text:
Younger women are more interested in financial issues than their older counterparts, but lack to confidence to take action on those interests, according to a study from Allianz Life.
As part of its 2013 Women, Power and Money Study, which was conducted in December 2012, Allianz released further data that focuses on the youngest respondents, those between 25 and 34. The report found that those women were more likely than older groups to say they were interested in financial topics like planning and investing, compound interest, market capitalization, debt ratios and bond ratings.
Interestingly, they were significantly more likely to say they were interested in retirement planning. Seventy-seven percent of millennial women said they were interested in retirement planning, compared with 66% of the next most interested group, the 35- to 44-year-olds.
That interest hasn't translated to action, though. Allianz suggested that may be due to younger women lacking the confidence to follow up on their interests.
"In general, women tend to feel less confident," Katie Libbe, vice president of consumer insights for Allianz Life, told ThinkAdvisor on Tuesday. They may wonder, "'Am I even worthy of having a financial advisor? Do I need to have $500,000?' They just lack a lot of confidence, and that comes out a lot more among millennial women because they're just starting out. "
Even among young women who work with a financial advisor — an already low number, as 84% of millennial women say they don't — more than 40% said they don't know what information to ask for.
"Millennial women aren't really using financial professionals, which on the surface might make sense because they may not have that much money, but some advisors are not just in it for the wealth management. They truly are there to help individuals learn how to become better savers and how to begin to put together a better portfolio."
Although almost half of millennial respondents said being single meant they didn't have to do any "serious thinking" about financial planning just yet, 39% of married millennials said they leave investing to their husbands or partners, while they focus on saving.
"I think it's a throwback to that Cinderella perception that someone's going to come along and do it," Libbe said. "Younger women might feel as though men know more about money. As they gain confidence and start taking action, I think what they'll find is, 'You know what? I know just as much about this stuff as my partner does.' I think because they're not engaged yet, they lack confidence so they think somebody else is probably more able in that area."
Libbe noted that there are opportunities for advisors to grow their business if they can reach these investors early.
"Financial advisors, it seems to me, apply the same service model to all their clients, and it may not be cost-effective to do so with a younger clientele. But the millennials, if you get them early and you work with them, they will develop into the next generation of mass affluent clients. You want to get them early because by the time they've accumulated assets, if they're with an advisor, they're not going to switch."
Check out Throw the Bums (Adult Children) Out! on ThinkAdvisor.


text:
- Cover Story
Get Ready for $150 Oil
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The U.S. economy is never completely ready for higher oil prices, which is one reason they take a nasty economic toll when they arrive. But readiness can be enhanced by awareness of the likely outlook for petroleum prices–and the outlook today is relatively grim, although probably not disastrous.
Despite the recent 20% decline from April highs, new highs on crude, heating oil, diesel fuel, jet fuel and gasoline seem likely over the next 12 months. Following some further easing over the summer, the second leg of the long-term bull market in petroleum–the first occurred in 2007-08–probably will begin this fall.
As oil producers' spare capacity gradually declines to worrisome levels, the average monthly price could reach a record $150 per barrel by next spring, with spikes to $165 or $170. With this, $4.50-a-gallon gasoline will become the norm. That will put a huge dent in consumer wallets, while ramping up the desirability of fuel-efficient cars.
The continued short-term easing of oil prices should benefit the economy over the summer, only to exact a much larger payback later. The projected oil shock of spring 2012 will hurt the economic expansion, but not kill it, pruning about 1.5 percentage points from quarterly growth in real gross domestic product.
While painful, this forecast isn't quite as extreme as it might appear. Short-lived price spikes and troughs make for frenzied headlines in newspapers and on the Internet as well as for hysterical talking heads on radio and TV, but what matters for the economy are average prices over at least a few months. Barron's estimates that the effective price of crude was about $110 in this year's second quarter, which just ended. So a projected increase to $150 by the second quarter of next year assumes a rise of $40. Oil is likely to stay at $150 for several months, before the promise of greater supply brings a gradual easing.
The $110 price estimate comes from taking the midpoint between the market price on West Texas Intermediate oil traded on the New York Mercantile Exchange in New York and on Brent crude traded on the Intercontinental Exchange in London. While the recent unusual 10%-15% premium of Brent over WTI, which actually is of higher quality, has puzzled many analysts, those Barron's polled agree that the lower price on WTI is potentially misleading.
According to Credit-Suisse energy analyst Joachim Azria, the U.S. is mainly paying the West Texas Intermediate price, but the cost of gasoline and diesel and jet fuel reflects the higher Brent price. James Hamilton, an economics professor at the University of San Diego, has studied the effect of oil shocks on the economy. He suggests using a midpoint between Brent and WTI to capture the effective price. That's what we've done.
Still, even a $40 rise, to $150, by next spring differs by several country miles from the oil market's own implied price outlook. Last week, futures contracts for June 2012 delivery of WTI crude were trading around $99, while Brent crude for June 2012 delivery was commanding just $112.
Steve Briese, publisher of the Bullish Review of Commodity Insiders newsletter and Website, says that commercial hedgers–who deal in the underlying commodity and thus have lots of professional experience in these matters -- are "overwhelmingly bearish" and are putting their money where their convictions are. They currently have a record net short position on the Nymex futures and options market. Because history shows that the hedgers often have been right, Briese concludes that the "short profit potential is enormous."
While Barron'ssees some short-selling potential this summer, it's not "enormous." And with all due respect to the expertise of the commercial hedgers, even pros can be wrong. We think this is a great buying opportunity for bulls on petroleum.
Cornerstone Analytics oil analyst Michael Rothman, with more than 25 years' experience calling the market, foresees an extended price plateau of $170. In support of his view, Rothman cites a comment made by Nobuo Tanaka, executive director of the International Energy Agency, the Paris-based organization that represents oil-consuming nations. Tanaka spoke on June 23, when the IEA helped cause a selloff in the petroleum market by announcing that 60 million barrels were being released from strategic reserves held by the U.S. and 27 other countries. (For more on the effects of this move, see Commodities Corner column.)
The markets seemed quite impressed by this infusion, even though it amounted to just a little over two-thirds of the nearly 90 million barrels the world consumes each day. At that rate of daily off-take, the total emergency stocks held world-wide, 1.6 billion barrels, come to only about 18 days of supply. Far more important is the ability of producing nations to meet needs, month after month.
The ostensible reason for releasing the 60 million barrels was to help replace the loss of production from war-torn Libya. But Tanaka, who not surprisingly said that he had been in "close consultation" with "major producing countries," also linked the decision to concern about spare capacity within the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries, and especially from its largest producer, Saudi Arabia. While welcoming increased production from this source, he cautioned that it "will take time" to come on line.
Comments Rothman: "Read between the lines. This raises the specter that the Saudis might have a problem raising their output."
The Barron's projection assumes that the Saudis will ramp up output this month, and that prices will continue to ease as a result. Another oil bull, Morgan Stanley's commodity research head Hussein Allidina, sees this only furthering the decline of OPEC's spare capacity to "untenable levels," and especially in the land that Allidina dubs the "kingdom of spare capacity" -- Saudi Arabia.
While Allidina is more cautious than Rothman -- his most bullish scenario projects a Brent average price of about $140 through next year -- their broad concerns are similar. Author of a September 2009 report called "Crude-Oil Balances to Tighten Again by 2012," Allidina foresaw the process by which unused capacity would eventually be reduced to puny levels, sparking higher prices.
THERE ARE FOUR MAIN PLAYERS in the global oil drama.
On the demand side are the nations of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, which includes the U.S., Canada, Japan, Australia, New Zealand and most of Europe. And there are the non-OECD nations, which include India and China, currently in a phase of rapid economic growth.
On the supply side is OPEC, which includes Libya, Iraq and Saudi Arabia, and non-OPEC nations, including Norway, Mexico and the former Soviet Union.
The dynamics of both the first (2007-08) leg of the bull market and the second leg, likely to begin this year, are essentially the same. The thirst for oil by non-OECD nations puts pressure on supply, and the increase in output from non-OPEC producers is inadequate to quench this demand.
Since 2000 -- despite the post-9/11 economic downturn, the global stock-market swoon of the early 2000s, the 2008 financial crisis and the 2008-2009 Great Recession -- global oil consumption has advanced by a yearly average of 1.1 million barrels per day, while non-OPEC output has risen by a yearly average of less than 0.6 million per day. In 2000, non-OECD demand amounted to 37.7%, or a little over a third, of the world's consumption; now, it amounts to 48.5%, or nearly half.
The upswing in demand is adding urgency to concern about the availability, or lack thereof, of spare capacity, technically defined as crude that can be produced on a sustained basis within 30 to 45 days. Perhaps the most important thing to know about spare capacity is that only the OPEC producers have any. The non-OPEC gang is probably already pumping out all it can.
The 2007-08 bull market in oil peaked with an average monthly price of a record $133.40, reached in July 2008, with a short-lived spike, to $147, on July 11. While that oil shock certainly worsened the Great Recession, which struck early in 2008, the economic contraction would have happened anyway, since its main cause was the bursting of the housing bubble.
The causality also went the other way, however. The recessions in the OECD countries, including the U.S., Germany and Japan, meant weakened demand for oil that placed some drag on the uptrend and eventually helped sink the price of petroleum.
The coming second leg of the bull market, in contrast, will be sustained by steady, if modest, economic growth in the OECD world. The consensus estimate from the economists surveyed for the Blue Chip Economic Indicators is for real gross domestic product growth of 3% in the U.S. over the next four quarters, moderate growth in Germany and the U.K. and a resumption of growth in earthquake-ravaged Japan by next year.
Even if Chinese economic expansion slows–a focus of some disagreement among prognosticators -- non-OECD demand should continue to expand faster than demand from OECD countries. Result: The squeeze on spare capacity will be greater than ever before.
WORRIES OVER SPARE CAPACITY have been exacerbated by the civil war in Libya, which has taken 1.5 million barrels a day out of the supply stream. On the other hand, the OPEC meeting that broke up early last month with no formal deal to increase quotas was of no great concern in itself, because OPEC members had been openly exceeding quotas already. More importantly, the Saudis signaled their willingness to boost output from nine million barrels a day to more than 10 million this summer.
Assuming that the Saudis can meet their commitment on a timely basis, OPEC's spare capacity will still continue to decline. Result: higher oil prices.
One reason the U.S. is less susceptible to an oil shock than it used to be is that, for every dollar of nominal GDP, it consumes less oil than it once did.
The top chart on this page -- in which the 2011-12 data are an average of WTI and Brent -- shows that the projected monthly average of $150 per barrel would be a record high, even though all historical prices are adjusted to 2011 dollars. For example, the actual monthly high of $39.50 through April-June 1980 comes to $93.50 in today's dollars, as the chart shows.
