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The Chaetognatha (arrow worms) are a group of marine carnivores whose phylogenetic relationships are still vigorously debated. Molecular studies have as yet failed to come up with a stable hypothesis on their phylogenetic position. In a wide range of metazoans, the nervous system has proven to provide a wealth of characters for analysing phylogenetic relationships (neurophylogeny). Therefore, in the present study we explored the structure of the ventral nerve centre ("ventral ganglion") in Sagitta setosa with a set of histochemical and immunohistochemical markers.
In specimens that were immunolabeled for acetylated-alpha tubulin the ventral nerve centre appeared to be a condensed continuation of the peripheral intraepidermal nerve plexus. Yet, synapsin immunolocalization showed that the ventral nerve centre is organized into a highly ordered array of ca. 80 serially arranged microcompartments. Immunohistochemistry against RFamide revealed a set of serially arranged individually identifiable neurons in the ventral nerve centre that we charted in detail.
The new information on the structure of the chaetognath nervous system is compared to previous descriptions of the ventral nerve centre which are critically evaluated. Our findings are discussed with regard to the debate on nervous system organisation in the last common bilaterian ancestor and with regard to the phylogenetic affinities of this Chaetognatha. We suggest to place the Chaetognatha within the Protostomia and argue against hypotheses which propose a deuterostome affinity of Chaetognatha or a sister-group relationship to all other Bilateria.
The Chaetognatha (arrow worms) are bilaterally symmetrical marine carnivores and among the most abundant planktonic organisms. To date, about 120 described species are known worldwide from all vertical ranges of the ocean. Most of them are permanently pelagic but several epibenthic species are also known [1–3]. The chaetognaths range in length from 1–120 mm and are characterized by the presence of horizontally projecting fins and, at the anterior end, two groups of moveable, cuticular grasping spines used in capturing prey. Planktonic specimens are usually glassily transparent. Rapid bursts of swimming caused by dorso-ventral undulations alternate with phases during which the animals lie motionless and sink. Chaetognaths are hermaphroditic and develop directly so that newly hatched larvae display a body organisation that is in many aspects similar to the adult. Their phylogenetic affinities are controversial [4, 5]. Chaetognaths have traditionally been placed within the Deuterostomes mainly based on the differentiation of the archenteron seemingly resembling enterocoeli [reviewed in [1, 6–8]]. However, Kapp emphasizes the phylogenetically isolated position of the Chaetognatha and designates them as incertae sedis. Nielsen [3, 9], on the other hand, unites the Chaetognatha together with the Rotifera and Gnathostomulida in the taxon Gnathifera thus suggesting a placement within the Protostomia. Important morphological characters in this debate are e. g. the coelomic epithelia and coelom formation [6, 10–12]. Chaetognath cleavage has traditionally been perceived as "radial" and thus as suggesting a deuterostome affinity [discussed in ]. However, a recent marking experiment of the first cleavage stages shows a spiral cleavage configuration of the four cell stage thereby suggesting a protostomian relationship . A position within the Protostomia is also supported by ultrastructural features of the brain and by analyses of the genes that code for intermediate filament proteins [15, 16].
General information on the chaetognath morphology and anatomy has been summarised in the classical, histological contributions by Hertwig , Kuhl and more recently in reviews by Goto and Yoshida , Bone and Goto , Kapp [1, 21], Nielsen , and Ax ; the most detailed review of their anatomy is probably that of Shinn . Chaetognaths have a complex nervous system that is largely epidermal. The general organisation of their nervous system has been examined by Bone and Pulsford , and Goto and Yoshida [[19, 24]; reviews [2, 20]; see Fig. 2A, B]. More specifically, the fine structure of the brain has received much attention [14, 19, 25, 26]. The layout of the neuromuscular innervation and the ultrastructure of neuromuscular junctions have been described. Much attention has also been focused on sensory organs such as ciliated receptor neurons [23, 29–32], the eyes [24, 33–35], and conjunction with this also on mechanisms of positive phototactical behaviours [36, 37]. Three studies have used immunohistochemical techniques to examine the distribution of serotonin and RFamide-like immunoreactive neurons [27, 38] and aspartate immunoreactivity in the central and peripheral parts of the nervous systems.
