text:
Amanda Cates, Christ Church, How to Start a Tween Ministry, Tween Ministry, What is a Tween?
What Is A “Tween” and Why Should They Matter To Your Church?
It’s a Sunday morning and I couldn’t wait to get to work! I knew that all my elementary kids were going to love the Large Group set we designed for the month, and that we had finally found worship music that would engage our older elementary kids as well as our younger ones. So there it was; time to see their reactions to the set! I was excited, but they didn’t really react as I had thought. My 1st-3rd graders seemed to like the set, but just as every other week, it seemed as though many of them were holding back for some reason. My 4th and 5th graders again seemed like my set was about as cool and engaging as if I was showing them a toddler TV show. I can remember thinking, “Ugh, what is it going to take to get through to this group?”. We still had worship to go, and I knew it was going to be awesome! It wasn’t.
My 4th and 5th graders continued to be the wall flowers they had been every other week for as far back as I could remember. My younger kids wanted to be involved with the worship and dance moves, but something was holding most of them back. What was it going to take for me to solve this problem in my ministry? It was taking a toll on my volunteers. It was taking a toll on me. We would watch kids feel “too cool” to be involved and others want to be involved, but then they would hold back. Why was this happening? Why wouldn’t the kids just let go and enjoy our worship time? Then it hit me. The kids weren’t the problem! My approach was.
My first step was to figure out why this age group was different from other age groups. My daughter was in this age range. I knew clothing stores and TV shows targeted this group called Tweens. Why? What makes them so unique? Let’s start by defining “Tween”. A Tween is commonly defined as a child between the ages of 9 to 12 years old; or 4th-6th grades. We certainly did not have this term when I was that age. Next, I had to learn what’s changed between my childhood and now that would make this group a target audience.
In the early 20th century the word adolescence was invented to describe the years between childhood and adulthood. This was considered ages of 14 -16 years. Prior to that, girls were considered adults around the age of 14-15 years and boys at 15-16 years old. In the 1950’s we began to see the emergence of a thriving youth culture all their own. Teens continued participating in this youth culture up to the age of 18 years. Society responded by extending the upper limit of adolescence to 18 years. Jump forward 20 years to the 1970’s. It’s noted that the onset of puberty is starting at the age of 13. Society responds again by now extending the lower boundary of adolescence to 13 years old. In the 2000’s we start seeing our not quite teenagers trying to participate in the youth culture of our teenagers. They aren’t teens, but they aren’t willing to be considered little kids any more either. They are in between. They are Tweens!
Why should we, the church, minister separately to the Tween group? Let’s look at the differences in learning stages between a 1st grader and 5th grader. A child in 1st grade is moving from a world of play based learning into a learning environment of routines with plenty of room for exploration still. A prepubescent 5th grader is working on complex projects and tasks that force them to utilize all the skills they have thus far learned. They are most likely switching teachers for one or more subjects per day, and are spending much of their time learning and understanding complex social rules and interacting with peers. They also have the ability to think logically. With such differences between the learning stages of these two examples, how can we possibly teach them the same thing at the same time? We can’t. Disney and Nickelodeon are capitalizing off of understanding this. Tween’s have TV shows created specifically for them. They are filled with all knowing tweens and young teens, idiotic acting adults and parental figures, witches, wizards, and materialism. This isn’t the message that we, the church, want our future based on. By creating a separate ministry for tweens we can put Godly influences into their world. If you are a Children’s or Youth Minister you have either read or heard of Thom Rainer’s and George Barna’s research regarding youth and children’s ministry. It’s clear that kids are leaving the church as young as 5th grade. If the church doesn’t reach kids by the time they are 13 years old the statistics of them being reached at all drop drastically. The tween years are the last frontier of reaching kids for Jesus!
How does one go about starting a ministry for tweens?
Start by meeting them where they are.
Separate Them. Give them a space of their own. We all have limited abilities for this, but even using a multipurpose room that is separate from your younger elementary kids will work great.
Use videos! Try not to use animation, but if you must, be picky. Ask yourself, would a 13 year old like this? If not, don’t use it for tweens.
Use music! Have high energy worship music. Play genres they listen to; rap, rock, pop it’s all available in Christian music. Use fun games to energize your Large Group time. Try Stuff You Can Use and Fun Ninja as resources for ideas.
Build a Youth Group. This can be accomplished by planning events such as lock-ins, camps, movie and game nights, etc. You can add a Youth Group night to your schedule. It doubles the time your Small Group Leaders get with these kids. It’s a win/win!
Assimilate them. Connect tweens to the adult church. If we have research that shows kids are leaving the church around this age, we need to provide them a place they WANT to be. Show them that their church needs them and that they have a place in the church besides a class room. Allow them to greet, usher, hand out bulletins, occasionally lead prayer or read scripture during services. Some of this may take coordinating with others leaders on your staff, but in the end it’s worth it.
As a Mom, I saw my own children’s world shift at the 4th Grade ages. I talked to other parents and found out we weren’t alone. The media, music industry, and commercials all spend millions of dollars targeting this age group. They have figured out that these kids are an influential part of society. As the church, we need to realize the same. After all, we are influencing them for the Kingdom of God. As a KidMin Leader, I have been able to create a place for tweens where Small Group Leaders understand that they think mainly in the abstract for the first time in their lives. We focus every week on how Biblical principles apply to the pressures they face in today’s society. They are slowly integrated into the Youth Group atmosphere through intentionally mimicking our own Youth Group. Most importantly of all, they have the opportunity to see how they fit into the larger church. We have an obligation to the kids God has called us to minister to. That obligation is to connect them with Him. By making a few changes in your ministry you can impact them for the Kingdom and keep them in church.

lowercased:
amanda cates, christ church, how to start a tween ministry, tween ministry, what is a tween?
what is a “tween” and why should they matter to your church?
it’s a sunday morning and i couldn’t wait to get to work! i knew that all my elementary kids were going to love the large group set we designed for the month, and that we had finally found worship music that would engage our older elementary kids as well as our younger ones. so there it was; time to see their reactions to the set! i was excited, but they didn’t really react as i had thought. my 1st-3rd graders seemed to like the set, but just as every other week, it seemed as though many of them were holding back for some reason. my 4th and 5th graders again seemed like my set was about as cool and engaging as if i was showing them a toddler tv show. i can remember thinking, “ugh, what is it going to take to get through to this group?”. we still had worship to go, and i knew it was going to be awesome! it wasn’t.
my 4th and 5th graders continued to be the wall flowers they had been every other week for as far back as i could remember. my younger kids wanted to be involved with the worship and dance moves, but something was holding most of them back. what was it going to take for me to solve this problem in my ministry? it was taking a toll on my volunteers. it was taking a toll on me. we would watch kids feel “too cool” to be involved and others want to be involved, but then they would hold back. why was this happening? why wouldn’t the kids just let go and enjoy our worship time? then it hit me. the kids weren’t the problem! my approach was.
my first step was to figure out why this age group was different from other age groups. my daughter was in this age range. i knew clothing stores and tv shows targeted this group called tweens. why? what makes them so unique? let’s start by defining “tween”. a tween is commonly defined as a child between the ages of 9 to 12 years old; or 4th-6th grades. we certainly did not have this term when i was that age. next, i had to learn what’s changed between my childhood and now that would make this group a target audience.
in the early 20th century the word adolescence was invented to describe the years between childhood and adulthood. this was considered ages of 14 -16 years. prior to that, girls were considered adults around the age of 14-15 years and boys at 15-16 years old. in the 1950’s we began to see the emergence of a thriving youth culture all their own. teens continued participating in this youth culture up to the age of 18 years. society responded by extending the upper limit of adolescence to 18 years. jump forward 20 years to the 1970’s. it’s noted that the onset of puberty is starting at the age of 13. society responds again by now extending the lower boundary of adolescence to 13 years old. in the 2000’s we start seeing our not quite teenagers trying to participate in the youth culture of our teenagers. they aren’t teens, but they aren’t willing to be considered little kids any more either. they are in between. they are tweens!
why should we, the church, minister separately to the tween group? let’s look at the differences in learning stages between a 1st grader and 5th grader. a child in 1st grade is moving from a world of play based learning into a learning environment of routines with plenty of room for exploration still. a prepubescent 5th grader is working on complex projects and tasks that force them to utilize all the skills they have thus far learned. they are most likely switching teachers for one or more subjects per day, and are spending much of their time learning and understanding complex social rules and interacting with peers. they also have the ability to think logically. with such differences between the learning stages of these two examples, how can we possibly teach them the same thing at the same time? we can’t. disney and nickelodeon are capitalizing off of understanding this. tween’s have tv shows created specifically for them. they are filled with all knowing tweens and young teens, idiotic acting adults and parental figures, witches, wizards, and materialism. this isn’t the message that we, the church, want our future based on. by creating a separate ministry for tweens we can put godly influences into their world. if you are a children’s or youth minister you have either read or heard of thom rainer’s and george barna’s research regarding youth and children’s ministry. it’s clear that kids are leaving the church as young as 5th grade. if the church doesn’t reach kids by the time they are 13 years old the statistics of them being reached at all drop drastically. the tween years are the last frontier of reaching kids for jesus!
how does one go about starting a ministry for tweens?
start by meeting them where they are.
separate them. give them a space of their own. we all have limited abilities for this, but even using a multipurpose room that is separate from your younger elementary kids will work great.
use videos! try not to use animation, but if you must, be picky. ask yourself, would a 13 year old like this? if not, don’t use it for tweens.
use music! have high energy worship music. play genres they listen to; rap, rock, pop it’s all available in christian music. use fun games to energize your large group time. try stuff you can use and fun ninja as resources for ideas.
build a youth group. this can be accomplished by planning events such as lock-ins, camps, movie and game nights, etc. you can add a youth group night to your schedule. it doubles the time your small group leaders get with these kids. it’s a win/win!
assimilate them. connect tweens to the adult church. if we have research that shows kids are leaving the church around this age, we need to provide them a place they want to be. show them that their church needs them and that they have a place in the church besides a class room. allow them to greet, usher, hand out bulletins, occasionally lead prayer or read scripture during services. some of this may take coordinating with others leaders on your staff, but in the end it’s worth it.
as a mom, i saw my own children’s world shift at the 4th grade ages. i talked to other parents and found out we weren’t alone. the media, music industry, and commercials all spend millions of dollars targeting this age group. they have figured out that these kids are an influential part of society. as the church, we need to realize the same. after all, we are influencing them for the kingdom of god. as a kidmin leader, i have been able to create a place for tweens where small group leaders understand that they think mainly in the abstract for the first time in their lives. we focus every week on how biblical principles apply to the pressures they face in today’s society. they are slowly integrated into the youth group atmosphere through intentionally mimicking our own youth group. most importantly of all, they have the opportunity to see how they fit into the larger church. we have an obligation to the kids god has called us to minister to. that obligation is to connect them with him. by making a few changes in your ministry you can impact them for the kingdom and keep them in church.


