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Chilly weather is no excuse to cover up your Indiana pride. Give the frigid temps the cold shoulder while showing off your Hoosiers devotion with this Arched Name hoodie. Featuring tackle twill "Indiana" lettering on the front and a team wordmark embroidered on the left sleeve, this cozy, team-colored hoodie makes sure your Hoosiers spirit is shining even when the sun isn't.
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7/22 Cubs GM expects more calls
The Cubs have already dealt two-fifths of their rotation, and on Tuesday, designated second baseman Darwin Barney for assignment. GM Jed Hoyer expects more movement before the Trade Deadline.
"We've gotten a lot of calls on guys," Hoyer said Tuesday. "Call traffic, if you will, picks up over the next week or so. I expect we'll be on the phone a lot. Not sure if we'll make any moves but we'll be active looking to better the team."
The Cubs have gotten interest from teams in some of their relievers, including lefties James Russell and Wesley Wright and right-hander Carlos Villanueva.
They aren't afraid to make moves. One year ago on July 22, the Cubs traded Matt Garza to the Rangers for Mike Olt, Justin Grimm, Neil Ramirez, and C.J. Edwards. Olt, Grimm and Ramirez are currently on the big league roster. Edwards is a top pitching prospect.
— Carrie Muskat
2 Comments
I couldn't resist commenting. Exceptionally well written!
One thing that you can do to bring a union to your company, particularly to
the corporate level, is by sharing unique corporate Christmas
gifts. Gift baskets are now being made for just about every occasion imaginable and
for just about anyone. It also calls attention to
the entire staff that the employee has been rewarded.

subset: commoncrawl


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Nobody is saying much about it right now, but the Muskrat Falls project is in trouble.
Nobody is saying much about it right now, but the Muskrat Falls project is in trouble.
Not that it'll suddenly be cancelled, but the original deal involving Nalcor, Emera, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and Labrador and the federal government is all but dead.
The federal loan guarantee, which we appear to require to complete the deal, won't come our way if Nova Scotia walks, and the newly elected Liberal government there seems to be lacing up its boots.
Nova Scotia Premier-designate Stephen McNeil has made it clear things have changed, despite the views of Premier Kathy Dunderdale.
"I can be very clear to (Dunderdale) that if it's not in the best interest of Nova Scotia ratepayers, then we would not be supportive," he said the day after the election.
McNeil said they want more power at cheaper rates if his government is to sign on, and added this little nugget: "Unless we see something new, Muskrat Falls is where it is, which is on the drawing board."
He may as well have said the chopping block.
Dunderdale discounts McNeil's comments, saying the agreement is between Nalcor and Emera, and Emera will sell the power to Nova Scotia.
Fair enough, but there's a problem with that thinking. What if Nova Scotia doesn't like the price or the amount of power?
McNeil put it this way: "I think it makes a lot of sense that if Emera and its shareholders believe this is such a great project, then build it and we'll just buy the energy at a reasonable price."
But what price, exactly?
Still, Dunderdale is not deterred.
"As I have said a number of times before, when we plan these kinds of projects and enter into these kinds of agreements, we always examine every possible challenge, occurrence that might have some significance … and we provide remedies to that."
What remedy applies if Nova Scotia decides not to support the project and both the loan guarantee and the Maritime Link are lost?
Dunderdale doesn't think that will happen or that a change of government in Nova Scotia is anything to be concerned about.
"We would never allow ourselves to be this far into a project and have a government come in and scuttle the whole piece," she says.
I guess if that should happen, it would make Danny Williams right, and we will "go it alone."
Dunderdale insists the project makes sense even if there was no Maritime Link or loan guarantee. She'd better be right, because all indicators point to big problems with this deal.
McNeil says it comes down to power rates. If Muskrat Falls power is cheaper and they can get lots of it, they're in. If not…
"Our issue has always been the deal itself," he says. "We felt that the ratepayers are taking all the risks. If there is a new deal coming forward, it'll go before the regulator, and we, like all Nova Scotians, will take a look at it and make sure its in the best interest of the ratepayers."
What does he mean by a "new deal coming forward"?
McNeil wants to start fresh. That opens up all kinds of possibilities, including complete deal collapse.
And don't think McNeil is playing some kind of high-stakes poker, hoping to get a better deal.
He's in the catbird seat and knows it; he's not the one rolling the dice.
Last week, Nalcor awarded a billion-dollar contract to an Italian company that has never worked in Canada, without any kind of final financing package in place. How that's justified under any kind of business model is beyond me.
Nalcor and the province are embroiled in a serious court case in Quebec over water rights, which could kill this deal on its own. Now one of our principal partners could take a hike?
Yep, Muskrat Falls is in a heap of trouble.
Randy Simms is a political commentator and broadcaster. He can be reached at email@example.com
Twitter: @RandyRsimms


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Central Kitsap Community Council to talk water
The Central Kitsap Community Council will focus on water resources in Kitsap County at its next meeting April 17.
The meeting will include presentations by Bob Hunter, assistant manager of the Kitsap Public Utility District and Morgan Johnson, general manager of the Silverdale Water District on water availability in Kitsap County and water initiatives.
There will also be a presentation on a new footbridge proposal for the north end of Dyes Inlet by Angelina Zagorov and Tex Lewis.
Additionally, the citizen's group will review of the council's communications efforts, including use of social networking.
The meeting is a 7 p.m. at the Water and Fire District Community Room, 5300 Newberry Hill Rd., Silverdale.
The Central Kitsap Community Council's mission is to provide a forum for information between Central Kitsap residents and the Kitsap County Board of Commissioners and to foster a sense of community in the area.
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Wrestling team gets new coach
There might be a new atmosphere in the Oak Harbor High School mat room next winter, but not a new face.
Mike Crebbin, a two-year assistant in the OHHS wrestling program, was hired earlier this week to fill the vacancy of recently-resigned head coach Brian Farmer.
Already coaching in the program I know the kids and the other coaches, Crebbin said. Its not like the excitement of going to a new coaching job the exciting part about this is what I can contribute to a program that I already know is successful.
Before arriving at OHHS in 2002 as an assistant, Crebbin was the head coach at South Whidbey High School from 1996 to 2002. He turned a struggling program around with virtually no coaching experience, while taking wrestlers to state in three of his five years.
The program was just in a low at the time, he said. I was able to have several good athletes and coaches that helped me out.
Crebbin, who sat out the past high school season after adopting a child, thinks observing Farmer for the previous two seasons will only strengthen his coaching ability when he takes over next winter.
When I started to coach I kind of learned on my own, he said. It was nice taking a step back and watching a great coach like Brian.
Prior to his coaching career, Crebbin was a high school state wrestling champion in Oregon at 141 pounds and competed Oregon State University before falling victim to injuries. He stayed out of the sport for 10 years after college before taking the coaching job at South Whidbey.
Farmer, who over the last eight seasons took at least one Wildcat to the state meet, opted to step down for a taste of something different.
In 26 years I dont know what its like to not do something in the winter, he said.
Theres no doubt, however, that he will miss it.
I just have always been blessed with great kids, great coaches and great parents, Farmer said. Wrestling is a huge family. Its an individual sport, but its also a team sport.
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Hi, I'm Kris Fairless….. thanks for stopping by! Are you here because you are looking for a way to build a independent business based from home? If you're looking for a way to make residual income you have found the business that has changed my life and is changing the lives of many around the nation.
I have built a multiple six figure annual income working my business from home. Would you like to do this, too? I am happy to tell you that I am living my dream life, but this destiny is not singular. It's not just about me, it can be about you, as well. This business is something that you can have too, if you dare to step out and make the commitment to be successful.
All the tools and comprehensive training is in place for you to run your business successfully anywhere. As a top leader of the company and a top earner, I would love to show you how to do it!
I have always been entrepreneurial and successful in business. My initial introduction to the doctors was as a member of their exclusive team of independent product educators. This was when our products were the #1 clinical brand in the high-end retail stores. In that position, I experienced firsthand the effectiveness of these products and the business integrity of the doctors.
When they made the extraordinary decision to exit retail and enter the direct selling channel, the first thing I knew as a business woman was that direct sales businesses created more millionaires than any other business system world wide. I was very enthusiastic to continue this partnership…this time as one of the first Independent Consultants.
This turned out to be a great decision as I have generated an amazing income as one of the top earners that has impacted my family's life in so many positive ways. I am now a million dollar earner in our company in less than 3 short years. My husband Mark has retired 14 years early from his corporate position as a CFO of a large cardiology practice and has joined me in this business. What a refreshing change in this economy to be able to make a decision to leave a company voluntarily!
Can I show you how to create financial independence, too?


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TRURO – The Truro Bearcats started quick and finished strong on Saturday to retake the lead in their Maritime Junior Hockey League final series.
© Joey Smith - Truro Daily News
Truro Bearcats goaltender Chris Festarini makes a save, as Dieppe Commandos forward Andrew Meredith looks for a rebound during Game 3 of the MHL final series on Saturday in Truro.
Captain Phil Fife scored just 1:18 into the game and the Bearcats were at their stingiest-best throughout the contest in a 3-1 victory over the Dieppe Commandos in Game 3 of the Kent Cup final.
The Bearcats take a 2-1 series lead into Game 4 on Monday in Dieppe. Game 5 is in Truro on Tuesday at 7 p.m.
The win was Truro's 10th in 11 post-season games and extended its home-ice winning streak in the playoffs to six games.
"We knew we had to win at home, going back there (on Monday), so it was good to get the lead again here," said Bearcats forward Colby Lanceleve, who had two assists and was named the game's first star.
The Bearcats got off to a great start when Fife took a pass from Jacob Smith and beat Commandos goaltender Connor Wilkinson to the glove side with a one-timer from the slot to the delight of 1,578 fans at the Rath Eastlink Community Centre.
"They have a really good team over there and to get the first goal in our barn to get the crowd into it, it's obviously huge," said Fife, who scored his fifth goal of the playoffs.
The game was a near carbon copy of Truro's Game 1 victory, where the Bearcats held the Commandos at bay for the most of the night. Many of Dieppe's 28 shots came from the perimeter and goaltender Chris Festarini had a good look at most of the rubber he faced.
The lone puck to elude Festarini was a Justin McDonald point blast with two minutes left in third that snuck through the netminder's pads on a 6-on-4 Dieppe advantage.
"They have a lot of guys that can put the puck in the net, and I think our D is doing a good job of keeping them wide, and when they do get a good scoring opportunity Chris Festarini has been fantastic for us," Fife said.
Brandon Pye's power-play goal at 11:11 of the first period stood as the winner. Pye picked up a rebound to the right of Wilkinson and beat the netminder with a hard, low shot.
Kyle Tibbo made it 3-0 at 12:48 of the third with his team-leading eighth playoff goal. Tibbo, a rookie, converted a 2-on-1 pass from Lanceleve, beating Wilkinson with a wrist shot. Defenceman Daniel Poliziani started the play by taking advantage of poor line change by the Commandos and quickly moving the puck up ice to Lanceleve.
The game featured a little bit of nasty for the first time in the series, as both teams laid a bit of lumber and chirped each other from the benches late in the game.
"That's just playoff hockey," Fife said. "If you're playing for the Kent Cup both teams want to win so badly, that's just part of the game."
The Bearcats realize they have a great opportunity to put the Commandos in a deep hole on Monday at the Arthur J. LeBlanc Arena.
"The opportunity is there, but they're a great hockey team and I'm sure we'll get their very best game for Game 4 in Dieppe and it's gonna be tough," Fife said.
The Bearcats were 1-for-6 on the powerplay Saturday, while the Commandos were 1-for-7.