But the $150 price peak will not mean peak consumption in the U.S., when measured as a percentage of gross domestic product. As the bottom chart shows, spending on crude accounted for 9.5% of nominal GDP for a few months in 1980. That's substantially higher than the estimated 7% if oil hits $150, as we expect it to.
Why will the toll be lower? One big factor: Since 1980, an even larger share of America's gross domestic product comes from services rather than goods. Producing more services generally requires less energy than making more widgets does. Also, the use of oil in heating and in electricity-generation has greatly declined. In 1980, 56% of all crude purchased in this country powered vehicles (planes, cars, trucks, buses, farm equipment), while today, 70% is used for that purpose, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. In addition, the fuel efficiency of the U.S. ground fleet, measured in total vehicle-miles per gallon, is much higher now than it was 31 years ago. However, given Americans' appetite for SUVs and for cars with six- and eight-cylinder engines, fuel efficiency leveled off in the late 1990s, and has made no progress since then. Underlying this splurge has been complacency over oil prices. As the price chart on this page shows, apart from the brief spike in 1991, post-1980 oil prices were pretty stable for more than 20 years, until the first leg of the bull market began in 2007.
Price punishment of the sort we anticipate next spring could restart serious progress in fuel efficiency. But with new auto sales running at about an 11 million annual rate and the American light-vehicle fleet now numbering about 250 million, significant improvement will take awhile.
The assumed 1.5 point drag on growth from the $40 price hike balances various factors. The main impact would be on the consumer. Because gasoline is a necessity for many people -- they have no alternative to driving to work -- and since it's tough to quickly reduce the amount consumed by very much, funds allocated to it must come from somewhere else. And that somewhere else could be savings or money that otherwise would be spent on clothes, restaurant meals, movies or iPads.
Estimating the consumption effect, Bank of America Merrill Lynch economist Neil Dutta calculates that every $10 price rise normally trims GDP growth by 0.25 of a percentage point, which means $40 lops off a full point. (Of course, the dynamic also goes the other way when prices fall, as will happen this summer, benefiting consumer spending and growth.)
Oil at $150 a barrel would, of course, hurt businesses, too. As the cost of jet fuel soars, airlines will boost fares. That could reduce passenger traffic, leading the companies to cut flights, reducing economic activity. And, as San Diego's Hamilton notes, there is the added risk that companies, anticipating shortfalls in consumer spending, will reduce hiring, causing a multiplier effect that could worsen a bad situation.
Morgan Stanley oil bull Allidina believes the 2012 Brent price that will ration demand is about $130 for his baseline forecast. Oil analyst Michael Rothman sees a two-tiered market: $130 would ration demand in OECD countries, but nothing less than $170 is required for "demand destruction" in non-OECD nations. And $170, as noted earlier, is Rothman's price target.
Barron's believes that non-OECD demand could be more price-sensitive than Rothman assumes. For one thing, a $150 price could motivate governments to delay projects like the building of new roads, which require a lot of oil. For another, there is the stark fact that non-OECD countries are poorer than OECD countries. While it makes some sense that their hunger for "black gold" will motivate them to pay even more for it than their richer counterparts, the lash of $150 crude will decrease their willingness to pay.
IS THE WORLD RUNNING OUT OF OIL? Probably not. Libya can eventually bring 1.5 million barrels back on stream. There is huge potential from Iraq, even greater potential from Saudi Arabia itself -- and closer to home, more supply could come from ending the de facto moratorium on drilling in the Gulf, and from tapping Alaska's wildlife reserve.
Crude at $150 will likely encourage these and other sources of supply, bringing a gradual pullback. But none of this is like to help much by spring 2012. Get ready for higher oil prices.
E-mail: email@example.com

subset: commoncrawl


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Voter age may decide if gay marriage passes in Michigan
Gay marriage expected to be on Michigan's 2016 ballot
DETROIT – It's the worst kept secret in Michigan politics: a gay marriage ballot initiative is on the horizon.
There had been rumblings of getting it up and running for the 2014 election year but now the expectation is 2016, especially after the last set of numbers commissioned by Lambert, Edwards and Associates. Their statewide poll, which asks whether you are in support of overturning Michigan's gay marriage ban or opposed, has some pretty interesting results -- 40 percent of respondents said they support overturning the gay marriage ban but 50 percent are opposed.
T.J. Bucholz, from Lambert, Edwards and Associates said the breakdown shows it's all about age when it comes to this issue.
"In this case we see this breaking down generationally, 18-34 year olds are very much supportive; close to 60 percent want same sex marriage on the ballot. Age 50 and up prefer it to not be on the ballot," he said.
You'll remember that Michigan voters approved a ban on gay marriage back in 2004 by nearly 59 percent. In the last nine years those numbers have been shifting in support of gay marriage but they're not strong enough.
Political operatives will tell you that going into a ballot initiative you need to be polling at least in the mid-50 percent range. According to this latest poll, the numbers in Michigan aren't there yet.
Still, Bucholz believes the issue is coming to a ballot near you.
"I think every political operative, including me, will tell you that this will be on the ballot in 2016."
Copyright 2013 by ClickOnDetroit.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


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Facebook (stylized facebook) is a social networking website founded on a hidden liberal agenda that profits by exploiting personal information in users' profiles, by advertising, and by giving a platform for liberals to open fire on conservative leaders and ideals. Users can spend, or indeed waste, their time on it by uploading pictures (typically of themselves or their pets), by gossiping about others, by talking to friends, by interfering with marriages and personal relationships, and by acting like a busybody. Facebook use is correlated with underachievement in school and disruption of social relationships, such as marriage or friendships.[1] For many young people, Facebook use replaces healthier activities and social gatherings.
Facebook has been the medium of choice for multiple young mass murderers.
"Social networking" is an inaccurate term for the site because Facebook is typically a poor substitute for real social networking. One survey shows that Facebook feeds narcissistic tendencies.[2]
Other studies done have shown that using Facebook is associated with poorer performance in school, plus a substantial percentage of marital problems and an increase in psychological disorders in youth.[3][4] Liberals nevertheless flock to it presumably because it is so unproductive or even counterproductive. Activities on Facebook have caused people to be fired from their jobs or, indeed, rejected from being hired by new employers.
Anybody with an account can create an unlimited amount of unproductive pages, which can then be "liked" by other users who can also post similar items to the page.
Facebook is based in Palo Alto, California. The name of the site is based on the paper facebooks that many colleges give to incoming students, faculty, and staff depicting members of the campus community.[5]
As of the closing of its second business quarter of 2017, Facebook has more than 2 billion registered business and personal accounts, 83 million of which are known fakes.
Zuckerberg was known to call his users "dumb f---s" for trusting him.[6]
Facebook was founded in February 2004 by Harvard sophomores Mark Zuckerberg, Chris Hughes, Dustin Moskovitz, and Eduardo Saverin, with help from Andrew McCollum. By December 2004, after expanding the site to other universities, the number of registered users exceeded one million. In August 2005 Facebook obtained the domain name Facebook.com and dropped the "the" from the site's name.
A feature film was made about the origins of Facebook, called The Social Network, and the mainstream media heavily advertised it. The film did not meet expectations at the Academy Awards and was number one in America for only a few weeks. Mark Zuckerberg was not involved in the creation of film and said that it was more Hollywood storytelling than reality.
It has been known among Silicon Valley technology companies that Facebook has been luring away Google employees to the extent that Google is now offering bonuses for staying with the company. On October 15, 2010, Facebook announced the release of a new email client. Internally referred to as Titan, the media has dubbed it a "Gmail Killer". Zuckerberg insists it is not a head-to-head competitor of Google's Gmail service; rather, it will be more of an instant messaging service.[7]
Liberal policies
The world's largest online social network considers itself LGBTQQIAAAPPK friendly and added civil unions and domestic partnerships to the list of relationships that its users can pick from to best describe their romantic status. The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation had lobbied for the policy adoption. The option is only available to Facebook users in the U.S., Canada, the U.K., France and Australia.[8]
Facebook takes the extremist liberal view that gender is more than just male and female. Users can choose 58 types of custom genders as of last count to identify from.[9]
Political influence
Facebook has a large political influence because of its size.[10]
Zuckerberg has involved himself in politics in the 2016 presidential race. He has publicly called out positions held by Donald Trump as wrong. Facebook employees have asked if they should try to stop a Trump presidency.[11]
Facebook has declared it will never use its product to influence how people on the platform vote.[12]
In 2012, Facebook developed a tool called 'voter megaphone' raising questions about its use and ability to influence elections. Facebook secretly tampered with 1.9 million user's news feeds.
Facebook tampered with news feeds in 2010 during a 61-million-person experiment to see how Facebook could impact the real-world voting behavior of millions of people.[13]
98% of political donations from Facebook employees went to Barack Obama in the 2008 presidential election.[14]
Facebook banned political pages in an attempt to influence elections.[15]
Christian Presence
Liberal pages aside, the presence of Christianity on Facebook is overwhelming. A quick and simple search reveals that the main Christianity page has more members than all the atheist pages combined.
Conservative Groupings
While liberalism appears to be the dominant political agenda behind Facebook's staff, this has not stopped conservative groups and pages forming. The Conservative Party as well as the Tea Party Movement have created pages. A search of the pages reveals that, when comparing the "likes" system on Facebook, both the Tea Party and the Tea Party Patriots dominate more liberal pages such as "Gay Marriage USA" and even the political ideology page "Liberal".