text:
(a)	To replicate natural conditions of infiltration, evapotranspiration, and runoff. In typical natural conditions, approximately 50 percent of stormwater infiltrates, 40 percent leaves land through evapotranspiration, and ten (10) percent leaves the land as runoff.
(b)	To promote decentralized stormwater management systems modeled after natural hydrologic features and infiltration practices that facilitate local groundwater recharge [Low-Impact Development (“LID”) techniques].
(c)	To promote water conservation and efficiency through stormwater capture, treatment and reuse.
(a)	All Applications, regardless of whether the project is subject to the Wetlands Protection Act or not, shall design the stormwater management system in compliance with the Massachusetts DEP Stormwater Management Standards, January, 2008, as amended (“SMS”) and the Massachusetts Stormwater Handbook, February 2008, as amended (“Handbook”). The Applicant shall submit a completed and endorsed Stormwater Management Form that indicates compliance with the SMS, in addition to any supporting calculations indicating compliance with the required standards. http://www.mass.gov/dep/water/laws/policies.htm#storm.
The Handbook which includes the SMS, Stormwater Best Management Practices, Documenting Compliance, Stormwater Report Checklist and TSS Removal Calculation Sheet.
Devens Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan (Stormwater Plan).
Devens Water Resources Protection Report.
(c)	Where there is a conflict between the requirements set forth below and the Handbook and/or Plan, the Plan and the requirements below shall govern.
There shall be no negative impact from stormwater runoff on abutting properties and to any public or private water supply or designated potential future supply.
Irrigation water shall be derived from detained treated stormwater (stormwater harvesting), or roof drainage to the maximum extent feasible. On-site cisterns may be installed to store water for irrigation.
For all stormwater improvements, drainage calculations shall be prepared by the Applicant's Engineer in accordance with the SMS requirements and shall include design criteria, pre- and post-development drainage areas, and other information to verify the size and effectiveness of the proposed stormwater management technique. "Pre-development" drainage areas shall be considered to be "green fields" regardless of any development or improvements on the site at the time of application. Calculations shall be made separately for each drainage facility, showing its location, the total upstream drainage area, the underlying soil types and the flow paths for the times of concentration, the design runoff, facility size, slope, and capacity and velocity of water through all the site drainage system.
Proposed activity that will temporarily or permanently disturb any land area at or below the elevation of the 100-year floodplain shall be avoided to the maximum extent feasible unless there are exceptional circumstances where such areas cannot be avoided. Under such circumstances, the Applicant shall demonstrate, to the satisfaction of the DEC, that there shall be no temporary or permanent loss of flood storage area. For any areas within the 100-year floodplain where the DEC authorizes disturbance, temporary stabilization measures shall be implemented at all times, until permanent stabilization is achieved. No construction laydown areas or equipment shall be stored within the 100-year floodplain without emergency removal/relocation measures in place and approved by the DEC.
Recharge may not be required for land designated as an Area of Concern, if, according to the Base Closure Team in accordance with Base Realignment and Closure Act requirements, recharge will negatively impact ongoing environmental remediation.
All projects shall incorporate LID techniques for stormwater management to the maximum extent feasible. For projects proposing traditional closed drainage systems, the Applicant shall demonstrate to the satisfaction of the DEC why LID stormwater management design methods are not feasible. For LID stormwater controls not referenced in this section (974 CMR 4.08) or the Handbook, or for which pollutant removal rates have not been provided, the effectiveness and pollutant removal of the structural control must be documented through prior studies, literature reviews, or other means and receive approval from the DEC before being included in the design of a stormwater management system.
1.	Any low-flow outlets shall be designed to prevent clogging.
(b) In addition to compliance with the SMS, the post-development peak rate of stormwater discharge off-site shall not be greater than the pre-development peak rate of stormwater discharge for the 2, 10, 25, 50 and 100-year storm events from any point of discharge on the site.
(c) There shall be no stormwater structures and/or point source discharges within 25 feet of the boundaries of any Resource Area unless the Applicant can demonstrate no adverse impact to the Resource Area.
(d) Side slopes above the design water level shall be 3:1 (horizontal to vertical) or flatter and conform to the slope of the existing topography without abrupt or unnatural breaks in slope, unless otherwise permitted under 974 CMR 4.08(4).
(e) Banks of wet ponds, swales not within maintained landscaped areas (such as lawns or parking lots), and other channels shall be vegetated with native woody plant material within ten feet of the high water elevation and with herbaceous plant material at the edge of the pond at the high water elevation. Trees shall not be planted on fill embankments.
(f) Shelves below the design water level (as described in the Stormwater Plan) shall be vegetated with hydrophytic native plant species at a density needed to establish full coverage by the next growing season. Plant plugs or pre-vegetated coir-mesh blankets or carpets are recommended materials.
(g) Recommended post-construction erosion control methods include geotextile and /or biodegradable erosion control fabrics staked or anchored to the slope, with loose weave to allow vegetative cover to be established. Vegetative cover shall consist of native woody plant species installed as live brush or nursery stock, or native grasses.
(a) Minimize basin size to 5,000 square feet per basin or less (by using smaller catchment areas and/or alternative stormwater management design methods) and minimize disturbance to natural or re-established vegetated areas to the maximum extent feasible. If a basin exceeds 5,000 square feet, the Applicant shall demonstrate to the satisfaction of the DEC why a smaller size is not feasible. If a basin is a constructed stormwater wetland, it may exceed 5,000 square feet upon approval by the DEC. Constructed stormwater wetlands shall be designed in compliance with the SMS.
(b) Be located in naturally occurring low spots. Layout of the basins shall complement the natural topographic movement of the site [see 974 CMR 3.08(4) Figure D)] Rigid basin layout [see 974 CMR 3.08(5) Figure E] shall be avoided in all instances unless the basin's layout complements the overall design concept of the Site Plan.
(c) Utilize banks steeper than 3:1 (horizontal to vertical) only to tie into headwall/outfall structures. Banks steeper than 3:1 shall transition to slopes of less than 3:1 as quickly as possible to minimize areas of potential erosion. Specific post-construction erosion control methods shall be detailed to ensure temporary and permanent stabilization of such areas will be achieved. Rip-rap/trap rock solutions shall not be acceptable, except as water dissipaters below storm water outfalls or as channel liners for steep swales.
(d) Have an emergency outlet to accommodate storm flows in excess of the 100-year storm event. A minimum 1-foot freeboard distance shall be established between the 100-year flood elevation and the top of embankment.
(e) Design basins/infiltration structures using the Natural Resource Conservation Service TR-20 methodology in accordance with the SMS.
(f) Locate the floor of all basins/infiltration structure/swales a minimum of four feet above the high groundwater elevation. High groundwater testing shall be conducted before the basin design at the proposed location of each basin in compliance with Title V (310 CMR Section 15.103), as most recently amended or reliable data pursuant thereto shall be provided.
(g) Conduct a falling head soil permeability test in retention/infiltration basins before the basin design in all basins and infiltration structures. Soil with a percolation rate of 2 minutes per inch or faster can be used to confirm the first NRCS Hydrologic Soil Group A with a Texture Class of Sand and an infiltration rate of 8.27 Inches per hour from the Rawls, et.al. table in the SMS. To use infiltration rates faster than 8.27 inches per hour, use 50% of the infiltration rate obtained from the falling head soil permeability test.
(h) Conduct percolation tests in detention basins before the basin design and shall be conducted in compliance with Title V (310 CMR Section 15.105), as most recently amended.
(i) Include fencing and/or screening of stormwater detention/retention basins if the DEC determines that safety or appearance require such measures.
(a) Vegetated Roofs - shall comply with the Handbook and the DEC Policy for Construction of Vegetated Roofs dated August 2011, as amended.
For the purposes of stormwater management system design, the area of roof covered by vegetation may be considered pervious and subtracted from the total proposed impervious area.
Vegetated Roofs within the Viewshed Overlay district shall comply with 974 CMR 3.04(8) (i) 5 and 6.
Landscaping plans for projects incorporating vegetated roofs and/or walls shall show the design and location of vegetated roofs and walls.
Lined on the sides with a non-woven geotextile fabric to prevent influx of fines (no liner on bottom).
A gravel trench surrounding the edge of the pavement connecting to the stone reservoir below the surface of the pavement may be required as a backup in the event of surface clogs.
Installed by a qualified contractor with experience in permeable paving installation.
1.	Top layer: 6 inches of pervious concrete placed in two 3-inch courses.
2.	Second layer: 4 inch course consisting of 1-1/3 inch crushed stone (structural support).
3.	Third layer: 14 inches of open graded “bank run gravel” (Reservoir base).
4.	Fourth layer: 6 inches of 3/8” crushed gravel (Capillary barrier).
Alternative comparable reinforcement methods will be considered by the DEC on a case by case basis.
(a)	LID swale systems shall be utilized in parking lots not subject to truck traffic, truck and container storage, and other railroad related vehicles/equipment, to the maximum extent feasible.
(b) Closed Drainage Systems (CDS) and swales shall be designed to accommodate the 25-year storm event based on the Rational Method without surcharging. The CDS shall be designed in accordance with the SMS. Intensity/duration/frequency curves for the Worcester area, as presented in Technical Paper 40 of the National Weather Service and the Massachusetts Hydrology Handbook for Conservation Commissioners, March 2002, as amended, shall be used in the drainage design calculations. The minimum time of concentration shall be five minutes.
(c)	All drainage structures shall be constructed of pre-cast concrete.
(d)	Catch basins shall have oil traps and provide a four-foot sump.
(e)	Details for all drainage structures shall be provided.
(f)	Flow capacities shall be calculated, using two feet per second (fps) minimum velocity and 10 fps maximum velocity under a 2-to-25 year design storm event. The designer shall account for partial pipe flow capacities, if applicable to the design.
(g)	Catch basin to catch basin connections are prohibited in paved areas.
(a) The name(s) of the owner(s) for all components of the system.
(b) A statement that the Applicant is responsible for the operation and maintenance of the entire on-site system.
Parking Lot Sweeping: with mechanized cleaning equipment on an annual basis.
Catch Basin Cleaning: Catch Basins and Infiltration Chambers shall be inspected on a bi-annual basis. Any sediment accumulations in excess of half of the unit’s sump depth shall be removed. Material shall be removed by a licensed contractor, who shall be responsible for disposing of the material off-site in a manner consistent with all local, state and federal regulations.
Infiltration Swales: Ensure proper establishment of full vegetative cover. Swale embankments and side slopes must be properly maintained to ensure long-term stability. Annual and seasonal inspections are required to ensure a healthy groundcover is maintained to avoid erosion and promote infiltration. Bare spots shall be repaired and planted with native ground cover material. Saplings and large shrubs shall be removed to maintain integrity of the swale. Level spreader shall be inspected seasonally to remove any build up of sediment and ensure proper drainage flows.
Detention/Retention Basin Inspection and Maintenance: Wet and dry basins shall be inspected annually to ensure inlets and outlets remain unobstructed. Inlets and outlets and forebays shall also be inspected for potential sediment, erosion, cracking, tree growth, damage to the emergency spillway and erosion within the basin and on within the banks. Upper side slopes, embankment and emergency spillway shall be mowed annually. Any tree saplings shall be removed. Accumulated sediment shall be removed as necessary and at least once every ten years. Bare spots shall be repaired and planted with native ground cover material.
Biofiltration Systems: Quarterly inspections for accumulated sediment shall be performed. Debris, sediment accumulation, erosion shall be removed/repaired at least twice a year. Any dead or damaged plantings shall be replaced. All invasive species shall be removed on an annual basis. Re-mulch any void areas by hand. Native grasses and plants shall be maintained by hand without the use of fertilizers and limited use of organic herbicides. Trimming of surrounding grasses shall be restricted to a minimum of 5 inches. When cation exchange capacity of soil media decreases, the soil media shall be replaced to prevent contaminants from reaching the groundwater.
Sediment Trap/Oil-Water Separator: Shall be inspected annually for sediment and debris accumulation. Any sediment accumulations in excess of half of the unit’s sump depth shall be removed. Material shall be removed by a licensed contractor, who shall be responsible for disposing of the material off-site in a manner consistent with all regulations.
Sub-Surface Infiltration Systems: Shall be inspected annually for proper function and sediment accumulation. Accumulations of sediment and/or materials that negatively impact the infiltration capacity of the system shall be removed.
h.	Accumulation of sediment in the forebay and micropool; and survival rate of plants (cells with dead plants must be replanted). Sediment forebays must be cleaned annually.
3. Receipts for maintenance performed.
For ease of reporting, the DEC and MassDevelopment have created standard annual reporting templates for use by all Applicants. Failure to submit the required annual report is a violation of the Unified Permit.