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SAN FRANCISCO -- The Mets have scheduled a 4 p.m. conference call for reporters with general manager Omar Minaya to discuss the health of first baseman Carlos Delgado.
Presumably, this is not to announce that Delgado's right hip impingement has miraculously gone away. I'll be back with more info as soon as I get off the phone.


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Tails will wag for organic dog pizza and other treats at True Treats Pets Bakery in Kirkland
Now, Fido, too can be included in family pizza night.
True Treats Pet Bakery, a Kirkland-based, online, pet-treat business sells organic, tasty treats to pet owners. Menu items include "doggie pizzas," "pupcakes" and "Mutt muffins."
The business began three years ago by Kristan Bendixen, an avid animal lover who began baking up organic, healthy treats specially designed for man's best friend.
"I started to make dog treats not really even knowing if there was any competition or anything, I was just doing what I loved," she said. "And it kind of grew from there."
Bendixen's business has taken off — in addition to canines, she now serves cats, rats, horses and rabbits. True Treats Pet Bakery customers are all over the country, yet Bendixen is a one-woman operation, working entirely from her Kirkland home, baking from the racks of her kitchen oven.
Her treats are simple and healthy, targeted especially to animals with food allergies and sensitivities. The bulk of her products are whole-grain, preservative-free and low in salt and sugar.
"I had a ton of allergies years ago so I was really versed in it," she said. "I can help people pinpoint what's going on with their pets."
In True Treats Pet Bakery's initial stages, Bendixen spent hours researching ingredients and cooking methods to better learn what pets are able to tolerate.
"I eat really pure, healthy food, that's just how I am," she said. "I really wanted to find a way to have my pets eat similar and get all the nutrients they need to help them live longer. I just believe that's a way how they can relate to us, by what they eat."
Much of her ingredient selection comes from trial and error and customer feedback. Her Labrador retriever and three cats are the primary taste testers.
The best-selling treat? Pumpkin cheddar biscuits fly off the shelves, she said. Other favorites are made with apples and carrots, peanut butter, sweet potatoes and cheese.
To promote her business, Bendixen has spent countless hours creating a presence on sites including etsy.com, pinterest.com and Facebook. But she also works locally, selling at farmers markets, holiday shows and volunteering at local pet events, including the 2010 Go Dog, Go! Kirkland Canine Festival.
The frosted pupcakes and pizzas may look tasty to humans, too — but Eric Wheeler, Bendixen's fiancé, who has tried a few, says it's best to keep them as treats for pets.
"They're good, but not really made for a human appetite," he said.
The holidays are one of the busiest times of year for Bendixen, when orders have her backed up and she's in her kitchen all day.
"It's crazy for me," she said. "But I just make it work, I don't really have a choice — I love the business so I'll do whatever it takes."
In the future, she'd like to grow by finding a way to sell out of the country and and into retail stores while staying true to the organic freshness of her treats. Bendixen said preservatives are not an option.
"I want people to know that it's fresh and there's not a bunch of junk in it," she said. "I do want to keep expanding, but not so much that my product loses its integrity. I'll do whatever it takes because it's my life, I breathe it."
Order True Treats Pet Bakery online at: www.truetreatsbakery.com/
A perk for Kirkland residents: Free, doorstep delivery by Bendixen herself.
Kirsten Johnson is a student in the University of Washington Department of Communication News Laboratory.
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Pediatrics in Mali - PEDI 561
Internal Medicine and Pediatrics Clerkship
Bamako, Mali
Description and Goals:
- To exercise active, hands-on participation in the evaluation and management of children presenting for care to the Hospital Gabriel-Touré (HGT) in Bamako.
- To learn the differential diagnosis of common problems affecting children in a desperately poor clinical setting.
- To understand the importance of prevention and targeted case management in global health.
The experience can be individualized according to the interests and needs of the student. Student will work with University of Maryland faculty on site. Ability to speak French is desirable.
Number of students:
Up to 6 per year
Time of Year Available:
Academic weeks 1-48
Faculty Responsible:
Samba Sow, M.D.
Division of Infectious Diseases and Tropical Pediatrics, and Center for Vaccine Development
Milagritos Tapia
Administrative Contact:
Rose Robinson
(410) 328-6662
Fax: (410) 328-0646
Additional Information:
This elective is coordinated by Samba Sow, M.D., who is School of Medicine Faculty and Director of the University of Maryland Center for Vaccine Development – Mali (CVD-Mali). Dr. Sow lives full time in Bamako, and works out of the HGT. Dr. Sow maintains a comfortable guest house in Bamako, which will be made available for visiting students. Note, because of the potential hazards which may accompany illness and medical treatment in developing nations, the School of Medicine requires that students purchase traveler's medical insurance that includes emergency evacuation. Also, students are required to visit the University of Maryland Traveler's Clinic prior to traveling to Mali (call 410-706-5328 for an appointment). Support for transportation to Mali and the modest living expenses can be acquired through various sources; the Center for Vaccine Development will make every effort to defray costs associated with this elective. Completion of all SOM paperwork for international electives is required.
Last Revision: April 11, 2013


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While all signs pointed to the apocalypse, Cam and Mitchell finally tied the knot in the season five finale of Modern Family, which aired last night. And, in true Modern Family fashion, it wasn't an easy ride to get there. Here's a quick recap:
Due to a fast-approaching wildfire, the longtime partners had to evacuate their outdoor venue. Pepper (played by Nathan Lane), Cam and Mitch's close friend-slash-wedding planner, begs the firefighters to let them hold the ceremony — and almost succeeds! — until the couple's officiant and gal pal Sal's (played by Elizabeth Banks) water breaks.
Phil (almost) comes to the rescue when he gets ordained online. But while practicing his speech in front of wife Claire, she slips in to the tub and soaks her bridesmaid dress. In other wardrobe mishaps, Cam needs to pick up his tux from the dry cleaners, which are tragically closed. Thanks to a laundry chute and daughter Lily's small frame, she manages to save the day.
Then, Cam believes their marriage isn't meant to be and that the apocalypse is upon them. Here's why: The sky turned dark (because of the wildfire), Sal's water breaking symbolized a flood, a swarm of Lucases (the name of the family whose wedding venue Cam and Mitchell crashed in an attempt to find a new place to say "I do"), and the "Four Hoarse Men" approached (four guests, including planner Pepper, lost their voices).
After nearly everything goes wrong, Mitch's dad Jay steps up. He gets his country club to allow the couple to wed on the golf course, which has a special significance since he was nervous about telling his golf buddies that his son was having a same-sex marriage.
It was a tear-jerking moment, but it still featured the show's signature humor throughout it. Watch the clips above, and see how true love conquers all — even when your wedding is thrown into a tailspin from natural disasters and more!


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The Mono County Sheriff's Department says officers stopped Ocean's black BMW at about 4:30 p.m. Dec. 31 as he was heading southbound on U.S. 395.
Sheriff's spokeswoman Jennifer Hansen says a strong odor of marijuana wafted out as a deputy approached the vehicle.
Hansen says the deputy found a small bag of marijuana on the 25-year-old Ocean, whose legal name is Christopher Breaux (broh).
She says the Beverly Hills resident was cited for marijuana possession and released.
Calls and an email message sent to Ocean's representatives Thursday were not immediately returned.


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- Solid Steel Square Bench Block Repair Pad 4" x 6" Metal Forming Anvil
Product Description
This new Bracelet Bench Block is the ideal size for working on bracelets and other large pieces. Hardened steel, the surface of this block is perfect for texturing, forging and stamping. Measures 6" x 4" x 1/2".
- 4" Work Bench Block is very handy for hammering, filing, jewelry making and other metal work
- Constructed of finely polished case hardened steel for high strength and durability
- Great for flattening and hardening wire used for lever backs, ear wires, jump rings and more
- Overall dimensions measure 4" x 6" x 1/2" inches