Systematic analyses of DNA sequences have as yet failed to support an unambiguous hypothesis on chaetognath affinities (summarized in Fig. 1). Wada and Satoh clearly excluded the Chaetognatha from the Deuterostomia in an analysis based on 18S rDNA sequence. In a study also based on 18S rDNA, Telford and Holland proposed a most likely position of the chaetognaths as descendants from an early metazoan branch possibly originating prior to the radiation of the major coelomate groups. Halanych (18S rDNA) suggested a chaetognath-nematode relationship but did not include Nematomorpha and Gastrotricha into his analysis. He recognised long-branch attraction as a possible source of error but tried to minimise this error by a four-taxon analysis. Telford and Holland reported the unusual finding of two distinct classes of 28S rDNA in chaetognaths both of which diverge strongly from other Metazoa. Based on 18S rRNA sequence analysis, Littlewood et al. suggested a sister-group relationship of Chaetognatha and Gnathostomulida. They also proposed the Nematoda as the adelpho taxon to Chaetognatha + Gnathostomulida. Zrzavý et al. al. combined morphological and 18S rDNA sets in a cladistic analysis which suggested a grouping of Onychophora + (Tardigrada + Arthropoda) to be the sister group of chaetognaths. Giribet et al. also combined 18S rDNA data of 145 terminal taxa with 276 morphological characters in a total evidence regime. This analysis yielded a sister-group relationship of Chaetognatha with Nemertodermatida that the authors qualified as unstable and difficult to justify on the basis of morphological/anatomical characters. Peterson and Eernisse analysed with maximum parsimony 138 morphological characters from 40 metazoan groups and 304 18S rDNA sequences (Fig. 8). Their analyses placed the Chaetognatha within the Ecdysozoa and here within the Nematoida similar to the result of Halanych . However, this position was unstable so that the authors "suspect that this placement is potentially artifactual, and are unaware of any morphological synapomorphies shared exclusively by chaetognaths and either nematodes or nematomorphs." They conclude: "Given that chaetognaths have other bilaterian plesiomorphies not found in other ecdysozoans, we suggest that they are more likely basal to the other ecdysozoan clades". Mallatt and Winchell combined large-subunit and small-subunit rRNA sequences. Their chaetognath sequence associated with that of an onychophoran, but this was considered by the authors as unstable and probably due to long-branch attraction. Papillon et al. isolated six Hox genes from a chaetognath one of which possessed a mosaic Homeodomain sequence, which in the author's view provided evidence that the Chaetognatha could be an early off-shoot of the triploblastic lineage that predates the deuterostome/protostome split. Helfenbein et al. analysed the complete mitochondrial genome of a representative of the Chaetognatha, Paraspadella gotoi (Spadellidae). Their analysis showed that the organisation of the genes in the mtDNA is distinctive among metazoan mtDNAs and that chaetognaths miss many of the mtDNA genes commonly found in other Metazoa. Comparisons of amino acid sequences from mitochondrially encoded proteins in their analysis yielded one single most parsimonious tree that suggests a position of the Chaetognatha as a sister group to the Protostomia . Papillon et al. also analysed the mitochondrial genome of a member of the Spadellidae (Spadella cephaloptera). Contrary to the analysis of Helfenbein et al. , they placed the arrow worms within the Protostomia and assigned them to the lophotrochozoan clade. Two new papers complete this highly divergent picture. Matus et al. in a Bayesian inference and maximum likelihood analysis of a 56 taxon metazoan tropomyosin data set and 72 genes from ESTs suggest a sister-group relationship of Chaetognatha to the Lophotrochozoa whereas Marlétaz et al. in a maximum likelihood and bayesian inference tree based on the analysis of a concentrated 79 proteins and 11,667 positions ribosomal protein data set proposed a sister-group relationship of Chaetognatha to all Protostomia.
Phylogram of the Bilateria based exclusively on molecular studies to illustrate the competing hypotheses on the position of Chaetognatha ("Chaetognatha 1–7") as suggested by molecular studies. The sources of the hypotheses 1 to 7 are indicated. Boxes indicate some key features of the early bilaterian nervous system (see Discussion for further details).