Censorship and harassment by Facebook
Ongoing censorship and harassment by Facebook are documented at facebookcensorship.com with screenshots. Also documented is the wholesale destruction of groups that took some people years to build by Facebook's deleting all of the members. Facebook then deleted the discussion areas from "pages" to further their control and censorship. Despite its censorship, some left-wing activists claim that Facebook has not gone far enough in censoring opposing viewpoints.[16]
Facebook temporarily banned Fox News reporter Todd Starnes for not being a liberal, giving the reason that his "politically incorrect" post violated community guidelines.[17] Facebook has censored other conservatives,[18] including the conservative news organization Voice of Europe simply for reporting on conservative opposition to immigration and Islam in Europe, political points of view Facebook deems "offensive."[19] In April 2018, Facebook blocked conservative activist Pamela Geller after she posted an Associated Press article on Muslim anti-Semitism in Germany, though the organization later lifted the block.[20] In June 2018, it permanently banned Generation Identity, an identitarian movement that seeks to uphold Europe's traditional culture, due to "extremist content."[21]
In early 2018, following the revelation that the now-defunct data mining firm Cambridge Analytica had inappropriately acquired about 50 million users' personal information around the time of the 2016 U.S. presidential election, Facebook changed its algorithm, aiming to resolve countless privacy issues. However, this also resulted in conservative media sources being disfavored by the site compared to mainstream media sources.[22]
Studies have found that Facebook, among other social media platforms, engage in censorship.[23]
Facebook banned several people whose views it opposed, labeling them "dangerous," even though they did not violate the site's terms[24] – Facebook continued allowing actual left-wing hate speech to go unpunished, however.[25] Facebook favored mainstream media sources over the conservative media.[26] In May 2019, Facebook censored Michelle Malkin for speaking out against censorship.[27] The company also created a list of conservatives it considered potential "hate agents."[28] Among other examples, Facebook censored a quote by Saint Augustine as "hate speech,"[29] and it censored a John Birch Society article on the U.S. immigration crisis as "hate speech" simply because its title read "Immigrant Invasion."[30]
In July 2019, Facebook adopted rules explicitly allowing violent threats against people it deemed "dangerous individuals."[31]
To Facebook's credit, it did not censor a 2020 Trump campaign ad that the fake news site CNN refused to run about the Biden-Ukraine scandal during the Democrats 2019 alleged "impeachment inquiry".[32]
Privacy issues
Facebook's Privacy Policy is continuously changing. This is not for the benefit of the users but to the monetary value they represent to advertisers. Due to the size of Facebook, all kinds of data on users' habits are monitored. In fact, the U.S. government can peek at user's lives behind the scenes if it so chooses.[33][34] Facebook claims your personal information is not for sale. They make the case that it is anonymously collected data, thereby protecting your privacy. Third parties develop applications to run on top of Facebook. Users' privacy is effectively in the hands of unknown organizations. The below examples include what information is on display by every user.
- The first 6 months of 2013, Facebook shared personal data with the U.S. Government about 39,000 Facebook users.[35]
- The NSA paid several tech companies, including Facebook, millions of dollars to cover the cost of spying on Americans.[36]
- 6 million Facebook members had their data exposed after management found a glitch that inadvertently shared personal contact details with other members.[37]
- Many users post their full address, e-mail address, birthday, and telephone number, and these can be available to their entire network (and, in reality, anyone with the ability to use a computer with Internet access). This information in the wrong hands can be used for purposes of phishing, stalking, or even identity theft.
- Some universities have begun to use students' pages to investigate underage drinking and other violations of university policy. This is very possible, since university faculty and staff can sign up for the same network as their students through their campus e-mail account.[38]
- The so-called "news feed" has aroused some discomfort among Facebook users, as it displays all changes and status updates from their friends by default.
- The "wall" feature allows a user to post a message to another user which remains on their profile page. This posting is viewable to everyone who can view the page (which is pretty much the entire world), and shows up on the news feed for all friends of both the sender and the recipient by default.
- As with Google ads, Facebook collects profile information, and places ads on the page that reflect the user's personal information. This resulted in one man logging into his Facebook account, and seeing his wife's photograph appear in an advertisement for a dating website.[39]
- The privacy settings on Facebook give users a false sense of security and encourage people to post valuable personal information that could be used for malicious ends. As with other social networks, Facebook refuses to admit that its privacy settings that apparently allow only "friends" to see certain information are completely bogus and can easily be cracked by people with little to no hacking experience. Instead, Facebook actually encourages young users to only allow "friends" to see certain information, rather than just warning them that what they post can be seen by the world and to not post what they wouldn't want people to see.[40]
- In early 2018, it was revealed that the now-defunct data mining firm Cambridge Analytica had inappropriately acquired about 50 million users' personal information around the time of the 2016 U.S. presidential election. Zuckerberg testified before Congress and announced that he would change Facebook's algorithm, aiming to resolve countless privacy issues.
As a free service, it is reasonable to say that the users of Facebook are the product, rather than the consumers. As Andrew Lewis is credited with saying, "If you are not paying for it, you're not the customer; you're the product being sold." This concept is not new, but it is still valid even though it was originally introduced in reference to television.[41] Information is valuable to advertisers, since they can use it in targeted marketing. Facebook, like other social media services, makes use of the personal information provided to users to sell advertisements.
Initial monetary value
It is rumored that Facebook generates around $1 million per week in revenue.[42] In September 2006, Yahoo began talks to acquire Facebook for as high as $1 billion. In October, Google allegedly offered $2.3 billion.[43] All outside offers have been rejected. 2009 estimates put a net value of $6.5 billion.[44] 2010 estimates of the privately held company put the value at $14 billion.[45]
In 2011, Goldman Sachs invested $500 million in Facebook. JPMorgan Chase, Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley was put in charge of an initial public offering of Facebook stock in 2012. The company went public at $38-per-share IPO price valued Facebook at $104 billion.[46] As of August 2012, the company was trading down at $20 per share, a loss of $50 billion in value. As of January 2013, the stock rebounded slightly and is trading at $30 per share, however this still represents a loss of $25 billion in value. It is now possible to message the founder, Mark Zuckerberg, for approximately $100.[47]
As tech stocks vastly increased in value in the mid-2010s, however, so did Facebook. It gained hundreds of billions of dollars in market capitalization as investors shifted from low-interest bonds into the NASDAQ.
See also
- Social media
- MySpace
- Google+
- Gab.ai (conservative alternative to twitter)
- Donald Trump and social media
- ↑ Does Facebook make you more dumb?
- ↑ Survey Says Facebook Feeds Narcissism
- ↑ Facebook is the new cause of divorce, The Tech Journal, December 23, 2009
- ↑ Facebook Linked To Psychological Disorders In Teens
- ↑ https://twitter.com/defendassange/status/977324471215378432
- ↑ E-MAIL WAR: Facebook Launches 'Gmail Killer' -- AOL Jumps In, Too, FOX News, November 15, 2010
- ↑ Facebook Adds Support for Same-Sex Civil Unions, Fox News, February 18, 2011
- ↑ Here's a List of 58 Gender Options for Facebook Users, ABCNews, February 13, 2014
- ↑ Bokhari, Allum (November 27, 2019). Bokhari: How Zuckerberg Became America's (Unappointed) Editor-in-Chief. Breitbart News. Retrieved November 27, 2019.
- ↑ Facebook Employees Asked Mark Zuckerberg If They Should Try to Stop a Donald Trump Presidency, Gizmodo, April 15, 2016
- ↑ Facebook Says it Doesn't Try to Influence How People Vote, Gizmodo, April 15, 2016
- ↑ A 61-million-person experiment in social influence and political mobilization
- ↑ Facebook – self appointed arbiter of "free speech" – tells Tea Party no more organizing, Before It's News, June 2, 2011
- ↑ Duke, Selwyn (May 15, 2019). Big Tech Tyranny: Facebook Is at It Again, Trying to Sway an Election. The New American. Retrieved May 15, 2019.
- ↑ Wolfgang, Ben (April 22, 2018). Thumbs down: Facebook's hate speech and censorship policies no easy fix. The Washington Times. Retrieved April 23, 2018.
- ↑ Fascist Facebook bans Fox reporter Todd Starnes, FireAndreamitchell.com, June 29, 2013
- ↑ Ciaccia, Chris (April 9, 2018). Facebook reconsiders 'unsafe for community' tag on pro-Trump Diamond and Silk videos after Fox & Friends appearance. Fox News. Retrieved April 9, 2018.
- ↑ Williams, Thomas D. (April 9, 2018). Facebook Punishes Conservative News Site for Criticizing Mass Migration. Breitbart News. Retrieved April 9, 2018.
- ↑ Bokhari, Allum (April 27, 2018). Facebook Blocks Pamela Geller (Again!) for Reporting on Muslim Anti-Semitism in Germany. Breitbart News. Retrieved April 28, 2018.
- ↑ Tomlinson, Chris (June 24, 2018). Censorship: Entire European Identitarian Movement Permanently Banned From Facebook. Breitbart News. Retrieved June 24, 2018.
- ↑ Bokhari, Allum (April 9, 2018). Report: Establishment Media Soaring on Facebook, Conservative Media in Decline Following Algorithm Change. Breitbart News. Retrieved April 9, 2018.
- ↑ Haverluck, Michael F. (March 16, 2018). Facebook algorithm kills conservative news feeds, boosts left's. OneNewsNow. Retrieved August 28, 2018.
See also:
- Duke, Selwyn (August 28, 2018). Google Is Not a Search Engine; Twitter and Facebook Aren't Social Media. The New American. Retrieved August 28, 2018.
- ↑ Multiple references:
- Murphy, James (May 3, 2019). War on Free Speech: Facebook Bans People It Considers "Dangerous". The New American. Retrieved May 3, 2019.
- Nolan, Lucas (May 2, 2019). Facebook Blacklists Prominent Conservatives Including Paul Joseph Watson, Laura Loomer. Breitbart News. Retrieved May 3, 2019.
- Nolan, Lucas (May 3, 2019). Facebook Falsely Brands Non-Violent Users 'Dangerous' to Justify Un-Personing. Breitbart News. Retrieved May 3, 2019.
- Freiburger, Calvin (May 3, 2019). Facebook announces drastic new bans on right-wing media figures it deems 'dangerous individuals'. LifeSiteNews. Retrieved May 4, 2019.
- Tucker: Big tech has launched an attack on your rights. Fox News Video. May 3, 2019. Retrieved May 4, 2019.
- Facebook cracks down on 'controversial' people, but are they infringing upon free speech? Fox News Video. May 3, 2019. Retrieved May 4, 2019.
- Freiburger, Calvin (May 3, 2019). Facebook's link-banning decree more 'terrifying' than 'dangerous individuals' ban, tech expert warns. LifeSiteNews. Retrieved May 4, 2019.
- Nolte, John (May 3, 2019). Nolte: If You're Not Defending Louis Farrakhan and Alex Jones, You're Doing Free Speech Wrong. Breitbart News. Retrieved May 3, 2019.
- Ciccotta, Tom (May 3, 2019). Never Trumpers and Leftists Praise Facebook's Blacklisting of Conservatives. Breitbart News. Retrieved May 3, 2019.
- ↑ Multiple references:
- Nolan, Lucas (May 3, 2019). Facebook Bans 'Dangerous' Conservative Figures but Continues to Allow Leftist Calls for Violence. Breitbart News. Retrieved May 3, 2019.
- Freiburger, Calvin (May 3, 2019). Facebook allows left-wing page to fantasize about Pres. Trump assassination, funeral. LifeSiteNews. Retrieved May 4, 2019.
- ↑ Clabough, Raven (May 8, 2019). Facebook's "Click-Gap" System Favors Establishment Media Over Alternative Media. The New American. Retrieved May 8, 2019.
- ↑ Bokhari Allum (May 10, 2019). Michelle Malkin Censored on Facebook for Opposing Censorship. Breitbart News. Retrieved May 10, 2019.
