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The real winner in Thursday night's Misery Bowl between the Titans and Jaguars: Sen'Derrick Marks.
The Jacksonville defensive tackle capped off his team's 21-13 victory by taking down Charlie Whitehurst. The sack gave Marks' 8.5 on the year, a half-sack above the threshold he needed to take home a $600,000 bonus. Marks celebrated his game-ending play by borrowing Johnny Manziel's "money" celebration as his teammates swarmed him.
"It's been everywhere this whole week," Marks told the NFL Network. "I honestly feel like if it was going to happen, it would come from me doing my job and it happens. ... I'll probably send it back home to my mom and just have fun with it."
The game itself was little more than an appetizer for this weekend's critical slate. Jacksonville improved to 3-12 with the win, pulling one game ahead of the 2-13 Titans in the AFC South standings.
Tennessee led 10-0 early before Blake Bortles and the Jacksonville offense kicked into gear. Bortles got the Jaguars on the board with a TD pass to Marcedes Lewis, the 11th play of an impressive drive just before halftime. Bortles finished the game 13-of-26 for 115 yards and that TD, shaking off a brutal start to get there.
He sat back and watched his run game swing the score into Jacksonville's favor. Toby Gerhart scored from 1-yard out to give the Jaguars their first lead, then Jordan Todman added some insurance with a 65-yard scoring scamper.
Could the win come back to haunt them later? It all depends where one stands on the tanking debate with regards to the draft.
Jacksonville's win did change the current outlook up top for the 2015 draft. So, a little venture outside of our usual Three Thoughts format to check in on what the Jaguars' win over Tennessee might mean come April 30, 2015.
1. Tennessee moves closer to No. 1: The Titans entered Week 16 with a .503 strength of schedule, placing them behind the Buccaneers' .467 mark in draft-pick tiebreakers. (The format rewards teams for having easier schedules, under the theory that higher-quality wins equals a better team.)
Those numbers will tighten up this week, though, in large part because Tennessee played the now 3-12 Jaguars while Tampa Bay takes on 10-4 Green Bay. According to FiveThirtyEight, the Titans' chances of landing No. 1 overall improved from 25 percent to 40.8 percent with Thursday's loss; Tampa Bay's chances dropped from 54.8 to 53.8.
The main reason this all could be important: Heisman Trophy winner Marcus Mariota.
There is no doubt that the Buccaneers will evaluate their QB situation this offseason, after slopping through 2014 with Josh McCown and Mike Glennon. The Titans ought to do the same, even if they believe Zach Mettenberger (out Thursday with a shoulder injury) could develop into a solid NFL player.
Even if the Titans have no plans to take a quarterback, it obviously behooves any team to land that No. 1 pick. Tennessee then could flip it to a team that does want a QB or has its eyes on a specific prospect, or it could stay put and nab a potential Day One starter.
It's more or less a two-team race to the top -- or is it the bottom? -- between Tampa Bay and Tennessee.
2. A drop for the Jaguars: Jacksonville's pick in our Mock Draft 2.0, released a few hours before Thursday night's game, was defensive tackle Leonard Williams. Either he or versatile edge-rusher Randy Gregory could add an impact player to Gus Bradley's front four.
The Jaguars' win, however, takes them out of the running for the No. 1 overall pick and at least temporarily sends them into the No. 5-6 range. Tons can change between now and April, but that's a more reasonable spot for the Jaguars to consider one of this draft's offensive linemen. Brandon Scherff, Andrus Peat and Cedric Ogbuehi are among the names that could be first to go come draft day -- Scherff got the earliest nod in that Mock, at No. 5 overall to Washington.
Of course, Jacksonville could have focused on the same positional group at No. 2 or No. 3, but the OTs may fall short on paper when compared to the talent available elsewhere.
3. The Raiders might now be in the swing spot: Regardless of the winner Thursday night, the Raiders were going to bump up one spot in the current draft order. They now sit with the No. 3 spot for the time being, though they will lock in there if they, the Buccaneers and Titans lose out -- Oakland's strength of schedule far surpasses either of those other No. 1 pick contenders.
But the Titans hanging onto the No. 2 pick as the Jaguars fall was the better of Thursday's two possible scenarios for the Raiders. A few ways this could play out, should the top three stay as is:
• Both Tampa Bay and Tennessee take a quarterback: Oakland should be set, at least heading into 2015, with Derek Carr as its signal-caller. So if the Buccaneers and Titans open the draft by nabbing Marcus Mariota and Jameis Winston, in some order, that leaves the rest of the board wide open for the Raiders. Leonard Williams, Amari Cooper, Randy Gregory and others would be there for the taking.
• One of Tampa Bay and Tennessee takes a quarterback: Should the Raiders have any interest in trading back, their best hope is that either (or both) or the Mariota-Winston duo makes it to pick three. If the Raiders themselves definitely do not want to go QB, they could dangle this spot in front of the Jets, Redskins, Rams or any other team needing an upgrade there.
• Neither Tampa Bay nor Tennessee selects a QB: The odds are extremely low that Oakland doubles up at quarterback, but what if the new coach (and his new scheme) favors an athlete like Mariota? It's hard to imagine the Raiders going back to the well, but they would at least have to have the conversation. Otherwise, the trade possibility becomes more viable; Mariota at No. 3 might be too much for other franchises to ignore.
Of course, all of this could become moot if the Buccaneers, Titans or Raiders win within the next two weeks. Should those teams finish any way other than a combined 0-5, Round 1's top three picks almost certainly will take on a different shape.


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BackpackShield offers bulletproof protection
With the bunch of crazy folks running around these days wielding guns, I wouldn't mind having one of these BackpackShields covering my back. Constructed from 13 layers of K-29 Kevlar, this thin, lightweight plate will be able to fit in most backpacks and is effective in stopping bullets ranging from the humble 9mm all the way to the powerful .44 Magnum. Good thing it doesn't deflect bullets as that could result in collateral damage. The BackpackShield targets college students, high school students, concerned parents, and commuters, retailing for $249 each. You can choose from 10 assorted colors or even customize it with any JPEG of your choice.
Source: Gizmodo
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2 reviews or comments
Emil Says: October 8, 2008 at 9:03 am
Amazing, this thing would really be sold in bulk in my country.

subset: commoncrawl


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Elbow and forearm
The elbow is a joint that connects between the arm and the forearm. It is a complex hinge-type joint, located 2-3 cm inferior to the epicondyles of the humerus. It involves three separate articulations that share a common synovial cavity. The humeroulnar articulation is between the trochlear notch of the ulna and the trochlea of the humerus. The humeroradial articulation is between the head of the radius and the capitulum of the humerus. The two are considered the traditional primary constituents of the elbow. The third articulation is that of the proximal radio-ulnar joint, it is a more pivot type of joint that connects between the head of the radius and the radial notch of the ulna. The three articulations form two different aspects of movement. They allow the flexion and extension of the elbow, as well as the supination and pronation of the forearm and wrist.
Joint capsule and ligaments
A fibrous layer of the joint capsule encloses the elbow. Its internal surface is lined by the synovial membrane. The joint capsule is weak both anteriorly and superiorly, but is reinforced on the sides by the collateral ligaments. The collateral ligaments of the elbow are lateral and medial thickenings that stabilize the elbow's motion. These two ligaments are the lateral fan-like radial collateral ligament, and the medial triangular-shaped ulnar collateral ligament.
Bursae are membranous sacs filled with synovial fluid. They prevent degenerative damage to the joints by reducing the friction between the moving parts and allowing free movement. Only three olecranon (the bony prominence at the very tip of the elbow) bursae around the elbow have clinical significance, and they are the intratendinosus, subtendinosus, and the subcutaneous bursa.
The forearm is the second largest segment of the upper limb. It extends between the elbow and wrist joints, and is separated by layers of fascia, bones and ligaments, into anterior and posterior regions.
The forearm bone framework consists of two bones, the radius and ulna. The radius lies laterally. It is small at its proximal end where it articulates with the humerus, and large at its distal end where it forms the wrist joint with the carpal bones of the hand. The ulna is the exact opposite. It lies medially in the forearm, and has reversed proximal and distal end dimensions. This allows the distal end of the radius to swing over that of the ulna, permitting pronation and supination movement of the hand.
As mentioned before, the forearm is divided into anterior (flexor) and posterior (extensor) compartments. They are separated by the lateral intermuscular septum, interosseous membrane, and the attachment of the deep fascia along the posterior border of the ulna.
Muscles in the anterior compartment are flexors present in three layers. The superficial layer contains the flexor carpi ulnaris, the palmaris longus, the flexor carpi radialis, and the pronator teres. In the intermediate layer, there is the flexor digitorum superficialis. The flexor digitorum profundus, flexor pollicis longus and the pronator quadratus lie in the deep layer. All these anterior compartment muscles are responsible for the flexion of the wrist and digits, and the pronation of the hand. They are innervated by the median nerve, except for the flexor carpi ulnaris and the medial half of the flexor digitorum profundus, both of which are innervated by the ulnar nerve.
Muscles of the posterior compartment are present in two layers, superficial and deep. The superficial layer consists of the brachioradialis, extensor carpi radialis longus, extensor carpi radialis brevis, extensor digitorum, extensor digiti minimi, extensor carpi ulnaris, and the anconeus. The deep layer on includes the supinator, abductor pollicis longus, extensor pollicis brevis, extensor pollicis longus, and the extensor indicis. Muscles of the posterior compartment are responsible for the extension of the wrist and digits, and the supination of the hand. They are all innervated by the radial nerve.


