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Joined: 26 Oct 2005
Posts: 2
Posted: Thu Oct 27, 2005 3:42 pm
Post subject: How have cuts impacted you/your family/clients?
I'm having trouble buying the state's song and dance that the new way of doing business in Indiana is having a minimal impact on families.
This question is being posed to encourage everyone to be graphic in detailing what the impact will be on people's services, thus, their lives.
It's very important that we, real people, get our stories out there so there's more on record than the sugar-coated message from the state's messengers.
Cuts in the daily rate at my loved one's house will be nearly 40%. It appears that the provider will find it necessary to cut the number of hours being served. This means that one of the parents will have to quit a good-paying job to provide services that were previously covered under the waiver. This means that the person with disabilities will not be able to continue with their participation in community activities at the same level because of hours being cut. The person with disabilities' search for a job and employment will be jeopardized because of lack of hours. The health and safety demands are great and will absolutely have to be seen to, in spite of the cut in daily rate (translating to a cut in hours). What happens to the quality of life?
Transportation always has been an issue and will continue to be as no one is addressing specifically the guidelines for providers to reimburse families when the family has to provide transportation because the providers can't for a number of reasons.
There is a question of how involved the case manager will continue to be due to the state's short-sighted view of the case manager's importance on the support team, thus cutting their reimbursement. This could dramatically impact the quality of services people with disabilities receive.
Who will the providers be accountable to? Themselves apparently!
Please join me in expressing what you forsee as issues for you/your family/those you serve after November 1.
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Joined: 22 Oct 2005
Posts: 13
Posted: Fri Oct 28, 2005 6:03 am
Post subject: Graphics
I agree, Gypsy. I think the details are very important. Maybe a new forum could be started for stories. People could tell in very specific details how they or their family member will be impacted by the cuts.
"The voice of conscience is so delicate that it is easy to stifle it; but it is also so clear that it is impossible to mistake it Madame de Stael
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Joined: 24 Oct 2005
Posts: 8
Posted: Fri Oct 28, 2005 12:47 pm
Post subject:
I have two stories so far.
#1 Individual with autism was told by their res provider that they would only provide X amount of 1:1 services period. This individual, a very private person who can only take just so much chaos, will now be required to hang out with other clients in the agency who knows how many days per week (on top of a 40 hour a week day program) in order for the provider not to lose any money. So much for his private life and his alone time I can only imagine the imact this is going to have on this individual in the long run.
#2 Roomates. Both of whom have their own lives and interests are set to lose ALL of their 1:1 time. If one wants to go somewhere they going to have to take the other roommate with them. I would guess their is going to be plenty of behavioral issues with people who are required to go places where they don't want to go.
Don't let the state fool you. Services were cut and you will notice a difference. The residential providers aren't going to lose thousands of dollars a year and keep the same service level. They just aren't and can't.
I can't blame the res-providers, they have to watch their bottom line otherwise they will have to close their doors. The state, however, should not have told the familes that this was just a simple little paperwork change. Families were told that services would not be cut and res-providers were told that they could cut services. Makes for interesting meetings.
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Joined: 24 Oct 2005
Posts: 5
Location: Ft Wayne
Posted: Tue Nov 01, 2005 9:41 pm
Post subject: the rate cuts
I agree that this a song and dance from The powers that be. There are agencies laying off staff. ( that is what the powers wanted!) but any agency can only cut administratively so far. Someone has to run and agency and pay employees and provide quality assurance and training and pay bills and assure agency compliance with everyones governmental standards. The next place to start cutting is hands on care staff. ( who, by the way are (were) taxpaying Hoosiers until they got laid off) or the agency can cut wages, again of fellow taxpaying Hoosiers. And how long do you think those caregivers can afford to stick around when they have bills to pay themselves. Now we are down to the family stories of what big cuts can do to a family.
Equal cuts from the Notice of Action makes some good sense but when the powers cut from what was used over the last year they failed to realize the conditions under which hours were not fully utilized. hospitalizations, vacations, billing not done on a routine time period, lack of available staff to fill the allotted hours, the cuts were made on the wrong measurment. And here we are back to the stories about what big cuts from used hours last year can do to a family today. All families, those with family members with disabilities and those who have just lost their job.
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Joined: 31 Oct 2005
Posts: 17
Posted: Wed Nov 02, 2005 10:00 am
Post subject:
By the same token I know that there is also a lot of, shall we say pork for lack of a better term. I know that case managers and families artificially raised what they could get in plans of care so that when cuts were made there was still enough hours...I know that there are consumers getting full staffing up to ten or twelve hours per day while the consumer's mother...who is fully capable of providing some care is in the house this entire time. 300 plus hours per month for someone who lives with her mother. Now she is complaining because the daily rate only supports 180 hours per month. This is what she used in the last year...She will be fine. However all she see's is that she lost 120 of her hours per month...She really didn't...She is getting what she utilized. I'll agree that this system doesn't seem to be much simpler, however it is something that must be done or the system will not be able to exist much longer.
Provider1...Crusading for what is right all the time!
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Joined: 26 Oct 2005
Posts: 2
Posted: Wed Nov 02, 2005 2:29 pm
Post subject: Impact on families
In the example above, Provider 1 seems dismayed that the consumer's mother is in the house and is fully capable of providing
care. It appears to me she is providing
care.If the consumer only received 300 hours/mo,
the family still is providing the remaining 420 hours of care in a 30-day month
. It saddens me to read that someone, expecially a provider, would pass an opinion on whether a family will be fine or not. Apparently, you are in homes and should know the demands of 24-hour care. Even parents absolutely have to take care of day-to-day things in spite of the extra demands of 24-hour care on their time. The direct impact will be seen only after the damage is done. There are any number of reasons family members are in the house and care is still needed for a person with a disability. Years of 24-hour care takes its toll on family members. The waivers were put in place to allow PWD to live at home. If family members become unable to care for their loved ones because of adequate services being taken away, then the state of Indiana will really have to spend the big dollars when the state is forced to take full-time care of PWD.
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Joined: 31 Oct 2005
Posts: 17
Posted: Fri Nov 04, 2005 10:57 am
Post subject: Re: Impact on families
sweetgypsyrosie wrote:
In the example above, Provider 1 seems dismayed that the consumer's mother is in the house and is fully capable of providing
care. It appears to me she is providing
care.If the consumer only received 300 hours/mo,
the family still is providing the remaining 420 hours of care in a 30-day month
. It saddens me to read that someone, expecially a provider, would pass an opinion on whether a family will be fine or not. Apparently, you are in homes and should know the demands of 24-hour care. Even parents absolutely have to take care of day-to-day things in spite of the extra demands of 24-hour care on their time. The direct impact will be seen only after the damage is done. There are any number of reasons family members are in the house and care is still needed for a person with a disability. Years of 24-hour care takes its toll on family members. The waivers were put in place to allow PWD to live at home. If family members become unable to care for their loved ones because of adequate services being taken away, then the state of Indiana will really have to spend the big dollars when the state is forced to take full-time care of PWD.
Your opinion of me as a provider is way off. This situatioin that I refer to is a situation where the parent really does no care at all. My staff is with the consumer from the time the person gets up until the time the person goes to bed. THe rest of the time that the mother is caring for the individual is when the consumer is in bed asleep. We provide 9 to 10 hours per day. That leaves 14 to 15 hours per day for the parent to care for the individual. Most of which the individual is asleep. What is really sad about this situation is the parent does not work. Even more sad is the fact that there are plenty of people who need 24 hour care and supervision who have had their hours cut...Because the state chose to cut those persons in 24 hour supported living sites first. Now I have people being forced into 3 and 4 person settings while someone living at home gets complete staff support for almost the entire time the person is awake, and I have people who are struggling to have enoughstaffing hours in a day to get by in a 24 hour supported Living situation. I am not bad mouthing families...I was making a point that the system has allowed for many to take advantage of the system the way it was set up. And take advantage some people did!!! Now we are all paying the piper!!!
Provider1...Crusading for what is right all the time!
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Joined: 16 Nov 2005
Posts: 4
Location: Winslow, IN
Posted: Wed Nov 16, 2005 4:35 pm
Post subject:
Okay, in defense to Provider1 here I have to say that their example of services is due to POOR Case Management! If in fact the Case Manager has been doing their job, home visits and such, then the need for services should have been much lower!
Now I serve several children on the DD Waiver, and I am finding that these families are not even getting the 20 hours I built into the plan a year ago! They are lucky if they are getting 5 hours weekly!
My independent clients (Supported Living) are being done the same way! It is a sad situation here, and what makes it even sadder is that the Case Manager now has no "power" to enforce the hours that were once given!