- ↑ Freiburger, Calvin (May 22, 2019). Revealed: Facebook keeps list of conservatives deemed potential 'hate agents'. LifeSiteNews. Retrieved May 22, 2019.
- ↑ Mclean, Dorothy Cummings (July 15, 2019). Facebook bans Saint Augustine quote as 'hate speech'. LifeSiteNews. Retrieved July 15, 2019.
- ↑ Miguel, Luis (July 16, 2019). Facebook Slaps John Birch Society With "Hate Speech" Violation Over Immigration Post. The New American. Retrieved July 16, 2019.
- ↑ Bokhari, Allum (July 9, 2019). Facebook Sanctions Violent Threats Against 'Dangerous Individuals'. Breitbart News. Retrieved July 14, 2019.
- ↑ https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/464970-facebook-rejects-biden-request-to-remove-trump-ad-on-ukraine
- ↑ 13-Year-Old Boy Questioned by Secret Service Over Facebook Posting, Fox News, May 17, 2011
- ↑ Feds mine Facebook for info, STLToday.com, April 25, 2011
- ↑ JUST PEACHY: Facebook shared personal data of users a mere 26 thousand times in the first six months of 2013, Doug Ross, August 27, 2013
- ↑ NSA paid millions to cover Prism compliance costs for tech companies, The Guardian, Augist 22, 2013
- ↑ Facebook bug exposed contact info of 6M users, CNET.com June 21st, 2013
- ↑ Facebook on allexperts.com
- ↑ [1] Husband finds wife in facebook singles ad
- ↑ This is why only a fool would trust any social networking platform to keep any information private
- ↑ [2]
- ↑ "Facebook goes beyond college and high school markets"
- ↑ "First Youtube, Now Facebook: Rumors Circulate"
- ↑ Facebook stock trading open; valuation $6.5 billion CNET News, July 13, 2009
- ↑ Facebook Valued At $14 Billion On SecondMarket, TechCrunch.com, January 20, 2010
- ↑ Insight: Morgan Stanley cut Facebook estimates just before IPO, Reuters.com, May 22, 2012
- ↑ Facebook charging $100 to send a message to founder Mark Zuckerberg
External links
- Israel Project Video: Is Facebook Biased?
- The increasing amount of personal information that can been gleaned by computer programs that track how people use Facebook
- Chris Hughes married his partner Sean Eldridge. The homosexual co-founder of Facebook.
- Political and religious censorship and harassment by Facebook


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Hinckley, ME – The Foundation for Maine's Community Colleges has been awarded $150,000 from the Elmina B. Sewall Foundation of Freeport to support infrastructure development necessary to launch an education hub for agricultural sciences at Kennebec Valley Community College (KVCC).
KVCC is locating its Sustainable Maine Agriculture Resource and Technology (SMART) Hub on a 120-acre farming section of the new 600-acre Harold Alfond campus in Hinckley – the site of the former Good Will Farm that has lain fallow for over a decade.
The grant funds will be used to renovate a landmark barn structure not only to safely and efficiently store farm equipment and supplies, but also to be used in part as a field-based classroom and technology-enhanced laboratory space.
Students are now being admitted to a newly-created two-year Associate of Applied Science degree program in sustainable agriculture; classes will begin at KVCC on August 26. The program will be the first of its kind in Maine, and the first academic program to be based at the Alfond campus.
KVCC's 120-acre SMART Hub will be developed as a regional and statewide academic and technical cluster dedicated agricultural sciences education, including 20 acres of tillable sustainable fields, 90 acres of pastureland and hayfields, a farm pond, barn structures, as well as classroom and laboratory space.
The sustainable agriculture program will be followed by other complementary and innovative degree and certificate programs with a sustainable farm-to-table focus. The new KVCC Center for Farm-to-Table Innovation is slated for construction this coming academic year. This new KVCC campus in Hinckley provides an ideal environment for dynamic learning in sustainable agriculture, food processing, food security, place-based culinary arts production, renewable energy applications, business entrepreneurship, and early childhood education related to wellness and healthy living.
Agriculture has an estimated $1.7 billion impact on the Maine economy, and the state is at the forefront of the nation's vibrant organic, artisanal, and locally grown food movements. KVCC's expanded campus will strengthen Maine's growing food-based economy and provide a working laboratory for Maine farmers, entrepreneurs, educators, and students of all ages.
In spite of the central importance of agriculture to the Maine economy and its significant growth potential, until now the state has lacked a two-year degree program in agricultural sciences to prepare the next generation of skilled workers for this growing sector of the economy.
As the Maine agriculture industry evolves, its growth and sustainability will be dependent on a skilled and entrepreneurial workforce, one familiar with innovative farming techniques, sophisticated marketing approaches, and in-depth knowledge of food safety, security, and health.
This latest addition to KVCC will also offer unique new opportunities for the College to further engage with local businesses and the community.
"These are exciting times at KVCC and in Maine's sustainable agricultural scene thanks to the generosity of individuals, regional businesses, and foundations such as the Sewall Foundation," KVCC President Richard Hopper said.
To learn more about the new sustainable agriculture program and how to register, contact the Admissions Department at KVCC at 453-5035 or email: email@example.com.
More on the program is also available online at: http://www.kvcc.me.edu/Pages/Public-Relations/Sustainable-Agriculture-promotion-page.
The Elmina B. Sewall Foundation was established by Mrs. Elmina Brewster Sewall of Kennebunk in 1982. The Foundation strives to enhance the quality of life for those in Maine through conservation of the natural environment and support for the well-being of animals and humans. The Sewall Foundation seeks to inspire the generosity of others and empower those who share its vision to work together for healthy, vibrant communities.
The Foundation for Maine's Community Colleges is dedicated to ensuring that the state's seven community colleges have the resources they need to provide a high quality, affordable, and accessible college education for Maine people.
For more information on the Foundation, go to www.maineccfoundation.org.
Kennebec Valley Community College is one of seven community colleges in Maine. KVCC prepares full-time and part-time students to enter the job market, to transfer to colleges and universities, and to achieve their professional and personal goals. Programs and services support the economic growth of the community in response to changing needs.
In 2011 and again in 2012, KVCC was named one of the top community colleges in the nation by the Aspen Institute, placing in the top 10 percent of two-year colleges based on student success rates.
To learn more about KVCC, go to www.kvcc.me.edu.


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Two members of the Bach family are only about 50 miles apart, but that can be a long distance in Iraq. They got together for a brief reunion over the summer.
1Lt Clark Neal, the son of the former Mary Bach, is in the Active Army Reserve as a combat engineer. He went with his unit, the 926th Engineering Brigade, from Montgomery, Ala., to Iraq in April 2008.
Clark serves as aide-de-camp to the unit commander, Brigadier General Jeffrey Talley, at Camp Liberty in Baghdad.
Clark's unit is engaged in rebuilding Sadr City with repairs to schools, medical clinics, sewage treatment facilities, etc.
Gena Sproul, daughter of Jerry and Lucy Bach of Morenci, is a Chief Yeoman with the Navy Seabees (Reserve). Her Pennsylvania unit was sent to Balad in June 2008.
Last summer Clark accompanied Gen. Talley on a helicopter ride to Balad for a ceremony and Gena was in charge of the welcoming committee. The aunt and nephew were able to spend a few hours together before the general headed back to Baghdad.
Clark's mother, Mary, said both soldiers keep in touch with family members fairly regularly. Gena is able to telephone for free, although there is a time limit. Clark uses a phone card.
"Reception is pretty good with a lag time of only a few seconds," Mary said. "The time difference for e-mail is roughly seven hours, so when it is 3:00 p.m. EST they are (hopefully) in bed."
She said that 12 to 16 hour days are typical for support staff and they are required to wear their weapon and carry a lot of the gear that those "outside the fence" are required to carry.


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The Guggenheim and Google SketchUp invited amateur and professional designers from around the world to submit a 3-D shelter for any location in the world using Google SketchUp and Google Earth. Over the course of the summer, nearly 600 contestants from 68 different countries submitted designs that met the competition requirements.
The winners for the People's Prize and the Juried Prize have now been announced. Congratulations to David Mares of Setúbal, Portugal, winner of the People's Prize for CBS – Cork Block Shelter; and David Eltang, hailing from Aarhus, Denmark, winner of the Juried Prize for his design, SeaShelter!
SeaShelter is situated in the Wadden-sea, a unique coastline, with shallow water but tides of 1-3 meters and exposed seabed at low tide. It is habitat for a variety of birds and seals. SeaShelter offers opportunity to stay in the Wadden-sea even at high tide, and opportunity to discover wildlife and seabed when flooded. Interior Workspace: Horizontal view, 'Tidal Stair': Sea-level view, 'Observation and resting Tower': Non-flooded panoramic view.
CBS is located at Vale dos Barris. It was designed to be an ecological and living block. In a microclimate that ranges from the dry heat to damp cold, the application of cork is a good way of thermally isolating the shelter and also providing acoustic insulation for study/sleep. The dynamic facade gives visual interaction when in living-studying mode; in rest-sleep mode it closes to provide privacy for its occupant.


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You are currently reviewing an older revision of this page.
A summary of this ICTV Report chapter has been published as an ICTV Virus Taxonomy Profile article in the Journal of General Virology, and should be cited when referencing this online chapter as follows:
Thompson, J.R., Dasgupta, I., Fuchs, M., Iwanami, T., Karasev, A.V., Petrzik, K., Sanfaçon, H., Tzanetakis, I. E., van der Vlugt, R., Wetzel, T., Yoshikawa, N., and ICTV Report Consortium. 2017, ICTV Virus Taxonomy Profile: Secoviridae, Journal of General Virology, 98, 529–531.
Members of the family Secoviridae are non-enveloped viruses with mono- or bipartite (RNA-1 and RNA-2) linear positive-sense ssRNA genomes with the size of the RNAs combined ranging from 9 to 13.7 kilobases. They are related to picornaviruses and are classified in the order Picornavirales. The majority of known members infect dicotyledonous plants and many are important plant pathogens (e.g. grapevine fanleaf virus and rice tungro spherical virus).
Table 1.Secoviridae. Characteristics of the family Secoviridae
Typical member
cowpea mosaic virus, (RNA-1: X00206; RNA-2: X00729), species Cowpea mosaic virus, genus Comovirus
Non-enveloped 25-30 nm in diameter with icosahedral symmetry
9 to 13.7kb of positive-sense, mono- or bipartite RNA
In association with intracellular membranes derived from the endoplasmic reticulum
Directly from genomic RNA as large polyproteins, which are cleaved by 3C-like proteinases
Host range
Plants (mainly dicots), transmitted mainly by insects or nematodes. Some seed transmission demonstrated
In the order Picornavirales, family includes 1 subfamily with 3 genera, 5 additional genera and more than 70 species
Comovirus - (subfamily Comovirinae). Bipartite genome. Comoviruses usually have narrow host ranges. Mosaic and mottle symptoms are characteristic. Transmission in nature is exclusively by beetles, especially members of the family Chrysomelidae. Beetles retain their ability to transmit virus for days or weeks.