A historic perspective on the nervous system in representatives of the genus Sagitta. A, B: Schematic representation of the central nervous system in Sagitta crassa in a lateral (A) and dorsal (B) view (anterior is to the left; reprinted with permission from Goto and Yoshida 1987). Original abbreviations: C corona ciliata, CAN caudal nerves, CG cerebral ganglion, E eye, FC frontal connective, H mouth hooks, MC main connectives, OG oesophageal ganglion, RN radial nerves, SOG suboesophageal ganglion, VG ventral ganglion, VSG vestibular ganglion. C: The ventral ganglion (anterior is to the top) in Sagitta hexaptera in an original drawing (reprinted from Hertwig ). Original abbreviations: GZ ganglion cells ("Ganglienzellen"), N nerve fibres ("Nervenfibrillen"), P neuropil ("nervöse Punktsubstanz"). D: semischematic drawing of the ventral ganglion of Sagitta bipunctata (taken from Kuhl as redrawn from Burfield ). Original abbreviations: CBG main connective ("Hauptkonnektiv"), GZ ganglion cells ("Ganglienzellen"), LN lateral nerve tracts ("Lateralnerven"). E: Generalized scheme of the ventral ganglion of the genus Sagitta, lateral view, anterior is towards the top (modified from Shinn ). Original abbreviations: CAN caudal nerves, RN radial nerves.
Clearly, the phylogenetic position of arrow worms is unstable in both morphological and molecular studies. Yet, the recent molecular studies on mitochondrial genomes and ESTs seem to favor a position within or close to the Protostomia. Structure and development of the nervous system have always provided strong and important arguments in the discussion on metazoan phylogeny ("neurophylogeny") . Recent examples are the evolution from nerve nets to more centralised nervous systems [55, 56], the impact of apical organs, ciliary bands and serotonergic neurons on our understanding of bilaterian evolution [57–59], the fundamental phylogenetic relationships within the Arthropoda [60–62], a possible dorsoventral axis inversion during evolution towards the vertebrate CNS [55, 63, 64], or the structure of the ancestral bilaterian and chordate brain [65–69]. In the light of the conflicting hypotheses on chaetognath phylogeny, the current paper sets out to give a brief overview over the previous knowledge of the structure of the chaetognath nervous system and to explore the structure of the ventral ganglion in more detail than has been available so far. One main goal of our study was to add a new set of neuroanatomical characters to the discussion on the phylogenetic position of the Chaetognatha. Furthermore, with these data we want to contribute to the debate of how the nervous system of the last common ancester of the Bilateria may have looked like [56, 64, 68, 70].
A brief description of the layout of the adult arrow worm central nervous system will serve as the basis for illustrating our own results. It consists of six ganglia in the head, one unpaired ventral ganglion in the body, nerve tracts connecting these ganglia and peripheral nerves passing out of these ganglia [2, 19, 20] (Fig. 2). The ganglia in the head are the cerebral ganglion (the brain), a pair of vestibular ganglia, a pair of oesophageal ganglia, and a suboesophageal ganglion (Fig. 2A, B). The brain is located immediately below the surface epithelium of the head and consists of a neuropil core with numerous synapses surrounded by a layer of neuronal cell somata [14, 19, 20]. Connective nerve tracts are found between the cerebral and the vestibular, the cerebral and the ventral, and the vestibular and the oesophageal ganglia. A commissural nerve bundle behind the oesophagus connects the vestibular ganglia. The anterio-posteriorly running nerves which connect the cerebral and the ventral ganglia are called the main connectives, and those which connect the cerebral and the vestibular ganglia, the frontal connectives . Sensory organs associated with the brain are a pair of eyes [24, 33–35], a ciliated loop, the corona ciliata, localised in the dorsal part of the head [2, 20, 29–32] and the retrocerebral organ, a structure with an unknown putative sensory function .
The ventral ganglion is an elongate structure lying between the basement membrane and the epidermis. Two main connectives link it with the brain ganglia and two other nerve tracts continue caudally (Fig. 2A, B) [19, 23]. Similar to the brain, the ventral ganglion consists of a central fibrillar neuropil core, flanked by lateral clusters of cell bodies [2, 19, 20]. Along the length of the ventral ganglion a series of smaller nerves pass out radially (Fig. 2A, B) which branch in the periphery and form a dense ramifying plexus just external to the basement membrane to provide motor innervation to the body musculature and to innervate the ciliary fence receptors . The ventral ganglion controls swimming by initiating contractions of the body wall musculature and co-ordinating mechanosensory input from the numerous ciliary fence receptors in the epidermis [2, 20, 23]. The available descriptions of the lateral nerves that exit the ventral ganglion in closely related species of the genus Sagitta display a remarkable degree of variability over the last 125 years. Hertwig described an irregular array of nerve fibres ("Nervenfibrillen") to emerge from the ventral ganglion (Fig. 2C). Kuhl , presenting a modified drawing from Burfield , depicts 12 distinct, stout nerve trunks to exit the ganglion on both sides (Fig. 2D). Yet, Goto and Yoshida draw only six radial nerves on each side (Fig. 2B). In Shin , again, 12 bilaterally arranged radial nerves exit the ganglion on both sides in a nicely ordered way, much like the arrangement of the segmental nerves in the ventral nerve cord of an annelid or arthropod (Fig. 2E). In the same year, Duvert et al. published a report in which they described 20 – 30 irregularly arranged aspartate-immunoreactive fibre bundles that pass out radially from the ventral ganglion on both sides and spread out diffusely and branch in the periphery, similar to the description already provided by Hertwig .