The providers are only accountable for the what ISP hours specify! Which is a crock, because you can't even put hours in the dang thing! According to the State as long as the goals are being worked on, the provider is covered!!!!
Shonna Cofer,
Denise Medcalf...Visions Unlimited
Waiver Case Manager
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Joined: 23 Nov 2005
Posts: 2
Posted: Fri Feb 24, 2006 3:33 pm
Post subject: Our biggest Cut!
As a small provider, our biggest cut went to an individual who lived at home and recieved HMK and ATTC. His cut totaled over $ 30,000 for the year.
We made an honest attempt to work with the family to make a team decision as to what our options were. The whole "doubling up option" is lost when it's an individual who lives in the family home, who wants a perfect stranger coming into your home to take care of 2 consumers at once? Community doubling up is not an option, with a profound consumer in a wheelchair?
When BDDS was contacted for help in this issue, their reply was that "doubling up with 2 consumers to 1 staff was never an option for supported living consumers". Period. No further discussion, and certainly no other suggestions.
Providers certainly can't provide 30,000 dollars of services without being paid. Is anyone else still struggling with this mess?
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Joined: 02 Nov 2005
Posts: 4
Posted: Sat Feb 25, 2006 11:38 pm
Post subject:
My son was given a daily rate of 48.99 and by my calculations should have been around 75-80 dollars. In Aug. '05 we switched to a new provider of RHS services and when the state looked at the billing history from the time designated the previous provider was billing at respite rates and also failed to bill for several months. Now the current provider is being told to provide the same services for a much lower rate. They have done just that, but I know are only breaking even. This is not fair to them and gives no flexibility for us.
I was told by BDDS waiver specialists that since this was not a health and safety issue nothing could be done. I have written letters to the Mitch Dainels, Dave Gootee, John Dickerson, my legislators and others. No replies from any with solutions on what to do. I have contacted Indiana Protection and Advocacy and they say I have a legitimate argument and something should be changed. I filed for a hearing with Indiana Hearing and Appeals. The word from them is that it could be 3-6 months before I get a hearing date. I've also contacted CMS to let them know what is going on.
I understand the whole deal with cost containment and that cuts would be made. Ours is not a health and safety issue, it is matter of right and wrong. I guess the governor and all those answering to him are not concerned about doing what is right as long as we can balance the budget in record time. But at who's expense? Who will be the ones hurt in the long run?
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I CARE Core Values
I CARE Employee Recognition Wall
The I CARE Employee recognition wall was designed by the Southwest CMOPs (Consolidated Mail Outpatient Pharmacy) Employee Awards and Recognition Committee in Tucson, AZ.
San Juan Celebrates I CARE
The VA Caribbean Healthcare System in San Juan is using I CARE to recognize and motivate employees for their excellent service.
Advocacy in South Dakota
Linda Comeau, the McLaugh in Compensated Work Therapy (CWT) Program Coordinator, shows I CARE every day while helping Veterans live healthier lives.
Core Values
VA's Mission
To fulfill President Lincoln's promise: "To care for him who shall have borne the battle, and for his widow, and his orphan" by serving and honoring the men and women who are America's Veterans.
A Message From Leadership
Reaffirmation of Our VA Mission and Values
No organization can succeed without values to match its mission. Our mission, as the Department of Veterans Affairs, is to care for those "who shall have borne the battle" and for their families and survivors. Our core values focus our minds on our mission of caring and thereby guide our actions toward service to others.
These values — Integrity, Commitment, Advocacy, Respect, and Excellence — define our culture and strengthen our dedication to those we serve. They provide a baseline for the standards of behavior expected of all VA employees. They remind us and others that "I CARE":
- I care about those who have served.
- I care about my fellow VA employees.
- I care about choosing "the harder right instead of the easier wrong."
- I care about performing my duties to the very best of my abilities
I CARE Overview
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Core Values and Characteristics apply across the entire VA organization. These core organizational values are the foundation of VA culture and support VA's mission to provide the best care and services to Veterans, their families, and beneficiaries.
I CARE Overview Presentation
Established Ethics Directive
I CARE, an established Ethics directive, in the Code of Federal Register. (August 2013) Access Site » / Download »
Integrity, Commitment, Advocacy, Respect, and Excellence (I CARE) define "who the VA is," VA's culture, and help guide the actions of staff across VA. Staff - at every level within VA - play a critical role to support VA's commitment to care and serve our Veterans, their families, and beneficiaries.
Integrity: Act with high moral principle. Adhere to the highest professional standards. Maintain the trust and confidence of all with whom I engage.
Commitment: Work diligently to serve Veterans and other beneficiaries. Be driven by an earnest belief in VA's mission. Fulfill my individual responsibilities and organizational responsibilities.
Advocacy: Be truly Veteran-centric by identifying, fully considering, and appropriately advancing the interests of Veterans and other beneficiaries.
Respect: Treat all those I serve and with whom I work with dignity and respect. Show respect to earn it.
Excellence: Strive for the highest quality and continuous improvement. Be thoughtful and decisive in leadership, accountable for my actions, willing to admit mistakes, and rigorous in correcting them.
The Core Characteristics define "what we stand for," and what VA strives to be as an organization. They embody the qualities of VA employees to support VA's mission and commitment to Veterans, their families, and beneficiaries. The Characteristics are Trustworthy, Accessible, Quality, Agile, Innovative, and Integrated.
Trustworthy: VA earns the trust of those it serves – every day – through the actions of all employees.
Accessible: VA engages and welcomes Veterans and other beneficiaries, facilitating their use of the entire array of its services. Each interaction will be positive and productive.
Quality: VA provides the highest standard of care and services to Veterans and beneficiaries while managing the cost of its programs and being efficient stewards of all resources entrusted to it by the American people.
Innovative: VA prizes curiosity and initiative, encourages creative contributions from all employees, seeks continuous improvement, and adapts to remain at the forefront in knowledge, proficiency, and capability to deliver the highest standard of care and services.
Agile: VA anticipates and adapts quickly to current challenges and new requirements by continuously assessing the environment in which it operates and devising solutions to better serve Veterans, other beneficiaries, and Service members.
Integrated: VA links care and services across the Department; other federal, state, and local agencies; partners; and Veterans Services Organizations to provide useful and understandable programs to Veterans and other beneficiaries. VA's relationship with the Department of Defense is unique, and VA will nurture it for the benefit of Veterans and Service members.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Soil compaction - Causes, effects and control : Tillage : Agriculture : University of Minnesota Extension
Plants need to spend energy to take up potassium. Reduced soil aeration affects root metabolism. There can also be increased risk of crop disease. All of these factors result in added stress to the crop and, ultimately, yield loss.
Extension > Agriculture > Tillage > Soil compaction: causes, effects and control
Soil compaction: causes, effects and control
Section I: Soil compaction – causes and consequences
As farm tractors and field equipment become larger and heavier, there is a growing concern about soil compaction. Soil compaction can be associated with a majority of field operations that are often performed when soils are wet and more susceptible to compaction. Heavy equipment and tillage implements can cause damage to the soil structure. Soil structure is important because it determines the ability of a soil to hold and conduct water, nutrients, and air necessary for plant root activity. Although much research has been conducted on soil compaction and its effects on yield, it is difficult to estimate an economic impact because fields vary in soil types, crop rotations, and weather conditions.
What is soil compaction?
Figure 1. Effects of compaction on pore space.
Soil compaction occurs when soil particles are pressed together, reducing pore space between them (Figure 1). Heavily compacted soils contain few large pores and have a reduced rate of both water infiltration and drainage from the compacted layer. This occurs because large pores are the most effective in moving water through the soil when it is saturated. In addition, the exchange of gases slows down in compacted soils, causing an increase in the likelihood of aeration-related problems. Finally, while soil compaction increases soil strength-the ability of soil to resist being moved by an applied force-a compacted soil also means that roots must exert greater force to penetrate the compacted layer.
Soil compaction changes pore space size, distribution, and soil strength. One way to quantify the change is by measuring the bulk density. As the pore space is decreased within a soil, the bulk density is increased. Soils with a higher percentage of clay and silt, which naturally have more pore space, have a lower bulk density than sandier soils.
Myths about soil compaction
There are two wide spread myths about compaction: 1) Freeze-thaw cycles will alleviate a majority of soil compaction created by machinery, and 2) What compaction "Mother Nature" does not take care of, deep tillage or subsoiling will alleviate.