Fabavirus - (subfamily Comovirinae). Bipartite genome. Fabaviruses have wide host ranges among dicotyledonous and some families of monocotyledonous plants. Symptoms are typically ringspots, mottling and wilting. In nature, they are transmitted by aphids in a non-persistent manner.
Nepovirus - (subfamily Comovirinae). Bipartite genome. The genus consists of >35 species that are widely distributed in temperate regions. Ringspot symptoms are characteristic. Many nepoviruses are transmitted non-persistently by longidorid nematodes. Seed and/or pollen transmission are also common. In herbaceous plants, the symptoms induced are often transient with a so-called "recovery" phenomenon.
Cheravirus. Bipartite genome. Symptoms are usually mild or absent. Cherry rasp leaf virus is transmitted by nematodes in the field.
Sadwavirus. Includes a single bipartite species, Satsuma dwarf virus, members of which have a wide host range. The natural mode of transmission is unknown.
Torradovirus. Bipartite genome. The torradovirus genome contains an open reading frame (ORF) upstream and partially overlapping the large ORF2 in RNA-2. Some torradoviruses are known to be transmitted by whiteflies in a semi-persistent manner, one torradovirus was demonstrated to be transmitted by aphids.
Sequivirus. Monopartite genome. The natural host range of sequiviruses includes plants in several families. Transmission is by aphids in a semi-persistent manner. However, it is dependent on the presence of a helper virus in the genus Waikavirus.
Waikavirus. Monopartite genome. The natural host range of waikaviruses is usually restricted to plants within a few families. Field transmission is semi-persistent by aphids or leafhoppers. Some waikaviruses are helper viruses for the insect transmission of other viruses, for example, rice tungro spherical virus is the helper virus for rice tungro bacilliform virus (family Caulimoviridae).
Unassigned. Bipartite genome. The species Strawberry mottle virus, Black raspberry virus and Chocolate lily virus A are unassigned in the family but members form a divergent monophyletic group with isolates of Satsuma dwarf virus in phylogenetic trees using the conserved Pro-Pol region. The nature of their capsid protein(s) and their genomic organization are not known. The genome organization of strawberry latent ringspot virus is more related to that of cheraviruses (with the exception of the number of CPs) and it groups more closely with cheraviruses than with sadwaviruses in the phylogenetic trees using the Pro-Pol sequence.
Virions are non-enveloped 25-30 nm in diameter and exhibit icosahedral symmetry (T=1, pseudo T=3, Figure 1.Secoviridae). Many virus preparations contain empty particles. In the case of viruses with a bipartite genome, the two RNAs are encapsidated in separate virions.
Figure 1.Secoviridae. (Top left): Molecular rendering of the cowpea mosaic virus particle. (Top central): Diagrammatic representation of a T=1 lattice. A=Small capsid protein, B=C-terminal domain of the large capsid protein and C=N-terminal domain of the large capsid protein. (Top right): Molecular rendering of the red clover mottle virus particle. (Center): Diagram of the three types of comovirus particles with the B-particle containing one molecule of RNA-1, the M-particle containing one molecule of RNA-2 and the T-particle being empty. (Bottom): Negative contrast electron micrograph of particles of cowpea mosaic virus. The bar represents 100 nm.
Different classes of virions are distinguished according to their buoyant densities (top, middle and bottom components, also termed T, M and B, (Figure 1.Secoviridae). The main virions (M and B components) contain RNA. Viruses belonging to the genera Sequivirus and Waikavirus, which have a single large monopartite genome, sediment with S20W values of 150-190S. For viruses with a bipartite genome, virions containing RNA-1 (B component) sediment at 110-135S. Virions containing RNA-2 (M component) sediment at 84-128S and contain one or two molecules of RNA-2. In cases where the size of RNA-1 and RNA-2 are similar, the M and B components may be difficult to separate. Empty shells (T component) sediment with S20W values of 49-63S depending on the virus considered.
The genome consists of one or two molecules of linear positive-sense ssRNA. The size of RNA(s) differs among genera (Table 2). The genomic RNA(s) contain a 3ʹ-terminal poly(A) tract of variable length. The only known exception is the genomic RNA of a sequivirus (parsnip yellow fleck virus), which is apparently not poly-adenylated. For several comoviruses, nepoviruses and for strawberry latent ringspot virus, a protein, designated VPg (2-4 kDa) has been shown to be covalently bound at the 5ʹ end. The presence of a 5ʹ-linked VPg has not been confirmed for other genera but has been suggested because in many cases, infectivity of the RNA(s) has been shown to be protease-sensitive.
Table 2.Secoviridae. Sizes of the genomes (nt) of representative viruses in the family Secoviridae.
cowpea mosaic virus
broad bean wilt virus 2-ME
grapevine fanleaf virus-F13 (Subgroup A)
beet ringspot virus-S (Subgroup B)
Tomato ringspot virus-Raspberry (Subgroup C)
cherry rasp leaf virus-USA
satsuma dwarf virus-S58
tomato torrado virus-PRI-0301
parsnip yellow fleck virus-P121
rice tungro spherical virus-Shen
Unassigned species in the family
strawberry latent ringspot virus-MEN 454
strawberry mottle virus-Thompson
black raspberry necrosis virus-BRDaV-1
Nepoviruses have a single coat protein (CP) of 52-60 kDa. Comoviruses, fabaviruses, sadwaviruses and strawberry latent ringspot virus have two CPs of 40-45 kDa and 21-29 kDa. Cheraviruses, torradoviruses, sequiviruses and waikaviruses have three CPs of similar sizes (24-35 kDa, 20-26 kDa and 20-25 kDa). The size and number of the CP(s) of viruses from three unassigned species of the family (Strawberry mottle virus, Black raspberry necrosis virus and Chocolate lily virus A) have not been determined yet. Virions have 60 copies of each CP per particle. For three comoviruses (cowpea mosaic virus, bean pod mottle virus and red clover mottle virus) and three nepoviruses (tobacco ringspot virus, grapevine fanleaf virus and arabis mosaic virus), the atomic structure has been solved and found to be very similar (pseudo T=3) to that of viruses belonging to the family Picornaviridae (Chandrasekar and Johnson 1998, Schellenberger et al., 2011, Lai-Kee-Him et al., 2013, Lin et al., 2000, Chen et al., 1989). Each capsid subunit is made of three beta-barrels (jelly roll domains) that can be present in one large CP with three jelly roll domains (Nepovirus), two CPs (one large CP including two jelly roll domains and one smaller CP with a single jelly roll domain; Comovirus, Fabavirus and Sadwavirus and strawberry latent ringspot virus) or three CPs each containing a single jelly roll domain (Cheravirus, Torradovirus, Sequivirus, Waikavirus) (Figure 2.Secoviridae).
Figure 2.Secoviridae.. Architecture of the capsid of members of the family Secoviridae. In sequiviruses, waikaviruses, cheraviruses and torradoviruses, each subunit is composed of three separate small coat proteins (CPs) each containing a single beta-barrel domain (VP1-VP3, top). In comoviruses, fabaviruses and sadwaviruses, the three beta-barrels are present in two CPs (VPL with two barrels and VPS with a single barrel, middle). In nepoviruses, the single CP is folded in three barrels (bottom).
Unfractionated viral RNA is highly infective. In the case of viruses with a bipartite genome, neither RNA species alone can infect plants systemically. RNA-1 carries all the information required for replication and can replicate in individual cells in the absence of RNA-2 although no virus particles are produced (as demonstrated for comoviruses and nepoviruses).
Viral proteins are usually expressed as large polyproteins, which are cleaved by 3C-like proteinases. Each RNA usually encodes a single polyprotein (Figure 3.Secoviridae). A notable exception is the RNA-2 of torradoviruses, which contains two ORFs. Another exception is the RNA-2 of comoviruses. Although a single large ORF is present, internal initiation at a second AUG allows the formation of two distinct polyproteins. In some cases, extensive regions of sequence identity between RNA-1 and RNA-2 are found in the 5ʹ and/or 3ʹ untranslated regions (UTRs) (Figure 3.Secoviridae).
Figure 3.Secoviridae. Genome organization of representative members of the family Secoviridae. Each RNA is shown with the ORFs represented with the boxes. Circles depict VPg molecules covalently attached at the 5′ end of the RNAs. Black circles represent VPgs confirmed experimentally and open circles represent putative VPgs. Poly(A) tails are represented at the 3′ end of the RNAs when present [A(n)]. Red and blue arrows above the sequences represent regions of extensive sequence identity between RNAs 1 and 2. In the latter for torradoviruses this identity is also characterized by conserved indels. Protein domains with conserved motifs for the putative NTP-binding protein (NTB, shown in orange), VPg (purple), proteinase (Pro, yellow), RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (Pol, red), movement protein (MP, green) and coat protein(s) (CP, blue) are shown. The star represents a conserved motif found in the Co-Pro (see comovirus section) protein of comoviruses and in the equivalent protein of other viruses. Proteinase cleavage sites identified experimentally or deduced by sequence comparisons are shown by the solid or dotted vertical lines, respectively. Possible ORFs in the genome of waikaviruses are shown with the dotted squares and putative subgenomic RNAs are shown by dotted arrows below the waikavirus genome. The hatched square for unassigned viruses represents the presence of a variable additional sequence at the C-terminus of the polyprotein. The Nepovirus genus can be divided into subgroups (Sg A, B, C) based on sequence and genome organization.
Within the polyproteins, protein domains are organized in a manner common to that of other members of the order Picornavirales (Figure 3.Secoviridae). The replication block contains domains characteristic of NTP-binding proteins (NTB or putative helicase), 3C-like proteinase (Pro) and RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (Pol). In viruses with a monopartite genome, the structural proteins are located upstream of the replication block in the single polyprotein. In viruses with a bipartite genome, structural proteins are contained in the RNA-2-encoded polyprotein. In comoviruses, cheraviruses and nepoviruses, the movement protein is located upstream of the CP(s), and enables viral movement to adjacent cells. Both movement protein and CP(s) are required for cell-to-cell movement of the virus. The movement protein of comoviruses and nepoviruses was shown to be a structural component of tubular structures that traverse the cell wall and contain virus-like particles (Laporte et al., 2003, Pouwels et al., 2004). Putative movement proteins have been suggested to be encoded upstream of the CP(s) coding regions for many other viruses in the family but their biological function has not been confirmed.