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As I mentioned in this post, I made this quilt as a wedding gift for a friend who is getting married this Saturday. The signature and binding didn't happen as I expected (read: a few days later than initially planned), but I finished hand-stitching the binding on Saturday morning and washed and dried the entire thing on Sunday. I think it turned out really well and hope it is used and loved.
Here's a detail of the quilting on the focus panel. I am still so in love with how washing and drying creates that lovely texture. I also think it helps to hide some tension issues I have happening on the back! As I mentioned previously, the seam-y-ness of the focus panel made quilting it a bit tricky at times, but I don't really know a way around it. I suppose having the walking foot on, as opposed to the free-motion foot, would've made feeding it through a bit easier, but I would've hated rotating the quilt so much to get this pattern!
For my signature I departed from my usual "KK 2008" chain stitch in favor of a backstitched (with two strands of embroidery floss, I believe) signature with the full wedding date. I figured I'd do that little extra to add to the specialness of the quilt. I think it turned out well, and I did like using the backstitch instead of the chain stitch. For one thing, I got a lot less puckering. For another, I think it went quicker this way. I did this entire thing in about 1.5 hours, and that's how long it usually takes me to do just the initials and the year.
This quilt was an experiment in a lot of ways, and I think it was successful in that it turned out well and also taught me a lot about how to proceed with things in the future. I tend to forget, but each craft is a valuable learning experience for me, whether or not I decide to make the same thing again.


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If you managed to order an iPhone 4 here in the UK yesterday from Apple you should get it by June the 24th, it looks like the shipping date for anyone pre-ordering the iPhone 4 from now onwards will have to wait until the 2nd of July 2010.
Apple has obviously sold out its initial batch of iPhone 4's that were allocated for pre-orders. Yesterday the Apple online store went down as soon a pre-ordering started and it took us three hours before we managed to order our iPhone 4.
We are still waiting for the five UK mobile carriers to announce the iPhone 4 on monthly contracts, and the impression we get from some of them is that Apple are the ones stopping them from selling the iPhone 4 on monthly contracts.
A number of the UK operators have told us that as soon as they get the go ahead from Apple, they will start selling the iPhone 4 on monthly contracts. We are expecting announcements from Orange and Vodafone either today or tomorrow.
O2 have told us that you won't be able to pre-order the iPhone from them, and will have to purchase it on launch day, they did say you would be able to pre-order it on their network from the Carphone Warehouse although they couldn't tell us when this would be available.
Those of us who managed to pre-order an iPhone 4 yesterday also have another problem, getting our hands on a Micro SIM card for the iPhone 4. We have put together a handy guide on how to get a Micro SIM for the iPhone 4 which we will be updating regularly when more information is available.
via Gadget VenueFiled Under: Apple, Apple iPhone


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Tomatoes and peppers and eggplants just burst up through their flats, and have unfurled their little dagger shaped cotyledon leaves.
We are slowly spreading our composted chicken manure on our rows, we've done about 4 tons so far, and more still to go! We also spread four tons of lime, we left the fields dusty and white for a day, and will go a long way to balancing our wacky pH here.
And our garlic! Wow, our garlic loves this warm weather, poking its way through the blanket of mulch we laid over it in the fall.
We are also rapidly filling up our CSA, so if you're on the fence about signing up, do it quickly! Otherwise we may not have room for you... and this is going to be a great season for vegetables, I can tell.


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Anybody want some parkland? If you're a public agency or parkland organization, we know where you can get 75 acres or more — for free.
The old Driftwood Properties parcel, hillside land overlooking the ocean and Aliso Canyon, is up for grabs and seemingly in limbo.
The land has been "irrevocably offered" as public open space since December, but so far not one of the agencies that could take possession of it has done so.


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Safety solutions provider, Survitec, has sponsored and presented a naval commendation awarded to military personnel handling survival equipment in the field.
The Neptune Award represents the highest level of proficiency achieved over the course of a 54-week Royal Navy Survival Equipment course.
David Griffiths, Vice President of Defence Sales at Survitec, was on hand to present the award on 1st December at RNAS Yeovilton to NA(SE) Davies O 30255671.
David Griffiths, Vice President Defence Sales at Survitec, said: "Learning when and how to effectively deploy survival equipment in the field can literally be the difference between life and death, so it is vital that new recruits are taught exactly how to get the most out of the gear they are equipped with.
"We are proud to have presented this award to the deserving candidate and have our name attached to such a prestigious accolade. The Neptune Award represents discipline, courage and a determination to a course that we feel honoured to be associated with. It is a great opportunity for us but also for the candidate to represent top-tier military personnel handling survival equipment in the field.
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This is the year of Pharrell – 41 years in the making.
Mr. Williams began making a name for himself in the early 90s as a producer and writer, with his most distinctive sound known as the "Neptunes Sound" – coming out from his former group N.E.R.D.
Pharrell admits that he always saw himself as the man standing next to the big star. Producing hits for Britney Spears, Jay-Z, Nelly, Usher, Puffy, Snoop Dogg, Gwen Stefani… and so many others, 2014 was the year that Pharrell now stood front and centre with the release of his latest album, GIRL. Tracks pull in influences from funk, soul, hip hop, rnb and even church – to the point where you can't help but get up and dance.
"It Girl" is a favourite of mine, referencing the title of his album, which he goes on to explain is dedicated to all of the people that had supported him and continues to support him in his life – who were all mostly women.
Another favourite from GIRL is "Gust of Wind" ft. Daft Punk, whom he had great successes with on the "Get Lucky" track. Like most songs on his latest album, the track mixes funk, soul and smooth rnb, taking you back and giving you a little taste of the 70s with, of course, that memorable Pharrell twist.


text: Cudas water shoes for women were made to provide arch support and cushion using fast drying materials. Our thoughtfully designed textured soles feature a wraparound toe and heel bumper for added protection from the elements. Whether you're headed to the beach, going boating, taking up paddle boarding, or need a comfortable aqua jogging or swim shoe – we've got you covered. We test our shoes in rivers, oceans and water aerobics classes to bring you the best performing womens water shoes at a great value.« View all Products


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Hello. My name is Levi Plambeck, and i am a Freelance Concept Artist/Illustrator looking for work. I am a self-taught artist who has been learning art in a serious manner for 3-4 years, nonstop. If you find my art interesting/appealing and are thinking of using my services. Feel free to contact me by my Email address
Only do payed work.
- Photoshop
- Sourcefilmmaker (Poses for reference)
- Creature Design
- Abstract/Horror
- Mechanical/Machinery/Industrial
- Spacecraft/Vehicle/Mech
- Sci Fi
- Character Design


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January 25, 2012
A sad day
7 comments:
Also known as "Catfish" for her long whiskers. She will be missed.
- January 25, 2012 at 9:34 PM
- Kuhns Acres said...
It is hard when you lose one of the kids. We lost Barron in November. He passed away in his sleep right after we got home from a trip. They will always be in our hearts.
- January 26, 2012 at 5:16 AM
- Lilla said...
yes, and also "catfish"...
Shelly, I am so sorry about Barron! These critters sure do have a way of wrapping around our hearts and leaving a void when they go, don't they? Thinking of you.
- January 26, 2012 at 8:33 AM
- icebear said...
i'm so sorry. its never easy. but that pain reminds us how much they were loved. and we are assured that they knew it.
- January 27, 2012 at 8:11 AM
I'm so sorry that you lost Olivia... she was a pretty girl...
- January 27, 2012 at 4:24 PM
- Danni said...
Oh, Lilla, I'm so, so sorry. Olivia was a beautiful girl and I loved reading the stories you told about her.
I know your home feels emptier now that she is gone, but she was so lucky to have you and Neal as her companions.
Thinking of you both.
-danni in oregon
- February 14, 2012 at 8:40 PM
- Razzberry Corner said...
Even tho u wrote this in jan, I just read it now, and am crying over your loss. I'm sorry you went thru this. I hope the pain is past and you remember the good times. hugs from MD.
- March 25, 2012 at 10:10 AM


text: Those toy collecting wierdos upstairs have had a thread to show off cool stuff for ages, so its about time we had one. Signed comics? Cool back issues? Covers that join up? Nice Hardcovers? Proof that you have sex? Post it all. I'll get the ball rolling with the early years of the original TMNT (background edited to save you the horror of my linen) - I'll post more later, don't want to hammer the bandwidth too much.