Freeze-thaw cycles
Although soils in Minnesota are subject to annual freeze-thaw cycles and freeze to depths of 3 feet or more, only the top 2 to 5 inches will experience more than one freeze-thaw cycle per year. The belief that freeze-thaw cycles will loosen compacted soils may have developed years ago when compaction would have been relatively shallow because machinery weighed less and grass and legumes were grown in the rotation.
Research conducted in 1960 at Lamberton reported that nine years of cropping and annual freezing and thawing did not remove a compacted soil layer at the bottom of the plow furrow in a Nicollet clay loam (Voorhees, 1983). The 2 1/2 ton, 12-inch wide wheel used to compact the plow furrow exerted a pressure of about 110 pounds per square inch (psi) on the bottom of each plow furrow. The compacted soil drained more slowly and remained wetter after a rain. In this study, corn and alfalfa yields were not affected by the compaction. This was likely due to the timeliness and amount of rainfall. In other studies at Lamberton, compaction due to wheel tracks also persisted over winter at depths of 6 to 18 inches.
Deep tillage/subsoiling
While deep tillage (greater than 10 inches) is capable of shattering hard pans created by wheel traffic, it has not been proven to increase yield consistently or for long periods of time. In Midwestern studies where plots with established compaction were split with a deep tillage treatment (14-16 inches), corn yields were either unaffected or reduced slightly (10 bushels per acre) compared to the non-subsoiled plot. The one possible exception would be on an irrigated loamy sand. A lack of consistent positive yield response may be due to:
- Insufficient depth of subsoiling
- Ineffective removal of compacted layer due to high soil moisture levels
- Recompaction of loosened soil by subsequent wheel traffic
- Deterioration of some soil properties by the subsoiling operation
- Detrimental effects caused by compaction were no longer limiting crop yield
What are the consequences of soil compaction for plant growth?
Soil compaction can have both desirable and undesirable effects on plant growth.
Desirable effects
Slightly compacted soil can speed up the rate of seed germination because it promotes good contact between the seed and soil. In addition, moderate compaction may reduce water loss from the soil due to evaporation and, therefore, prevent the soil around the growing seed from drying out. Corn planters have been designed specifically to provide moderate compaction with planter mounted packer wheels that follow seed placement.
A medium-textured soil, having a bulk density of 1.2 grams per cubic centimeter (74 pounds per cubic foot), is generally favorable for root growth. [Note: a soil bulk density of 1.2 grams per cubic centimeters is comparable to a non-tracked soil after a secondary tillage operation.] However, roots growing through a medium-textured soil with a bulk density near 1.2 grams per cubic centimeter will probably not have a high degree of branching or secondary root formation. In this case, a moderate amount of compaction can increase root branching and secondary root formation, allowing roots to more thoroughly explore the soil for nutrients. This is especially important for plant uptake of non-mobile nutrients such as phosphorus.
Figure 2. Nitrogen deficiency symptoms in corn.
Figure 3. Potassium deficiency symptoms in corn.
Undesirable effects
Excessive soil compaction impedes root growth and therefore limits the amount of soil explored by roots. This, in turn, can decrease the plant's ability to take up nutrients and water. From the standpoint of crop production, the adverse effect of soil compaction on water flow and storage may be more serious than the direct effect of soil compaction on root growth.
In dry years, soil compaction can lead to stunted, drought stressed plants due to decreased root growth. Without timely rains and well-placed fertilizers, yield reductions will occur. Soil compaction in wet years decreases soil aeration. This results in increased denitrification (loss of nitrate-nitrogen to the atmosphere). There can also be a soil compaction induced nitrogen and potassium deficiency (Figures 2 and 3).
adapted from Soane et al., 1994
Figure 4. Effects of weather on crop yield response to compaction level.
Research from North America and Europe indicates that crops respond to soil compaction as shown in Figure 4. In a dry year, at very low bulk densities, yields gradually increase with an increase in soil compaction. Soon, yields reach a maximum level at which soil compaction is also optimal for the specific soil, crop, and climatic conditions. However, as soil compaction continues to increase beyond optimum, yields begin to decline. With wet weather, yields are decreased with any increase in compaction.
What causes soil compaction?
Figure 5. Soil crust
There are several forces, natural and man-induced, that compact a soil. This force can be great, such as from a tractor, combine or tillage implement, or it can come from something as small as a raindrop (Figure 5). Listed below are several types of soil compaction and their causes.
Raindrop impact – This is certainly a natural cause of compaction, and we see it as a soil crust (usually less than 1/2 inch thick at the soil surface) that may prevent seedling emergence. Rotary hoeing can often alleviate this problem.
Source: Compaction-Soil Management Series 2. University of Minnesota Extension, BU-7400
Figure 6. Reduced root growth due to compaction from raindrop impact, tillage, and wheel tracks.
Tillage operations – Continuous moldboard plowing or disking at the same depth will cause serious tillage pans (compacted layers) just below the depth of tillage in some soils. This tillage pan is generally relatively thin (1-2 inches thick), may not have a significant effect on crop production, and can be alleviated by varying depth of tillage over time or by special tillage operations.
Figure 7. Wheel traffic
Wheel traffic – This is without a doubt the major cause of soil compaction. With increasing farm size, the window of time in which to get these operations done in a timely manner is often limited. The weight of tractors has increased from less than 3 tons in the 1940's to approximately 20 tons today for the big four-wheel-drive units. This is of special concern because spring planting is often done before the soil is dry enough to support the heavy planting equipment.
Minimal Crop Rotation – The trend towards a limited crop rotation has had two effects: 1.) Limiting different rooting systems and their beneficial effects on breaking subsoil compaction, and 2.) Increased potential for compaction early in the cropping season, due to more tillage activity and field traffic.
Effect of soil moisture and axle load on depth of compaction
Adapted from Soehne, 1958
Figure 8. Depth of compaction as axle load increases. (Tire pressure remained at 12 psi for all tire sizes.)
Greater axle loads and wet soil conditions increases the depth of compaction in the soil profile. Compaction caused by heavy axle loads (greater than 10 tons per axle) on wet soils can extend to depths of two feet or more (Figures 8 and 9). Since this is well below the depth of normal tillage, the compaction is more likely to persist compared to shallow compaction that can be largely removed by tillage.
Adapted from Soehne, 1958
Figure 9. Depth of compaction as soil moisture increases. (Tire size 11x28, load 1,650 lbs., pressure 12 psi.)
A research study conducted in Lamberton, Minnesota (Voorhees et al., 1986) illustrates this effect. The Nicollet clay loam soil was compacted with 10 and 20-ton axle weights. When the soil was dry, most of the increase in bulk density was confined to the top foot with no detectable effect on the bulk density at the 18-inch depth. Under wet conditions the 20-ton axle load compacted the soil deeper than 18 inches. Similarly, under wet conditions on a Webster clay loam at Waseca the 20-ton axle load increased the bulk density to at least the 24-inch depth.
Total axle load, as well as contact pressure between the tire and soil, affects subsoil compaction. Historically, as equipment weight increases, tire size also increases. This avoids drastic increases in contact pressure (pounds per square inch (psi) of pressure exerted by the tire on the soil surface). Axle load for various field equipment are listed in Table 1.
Table 1. Approximate axle loads for field equipment.
|Axle load (tons/axle)
|Slurry tanker – 4,200 gal.
|Slurry tanker – 7,200 gal.
|6-row combine, empty
|12-row combine, empty
|12-row, full with head
|720 bu. grain cart, full, 1 axle
|Beet cart, full
|Grain cart, 1,200 bu., 1 axle
|Grain cart, 1,200 bu., 2 axle
|4WD tractor, 325 HP, front axle
|4WD tractor, 200 HP, front axle
|MFWD tractor, 150 HP, rear axle
Section II: Surface compaction
Density effects due to tillage
Compaction resulting from equipment weights of less than 10 tons per axle is generally restricted to the upper foot of the soil. Compaction in this zone can be largely removed by chisel or moldboard plowing the compacted layer. While wheel tracks are often the most obvious cause of surface compaction, they are by no means the only cause. Livestock and tillage equipment can also produce compaction.
Figure 10. Soil resistance to penetration after 10 years of continuous tillage for four tillage system.
Following ten years of a continuous corn tillage study on a clay loam soil at Waseca (Bauder et al., 1981), a dense compacted layer was detected just below the depth of tillage (4 inches) on the disc treatment (Figure 10). A cone penetrometer was used to register soil strength. The greatest force required to penetrate the top 12 inches was measured on the plot that was spring disked and had no other tillage. The light tandem disc penetrated only the top three inches of soil. Below the 4-inch depth, the resistance to penetration on the disc treatment equaled or was greater than that measured on the no-till treatment and both were considerably greater than the moldboard or chisel plow treatments in the 0- to 12-inch depth.