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Chair of the Sustainability & Environmental Studies Program;
Associate Professor of Chemistry & Sustainability & Environmental Studies
Hall Science Building, 312A
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
Ext. 3716
Office Hours, Fall 2016
or by appointment.
Walk-ins are fine if I am available.
Class Schedule, Fall 2016
- CHM 311 (Thur: 8:30 am-11:30 am) (Mon/Wed/Fri: 1:20 pm-2:30 pm)
- CHM 370 (Tue: 8:00 am-11:50 am)
- SENS 320 (Mon/Wed/Fri: 8:00 am-9:10 am)
- B.S., University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, 1973
- M.S., North Carolina State University, 1978
- Ph.D., North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC , 1990
- Environmental Chemistry
- Natural Science
- Sustainability and Environmental Studies
- Agroforestry
- Quantitative Analysis CHM 341
- Advanced Lab CHM 370/371/470/471
Papers and Publications
- Savini, I., Smithson, P.C., Karanja, N.K., Yamasaki, H. 2006. Influence of Tithonia diversifolia and triple superphosphate on dissolution and effectiveness of phosphate rock in acidic soil. Journal of Plant Nutrition and Soil Science. 169:593 – 604
- Savini, I., Smithson, P.C., Karanja, N.K. 2006. Effects of added biomass, soil pH and calcium on the solubility of Minjingu phosphate rock in a Kenyan Oxisol. Archives of Agronomy and Soil Science, 52:19 – 36
- Bünemann, E.K., Smithson, P.C., Jama, B., Frossard, E., Oberson, A. 2004. Maize productivity and nutrient dynamics in maize-fallow rotations in western Kenya. Plant and Soil. 264:195 – 208
- Bünemann, E.K., Steinebrunner, F., Smithson, P.C., Frossard, E., Oberson, A. 2004. Phosphorus dynamics in a highly weathered soil as revealed by isotopic labeling techniques. Soil Science Society of America Journal. 68:1645 – 1655
- Bünemann, E.K., Bossio, D.A., Smithson, P.C., Frossard, E., Oberson, A. 2004. Microbial community composition and substrate use in a highly weathered soil as affected by crop rotation and P fertilization. Soil Biology and Biochemistry. 36:889 – 901
- Smithson, P.C., McIntyre, B.D., Gold, C.S., Ssali, H., Night, G., Okech, S. 2004. Potassium and magnesium fertilizers on banana in Uganda: Yields, weevil damage, foliar nutrient status and DRIS analysis. Nutrient Cycling in Agroecosystems. 69:43 – 49
- Sharrock, R.A., Sinclair, F.L., Gliddon, C., Rao, I.M., Barrios, E., Mustonen, P.J., Smithson, P., Godbold, D.L. 2004. A global assessment using PCR techniques of mycorrhizal fungal populations colonising Tithonia diversifolia. Mycorrhiza. 14:103 – 109
- Smithson, P.C., Giller, K.E. 2002. Appropriate farm management practices for alleviating N and P deficiencies in low-nutrient soils of the tropics. Plant and Soil. 245:169 – 180
- Rao, M.R., Mathuva, M.N., Gacheru, E., Radersma, S., Smithson, P.C., Jama, B. 2002. Duration of sesbania fallow effect for nitrogen requirement of maize in planted fallow-maize rotation in Western Kenya. Experimental Agriculture. 38:223 – 236
- Ryan, J., Smithson, P., Mandac, B., Uponi, J. 2002. Role of international research centers' soil laboratories in agricultural development. Communications in Soil Science and Plant Analysis. 33:3213 – 3225
- Smithson, P.C., Mcintyre, B.D., Gold, C.S., Ssali, H., Kashaija, I.N. 2001. Nitrogen and potassium fertilizer vs. nematode and weevil effects on yield and foliar nutrient status of banana in Uganda. Nutrient Cycling in Agroecosystems. 59:239 – 250
- Ikerra, S.T., Maghembe, J.A., Smithson, P.C., Buresh, R.J. 2001. Dry-season sesbania fallows and their influence on nitrogen availability and maize yields in Malawi. Agroforestry Systems. 52:13 – 21
- Murage, E.W., Karanja, N.K., Smithson, P.C., Woomer, P.L. 2000. Diagnostic indicators of soil quality in productive and non-productive smallholders' fields of Kenya's Central Highlands. Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment. 79:1 – 8
- Kapkiyai, J.J., Karanja, N.K., Qureshi, J.N., Smithson, P.C., Woomer, P.L. 1999. Soil organic matter and nutrient dynamics in a Kenyan nitisol under long-term fertilizer and organic input management. Soil Biology and Biochemistry. 31:1773 – 1782
- Maroko, J.B., Buresh, R.J., Smithson, P.C. 1999. Soil phosphorus fractions in unfertilized fallow-maize systems on two tropical soils. Soil Science Society of America Journal. 63:320 – 326
- Ikerra, S.T., Maghembe, J.A., Smithson, P.C., Buresh, R.J. 1999. Soil nitrogen dynamics and relationships with maize yields in a gliricidia-maize intercrop in Malawi. Plant and Soil. 211:155 – 164
- Mutuo, P.K., Smithson, P.C., Buresh, R.J., Okalebo, R.J. 1999. Comparison of phosphate rock and triple superphosphate on a phosphorus- deficient Kenyan soil. Communications in Soil Science and Plant Analysis. 30:1091 – 1103
- Maroko, J.B., Buresh, R.J., Smithson, P.C. 1998. Soil nitrogen availability as affected by fallow-maize systems on two soils in Kenya. Biology and Fertility of Soils. 26:229 – 234
- Mathuva, M.N., Rao, M.R., Smithson, P.C., Coe, R. 1998. Improving maize (Zea mays) yields in semiarid highlands of Kenya: Agroforestry or inorganic fertilizers? Field Crops Research. 55:57 – 72
- Nziguheba, G., Palm, C.A., Buresh, R.J., Smithson, P.C. 1998. Soil phosphorus fractions and adsorption as affected by organic and inorganic sources. Plant and Soil. 198:159 – 168
Book Chapters, Symposium Proceedings, Other
- Smithson, P.C. and P.A. Sanchez. 2001. Plant nutritional problems in marginal soils of developing countries. p. 32-68 in: N. Ae, J. Arihara, K. Okada and A. Srinivasan, eds. Plant Nutrient Acquisition: New Perspectives: Springer-Verlag, Tokyo.
- Kimiti, J.M. and P.C. Smithson. 2001. Phosphorus uptake by fallow and grain legumes from sparingly soluble P sources. Proceedings 5th Intl. Symp. Plant-Soil Interactions at Low pH, South Africa (in press).
- Murage, E.W., N.K. Karanja, P.C. Smithson and P.L. Woomer. 2000. Diagnostic indicators of soil quality in productive and non-productive smallholders' fields of Kenya's Central Highlands. Agric. Ecosys. Environ. 79:1-8.
- Maroko, J.B., R.J. Buresh and P.C. Smithson. 1999. Soil phosphorus fractions in unfertilized fallow-maize systems on two tropical soils. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 63:320-326.
- Mutuo, P.K., P.C. Smithson, R.J. Buresh and R.J. Okalebo. 1999. Comparison of phosphate rock and triple superphosphate on a phosphorus-deficient Kenyan soil. Commun. Soil Sci. Plant Anal. 30:1091-1103.
- Ikerra, S.T., J.A. Maghembe, P.C. Smithson and R.J. Buresh. 1999. Soil nitrogen dynamics and relationships with maize yields in a gliricidia-maize intercrop in Malawi. Plant Soil 211:155-164.
- Kapkiyai, J.J., N.K. Karanja, J.N. Qureshi, P.C. Smithson and P.L. Woomer. 1999. Soil organic matter and nutrient dynamics in a Kenyan nitisol under long-term fertilizer and organic input management. Soil Biol. Biochem. 31:1773-1782.
- Rao, M.R., G. Mwasambu, M.N. Mathuva, A.A.H. Khan and P.C. Smithson. 1999. Effects of phosphorus recapitalisation and agroforestry on soil, water and nutrient conservation in phosphorus-deficient soils of western Kenya. East Afr. Agric. For. J. 65:37-53.
- Smithson, P.C. and K.E. Giller. 1999. Appropriate farm management practices for low-nutrient soils. p. 77-79 in: Food Security in Nutrient-Stressed Environments: Exploiting Plants' Genetic Capabilies. JIRCAS, ICRISAT, Patancheru, India.
- Smithson, P.C. 1999. Interactions of organic materials with phosphate rocks and triple superphosphate. Agroforestry Forum 9(4):37-40.
- Maroko, J.B., R.J. Buresh and P.C. Smithson. 1998. Soil nitrogen availability as affected by fallow-maize systems on two soils in Kenya. Biol. Fertil. Soils 26:229-234.
- Nziguheba, G., C.A. Palm, R.J. Buresh and P.C. Smithson. 1998. Soil phosphorus fractions and adsorption as affected by organic and inorganic sources. Plant Soil 198:159-168.
- Mathuva, M.N., M.R. Rao, P.C. Smithson and R. Coe. 1997. Improving maize (Zea mays) yields in semiarid highlands of Kenya: Agroforestry or inorganic fertilizers? Field Crops Res. 55:57-72.
- Buresh, R.J., P.C. Smithson and D.T. Hellums. 1997. Building soil phosphorus capital in Africa. p. 111-149 in: R.J. Buresh, P.A. Sanchez and F. Calhoun, eds. Replenishing Soil Fertility in Africa. SSSA Special Publ. No. 51, ASA, Madison, WI, USA.
- Motavalli, P.P., C.A. Palm, E.T. Elliot, S.D. Frey and P.C. Smithson. 1995. Nitrogen mineralization in humid tropical forest soils: Mineralogy, texture and measured nitrogen fractions. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 59:1168-1175.
- Smithson, P.C. and W.P. Robarge. 1990. Short-term responses of forested soils to addition of acid or neutral salt solutions. International conference on acidic deposition, Glasgow, Scotland, 16-21 Sep. 1990.
Theses and Dissertations
- Smithson, P.C. 1990. Aluminum chemistry of forested soils subjected to acidic inputs. Ph.D. Dissertation, N.C. State Univ. Dept. Soil Sci. 290 pp.
- Robarge, W.P., P.C. Smithson, R.I. Bruck and E.B. Cowling. 1988. Influence of acidic cloud deposition on throughfall and soil lysimeter chemistry. Acidic Deposition and Forest Decline: An International Symposium. Misc. Publ. No. 20 (ESF 88-005), State Univ. of NY, Syracuse.
- Hagan, J.M., P.C. Smithson and P.D. Doerr. 1982. Behavioral response of the American alligator to freezing weather. J. Herpetol. 17:402-404.
- Smithson, P.C. and O.T. Sanders. 1978. Exposure of bobwhite quail and cottontail rabbits to methyl parathion. Proc. Ann. Conf. S.E. Assoc. Fish and Wildl. Agencies 32:326-334.
- Smithson, P.C. 1978. Exposure of bobwhite quail and cottontail rabbits to aerially applied methyl parathion and toxaphene. M.S. Thesis, N.C. State Univ. Dept. Zool., Raleigh. 55 pp.
- 2002 to present- Assistant Professor, Environmental Chemistry. Berea College, joint appointment in Department of Chemistry and the Sustainability and Environmental Studies Program. Teaching, research and course development for basic and applied chemistry, agricultural science, sustainable agriculture.
- 1993 to 2001- Senior Soil Scientist/Laboratory Manager. Int'l. Centre for Research in Agroforestry, Nairobi, Kenya (ICRAF). Conducted soil quality/fertility research on nutrients and organic matter under agroforestry management systems. Managed headquarters laboratory for worldwide agroforestry research. Training and supervision of staff, MS and PhD students and research fellows. Conducted and advised on agroforestry research in Kenya, Malawi, Zambia, Tanzania.
- 1991 to 1993- Self-employed environmental consultant. Consulting on contract basis for variety of needs. Examples: Oversaw renovation of and provided staff training for national agronomic/agroforestry laboratory in Brazil; provided soil classification and soil chemistry expertise in development of watershed-level nitrogen budget for eastern NC; literature review and report for national water quality policy group; endangered species survey in coastal wetlands.
- 1990 to 1992- Postdoctoral Research Associate. N.C. State Univ. Dept. Soil Science. Research team member for investigations of sulfur and nitrogen cycling in forest soils, mineralogical analysis and interpretation for tropical soil organic matter study
- 1985 to 1989- Research Assistant. N.C. State Univ. Dept. Soil Science. PhD research on soil factors involved in decline and dieback of spruce and fir trees in high elevation southern Appalachian Mtns.
- 1982 to 1985- Research Technician. N.C. State Univ. Dept. Soil Science. Managed laboratory and data analysis functions for tropical soils management project.
- 1979 to 1981- Research Technician. N.C. State Univ. Dept. Zoology. Technician and field leader of statewide alligator research project.
- 1975 to 1978- Research Assistant. N.C. State Univ. Dept. Zoology. MS research on pesticide exposure of bobwhite quail and cottontail rabbits in vicinity of cotton pesticide operations.
- 1975- Chemist. Environmental Protection Agency. Participated in study of heavy metal contamination in nationwide sample of atmospheric particulates.
- 1973 to 1974– Junior Chemist. Research Triangle Institute, Research Triangle Park, NC. Involved in synthesis of possible anti-fertility agents.