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Here are my notes from the Virtual Leadership Conference, Day 1. I am
just going to let these fly out there, and it may be in several parts,
but I am not usually one who writes in this format (notes, that is).
Goals of the group:
* How to build an online school
* How to grow a school wisely
* How does teaching look in this environment
* How are students successful in this environment
* How does staffing look in regards to the union issue?
* LMS's.
* How do we monitor students and teachers
* Assessment of students? How is authentic?
* Pacing of students as they move through a course
* Funding of your own students/funding of students from outside of the district?
There is a lot of demand and a lot of need out there
* state requirements
* credit recovery
* Kids don't have issue with the online learning, we do.
How do you grow your online school and maintain quality
* million dollar question
* constant battle to maintain that balance
Florida Virtual School is funded based on student success
* at their own request
* measures in place to maintain academic integrity
What is student success in an online school? Is there a way to track student performance over time?
* SAT, ACT prep courses and affect on scores
* Do online schools show success in this area?
* Is the very nature of an online learning environment contrary to standardized testing?
o should these students be measured in another way?
Blogger is giving me issues. Here are some more ideas:
Class discussions via YackPack.
* Whatever LMS we choose, it should have the ability to me module or node-based, so we can add things like YackPack or Skype directly into them.
* elluminate is another that FLVS uses.
College Reach-out Program
* priority funding with FLVS and priority access to students in this group who are at-risk or designated for this program.
* This type of program provides students who might have slipped through the cracks or missed out on a traditional school "track" on getting themselves in position to reach the college level.
* Underserved students are viewed as not a good fit for online learning
o not true-- a populare misconception
o FLVS has data to show that students in minority populations do very well on standardized tests after having been associated with FLVS.
o Stereotype eraser, and students who might otherwise shy away from academic success, or are shunned due to social stereotypes (behavior problems, bad decisions, social stigmas) do very well in an online class.
* The idea that students are "embarrassed" to be smart in some schools due to social pressures, can be "invisibly smart" in an online class while still maintaining their social status (the sagging pants phenomena)
* Migrant students benefit from FLVS through Dan Bolton--Angels Helping Hands who provides inexpensive laptop computers to them so they can participate in online learning.
The prevailing opinion is that online learning is for the bright kids. It also attracts students who are looking for a free ride.
* 29-day grace period for students to drop the class. This usually weeds out those looking for a free-ride.
* This system also represents under-achieving students.
Initially, the focus of online learning was on the higher-achieving students, but the trend is to move away from this and to "serve the underserved."
Internet connection speed also plays a part in the creation of course content
* providing equal access for all members of the class to materials is essential to the students feeling of success and belonging in the environment.
* This could be meted out in the beginning of the class or at initial enrollment through a survey that informs the school how each student connects to the internet.
* Funding options for students with limited access to technology need to be explored.
Student support
* mentoring programs that involve community support or corporate support.
o many companies require that employees mentor students
* The need for students to rise to meet a level of success mandated by an online school, rather than being held back by it is crucial, and providing support measures, either through mentoring or through built-in measures.
Publicity and Marketing also play a huge role in the success of your online program if you plan to open it to those outside of your district. Even within district, buy-in from counselors who trust the program and push it in their meetings with students will make or break the school.
As for how to "teach" so far the best quote is "You will not work less, you will just work differently."
In addition, a rather depressing statistic for me, the Northeast is the least progressive in the area of online school proliferation when compared to the rest of the nation.
* is this union related?
* If so, this will require a lot of relationship-building with unions and with other stakeholders.
* The idea that this will change the working environment is unquestioned, but will it impact negatively?
o what will the hours of a virtual teacher look like?
o how will that be worked out in a teacher contract?
Monday, April 23, 2007
Virtual Leadership Training
Here are my notes from the Virtual Leadership Conference, Day 1. I am
Posted by Patrick Higgins at 8:31 AM
Labels: florida virtual school, leadership, onlinelearning, school 2.0


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Price Forbes is an independent specialist global wholesale insurance broker with offices in Bermuda, Chile, Dubai, London and South Africa. We have had over 10 successive years of growth, placing non-standard risks for large multi-national companies. Our team of experts work closely with clients ensuring they are aligned with the best markets, people and products available to achieve the right solution.
We have over 410 employees working in all aspects of broking, technical, claims and support.
Price Forbes and Company founded
Price Forbes and Company acquired by Sedgwick Group Limited
Roberts Donegan Ltd commences trading as Prentis Donegan & Partners Limited
Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc acquires Sedgwick
Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc acquires Prentis Donegan & Partners Limited and merges the business with Price Forbes Limited
Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc announces plans to sell wholesale operations, including Price Forbes and Company
Purchase of the business, assets and 'Price Forbes' brand by the management of Price Forbes & Partners Limited
Price Forbes & Partners (Bermuda) Ltd formed
Price Forbes & Partners and Tradewinds, Kuala Lumpur form strategic alliance
Establishment of treaty reinsurance operations. Price Forbes & Partners and Ark Insurance Group, Lagos form strategic alliance
PFP Insurance Brokers (Pty) Ltd, South Africa awarded Financial Services Board (FSB) license
Price Forbes Labuan Ltd formed
Price Forbes (Pty) Ltd change name from PFP Insurance Brokers (Pty) Limited. Highbridge Principal Strategies, LLC invest in Price Forbes and Partners, maintaining our independence
Price Forbes wins 'Broker of the Year' at London Reactions Awards and Insurance Insider Honours Awards
Price Forbes Chile opens in Santiago. Price Forbes becomes part of the Ardonagh Group
Our independence means we have no local conflicts, nor are we constrained by market agreements. This leaves us free to work with markets best placed to meet you and your clients' needs.
We are part of the Worldwide Broker Network and you benefit from our centralised in-house service, a team driven by a desire to collaborate in your best interests. Together, we will connect you with the best products and markets to achieve the right solution for you.
Taking a long-term view means that we are dedicated to developing a mutually beneficial relationship with our clients and markets. By working together we believe we can tackle the most sophisticated risks with a tenacity to deliver on time, every time.
Our reputation is founded on the excellence of our people and the team is highly valued by clients and markets alike. We recruit the most talented and inspired individuals and teams in the market who are experts in their specialist areas.


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The Minnesota Supreme Court decided Rochester City Lines, Co. v. City of Rochester last week, applying the "unreasonable, arbitrary, or capricious" standard to the best value bidding of public contracts, describing how that standard works, and deciding that a disappointed bidder's protest should be allowed to go to trial.
History of Competitive Bid Challenges
In 1954, the Minnesota Supreme Court decided a case in which all submitted bids exceeded the budget for the project. To bring the project within budget, the owner revised the design and asked the bidders for new prices. The owner was not required to competitively bid the contract but, having done so voluntarily, was bound to follow the chosen procedure and could not do so in an unreasonable, arbitrary, or capricious manner. The Court voided the award because the owner let bidders make material changes to their bids after bids had been opened.
Most Minnesota cases since then addressed low-bid procurement, as most public entities award contracts to the lowest responsible bidder. In that process, all bids that materially vary from the agency's design and specifications must be rejected as non-responsive. The contract is then awarded to the lowest responsible bidder. In 2007, the Minnesota Legislature authorized best-value bidding for public construction projects. Under best-value bidding, proposals have both price and qualitative parts, such as technical design, technical approach, quality of personnel, or management plan. The owner evaluates and scores all parts and decides which bid provides the best value.
What Does Unreasonable, Arbitrary, or Capricious Mean in Best Value Bidding?
City Lines, the protester, had operated the Rochester municipal bus service for over 30 years. Rochester subsidized the work using state and federal grants. In 2011, the Federal Transit Administration told Rochester that it would need to competitively bid the contract to continue receiving federal funding. Rochester elected to follow a best value process. City Lines protested but also submitted a bid. City Lines lost the bid to a competitor and then filed another protest.
The Minnesota Supreme Court decided that, regardless of the bidding method, if no statute required another standard, courts must decide whether the chosen bidding method was applied in an arbitrary, capricious, or unreasonable manner. City Lines argued that courts had to look closely and invalidate any excessive exercise of discretion. Rochester disagreed and said that courts had to defer to value judgments made, only overturning results when significant errors cast doubt on project fairness and the public owner's good faith.
The Supreme Court rejected these approaches. According to the Court, a contract award is arbitrary and capricious if it represents an exercise of the owner's will, rather than its judgment. Courts must reject any procedure that undermines the safeguards of competitive bidding. The essential safeguard is limiting the discretion of owners to prevent abuses like fraud, favoritism, improvidence, and extravagance. In other words, courts must analyze bidding procedures to ensure that they follow a fair process and have enough controls to safeguard against those abuses, without substituting their own judgments for those of public officials. The Court identified several factors that can be considered when deciding what is arbitrary and capricious:
- Subjective bad faith on the part of the officials
- The absence of a reasonable basis for the administrative decision
- The amount of discretion entrusted to the procurement officials by applicable statutes and regulations
- Proven violation of pertinent statutes or regulations
All factors need not be present to establish unreasonable, arbitrary, or capricious conduct.
Putting the Standard to Use
Two issues raised red flags for the Court. First, the winning bidder listed two of City Lines' managers as personnel who would manage the bus system if that bidder were selected. This met Rochester's requirement that bidders make a good-faith effort to hire City Lines employees. During an interview process in which key managers had to be present, however, only the winning bidder received permission to substitute other employees for the listed managers. Rochester then gave points to both the winning bidder and to City Lines for the performance of those two City Lines managers during the interview of City Lines. Rochester never disclosed to bidders that it would allow the substitution or award the bidders points based on the performance of the City Lines managers.
Second, two City of Rochester employees who had agreed to serve as references for City Lines later refused to do so. They based their refusal on advice from Rochester, but neither employee told City Lines about it. This reduced the past performance points available to City Lines.
According to the Court, evidence supporting these irregularities raised the specter of pervasive bias against City Lines. As a result, the Supreme Court returned the case to the lower courts for a trial on these issues.
What Bidders and Public Owners Need to Know
In light of this decision, bidders and public owners should take note of the following:
- Once a competitive bidding process is chosen, the owner must follow it and cannot apply it in an unreasonable, arbitrary, or capricious manner.
- In deciding best value bid protests, Minnesota courts will consider evidence of bad faith, by public officials, absence of a reasonable basis for the decision, the amount of discretion given to officials, and violations of statutes or regulations.
- Interested bidders need to be ready to file pre-bid protests if they want to challenge the bid solicitation itself, and cannot wait to challenge the solicitation's terms after bids are opened and evaluated. Also, when a bidder decides to challenge a solicitation or award, it should consult counsel to make sure the right procedure for that protest is followed.


