bedroom flat at the Wivenhoe Park campus, in Colchester, to test out the dorm for myself.
Walking into the iSpace, it looked much smarter than my student digs at university, but other than that it appeared to be a standard flat.
However, as Christian Wagner and James Dooley, from the computer science department, and Joy Van-Helvert, who works in computer and social sciences, showed me round iSpace, it become clear that it is anything but normal.
"This is the nerve centre," said James, as he guided me through to a room at the back of the flat where there is a spaghetti web of wires and circuit boards.
"This type of room is something we want to avoid in the future. As technology progresses, there won't be so much of it to hide away."
The flat officially opened in June and is in the process of being equipped with hundreds of tiny interacting computers and sensors.
The tiny embedded computers will be "intelligent", responding to and learning from the behaviour of the user. I ask Christian if interacting technology could be intimidating for some people.
He said: "It is the idea that the user is king. They use the home and the systems learn what helps them and makes life easier.
"The key thing is that it supports people rather than overrides them – they still have control."
Joy added there were some features within the flat which people did not respond well to. She said: "In one of the scenarios we set up during a trial, we had a guest arriving at the door and the person in the flat could see who it was on the screen and open the door without getting up.
"Not everyone liked this one because it took away the cultural desire to get up and answer the door yourself." "A big part of what I do is to see how these changes fit into people's everyday life.
It is not about dreaming up technology of the future, it is about making stepping stones and bridging the gap between technology and our lives now."
The researchers have already started bridging the gap. Christian said. "It is possible to use everyday appliances and integrate them into the system that controls the sensors. For example, you could go out and buy a lamp from a shop and it will integrate and work alongside the other appliances."
esearch is continuing and it is hoped the work done so far could have far-reaching benefits.
Christian said: "This technology could provide huge improvements to the quality of life of elderly or disabled people, as well as making energy efficiency savings for everyone."
or the next phase of the project, researchers are looking for volunteers to spend up to four, two-hour sessions in the iSpace from now until December.
Anyone interested in taking part can contact Joy van Helvert at email@example.com


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Im just asking cause i it bugged me that if you re able to kill turrets then are you able to kill normal turrets then you should be able to kill it too?
In League of Legends, is it possible to kill the nexus turret or its just invincible and you cant touch it at all? [closed]
closed as not a real question by Raven Dreamer♦ Apr 2 '12 at 4:28
It's difficult to tell what is being asked here. This question is ambiguous, vague, incomplete, overly broad, or rhetorical and cannot be reasonably answered in its current form. For help clarifying this question so that it can be reopened, visit the help center.If this question can be reworded to fit the rules in the help center, please edit the question.
You cannot attack nexus turrets if all inhibitors are up. The reason for inhibitors are to inhibit you from attacking the nexus turrets. You also cannot attack the nexus until both nexus turrets are done. If both nexus turrets are down you cannot attack the nexus if all inhibitors are up.
I think you mean the turret past the nexus, where the spawn point is. That is the only unkillable turret in the game.
The truth is that you might even be able to kill it, but no one can survive long enough to find out. The tower deals % of hp damage per second, and kills through all anti death features. Tryndamere WILL be forced below 1 hp when he has Undying rage up. Vladimir will be targets while in a Sanguine pool. It ignores everything and just simply kills you.
This is there for a reason. Imagine if your team got slightly ahead, and then flashed inside and ran to your back base and waited. If you wanted to buy anything, or if you died. You would spawn and instantly be targeted by people like heimer with 2 turrents up, or a full shaco box setup.
If you truly mean "The nexus turrets" which are the two turrets that protect the nexus (The thing that spawns the minions). Then you must first kill all of the turrets in a single lane, and take out the inhibitor. Once that is down, the two inner turrets can be destroyed. Its important to note that unlike all turrets in the game, these two DO regen health, so its not worth it to die dealing damage to it if you can't destroy it.
I'm assuming you mean the fountain all-powerful Super Laser Of Terror machine. SLOT machines are the devil, and you can't get rid of them. But then, sometimes they grace you with life.. it's a sticky situation, and I often get confused if the slot machine is going to be friendly to me or kill me.