lowercased:
(a)	to replicate natural conditions of infiltration, evapotranspiration, and runoff. in typical natural conditions, approximately 50 percent of stormwater infiltrates, 40 percent leaves land through evapotranspiration, and ten (10) percent leaves the land as runoff.
(b)	to promote decentralized stormwater management systems modeled after natural hydrologic features and infiltration practices that facilitate local groundwater recharge [low-impact development (“lid”) techniques].
(c)	to promote water conservation and efficiency through stormwater capture, treatment and reuse.
(a)	all applications, regardless of whether the project is subject to the wetlands protection act or not, shall design the stormwater management system in compliance with the massachusetts dep stormwater management standards, january, 2008, as amended (“sms”) and the massachusetts stormwater handbook, february 2008, as amended (“handbook”). the applicant shall submit a completed and endorsed stormwater management form that indicates compliance with the sms, in addition to any supporting calculations indicating compliance with the required standards. http://www.mass.gov/dep/water/laws/policies.htm#storm.
the handbook which includes the sms, stormwater best management practices, documenting compliance, stormwater report checklist and tss removal calculation sheet.
devens stormwater pollution prevention plan (stormwater plan).
devens water resources protection report.
(c)	where there is a conflict between the requirements set forth below and the handbook and/or plan, the plan and the requirements below shall govern.
there shall be no negative impact from stormwater runoff on abutting properties and to any public or private water supply or designated potential future supply.
irrigation water shall be derived from detained treated stormwater (stormwater harvesting), or roof drainage to the maximum extent feasible. on-site cisterns may be installed to store water for irrigation.
for all stormwater improvements, drainage calculations shall be prepared by the applicant's engineer in accordance with the sms requirements and shall include design criteria, pre- and post-development drainage areas, and other information to verify the size and effectiveness of the proposed stormwater management technique. "pre-development" drainage areas shall be considered to be "green fields" regardless of any development or improvements on the site at the time of application. calculations shall be made separately for each drainage facility, showing its location, the total upstream drainage area, the underlying soil types and the flow paths for the times of concentration, the design runoff, facility size, slope, and capacity and velocity of water through all the site drainage system.
proposed activity that will temporarily or permanently disturb any land area at or below the elevation of the 100-year floodplain shall be avoided to the maximum extent feasible unless there are exceptional circumstances where such areas cannot be avoided. under such circumstances, the applicant shall demonstrate, to the satisfaction of the dec, that there shall be no temporary or permanent loss of flood storage area. for any areas within the 100-year floodplain where the dec authorizes disturbance, temporary stabilization measures shall be implemented at all times, until permanent stabilization is achieved. no construction laydown areas or equipment shall be stored within the 100-year floodplain without emergency removal/relocation measures in place and approved by the dec.
recharge may not be required for land designated as an area of concern, if, according to the base closure team in accordance with base realignment and closure act requirements, recharge will negatively impact ongoing environmental remediation.
all projects shall incorporate lid techniques for stormwater management to the maximum extent feasible. for projects proposing traditional closed drainage systems, the applicant shall demonstrate to the satisfaction of the dec why lid stormwater management design methods are not feasible. for lid stormwater controls not referenced in this section (974 cmr 4.08) or the handbook, or for which pollutant removal rates have not been provided, the effectiveness and pollutant removal of the structural control must be documented through prior studies, literature reviews, or other means and receive approval from the dec before being included in the design of a stormwater management system.
1.	any low-flow outlets shall be designed to prevent clogging.
(b) in addition to compliance with the sms, the post-development peak rate of stormwater discharge off-site shall not be greater than the pre-development peak rate of stormwater discharge for the 2, 10, 25, 50 and 100-year storm events from any point of discharge on the site.
(c) there shall be no stormwater structures and/or point source discharges within 25 feet of the boundaries of any resource area unless the applicant can demonstrate no adverse impact to the resource area.
(d) side slopes above the design water level shall be 3:1 (horizontal to vertical) or flatter and conform to the slope of the existing topography without abrupt or unnatural breaks in slope, unless otherwise permitted under 974 cmr 4.08(4).
(e) banks of wet ponds, swales not within maintained landscaped areas (such as lawns or parking lots), and other channels shall be vegetated with native woody plant material within ten feet of the high water elevation and with herbaceous plant material at the edge of the pond at the high water elevation. trees shall not be planted on fill embankments.
(f) shelves below the design water level (as described in the stormwater plan) shall be vegetated with hydrophytic native plant species at a density needed to establish full coverage by the next growing season. plant plugs or pre-vegetated coir-mesh blankets or carpets are recommended materials.
(g) recommended post-construction erosion control methods include geotextile and /or biodegradable erosion control fabrics staked or anchored to the slope, with loose weave to allow vegetative cover to be established. vegetative cover shall consist of native woody plant species installed as live brush or nursery stock, or native grasses.
(a) minimize basin size to 5,000 square feet per basin or less (by using smaller catchment areas and/or alternative stormwater management design methods) and minimize disturbance to natural or re-established vegetated areas to the maximum extent feasible. if a basin exceeds 5,000 square feet, the applicant shall demonstrate to the satisfaction of the dec why a smaller size is not feasible. if a basin is a constructed stormwater wetland, it may exceed 5,000 square feet upon approval by the dec. constructed stormwater wetlands shall be designed in compliance with the sms.
(b) be located in naturally occurring low spots. layout of the basins shall complement the natural topographic movement of the site [see 974 cmr 3.08(4) figure d)] rigid basin layout [see 974 cmr 3.08(5) figure e] shall be avoided in all instances unless the basin's layout complements the overall design concept of the site plan.
(c) utilize banks steeper than 3:1 (horizontal to vertical) only to tie into headwall/outfall structures. banks steeper than 3:1 shall transition to slopes of less than 3:1 as quickly as possible to minimize areas of potential erosion. specific post-construction erosion control methods shall be detailed to ensure temporary and permanent stabilization of such areas will be achieved. rip-rap/trap rock solutions shall not be acceptable, except as water dissipaters below storm water outfalls or as channel liners for steep swales.
(d) have an emergency outlet to accommodate storm flows in excess of the 100-year storm event. a minimum 1-foot freeboard distance shall be established between the 100-year flood elevation and the top of embankment.
(e) design basins/infiltration structures using the natural resource conservation service tr-20 methodology in accordance with the sms.
(f) locate the floor of all basins/infiltration structure/swales a minimum of four feet above the high groundwater elevation. high groundwater testing shall be conducted before the basin design at the proposed location of each basin in compliance with title v (310 cmr section 15.103), as most recently amended or reliable data pursuant thereto shall be provided.
(g) conduct a falling head soil permeability test in retention/infiltration basins before the basin design in all basins and infiltration structures. soil with a percolation rate of 2 minutes per inch or faster can be used to confirm the first nrcs hydrologic soil group a with a texture class of sand and an infiltration rate of 8.27 inches per hour from the rawls, et.al. table in the sms. to use infiltration rates faster than 8.27 inches per hour, use 50% of the infiltration rate obtained from the falling head soil permeability test.
(h) conduct percolation tests in detention basins before the basin design and shall be conducted in compliance with title v (310 cmr section 15.105), as most recently amended.
(i) include fencing and/or screening of stormwater detention/retention basins if the dec determines that safety or appearance require such measures.
(a) vegetated roofs - shall comply with the handbook and the dec policy for construction of vegetated roofs dated august 2011, as amended.
for the purposes of stormwater management system design, the area of roof covered by vegetation may be considered pervious and subtracted from the total proposed impervious area.
vegetated roofs within the viewshed overlay district shall comply with 974 cmr 3.04(8) (i) 5 and 6.
landscaping plans for projects incorporating vegetated roofs and/or walls shall show the design and location of vegetated roofs and walls.
lined on the sides with a non-woven geotextile fabric to prevent influx of fines (no liner on bottom).
a gravel trench surrounding the edge of the pavement connecting to the stone reservoir below the surface of the pavement may be required as a backup in the event of surface clogs.
installed by a qualified contractor with experience in permeable paving installation.
1.	top layer: 6 inches of pervious concrete placed in two 3-inch courses.
2.	second layer: 4 inch course consisting of 1-1/3 inch crushed stone (structural support).
3.	third layer: 14 inches of open graded “bank run gravel” (reservoir base).
4.	fourth layer: 6 inches of 3/8” crushed gravel (capillary barrier).
alternative comparable reinforcement methods will be considered by the dec on a case by case basis.
(a)	lid swale systems shall be utilized in parking lots not subject to truck traffic, truck and container storage, and other railroad related vehicles/equipment, to the maximum extent feasible.
(b) closed drainage systems (cds) and swales shall be designed to accommodate the 25-year storm event based on the rational method without surcharging. the cds shall be designed in accordance with the sms. intensity/duration/frequency curves for the worcester area, as presented in technical paper 40 of the national weather service and the massachusetts hydrology handbook for conservation commissioners, march 2002, as amended, shall be used in the drainage design calculations. the minimum time of concentration shall be five minutes.
(c)	all drainage structures shall be constructed of pre-cast concrete.
(d)	catch basins shall have oil traps and provide a four-foot sump.
(e)	details for all drainage structures shall be provided.
(f)	flow capacities shall be calculated, using two feet per second (fps) minimum velocity and 10 fps maximum velocity under a 2-to-25 year design storm event. the designer shall account for partial pipe flow capacities, if applicable to the design.
(g)	catch basin to catch basin connections are prohibited in paved areas.
(a) the name(s) of the owner(s) for all components of the system.
(b) a statement that the applicant is responsible for the operation and maintenance of the entire on-site system.
parking lot sweeping: with mechanized cleaning equipment on an annual basis.
catch basin cleaning: catch basins and infiltration chambers shall be inspected on a bi-annual basis. any sediment accumulations in excess of half of the unit’s sump depth shall be removed. material shall be removed by a licensed contractor, who shall be responsible for disposing of the material off-site in a manner consistent with all local, state and federal regulations.
infiltration swales: ensure proper establishment of full vegetative cover. swale embankments and side slopes must be properly maintained to ensure long-term stability. annual and seasonal inspections are required to ensure a healthy groundcover is maintained to avoid erosion and promote infiltration. bare spots shall be repaired and planted with native ground cover material. saplings and large shrubs shall be removed to maintain integrity of the swale. level spreader shall be inspected seasonally to remove any build up of sediment and ensure proper drainage flows.
detention/retention basin inspection and maintenance: wet and dry basins shall be inspected annually to ensure inlets and outlets remain unobstructed. inlets and outlets and forebays shall also be inspected for potential sediment, erosion, cracking, tree growth, damage to the emergency spillway and erosion within the basin and on within the banks. upper side slopes, embankment and emergency spillway shall be mowed annually. any tree saplings shall be removed. accumulated sediment shall be removed as necessary and at least once every ten years. bare spots shall be repaired and planted with native ground cover material.
biofiltration systems: quarterly inspections for accumulated sediment shall be performed. debris, sediment accumulation, erosion shall be removed/repaired at least twice a year. any dead or damaged plantings shall be replaced. all invasive species shall be removed on an annual basis. re-mulch any void areas by hand. native grasses and plants shall be maintained by hand without the use of fertilizers and limited use of organic herbicides. trimming of surrounding grasses shall be restricted to a minimum of 5 inches. when cation exchange capacity of soil media decreases, the soil media shall be replaced to prevent contaminants from reaching the groundwater.
sediment trap/oil-water separator: shall be inspected annually for sediment and debris accumulation. any sediment accumulations in excess of half of the unit’s sump depth shall be removed. material shall be removed by a licensed contractor, who shall be responsible for disposing of the material off-site in a manner consistent with all regulations.
sub-surface infiltration systems: shall be inspected annually for proper function and sediment accumulation. accumulations of sediment and/or materials that negatively impact the infiltration capacity of the system shall be removed.
h.	accumulation of sediment in the forebay and micropool; and survival rate of plants (cells with dead plants must be replanted). sediment forebays must be cleaned annually.
3. receipts for maintenance performed.
for ease of reporting, the dec and massdevelopment have created standard annual reporting templates for use by all applicants. failure to submit the required annual report is a violation of the unified permit.