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Pakistan is an under developed country with a lot of socioeconomic problems. Unemployment or joblessness is one of the economic problems faced by Pakistan. According to the "World Fact Book" the unemployment rate in Pakistan is 7.7% which means that out of 190,291,129 people more than 30 lacks are unemployed excluding the in actives i.e. all those people who are either not able to or who are not willing to work.
According to some people women in Pakistan should quit their jobs to reduce joblessness in Pakistan. However the reality is a bit different. Women are 51% of Pakistan's population therefore according to the statistics they can contribute more to the workforce. If women quit their jobs the unemployment rates would further raise because still 10.5% of the women's population in Pakistan is unemployed which is contributing as a large proportion to the total unemployment rates.
Moreover compared to men's unemployment rates 7%, women's unemployment rates are already higher thus if women would further give up their jobs the joblessness in Pakistan would further increase causing the situations to be worsened.
The assumption that "women should quit jobs to reduce unemployment" exists in Pakistan due to many factors including the stereotyping of women as being "GOOD HOUSE WIVES". It is true that women are good housewives but that does not means that they cannot be good working women. There are many examples of successful working women of Pakistan who are not just working outside their homes but are also handling their household tasks actively.
These examples include Nadia Khan who is a renowned TV anchor, actress and producer. She used to do her morning show "The Nadia Khan Show" on Geo TV a famous Pakistani channel due to which she won a Masala award for the best host of 2008 and 2009. Furthermore she had also won a best actress award for a hit PTV drama "Bandhan" in 1998 and was also dubbed the "Oprah Winfrey" of Pakistan by a famous news paper in 2007. Aside from her social life Nadia Khan is a mother of two children and is taking care of them.
Other than Nadia Khan, Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy is a good example of successful Pakistani working women. Sharmeen is a documentary filmmaker and a journalist. She won an Academy award for her documentary "Saving Face" in 2012, she also won an Emmy and Oscar award for her documentary "Pakistan: children of Taliban" in 2010 and is the first non-American to win the Livingston award for young journalists. Moreover she has also been lauded as Pakistan's first female Oscar winner by the press and the government due to which she is also awarded Hilal-e-Imtaiz for bringing honor to Pakistan as a filmmaker by the president of Pakistan.
Besides these two there are many more examples of successful Pakistani women which may includes Shaista Wahidi, Nida Yasir, Jugan, Sanam Baloch, Maira Khan, Samina Pirzada, and etc. These were some of the examples from the television industry but working women are not just limited to Television industry but are also achieving in other fields as well. For instance women are also popular politicians like Benazir Bhutto who was the chair person of her party "Pakistan People's Party" and was the president of Pakistan. Other than her Sharmeela Farooqi, Fauzia Wahab, Firdaus Ishaq Awan and etc are all examples of famous politicians.
Furthermore women of Pakistan are also attaining as good doctors, engineers, army officials and teachers and in every field possible therefore when they are achieving this much and are also contributing in the prestige of their country. They should not quit jobs and continue them to improve the reputation of Pakistan.
Other reason which may contribute to the thinking that women should quit jobs is the misinterpretation of Islamic approach. According to many people Islam prohibits women for doing jobs but in reality the case is different. It is true that Islam conditions women in doing jobs but it does not prohibit women at all. Islam regards women's role in society as a mother and a wife as her most sacred and essential one. However, there is no decree in Islam that forbids women from seeking employment whenever there is a necessity for it, especially in positions which fit her nature best and in which society needs her most. Examples of working women like Hazrat Khatija who was the first wife of Holly Prophet (PBUH) and Hazrat Aisha who was the youngest wife of the Holly Prophet (PBUH) shows that women can work and they should not quit jobs for the sake of Islam.
Moreover working women in Pakistan are also subjected to a number of pointers; they are often accused for being bold, overwhelming and overcoming men in most spheres of life.
However the reality is very different. Most of the working women are polite and humble as these are the attributes they have to adopt in order to become successful working women.
Likewise there are certain jobs which can only be performed by women for e.g. midwives, gynecologists, nurses and etc. for these jobs it is important for women to work not only for themselves but also to provide services for other women.
The thinking that "women should give up jobs to reduce joblessness in Pakistan" acts as a myth now a days as women are gaining more and more because of which the thinking of people are changing. They are becoming more liberal in favor of women as according to a saying:
"Women with beauty and Brains can rule the world"
Hence women should not quit their jobs to increase employment because if women would not be working, they would not be able to contribute in the country's Gross Domestic Product which will result in lower incomes and lower living standards further lowering the aggregate demand causing unemployment to rise instead of falling.
The condition of Pakistan Women police:
Initiatives by Pakistan and other countries to reduce work Discrimination:


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And how you can too.
For many, the holidays are a time for outreach to those who are struggling. You can find endless ways to volunteer—check out the ideas below—but if you need additional inspiration, look no further than BackCountry resident Lily Larsen. Last month, this Mountain Ridge Middle School student wrapped up the second phase of her aid project to the children of Syria, sending 127 pairs of much-needed socks and 162 pairs of underwear. This followed the 335 stuffed animals Lily collected and sent last May.
Her inspiration sprang from a conversation with a Syrian family friend, who explained how the 2011 uprising changed everything in her once-peaceful homeland, creating more than one million child refugees, many of whose parents were imprisoned or killed. Lily thought stuffed animals might help those grieving children.
"I wanted to give them something to hang on to," says Lily. "I thought about how it would feel if something like that happened to me." A school project prompted her to take action, and the BackCountry – a Shea Homes community responded generously to her flyers by dropping off toys, and more recently, clothing. Fired up by her success, Lily plans to continue her outreach projects twice each year, shipping the goods to Boston's NuDay Syria, an organization that forwards contributions to the struggling country each month.
For Lily, it was kids in crisis who inspired her to act. What might it be for you? Handypersons (or those willing to learn) might want to pick up a hammer for Habitat for Humanity. This nonprofit has built simple, affordable housing for families since 1976.
A sports background is not required, but could add to your joy in working with Special Olympics Colorado. This organization provides year-round sports training and athletic competition for children and adults with intellectual disabilities—a great way to develop physical fitness, courage, skills and friendships.
The Gathering Place is Denver's only daytime drop-in center for women, children, and transgender individuals who are ?experiencing poverty or homelessness. Tutoring, meal prep and serving, childcare, and pro bono professional services are always needed.
One in seven Coloradans isn't sure where his or her next meal is coming from. And half are kids. You can help move the food along to hungry people by volunteering at Food Bank of the Rockies.
Here's a great way to thank a vet. Visit military.com and explore the countless ways to give back, from writing letters of appreciation to donating books and groceries.
Homelessness is especially difficult during winter months. You can bring a bit of cheer by helping at a health fair for homeless children. Teach a cooking class. Or just play a game of checkers. Learn more at Colorado Coalition.
And if none of these feel quite right, check out the Volunteers of America site, which offers a huge range of opportunities in our metro area.


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Exciting things are happening. I printed off a list of local bookstores under the Chapters/Indigo umbrella and made a couple of phone calls. It seems most managers have taken vacation this week so I do have to call a few back but I did have success with a chapters store who has agreed to carry my book on a 30 day consignment trial and another store requested I email my book's information as they do have space available. Only one loaction (a small coles store) said it was more bother than it was worth to set up an indi author so I wrote her a two page letter begging her to reconsider. Will see how that pans out. There are fifty stores within a two hour drive from me and my goal is to get in all of them over the next twelve months. I am not above begging.
I sold an ebook on Amazon.es which is Spain. Totally cool!
We managed to book a booth at Word on the street, which is a huge book festival in Toronto where there will be over 250,000 readers on site looking for their next great read. I am completely pumped and we contacted create space to speed up my re-edit which is scheduled for proofing on the 23rd but today they said they will prioritize and will have it ready by the 16th so we will have our order in on time for the festival. It takes around 11-14 days from ordering to actually receive the books. Expediting shipping is too pricey. Especially since I have already paid for 100 copies that I am selling at a discount due to editing errors. My fault not CreateSpace.
One other thing I wanted to mention that I noticed today was that although you may get a printing package a little cheaper than what CreateSpace will do it for The cost per book is a much better price at CreateSpace. Based on the printing costs being relatively reasonable I do not have to price gouge to make a buck. Sometimes once the vendors take a cut there isn't much left. I was on an indi site where the printing costs to do my book to exact specifications was literally double the price. Based on that the minimum list price was almost thirty dollars because they take a little bit on top of that printing cost as well. My online price(because I don't cover shipping costs) is $13.95 and I am pretty sure my vendor list price will be around $14.95.
So things are continuing to move forward. My average rating on Goodreads is 4.25 and I am thrilled!
I almost forgot there is a book trailer in the works too.
Till next time <3


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Over the past 40 years the late Talbot Radcliffe, his family and competent staff have developed a wonderful mixed shoot. Bookings are accepted for groups only. A group or party consists of six to ten guns. The ideal number is six to eight. Formal traditional driven shooting begins after October 17th through to the end of January. All pheasants are driven to forward guns, four drives before lunch followed by two drives in the afternoon and an evening duck flight if conditions are favourable. The home beats provide exciting, varied and testing shooting. Numbers can be arranged to suit all requirements. In November, December and January there is good Woodcock shooting when the birds are migrating from Scandinavia, Asia and France to the United Kingdom and Ireland.
Several good small lakes together with the famous Lake, Llyn Llywenan, one mile long, all provide wonderful Duck and Goose shooting. Evening flight pools provide excellent sport at the end of the day. Driven Snipe shooting is also available in October, November, December and January. The variety of mixed game on offer is very rare these days. There is no shooting by law in Wales on Sunday. The weather is usually mild, and free from frost and snow most seasons. The climate is moderate, sometimes windy, sometimes wet but it seldom rains all day.
The Sporting Clay lay-outs at Presaddfed have hosted national and international competitions. The layouts, set in 8 acres of picturesque countryside, are designed to simulate different types of shooting with high towers, doubles and flushes to add to the challenge. Tuition is available to assist both beginners and the more advanced. Clubhouse; refreshments available. Summer opening times 2010. Wednesdays 6 p.m. till dusk. Saturdays 1p.m. till 6p.m. New this season – Skeet Layout. Come and Try. Introductory lessons by appointment. Please contact Tim Garner on 07891669965.
~ Anglesey Shooting & Fishing Ltd. ~ Presaddfed, Bodedern, HOLYHEAD, Isle of Anglesey. LL65 3UE. United Kingdom. Tel: (01407) 740652 or Fax: (01407) 742702 E-mail: email@example.com