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Two of the top prospects in baseball likely headed to Daytona Cubs
Shortstop Baez and outfielder Soler could start 2013 here
Published: Tuesday, March 19, 2013 at 1:12 p.m.
Last Modified: Tuesday, March 19, 2013 at 9:18 p.m.
The Daytona Cubs could open the 2013 season with two of the most heralded prospects in baseball — shortstop Javier Baez and outfielder Jorge Soler — according to multiple reports out of the Chicago Cubs' training camp.
Daytona Cubs 2013 Season Opener
The Daytona Cubs' 2013 season opener is about two weeks away. Here's a closer look at opening day:
WHEN: 7:05 p.m., April 4
OPPONENT: Brevard County Manatees
WHERE: Jackie Robinson Ballpark
NEED TO KNOW: There will be pregame ceremonies starting around 6:45 p.m. and a postgame fireworks show. Although it's a Thursday, the Cubs' "Thirsty Thursday" promotion will not be in effect.
TICKETS: VIP seats, $12; general admission grandstands and bleachers, $7 adults, $6 seniors 60 and up, children 13 and under and military.
MORE INFO: daytona.cubs.milb.com
Baez, who spent the last month of the 2012 season with the D-Cubs, and Soler, a Cuban defector who joined the Chicago Cubs' organization last summer after inking a club-record $6 million signing bonus, were reassigned from major league spring camp to minor league camp after Monday's 5-2 win over the San Diego Padres.
Soler's reassignment was specifically to Daytona, while Baez was given the more generic "minor league camp" designation. However, unofficial reports — including one by ESPN Chicago — have the organization's top prospect ticketed for Daytona.
Baez is the 16th prospect listed in Baseball America's Top 100 list, and Soler is No. 34.
The Daytona Cubs are scheduled to open the 2013 season at Jackie Robinson Ballpark at 7:05 p.m. April 4 against the Brevard County Manatees. The team is expected to arrive from Mesa, Ariz., on April 1, work out on April 2 and play Embry-Riddle in a seven-inning exhibition at 7:05 p.m. April 3.
If Baez and Soler are assigned to the D-Cubs, that will make Daytona general manager Brady Ballard a happy man.
"If, in fact, they end up here to start the year, that will be exciting," Ballard said Tuesday. "Baez, we saw a little of what he's capable of when he played the last month here. He hit two home runs in the last game of the year that were probably the two longest that we hit all year.
"Soler, from everything I've read, the major league guys have been thoroughly impressed with him both in live games and the batting cage. He's another young guy (at 21), and he's really put together."
Baez, 20, was Chicago's No. 1 draft pick and the ninth player selected overall in the 2011 draft. The 6-foot, 195-pound shortstop signed for $2.625 million out of Jacksonville Arlington Country Day. Early reports this offseason had Baez likely starting the year with Daytona.
The right-handed hitter's bat speed already is drawing comparisons to nine-time all-star Gary Sheffield, and Baez is coming off an impressive major league camp in which he batted .302 with four homers and 10 RBIs this spring. He also hit two home runs against Japan's World Baseball Classic team in a spring exhibition game that did not count in Cactus League statistics.
"When you're hopeful for a prospect, you've got to understand that success brings promotion," Ballard said. "If we get (Baez), we'd love to have him, but I'm sure the top brass is keeping their eyes on him. … I think the warm weather here would be of benefit to getting both of them started."
Soler, a 6-foot-4, 215-pound right fielder, signed a nine-year contract worth $30 million last year. He batted .222 in his spring stint with the major league club.
All rights reserved. This copyrighted material may not be re-published without permission. Links are encouraged.


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Mr. John R. Pope, age 77, of Middletown, DE passed away, with his family by his side, on Saturday, October 6, 2012.
Mr. Pope proudly served his country as a member of the U.S. Air Force. After retiring from the Air Force and David Taylor Naval Research Center in Annapolis, MD, Mr. Pope enjoyed many years of pursuing his love of the Chesapeake Bay and preserving the environment.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Catherine and Cletus Pope.
He is survived by his wife of 54 years, Maxine, his children, Tom and Cathy Pope of Carlisle, PA and Terri and John Maciolek of Wynnewood, PA, and his grandchildren, John, Jessica and Joshua Pope and Michala Maciolek.
Funeral services will be held 11:00 am on Tuesday, October 9 at Daniels & Hutchison Funeral Home LLC, 212 N. Broad Street in Middletown, where friends may visit with his family from 10:00-11:00 am. Interment will be held privately with full military honors at Lakemont Memorial Gardens in Davidsonville, MD.
Arrangements by Daniels & Hutchison Funeral Home LLC, Middletown, DE
On-line condolences may be sent to www.daniels-hutchison.com.
Location, ST | website.com


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This Sunday's "People's Climate March" in New York City could be the biggest demonstration yet for action on climate change. The march is scheduled to coincide with the United Nations Climate Summit, which begins two days later. Despite the advance billing and the official nature of the summit, the march is what matters. The U.N. Summit will be a clubby gathering of world leaders and their representatives who will try to figure out ways to reward polluters for pretending to fix a problem for which they're responsible in the first place; a fiasco.
That's not hyperbole, either. The summit is a little like a professional wrestling match: There appears to be action but it's fake, and the winner is predetermined. The loser will be anyone who expects serious government movement dictating industry reductions in emissions.
There was a time when governments dealt with international threats. Now, as the columnist George Monbiot says, they "propose everything except the obvious solution — legislation." Rather, they will talk, commission panels, invoke market-based solutions and even offer subsidies to industry, rather than say, for example, "Wealthy nations are reducing emissions globally by 8 to 10 percent per year, beginning now." By Klein's estimates, that's precisely what it will take to avoid catastrophe and that is precisely what we are not going to see.
Read the rest of this column here.