text:
Tropical Depression Ida spun over Nicaragua and Honduras today and moved back out over Caribbean waters, where it could regain some of its strength as it spins toward the Gulf of Mexico, according to forecasters.
Along the Alabama coast, strong winds and heavy surf could be possible early next week and the storm approaches, forecasters said.
With Ida and a cold front closing in, the Mobile area can also expect good chances for showers and thunderstorms, with the best chances coming Monday into Tuesday, accordiing to the National Weather Service in Mobile.
Projections from the National Hurricane Center were calling for Ida to enter the Gulf early next week and start weakening once cooler waters and wind shear take their toll.
While there remained some uncertainty about Ida's strength and exact track, the hurricane center called for Ida to pass over or just east of the Yucatan Peninsula then move into the Gulf to about 225 miles south-southeast of Mobile by Tuesday afternoon wind winds near 50 mph before taking a hard turn to the east and gradually losing its tropical characteristics.
(For a complete story, read Saturday's Press-Register. For more Alabama weather, go to http://www.al.com)


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Happy Birthday, Dear Leader - who's next in line?
By Yoel Sano
The scepter in the Hermit Kingdom passed from the Great Leader to the Dear Leader - and will he in turn pass it on to his youngest son, already extolled by some as the Morning Star King?
The lack of fanfare surrounding North Korean leader Kim Jong-il's birthday celebrations this year has much to do with his inauspicious age, 62. It lacks the symbolism of 60, an important Korean milestone, described as
, completing one big circle or life cycle and beginning another. However, as the Dear Leader celebrates his birthday on Monday, it is precisely because of his chronological age that the question of succession must be weighing on his mind, even as it tantalizes Korea watchers.
The Great Leader Kim Il-sung was succeeded by his son, the current and Dear Leader Kim Jong-il, and who will succeed him has Pyongyang watchers watching closely for omens, signs in the heavens, entrails or tea leaves. Could it be the oldest disgraced - and possibly illegitimate - son, the middle son dismissed as "effeminate" by his father, or the younger son now called by some "The Morning Star King." It's far from settled and the family saga is in its early stages.
Because Kim leads a regime long cemented by vested interests, the process of succession should be relatively painless, though regime collapse in an impoverished nation maintained by a brutal hierarchy is possible. Too many concessions to the United States, Japan and South Korea over the nuclear issue could undermine the current regime. Still, Kim assumes - and so do most observers - that he will stay in power. The main issue therefore is not if the regime will survive, but which of his three sons is standing next in line.
Kim inherited power from his own father, the late "Great Leader", Kim Il-sung, and it is inconceivable that any organized succession process will not involve one of Kim Jong-il's own sons. Given the fact that the Dear Leader himself was groomed for the top leadership position for more than 20 years, he will presumably want plenty of time to prepare whichever of his sons he chooses for the role. He has several daughters, but the highly patriarchal nature of the regime and most East Asian societies precludes a female successor.
Kim Jong-il was his father's eldest son and was chosen as successor for this reason. Traditionally, the eldest son is the natural successor in any dynastic succession, so in theory, the identity of Kim Jong-il's successor should be obvious: his eldest son, Kim Jong-nam, born on May 10, 1971, to his second wife, Sung Hye-rim, a leading actress in North Korea.
Eldest 'bad boy' son may be illegitimate
Kim Jong-il's first marriage in 1966 was to Hong Il-chon, with whom he had a daughter, Kim Hye-kyong, in 1967. But within the space of a few years, Kim apparently separated from Hong in favor of Sung. This, however, is where the succession process gets complicated. It is not known whether Kim Jong-il ever actually married Sung, and it has been suggested that his eldest son Kim Jong-nam - the obvious heir-apparent - may have been illegitimate, and not so apparently the next in line.
Evidence seems to point in that direction. According to Kim Jong-il's adopted daughter, Ri Nam-ok - who is actually the daughter of Sung's sister, and who defected to Western Europe in 1997 - Kim Il-sung never knew of his first grandson, and would not have approved of his son's liaison or conjugal partnership with Sung. As such, the senior Kim apparently arranged for young Jong-il to marry a general's daughter, Kim Yong-suk in 1973. This union resulted in the birth of at least one child, a daughter, Kim Sol-song, in 1974. According to some reports, there may have been other offspring, but Kim Sol-song is the only one definitely known. As in many other ruling dynasties, the details of Kim Jong-il's private life are rather sketchy.
In 1980, Kim Jong-il married again. This time to Japanese-born ethnic Korean dancer, Ko Yong-hui, who bore him two sons, Kim Jong-chol in 1981 and Kim Jong-un in 1983. Though Kim Jong-nam may appear to be Kim Jong-il's obvious successor, because of the uncertainty of his legitimacy, over the past three years, attention has turned to the latter of Kim's sons.
And, indeed, while it appears that Kim Jong-nam had initially been in line for the succession - having been appointed to a senior post in the domestic intelligence agency and also placed in charge of North Korea's fledgling information technology industry - he subsequently fell from favor after May 2001. In that month he was very publicly arrested and deported from Tokyo's Narita International Airport, with his son and two female aides, after attempting to enter the country on a false Dominican Republic passport. Adding to the bizarre scenario, he had apparently been seeking to visit Tokyo Disneyland - although it has not been ruled out that he was on a sensitive mission to acquire Japanese technology.
Kim Jong-nam's weakened position became even more apparent in 2002, when he spent much of the year in Russia, tending to his sick mother Sung Hye-rim, who had been living in Moscow after falling out with Kim Jong-il many years earlier. Sung passed away from natural causes in August 2002.
May the best Jong win
Just after his mother's death, another development increased Kim Jong-nam's marginalization. At the end of August 2002, Japan's Jiji Press, citing Chinese diplomatic sources, reported that a hitherto unknown son of Kim Jong-il - named Kim Hyon (also known as Kim Hyon-nam, then aged 30) - had been appointed head of the Propaganda and Agitation Department of the ruling Korean Worker's Party (KWP). Given that Kim Jong-il had himself once headed this department when he began his political ascendancy in the early 1970s, speculation naturally arose that the younger Kim Hyon was being groomed to succeed his father.
However, nothing more has been heard about Kim Hyon, raising doubts about the veracity of Jiji's story.
By early 2003 reports emerged that the Korean People's Army (KPA) had begun a propaganda campaign centering on the personality of Ko Yong-hui - although in typical to North Korean fashion, without actually naming her. A similar campaign had been created for Kim Jong-il's long-deceased mother, Kim Jong-suk, ahead of his succession, and as such, the development points to one of Ko's sons, rather than the bad-behaving and possibility illegitimate Kim Jong-nam or the perceived late entry, Kim-hyon, as the heir-apparent.
Attention naturally turned to the elder of the two brothers, Kim Jong-chol, and Newsweek magazine published a dated and blurred black and white photograph of him during his school days in Switzerland. More recently, though, the emphasis has been on the younger brother, Kim Jong-un (also spelled Kim Jong-woon). The main proponent of this theory is Kim Jong-il's former Japanese sushi chef, Kenji Fujimoto (a pseudonym), who, in his memoir, published in Japan, stated that Kim regards Jong-chol as too effeminate, and Jong-un to be more like his father.
Complicating this complicated picture, however, were reports in October 2003 that Ko Yong-hui had been critically injured in a car accident. Other reports suggested that she was suffering from breast cancer. Her current status is unknown, and any disagreement over the succession could potentially cause problems for the process. Although Ko has no formal role in the process, she presumably wields some influence over Kim Jong-il's decision.
In this regard, Kim Jong-il will be keen to avoid any schisms developing within the ruling family, as happened with his own succession. Kim himself displaced his father's younger brother, Kim Yong-yu, from the position of heir apparent in the early 1970s. Kim Yong-ju subsequently vanished from public life in 1975, and would not reappear until July 1993, only to be appointed one of North Korea's four vice presidents later in that year. This move was said to be aimed at reassuring North Korea's old guard that a massive generational shift would not take place once Kim Jong-il took power.
In addition, it seems that Kim Jong-il had to stave off a challenge from his half-brother, Kim Pyong-il, the oldest son of his hated stepmother, Kim Song-ae. Pyong-il was widely said to have been better leadership material, possessing greater skills and having served as a major general and deputy director of the strategy bureau at the Ministry of People's Security in the 1980s. However, because Kim Jong-il saw him as a rival, and Kim Song-ae favored Pyong-il as successor, he was sent abroad in 1988 as ambassador to Hungary, followed by Bulgaria, Finland, and most recently, Poland, in order to keep him out of Pyongyang politics. Another half-brother, Kim Yong-il, died of cirrhosis of the liver in May 2000 in Germany, where he had been serving as counselor at the North Korean interests office.
Military backing key to smooth succession
One thing that is certain is that whoever succeeds Kim Jong-il will have to win the support of the powerful Korean People's Army. The 1.1 million-strong military is the only institution that can challenge the regime. Indeed, the power and profile of top military leaders has increased substantially under Kim Jong-il, who relies on the armed forces to maintain order and stability in the face of widespread famine and economic decay. While Kim Il-sung was alive, the generals mainly kept out of the limelight. However, senior commanders now accompany Kim Jong-il on virtually all his public appearances, reinforcing the image of a military state.