In tillage studies on a loamy sand at the Sand Plain Experimental Farm, at Becker, Minnesota, comparing no-till, chisel, moldboard and ridge till systems, and at a study on a silt loam at Arlington, Wisconsin, comparing chisel, moldboard and ridge till systems, the greatest resistance to penetration in the 0- to 12-inch depth occurred on the no-till treatments.
In both studies a plow pan was detected just below the depth of operation with the moldboard plow. The Wisconsin study found that with wheel traffic there was little difference in penetration resistance among tillage systems. Soil compaction from wheel traffic tends to mask the effects of tillage on penetration resistance.
Plant response to surface compaction
The effect of compaction on plant growth and yield depends on the crop grown and the environmental conditions that crop encounters. In general, under dry conditions some compaction is beneficial, but under wet conditions compaction decreases yields. Response of various crops, including soybeans, corn, wheat, potatoes and sugar beets, to surface compaction has been studied in Minnesota and in surrounding states. The results of these studies will be discussed by crop.
Research results in Minnesota indicate that the effect of surface compaction on soybean yields depends very strongly on weather conditions and on soil nutrient levels. The yield response from compacting the soil was greater during dry years and when the soil phosphorus tested low. During a 13-year (1973-1985) study on a clay loam soil at Lamberton (Voorhees et al., 1986), the effect of surface compaction on yield was related to the rainfall amounts. When May - August rainfall was less than 14 inches, soybean yields were greater in the tracked rows. However, if the rainfall was more than 14 inches, yields from the tracked beans were less than the tracked rows.
Possible reasons for the increased yields on the "wheel-tracked" treatment during the dry seasons include increased uptake of phosphorus, increased root branching, and reduced water evaporation from the plow layer. This provides more favorable water conditions for nutrient uptake.
At Rosemount, Minnesota (Blake, 1958), axle loads of 4 tons in 1957 and 6 tons in 1958 were applied to the entire surface of a Waukegan silt loam soil prior to planting. Corn yields were reduced an average of 7.5% over the two-year period. Increased levels of soil fertility effectively overcame the yield loss due to compaction.
The yield effects of increasing tire contact pressure on a clay soil in Quebec, Canada, were influenced by the May to September precipitation. When the precipitation was 21 inches, yield decreased as the compaction was increased. When the precipitation was 14 inches, corn yield first increased as compaction increased and then decreased as compaction was increased further. Thus, under dry conditions some compaction was beneficial but too much was detrimental to yield. Under wet conditions any amount of compaction decreased yields and the greater the contact pressure the lower the yields.
Figure 11. Wheel traffic on wheat field
The effect of wheel traffic compaction on wheat yields on a clay loam at Morris depended on the April to June precipitation. Under dry conditions, the wheel-tracked area produced higher yields than the non-tracked area. However, as the precipitation increased, the non-compacted area resulted in higher yields than the compacted area.
In 1980 (Voorhees et al., 1985), wheat yields of non-compacted, fall-compacted, spring-compacted, and fall- and spring-compacted treatments were not significantly different. However, percent protein was significantly lower on the spring-compacted (12.9%) and fall- and spring-compacted (12.7%) treatments compared to the non-compacted treatment (13.6%) (Table 2).
Table 2. Timing effect of compaction on percent wheat protein in Grand Forks, ND.
|% Protein
|Spring compacted
|Fall and spring compacted
In contrast, a 1982-1983 North Dakota study reported that neither wheat yield nor percent protein were significantly different between non-compacted and compacted treatments.
European research has shown that compaction generally decreased wheat and barley yields under wet conditions, while moderate compaction had little effect or slightly increased yields during normal precipitation patterns and increased yields under dry conditions. In all cases, severe compaction decreased yields.
Because of the potato tubers growth pattern and its relatively confined root zone, soil compaction frequently has a detrimental effect on potato yields. There has been a good deal of research confirming lower potato yields due to compaction.
Deliberate packing of the soil in the Red River Valley decreased potato yields 54%. In a two-year study at Grand Forks, Minnesota, compaction reduced potato yields an average of 21%. At Morris, Minnesota, potato yields were reduced 35% because wheel traffic restricted tuber development.
The sugarbeet appears to be less sensitive to surface compaction if it does not interfere with plant emergence. The effects of surface compaction on yields in a North Dakota study are shown in Table 3. Although soil compaction increased beet sprangling, which causes problems at harvest, compaction had no effect on recoverable sugar or root yields in 1980. Compaction was created by repeated passes with a loaded, single-axle, dual-wheel truck (GVW 18000 lbs).
Table 3. Effect of soil compaction on sugarbeet and total recoverable sugar yields, Grand Forks, ND (Giles, 1980, 1981).
|Soil properties
|Probe resistance (lbs/inch2)
|1979* and 1980 average tons/acre
|*Compaction increased yields because of a higher final stand (108 vs. 79 beets/100 ft. of row for compacted and non-compacted treatments respectively).
Soil compaction in the surface layer can increase runoff, thus increasing soil and water losses.
Figure 12. Reduced water infiltration in wheel tracks.
However, when the compacted layer is tilled with a moldboard or chisel plow, the resulting rough, cloddy surface can decrease runoff and erosion. While it sounds contradictory, both effects are possible, depending on the soil and soil conditions encountered.
Field studies at Lamberton have shown greater surface roughness and cloddiness following moldboard plowing where the soil was tracked before tillage. Other studies show that greater surface roughness was caused by greater bulk density before tillage. On soils such as these, which have a relatively stable structure, greater surface roughness can increase infiltration, reduce runoff, and reduce erosion up to the point that runoff begins. Studies at Morris have shown that even after tillage, wheel tracks due to spring planting increased runoff and erosion.
Section III: Subsoil compaction
Subsoil compaction is a serious soil conservation issue and a long-term threat to soil productivity. Most subsoil compaction occurs when the soil is wet and field equipment weights exceed 10 tons per axle. Kinds of equipment most likely to have loads in this range are combines, loaded grain carts, and slurry tankers. Plowing with a tractor wheel in the furrow will pack soil below the depth reached by normal tillage operations and can be another source of subsoil compaction.
Plant response to subsoil compaction
The plant response to subsoil compaction, as with surface compaction, depends on the crop, soil conditions, and the climatic conditions in a particular year. If plants are already stressed for water, subsoil compaction may add to the stress by limiting the growth of plant roots to additional water. If plants are growing in soils that have aeration problems due to high water content, subsoil compaction will slow drainage and could result in an anaerobic root environment that limits nutrient uptake.
Simply put, subsoil compaction can affect:
- Water availability
- N and K uptake
- Plant growth and yield
- Delayed planting and other field operations due to colder and wetter soils
Research studies conducted in northern latitudes show that the effect of severe subsoil compaction may affect crop yields for years. Research results from Lamberton and Waseca, Minnesota, Uppsala, Sweden and Quebec, Canada, show a similar trend of initially lower yields following compaction with axle loads of 10 tons or more. The effect decreased over time, and yields on compacted soil approach the yields on non-packed soil after two to seven years, depending on the soil and climate.
From Vorhees et al., 1986.
Figure 13. Relative corn yields over 12 years with a one-time soil compaction of 20 ton/axle
While these studies show a gradual, natural alleviation of subsoil compaction, the data from Waseca suggests that there is sufficient "residual" subsoil compaction to reduce crop yields in years where there are environmental stresses. Figure 13 shows that corn yields were back to normal within 5 years after the compaction was created. However, in 1988, 1990, and 1993 yields were reduced. In 1988, growing season precipitation was the lowest on recorded history while in 1990 and 1993, the region received above average rainfall (167% and 175% of the long-term average).
This study illustrates that a one-time compaction event can lead to reduced crop yields 12 years later. Under normal farming operations, heavy equipment is used every year. Thus, subsoil compaction resulting from farming practices may be permanent.
Section IV: Control
There are four strategies commonly used in dealing with compaction: 1) avoidance, 2) alleviation, 3) controlled traffic, and 4) acceptance.
Avoidance is the most desirable where it is physically and economically possible. The old adage of "stay off the field until it's fit to work" still applies. However, the possible severe economic repercussions of delaying planting, harvesting, or other operations may outweigh compaction damage or loss. The dilemma the farmer faces in a wet spring or fall is not easy to resolve.
While large, heavy machinery is often blamed for soil compaction problems, it also offers opportunity to minimize compaction. Larger capacity machinery means fewer wheel tracks across the field because of wider working width. If wheel track spacing can be standardized among different pieces of equipment, soil compaction problems can be minimized.