In whole mounts of juvenile Sagitta sp. that were processed with the nuclear marker bisbenzimide the general arrangement of the ventral ganglion is visible (Fig. 3A). Scattered concentrations of nuclei on the body surface mark the location of ciliary fence receptors (arrows in Fig. 3A). Double labelling with bisbenzimide and phallotoxins to visualize actin shows that the ventral ganglion is composed of a central neuropil core that has a rectangular, elongated shape and contains longitudinal fibre tracts (Fig. 3B, C). The neuropil core is on both sides flanked by coherent zones of small (ca. 10 μm) neuronal cell somata (ganglion cells; Fig. 3B, C). Most of these somata are restricted to the sides of the ganglion rather than being located dorsally or ventrally to the neuropil. Fibre bundles that emerge from the cells in the lateral clusters approach the neuropil core from a lateral direction (Fig. 3D'). The ganglion cell somata appear to be arranged in rows between those fibre bundles (Fig. 3D"; and Fig. 6C). At the lateral margins of the soma clusters, large cell bodies are interspersed between the smaller ganglion cells at regular intervals (asterisks in Fig. 6D). These large ganglion cells were already recognized by Hertwig ("große Ganglienzellen" ) and also in later studies using methylene blue staining techniques [23, 27].
Whole mounts of subadult specimens of Sagitta sp. labelled with a nuclear marker (bisbenzimide; red channel) and a histochemical reagent to label actin (phalloidin; green chanel). The images A, B', B", C', C", D', D" are black-white inverted micrographs of specimens labelled with fluoresent reagents. A: overview of an entire specimen (nuclear marker) to show the localization of the ventral nerve centre. Arrows identify the cell clusters of fence receptor organs. Scale bar: 500 μm. B: higher magnification of the ventral nerve centre (ventral view) labelled for actin (B') to show the central neuropil core and labelled for nuclei (B") to show the flanking zones of neuronal somata. The overlay is shown in B"'. C, D: higher magnifications (same set of markers) to show details of the neuropil and arrangement of somata (ventral view). The nerve centre cell somata (C', D") appear to be arranged in rows between the emerging fibre bundles (D') that target the neuropil core in a right angle. Scale bars in B,C: 50 μm.
Immunolocalization of acetylated-alpha tubulin in adult Sagitta setosa visualized the extensive intraepidermal nerve plexus that extends throughout the entire epidermal surface of the animals (Fig. 4A, B). This dense network of fine nerve fibres is embedded between the basement membrane and the outer epithelial layer [20, 27, 39] and is known to be involved in the control of muscle contractions [23, 28, 72]. The network consists of fibres of various sizes many of which extend in a roughly anterior-posterior direction but many transverse fibres are also present (Fig. 4B). Some of the fibres have a beaded appearance suggesting the presence of synaptic varicosities. Our preparations show that the ciliary fence receptors which are also strongly immunolabelled are innervated by tiny branches of the fibre network (arrows in Fig. 4A) suggesting a sensory function of the intraepidermal plexus in addition to the known role in motor control. Hertwig and Bone and Goto observed numerous multipolar neurons associated with the fibres of the intraepidermal plexus. Tubulin immunolocalization revealed conspicuous small concentrations of labelled material (arrows in Fig. 4B) that may correspond to these peripheral neurons but we failed to establish the identity of these concentrations with sufficient certainty.
Whole mounts of adult Sagitta setosa labelled for acetylated alpha-tubulin (all imaged are black-white inverted). A: low-power dorsal view of the trunk surface (slightly posterior to the level of the ventral nerve centre) to show the intraepidermal nerve plexus. Arrows identify ciliary fence receptor organs. Scale bar: 250 μm B: higher magnification of the intraepidermal plexus. Arrows identify concentrations of labelled material that are the origin or target of very fine fibres and may correspond to peripheral multipolar neurons. Scale bar: 30 μm C, D: An irregular array of ca. 20 – 30 tubulin-labelled fibres and fibre bundles emerges laterally from both sides of the ventral nerve centre as a major source of the peripheral nerve plexus. Abbreviations: CT caudal tracts, MC main connective, NP neuropil, VG ventral nerve centre. Scale bars: 200 μm (C) and 60 μm.