text: Add some wild boho spirit to your outfit with this stunning citrine nugget pendant necklace. Crafted by hand using semi-precious gemstones, this citrine necklace is a striking piece that you'll love having adventures in over and over again. Wear by itself or layer up to complete your effortless, free-spirited style.

lowercased: add some wild boho spirit to your outfit with this stunning citrine nugget pendant necklace. crafted by hand using semi-precious gemstones, this citrine necklace is a striking piece that you'll love having adventures in over and over again. wear by itself or layer up to complete your effortless, free-spirited style.


text:
Join our 2019 All-Church Read, “Sabbath Keeping” by Rev. Dr. Lynne Baab.
Rev. Baab will preach at both worship services on Feb 10 and speak at our All-Church Read Kick off at 4:00 pm that afternoon.
Books will be available for purchase in the hallway by the Narthex beginning Feb 3.
Sign up for a discussion group by logging in on the Unity website and choosing “Available Small Groups” on the home page or clicking HERE.

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join our 2019 all-church read, “sabbath keeping” by rev. dr. lynne baab.
rev. baab will preach at both worship services on feb 10 and speak at our all-church read kick off at 4:00 pm that afternoon.
books will be available for purchase in the hallway by the narthex beginning feb 3.
sign up for a discussion group by logging in on the unity website and choosing “available small groups” on the home page or clicking here.


text:
Revolution Slider Error: Slider with alias pandora not found.
* You will Receive $20 in eGift Cards within the first month of signing up. $10 eGift Card when you send us your first scan and another $10 eGift Card after scanning each week for your first 4 weeks.

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revolution slider error: slider with alias pandora not found.
* you will receive $20 in egift cards within the first month of signing up. $10 egift card when you send us your first scan and another $10 egift card after scanning each week for your first 4 weeks.


text:
For more than a decade, Daveyton's Mayor, Tom Boya, was Pretoria's evidence of the legitimacy of the municipal councils running its segregated black townships.
As president of the United Municipalities of South Africa, an organization of black municipal officials, Mr. Boya put aside his mayoral duties and traveled as far afield as the United States and Brazil to discourse on the concerns of local government.
But he recently stunned a crowd of 80,000 residents of Daveyton by announcing that he was quitting his posts. He said the system with which he had become identified had no future. Whether motivated by conscience or survival, his unexpected resignation elicited wild cheers and seemed to signal the beginning of the end for black township governments.
Mr. Boya, who is 39 years old, said the handwriting appeared on the wall after the African National Congress was made legal and Nelson Mandela released in February. "I realized there was no room any more for a person to serve in a structure created by the Government," he said.
His decision to quit, he said, was prompted by his inability to stop the state-owned power company from switching off Daveyton's electricity for four days recently because of unpaid bills. He said it illustrated the frustrations he had faced in Daveyton since joining its town council in 1978.
"The weakness of the black local authorities was simply lack of funds, lack of local sources of revenue," Mr. Boya said. But, he quickly added, "the structures were illegitimate" because the white minority Government had imposed them on blacks.
Their resources are not shared with the satellite black townships, which began as stark dormitories for blacks working at menial jobs in white areas and which suffer chronic poverty and unemployment.
Anti-apartheid civic associations have organized boycotts of rent and utility payments to protest inferior living conditions, which deprive municipal governments of the modest revenue upon which they depend. The associations have accused municipal officials like Mr. Boya of being puppets of apartheid.
Satisfied that the crisis had been resolved, Mr. Boya flew to Rio de Janeiro for a conference. In his absence, the deal collapsed when the Transvaal Provincial Administration insisted that most of the money paid go to pay municipal wages and only a little to the utility company. He returned home to find the electricity turned off and his constituents irate.
"I felt so lonely," Mr. Boya said. "I felt rejected. I felt betrayed."
The electricity was turned back on after residents took the utility company to court.
Mr. Boya's foreboding about the future of black local government was heightened when he went to a United Municipalities conference recently and found only 8 of its 60 municipal councils represented.
Mr. Boya said he went to the other rally and decided to quit. "You could have heard a pin when I went over to the podium," he said. "I then offered my resignation."
James Ngubo, chairman of the Daveyton Interim Committee said that "Mr. Boya coming out really symbolizes that the system is bankrupt." He said the white minority Government had set up Mr. Boya as a "good black man" to make black local authorities palatable. His group had pressed Mr. Boya to resign, Mr. Ngubo said, and the power cuts "must have been the last straw for him."
Four other Daveyton councillors have followed Mr. Boya's example.
Mr. Boya predicted the inevitable collapse of all township government structures. "I think it will be very healthy when it happens," he said. "From those ruins, we can build."
He said municipalites must encompass white and black communities together and pool their revenue. And municipalities, he said, should be defined by region instead of race.
"The Government should abolish black local authorities and white local authorities and call for an election of local authorities under one umbrella," he said.