Tracks vs. tires
Tracks, as an alternative for tires, are not new in agriculture. Tracks accounted for 6-10% of all tractor sales between the years of 1925-1966. However, in recent years, the change from steel to rubber tracks, improved ride-ability, increased traction, and research citing that tracks create less surface compaction than tires have increased the popularity of tracks.
Figure 14a. Tractor with tracks
Figure 14b. Tractor with tires
Figure 14c. Combines and grain carts can create compaction as deep as 3 ft.
Tractors equipped with either tracks or tires can create surface compaction. The question is "Which one creates the least amount of compaction"? The answer: both radial tires and tracks will result in similar surface compaction if the radial tires are properly inflated.
Tractors weighing less than 10 tons an axle usually keep compaction in the top 6-8 inches, which can be alleviated by tillage. By and large, even the biggest tractors weigh less than 10 tons an axle. However, combines and grain carts weigh much more and whether equipped with tracks or tires, they can create compaction as deep as 3 feet.
In general, contact pressure largely determines the potential for compaction in the plow layer, while total axle load determines the potential for subsoil compaction. This is important when comparing tracks and tires for compaction effects and depth.
Tracks exert a ground pressure of approximately 5-8 psi depending on track width, length, and tractor weight. Radial tires exert a pressure of 1-2 pounds higher than their inflation pressure. For example, if a radial tire is inflated to 6 psi, the tire exerts a pressure of 7-8 psi on the soil. However, bias tires inflated to only 6-8 psi cannot operate efficiently and easily wear-out with such low tire pressures, consequently they have to be inflated to 20-25 psi.
Research has shown that tractors equipped with either tracks or radial tires create compaction in the top 5-8 inches, however, compaction effects were negligible below that depth. But what effect do tracks have on subsurface compaction when used in conjunction with heavy field equipment, such as grain carts or combines? Keep in mind that depth of compaction is a result of total axle weight and the role of ground contact pressure is secondary. Whether the equipment uses tracks or tires, the total axle load is nearly the same. Tracks will improve traction and ride-ability, but a 25-ton per axle grain cart will still create subsurface compaction.
At times, potentially damaging compaction is unavoidable. What can be done about it? There are two ways of alleviating and lessening the damage caused by compaction: 1) Attempt to remove the compaction or 2) Attempt to reduce the adverse effects of the compaction.
Figure 15. Alleviation of wheel traffic compaction by tillage and overwintering.
Moldboard tillage of the compacted depth has been effective in removing surface compaction in studies at Lamberton (Bauder et al., 1981). Wheel traffic during the growing season increased the bulk density to 1.55 g/cm3 in the surface foot of a Nicollet clay loam (Figure 15). Moldboard plowing this compacted soil in the fall (D) reduced the bulk density in the top foot to similar values measured in the soil without wheel traffic (E).
Where no tillage was done, freezing and thawing over winter reduced the bulk density only slightly and only above the 6-inch depth, (B). In this study, chisel plow and disk treatments (C) were less effective than the moldboard plow in removing surface compaction in one over-winter period. These results confirm that freezing and thawing alone may not remove compaction.
One way to reduce the adverse effects of compaction is to apply fertilizer in a way that increases the availability. Such measures may include row/band application of phosphorus or potassium. Split application of nitrogen or other practices that minimize the loss of nitrogen by denitrification may also alleviate compaction problems.
In the Midwest, research results evaluating the effects of subsoiling have shown few positive yield responses to subsoiling. When they do occur, they are variable and relatively small.
There is a real difficulty in accurately predicting the effects on crop yield from subsoiling a given field because of differences in soils, the level of subsoil compaction, the soil water content, subsequent traffic, uncertainties of future weather conditions, and differences in the crop grown and in tillage methods.
Figure 16. Multiple reasons could contribute to the variable responses to subsoiling.
In a Waseca study, subsoiling to a depth of 16 inches failed to increase yields on the 20 ton per axle treatments for either corn or soybeans and decreased corn yield 11 bu/a in one of the two years.
One strong possibility for the lack of response to subsoiling is that the detrimental effects caused by compaction were no longer limiting crop yield. This could occur either because differences in crop or climatic conditions, such as rainfall, that may alleviate the effects of surface compaction.
Another possible explanation is that the subsoiling failed to effectively remove the compaction because of unfavorable soil moisture conditions at the time of subsoiling. If the soil moisture is too high, subsoiling will be ineffective. The subsoiling and associated traffic can reduce the soil macro-porosity, further restricting the drainage of water through the soil.
Another reason cited for the failure of subsoiling to remove a compacted layer is that subsequent wheel traffic may have reintroduced the compacted layer, thus negating the effects of sub-soiling. A loosened subsoil will have very little bearing capacity, meaning it can't support much weight. An ordinary 2-wheel drive tractor may be sufficiently heavy enough to re-compact the subsoil. Controlled traffic becomes even more important.
To increase the probability of obtaining beneficial effects from subsoiling, the following steps should be considered:
- Determine that a compaction problem actually exists. Are visual crop symptoms consistent with past wheel traffic? Is there standing water after a rain that also shows a pattern consistent with wheel traffic?
- Determine that subsoiling can effectively disrupt the compacted layer.
- Make sure the soil is dry and fractures to the depth of the shank when subsoiling.
- Avoid recompacting loosened soil by using the controlled traffic concepts.
Controlled traffic
In a normal year, as much as 90% of the field may be tracked by equipment (Figure 17a). The philosophy behind controlled traffic is to restrict the amount of soil traveled on by using the same wheel tracks. Seventy to 90 percent of the total plow layer compaction occurs on the first trip across the field. By controlling traffic, the tracked area will have a slightly deeper compaction but the soil between the tracks will not be compacted (Figure 17b).
Source: Management Strategies to Minimize and Reduce Soil Compaction. 1999. University of Nebraska, G89-896-A.
Figure 17a. Field coverage by normal annual field operations.
Source: Management strategies to Minimize and Reduce Soil Compaction. 1999. University of Nebraska, G89-896-A.
Figure 17b. Field coverage in a controlled traffic situation.
Corn and soybean farmers who use global positioning systems (GPS), ridge till, strip till, or no-till can confine traffic between certain rows and avoid compacting the row area. This requires proper matching of all machines including combines, grain carts, and manure-handling equipment to confine the compaction to the same between-row areas.
There are occasional reports of adverse effects on plant growth where the wheel tracks are on both sides of the row, but even then the damage is confined to certain rows. Benefits to controlled traffic, using permanent compacted lanes, are improved tractor efficiency and floatation, less powerful machinery needed, and improved timeliness of operations.
Acceptance is waiting for the detrimental effects to be removed by natural forces. However, this may not be practical if there is compaction below the plow layer. The deeper the compaction and higher the clay content, the longer it will persist.
- The effects of compaction on plant growth and yield depend on the crop grown, soil type, and weather conditions.
- Under dry conditions, slight compaction is beneficial but too much is detrimental to yield.
- Under wet conditions, any amount of compaction can decrease yields as a result of N losses, reduced K availability, and inhibited root respiration due to reduced soil aeration.
- A moderate amount of compaction in the seed zone at planting is desirable in order to provide adequate seed-soil contact.
- Excessive compaction decreases water infiltration and storage, decreases root growth, reduces the soil volume explored by roots and can reduce crop yields.
- Depth of compaction increases as both the soil moisture content and axle load increase.
- Compaction in the plow layer is largely related to contact pressure of the tire. Compaction below the plow layer is related to total axle load.
- Surface compaction can usually be alleviated by moldboard or chisel plowing.
- Subsoil compaction takes years to alleviate.
- In our region, research studies have shown few cases of positive yield response to subsoiling and in some cases subsoiling has decreased yields.
Bauder, J.W., G.W. Randall, and J.B. Swan. 1981. Effect of four continuous tillage systems on mechanical impedance of a clay loam soil. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 45:802-806.
Blake, G.R. 1958. Report of subsoiling experiment. Minnesota Agriculture Experiment Station.
Blake, G.R., W.W. Nelson, and R.R. Allmaras. 1976. Persistence of subsoil compaction in a mollisol. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 40:943-948.
Giles, J.F. 1980. Effects of compaction on soil conditions and crop growth. IN: 1979 Sugarbeet Research and Extension Reports. Cooperative Extension Service, NDSU.
Giles, J.F. 1981. Effects of compaction on crop response. IN: 1981 Sugarbeet Research and Extension Report. Cooperative Extension Service, NDSU.
Hakansson, I. 1985. Soil compaction research in Sweden. Proc. of Soil Compaction Conf. Ohio State University. Columbus, OH. April 1985.