The RNA-1-encoded 3C proteinase cleaves both RNA-1 and RNA-2-encoded polyproteins. The cleavage site specificity of the proteinase differs with the specific genera (and in the case of nepoviruses it differs with the specific subgroup, Table 3) (Wellink and van Kammen 1988, Gorbalenya et al., 1989, Margis and Pinck 1992, Thole and Hull 1998, Carrier et al., 1999, Ferriol et al., 2016). An amino acid in the substrate-binding pocket of the proteinase interacts directly with the amino acid in the -1 position of the cleavage site and plays a key role in the specificity of the proteinase.
Table 3.Secoviridae. Cleavage site specificity of the 3C-like proteinase of viruses in the family Secoviridae
Proteinase substrate binding pocket*
Dipeptide at cleavage site†
Subgroup A
Subgroup B
Subgroup C
Unassigned species in the family
Strawberry latent ringspot virus
Strawberry mottle virus and Black raspberry necrosis virus
Virus preparations are usually good immunogens and polyclonal antibodies prepared against purified virus particles recognize all CPs. Viruses of species belonging to the same genus can be serologically interrelated, but often distantly.
All members of the family infect plants. Host range and symptoms vary with the genera and viruses considered (Table 4). Many viruses in the family have a known biological vector, although some (sequiviruses) require a helper virus and others do not have a known vector. Most viruses are transmissible experimentally by mechanical inoculation. However, waikaviruses are not known to be sap-transmissible. Many viruses are readily transmissible by seed or pollen.
Table 4.Secoviridae. Biological properties of viruses in the family Secoviridae
Members of the Genus
Seed or pollen transmission
Narrow (Leguminosae)
Nematode (most) or mite (blackcurrant reversion virus) or unknown
Seed and/or pollen
Wide or narrow
Nematode (cherry rasp leaf virus) or unknown
Whitefly or aphid
Relatively wide
Aphid (requires helper virus)
Aphid or leafhopper
Strawberry mottle virus
Black raspberry necrosis virus
Few host species tested
There is currently only one subfamily (Comovirinae) which groups together three genera (Comovirus, Fabavirus and Nepovirus). These three genera are closely related to each other in phylogenetic analyses. Given the presence of only one subfamily, formal demarcation criteria have not been defined.
The criteria demarcating genera in the family are:
Not all criteria may need to be met simultaneously.
Useful criteria to demarcate species are:
Not all criteria need to be met simultaneously. In some cases, sequence information alone can be a good indicator of a distinct species (i.e., when the percentage of sequence identity in both the Pro-Pol and CP(s) regions is well below the proposed cut-off). However, analysing only one region of the genome is generally not sufficient and both the Pro-Pol and CP(s) regions should be considered. In cases where the percentage of sequence identity in one or both sequences is near the proposed cut-off (e.g., between 75 and 85% in the Pro-Pol region or between 70 and 80% in the CP(s) region), other criteria should be considered and information on biological properties of the virus (host range, vector specificity, possibility of reassortment between RNAs) is useful. For example, beet ringspot virus (BRSV) and tomato black ring virus (TBRV) (genus Nepovirus) are closely related in the Pro-Pol sequence (89% sequence identity) but are much more divergent in the CP sequence (62% sequence identity). They differ in their antigenic reactions and also in the specificity of nematode transmission (BRSV is transmitted more efficiently by Longidorus elongatus and TBRV is transmitted more efficiently by Longidorus attenuatus).
Seco: derived from the amalgamation of the previous families Sequiviridae and Comoviridae.
Como: from Cowpea mosaic virus, the type species of the Comovirus genus
Faba: derived from the Latin faba, bean; also Vicia faba, broad bean
Nepo: from nematode-transmitted, polyhedral particles
Chera: from Cherry rasp leaf virus, the type species of the Cheravirus genus
Sadwa: from Satsuma dwarf virus, the type species of the Sadwavirus genus
Torrado: derived from Tomato torrado virus, the type species of the Torradovirus genus. In Spanish, torrado means toasted to refer to the severe necrosis (burnt-like phenotype) observed in the disease induced by ToTV.
Sequi: from Latin sequi, to follow, accompany (in reference to the dependent aphid transmission of parsnip yellow fleck virus)
Waika: from Japanese, describing the symptoms induced in rice by infection with rice tungro spherical virus alone (i.e. in the absence of rice tungro bacilliform virus)
Members of the family Secoviridae were previously classified in two different families: Comoviridae (including the genera Comovirus, Fabavirus and Nepovirus) and Sequiviridae (including the genera Sequivirus and Waikavirus) and in two unassigned genera: Cheravirus and Sadwavirus. The families and genera were amalgamated to create the new family Secoviridae, which includes all plant picornavirales (Sanfacon et al., 2009).
The conserved Pro-Pol region on RNA-1, delineated by the "CG" motif of the 3C-like proteinase and the "GDD" motif of the polymerase, has been used to determine the relationship among picornavirales. Comparison of the Pro-Pol sequence among members of the family Secoviridae allows the definition of branches that generally correspond to the distinct genera. Members of the sub-family Comovirinae (genera Comovirus, Fabavirus and Nepovirus) are more closely related to each other than to other genera within the family (Figure 4.Secoviridae). Within this sub-family, fabaviruses and comoviruses are more closely related to each other than to nepoviruses. Nepovirus subgroups (see nepovirus section) are not clearly separated in the Pro-Pol tree (with the exception of subgroup B which constitutes a separate branch) but are more clearly separated in phylogenetic trees using the CP sequence (not shown).
Figure 4.Secoviridae Maximum likelihood inferred phylogenetic tree of members of the family Secoviridae based on an alignment of amino acid sequences of the conserved domains between the "CG" motif of the 3C-proteinase and the "GDD" motif of the polymerase (Pro-Pol region) using T-Coffee (Di Tommaso et al., 2011) . The tree was generated with PhyML (Guindon et al., 2010) (1000 bootstrap replicates) in the TOPALi suite (Milne et al., 2009) using an RtRev (Dimmic et al., 2002) +I+G evolutionary model selected by Protest (Darriba et al., 2011). Results are presented as an unrooted radial tree. The bar represents the genetic distance. Different genera within the family are shown within colored areas. The Comovirinae is shown with the light blue shading. Unfilled circles with the letters represent the different nepovirus subgroups (see nepovirus section). For each species, the sequence of the exemplar isolate was used for the alignments. Branches with bootstrap values below 70% were collapsed. Virus names and abbreviations are listed below with the nucleotide (left) and protein (right) accession numbers of each exemplar isolate analyzed. Aeonium ringspot virus (AeRSV, JX304792 = AFR67086), apple latent spherical virus (ALSV, AB030940 = BAA90870), Arabis mosaic virus (ArMV, AY303786 = AAQ73821), Arracacha virus B (AVB, JQ437415 = AFI74271), artichoke yellow ringspot virus (AYRSV, AM087671 = CAJ33467), bean pod mottle virus (BPMV, U70866 = U70866), beet ringspot virus (BRSV, D00322 = BAA00234), Bellflower vein chlorosis virus (BVCV, KT238881 = ALF36838), black raspberry necrosis virus (BRNV, DQ344639= ABC71319), blackcurrant reversion virus (BRV, AF368272= AAL36026), blueberry latent spherical virus (BLSV, AB649296 = BAL04700), broad bean wilt virus 1 (BBWV1, AB084450= BAD00183), broad bean wilt virus 2 (BBWV2) (AF225953 = AAK27841), carrot necrotic dieback virus (CNDV, EU980442 = ACJ04421), carrot torradovirus 1 (CaTV1, KF533719 = AHA85556), cherry leaf roll virus (CLRV, FR851461 = CCA64538), cherry rasp leaf virus (CRLV, AJ621357 = CAF21713), chocolate lily virus A (CLVA, JN052073 = AEV45821) cowpea mosaic virus (CPMV, X00206 = CAA25029), cowpea severe mosaic virus (CPSMV, M83830), cucurbit mild mosaic virus (CuMMV, FJ194941 = ACK76423), currant latent virus (CuLV, KT692952 = ALT45950), Cycas necrosis stunt virus (CNSV, AB073147= BAB89369), gentian mosaic virus (GeMV, AB084452 = BAD99001), grapevine Bulgarian latent virus (GBLV, FN691934= CBL43395), grapevine chrome mosaic virus (GCMV, X15346 = CAA33405), grapevine fanleaf virus (GFLV, D00915= BAA00761), lettuce necrotic leaf curl virus (LNLCV, KC855266 = AGR55590), maize chlorotic dwarf virus (MCDV, U67839 = AAB58882), melon mild mottle virus (MMMoV, AB518485 = BAJ16223), motherwort yellow mottle virus (MYMoV, KM229700 = AIT59085), mulberry mosaic leaf roll associated virus (MMLRaV, KC904083 = AGY34703) parsnip yellow fleck virus (PYFV, D14066= BAA03151), peach rosette mosaic virus (PRMV, AF016626 = AAB69867), radish mosaic virus (RaMV, AB295643= BAF75830), raspberry ringspot virus (RpRSV, AY303787= AAQ73822), red clover mottle virus (RCMV, X64886= CAA46104), rice tungro spherical virus (RTSV, M95497 = AAA66056), satsuma dwarf virus (SDV, AB009958 = BAA76746), squash chlorotic leaf spot virus (SCLSV, KU052530 = AMN91910), squash mosaic virus (SqMV, AB054688= BAB62139), stocky prune virus (StPV, DQ143874 = AAZ76594), strawberry latent ringspot virus (SLRSV, AY860978 = AAW63128), strawberry mottle virus (SMoV, AJ311875= CAC86396), tobacco ringspot virus (TRSV, U50869 = AAB03785), tomato black ring virus (TBRV, AY157993 = AAN72830), tomato marchitez virus (ToMarV, EF681764 = ABV44416), tomato ringspot virus (ToRSV, L19655 = AAA78254), tomato torrado virus (ToTV, DQ388879 = ABD38934).
Members of the family Secoviridae are related to members of other families in the order Picornavirales (Thompson et al., 2014). They all share a common virion structure, organization of the replication block within the polyproteins and conserved properties of the replication proteins, including the 3C-like proteinase. Members of the Secoviridae are also related to members of the families Potyviridae and Caliciviridae in some aspects (common replication block, polyprotein strategy, VPg bound to the 5ʹ end of the genome and poly(A) tail at the 3ʹ end of the genome) but differ in other properties.
Virus name
Accession number
Virus abbreviation
Dioscorea mosaic associated virus
Dioscorea mosaic associated virus, recently isolated from yam, is most closely related to chocolate lily virus A (Hayashi et al., 2016).