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The National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) draft guidance on the assessment and prevention of falls in older people (NICE, 2004) includes evidence to show that t'ai chi taught in 15-week courses can improve muscle strength and balance therefore reducing the risk of falls in older people (NICE, 2004).
Terry Hainsworth, BSc, RGN, is clinical editor, Nursing Times.
The National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) draft guidance on the assessment and prevention of falls in older people (NICE, 2004) includes evidence to show that t'ai chi taught in 15-week courses can improve muscle strength and balance therefore reducing the risk of falls in older people (NICE, 2004).
Falls prevention is a key area of health promotion for all nurses who work with older people but the suggestion that t'ai chi should be used as a prevention intervention may be new to many nurses.
Falls prevention
The prevention and management of falls in older people is a key government target outlined in the National Service Framework for Older People (Department of Health, 2001). Falls are a major cause of disability and the leading cause of mortality due to injury in people over 75 in the UK. Preventing falls in frail older people will save lives and decrease disability (DoH, 2001).
Standard six of the NSF aims to reduce the number of falls in older people and ensure effective treatment and rehabilitation for those who have fallen. Among the several risk factors the NSF identifies as implicated in falls in older people (Box 1), there are some that may be improved by exercise - such as balance problems.
To underpin the falls standard of the NSF, NICE is developing its own clinical practice guidelines on falls. The provisional guideline recommendations (NICE, 2004) are currently under consultation and as well as covering the key areas of falls prevention, such as basic risk assessment, they also provide evidence-based guidance on the types of exercise that may or may not be useful in falls prevention.
There are numerous studies examining interventions for the prevention of falls, and these are used to inform the guidance. However, only a few of these trials have been carried out in the UK.
Interventions with insufficient evidence
The NICE falls prevention guidance highlights several exercise interventions for which it suggests that there is currently insufficient evidence to recommend that they are successful in falls prevention:
- Brisk walking, despite the possibility that it may have other health benefits, has been shown to increase the risk of falling in post-menopausal women in an unsupervised brisk walking trial (Gillespie et al, 2004);
- Exercise combined with health education programmes also has insufficient evidence supporting its effectiveness. The studies informing this recommendation included a programme combining low intensity exercise with continence promotion, which provided no evidence of fall reduction in extended care settings. Also, complex interventions, in which group activities included health education and exercise, were studied (Gillespie et al, 2004);
- Group exercise that is untargeted and not individually prescribed has insufficient evidence to suggest it is effective in falls prevention (Gillespie et al, 2004).
However, a study by Liu-ambrose et al (2004) in Canada has recently found evidence to suggest that group agility or resistance training in older women who have a low bone mass can improve postural stability and thus reduce the risk of falls. In addition, Weatherall (2004) has recently published a study that suggests that there is moderate evidence of efficacy for falls prevention with multiple intervention strategies.
Interventions with good evidence for effectiveness
The NICE guidance lists the preferred strategies for exercise interventions to reduce falls as:
- A programme of muscle strengthening and balance retaining, that is individually prescribed at home by a trained health professional;
- A 15-week t'ai chi group exercise intervention.
These recommendations are made from evidence discussed in a Cochrane review (Gillespie et al, 2004) into interventions for preventing falls in older people. The review found that three trials provided evidence that muscle strengthening and balance retraining programmes individually prescribed at home by a trained health professional are likely to be effective in reducing falls.
And one trial which consisted of 200 participants undertaking a 15-week t'ai chi group exercise intervention also provided evidence that t'ai chi is likely to be beneficial.
The reviewers highlight that although there is now evidence regarding interventions to prevent falls, less is known about their effectiveness in preventing fall-related injuries and so further research is needed into this important area.
Other studies support the findings of the Cochrane review regarding the value of t'ai chi. A study by the Hong Kong Polytechnic University in China (Tsang and Hui-Chan, 2004) of 49 older people who volunteered for an intervention programme of either supervised t'ai chi or general education concluded that even four weeks of intensive t'ai chi training was sufficient to improve balance control in older people.
A more unusual approach to exercise for the prevention of falls was taken by Australian researchers. Older people who were at risk of falls were recruited to a randomised, controlled, crossover pilot study where they were invited to undertake a wobble-board training programme (Waddington and Adams, 2004). The study examined the effects of wobble-board training on the subjects' ability to discriminate between different extents of ankle inversion movements and concluded that training with a wobble-board could provide a simple in-home intervention to improve ankle movements. However, the researchers acknowledge that research on trip and fall frequency after wobble-board use is needed before such training could be recommended.
Another Australian study has investigated a specific balance strategy training intervention presented in a workstation format for small groups of older people (Nitz and Choy, 2004). It concluded that specific balance strategy training using workstations is superior to traditional exercise classes for improving function and balance and reducing the risk of falls in older people.
A further systematic review (Chang et al, 2004) has recently suggested that exercise programmes could be implemented to a general population of older adults and are effective in reducing falls.
They also highlight the fact that more research is needed to focus on making these programmes more cost-effective and to establish what particular characteristics of exercise programmes are essential to contribute to falls reduction.
Practical considerations
Despite the mounting evidence for the use of balance and muscle strengthening exercises such as t'ai chi in the prevention of falls it must be recognised that older people may be reluctant to participate in prevention programmes that have an exercise-based component. The NSF highlights the need for interventions to be agreed with the older person.
There is evidence on the factors that appear to be barriers to either initial participation or the long-term maintenance of falls prevention programmes. These are mainly personal issues, rather than a result of the programme format. They include:
- Low self-efficacy or lack of perceived ability to undertake components of the programme;
- Fear of falling;
- Fear of exertion;
- Illness;
- Denial or underestimating personal risk of falling;
- Embarrassment (NICE, 2004).
Factors that have been identified as contributing to an increased likelihood in participation of falls prevention programmes include:
- High self-efficacy or good perceived ability to undertake components of the programme;
- Past exercise history;
- General good health;
- Functional ability;
- Home-based programme;
- Peer role models;
- Low intensity exercise (for example, walking);
- Moderate frequency (two or three times per week);
- Perceived as relevant, beneficial, and fun (NICE, 2004).
Nurses trying to encourage older patients to participate in exercise interventions to reduce the risk of falls should remember that the social aspects of falls prevention programmes are probably their strongest selling point.
Implications for practice
The incidence of falls in older people, the morbidity and mortality as a result of falls, and the increasing age of the population make falls prevention a key issue for all nurses who work with older people. The NICE guidelines highlight the need to use evidence-based practice in the planning and delivery of health promotion interventions. The guidelines also provide clear information for nurses regarding current research findings in the field and their application to practice.
Exercise is important in falls prevention. However, this should be aimed at muscle strengthening and balance retaining interventions such as t'ai chi. It is vital to consider factors that may be barriers to participation in exercise programmes and ensure that sufficient time is taken to fully discuss the planned intervention and describe its likely benefits to the individual, as well as allaying any fears.
This article has been double-blind peer-reviewed.
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Monday, June 24, 2013
Hmmm...that's my SUMMER???
22 comments:
- Molly The Wally said...
Eva have a great time and we look forward to hearing all about it on your return. Have a marvellous Monday.
Best wishes Molly
- June 24, 2013 at 4:09 PM
- Sara said...
Hope you have fun at camp Eva! I'm sure everyone will love you.
- June 24, 2013 at 8:19 PM
- Reilly-Denny Cowspotdogs said...
you should just come and spend summer with us - it is still hot here but we could take exploring with us to so many cool places :) They had better treat you like a princess - or we will come over and bite their butts!
- June 24, 2013 at 8:23 PM
- Caren Gittleman said...
Eva WHAT?????????!!!! Summer camp?!! Are you kidding? Why doesn't your Mom just send you to the U.S. to stay with ME for 2 or 3 weeks?
Barks and licks and love, Dakota
- June 24, 2013 at 8:44 PM
Dear Eva, have fun in the summer camp . I hope you will find a lot of friends who treat you like a Princess without immoral snuffling and slobber or pawprints on your fur. I will wait for you with all your admirers and friends here in blogville. Have fun and please forgot me not- your Sir Easy Rider
- June 24, 2013 at 10:55 PM
- animal lover, quilt lover said...
Good good good LUCK EVA!!!!!! Your are going to need it!!!
- June 24, 2013 at 11:29 PM
- Mitch and Molly said...
We hope you have a great time at summer camp, Eva! Make sure you request a canopy bed!
Love ya lots♥
Mitch and Molly
- June 25, 2013 at 12:05 AM
- Vonnie said...
Awwww shame you can't come to :( Have fun at camp I'm sure you'll have many admirers :)
- June 25, 2013 at 12:58 AM
- Chris and Ricky said...
Camp will be fun Eva!! Looking forward to hearing about it when you get back!
- June 25, 2013 at 2:24 AM
- Helen said...
Summer camp might be fun, Eva. I'm sure you'll have lots of great stories to tell when you get home about all your new friends and the fun times you had.
- June 25, 2013 at 7:38 AM
- ♥♥♥ The OP Pack ♥♥♥ said...
We hope you have a good time at summer camp and make lots of new friends. We are sure they are all going to adore Princess Eva.
Woos - Phantom, Thunder, Ciara, and Lightning
- June 25, 2013 at 8:31 AM
- Diana said...
I hope summer camp goes well.
- June 25, 2013 at 6:48 PM
- houndstooth said...
Good luck, Eva! I hope you have a lot of fun and make great new friends!
- June 26, 2013 at 5:31 AM
- Lassiter Chase and Benjamin said...
Have a pawsome time at camp.
- June 26, 2013 at 9:07 AM
My paws are crossed for you. I hope you're treated the way you deserve to be and that you have a great time!
- June 26, 2013 at 5:52 PM
- jen said...
Hope you have a blast at summer camp Eva!
- June 28, 2013 at 11:00 AM
- Ryker said...
You will have a blast and will be the bell of the ball!!!
- July 3, 2013 at 5:37 AM
- Pippa Sheltie said...
Good luck and have fun Eva! I'm sure they'll treat you most highly!
Pippa :)
- July 4, 2013 at 12:47 AM
- Raelyn said...
I've been a stranger in these parts of Blogville--again!!--it feels so good to be back!! ;-D
Rose here. "Camp"? Hmmm.... That's what your family wants you to think!! We know otherwise, huh? They cannot fool us!! BOL!! ;op
- July 7, 2013 at 1:39 AM
- Dawn said...
Eva!! Have fun at camp! It's not so bad..really and we can't wait to hear all about it when you get back!
- July 7, 2013 at 7:15 PM
- CreekHiker / HollysFolly said...
Eva, we think you are the best good girl and will just be leading that camp!
- July 16, 2013 at 11:24 PM
- Raelyn said...
I know that you are at "Summer camp". This sufferer of premature short-term memory loss did not forget. But, I miss you!! ;op
--Raelyn and Rose
- July 27, 2013 at 9:41 AM