Kim Jong-il has ruled North Korea exclusively as supreme commander of the army since his father's death in July 1994. Since that time, Kim Jong-il has very skillfully won the backing of the Korean People's Army by waiting for the natural demise of some of the octogenarian veterans of his father's anti-Japanese guerrilla struggle - such as former defense ministers O Jin-u and Choe Kwang - to pass away through natural aging. And he has appointed his own loyalists to key positions. The most important of these are Vice-Marshal Jo Myong-rok, the first vice-chairman of the National Defense Commission (NDC) and head of the KPA's political bureau; Vice-Marshal Kim Yong-chun, the chief of the general staff; and Vice-Marshal Kim Il-chol, the minister of the People's Armed Forces - North Korea's system of defense. More recently, General Ri Myong-Su, the director of the operations bureau of the general staff, and KPA political bureau deputy directors Hyon Chol-Hae and Pak Jae-gyong have gained prominence. These men form the core of Kim Jong-Il's power base in the army.
Kim Jong-il's moves to control the military have been a remarkable success, considering that for many years prior to 1994, it was said that the KPA disliked the Dear Leader so much that it would depose him in a coup immediately after Kim Il-sung left the scene. Kim Pyong-il, with his military background, was often mentioned as a possible military-backed replacement.
However, Great Leader Kim Il-sung gradually phased out senior officers who would pose a threat to his son, Jong-il's succession, and in December 1991 he appointed Jong-il as supreme commander of the army, despite the fact that he had no military experience, except for a brief unconfirmed stint at the East German Air Force Academy in the early 1960s. Kim Jong-il was subsequently elevated to the rank of Marshal of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea in April 1992 and then a year later to chairman of the National Defense Commission - a post that he now holds as head of state.
Kim Jong-il has also successfully bound his family to the top ranks of the military structure through his full sister Kim Kyong-hui's husband, Jang Song-taek, who serves as the first vice director of the Korean Workers Party 's organization and guidance department, headed by Kim Jong-il himself. Jang's eldest brother, Jang Song-u, is a KPA vice marshal and commands the Third Army Corps, which surrounds the city of Pyongyang. According to Sin Kyong-wan, a former KWP official, the second-oldest brother, Jang Song-yop, is the vice director of the Kim Il-sung Higher Party School. A younger brother, Jang Song-Gil, is a lieutenant general and tank commander, while the youngest, Jang Song-ho, is a political vice president of the Mangyongdae Revolutionary School - an elite establishment which Kim Jong-il and many top leaders attended.
Kim Jong-il has nurtured the army
In any case, the KPA - which has increased its influence under Kim Jong-il - benefits from his continued rule, adopting a Military First Policy under the banner of "Kangsong Taeguk" - a great and militarily powerful nation. The military's position allows it to guide national policy without having to take administrative blame for North Korea's ongoing economic problems. As such, the KPA has a vested interest in a stable succession, especially since many senior military leaders are developing business interests as heads of military-dominated conglomerates. The largest such enterprise, Chungwoonsan, is headed by Vice Marshal Jo Myong-rok, according to North Korea watcher Selig Harrison.
Although there have been several reports of coup attempts - most notably in 1992, by a group of Soviet-trained perestroika [restructuring]-oriented generals, and again in 1995, by elements of the Sixth Army Corps in remote North Hamgyong province - none has come remotely close to succeeding because of the efficiency of the security apparatus.
There are really only two circumstances in which a military coup would take place. First, if the economy continues to disintegrate, and national survival becomes an issue, "reformist" elements in the Korean People's Army may conclude that North Korea is better off without the Korean Worker's Party and Kim Jong-il. The second scenario involves Kim Jong-il making too many concessions over North Korea's nuclear program to the United States, South Korea, or Japan, and accelerating economic reforms that cause social unrest. The latter situation could lead to a "reactionary" coup of the sort that befell Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev in August 1991.
Another reason why a second dynastic succession is likely to be upheld is that it is not just the ruling Kim family that benefits from nepotism and connections. While the predominance of a small number of surnames in Korea (North and South) makes it difficult to track family links, it is known that many top leaders are the sons of the revolutionary generation that fought against Japanese imperialism, or have siblings in high positions. For example, Kim Kuk-tae - a senior KWP central committee secretary in charge of cadre affairs - is the son of general Kim Chaek, who served as the KPA's frontline commander during the Korean War, in which he was killed. General O Kuk-ryol, the head of the central committee's special operations department, is the son of a veteran guerrilla, as is Colonel General O Kum-chol, the commander of the air force.
North Korea's titular head of state, Kim Yong-nam, who serves as president of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly (SPA, or legislature), has two brothers in high positions: General Kim Du-nam, a one-time military adviser to Kim Jong-il, and Kim Ki-nam, a senior central committee secretary. Yang Hyong-sop, the vice president of the SPA Presidium, is married to Kim Jong-Il's aunt. Many others benefit from similar ties.
Not a one-man show, a regime of vested interests
Therefore, North Korea, far from being a one-man show, or even a one-family show, is an entire regime bound together by vested interests, under the leadership of Kim Jong-Il. This should make the succession process easier, provided that the identity of the heir is decided upon without causing fractures in the first family or the army.
Assuming that the regime survives - and it has proved remarkably durable, against all odds - it may still be some years before North Korea formally announces the identity of the successor.
Although Kim Jong-Il's political rise began in the early 1970s, when the official media began to speak of the "Party Center" as a code word for Kim, his actual status as heir apparent did not become clear until the Sixth Korean Worker's Party Congress in 1980, when he was appointed to a number of party posts. Yet, it was not until August 7, 1984, that Pyongyang publicly confirmed Kim Jong-il as successor. Even then, it would be another 10 years before his father died, after which Kim would have to wait three years before being appointed to his father's position as general secretary of the KWP. In September 1998, Kim Jong-il formally took power, but he never assumed the state presidency, instead ruling in his existing position as chairman of the National Defense Commission.
Certainly, the signs are that either Kim Jong-chol or Kim Jong-un is being maneuvered into the succession. The latter is even being referred to as the "Morning Star King", according to South Korean Pyongyang watchers. However, the saga is still in its early stages, and Kim Jong-nam cannot be totally ruled out. His status as first-born son carries considerable weight, and the regime has a habit of re-instating disgraced figures after a suitable period of atonement.
In the meantime, there appears to be very little active opposition to the regime. Unlike Iraq under Saddam Hussein, which spawned dozens of opposition groups in exile, North Korean defectors have created only one such group, the National Salvation Front For Democratic Unification of Chosun, led by former KWP propaganda official Pak Kap-dong. However, the organization has proved as ineffective as it is low profile. The nearest thing North Korea has to an exiled opposition leader is Hwang Jang-yop, a former central committee secretary, who defected in February 1997. Hwang was initially welcomed in South Korea under the presidency of Kim Young-sam, but once Kim Dae-jung's "Sunshine Policy" took effect, Hwang was ignored. Hwang still travels to the US, where he addresses neo-conservative groups that welcome his calls for regime change in Pyongyang. But Hwang is 81 years old, and has limited time left to achieve his goals.
As far back as the 1980s, Korean historian Bruce Cumings, when questioning a Soviet diplomat in Pyongyang on the chances of Kim Jong-il succeeding Kim Il-sung, was told "come back in 2020 and see Kim Jong-il's son succeed him".
As of early 2004, that prediction, seemingly unrealistic only a few years ago, no longer sounds so implausible. Check the omens, the stars, the entrails and the tea leaves.
Yoel Sano
has worked for publishing houses in London, providing political and economic analysis, and has been following North Korea, as well as other Northeast Asian developments, for more than 10 years.
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Feb 14, 2004
Man of contradictions
(Jan 16, '04)
Kim Jong-il's impeccable logic
(Sep 4, '03)
Soap, sleeze: North Korea's first family
(Mar 2, '02)
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This picture shows the strong influence of Puvis de Chavannes' paintings of the poor, which were admired in England as well as in Paris. The model in this picture brought Rothenstein two paintings by Puvis which she wanted to sell, but Rothenstein's allowance did not cover their cost, and so Studd bought them. Rothenstein wrote that 'In appearance this model recalled a phrase of Henry James': "The wanton was not without a certain cadaverous beauty." I made many pastel drawings of her' (Rothenstein, I, p.100). The gold painted background of this drawing is unusual. Rothenstein's interpretation of Puvis's pictorial methods anticipates the mood of Picasso's blue period (by coincidence, Rothenstein and Conder were then sharing a studio in the rue Ravignan in Montmartre, where Picasso later had his studio).
Rothenstein dedicated this painting to Studd. He decorated the inscription and the poem with a spiral monogram, a device he seems not to have used again. The verse inscribed at the bottom right is a quotation of Robert Browning's poem of the same title (Rothenstein substitutes 'cliff' for Browning's 'cape'):
Round the cliff on a sudden came the sea,The artist later used the first line of the poem as the title for a picture he made of the Vaucottes cliffs.
And the sun looked over the Mountain's rim:
And straight was a path of gold for him,
And the need of a world of men for me.
Further reading:
William Rothenstein, Men and Memories, I, London 1931, p.100
Robert Speaight, William Rothenstein: The Portrait of an Artist in his Time, London 1962, p.45
John House and Mary Anne Stevens (eds.), Post-Impressionism: Cross-Currents in European Painting, exhibition catalogue, Royal Academy, London 1979, pp.204-5, reproduced p.205
Terry Riggs
December 1997