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for more than a decade, daveyton's mayor, tom boya, was pretoria's evidence of the legitimacy of the municipal councils running its segregated black townships.
as president of the united municipalities of south africa, an organization of black municipal officials, mr. boya put aside his mayoral duties and traveled as far afield as the united states and brazil to discourse on the concerns of local government.
but he recently stunned a crowd of 80,000 residents of daveyton by announcing that he was quitting his posts. he said the system with which he had become identified had no future. whether motivated by conscience or survival, his unexpected resignation elicited wild cheers and seemed to signal the beginning of the end for black township governments.
mr. boya, who is 39 years old, said the handwriting appeared on the wall after the african national congress was made legal and nelson mandela released in february. "i realized there was no room any more for a person to serve in a structure created by the government," he said.
his decision to quit, he said, was prompted by his inability to stop the state-owned power company from switching off daveyton's electricity for four days recently because of unpaid bills. he said it illustrated the frustrations he had faced in daveyton since joining its town council in 1978.
"the weakness of the black local authorities was simply lack of funds, lack of local sources of revenue," mr. boya said. but, he quickly added, "the structures were illegitimate" because the white minority government had imposed them on blacks.
their resources are not shared with the satellite black townships, which began as stark dormitories for blacks working at menial jobs in white areas and which suffer chronic poverty and unemployment.
anti-apartheid civic associations have organized boycotts of rent and utility payments to protest inferior living conditions, which deprive municipal governments of the modest revenue upon which they depend. the associations have accused municipal officials like mr. boya of being puppets of apartheid.
satisfied that the crisis had been resolved, mr. boya flew to rio de janeiro for a conference. in his absence, the deal collapsed when the transvaal provincial administration insisted that most of the money paid go to pay municipal wages and only a little to the utility company. he returned home to find the electricity turned off and his constituents irate.
"i felt so lonely," mr. boya said. "i felt rejected. i felt betrayed."
the electricity was turned back on after residents took the utility company to court.
mr. boya's foreboding about the future of black local government was heightened when he went to a united municipalities conference recently and found only 8 of its 60 municipal councils represented.
mr. boya said he went to the other rally and decided to quit. "you could have heard a pin when i went over to the podium," he said. "i then offered my resignation."
james ngubo, chairman of the daveyton interim committee said that "mr. boya coming out really symbolizes that the system is bankrupt." he said the white minority government had set up mr. boya as a "good black man" to make black local authorities palatable. his group had pressed mr. boya to resign, mr. ngubo said, and the power cuts "must have been the last straw for him."
four other daveyton councillors have followed mr. boya's example.
mr. boya predicted the inevitable collapse of all township government structures. "i think it will be very healthy when it happens," he said. "from those ruins, we can build."
he said municipalites must encompass white and black communities together and pool their revenue. and municipalities, he said, should be defined by region instead of race.
"the government should abolish black local authorities and white local authorities and call for an election of local authorities under one umbrella," he said.


text:
Get ready for a slice of glamour on the reels of Dazzle Me. This big money slot machine has free spins, linked reels and dazzling wins!
Use the COIN VALUE button to adjust your coin size. The BET LEVEL allows you to assign between 1 and 10 coins per line.

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get ready for a slice of glamour on the reels of dazzle me. this big money slot machine has free spins, linked reels and dazzling wins!
use the coin value button to adjust your coin size. the bet level allows you to assign between 1 and 10 coins per line.


text:
A teenage girl BIT a police officer on the wrist in Walsall.
Although the officer was wearing a coat, the 17-year-old's teeth still managed to puncture the skin.
The female officer, who was attempting to help the teen at the time, must now take a course of antibiotics as a result of the assault.
A spokesman for West Midlands Police's Force Response, took to Twitter to share a picture of the officer's wound.
The tweet, posted on Tuesday evening (February 5), said: "Officer bitten tonight. A 17-year-old girl who a #Eunit # Walsall officer was trying to help, decided to bite the officer on the arm.
"Luckily the officer had her coat on, which lessened the injury, but they will still need a course of antibiotics."

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a teenage girl bit a police officer on the wrist in walsall.
although the officer was wearing a coat, the 17-year-old's teeth still managed to puncture the skin.
the female officer, who was attempting to help the teen at the time, must now take a course of antibiotics as a result of the assault.
a spokesman for west midlands police's force response, took to twitter to share a picture of the officer's wound.
the tweet, posted on tuesday evening (february 5), said: "officer bitten tonight. a 17-year-old girl who a #eunit # walsall officer was trying to help, decided to bite the officer on the arm.
"luckily the officer had her coat on, which lessened the injury, but they will still need a course of antibiotics."


text:
Hillel JUC offers a variety of holiday observance opportunities from dinners to services to on-campus activities for all students! Continue on this page for information about upcoming Holidays and the dates of Holidays throughout the year.
Please see below for our High Holiday Schedule and the RSVP form!

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hillel juc offers a variety of holiday observance opportunities from dinners to services to on-campus activities for all students! continue on this page for information about upcoming holidays and the dates of holidays throughout the year.
please see below for our high holiday schedule and the rsvp form!


text: This bar stool features the standard ergonomic wooden seat. Seat height: 24". Seat width is 18.5" seat depth is 17". Fully assembled. Capacity 350 pounds. Finished in the "Glacier Country" collection style for a truly unique, one-of-a-kind look reminiscent of the Grand Lodges of the Rockies, circa 1900. First we remove the outer bark while leaving the inner, cambium layer intact for texture and contrast. Then the finish is completed in an eight step, professional spraying process that applies stain and lacquer for a beautiful, long lasting finish. All Montana Woodworks products come with a 20-Year limited warranty at no additional charge. Hand Crafted in Montana U.S.A.

lowercased: this bar stool features the standard ergonomic wooden seat. seat height: 24". seat width is 18.5" seat depth is 17". fully assembled. capacity 350 pounds. finished in the "glacier country" collection style for a truly unique, one-of-a-kind look reminiscent of the grand lodges of the rockies, circa 1900. first we remove the outer bark while leaving the inner, cambium layer intact for texture and contrast. then the finish is completed in an eight step, professional spraying process that applies stain and lacquer for a beautiful, long lasting finish. all montana woodworks products come with a 20-year limited warranty at no additional charge. hand crafted in montana u.s.a.


text:
Located in Bastille, this minimal studio is ideal for creative brands and artists to host a Showroom, Private Event or Product Launch.
The space has an open plan with white-washed walls and the skylights allow natural light to flood in creating a bright and welcoming atmosphere. The frosted glass windows along with the private entrance provide an air of exclusivity making this a great opportunity for a wide range of events.
A stone's throw from the Rue de Charonne, this space is easily accessible and open to a variety of uses including art, photoshoots and film production.

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located in bastille, this minimal studio is ideal for creative brands and artists to host a showroom, private event or product launch.
the space has an open plan with white-washed walls and the skylights allow natural light to flood in creating a bright and welcoming atmosphere. the frosted glass windows along with the private entrance provide an air of exclusivity making this a great opportunity for a wide range of events.
a stone's throw from the rue de charonne, this space is easily accessible and open to a variety of uses including art, photoshoots and film production.


text:
A two-bedroom apartment is 60m2 and provides every comfort for 4 people.
Each room is 20 m2 with a separate entrance, its own bathroom and a balcony, and there is a possibility for one extra bed (2 +1).
Each room is 20 m2 with a separate entrance, its own bathroom and a balcony.

lowercased:
a two-bedroom apartment is 60m2 and provides every comfort for 4 people.
each room is 20 m2 with a separate entrance, its own bathroom and a balcony, and there is a possibility for one extra bed (2 +1).
each room is 20 m2 with a separate entrance, its own bathroom and a balcony.


text:
Whipmix Pro Press 100 Porcelain Furnace has 100 programs and 2 point calibration. The Whipmix Pro Press 100 cycles for Inceram and Procera. The Pro Press is a pressing and porcelain firing machine.
The porcelain firing process has never been simpler. This pressing furnace has advanced cycles for Inceram, Procera, pressing and porcelain firing. It is the most versatile furnace available.
Special cool function allows porcelain to be fired at high temperature, then drop the table for tempering.
Fast-cool your oven by using a vacuum for special porcelain, using low temperature enter settings.
Click the button below to add the Whipmix Pro Press 100 Porcelain Furnace to your wish list.

lowercased:
whipmix pro press 100 porcelain furnace has 100 programs and 2 point calibration. the whipmix pro press 100 cycles for inceram and procera. the pro press is a pressing and porcelain firing machine.
the porcelain firing process has never been simpler. this pressing furnace has advanced cycles for inceram, procera, pressing and porcelain firing. it is the most versatile furnace available.
special cool function allows porcelain to be fired at high temperature, then drop the table for tempering.
fast-cool your oven by using a vacuum for special porcelain, using low temperature enter settings.
click the button below to add the whipmix pro press 100 porcelain furnace to your wish list.


text:
JERUSALEM: Israel could respond to any Iranian attack on it from Syria by toppling Syrian President Bashar Assad’s government, an Israeli security cabinet minister said on Monday, hinting that Assad himself may be targeted for assassination.
Israel and Iran have traded blows over Syria since February, stirring concern that major escalation could be looming ahead of next week’s review decision by US President Donald Trump on the 2015 international nuclear deal with Tehran.
Sharpening these warnings, Energy Minister Yuval Steinitz said on Monday that Assad may find himself in Israel’s sights.
“If Assad allows Iran to turn Syria into a military vanguard against us, to attack us from Syrian territory, he should know that would be the end of him, the end of his regime,” Steinitz told the Ynet news site.
There was no immediate response from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office or from Israel’s Defense Ministry.
A Ynet text story had quoted Steinitz as saying explicitly that Israel would kill Assad, but this was not borne out by a video clip of the interview.
On Sunday, Israeli media carried what they described as an alert by Israel’s intelligence services that Iran was planning a missile salvo against Israeli military bases from within Syria.
Some analysts interpreted the publication as a warning to Iran that its plans were known, lest it try to carry out the missile strike without explicitly claiming responsibility.
On Wednesday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu meets Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow to discuss Syria, where Moscow wants to see Assad’s rule restored.
“Whoever is interested in Assad’s survival should do the honor of telling Assad to prevent attacks on Israel,” Steinitz said, alluding to Putin.