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Sunday, February 4, 2007
Barbaro: A Great Example to ALL
What I learned from Barbaro: dream big; go for your dream,; strive to be the best you can be (like the Colts and Bears) ; stay on course; run the race to the finish line; have staff, when you fall down get back up and keep on trying; never give up; have hope and faith; have strength, courage and guts; be likeable; fall in love with the girl (or boy) next door (stable); make new friends; and stand tall. So, what does all this have to do with God? LOTS! God wants us to dream big. There is NOTHING He can't do. All you have to do is ask, and if it's His will for you He can make it happen. Once you ask then go for it! God wants us to be all that He made us to be. He gave each one of us talents and gifts to use for His purpose, and He wants us to develop those to the best of our ability. Don't lose focus of your goals and dreams. If you get sidetracked it will take you longer to reach them. The ultimate goal is to be with God someday, and life is the race. All that we go through is the course. In order to get to the finish line you have to keep getting up when you fall down and keep on going. This sometimes takes all of hope, faith, strength, courage, and guts. It also comes with making new friends, risking to love (no matter what kind of love), and allowing others to help you when needed or helping them. But, no matter what road of life God takes you on, and how much you stumble, He is always proud of you so stand tall. Love, Beau
Posted by KC and the Giggleman Kitties at 1:45 PM


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Co-founder, VP Engineering. Former VP Engineering at Jumptap. Mobile Advertising expert.
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VP Revenue. Former Senior Executive at Nexage and Enpocket. Extensive experience in mobile marketing and digital media.


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By Olasunkanmi Akoni
Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State has urged the private sector in agriculture to partner with the state government in other to further exploit opportunities in the sector.
Fashola, who spoke at the Lagos House, Ikeja, while receiving the management team of the Stallion Group led by the Managing Director, Mr. Harpreet Singh, who paid him a courtesy visit on Monday, stressed that aside addressing the food security of the state, his administration aimed at opening up the value chain for participation and opportunities in the sector.
He said investment in agriculture was not only about growing food but must now include food processing, packaging, merchandizing and a possible commodities exchange.
The governor, who said his administration had deployed financial resources, time and personnel to agriculture in the last few years, told his guests: "It is not about growing food alone, it must now be about food processing, about food packaging, about merchandizing and we are looking also at the possibilities of commodities exchange within this area of Nigeria and possibly about mercantile exchange."
Fashola noted that the Stallion Group which is also into automobile manufacturing and marketing, would be able to supply buses needed to run the 60 kilometre Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) route included in the 10-lane Lagos-Badagry Expressway expansion project now under construction.
Earlier, the Managing Director of the company, Mr. Harpreet Singh, said the purpose of their visit was to acknowledge the very transformational and visionary leadership of Governor Fashola, pointing out that from all that could be seen across the state, it was clear that the vision of his administration was "to harness resources to offer good life to the people of Lagos".