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Now that Mother Nature has finally decided it's wintertime in Pioneer Valley, we'll have to start thinking about how snow, below-freezing temperatures and ice will factor into our morning commutes.
After you check the forecast, you might want to consider downloading these five helpful smartphone apps to be prepared for whatever winter dishes out.
No. 1: Winter Survival Kit
Just like it's smart to have a kit in your car trunk when the weather turns foul, the Winter Survival Kit app can also come in handy, showing you where you are, notifying loved ones when you get stalled in a snow storm and even figuring out how long you can keep your car on to stay warm.
The free app, which was recently developed by two North Dakota State University students and had more than 12,000 downloads a week after its release date, is available to Android and iPhone users, according to the North Dakota State University's website.
The app also offers safety tips and a button that can show where local gas stations are.
Hat tip: WXOW.com
No. 2: Winter Wake-Up
Have you ever rushed out the door for work or school in the morning only to be made late by stubborn frost clinging to your windshield? Well, Boondoggle's free Winter Wake-Up app, which gigaom.com says is available on iPhone and Android smartphones, is here to help.
The app will wake you up early if frost or snow hit your area the night before so you have enough time to clear it off before you leave home. Don't worry snooze-button lovers, you determine just how much earlier it goes off.
Hat tip: Internet App Developer
No. 3: Road Trip Weather
If you're planning a long drive, but you're not sure of the weather, this app will keep you informed along the way. After you punch in where you're going, Road Trip Weather, which Time.com says is a $1 iPhone-only app, shows you forecasts for your route.
Hat tip: Time Techland
No. 4: SD Calc
This is a fun app that parents and school children might find useful as they plan for possible school closures. SD Calc, short for snow day calculator, asks you to plug in the overnight snow fall, a weather warning type, your area's annual snowfall amount and the amount of children who ride the bus. Then it will spit out an estimated percentage chance for a snow day.
SD Calc costs about $1.
No. 5: OnTheSnow Snow Reports
Those who love hitting the slopes would likely appreciate the free OnTheSnow Snow Reports app, which allows users to check resorts in their area for recent accumulation, weather updates and snow conditions.
These are just some of the winter weather apps available to smartphone users. Which ones do you use? Are there any that would be a good addition to this list?


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GULF SHORES, Alabama --- South Baldwin Community Theatre in Gulf Shores will open its doors Nov. 8 for a special performance of the play "Waiting Rooms" to benefit Mary's Shelter Gulf Coast.
A locally written piece by award-winning playwright and SBCT board member Laura Sansing Pfizenmayer, "Waiting Rooms" is the third installment in a series of five plays detailing the life of a distinctly southern family named the Whitfields.
South Baldwin Community Theatre has a rich history of community outreach. Since its formation in 1972 by the late Father Anthony Zogbhy, Nancy Holk Totman, and the late Herb Anderson, the theater has offered a creative outlet to would-be actors and playwrights from all walks of life. Their outreach activities include after school theatrical programs, children's workshops, teen improvisational workshops and benefit performances for groups like Mary's Shelter Gulf Coast.
The partnership of caring between Mary's Shelter and the SBCT began in 2010. Since that time there have been at least one to two performances to aid the shelter per year.
According to Pfizenmayer, "The Theatre really has a love for Mary's Shelter. They are an amazing asset to the community and we are proud to be affiliated with them."
Sherri Killiam-Williams, SBTC Vice President of Publicity, cites the outcome of the special performances as two-fold.
"Mary's Shelter raises needed funds for its group and the theater gets to reach many more patrons with its shows," Killam-Williams said.
Linda O. Fink, Financial Developer and Coordinator for Mary's Shelter Gulf Coast, said that the impact of the benefit performances for their organization is great.
"We are extremely grateful to South Baldwin Community Theatre for their continued support and friendship," Fink said.
She also stressed that all of the proceeds from the special performance go directly to Mary's Shelter Gulf Coast.
"We use the money raised to fund daily operations, buy diapers, and provide food, shelter, and education for homeless mothers and their babies," Fink said. "By purchasing a ticket, attendees will not only enjoy a wonderful evening at the theater, but will also be saving lives."
The benefit event will also feature hors d'oeuvres and beverages donated by Longhorn Steak House.
"We extend an invitation to anyone interested in supporting the shelter to join us for a night of great food, fellowship, and entertainment," said Fink.
Tickets are available for $25 per person and can be ordered by calling 251-554-4889. Seating is limited to 127 for this performance. To learn more about Mary's Shelter Gulf Coast, visit www.maryshelter.org or call 251-986-6200.
In addition to the Mary's Shelter performance of "Waiting Rooms," several regular performances of the play will also be running at South Baldwin Community Theatre during the first two weeks of November. Schedules and ticket prices are available online at www.sbct.biz.
Other upcoming events at SBCT include The Sandspur Band Benefit Concert and the Youth Artist Series' Christmas production of "Journeys of the Heart," an original play by local playwright Sherri Killiam-Williams. For more information on SBCT's programs, performances, auditions or how to support local theater in Baldwin County, visit the SBCT website or call 251-968-6721.
---Story by Dawn Hoover, Correspondent


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GRANDS RAPIDS, Mich. – Is Gov. Rick Snyder relentlessly attacking public schools? Or is he trying to help them improve?
Readers debated the governor's actions and motivation after Saugatuck Superintendent Rolfe Timmerman accused Snyder of attacking public schools and manipulating data to paint a dire picture.
Snyder, during last week's State of the State address, said only 17 percent of graduating high school students are "college ready," based on the ACT exam, which all students in Michigan must take in the spring of their junior year.
He's used the figure before, and educators disagree.
"Gov. Snyder and our Legislature have a vision to reinvent public education in Michigan through the expansion of the EAA, eliminating the cap on charter and cyber schools, and the really frightening education finance rewrite project (Oxford Report)," Timmerman wrote.
"He has been relentless in his attack, but certainly not positive about all of the great things happening in the majority of our locally controlled public school districts."
RELATED: Saugatuck superintendent: Gov. Snyder manipulates data in 'relentless attack' on schools (Guest column)
Reader ableroone agreed.
"It's refreshing to see a superintendent of schools willing to tell it like it is! I have said it since the attacks began that not all school districts are created equal."
But HarleyRider noted another commenter's suggestion that Snyder look to "real experts in education" for advice.
"This has been working great. How do you work with a group when all it spouts is union rhetoric? Talking points? I do not see 'manipulating the ACT data to further his attack on public schools.' Can you have an honest discussion of the issues when the statements coming from educators such as Rolfe, are always negative rhetoric?"
I don't think Snyder attacks public schools, but I think the former CEO approaches problems differently than the educators.Snyder no doubt looks at the return on investment for the $12 billion-plus that Michigan spends on schools. He's clearly not happy with the results in Detroit, deemed the worst district in the nation not by union-targeting Republicans but President Obama's education secretary.
He's no doubt seen the Education Trust-Midwest report showing Michigan's suburban students not growing at the same pace at peers in other state.
RELATED: Report: Michigan schools have 'alarming and persistent' problems, falling behind other states
The governor also knows of the state Education Department's new rating system that points out achievement gaps in schools, showing some problems in places usually praised as academic powerhouses. The state Board of Education is, and has been, dominated by Democrats.
RELATED: Are schools getting extra help to close achievement gaps being punished? (commentary)
I'm assuming the governor wants these problems turned around on his watch, and he famously claims to work in dog years.
In contrast, the education establishment accepts change at a glacial pace, especially when the reforms are pushed by someone outside the fraternity.
RELATED: What if the answer to urban education comes from outside the establishment? (Commentary)
"The human mind has not changed much over the years yet we're supposed to act like it has when teaching," reader johnny000, a teacher, wrote in response to a different post.
"I learned my times tables in third grade, I took algebra in ninth grade. Now we do times tables in second and algebra in sixth and seventh. What changed in the last 30 years with child development?"
Reader littleturtle seems to call for the educators to back down from the attack rhetoric and Snyder to use data that both sides will agree to be revelant.
"The real question seems to be what the best way to evaluate education achievement. Although there will always be outliers and exceptions, there has to be a consistent way to measure the effectiveness of schools and curriculums. Data is important when creating policy (for both Republicans and Democrats), so let's figure out the most accurate way to collect it and how to use it to help students."
Dave Murray is the Grand Rapids community engagement specialist. Email him at firstname.lastname@example.com and follow him on Twitter @ReporterDMurray or on Facebook.


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Before we get started on the brand, we would like to mention these bikes are sexy, but the name of the company is actually Sexy Bicycles, and here we have a lineup of their fixed gear, track bikes and 9 speeds. Sexy Bicycles is based out of Perth Western Australia, and is new to the business, while their creations are colorful and sleek. The first lineup is known as "Release One", and features 9 limited edition bike models including 3 fixed gears, 3 track bikes, and 3 9 speed bikes that use a internal hub. Each model is produced in limited quantities of 9, 18, 27. Check out all the pictures below.
Sexy Bicycles Purist Green
Sexy Bicycles Blue Business
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Sexy Bicycles Release