Jones, A.J., R.A. Wiese, E.C. Dickey. 1999. Management strategies to minimize and reduce soil compaction.University of Nebraska, G89-896-A.
Larson, W.E., W.G. Lovely, and V.C. Jamison. 1961. Subsoiling doesn't pay in the Midwest. Iowa Farm Science. 15:5-6.
Larson, W.E., W.G. Lovely, J.T. Pesek, and R.F. Burwell. 1960. Effect of subsoiling and deep fertilizer placement on yields of corn in Iowa and Illinois. Agron. J. 52:185-189.
Lewandowski, A. 1999. Compaction - Soil Management Series 2. University of Minnesota Extension Service, BU-7400.
Moncrief, J.F. 1981. The effect of tillage on soil physical properties and the availability of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium to corn. Ph.D. thesis, Univ. of WI, Madison, WI.
Moncrief, J.F., and E.E. Schulte. 1983. The effects of tillage on soil compaction and crop growth. Presented at the Illinois Fertilizer and Chemical Assoc. Conf., Springfield, IL.
Raghavan, G.S.V., E. McKyes, F. Taylor, P. Richard, and A. Watson. 1979. The relationship between machinery traffic and corn yield reductions in successive years. Trans. Am. Soc. Agr. Engin. 22:1256-1259.
Schuler, R.T., and B. Lowery. 1984. Subsoil compaction effect in corn production with two soil types. Paper 384-1032. Amer. Soc. Agr. Engin. St. Joseph, MO.
Schulte, E.E. 1980. Effectiveness of row fertilizer in Wisconsin. IN: Proc. 1980 Fertilizer, Aglime, and Pest Management Conf. Univ. of WI, Madison, WI 19:113-121.
Soane, B.D., and C. van Ouwerkerk. 1994. Soil compaction in crop production. ISBN 0-444-88286-3. Chap. 12, pp 265-286.
Soehne, 1958. Journ. of Agr. Eng.
Voorhees, W. B. 1996. Soil compaction issues related to soybean production. Midwest Soybean Conf. Des Moines, IA, August 1996.
Voorhees, W.B. 1983. Relative effectiveness of tillage and natural forces in alleviating wheel-induced soil compaction. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 47:129-133.
Voorhees, W.B. 1985. Some effects of soil compaction on root growth, nutrient uptake, and yield. Proc. 15th North Central Extension-Industry Soil Fertility Workshop. St. Louis, MO. April, 1985. pp. 58-65.
Voorhees, W.B. 1986. The effect of compaction on crop yield. Proc. Earthmoving Industry Conf. Peoria, IL. April, 1986.
Voorhees, W.B., W.W. Nelson, and G.W. Randall. 1986. Extent and persistence of subsoil compaction caused by heavy axle loads. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 50-428-433.
Voorhees, W.B., D. Evans, and D.D. Warnes. 1985. Effect of pre-plant wheel traffic on soil compaction, water use, and growth of spring wheat. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 49:215-220.
Voorhees, W.B., C.G. Senst, and W.W. Nelson. 1978. Compaction and soil structure modification by wheel traffic in the Northern Corn Belt. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 42:344-349.
Voorhees, W.B., R.A. Young, and Leon Lyles. 1979. Wheel traffic considerations in erosion research. Trans. Am. Soc. Agr. Engin. 22:786-790.
Young, R.A., and W.B. Voorhees. 1982. Soil erosion and runoff from planting to canopy development as influenced by tractor wheel-traffic. Trans. Am. Soc. Agr. Engin. 25:708-712.
About the Authors
Jodi DeJong-Hughes is an Extension Educator for Northwest Minnesota with the University of Minnesota West Central Research/Outreach Center, Morris, Minnesota.
John Moncrief is an Extension Soil Scientist – Tillage, Department of Water, Soils & Climate, University of Minnesota Extension Service.
W. B. Voorhees is a Soil Scientist with the North Central Soil Conservation Research Laboratory, USDA-Agricultural Research Service, at Morris, Minnesota.
J. B. Swan is a retired Extension Soil Scientist, University of Minnesota Extension Service.


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If you've been reading this column a while, you know how much I love golf. I love it. Jacek is obsessed with it. He golfs year round. It's all he can talk about, think about, to the point where he's forbidden from doing so when we see some of our friends because nobody wants to be bored.
But even for those who are super into golf, sometimes golf can admittedly look...well... like the Timberlakes, here at Justin's course in Tennessee yesterday. Even someone as stylish as Justin Timberlake can be reduced, in golf clothes, to an everyday weekend civilian. And golf clothes can eliminate all trace of anything sexy in someone as hot as Mrs Timberlake. These pants are popular, so infuriatingly popular, and they should be outlawed.
I prefer the pants on the men. I prefer it when Jacek golfs in pants. He wears J Lindbergs and because he has such a nice shape, and is well proportioned, they fall on him very attractively. It also helps that he plays very well. I won't lie: I like that my husband is, more often than not, the top golfer in any given group of amateurs. It makes me feel better about shanking my own balls into the water. But the minute he puts on the wrong pair of golf shorts (and there are too many) with socks that go too far above his ankle, I expect at minimum par, if not birdie, on every hole, just to balance out the assy style.
(Note from Jacek: Since I'm editing... I do not wear socks that go past my ankles with shorts. I might wear Under Armour 24/7 as my everyday wear, and have no illusions about my style usually being less than par, but I have enough sense not to do this)


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Gaiety! Bacchanalia! Food shortages! The White House Correspondents Dinner happened over the weekend. "One of the most hideous events I've ever been to," decreed Ruper Everett (of the cinematic gem The Next-Best Thing. Megan went. So did Heidi and Spencer and Pete Wentz. Megan recognized Donatella Versace, but not Ashlee Simpson. Lauren Conrad grew "awesome bangs." Glamocracy reigned, so to speak, and not just in Washington; I went to a lovely wedding! Prince performed at Coachella! And the rest of the world continued to fast and fester under the weight of wrongheaded economic policies that systematically placed risk of reckless neocons and Wall Street plutocrats on the shoulders of taxpayers, undermining capitalism's every last virtue and then some. That and Jeremiah Wright speaks, Bill Clinton's Obama hate is deconstructed, a brief discussion of the Laffer Curve, after the jump.
MOE: Together again at last! We'll have to celebrate this. But how?
MEGAN: I can make mimosas, but I was sort of planning on doing laundry later.
MOE: Shall we talk about the Reverend Wright?
MEGAN: Well, everyone else is, including Reverend Wright.
MOE: Or the economy? The food crisis. Stop hoarding food, world! It is only getting more expensive because you think it is going to get more expensive! It's a self-fulfilling prophecy, don't you see?
MEGAN: I don't think everyone is hoarding. God knows I'm not.
MEGAN: My fridge contains: butter, really old bread, prosciutto, eggs, beer and leftover pizza that I'm likely going to eat when we're done. And the afore-mentioned champagne but it turns out I don't actually have any OJ for mimosas, so it's just straight champagne for me.
MOE: How was your weekend? I went to a wedding. It was wonderful until I realized I had no place to go once it was over, save 30th Street Station, which was very cold and miserable. At least I had the money to purchase myself an Eagles sweatshirt to wad myself up inside on the way home. Warm clothes at cold train stations is a rarity. My fridge contains mustard and hummus.
MEGAN: Glamour sent me to cover the White House Correspondents Dinner and the various parties. I spent it in dresses and heels rather than the tank tops and flip flops that a 90 degree sunny weekend should have portended.
MOE: Oh we should really talk about our fabulous parties then, I suppose. The Mauritanians suffering at the hands of all the sudden hoarding from the food exporting nations — here is one area where the free market could be virtuous, and yet when called to be virtuous, I guess we cling to national allegiances and self-preservational instincts...and anyway so Craig Ferguson. Do share.
MEGAN: Craig Ferguson was deemed hard-to-understand due to the acoustics and his accent, but I was upstairs in the bar at that point so didn't catch a ton of it. It wasn't as bad as Rich Little or as evilly good as Colbert 2 years ago and then it started to rain.
MOE: Oh and here's a link re the new unflat world, the rise of nationalism. God I hated The World Is Flat. 2% of Mauritania's land is arable, I just learned.
MEGAN: I hated that book, too. I can't remember why, because I read it in grad school, but I remember hating it. I hate all those books. Don't get me started on Guns, Germs and Steel, fucking piece of social Darwinist bullshit
MEGAN: Axelrod was just on MSNBC. I don't think Wright's new speaking campaign is sitting too well with him.