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Fifty Books You Should Be Using to Teach Michigan History
These books have been chosen as a critical mass of literature concerning Michigan's dense history in order to narrow the playing field for teachers who find themselves overwhelmed by an academic atmosphere drenched with pop-history. There are so many books around today that wading through the multitude of books and journals to determine which ones warrant studying is too much for any one person. So as a teacher, here– we've eliminated one giant step for you.
Each book on this list was hand-selected by a group of historians who were in turn hand-selected by the Department of History, Arts and Libraries for their essential understanding of not just history, but Michigan's history in particular. They were aided in their selection process by Randy Riley, the Special Collections Manager for the Library of Michigan.
Armour, David A. and Keith R.Widder. At the Crossroads: Michilimackinac During the American Revolution. Mackinac Island, MI: Mackinac Island State Park Commission, 1986.
Bogue, Margaret Beattie. Fishing the Great Lakes: An Environmental History, 1783-1933. Madison: University of Wisconsin Press, 2000.
Brehm, Victoria, ed. The Women's Great Lakes Reader. Duluth, MN: Holy Cow! Press, 1998.
Buley, R. Carlyle. The Old Northwest: Pioneer Period, 1815-1840. 2 vols. Indianapolis: Indiana Historical Society, 1950.
Carson, Gerald. Cornflake Crusade. New York: Rinehart, 1957.
Catton, Bruce. Waiting for the Morning Train: An American Boyhood. Detroit: Wayne State University Press, 1987.
Cleland, Charles E. Rites of Conquest: The History and Culture of Michigan's Native Americans. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press, 1992.
Clifton, James A., George L. Cornell, and James M. McClurken. People of the Three Fires: The Ottawa, Potawatomi and Ojibway of Michigan. Grand Rapids, MI: Grand Rapids Inter-Tribal Council, 1986.
Clive, Alan. State of War: Michigan in World War II. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press, 1979.
Darden, Joe T. Detroit, Race and Uneven Development. Philadelphia: Temple University Press, 1987.
Dunbar, Willis F. All Aboard! A History of Railroads in Michigan. Grand Rapids, MI: W.B. Eerdmans Pub. Co., 1969.
Dunbar, Willis F. and George S. May. Michigan: A History of the Wolverine State. 3rd rev. ed. Grand Rapids, MI: W. B. Eerdmans Pub. Co., 1995.
Dunnigan, Brian Leigh. Frontier Metropolis: Picturing Early Detroit, 1701-1838. Detroit: Wayne State University Press, 2001.
Eckert, Kathryn Bishop. Buildings of Michigan. New York: Oxford University Press, 1993.
Fine, Sidney. "Expanding The Frontiers of Civil Rights": Michigan, 1948-1968. Detroit: Wayne State University Press, 2000.
Fine, Sidney. Frank Murphy. 3 vols.Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press, 1975-1984.
Fine, Sidney. Sit-down: The General Motors Strike of 1936-1937. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press, 1969.
Fine, Sidney. Violence in the Model City: The Cavanagh Administration, Race Relations, and the Detroit Riot of 1967. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press, 1989.
Formisano, Ronald P. The Birth of Mass Political Parties in Michigan, 1827-1861. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1971.
Gilpin, Alec R. The Territory of Michigan, 1805-1837. East Lansing: Michigan State University Press, 1970.
Gilpin, Alec R. The War of 1812 in the Old Northwest. East Lansing: Michigan State University Press, 1958.
Gray, Susan E. The Yankee West: Community Life on the Michigan Frontier. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 1996.
Halsey, John, ed. and Michael Stafford, assoc. ed. Retrieving Michigan's Buried Past: The Archeology of the Great Lakes State. Bloomfield Hills, MI: Cranbrook Institute of Science, 1999.
Holli, Melvin G. Reform in Detroit: Hazen S. Pingree and Urban Politics. New York: Oxford University Press, 1969.
Hyde, Charles K. and colored photographs by Ann and John Mahan. The Northern Lights: Lighthouses of the Upper Great Lakes. Detroit: Wayne State University Press, 1995.
Jager, Ronald. Eighty Acres: Elegy for a Family Farm. Boston: Beacon Press, 1990.
Karamanski, Theodore J. Deep Woods Frontier: A History of Logging in Northern Michigan. Detroit: Wayne State University Press, 1989.
Katzman, David M. Before the Ghetto: Black Detroit in the Nineteenth Century. Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 1973.
Kestenbaum, Justin L., ed. The Making of Michigan, 1820-1860: A Pioneer Anthology. Detroit: Wayne State University Press, 1990.
Kilar, Jeremy W. Michigan's Lumbertowns: Lumbermen and Laborers in Saginaw, Bay City, and Muskegon, 1870- 1905. Detroit: Wayne State University Press, 1990.
Klunder, Willard Carl. Lewis Cass and the Politics of Moderation. Kent, OH: Kent State University Press, 1996.
Lankton, Larry D. Cradle to Grave: Life, Work, and Death at the Lake Superior Copper Mines. New York: Oxford University Press, 1991.
Lewis, David L. The Public Image of Henry Ford: An American Folk Hero and His Company. Detroit: Wayne State University Press, 1976.
Lichtenstein, Nelson. The Most Dangerous Man in Detroit: Walter Reuther and the Fate of American Labor. New York: Basic Books, 1995.
Mason, Philip P. Rumrunning and the Roaring Twenties: Prohibition on the Michigan-Ontario Waterway. Detroit: Wayne State University Press, 1995.
May, George S. A Most Unique Machine: The Michigan Origins of the American Automobile Industry. Grand Rapids, MI: W. E. Eerdmans Pub. Co., 1974.
Nevins, Allan and Frank E. Hill. Ford. 3 vols. New York: Scribner, 1954-1963.
Peckham, Howard H. Pontiac and the Indian Uprising. Detroit: Wayne State University Press, 1994.
Romig, Walter. Michigan Place Names: The History of the Founding and the Naming of More Than Five Thousand Past and Present Michigan Communities. Detroit: Wayne State University Press, 1986.
Sugrue, Thomas J. The Origins of the Urban Crisis: Race and Inequality in Postwar Detroit. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1996.
Tanner, Helen Hornbeck, ed. Atlas of Great Lakes Indian History. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 1987.
Thomas, Richard W. Life for Us Is What We Make It: Building Black Community in Detroit, 1915-1945. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1992.
Thompson, Mark L. Steamboats and Sailors of the Great Lakes. Detroit: Wayne State University Press, 1991.
Thurner, Arthur W. Strangers and Sojourners: A History of Michigan's Keweenaw Peninsula. Detroit: Wayne State University Press, 1994.
Vander Hill, C. Warren. Settling the Great Lakes Frontier: Immigration to Michigan, 1837-1924. Lansing: Michigan Historical Commission, 1970.
Vinyard, JoEllen McNergney. For Faith and Fortune: The Education of Catholic Immigrants in Detroit, 1805-1925. Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 1998.
Weeks, George. Stewards of the State: The Governors of Michigan. 2nd rev. ed. Detroit: Detroit News; Ann Arbor: Historical Society of Michigan, 1991.
White, Richard. The Middle Ground: Indians, Empires, and Republics in the Great Lakes Region, 1650-1815. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1991.
Woodford, Arthur M. This Is Detroit, 1701-2001. Detroit: Wayne State University Press, 2001.
Zunz, Olivier. The Changing Face of Inequality: Urbanization, Industrial Development, and Immigrants in Detroit, 1880-1920. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1982.
The panel of reviewers who selected this list includes Dr. William M.Anderson, Director of the Department of History, Arts and Libraries; Dr. Frank Boles, Director of the Clarke Historical Library at Central Michigan University; Sandra Clark, Director of the Michigan Historical Center; Dr. Brian Dunnigan, Curator for the William L. Clements Library at the University of Michigan; Dr. Sidney Fine, Professor Emeritus of History at the University of Michigan; Dr. Charles Hyde, Director of the Great Lakes Series for the Department of History at Wayne State University; Dr. Larry Lankton, Professor of Social Science at Michigan Technological University; Dr. Russell Magnaghi, Professor of History at Northern Michigan University; Dr. Philip P.Mason, Distinguished Professor of History at Wayne State University; Larry Massie, Historian and Storyteller from Allegan; Robert M.Money, Professor of History at Lake Superior State University; Gordon Olson, City Historian for Grand Rapids Public Library; Randy Riley, Special Collections Manager for the Library of Michigan; Dr. Roger L. Rosentreter, Editor of Michigan History magazine; Dr. Jo Ellen Vinyard, Professor of History at Eastern Michigan University; Larry Wagenaar, Director of the Historical Society of Michigan; Dr. Robert M. Warner, Professor Emeritus of History and Information Studies at the University of Michigan; Dr. Benjamin C.Wilson, Director of Africana Studies at Western Michigan University.


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In the last few weeks several people have come to me asking about the safety of biosolids-use in their home gardens, and moreover, have asked why I advocate the use of biosolids. In short, biosolids composts are safe, highly-regulated, sustainable, climate-friendly products, that your plants will LOVE. They are high in nutrients, support healthy soil microbial communities, and improve the tilth (physical attributes) of soil. Farmers around the world, including US farmers, have known this for ages.
The other day I walked into a home improvement center and was inundated by the perfume of synthetic fertilizer. My immediate visceral response was that of revile, which soon followed by nausea and a head ache. I realize that I am particularly sensitive to fertilizer, but these immediate physical responses got me thinking... is it really biosolids that we should are be running scared from? This is when it hit me, if I could just tell the world what biosolids really are, we would all lining up to dig our spades into this black gold.
What are biosolids?
Biosolids are a product from the wastewater treatment process, and are EPA-regulated under the Clean Water Act. In US cities, everything we flush, throw down the kitchen sink, and wash down the bathroom shower ends up at the wastewater treatment plant. Some people call biosolids sewage sludge, but the term biosolids specifically refers to treated sewage sludge. Here our wastewater gets cleaned via a system of filters, and the solids are left behind. While the clean water is either being used for irrigation as "reclaimed water", or sent into our rivers, lakes, or oceans, the solids go under treatment. There are a wide range of ways in which our solids can be treated (like artists, engineers can be quite creative). One popular method is for the solids to go under anaerobic digestion. In this method, industrious microorganisms literally eat the solids. While the microorganisms are feasting, they emit methane gas, which we can be used to power the wastewater treatment facility. During the anaerobic digestion process, pathogenic organisms such as E. coli, salmonella, and helminths either get eaten by the good microorganisms, are heat-destroyed, or a combination of the two, depending on the type of digester. What is eventually left at the end of this process, is no longer the original solids, but mostly the dead (and some live) bodies of the microorganisms who consumed our waste.