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jerusalem: israel could respond to any iranian attack on it from syria by toppling syrian president bashar assad’s government, an israeli security cabinet minister said on monday, hinting that assad himself may be targeted for assassination.
israel and iran have traded blows over syria since february, stirring concern that major escalation could be looming ahead of next week’s review decision by us president donald trump on the 2015 international nuclear deal with tehran.
sharpening these warnings, energy minister yuval steinitz said on monday that assad may find himself in israel’s sights.
“if assad allows iran to turn syria into a military vanguard against us, to attack us from syrian territory, he should know that would be the end of him, the end of his regime,” steinitz told the ynet news site.
there was no immediate response from israeli prime minister benjamin netanyahu’s office or from israel’s defense ministry.
a ynet text story had quoted steinitz as saying explicitly that israel would kill assad, but this was not borne out by a video clip of the interview.
on sunday, israeli media carried what they described as an alert by israel’s intelligence services that iran was planning a missile salvo against israeli military bases from within syria.
some analysts interpreted the publication as a warning to iran that its plans were known, lest it try to carry out the missile strike without explicitly claiming responsibility.
on wednesday, israeli prime minister benjamin netanyahu meets russian president vladimir putin in moscow to discuss syria, where moscow wants to see assad’s rule restored.
“whoever is interested in assad’s survival should do the honor of telling assad to prevent attacks on israel,” steinitz said, alluding to putin.


text:
Individual universities' UCUs are voting overwhelmingly to reject a deal struck with Universities UK that would have brought an end to the ongoing lecturer strikes.
Unless you've had no access to the outside world for the last month, you will have noticed that there have been widespread strikes going on across the country. The strikes also saw several student occupations across the country in solidarity with the striking staff.
Since the proposal was released on Monday afternoon, 48 university branches of the UCU have rejected the deal, with this number set to rise as more committee meetings are held to discuss the proposal. So far none have voted to accept the deal.
UPDATE: The Higher Education Commission has also rejected the deal due to the overwhelming disapproval of the deal from university branches of the UCU.

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individual universities' ucus are voting overwhelmingly to reject a deal struck with universities uk that would have brought an end to the ongoing lecturer strikes.
unless you've had no access to the outside world for the last month, you will have noticed that there have been widespread strikes going on across the country. the strikes also saw several student occupations across the country in solidarity with the striking staff.
since the proposal was released on monday afternoon, 48 university branches of the ucu have rejected the deal, with this number set to rise as more committee meetings are held to discuss the proposal. so far none have voted to accept the deal.
update: the higher education commission has also rejected the deal due to the overwhelming disapproval of the deal from university branches of the ucu.


text:
Kyblack76 posted a topic in Member Rides & Builds -- Show off your whip, Show off your System!
Ok, before I do anything, I want to be 200% sure how I can and should go about this. First off I have an AQ 3500.1 2 SSA ZCON 18's Dual 1OHM 1 singer 350amp alt installed 1 xs d3400 in the front 1 xs d3400 in the back 2 runs of SHCA 1/0 positive (fused respectively), 2 run negative What I want to do is have a dual alt setup. 1. Reinstall the original alt for the vehicle; leave the singer alt for the audio system. 2. Install regular battery for vehicle, place front batt with back batt. Then add 2 more batts in back. 4 total in back. So I guess I’m confused as how to wire it all up. Or I might know but just need to write it down to understand and maybe get some input. Regular alt and battery: install as it was just stock with no audio at all. Singer alt: Alt to fuses>back batteries>amp. Where I think I’m stuck is getting two alts to run. Also the two negatives I had from front batt to back batt, do I just ground them to singer alt? Can both alts share negative grounds? Not sure how all that works as far as negatives. If all batts for audio are in the back, would I have to run grounds to the front to engine? or just to frame and then the singer alt ground? I think I covered it all.
kryptonite posted a topic in Member Rides & Builds -- Show off your whip, Show off your System!
Alright so finally got around to "finishing" a build in one of my vehicles haha. I say "finishing" because it's as close to done without having the new alternator or battery racks built but it's sooo close lol. "Fighter Jet" reasoning will be shown through pictures, hopefully you get the meaning haha. Here are the stats: 2000 Ford Explorer Limited 5.0 AWD Pioneer 80PRS Custom switch/gauge panel SHCA RCAs, fuse holders, ring terminals, heat shrink SHCA Green and Black 1/0 DC AUDIO 5K DC AUDIO 10k 4- Soundqubed HDC3 10s 4 - 18" DC Audio Lvl 6 18s, full Carbon fiber option XSPOWER Batteries SINGER ALTERNATORS Anyone want to see some pictures?
alt shutting off at idle?
Rich Schenk posted a topic in General Audio - Can't find a category for your question? Ask here.
Installed a couple weeks ago my cpillar slide in wall For 6 ab xfl 1222s on 2 dc 5ks. 3 top on 1 dc5k @1.3 ohms and 3 bottom on another dc5k @ 1.3 ohms. Have blown the bottom middle woofer now twice. First time thing I went to hard on it being that it took months to finish and killed the coil. 2nd one was rushing to get it playing for slammology. Broke it in for 3 hours @ 40 and 30 hz on a dc5k @ 4ohns 900 something watts Went to install it the next day screwed up poked surround like a idiot. Fixed it with shoe goo Played fine all weekend till my 4th demo at slammology then that infernal slinky sub sound. What am I doing wrong? 1. this is my first wall 2. First time running 6 subs 3. First time running this kind of power and running 2 dc5k to 1 enclosure 4. Set amps with dd-1 to older 5k cause seemed to be lower of the 2 amps. Set with -5 db track 5. Gain matched both amps to the older 5k with cc-1 6.slide in wall is top L port 7. Almost seems like bottom 3 subs move more then top ones ( but not 100 percent on this ) 5 broken in subs and one new one as soon as I buy another one from ab. Please help I am pulling my hair out trying to figure this out and can't afford to keep replacing subs. Now have 5 good and 3 bad subs.
elflako17 posted a topic in Member Rides & Builds -- Show off your whip, Show off your System!
30hzandbelow posted a topic in Member Rides & Builds -- Show off your whip, Show off your System!
Miguels posted a topic in Member Rides & Builds -- Show off your whip, Show off your System!
Alright guys, here's the spill. I bought this alternator for my 2000 GMC Sierra z71 with the 5.3l. I have since wrecked that truck and am putting my system in a different ride. So this alternator is useless to me now. I do however need one for the car I am going to be building. Anyways, this thing is brand new. Never been mounted,test fitted nothing. Sitting in the closet since I bought it. It does have the billet upgrade. Asking price is $700.
Hamze posted a topic in Member Rides & Builds -- Show off your whip, Show off your System!
My 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee Wk that I've built myself . * + 7,000 RMS * Over 2,000 Working Hours ! * 6 - SPL PRO Series Multiple World Record Winner SUBS * 3 - PRS-D 2000SPL Series Mono Amps * 1 - X3.2k4 World's Most Powerful 4 Channel Amp * 4 - 8' SPL series Mids * 2 - 6.5' SPL series Mids * 2 - SPL series Tweets * 5 - 95a AGM Batteries * 6 - Runs 1/0 Silver Tinned OFC Copper Wire * BC RACING Coilovers * Tons of Metra Ballistic Insulation * Stinger DVM * Singer 275A Alternator * CTEK MXS 25 500a Charger * KNU Conceptz CRYSTAL Cable Rca's * 6 - KNU Conceptz 300a Fusing * Knu 300a Fuses * Rockford Fosgate Fusing , wiring ... *Tool Maker USA Custom Made Battery Terminals * Pac Audio Interface * Russian Baltic birch wood * 6 Precision Ports ..... * Custom Built Battery And Amp Racks... Much Much More..... Enjoy !
Leo1103 posted a topic in Member Rides & Builds -- Show off your whip, Show off your System!
Wade's Tundra----> (3) 18's, 4th order blow through, 7.5k!
boomboom21 posted a topic in Member Rides & Builds -- Show off your whip, Show off your System!
Who has the cheapest alternator? Does cheap mean no warranties and really poor customer service? I've been told Iraggi is the cheapest with the worst customer service.
hdorre posted a topic in Member Rides & Builds -- Show off your whip, Show off your System!
***WALL STARTS ON PAGE 19*** Alright.. So basically, EVERYTHING is coming out. Literally the only equipment that'll be reused are the Singer alt, batts, HU, subs, and tweeters. Thats it.. like even the voltage meter is coming out. I wont have any progress for about a month when I go back home for summer break.. But I figured Id get this thread started.. The weather is warming up, so that can only mean one thing.. Heavier oil. Next, I got these in the mail.. Instead of sleeping at 1am what am I doing?
Is It Possible?? Need alt advice..
So i want to upgrade my alternator but haven't had much luck. i've tried to contact a few different companies with no avail. if ANYONE knows if they even exist it would be helpful. would probable require a custom housing. im looking for 210+ my car is 01 A6 C5, with the 2.7 biturbo.
No E posted a topic in Member Rides & Builds -- Show off your whip, Show off your System!