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DALLAS (AP) - No matter how badly it started, the Dallas Mavericks got what they wanted out of the first two games against Sacramento. They broke even.
"We definitely didn't want anything worse than that," Mavericks guard Steve Nash said Tuesday. "It's so unpredictable. The biggest thing is making it a one-game series every night."
Dallas, which lost 108-91 in Game 1 of the best-of-seven Western Conference semifinals, fell behind by 13 points in the first quarter of Game 2 on Monday night. But as the Kings' shooting faltered, the Mavericks kept running and rallied to win 110-102.
"We just had to believe in ourselves," said Nash, who had 30 points and eight assists Monday after being held to 12 points in Game 1. "Saturday, we were sluggish after a week off. But even when we were down 13 in Game 2, we felt good about ourselves. We had our legs and energy back."
The series between the NBA's two highest-scoring teams moves to Dallas for Game 3 on Thursday and Game 4 on Saturday. Game 5 is Monday in Sacramento, where the Mavericks have won three of four against the Kings, who are 37-4 at home against the rest of the NBA.
"We're more selfish and want to win every game, but you take what you can get," Mavericks coach Don Nelson said. "It's really good to get one. It's now a five-game series and we have the homecourt advantage, but we know that can change very quickly."
After traveling overnight to get home, the Mavericks' starters and top reserves spent about an hour watching film before a short optional shootaround. The Kings had the day off.
"The day off is going to be nice, but we'll all be thinking about what we could have done better in the first two games," Sacramento's Doug Christie said. "They were two exciting games, but I don't think either team is completely happy with their performance. I know we had a lot of possessions we wish we could take back.
"Part of that is playing with a lot of energy, sometimes too much energy, and part of that is the excitement of the playoffs," he said. "But as the series goes on, I think you'll see both teams settling down and playing more solid ball."
Nash's 30 points were his career-high for a playoff game. He was 12-of-18 from the field, including four 3-pointers and three of those came in the fourth quarter.
"Steve is just so creative," said Sacramento's Bobby Jackson, who had the task of trying to guard Nash. "It's so hard to stop him. I tried to stick with him, but we just didn't do a very good job. He kept pushing the ball and attacking. If we're going to win this series, we definitely have to do a better job containing him."
Last season, the Mavericks became just one of six teams to overcome an 0-2 deficit to win a best-of-five series - beating Utah in the first round.
They didn't want to press their luck again. Only seven teams have come back from 0-2 in a best-of-seven series, and the last was Houston seven years ago.
The Kings shot 72 percent in the first quarter Monday and had a 36-23 lead. Their shooting got worse in each quarter - 53 in the second, 29 in the third and 27 in the fourth.
"I like the fact that we're getting a lot of shots, but we've got to shoot a good percentage to keep up with them, because it's hard to get more shots than they do," Kings coach Rick Adelman said.
Despite Sacramento's shooting struggles, the game was still tied at 93 before Nash's behind-the-back pass to Raef LaFrentz for a dunk with 3:48 left. LaFrentz then added a putback and blocked a shot by Chris Webber to set up Nash's layup that made it 99-93.
"After a lot of losses, you have a tendency to lose confidence or to second-guess yourself," Webber said. "After this game, I just give them all the credit. We didn't play that bad, but they were crisper."
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October 16, 2002
The day started early in the afternoon when I arrived at the airport for a 2:10pm flight to Atlanta. As I arrived at Gate B3 at 1:00pm, the Delta 757 was already there. N672DL was the aircraft we were about to board. They start the call about 1:40pm with the first class boarding. I was in the back of the plane but I don't like to board the plane too early. So I waited until the last second to board, and since I had checked all my baggage, I didn't have to worry about finding room for my baggage. The door closed and we begin the pushback at 2:20pm. We took 10 minutes to taxi to runway 2L. At 2:30 the engines begin spool up and we lifted off at 2:30. The captain came on and told us it would be 36 minutes down to Atlanta. But didn't mention the altitude we flew at, my guess is, it was about 24000ft. After a short cruise, we begin our decent and landed at 4:10pm. The landing was tricky for it was a direct cross wind at about 15kts. We landed on 26R and arrived at the gate B12 @ 4:18pm. It was a great flight and very smooth landing despite the winds. We departed the plane and started walking to our next gate. We were at Gate T4 for our next flight.
I had never been to the T Gates in Atlanta. It was very nice and seemed like they have just redid it. We were on a 767-400 N833MH for the next portion of our jouney. It was already at the gate when we got there, the planes looks huge when you were standing up in front of it. Again I like to wait until everyone has boarded before I board. After I boarded, they closed the door shortly after that. We pushed back at 5:30pm. Since we were in the T gates, we had to taxi to the other end for 27R departure. It took 20 minutes before we left and we took off at 5:50. It was a smooth climb out and we leveled at FL350 for the 1:30 flight down to Ft Lauderdale. We begin our decent about 6:55 and pass through some puffy white clouds which shook the plane a little, but other then that, it was very smooth flight. The joy of the flight was watching a UPS 767 pass about 2000ft below us. I was going to take a picture but my battery in my camera died (Sorry). We touched down at 7:17pm exactly when we were scheduled. I deboarded and went to get my luggage and a rental car to drive to my parents. Both flights were outstanding and I am looking forward to the return trip. I will have another report when I get home. I hope you all enjoy then trip report.


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University of Mobile student Catherine Odom rallies support to win Senior Bowl singing competition
One was a nine-year-old girl. The other was a 29-year-old man whose faith and strength in overcoming physical handicaps she herself found inspiring. And she was just a college student from the tiny community of St. Stephens, not a place likely to flood the Internet with thousands of online votes.
But instead of thinking she didn't have a prayer, Odom decided that all she had was a prayer. She put the matter in God's hands, she said -- and then worked diligently to get in every vote, mobilizing her hometown base of support and the community at her home away from home, the University of Mobile.
"Of course I personally rallied support at the university," she said. "But back home, every time somebody heard of it, they called my grandmother" to ask how to vote.
The upshot: The 19-year-old sophomore prevailed in the fifth annual Senior Bowl Superstar competition. On Saturday, she will sing the national anthem before kickoff of the 2008 Under Armour Senior Bowl. With the contest behind her, a new challenge has come into focus: Living up to the expectations of the people who backed her.
"I was amazed at how much support I got," she said. "It was humbling."
The competition is unusual in that exposure is its sole prize. Winners get no cash, no recording contract, no other prizes. They just get to sing in front of what's likely to be a capacity crowd of about 40,000 people at Ladd-Peebles Stadium. (According to the Senior Bowl, the anthem also will be broadcast this year as part of the NFL Network's pre-game coverage.)
Still, that's enough to draw scores of contestants to the opening round every year.
For Odom, as for most winners, it will be by far the biggest crowd she's sung for. Previously, her biggest audience was a crowd of about 5,600 people at a BayBears game.
Odom's winning campaign was hardly random. This was her third year to enter. In the first, she was one of 10 semifinalists, though she didn't make the first cut last year.
"I thought it would be a new stepping stone," she said, explaining her persistence.
As such, it's the latest step in a young career that has risen steadily.
Odom, the daughter of Frankie and Cathy Odom of St. Stephens, said her first musical memory is a family video of herself at age 3. In tights, tutu and curls, she practices for a competition in which she would sing the ABC song.
The next stage in her musical education came at church, she said. She found that she liked to use her talents to "help people out."
In her years at Leroy High School, this desire came into sharper focus, she said.
"Through high school it really became apparent to me that my piano and voice skills were not really mine," she said. "They were gifts meant to be shared" in the glory of God.
She arrived at the University of Mobile as a freshman interested in voice, piano, theater and education.
As a student in UM's Center for Performing Arts, she has been involved with numerous university ensembles, including Sounds of Mobile, the University Singers, the Opera Workshop, the Upper Room Dinner Theatre and the Ramalettes, a barbershop-style quartet.
Along the way, she decided that education was the best way to share her talents, in the long run. So she's narrowed her course of study down to music education, with a primary voice major and a piano minor.
Demoting piano to a minor wasn't an easy choice, she said. Especially since Carol Evers, her piano teacher for five years, is someone she considers "almost my grandmother figure at school."
Evers, an adjunct piano instructor at the University of Mobile, said she was just pleased to see a good student advancing in the world. Odom should do well in the Superstar spotlight, she said.
"She has a lot of stage presence and is a good performer playing piano or singing," Evers said. "She just lights up the stage."
What's next for Odom? Finishing school, obviously. She plans to pursue a master's degree and eventually a doctorate.
But first comes the Senior Bowl experience itself.
Odom said she had planned to attend the game anyway, for familial reasons. Her father has battled cancer in recent years, and college football has been a bonding experience for them. Despite her busy college life, she's spent many Saturdays at home with her dad, watching games, and they were looking forward to seeing many of the same players in person at the Senior Bowl.
Now, the experience takes on a different shine. Not only will they spend some quality family time together, her parents get to watch their daughter take a turn in the limelight.
For Odom, the real prize may be a sense of being true to her gifts.
"I've always really known music was my heart," she said.
WHEN: Kickoff is at 3 p.m. Saturday. Pre-game show is set for 2:30 p.m.
WHERE: Ladd-Peebles Stadium
TICKETS: $12, $18 and $24, call 432-4109 or 888-736-2695
INFORMATION: 438-2276 or www.seniorbowl.com