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Now two women came to King Solomon and stood before him. One of them said, "Pardon me, my lord. This woman and I live in the same house, and I had a baby while she was there with me. The third day after my child was born, this woman also had a baby. We were alone; there was no one in the house but the two of us. During the night this woman's son died because she lay on him. So she got up in the middle of the night and took my son from my side while I your servant was asleep. She put him by her breast and put her dead son by my breast. The next morning, I got up to nurse my son—and he was dead! But when I looked at him closely in the morning light, I saw that it wasn't the son I had borne."
The other woman said, "No! The living one is my son; the dead one is yours."
But the first one insisted, "No! The dead one is yours; the living one is mine." And so they argued before the king.
The king said, "This one says, 'My son is alive and your son is dead,' while that one says, 'No! Your son is dead and mine is alive.'" Then the king said, "Bring me a sword." So they brought a sword for the king. He then gave an order: "Cut the living child in two and give half to one and half to the other."
The woman whose son was alive was deeply moved out of love for her son and said to the king, "Please, my lord, give her the living baby! Don't kill him!" But the other said, "Neither I nor you shall have him. Cut him in two!"
Then the king gave his ruling: "Give the living baby to the first woman. Do not kill him; she is his mother."
1 Kings 3:16-28
Today, as I sat in a store biding my time for my car to be fixed, I happened to find out about the most recent ruling on the "Baby Veronica" case. If you are a part of the adoption ethics world at all, you probably already know about the case. But here is the short(ish) version if you haven't heard it already:
Christy Maldonado became pregnant in the winter of 2009, while engaged to the child's father Dusten Brown. He immediately insisted that they should get married, but she resisted and eventually broke off their engagement. Throughout the course of the next few months, she withdrew contact and their relationship became estranged. At some point, prior to the baby's birth, she demanded that he either give up his rights or pay child support. In a TEXT, Brown stated that he would rather give up his rights.
Fast forward a few more months, "Baby Veronica" is born and placed with the Capobiancos, a couple that Maldonado has chosen to adopt her baby girl. Brown is not immediately notified, but because Brown is identified as a member of a Native American tribe, Maldonado's attorney attempts to notify the tribe of the impending adoption as required by ICWA. But his name is misspelled in the paperwork, therefore there was no record of him and the tribe was not made aware of the impending adoption.
When Veronica is four months old, Brown is served with paperwork to surrender his parental rights. Believing that he is signing them over to Maldonado, he agrees. The next day, he realizes his error and begins the appeal process.
(In my opinion, the case should have ended there and Veronica should have been immediately returned to her father.)
Unfortunately, he is slated to leave for Iraq the next week. A stay in the adoption is granted and the case could not be heard for a year due to Brown being out of country.
In 2011, when Veronica is slightly over a year old, the case is heard in court and the Cherokee Nation intervenes to deny the adoption. The court ruled in December of 2011 that the Capobiancos would not be granted the adoption and that Veronica should be returned to her father. The Capobiancos appealed to the state Supreme Court but in July 2012, that ruling was upheld and they were forced to release the 27 month old girl to Brown.
(Again, this should have been the end.)
But it didn't end there. The Capobiancos appealed to the US Supreme Court, citing that ICWA should not have applied to Brown. On June 25th, 2013, the SCOTUS ruled that ICWA did not apply in the case but did not issue any ruling or recommendation on Veronica's placement. That was sent back to the state Supreme Court.
The state Supreme Court could have ruled to send it back to Family Court, but instead decided to rule. Because ICWA was the foundation of the original ruling that caused the Capobiancos' adoption petition to be thrown out, the state Supreme Court decided to effectively turn back the clock and act as if that never happened. Thus, on July 17, 2013, it was determined that Veronica should be returned to the Capobiancos.
She has lived with her father for the past 18 months...she is now nearly four years old.
Here is where I try to stay sane and reasonable, but will probably fail. I should start by admitting my biases. I believe that domestic infant adoption as a whole has some very serious flaws in its process. Especially the part of the process that allows states to have their own rules and procedures for how fathers assert their rights. I think it is downright unethical that ANYONE would try to adopt a child without doing everything in their power to ensure that neither biological parent wants to raise that baby. I think it is absolutely abhorrent that many lawyers and social workers will advise prospective adoptive parents to hold their breath and bide their time, hoping to run out the clock on the time that parents have to contest adoptions, instead of encouraging them to hunt down fathers and request their blessing on the adoption. I think the courts should ALWAYS have to prove that neither parent is fit, willing or able to care for a child before they terminate a parent's rights. Bottom line.
So here are my major beefs with this particular case:
1. The fact that almost every single article I have read about it refers to the Capobiancos as Veronica's "adoptive parents". THEY ARE NOT. The adoption was never granted. This is the same type of subliminally coercive language as calling a mother a "birth mother" prior to her rights being terminated. It is wrong. And it is not merely semantics. Too many people will hear about this case without looking into it further and it gives all adoption a bad name when prospective adoptive parents assert ownership over a child before it is legally granted. It is exactly cases like this that stir up fear about children being "taken back" by birth parents. And it makes me feel defeated and resentful that I may ever be lumped into the same category as people who would fight to keep a child away from a parent who is fit, willing, and able to care for them.
2. GIVING UP ONE'S RIGHTS IS NOT SOMETHING THAT CAN BE DONE VIA TEXT MESSAGE. I don't know about you, but I've said some pretty dumb things in texts when I'm angry. In fact, I have one friend who I've made a pact with that we should never text when we disagree about anything, even if its just dinner. Texts are not legally binding documents, thank goodness. And yes, Brown did later sign actual legal paperwork to surrender his rights. But it is pretty clear that he believed he was signing them over to his ex-girlfriend and tried to intercept the paperwork within 24 hours when he realized the true content of the documents. I know, I know - read before you sign anything! But still, is this really a situation where we should be following the letter of the law? No, adoption should be a situation where the spirit of the law is of utmost importance. And the spirit of adoption is to find loving homes for children whose parents are unfit, unwilling or unable to raise them. This is not the case for Veronica.
3. One of the major mistakes that Brown made, which allowed the SCOTUS to determine that he was never Veronica's parent in the eyes of the law, was that he did not provide financially for her mother during pregnancy or for the baby in the four months after she was born. I'm sorry, but it is made clear in court documents that Maldonado cut off communication with Brown. So, what was he supposed to do? Just keep sending diapers to her doorstep? How is one supposed to force another person to allow them to accept money or material things? And yes, he did say that he would rather relinquish his rights than pay child support. That was a very dumb thing for him to say. But again, see #2. We all say and do dumb things when we are hurt and angry. Maldonado had broken off their engagement and cut him out of her life. And Brown was getting ready to deploy to a WAR ZONE for heaven's sake. It wasn't his finest moment, but I can understand him making a decision that he probably thought he could address again once he returned from Iraq. Perhaps he believed that they might get back together again? Or maybe he just thought Maldonado was a good mother and wasn't worried about being able to establish a relationship with his daughter in the future? I don't know, but again, I don't believe that one dumb decision should be the deciding factor here.
4. I firmly believe that whenever a prospective adoptive parent is notified that there is a biological parent who wants to raise their child, the prospective adoptive parent should immediately hand that baby over. I understand many things about bonding and attachment, and I am not unsympathetic to the grief that the prospective adoptive parent will experience. But as I've stated above, adoption is about finding families for children whose parents are not fit, willing or able to care for them.
5. Now, had you talked to me back in 2011 when the original court case was being heard, I would have felt more conflicted. Ultimately, I would have agreed that Veronica should be returned to her father. But I would have insisted on a thoughtful transition that would have included gradually increasing visitation. Yes, it would have been hard on Veronica. But having seen MANY successful transitions of children back to their biological parents after 12-24 months in care (yes, children in care since birth) would have convinced me that it could be done without causing lasting damage. I know it is hard for people outside of child welfare to comprehend. I hear it all the time, "But these are the ONLY parents s/he has known!" And I understand that disrupting a child's attachment it is not to be taken lightly. But one transition in caregivers, if done thoughtfully and with sensitivity, will not ruin a child for life. If that was the case, no adoption except for those done at birth would ever be successful. The truth is that "healthy attachment begets healthy attachment". If a child is healthily attached to one set of caregivers, they can quite easily transfer that attachment to another set of appropriate caregivers. Attachments disorders are caused by multiple transitions and usually combined with unhealthy relationships with caregivers who do not meet the child's needs. Veronica would have transitioned just fine if everyone had been committed to her best interests and committed to maintaining important relationships in her young life. But sadly, that did not happen.
6. Don't even get me started on the way the SCOTUS butchered the Indian Child Welfare Act. The least of which was a bunch of non-Indians thinking that they could decide whether or not Veronica was "Indian enough" for ICWA to apply. Add into that, the notion that only "custodial" parents could invoke ICWA is crazy. So, as long as prospective adopters take the child from the hospital, the are the only custodial parents and no one else can ever invoke ICWA?
7. After I heard about the SCOTUS ruling, I was upset but mostly at the principle of it all. I never once thought any court would return Veronica to the Capobiancos. It would remove her from her father, who from all reports is doing a fine job of providing for her and raising her. But I was more certain because I can't imagine any professional would declare it in her best interests. Doing so would disrupt her attachment all over again. And while a two year old is somewhat blissfully unaware and has a fairly short memory, a four year old is in a much different place developmentally. Old enough to anticipate, old enough to remember her life with her father, old enough to have an opinion. And the fact that the state Supreme court didn't even bother to take any of that into consideration is just outrageous. It wouldn't have "delayed" things that long - a good bonding assessment can be done in just a couple months. But they didn't even bother. They acted as if time has stood still for Veronica - as if the last 18 months of forgetting her old life and bonding with her father didn't happen. And I'm willing to bet the Capobiancos feel the same way. Which brings me to #8
8. I have run out of sympathy for the Capobiancos. Their continued pursuit of this child shows that they do not have her best interest at heart. They have their best interests at heart - they believe that they should win. They believe that because THEY love HER, and have an ongoing bond to the beautiful little girl they brought home from the hospital, she must feel the same way. This is wrong folks. Veronica likely does not remember them at all, since she has had no contact with them for almost two years. And even if one wants to argue that it is the "same" as what Brown did by letting her be removed from them in 2011, I would say what my mother taught me when I was about Veronica's age.
"Two wrongs don't make a right."
And that is what this case boils down to right now. It doesn't matter who did what to who, who paid what, or who signed what and when. The bottom line is that we must look at where we are RIGHT NOW. Veronica is four years old. The only working memories she has is of her life with her father. From all accounts (and lack of DCFS investigations) he has been successfully supporting her financially, putting a roof over her head, clothes on her body, food in her belly, and nurturing her as a father should. In whose right mind would anyone say that a four year old should be taken away from "the only family she knows" and sent to live with people she doesn't remember? I look at my four year old Goddaughter and think about how much I love her. I do love her. So much it hurts sometimes. And when she is with me, we have wonderful times. But when I jokingly ask her if she wants to come live with me? Her response is without hesitation, "No! I can't! My mommy and daddy would miss me!"
Adoption is not about who has the "right" to be a parent. It is not about who can be the better parent. It is not about who paid for more prenatal care, who can give them a better life, or who had them first.
Adoption is about finding a family for a child who needs one.
And Veronica does not need one.