lowercased:
kyblack76 posted a topic in member rides & builds -- show off your whip, show off your system!
ok, before i do anything, i want to be 200% sure how i can and should go about this. first off i have an aq 3500.1 2 ssa zcon 18's dual 1ohm 1 singer 350amp alt installed 1 xs d3400 in the front 1 xs d3400 in the back 2 runs of shca 1/0 positive (fused respectively), 2 run negative what i want to do is have a dual alt setup. 1. reinstall the original alt for the vehicle; leave the singer alt for the audio system. 2. install regular battery for vehicle, place front batt with back batt. then add 2 more batts in back. 4 total in back. so i guess i’m confused as how to wire it all up. or i might know but just need to write it down to understand and maybe get some input. regular alt and battery: install as it was just stock with no audio at all. singer alt: alt to fuses>back batteries>amp. where i think i’m stuck is getting two alts to run. also the two negatives i had from front batt to back batt, do i just ground them to singer alt? can both alts share negative grounds? not sure how all that works as far as negatives. if all batts for audio are in the back, would i have to run grounds to the front to engine? or just to frame and then the singer alt ground? i think i covered it all.
kryptonite posted a topic in member rides & builds -- show off your whip, show off your system!
alright so finally got around to "finishing" a build in one of my vehicles haha. i say "finishing" because it's as close to done without having the new alternator or battery racks built but it's sooo close lol. "fighter jet" reasoning will be shown through pictures, hopefully you get the meaning haha. here are the stats: 2000 ford explorer limited 5.0 awd pioneer 80prs custom switch/gauge panel shca rcas, fuse holders, ring terminals, heat shrink shca green and black 1/0 dc audio 5k dc audio 10k 4- soundqubed hdc3 10s 4 - 18" dc audio lvl 6 18s, full carbon fiber option xspower batteries singer alternators anyone want to see some pictures?
alt shutting off at idle?
rich schenk posted a topic in general audio - can't find a category for your question? ask here.
installed a couple weeks ago my cpillar slide in wall for 6 ab xfl 1222s on 2 dc 5ks. 3 top on 1 dc5k @1.3 ohms and 3 bottom on another dc5k @ 1.3 ohms. have blown the bottom middle woofer now twice. first time thing i went to hard on it being that it took months to finish and killed the coil. 2nd one was rushing to get it playing for slammology. broke it in for 3 hours @ 40 and 30 hz on a dc5k @ 4ohns 900 something watts went to install it the next day screwed up poked surround like a idiot. fixed it with shoe goo played fine all weekend till my 4th demo at slammology then that infernal slinky sub sound. what am i doing wrong? 1. this is my first wall 2. first time running 6 subs 3. first time running this kind of power and running 2 dc5k to 1 enclosure 4. set amps with dd-1 to older 5k cause seemed to be lower of the 2 amps. set with -5 db track 5. gain matched both amps to the older 5k with cc-1 6.slide in wall is top l port 7. almost seems like bottom 3 subs move more then top ones ( but not 100 percent on this ) 5 broken in subs and one new one as soon as i buy another one from ab. please help i am pulling my hair out trying to figure this out and can't afford to keep replacing subs. now have 5 good and 3 bad subs.
elflako17 posted a topic in member rides & builds -- show off your whip, show off your system!
30hzandbelow posted a topic in member rides & builds -- show off your whip, show off your system!
miguels posted a topic in member rides & builds -- show off your whip, show off your system!
alright guys, here's the spill. i bought this alternator for my 2000 gmc sierra z71 with the 5.3l. i have since wrecked that truck and am putting my system in a different ride. so this alternator is useless to me now. i do however need one for the car i am going to be building. anyways, this thing is brand new. never been mounted,test fitted nothing. sitting in the closet since i bought it. it does have the billet upgrade. asking price is $700.
hamze posted a topic in member rides & builds -- show off your whip, show off your system!
my 2005 jeep grand cherokee wk that i've built myself . * + 7,000 rms * over 2,000 working hours ! * 6 - spl pro series multiple world record winner subs * 3 - prs-d 2000spl series mono amps * 1 - x3.2k4 world's most powerful 4 channel amp * 4 - 8' spl series mids * 2 - 6.5' spl series mids * 2 - spl series tweets * 5 - 95a agm batteries * 6 - runs 1/0 silver tinned ofc copper wire * bc racing coilovers * tons of metra ballistic insulation * stinger dvm * singer 275a alternator * ctek mxs 25 500a charger * knu conceptz crystal cable rca's * 6 - knu conceptz 300a fusing * knu 300a fuses * rockford fosgate fusing , wiring ... *tool maker usa custom made battery terminals * pac audio interface * russian baltic birch wood * 6 precision ports ..... * custom built battery and amp racks... much much more..... enjoy !
leo1103 posted a topic in member rides & builds -- show off your whip, show off your system!
wade's tundra----> (3) 18's, 4th order blow through, 7.5k!
boomboom21 posted a topic in member rides & builds -- show off your whip, show off your system!
who has the cheapest alternator? does cheap mean no warranties and really poor customer service? i've been told iraggi is the cheapest with the worst customer service.
hdorre posted a topic in member rides & builds -- show off your whip, show off your system!
***wall starts on page 19*** alright.. so basically, everything is coming out. literally the only equipment that'll be reused are the singer alt, batts, hu, subs, and tweeters. thats it.. like even the voltage meter is coming out. i wont have any progress for about a month when i go back home for summer break.. but i figured id get this thread started.. the weather is warming up, so that can only mean one thing.. heavier oil. next, i got these in the mail.. instead of sleeping at 1am what am i doing?
is it possible?? need alt advice..
so i want to upgrade my alternator but haven't had much luck. i've tried to contact a few different companies with no avail. if anyone knows if they even exist it would be helpful. would probable require a custom housing. im looking for 210+ my car is 01 a6 c5, with the 2.7 biturbo.
no e posted a topic in member rides & builds -- show off your whip, show off your system!


text:
Portland is the most bike-friendly city in the US, according to National Geographic Traveler. Despite the prestigious ranking, it strives to better its infrastructure with the approval of the Portland Bicycle Plan for 2030.
The city council approved the Bicycle Plan through a unanimous vote of 5-0 on 11 February. The long-range plan points to several key principals that aim to improve Portland’s ridership. It includes attracting new riders, strengthening bike policies, expanding the city’s bike networks and programs that support cycling, increasing bike parking and increasing funding for cycling facilities.
“Those kinds of investments are really going to help improve public health, air and water quality, and the livability of our neighborhoods,” Kransky said. The new plan is based on the original 1996 Bike Master Plan and Portland has been working on the 2030 version since 2006.
“It’s an affordable investment and a cheaper way to build out a transportation network by investing in these types of infrastructures as oppose to investing in an infrastructure for vehicles and cars,” he said.
The Bicycle Transportation Alliance (BTA) was involved in the plan development by providing technical advice, analysis and drafting support. BTA is a Portland-based cycling advocacy organisation aimed at ‘creating healthy, sustainable communities by making bicycling safe, convenient and accessible’ in Oregon and Southwest Washington.
According to Kransky, it will take a combination of revenue from all available sources to bring a plan of this magnitude to life. “We are thinking creatively all the way from business adopting a mile or a city block, looking into city transportation budgets, regional transportation budgets, state transportation funds and federal transportation funds,” he said.
The Portland Bureau of Transportation has already begun implementing initial projects listed in the plan and some 24km of new bike lanes will be created this year. While it’s a modest amount compared to the plan at large, it represents the start.

lowercased:
portland is the most bike-friendly city in the us, according to national geographic traveler. despite the prestigious ranking, it strives to better its infrastructure with the approval of the portland bicycle plan for 2030.
the city council approved the bicycle plan through a unanimous vote of 5-0 on 11 february. the long-range plan points to several key principals that aim to improve portland’s ridership. it includes attracting new riders, strengthening bike policies, expanding the city’s bike networks and programs that support cycling, increasing bike parking and increasing funding for cycling facilities.
“those kinds of investments are really going to help improve public health, air and water quality, and the livability of our neighborhoods,” kransky said. the new plan is based on the original 1996 bike master plan and portland has been working on the 2030 version since 2006.
“it’s an affordable investment and a cheaper way to build out a transportation network by investing in these types of infrastructures as oppose to investing in an infrastructure for vehicles and cars,” he said.
the bicycle transportation alliance (bta) was involved in the plan development by providing technical advice, analysis and drafting support. bta is a portland-based cycling advocacy organisation aimed at ‘creating healthy, sustainable communities by making bicycling safe, convenient and accessible’ in oregon and southwest washington.
according to kransky, it will take a combination of revenue from all available sources to bring a plan of this magnitude to life. “we are thinking creatively all the way from business adopting a mile or a city block, looking into city transportation budgets, regional transportation budgets, state transportation funds and federal transportation funds,” he said.
the portland bureau of transportation has already begun implementing initial projects listed in the plan and some 24km of new bike lanes will be created this year. while it’s a modest amount compared to the plan at large, it represents the start.


text:
Don and I went to the Nationwide Arena to meet with one of the players. As it ended up, that player was not able to meet with us today so it was a wasted trip, right? Well, maybe not a wasted trip after all. Is it a wasted trip if we have significant conversations with three security officers we have been building relationships with for quite some time? One officer is having significant health issues and we pray with her nearly every time we go. We have met and prayed for her husband who was out of work and God answered prayer by supplying a job, right there at the arena. To God be the glory! I wonder if it was wasted as we handed out copies of Cedarville Universities latest magazine that Jeff Beste gave us plenty of copies to hand out since there was a significant article written about one of my ministry partners, Don Callan, and his influence on others. We were handing them out like candy to people we work with and you should have seen their eyes light up! Yes, even the TV commentators with whom we have built relationships, were appreciative and very interested in the article and the man behind the article. Yep, the assistant coach who is a believer said he would read it to put himself to sleep tonight (his way of saying, “I love you guys”).
I wonder if our agenda is always God’s agenda. This I know, all these people were not on our agenda but it seems to be God has a way of directing our paths in ways we cannot plan. The secret is, I like God’s agenda better than my own agenda anyway. It is a lot more fun.
Hey, we love you two and are so thrilled for what you do to spread God’s love and saving Grace to athletes and whoever!