An irregular array of ca. 20 – 30 tubulin-labelled fibres and fibre bundles emerges laterally from both sides of the ventral ganglion (Fig. 4C, D). These bundles contribute to and are confluent with the peripheral nerve plexus. We did not notice a regularly ordered spacing or distinct bilaterally symmetrical arrangement of these radial nerve bundles as earlier reports had indicated [2, 19]. Rather, our findings resemble the pattern of aspartate-immunoreactive fibre bundles that pass out from the ventral ganglion as described by Duvert et al. . Caudally, two thick bundles of tubulin-labelled fibres emerge from the ganglion to connect it to the intraepidermal nerve plexus in the posterior part of the animal (Fig. 4C). These caudal bundles are superficially similar to the radial fibre bundles, yet they contain more closely packed neurites. In summary, in tubulin-labelled preparations the ventral ganglion very much appears to be a condensed continuation of the peripheral intraepidermal nerve plexus.
Immunohistochemistry with the SYNORF 1 antibody (Fig. 5) that is directed against presynaptic proteins reveals an overall shape of the synaptic neuropil core in adult Sagitta setosa that is similar to that in specimens labelled for actin (Fig. 3B). Clearly, synaptic contacts are confined to the central neuropil whereas the lateral soma regions are devoid of synapses. Synapsin labelling is weak at the anterior and posterior ends of the ventral ganglion suggesting the presence of more fibre tracts than synaptic neuropil in these areas. Interestingly, synapsin immunolocalization reveals a strikingly different picture of the ventral ganglion than tubulin immunohistochemistry ("unorganized nerve plexus") in that it shows a highly ordered subdivision of the neuropil core into serially arranged compartments. The ganglion seems to be composed of an anterior-posterior sequence of ca. 80 transverse microcompartments (Fig. 5, 6A, B). At higher magnification it becomes apparent that, overlying the pattern of microcompartments, synapsin immunolabelling is particularly strong in a lateral longitudinal stripe on both sides of the neuropil whereas a narrow medial longitudinal stripe is devoid of labelling (Fig. 6A, B). Yet, at a slightly more ventral focus level, synapsin immunoreactivity is more evenly distributed across the neuropil core and microcompartments are not visible (Fig. 6B). A comparable serial arrangement of nervous elements in the chaeotognath nervous system so far has been reported in only one other study. Bone and Pulsford , using methylene blue and reduced silver staining techniques, provided evidence for the presence of many serially arranged transverse fibres that cross the neuropil core.
Immunolocalization of synapsin (SYNORF 1; green) in a whole mount of the ventral nerve centre of adult Sagitta setosa combined with a nuclear marker (red; ventral views; A is black-white inverted). Synaptic contacts are confined to the central neuropil core which shows a highly ordered subdivision into ca. 80 serially arranged microcompartments. Scale bar: 50 μm.
In addition to synapsin labelling, immunohistochemistry against RFamide provides further evidence for serially arranged nervous elements in the ventral ganglion of Sagitta setosa (Fig. 6E–G). RFamide immunoreactive neurons previously have been described in Sagitta setosa and Paraspadella gotoi , yet these authors did not map the labelling pattern in greater detail. Our study provides conclusive evidence for the presence of individually identifiable neurons in Chaetognatha that can be homologized between different specimens (Fig. 7). Double labelling that combined RFamide immunolocalization with synapsin immunohistochemistry (Fig. 6E) or a nuclear marker (Fig. 6F, G) showed that within the lateral soma zones the cell bodies of the RFamidergic neurons are located mostly close to the interface between the neuropil core and the soma clusters whereas longitudinal RFamidergic fibre tracts are restricted to the ganglion core (Fig. 6E). In Fig. 7, photomontages of the complete ventral ganglia (whole mounts) of two specimens are shown to illustrate the full extent of the RFamidergic system. The labelling pattern was consistent among the more than 20 specimens that we examined. Anteriorly, typically three fibres are present within both main connectives (CO) that link the ventral ganglion to the brain (Fig. 7, 8H, I). Three main longitudinal tracts of RFamide immunolabelled fibres can be distinguished: the medial bundle (MB), the bilaterally paired intermediate bundles (IB), and the paired lateral bundles (LB; Fig. 6G, 7B, 8A) that run along the lateral borders of the neuropil cores as double labelling with the synapsin marker shows (Fig. 6E). All fibres within these longitudinal tracts have a typical beaded appearance. One of the fibres that enter the ganglion anteriorly crosses the midline close to the entry point of the main connectives to join the medial bundle (solid arrow in Fig. 8H). The second fibre in the main connectives is also associated with the medial bundle whereas the third one joins the intermediate bundle (Fig. 8H, I). In the anterior part of the ganglion, fibres in the intermediate bundle run towards the midline and seem to cross over the median nerve bundle towards the contralateral side (Fig. 7, and open arrows in Fig. 8H, I). In contrast to the observations by Goto et al. on Paraspadella gotoi, we did not record any RFamidergic fibres that leave the ventral ganglion posteriorly.