text:
Natural Agriculture:
Farming to create heaven on earth
Town: Yoshinori Takahashi
Farmers and customers in
this CSA began their mutual involvement out of obligation,
but the romance of earth and the power of food won their
process was rocky, the results amazing. Stumbling into
farming, the farmers learned to balance consumer demand
against their own sheer joy of growing food. Their customers
grew to see the healing power of their food and develop
deep respect for the farmers' role. Further changes
have the farmers renting out their land and helping
families to grow their own.
By Lisa M. Hamilton,
Posted June 14, 2004
To open "Farming to create heaven on earth"
-- her series on Shumei Natural Agriculture in
Japan -- California photojournalist Lisa M. Hamilton
crafted a three-part historical and cultural foundation
here to visit the very first article in the
series). The fourth and fifth installments told
the story of Reiji Murota, an inquisitive man
who thinks deeply about embedding agricultural
systems within the natural world on Kishima Island.
Installment seven featured a visit to Nobuaki
Nakayasu in Hyogo prefecture. The eighth installment
was the story of Osamu Yoshino, Chiba prefecture,
who farms 30 acres in the midst of chemically
farming neighbors. Story nine featured the cheerful
struggle of Toki Kuroiwa, 66, in Gunma prefecture,
who practices Natural Agriculture amid the vast
cabbage fields near Tsumagoi.
The final series entry and farm visit describes
the metamorphosis of a CSA in Morioka in Iwate,
one of the northernmost prefectures of Japan's
main island. (See Morioka town on the map below
or click
here for a full map of Japan and the other
farms in this series).
Yoshinori Takahashi began farming "cold
turkey" in the early 1990s when Shumei's
leaders began the modern re-emphasis on Natural
Agriculture, as taught by their founder, Mokichi
Okada. He learned from an older farmer then suddenly
had to take the lead in both growing and marketing.
It was only when a Shumei non-farmer felt compelled
to do whatever was necessary to help the local
Shumei farmers succeed that the rest of the spiritual
community rallied around. They formed a Community
Supported Agriculture (CSA) variation that succeeded
in building relationships – and finally
trust – between Shumei consumers and farmers.
the Author:
Lisa M. Hamilton
M. Hamilton, a California journalist and fine-arts
photographer. Her stories and photos have delighted
readers in national publications such as National
Geographic Traveler, Gastronomica, Z Magazine
and The Humanist. She has edited, written and
produced publications on art, entertainment and
environmental issues, in print and on the Web.
She has distinguished herself in agricultural
journalism with an acclaimed series of stories
on prominent California crops in The Newsletter
of CCOF (California Certified Organic Farmers).
Taste of food,
soil soft
She also recognized differences outside herself.
Now that she knew where her food came from, she
was horrified to think about her previous diet.
She noticed that the non-organic farm where she
lived was devoid of all insects but leeches, and
empty of animals aside from the occasional frog
found dead in the drive. When she first helped
in a Natural Agriculture rice paddy, she found
the ground not cold and hard as she was used to,
but soft and warm—a place she wanted to
When Yoshinori Takahashi started
farming, he wasn't thinking about how he would
do it, he just knew that he had to.
He was an electrician for a cigarette company in Morioka,
in the mountainous northernmost region of Japan's main
island, Honshu. In the early 1990s he heard the call from
Shumei's leaders to embrace the philosophy's essential
but (then) oft-forgotten directive to grow food according
to founder Mokichi Okada's methods.
Until then, Natural Agriculture had existed largely in theory;
Shumei's food and farming looked no different from the
rest of the world's.
Takahashi got a part-time job with the first local Natural
Agriculture farmer, Masamitsu Sakata. As he worked, his devotion
was clarified by the tangible effects of the labor. Whereas
his previous job had left him with rheumatism and a troubled
immune system, growing and eating Natural Agriculture food
was nurturing him back to health.
At the same time he watched a child with a chronic disease
who, after months without solid food, was able to eat Natural
Agriculture rice. As he saw the child's skeleton regain
strength, he felt the calling to devote himself to farming.
When Sakata dropped out of farming, Takahashi took over his
5 acres and went full time. Land is precious in the area,
and the farmers who own it are loathe to rent to newcomers
because of competition. So when Sakata's family reclaimed
the land soon after Takahashi took over, it looked like the
end. But the new farmer was undeterred. He called on the local
Shumei community and found 5 more acres. After borrowing money
and dipping into his government retirement funds, he finally
owned his own farm.
But after the initial elation wore off, Takahashi realized
that his survival was now dependent on the consumers. Because
his crops were grown in this alternative way, he couldn't
sell them outside Shumei. His only income came from leaving
crops at the Morioka center and hoping people would stop in
and buy them.
Some growing, some buying, some rotting
At the same time, eight others in the area had been inspired
by the call to Natural Agriculture and had started farming
part-time. While the strength in numbers meant a sheer bulk
of food that would attract consumers' attention, it
also meant competition for a limited market. You see, while
Shumei members were characteristically obedient in supporting
the farmers, it simply wasn't in their blood yet. They
bought whenever they visited the center, but sometimes that
was less than others. Some weeks, the farmers were called
in to retrieve their produce, which lay rotting exactly where
they had dropped it off.
The part-time farmers weren't hurt too badly, but Takahashi
couldn't survive on such a precarious income. When his
friend from the cigarette company and fellow Shumei member
Masae Sasaki saw this, she was determined to help. As with
Takahashi, there was no plan on how, exactly, it would happen,
only sheer will that it would.
Working off the model of the successful CSA in Chiba, Sasaki
rounded up 100 members to join what she called the Vegetable
Club. Members contributed 500 yen (about $4.50) monthly to
participate, then paid for weekly shares of the participating
farmers' produce. Sasaki convened a steering committee
made of farmers and consumers, and after a seemingly smooth
year sent out a survey to assess the program.
A flood of anonymous responses confided that things weren't
as good as she had thought. The members' hearts and
minds were committed to the Shumei ideal, but they couldn't
help that their palates had been trained by supermarket food.
They were disappointed by the food's appearance and
its seasonality. Further, they were getting way more than
they could eat, especially since many of the unfamiliar crops
were culinary mysteries.
"I finally understood
how difficult it is to coax a crop out of the ground.
With that knowledge, you start to lose the supermarket
"I finally understood
how difficult it is to coax a crop out of the ground.
With that knowledge, you start to lose the supermarket
"I finally understood
how difficult it is to coax a crop out of the ground.
With that knowledge, you start to lose the supermarket
As the steering committee began making changes, they knew
one thing had to stay the same: the members had to keep eating
the food—it was the only way the plan would ever work.
In turn, the adjustments they made centered not around appeasing
consumers, but around drawing them closer to the things that
repelled them.
The first step came out of Sasaki's own experience.
She, too, had come to the CSA with no consciousness about
food-growing, but through visiting the farmers and working
in their fields her perspective had changed. "I saw
how hard the work was," she says. "I finally understood
how difficult it is to coax a crop out of the ground. With
that knowledge, you start to lose the supermarket mentality."
Reconciling buyers to mystery crops
The consumers were encouraged to go to the fields and learn
for themselves. And then they were sent back to the kitchen.
The steering committee organized cooking classes that taught
members how to take advantage of every last bit of food the
farmers produced. For tomatoes gone soft, they learned how
to make tomato juice. For carrots gone limp, they learned
to make a gelatin mold. They showed how to make the seasonal
abundance of turnips appealing day after day, and how to make
obscure "mountain crops"" (ambiguous roots,
shoots and leaves) appealing at all.
The final step was to take all this individual learning and
turning it back into a community experience. In what remains
tradition to this day, the farmers and consumers gathered
twice a year to share the experiences they've had with
the food: how their views have changed, how their lives have
improved, how their bodies and minds have been healed.
By 1999, things were much better. The consumers were comfortable
with the seasonal diet because they understood it more clearly.
Further, they were able to see the remarkable physical effects
of eating Natural Agriculture food, after the benefits had
accumulated for several years. Their commitment was indomitable.
Only one problem remained: Takahashi still wasn't making
a living.
In order to survive, he needed his customers to buy more
or pay higher prices. But they were stretched thin as it was,
both economically and practically. They were accepting produce
that was sometimes mediocre and still buying as much as they
could eat. Their wallets couldn't accommodate a price
Neither side could compromise any more than it already had.
In addressing the issue, the steering committee realized
that the farmers (10 part-time and one full-time) had been
producing far more food than the Morioka members could eat.
Takahashi was even sending excess to the Tokyo-area CSA, which
complicated things for farmers there.
In its first stage, the CSA had gone from no food to full
capacity because of the growers' unbridled passion to
produce crops. They simply grew as much as they could of whatever
worked best, driven by the spirit of the act. But now that
the organization had matured, the production management had
to follow suit.
"Community" guidance boosts
The steering committee began directing who would grow what,
how much, and when. The mere mention of such outside control
makes most non-Natural Agriculture farmers bristle. For these
growers, though, agriculture was more of a spiritual act than
a professional one. What's more, their roles were not
as individual business-people but as players in a community,
so it made sense to plan the farming as a unit. Perhaps the
central organization would even mean less waste, and more
Morioka CSA members.
Agriculture was more
of a spiritual act than a professional one . . . their
roles were not as individual business-people but as players
in a community.
Agriculture was more
of a spiritual act than a professional one . . . their
roles were not as individual business-people but as players
in a community.
Agriculture was more
of a spiritual act than a professional one . . . their
roles were not as individual business-people but as players
in a community.
The systematization allowed the steering committee to branch
out into food processing, which meant more market for the
farmers. The committee ordered increased soybean production
so it could start making tofu and miso and selling it to members.
It researched ways to dry potatoes and other produce. It even
found a factory that would process Natural Agriculture soy
sauce. Suddenly, the farmers' sales stretched beyond
the six-month growing season.
Meanwhile, a similar change was taking place on the farms.
When several growers fell ill and couldn't work, they
found that their fields were taken care of by consumers. Takahashi
and others realized what had really been missing: trust. Until
then, despite good intentions they had all been acting as
individuals rather than as a community that worked together.
Their hearts and minds were committed, but their actions were
stuck in old patterns.
This was an essential realization for dealing with the economic
downturn at the turn of the 21st century. As consumers took
second jobs, they found themselves without time to volunteer
at the farms. Predictably, Takahashi had to switch some fields
from vegetables to the less labor-intensive grains. But the
next step was totally unexpected. Instead of pulling away
because they couldn't afford it, consumers chose to
move closer. They began renting parts of the farm so they
could grow their own food.
It started with rice, a crop one can grow without daily maintenance.
Growing it themselves wasn't much cheaper, but they
found that because the fields were their own, they wanted
to go out there—they made time to farm.
CSA roles evolve
Mitsuko Hasegewa and her family took on 1/10th of an acre
at Takahashi's. Both her husband and father were reluctant
at first, but eventually got so excited they started vegetable
gardens to complement the rice production. Her kids treated
the paddy as a playground, a set-up that delighted Hasegewa.
Not only was it a safe place for them to be, it allowed them
to develop their own relationships with the land and the food
it produced.
Connecting people to
food this way acts as a time-release education: the families
change what they're eating this season, they learn
how to do it on their own next season, and they alter
their views of food for years to come.
Connecting people to
food this way acts as a time-release education: the families
change what they're eating this season, they learn
how to do it on their own next season, and they alter
their views of food for years to come.
Connecting people to
food this way acts as a time-release education: the families
change what they're eating this season, they learn
how to do it on their own next season, and they alter
their views of food for years to come.
"When my son goes out to play now, he'll make
himself a rice ball to take with him for lunch," she
says. "He doesn't put anything in it, just a little
salt. It's amazing, with all greasy fast food around
him, he now just enjoys the taste of the rice. That's
because he knows it."
The Hasegewas and many others now rely more on their gardens
and paddies and less on the CSA. In fact, some members have
dropped out completely, as they grow all their own food. New
members are still joining, but the CSA's ranks are ultimately
decreasing. According to Takahashi's wife, Kinuko, that's
not such a bad thing.
"This has always been less about 'Let's start
a CSA' than 'How do we form this around the food?'"
she says. "In this case, full-time farmers feeding the
people is not necessarily the best solution. It's a
natural evolution. In fact, it's almost like a school:
people graduate up through the ranks."
Many farmers still grow for the CSA, but others have moved
on to fill the new need: education.
Yoshiteru Shimisa, one of the former part-time farmers, now
runs a farm that teaches food growing to people in Shumei
and beyond. School groups come through for one-day lessons,
but the garden is run by families that participate for the
whole season. Together with Shimisa, they decide what they'll
plant, grow it together, and each take home some of the harvest.
As he sees it, connecting people to food this way acts as
a time-release education: the families change what they're
eating this season, they learn how to do it on their own next
season, and they alter their views of food for years to come.
"McDonald's operates on the theory that if you
get kids eating something before they're ten years old,
they'll eat it forever," Shimisa says. "Well,
hopefully that means that because of this experience, they'll
be eating Natural Agriculture food for the rest of their lives."