MOE: Here's a YouTube clip from the event. At around 9:40 he says to GWB, "I remember eight years ago you promised you were going to restore dignity to the White House...pause...By the way I thought you were fantastic on 'Deal Or No Deal'." I don't think you can compare Guns, Germs and Steel to The World Is Flat but that's just maybe because I read Tom Friedman to feel smarter than him and I read Jared Diamond to familiarize myself with the deluxe version of the conventional wisdom he purveys.
MEGAN: Nothing like some delicious conventional wisdom that all peoples are made to be conflicted and the "best" society will win!
MOE: Reading about the development of penicillin...the drug's discoverer, Alexander Fleming, was sort of this absent minded dilettante who was moved by treating soldiers in WWI to try and isolate antibiotics, but the drug would have gone nowhere — it sat around on his shelves for 20 years — if not for a group of scientists at Oxford, some of whom were motivated partly by humanistic instincts but one of whom notably (I'm forgetting who) thought he was doing something very dangerous because plagues were necessary to keep the population under control, but he didn't care because the project was so intellectually tantalizing, and maybe he was right about all of that. Who knows. Shall we discuss Bill Clinton's Obama envy, brought to you by a certain notable ex-colleague of Spencer Ackerman?
MEGAN: Wait, so, plagues are the opiates of the masses?
MEGAN: Also, I know nothing about Spencer's ex-colleague whatsoever that I didn't read about in that piece he wrote about him (which sounded like typical interoffice backstabby nastiness on the colleague's part), but I now know he's not a fan of Bill Clinton. He's not supposed to be even-handed or something, is he?
MOE: Huh? Even handed? Oh lord don't give me that. My problem with this Talk Of The Town is that, being a Talk Of the Town, it doesn't really address annnnything beyond the perception of the perceptions and, you know, a lot of people would truly like to have an answer to: were the failings of Clinton economic policy fundamentally the result of a Giant Sellout, or well-meaning inevitabilitarianism?
MOE: Which is not a word.
MOE: Also, my sense was that Angela Davis may have been cool, but that Stalin was not, and now people think I am so terrible, and maybe they are right.
MEGAN: Oh, well, I just mean that it seemed very much like the author didn't like Bill Clinton from the get-go, which made me roll my eyes and not really take anything he was saying very seriously.
MEGAN: Stalin was very uncool. The problem with Communism was that its intellectual advocates were always sort of idealistic and understandable while its practitioners were always crazy, power-hungry oppressive megalomaniacs.
MEGAN: Um, by the way, what is the kind of goatee called when the dude shaves most of the front of the chin but leaves maybe an inch on the very, very bottom, on the curve? Because that's what Reverend Wright has apparently grown.
MOE: I should just point out that my bias is having grown up for some time with communism, and having the sense from a very young age that while it was not so bad to be poor, it was creepy to be brainwashed. And please send a picture.
MEGAN: Ok, I take it back, actually, it turns out he's always had it, I just never noticed it before because I've never seen his face quite this big and it's a little grey.
MOE: And here's something that will shock you: Republicans preside over periods of slower economic growth and widening income gaps than Democrats. Paul Krugman doesn't understand why exactly but thinks there could be something to that and come to think of it so do I!
MEGAN: Laffer curve! Laffer curve!
MEGAN: Like, all these tax cuts at some point stop generating additional productivity and just turn into tax cuts.
MEGAN: OMG, Reverend Wright just said "I served 6 years in the military. Does that make me patriotic? How many years did Cheney serve?"
MEGAN: The room erupted.
MOE: Well the Laffer Curve is kind of whatever, I mean it's just a tool to illustrate the law of diminishing marginal returns, but I guess this new graph would suggest, "ha ha, actually no, fuck Laffer and Keynes and all that noise, Republicans are just more likely to get it wrong, the end." Which I like because I kind of hate the Laffer Curve, insofar as it makes something really fucking mind-numbingly complex look pretty and simple and Reaganite.
MOE: Oh shit! Did he read that about himself in the Tribune?
MEGAN: But it's fun to say. Also, it ties conservatives up in knots right now because the evidence suggests that we're on the bad side of the curve even as they advocate more tax cuts and the Laffer curve is like the tax cutter's Bible.
MOE: Also, Wikipedia points us to this interesting CBO paper on how tax cuts at this point are just in no way fucking worth it.
MEGAN: And that shit's more from more than 2 years ago.
MEGAN: "As I said to Barack Obama, if you get elected, on November 5th, I'll be coming after you because you'll be representing a government that grinds people under," says Rev. Wright.
MOE: And fucking check out this editorial from the always-populist Wall Street Journal.
So Federal Reserve officials are whispering to reporters that they will consider a "pause" after another interest-rate cut this week. Perhaps we should be more respectful, but this sounds like the alcoholic who tells his wife he'll quit drinking next weekend, after one more bender. What Chairman Ben Bernanke needs isn't a gradual withdrawal from easy money but membership in Central Bankers Anonymous.
I don't know what "thrifty middle class" they're referring to but:
The practical impact has been to send energy and food prices soaring. This is a direct tax on both the world's poor and America's middle class. Just when the U.S. economy needs a resilient consumer given the fall in housing prices, these price increases have eviscerated consumer pocketbooks. In its attempt to help Wall Street and the financial system, Fed policy is punishing average Americans. The public is frustrated and angry with these price increases, and it has a right to be. Inflation is the thief of the thrifty middle class.
MEGAN: I'm the thrifty middle class! I'm a cheap fucking bitch, everyone knows that.
MEGAN: I mean, my problem with the interest rate cuts is that they are seemingly not particularly effective at saving the economy from recession.
MEGAN: Dude, by the way, I sort of want to go to Reverend Wright's church now. Mofo is fucking funny.
MEGAN: "Based on Tuskeegee, based on what has happened to Africans in this country, I believe our government is capable of everything." He alternates between joke telling and speaking to the conspiracy theorist in my heart.
MOE: So dude, honestly, tell me about the WHCD because the rest of the news is really depressing. It's like recession, no wait depression
MOE: rich financiers have been profiting under a reverse-Robin Hood system whereby the amount of capital underlying securities steadily decreased as the risk was moved to the public balance sheet, the dollar is going to keep sinking, the entire financial services industry is a laughingstock...we need a new Decameron, if you will.
MOE: Did you see Heidi and Spencer? Who appeared, despite rumors they would not.
MEGAN: I did not see Heidi and Spencer. Going made me realize that I'd been in D.C. too damn long because I was all like "Oooh, Carlos Gutierrez! Fran Thompson! Helen Thomas!" and then I geeked out and played spot-the-celeb with this guy after making him pose for the photo and I totally didn't recognize Ashlee Simpson though I caught Donatella.
MEGAN: And then, since Samantha Bee was at Glamour's table, I chatted with her (cutely pregnant, but still in heels and I commiserated that she had to attend but couldn't drink and she said she only came because she figured when she pushed out a second kid no one would think she was cool enough to invite again).
MEGAN: And I took the picture at the bottom of this blog post.
MEGAN: And Bush's speech: lame.
MOE: Who the fuck was pete wentz the guest of?
MEGAN: I dunno, but he DJ'd the Capitol File party, so maybe them?


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Award Winning Anderson DWI Attorneys
#1 Goal is a DISMISSAL or REDUCTION
Est. 1989
Anderson DWI Attorneys Dunham & Jones handles DWI, DUI, BWI cases in Grimes County, Texas and the Brazos Valley. Their #1 Goal is a DISMISSAL or REDUCTION. Call Dunham & Jones today and speak with one of the Anderson DWI lawyers to find out how they can help you with your DWI/DUI/BWI. Dunham & Jones was Voted Best DWI Lawyers.
from the date of your arrest for DWI in Grimes County, Texas to request an administrative hearing about your driver's license. If you do not, your driver's license will be automatically suspended. For immediate help, contact the Anderson DWI Attorneys at Dunham & Jones at 979-221-1699.
Call 24/7 979-221-1699
Dunham & Jones handles Texas DWI (Driving While Intoxicated) and BWI (Boating While Intoxicated) cases in and around Grimes County. Having Texas Board Certified Criminal Law Specialists* and former prosecutors handling your DWI in Anderson can make the difference between winning, going to jail or doing DWI probation. You will find our law firm to be very knowledgeable about Texas DWI Laws and drunk driving penalties and information.
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When selecting legal representation, realize that the experience of your Anderson DWI Lawyer in Texas is very important. The way your DWI defense case is handled will have an influence on the outcome and thus, your future. Having Texas Board Certified Criminal Law Specialists* on your side can mean the difference between obtaining a good result and a bad result. At Dunham & Jones, many of our criminal defense attorneys have previously been Assistant District Attorneys, spending years perfecting their courtroom skills. We know the procedures of the criminal court system and can make that system work for you.