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NAVIGON questions and answers
If you drive using NAVIGON, you'll want the exact details. How to download updates, for example, or install additional maps or services, or how NAVIGON FreshMaps works. You'll find manuals, downloads and answers to your questions here.
Select a topic, or enter a keyword to restrict your selection.
Back to search results
- The download from the Google Play Store does not begin. What might be the cause?
This issue has been reported. Unfortunately this is an Google Play Store related issue which cannot be manipulated/fixed by NAVIGON. We recommend you to contact the Google Play Store support team directly.This entry was last updated on: Tuesday, October 22, 2013 11:38 AM


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Freedom of speech might not be so free for Pittsburgh Steelers running back Rashard Mendenall. Mendenhall was criticized for sending a series of tweets about Osama Bin Laden and 9-11 Sunday that questioned Osama's role in 9-11 and questioned why people would celebrate a death.
Bloomberg and USA Today are reporting that Rashard Mendenhall's corporate sponsorship with Champion athletic brand, for which Mendenhall has been an endorser since 2008.
"Our focus today is making sure that we communicate that Rashard Mendenhall's personal opinions were not made on our behalf and do not reflect our views," a spokesperson for Champion athletic brand told USA Today.
Interestingly enough, this Rashard Mendenhall twitter drama looks an awful lot like the Luke Scott Obama birther controversy. For which, by-the-way, Luke Scott still maintains President Barack Obama could have produced a counterfeit birth certificate.
Both athletes took controversial stances and drew heavy criticism for espousing these views so publicly. But Rashard Mendenhall's 9-11 Osama tweets may be far worse.
So what do you think? Should Mendenhall lose his endorsement?


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LAND FILL uses the politics of waste as a theoretical lens to explore the contentious proposal for a new landfill in the Mornington Peninsula Shire. The proposal instead proposes a new typology of waste management that phases out waste production while creating a multifunctional and adaptive landscape.
Continue reading STUDENT PROJECT | Land Fill | Louise Krstic


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Associations seeking to enforce vague covenants must show how covenant was violated
The title of this post seems intuitively obvious. The plaintiff in any court action must always prove its case. However, it may not be as obvious as it seems. In Boyle v. Hernando Beach South Property Owners Assoc., Inc., the Fifth District Court of Appeals reversed a portion of the summary judgment because the Association did not prove its case.
The problem started with a covenant that was too vague (a common problem). The covenant required "[l]ot owners . . . keep their lots in a neat, clean and orderly condition. . ." What does "neat, clean and orderly" mean? By whose definition? The Association only compounded the problem by submitting the affidavits of five officers and directors in support of summary judgment – each said that Boyle, the owner, "failed to properly maintain his lot within Hernando Beach, Unit 13-B. Specifically, the landscaping and trees need to be trimmed and properly maintained. Additionally, mold on the home needs to be cleaned/removed." The obvious question that comes to my mind is, "What is the standard for proper maintenance?"
At the lower (trial) court level, the Association obtained an injunction mandating that Boyle comply by "properly maintaining and trimming the landscaping and trees and cleaning or removing the mold on the home." Boyle appealed this ruling, stating that material issues of fact were unresolved and the affidavits were insufficient. Boyle said that uncertanties existed – how does he know what to do to comply? What does "properly maintained and trimmed" mean? Was the grass dead or uncut and were the trees or shrubs dead or untrimmed and to what extent?
Upon appeal, the appellate court observed that the affidavits merely parroted the allegation of the complaint that "Boyle's [the owner's] landscaping and trees were not properly maintained and trimmed." Addressing the uncertainties, the court agreed with Boyle and said it could even "add to the list of imponderables." The court held that the Association failed to provide evidence to establish its claim, because it was unclear how Boyle violated the covenant and what steps he must take to comply. Only on the issue of mold could Boyle reasonably know what he must do and hence, the court upheld summary judgment on that one point.
This case should be a warning to associations wanting to amend covenants or rules, or to enforce those that do exist. Covenants and rules should be clear and specific, so owners know how to comply with them. One would think that attorneys for developers would know better, but sadly associations are often stuck with vague language that is entirely too open to interpretation. This is not an opportunity for boards to selectively enforce by changing the bar for different owners. Instead, it is even more reason to establish objective, quantifiable criteria and let homeowners know what that is. When suing to enforce, the Association had better be able to say exactly how the homeowner violated the covenant and what he must do to comply. I remember our own HOA board wanting to amend covenants a decade ago, to require owners to keep their yards "neat". At the time, I thought that ridiculous. Obviously, so did this court.
The only shock about this case, in my opinion, is that a trial court ever granted summary judgment in the first place.