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First stop to get ready for flood is insurance agent
By SETH TRUSCOTT
Reporter Newspapers
As wet winter weather — and the threat of floods — returns to the Northwest, insurance agents see a spike in the number of people seeking flood insurance.
Standard homeowner's insurance doesn't cover flooding, but coverage for flood disasters is provided by the federal government. Congress created the National Flood Insurance Program in 1968 to help business owners, homeowners and renters protect themselves.
"Anyone can buy it," said Ashley Brinkley, an agent with Farmer's Insurance in Kent.
Property owners can purchase a policy if their community agrees to adopt laws meeting federal requirements to reduce the risk of flooding. King County is the only participating community in the entire United States that has a 40 percent discount on flood insurance because of proactive efforts. City residents will see smaller discounts.
Federal flood insurance is the most affordable way for property owners to pick up the pieces after a disaster, said Angela Donaldson, agency producer at Hauglie Insurance in Fall City.
"The only other option is to pay out of pocket or request a loan for a disaster," she said.
Federal loans and grants are less than ideal, Donaldson added. Grant amounts rarely cover much of the cost of cleanup, and federal loans can have higher interest rates than private banks.
Policies are purchased upfront, and there is a 30-day waiting period before they become active. Policies also come with deductibles.
Typical recent policies, as sold by Brinkley, include $30,000 in renter coverage for $130 per year, and $160,000 in home coverage for $296 per year. Flood coveage generally tops out at about $250,000. Costs are higher in the Snoqualmie Valley, with a typical Snoqualmie floodplain residence having an $800 premium.
Condominium owners can buy coverage, but creating a policy for them can be tricky, Brinkley said, if their condo association does not have a policy for the exterior of the building.
Property owners can write their own programs from the National Flood Insurance Program, or go through a local insurance agent. Agents receive a commission based on the number of policies they write.
"Flood (insurance) is meant to complement your existing homeowner, auto and umbrella policies," Donaldson said. Standard insurance covers all perils except earth movement and flood. While the individual agents may differ, Donaldson said all policy language is the same because it is set by FEMA.
Coverage can be purchased for the contents of a home, for the structure, or both. Business structures and contents also can be covered. However, nothing outside the structure — for example, landscaping or driveways — can be covered under a flood policy.
Homeowners who buy in a floodplain will almost always be required to hold flood coverage by their mortgage holder, according to Brinkley.
Policy amounts depend on the risk of flood for a given property, based on where a home or business is located in the floodplain. The Federal Emergency Management Administration maps the floodplain. However, FEMA occasionally revises the floodplain map, meaning that premiums also change.
Interest in flood policies has been flooding in for Jerry Zelinsky, an agent with Farmer's Insurance in Kent. Zelinsky quashed rumors about flood insurance currently making the rounds.
One rumor says that if the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers releases water from the Howard Hanson Dam, the flood isn't natural and therefore isn't covered.
"That doesn't apply to FEMA policies," Zelinsky said. While some private policies might not cover that event, federal programs will.
Zelinsky also reminds homeowners that contents policies only cover actual cash value. Belongings, such as televisions, may come under a depreciation schedule.
He advises homeowners to gather receipts ahead of time to make sure their belongings are covered.
"Start now, get an inventory," he said. Property owners should collect receipts and old checkbooks to document the value of their goods.
"When it's flooded, you're going to be stressed out," Zelinsky said. "Now is a good time to do that. When you buy things, make sure you keep receipts."
Flood policy details change yearly, and it's important for homeowners to stay up on those changes.
Donaldson advises homeowners to read their yearly flood declaration pages in their policies, which include changes.
"It's really the homeowner's responsibility to stay educated," she said.
Preparing for the flood: What you can do now
• Keep all flood-claim-related receipts and records in a waterproof bag and away from the flood risk
• Take photos of your home or business as it is now
• Look into alternative storage options (raising or moving)
• Review your Flood Insurance Declaration Page
After the Flood: Surviving your flood claim
• Make sure your home is safe to enter
• Take photos (inside and out)
• File your flood claim with your agent. Ask if you can begin clean up immediately
• Separate undamaged from damaged items
• Keep inventory of all damaged items (age and value) regardless if they are covered
• Keep samples of carpets or other flooring removed from each room (3 feet by 3 feet)
• Keep estimates from contractors to show to your adjuster and provide copy of receipts from prior
flood claims
• Keep receipts for everything. Supplemental claims require them.
Source: Hauglie Insurance
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By Hiew Peng Wong
Women in Nepal prepare bamboo to be used as building material. In Jhapa, Habitat for Humanity Nepal has set up an enterprise to create corrugated roofing sheets out of bamboo mats. Women learn to produce the mats through a training program set up by Habitat Nepal.
When Habitat for Humanity began working in Nepal in 1997, the focus was on providing low-income families with decent and affordable housing. By 2005, Habitat had completed 830 houses.
Today, the focus remains the same, but there has been a strategic change in direction. To develop a cost-effective, environmentally friendly housing program, Habitat for Humanity Nepal tapped its partnership network of nongovernmental organizations, microfinance institutions and village lending and savings groups. By June 2011, Habitat Nepal had marked its 10,000th family served.
If Habitat's early role in Nepal can be characterized as a housing provider, the recent years have seen a deliberate shift.
Nepal has grown much faster since 2005 than it did in the eight years between 1997 and 2005. In the early years, Habitat's Save & Build program fit in well with the incremental housing model favored by the low-income communities. Low-income families would save about 35 percent of the cost of a house while the remaining 65 percent was met by Habitat and its partners. Within three years, the families were contributing 68 percent of the house cost, with Habitat and its partners coming up with the remaining third.
Many of Habitat's microfinance institution partners were also able to expand their portfolios and provided additional loans for housing. For example, for every house Habitat Nepal funded, microfinance institution Jeevan Bikash also extended a housing loan.
"The need for decent housing is great in Nepal, and Habitat cannot bank on its own strength," said country representative Aruna Paul Simittrarachchi. "There is vast potential in our partners to play a key role in accelerating the growth of our program. To tap this potential, we need to move beyond being a housing provider. We aim to be a facilitator, a mover and a supporter of housing solutions."
The housing support services concept allows Habitat Nepal to fulfill that vision, particularly in light of its 100,000 Housing Campaign unveiled in July 2011. Habitat aims to serve 100,000 additional families in the next five years.
"HFH Nepal is aiming for a snowball effect in terms of reach and impact," Simittrarachchi said. "Upon the successful completion of the 100,000 Housing Campaign, we want even more partners to be involved in reducing Nepal's housing deficit by 25 percent, or 1 million houses. Our sight is set on the total elimination of poverty housing from Nepal by 2030, or in 20 years' time. This will not be done solely by HFH Nepal, but with diverse partners, including the government."
To this end, Habitat Nepal aims to:
Another manual will help families decide on house design and work out the construction cost, with advice from Habitat Nepal's staff members. Habitat's staff also can provide technical supervision at some construction sites and guidance on improving the quality of the final housing product.
Habitat Nepal will also train partner organizations, local communities, families, masons, carpenters and Habitat volunteers in the use of cost-effective construction technology.
Staff members will travel to communities to train people in the adobe technology of making bricks, using clay in the foundation and plastering, and using lime for protection against termites — techniques found in traditional architecture used in palaces and other large buildings.
To help such training, Habitat aims to set up and provide initial funding for as many resource centers as possible throughout the country. Eventually, these centers will be transferred to and run by the community.
To promote the use of cost-effective construction materials, Habitat plans to set up bamboo production centers and straw mills, depending on the needs of the com¬munity. Bamboo will be treated at the centers to increase its durability. The centers can also produce bamboo shelter kits that can be easily assembled for temporary housing in response to disasters. Masonry training will be conducted with skilled workers available for hire by families or organizations. In addition, the cen¬ters will provide guidance and advice on housing design.
Sawmills will also be set up in some communities, especially where former bonded laborers, known as Kamaiyas, live. By providing sawmill services, Habitat will help families and communities cut back on timber waste, conserve natural resources, and minimize the risk of injury and death in the event of a house collapsing in an earthquake or other disaster.
In Jhapa, Habitat Nepal already has an enterprise that produces strong corrugated roofing sheets from bamboo. The mats used to make the sheets come from 30 mat-weaving centers set up by Habitat Nepal in various com-munities, and the "raw" material for the mats eventually will come from nurseries. Habitat Nepal is considering setting up 20 training centers for the cultivation and harvesting of bamboo, providing income to poor families.
Another locally available construction material is straw bale, made from pressed, dried straw. Used as a wall insulation, it keeps a house cool in summer and warm in winter.
Habitat Nepal also wants the local community to take ownership. "Housing needs to be owned and driven by the community with appropriate consultation from the authorities," Simittrarachchi said.
Infrastructure such as roads, drainage and sewerage disposal should not hinder house construction or vice versa. Such considerations are particularly crucial in flood-affected or flood-prone areas.
The cutting down of trees for timber needs to be minimized — a decision that should lie with the community. With public education, the use of timber can be optimized with a community-owned sawmill, Simittrarachchi said, and cutting back on the use of timber as pillars or rafters or beams will also lessen the risk of injury or death when earthquakes hit.
A community needs to have access to eco-friendly building materials, practices and methodologies. The resultant cost savings can be invested in housing, be it paying off a loan faster or building the next stage of the home.
"In Habitat, we are used to talking about giving a family a leg up," Simittrarachchi said. "The housing support services concept extends that idea to our partners. More-informed, better-equipped partners and families make a world of difference to Habitat's mission."
Hiew Peng Wong is the writer/editor in Habitat for Humanity International's Asia/Pacific area office.
© 2016 Habitat for Humanity® International. All rights reserved.
"Habitat for Humanity®" is a registered service mark owned by Habitat for Humanity
International. Habitat® is a service mark of Habitat for Humanity International.
Habitat for Humanity® International is a tax-exempt 501(C)(3) nonprofit organization. Your gift is tax-deductible as allowed by law.


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Centeral California District
|Release Date: 11/03/11
|News Release No. CASO-12-1
Este Stifel Selected as BLM Central California District Manager
Este Stifel has been selected as the new District Manager for the Bureau of Land Management's (BLM) Central California District announced Jim Kenna, BLM California State Director.
Este has served as the BLM California Senior Technical Advisor since December 2010, coordinating statewide strategic planning efforts, policy review and development, and issues and assignments that directly support State Director resource management initiatives.
She has provided leadership for significant, ongoing BLM California projects and initiatives, including military withdrawals at the China Lake Naval Air Station and the Marine Corps Chocolate Mountains Gunnery Range, and abandoned mine lands program issues. Este also provided management oversight regarding the BLM's implementation of remedies for the West Mojave Resource Management Plan.
"Este is an experienced manager with many years of public service in natural resource management," said Kenna. "She also brings considerable first-hand knowledge of BLM's California's statewide resource programs and field operations."
Este is no stranger to the BLM. She previously served four years as the Lower Potomac Field Station Manager for the BLM-Eastern States.
"Este is firmly committed to fulfilling the mission of the BLM and enhancing the opportunities for partnerships and cooperative management of our public lands," added Kenna.
Prior to joining the BLM, Este held several positions with The Nature Conservancy on the East Coast, including as the Southern Blue Ridge Project Director. She also held positions in the private sector in marketing and production.
Este has an admitted love of the outdoors. When she can, she enjoys bicycling, kayaking and snowboarding. Her love of the outdoors also played a role in her moving out West.
Este grew up in the Tidewater area of Virginia, and holds Masters of Environmental Management and Business Administration degrees from Duke University. Her undergraduate work in environmental studies was completed at Trinity College in Hartford, Conn.
Centeral California District 2800 Cottage Way, Sacramento, CA 95825
|Last updated: 11-08-2011
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Incumbent Dave Baker was leading challenger Will Kessi in the race for the Columbia River PUD District 1 spot on the board of directors Tuesday night, according to partial returns.
2012 election
Oregon results:
Baker had 60 votes, or 56 percent, and Kessi had 44, or 41 percent. A write-in candidate earned 2 votes.
Subdivision One covers customers in South Scappoose, Dutch Canyon, Scappoose 2,3 & 4 and East Scappoose.