lowercased:
don and i went to the nationwide arena to meet with one of the players. as it ended up, that player was not able to meet with us today so it was a wasted trip, right? well, maybe not a wasted trip after all. is it a wasted trip if we have significant conversations with three security officers we have been building relationships with for quite some time? one officer is having significant health issues and we pray with her nearly every time we go. we have met and prayed for her husband who was out of work and god answered prayer by supplying a job, right there at the arena. to god be the glory! i wonder if it was wasted as we handed out copies of cedarville universities latest magazine that jeff beste gave us plenty of copies to hand out since there was a significant article written about one of my ministry partners, don callan, and his influence on others. we were handing them out like candy to people we work with and you should have seen their eyes light up! yes, even the tv commentators with whom we have built relationships, were appreciative and very interested in the article and the man behind the article. yep, the assistant coach who is a believer said he would read it to put himself to sleep tonight (his way of saying, “i love you guys”).
i wonder if our agenda is always god’s agenda. this i know, all these people were not on our agenda but it seems to be god has a way of directing our paths in ways we cannot plan. the secret is, i like god’s agenda better than my own agenda anyway. it is a lot more fun.
hey, we love you two and are so thrilled for what you do to spread god’s love and saving grace to athletes and whoever!


text:
Improvisation is a mighty word that holds the power to stir up fear and dread in the hearts of many artists. It has such potency, in fact, that we tend to shorten it to its far more emotionally tolerable and cute version, improv. Hear how pithy and fun that sounds? A little word like that could never hurt us or make us want to crawl into a dark corner, rocking back and forth, murmuring creepily to ourselves, "You're okay, you're okay, you're okay."
But those who consistently shy away from improvisation do themselves a great injustice as they actively and willingly deny the incredible, complex, hard-to-define experience it offers. With all senses engaged--yes, even your smeller--at a level both higher and deeper, improvisation provides us with the semi-structured freedom to generate artistic moments and works we had no idea we were capable of creating. And, boy howdy, does it feel good!
It is in this spirit that Unrehearsed MKE, the musically driven improv project, was founded back in March, 2013. Now held at its permanent home, The Jazz Estate--recently under new ownership--every first Sunday of the month, it continues to grow and thrive as a gotta-do-that performance opportunity for musicians and artists wanting to shed their comfort zones and get free, baby.
The backstory of Unrehearsed MKE, shared with me by founder/co-curator/drummer/composer/educator Devin Drobka, is an age-old one: A musician starts jamming with another musician who has an idea to create a project so good--in this case Out Of Your Head Baltimore & Brooklyn--that the other musician decides to do something similar in another city--Milwaukee--and BAM! Unrehearsed MKE is born.
"When I started the series I was doing everything and it was great when I first moved back and was trying to just get things happening and I had more time. Then when my life started picking up and I was doing some more touring I was needing help with curating and running it so I asked my good friend Barry to help me out and he did such a wonderful job that it just made sense to have more people involved. Steve joined us and the rest is history to this point. Both are such creative forces that it makes for such an amazing time working with them and having creative stimulation. We talk about this stuff a lot and each brings such a fresh perspective on improvising to their curatorial duties."
The main goal of Unrehearsed MKE is to bring together folks from different musical genres--jazz, experimental, rock, blues, what have you--as well as artists of other disciplines--visual art, dance, video, poetry, whatnot--to collaborate in spontaneous, improvisational performances. As the name suggests, there is no rehearsal, no preparation and no net, so expect the seat of your pantaloons to get a real workout!
As far as the curatorial process goes, Clark and Gallam have essentially the same approach but express it very much in their own individual terms.
Clark: "My curatorial approach often involves trying to put together musicians who I know have strong skills in their craft individually, but who are also very good listeners, and can communicate effectively and honestly in new situations. I think that's the basis of really well done improvisation, just being able to effectively and honestly communicate with others using your craft in a new situation. One thought I put into the curation sometimes, though not always, is to put together 'traditional' ensembles to perform this completely not traditional performance. For example, a string quartet or quintet with violin, viola, cello, bass, piano. Although some of the most non-traditional ensembles are the best, like having trombone, bass, synthesized electronics and percussion all improvising together!"
Gallam: "The curating process, at least for me, is all about variety and group size. I usually keep my groups small, since the other dudes typically have larger ensembles. Aside from many emails, questions, and Facebook messages, that's it! That's curating. The rest happens on the night in question when the musicians finally get together (much of the time they have never met each other before) and then we introduce them and tell them to get on with it. If it weren't for the fantastic group of musicians who genuinely enjoy this music, it would just be the 'Steve Gallam Trio feat. Barry Bass and Devin Drum' and we would do minor-key arrangements of John Philip Sousa marches backwards, and no one wants to see that."
HA! I'd like to agree that no one would want to see/hear Sousa marches backwards, Mr. Gallam, but we all know there's someone out there who would--someone who probably likes to wear a replica Sousa marching band conductor uniform with a few interesting alterations, but I'm just guessing.
Anyhoo, the next session of Unrehearsed MKE is this Sunday, August 3, at The Jazz Estate, 2423 N Murray Avenue in Milwaukee, beginning at 7:30PM. Extra Exciting Bonus: The second of three sets features experimental guru Hal Rammel on electric sound palette with Jay Mollerskov on electric guitar, so don't miss it!
For those musicians and artists who'd like join in on the pithy improv fun on a future date, contact unrehearsedmke at gmail dot com for more intel. Don't forget to tell 'em what you play/do, your availability and what moniker you most eagerly respond to when addressed.

lowercased:
improvisation is a mighty word that holds the power to stir up fear and dread in the hearts of many artists. it has such potency, in fact, that we tend to shorten it to its far more emotionally tolerable and cute version, improv. hear how pithy and fun that sounds? a little word like that could never hurt us or make us want to crawl into a dark corner, rocking back and forth, murmuring creepily to ourselves, "you're okay, you're okay, you're okay."
but those who consistently shy away from improvisation do themselves a great injustice as they actively and willingly deny the incredible, complex, hard-to-define experience it offers. with all senses engaged--yes, even your smeller--at a level both higher and deeper, improvisation provides us with the semi-structured freedom to generate artistic moments and works we had no idea we were capable of creating. and, boy howdy, does it feel good!
it is in this spirit that unrehearsed mke, the musically driven improv project, was founded back in march, 2013. now held at its permanent home, the jazz estate--recently under new ownership--every first sunday of the month, it continues to grow and thrive as a gotta-do-that performance opportunity for musicians and artists wanting to shed their comfort zones and get free, baby.
the backstory of unrehearsed mke, shared with me by founder/co-curator/drummer/composer/educator devin drobka, is an age-old one: a musician starts jamming with another musician who has an idea to create a project so good--in this case out of your head baltimore & brooklyn--that the other musician decides to do something similar in another city--milwaukee--and bam! unrehearsed mke is born.
"when i started the series i was doing everything and it was great when i first moved back and was trying to just get things happening and i had more time. then when my life started picking up and i was doing some more touring i was needing help with curating and running it so i asked my good friend barry to help me out and he did such a wonderful job that it just made sense to have more people involved. steve joined us and the rest is history to this point. both are such creative forces that it makes for such an amazing time working with them and having creative stimulation. we talk about this stuff a lot and each brings such a fresh perspective on improvising to their curatorial duties."
the main goal of unrehearsed mke is to bring together folks from different musical genres--jazz, experimental, rock, blues, what have you--as well as artists of other disciplines--visual art, dance, video, poetry, whatnot--to collaborate in spontaneous, improvisational performances. as the name suggests, there is no rehearsal, no preparation and no net, so expect the seat of your pantaloons to get a real workout!
as far as the curatorial process goes, clark and gallam have essentially the same approach but express it very much in their own individual terms.
clark: "my curatorial approach often involves trying to put together musicians who i know have strong skills in their craft individually, but who are also very good listeners, and can communicate effectively and honestly in new situations. i think that's the basis of really well done improvisation, just being able to effectively and honestly communicate with others using your craft in a new situation. one thought i put into the curation sometimes, though not always, is to put together 'traditional' ensembles to perform this completely not traditional performance. for example, a string quartet or quintet with violin, viola, cello, bass, piano. although some of the most non-traditional ensembles are the best, like having trombone, bass, synthesized electronics and percussion all improvising together!"
gallam: "the curating process, at least for me, is all about variety and group size. i usually keep my groups small, since the other dudes typically have larger ensembles. aside from many emails, questions, and facebook messages, that's it! that's curating. the rest happens on the night in question when the musicians finally get together (much of the time they have never met each other before) and then we introduce them and tell them to get on with it. if it weren't for the fantastic group of musicians who genuinely enjoy this music, it would just be the 'steve gallam trio feat. barry bass and devin drum' and we would do minor-key arrangements of john philip sousa marches backwards, and no one wants to see that."
ha! i'd like to agree that no one would want to see/hear sousa marches backwards, mr. gallam, but we all know there's someone out there who would--someone who probably likes to wear a replica sousa marching band conductor uniform with a few interesting alterations, but i'm just guessing.
anyhoo, the next session of unrehearsed mke is this sunday, august 3, at the jazz estate, 2423 n murray avenue in milwaukee, beginning at 7:30pm. extra exciting bonus: the second of three sets features experimental guru hal rammel on electric sound palette with jay mollerskov on electric guitar, so don't miss it!
for those musicians and artists who'd like join in on the pithy improv fun on a future date, contact unrehearsedmke at gmail dot com for more intel. don't forget to tell 'em what you play/do, your availability and what moniker you most eagerly respond to when addressed.


text:
Only at AffordableTours.com can you save an additional $300 per couple ($150 per person) on 2019 Vacations. Combine this offer with your 10% Early Payment Discount! Plus receive our 10% AffordableTours.com everyday savings. Early payment savings vary by itinerary and departure. Early payment savings are reflected on website pricing.
For new and deposited bookings made October 5- November 15, 2018, on 2019 Insight Vacations and Luxury Gold Journeys. Must travel in 2019 to receive discount.

lowercased:
only at affordabletours.com can you save an additional $300 per couple ($150 per person) on 2019 vacations. combine this offer with your 10% early payment discount! plus receive our 10% affordabletours.com everyday savings. early payment savings vary by itinerary and departure. early payment savings are reflected on website pricing.
for new and deposited bookings made october 5- november 15, 2018, on 2019 insight vacations and luxury gold journeys. must travel in 2019 to receive discount.