At this stage we have what is called biosolids "cake". While the cake may be safe to distribute to the public, it is not very easy to use (too wet). So, cake is generally applied to farm land. Here in the PNW, some of our cake is actually applied to timber plantations, which significantly increases the growth rate of our timber forests. Another thing we do with biosolids cake is compost it. Seattle's cake gets composted by Sawdust Supply company, located in the hip Seattle neighborhood of Georgetown. Sawdust Supply mixes the King County cake with sawdust from local timber mills, and composts the combination for over a year. The end result is a light, fluffy, dark compost, that is stable, free of odors, and well... simply beautiful.
Before biosolids can be applied to farm land, or distributed to the public for home garden use, they must be vigorously tested, and meet stringent safety regulations. I take comfort in knowing that biosolids are heavily regulated. They are far more heavily regulated than manures, yard waste composts, and fertilizers.
What about heavy metals?
In the pre-Clean Water Act days heavy metals were a problem in sewage sludge. At least they were in the handful of places where sewage sludge was actually produced. Realize that in the pre-Clean Water Act days we emitted a lot of raw wastewater into our rivers, lakes, and oceans. As water quality standards have strengthened, the amount of biosolids produced has increased. In addition to eliminating the practice of raw wastewater disposal, the Clean Water Act took aim at reducing heavy metal concentrations in our wastewater system.
Today we no longer find heavy metals in unsafe concentrations. This is mostly thanks to strict upstream regulation, meaning that industry is monitored and not allowed to dispose of toxic waste into the sewer system.
Somewhat ironically, biosolids can be used to reclaim soils that have been contaminated with heavy metals. My graduate committee chair, Dr. Sally Brown, has used biosolids to clean up seriously contaminated sites, like mine tailings.
What about pharmaceuticals and other trace organics?
Pharmaceuticals and other organic compounds are not regulated in biosolids. This does not mean, however, that this topic has not been researched! When EPA set the guidelines for biosolids regulation, they decided not to regulate substances like PCB's, dioxin, and estrogenic compounds, because concentrations are so incredibly low, that they are rarely found. When these compounds are detected, they are in such low concentrations that risk assessment studies (conducted independently by EPA and several U.S. Universities) find risks to the public and environment to be negligible. Despite the fact that these substances are not federally regulated, public works agencies such as King County biosolids division, routinely monitors for these substances... just to be sure. What are the chances fertilizer producers check, just to be sure?
The fact that substances like dioxin, PCB's, and estrogenic compounds exist in the environment is bad, the fact that they are in background level concentrations in biosolids is good. The fact that government agencies and universities continue to monitor and study these compounds is also good.
Why I am an advocate:
I am a huge advocate of all compost, including biosolids compost. I use it in my own ornamental and edible beds. It is my feeling that if we are to truly move to a zero waste society, it is our responsibility as citizens to use as many recycled products as possible, including our yard waste, food waste, and biosolids. I purchase quite a bit of compost each year and apply it to my garden beds. Since I live in the city of Seattle I purchase Cedar Grove, a yard waste/food waste compost, Groco, a biosolids/sawdust compost, and Tagro (city of Tacoma), another biosolids-based soil amendment. Also, biosolids compost tends to be very high in plant nutrients, and is an extremely consistent product (little to no seasonal variations), making it a dream for us gardeners. Biosolids are perfect for growing plants, the fact that it is safe is critical, the fact that it is sustainable and therefore responsible to use, well that's just gravy.


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Back in October of last year, I blogged about the toll a certain brand of very lucrative "homegrown" agriculture is taking on the environment in Northern California's Emerald Triangle — Mendocino, Trinity, and Humboldt counties. Yessir, I'm talking about the energy-intensive indoor cultivation of what's considered to be America's largest cash crop: Marijuana.
In that post, I mentioned that along with an increasing number of home invasion-style robberies and residential fires, household energy use in those areas has spiked dramatically. According to a study conducted by Schatz Energy Research Center at Humboldt State University, electrical use per household in urban areas of Humboldt County has shot up 50 percent since 1996, while in Arcata and more rural areas, household electricity use has jumped 60 percent.
Opening with a question that you needn't be stoned out of your mind to answer — "what kind of facility has lighting as intense as that found in an operating room (500 times more than needed for reading), six times the air-change rate of a biotech laboratory and 60 times that of a home, and the electric power intensity of a datacenter?" — a newly published study examines the massive impact that California's indoor pot growing industry has on energy consumption on a national scale.
Dr. Evan Mills, a staff scientist at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and the author of the study, titled Energy up in Smoke: The Carbon Footprint of Indoor Cannabis Production, estimates that indoor pot-growing accounts for a whopping $5 billion worth of electricity annually which is about 1 percent of national power consumption. That's enough juice to power about 2 million average American homes.
The study finds that in California, the top producer among the 17 states where it's legal to cultivate marijuana for medical purposes, not-so-green growing operations account for about 3 percent of all electricity use or about 8 percent of household use. However, because of California's progressive use of clean fuels to generate electricity, the state only contributed to 20 percent of national CO2 emissions with incurring 70 percent of national energy costs.
The study, which aims to "to quantify a previously undocumented component of energy demand in the United States, to understand the underlying technical drivers, and to establish baseline impacts in terms of energy use, costs, and greenhouse-gas emissions," also points out that a single joint represents 2 pounds of CO2 emissions (!) which is equivalent to running a 100-watt incandescent light bulb for 17 hours (or about 30 hours in California). Additionally, a single four-by-four production module found in growing rooms can double the electricity use of the average American home (triple that of an average Californian home). This increased energy use is equivalent to plugging in about 30 refrigerators. For growers who decide to go off the grid, 70 gallons of diesel fuel is required to produce one indoor plant. That figured is doubled if a less-efficient gasoline generator is being used.
The moral of the story? Whether you live in California or elsewhere and and want to save energy at home and lower your carbon footprint, don't start growing pot in your garage. Simple as that.
Read a summary and the entire study here where Mills throws out some other staggering statistics, answers some interesting questions — "is Cannabis production intrinsically polluting?" and "wouldn't just 'going solar' solve this problem?" — and solutions.
Via [The New York Times]


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Seasonal Field Assistant
Peloton, Philadelphia, PA
High-energy group fitness in your living room
Founded in 2012, Peloton is an innovative tech company that has transformed the at-home fitness experience by creating products that merge high-design with modern technology to provide at-home access to live streaming and on demand fitness classes led by elite instructors. With a state of the art studio, the best instructors and content distribution, Peloton delivers an intense high-energy workout that motivates, while positively changing the mind and body – all from your home.
As a company Peloton believes in taking risks and continuously challenging the status quo by continuously innovating and improving. We put our users, members, and customers first and we obsess over every touch point of the member experience – be it the studio, product or showroom. We like to hire the best and encourage all our associates to think like owners. Most importantly, we know that together we go far.
- This is a seasonal position; length of employment will depend on the needs of the business
- Provide assistance to the Field Specialists in providing superior customer service and educating customers on product setup, features, and usage
- Assist in assembly of Peloton products and accessories in customers homes
- Assist in the loading of the van, including bikes and accessories
- Complete the DVIR and checklist for accessories prior to route departure with the assistance of the Field Specialist.
- Conduct all phones calls while on route when necessary, including contacting the Supervisor, Scheduling Center, and 30 minute call notification to the customer.
- Remove all trash from customers home, prep for each delivery by cleating shoes and organizing order contents, and ensure delivery vehicle is clean and well organized throughout the day
- Assist with in-home product repairs and maintenance
- Serve as Peloton product expert and brand ambassador
- An outgoing, dynamic personality, and excellent presentation skills
- Excellent customer service skills
- Ability to work well both independently and in a team atmosphere
- A passion for fitness and exercise
- Good problem solving skills, and the ability to troubleshoot problems and think on your feet
- Ability to deal effectively with a wide range of personalities
- Must have a valid driver's license and a clean driving record
- Ability to lift up to 80 lbs with assistance
- Flexible schedule; ability to work nights, weekends, and holidays as necessary
This position involves loading, unloading and carrying Peloton products up to 145 lbs with assistance, sometimes up and down stairs. Ideal candidates must be able to perform physical activity for their full shift. Hours vary but typically begin between 6AM-10AM and end before 9PM.
About Peloton
Founded in 2012, Peloton brought top talent together in its NYC headquarters to create a new concept in fitness. We loved cycling but had a hard time finding a workout that consistently fit our schedules, and our at-home workouts never felt quite up to par. So, we set out to create a world-class indoor cycling studio experience on your time, and in the comfort of your own home.
At-home fitness equipment has not evolved at the same pace as the group exercise classes that take advantage of trends in fitness, fashion and music to keep you motivated. Peloton has changed this by marrying sophisticated technology with beautiful and thoughtfully designed fitness equipment.
We are more than just a class, a cycling studio, and a bike. We deliver a fully engaging experience with the technology to make every workout effective, and the social connection to make every workout addicting.
Be a Better Peloton Candidate
Learn skills and get an insider's look at Peloton when you watch classes taught by their top employees.
Want to learn more about Peloton? Visit Peloton's website.
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ALBUQUERQUE, NM -- A member of a New Mexico health club was arrested on suspicion of sexually assaulting a 6-year-old girl at the club.
Juan Gonzalez, 20, was taken into custody Tuesday night and was being held on a $200,000 cash-only bond, according to multiple media reports. He is charged with criminal sexual penetration, kidnapping and evidence tampering.
The girl had been in the children's center of Midtown Sports and Wellness in Albuquerque, NM, shortly before 10 p.m. Tuesday when Gonzalez offered to help an employee fix a video game for the girl. A short time later, Gonzalez re-entered the room and assaulted the girl, who quickly approached the employee in tears about the incident. The girl's mother was working out in the club and called police.
"The most horrific thing you could imagine a child could go through," Albuquerque Deputy Chief Beth Paiz told local media. "He held his hand over her mouth so she couldn't scream. He could hear the child say, 'Stop! Stop! Stop!'"
Gonzalez, who had taken a shower right after the incident in an attempt to wash away the evidence, confessed to police about the incident and admitted he has a problem with touching children, telling police detectives that he assaulted a boy and a girl when he was 13.
A judge learned Thursday that Gonzalez, a student at a local community college, had a 2008 charge of illegally entering the United States from Mexico. Gonzalez's mother works nights at the club as a janitor, according to one report.
In a statement released to Albuquerque TV station KOAT, officials with the club said: "New Mexico Sports and Wellness can verify that our associates acted immediately and authoritatively upon being notified of the incident being investigated by Albuquerque police. Sports and Wellness staff have, and will continue to, fully cooperate with the authorities in their investigation. However, due to the pending investigation, we cannot provide further detail about the incident."