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Dunham & Jones has accumulated a highly successful record of acquittals, dismissals and reductions in DWI charges. Each DWI in Grimes County is different, but note that the criminal defense attorneys at Dunham & Jones always start with the goal of getting your charge of driving while intoxicated in Anderson dismissed or reduced to a traffic ticket.
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A Word of Warning about your Texas Driver's License
You have only fifteen (15) days from the date of your DWI charge in Grimes County to request a hearing on your Texas Driver's License. According to the DWI laws in Texas, if you fail to request a hearing, your Texas Driver's License may be suspended and you face the probability of paying huge fines for several years. It is important that you hire quality legal representation for this hearing to challenge the license suspension. Having legal representation for this license hearing provides an opportunity for your criminal defense attorney to question the arresting police officer. Putting the police officer on the stand helps to establish his or her position, which can be very beneficial to your DWI defense case.
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I was arrested for DWI and submitted to a breath test. I was pulled over by the police because of a flat tire. I cooperated with the police and submitted to a breath test. My breath test results were high (.17). I then received a flyer from the Dunham & Jones and set up a free consultation. During my free consultation it was explained to me that just because I did a breath test did not mean the State could prove their case. The attorneys filed pretrial motions and at the hearing, my attorney discovered information which was used to convince the prosecutor to dismiss my case.
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I was stopped for speeding and the officer asked if I had ben drinking. I told him I had a couple, but I was ok. After some questions and the foot test he wanted me to agree to a breathalyzers test. I asked several questions about the .08 being the legal limit, because I thought I could probably pass. I asked what would happen if I was .07 and he said he could arrest me anyway because of other factors. I assumed that was failing standing on one leg which I can't do in my yoga class. At that point, I said I would not take it and he arrested me. I was in trouble then, jail, automatic suspended license, fees and a potential DWI on my record. ... I made arrangement to meet with an attorney from Dunham & Johns the next morning to get me out of jail. Monday morning I met with Paul Dunham and after the discussion I decided to go with Dunham & Jones. Everything went as Paul said it would, they can't guarantee victory every time, but if you have a good attorney who has a good plan you have a better chance. The company is very knowledgeable of the law, the prosecuting attorney's, judges and every aspect which give you a better chance of getting a good outcome. My outcome was what Paul was hoping for, DWI reduced to speeding which came off my record after 90 days. Paul has kept working for me, because you want to clean up your record to the fullest extent of the law and that's what he's doing for me. I fully recommend this firm.. They know what they are doing.
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I was arrested for a DWI. I was on the way home after meeting up with some friends after work. I was stopped for speeding and arrested. I agreed to give a breath test. The result was .101. I didn't want a Class B misdemeanor conviction following me around for the rest of my life, so we went to trial. Even though breath test cases are tougher to win, I was found not guilty, thanks to the trial team at Dunham & Jones. They really went to bat for me. And on top of that, made it easy to pay. I highly recommend Dunham & Jones. They are straight shooters and really fight to win your case.
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I was arrested for a DWI and refused to take a breath test. The officer obtained a search warrant to draw blood and the result was a 0.13. A trusted friend recommended I contact the attorneys at Dunham & Jones. Dunham & Jones took my case, allowing me to pay with an affordable payment plan. We went to trial and I was found not guilty.
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Every case is unique and there are no guaranteed outcomes.
Every case is unique and there are no guaranteed outcomes.
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Texas DWI Attorneys
Map to Dunham & Jones Attorneys at Law, P.C.
Call 24/7 979-221-1699
Dunham & Jones, Attorneys at Law present the information on this web site as a service to the public. While the information on this web page is about Texas legal issues, it is not legal advice and does not establish an Attorney Client Relationship. Moreover, due to the rapidly changing nature of Texas laws and our reliance on information provided by outside sources, we make no warranty or guarantee concerning the accuracy or reliability of the content at this web page, site or sites to which we link.
Consultation by appointment only.
Results obtained depend on the facts of each case.
* ** Ben C. Florey is Board Certified in Criminal Law - Texas Board of Legal Specialization.
* ** Stuart Neal is Board Certified in Criminal Law - Texas Board of Legal Specialization.
Except as noted, not certified by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization.
Amarillo, Austin, Bryan, Dallas, Denton, El Paso, Ft. Worth, Houston, Killeen, Midland, Plano, San Antonio, Waco.


text:
The January 2013 eNews, volume 7, number 1, has been published and emailed to members and friends. As always, the eNews features timely information about the California Genealogical Society and our upcoming events. Each edition also includes Suggested Links From the Blogosphere and a photo feature: California Ancestors. This month we honor the Dartt Brothers of Mendocino, family of CGS member Nyla Urch-Dartt.
|The Dartt Brothers:
Past issues of the eNews are available at the eNews archive.
The February 2013 issue will be emailed on January 31, 2013. To receive a copy, please join our mailing list.
Photograph courtesy of Nyla Urch-Dartt.
Copyright © 2013 by Kathryn M. Doyle, California Genealogical Society and Library.


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In recent Broadway seasons Stephanie J. Block has gone green as Elphaba in Wicked, tapped her way through Anything Goes as Reno Sweeney, commandeered her own ship in The Pirate Queen and even frug'ed as Liza Minnelli in The Boy from Oz.
Block has now traded in her girl drag to play the pants off the title role in Rupert Holmes' Tony Award-winning musical The Mystery of Edwin Drood, which opened Nov. 13 in a celebrated revival at Studio 54.
The musical — which allows audiences to vote on the ending of Charles Dickens' final, unfinished tale — first debuted in 1985. The Roundabout Theatre Company produces the current revival that also boasts Chita Rivera, Will Chase, Jessie Mueller and Jim Norton.
There's a first for everything. You've had some fantastic costumes in your other Broadway outings, but it has to be fun being fitted for men's clothes to play Drood.
Stephanie J. Block: It is! The great thing about my costumes, which has never happened to me before, is I get to go to a men's tailoring shop! This is the first time for me to be in Broadway wardrobe [where] everything is tailored to a man. For audiences unfamiliar with the musical from its 1985 debut, or its source material, they might think the actual mystery is Edwin's identity because the show is written for a woman to play the title role.
SJB: Right. What Rupert Holmes did when he wrote The Mystery of Edwin Drood is that we're music hall performers playing these characters. It takes place in 1895 in a music hall in London. And one of the great things, [in] the pantomimes they put on there, the leading boy character would always be played by a recognized cross-dresser: a wonderful female performer who is very well-known to be a male impersonator. So this isn't something that's out of the ordinary for a London audience of that time in the music hall. It would be someone that the audience would absolutely recognize. I kind of liken it to Mary Martin playing Peter Pan. We know it's a woman playing a boy, but you just go with the whole conceit and believe the story that's being told. That's what Rupert has developed, and there's never a sort of "Voilà! Look at me!" moment. The audience should just understand that there's a female under all that and then they buy into the idea that she's the romantic young male lead.
|photo by Joan Marcus
There's some big singing for the character of Edwin Drood in this show. You run the gamut from soprano to high belt. Were you excited to tackle it?
SJB: I did not know the score. I wasn't familiar with The Mystery of Edwin Drood. I had one song in my audition book and it was "Moonfall." That was my legitimate ballad. But then I really started to listen to the entire [album] and this glorious complicated score that Rupert has written. Drood's got some really great songs. Where it's pitched in my voice, and where Rupert's written the range, is definitely a female range. So even if I spoke low, every time I would sing it would go into that female range. So, it's beautiful and it lets me soar in soprano and also the belt is written in there, too.
When I spoke with Rupert he said this doesn't feel like a revival — it feels like a completely new show. I understand he created a lot of new material during rehearsals and finessed moments for the talent of specific cast members.
SJB: He did. It is brand-new stuff, things were being written every single day because there are so many opportunities for so many different endings. Rupert has written completely new scenes for the murderers, who Detective Datchery is, and especially for the lovers. The comedy that he is finding and expressing this time around is great and I think the audience is gonna be raucous and laughing with us every step of the way.
Was Dickens' famously unfinished novel helpful to you?
SJB: I was actually told to stay away from the book. Although we are telling the Dickensian story of "The Mystery of Edwin Drood," the flavor is so different since we're music hall performers playing these characters. So, I've read a couple of chapters, but I've got to tell you, that it's great to know information-wise, but the tone is so completely different that I put the book away and said, "Let's create something that's ours as opposed to this sort of Charles Dickens' very dark and heavy story that he wrote."


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