A, B: Immunolocalization of synapsin (SYNORF 1; green) in the ventral nerve centre of adult Sagitta setosa combined with a nuclear marker (red); higher magnification of the specimen shown in Fig. 5 (A, B are black-white inverted). Overlying the pattern of microcompartments, synapsin immunolabelling is particularly strong in a lateral longitudinal stripe on both sides of the neuropil whereas a narrow medial stripe is devoid of labelling. B shows a slightly more ventral focus level of the specimen shown in A, and the microcompartments are not visible in this focus level. Scale bars: 50 μm C, D: peripheral part of the right lateral soma area of the nerve centre (ventral view) labelled with a nuclear dye (images are black-white inverted). The small neurons are arranged in transverse rows (arrows). Note the large cell bodies which are arranged in regular intervals and display only weakly labelled nuclei (asteriks). E, F, G: imunolocalization of RFamide (green) in the ventral nerve centre of Sagitta setosa (ventral views). Individually identifiable neurons are encircled (E, F) or labelled with letters (G). E is a double-labelled specimen combining RFimmunolcalization with synapsin immunohistochemistry (red). F, G are double-labelled specimen combining RFimmunolcalization with a nuclear marker (red). Abbreviations identifying the longitudinal bundles: IB intermediate bundle, LB lateral bundle, MB medial bundle. Scale bars: 50 μm (E,F), 25 μm (G).
A, B: Photomontages of the complete ventral nerve centres (whole mounts, ventral views) of two different specimens of adult Sagitta setosa; imunolocalization of RFamide (images are black-white inverted) in the ventral nerve centre (ventral views). Individually identifiable neurons that can be homologized between the two individuals are labelled with letters (for details see text). Abbreviations: CO main connectives, IB intermediate bundle, LB lateral bundle, MB medial bundle. Scale bars: 50 μm.
Details of the RFamidergic system in the ventral nerve centre (A-E, H, I are ventral views, F, G are lateral views) of adult Sagitta setosa (images are black-white inverted). A: Higher magnification of the longitudinal bundles. B-E: higher magnification of individually identified D neurons (for an overview of their location see Fig. 7). Within the cell somata, the immunolabelled material is typically concentrated in a cap of cytoplasm opposite to the point of exit of the single neurite (arrow in D). The neurites of the D neurons exit the somata in a medial direction to enter the neuropil core at a right angle to the longitudinal bundles and join the intermediate bundle (IB). They consistenly contact the inner fibres ("i") of the intermediate bundle (arrows in C, E). The inset in D is a high-magnification laser-scan micrograph of the point (arrow) where a D neurite contacts the intermediate bundle. It is unclear if the neurite of this D neuron proceeds more medially to join the medial bundle. F, G: lateral views of the ventral nerve centre, anterior is to the left; letters identify individual neurons. H, I: anterior part of the ventral nerve centre to show the main connective (CO); H and I show the same specimen at different focus levels and I is slightly more posterior than H. One of the fibres that enters/exits the nerve centre anteriorly crosses the midline to join the medial bundle (arrow in H). Fibres in the intermediate bundle give rise to a characteristic chiasm in the anterior part of the nerve centre (and open arrows in H, I). Abbreviations: CO main connectives, IB intermediate bundle, (i, o label the inner and outer fibres of the intermediate bundle), LB lateral bundle, MB medial bundle, N nucleus. Scale bars: 5 μm (D), 10 μm (C, G), 25 μm (A-B,E-F,I).
The RFamidergic neurons, all of which are unipolar, can be subdivided into two different populations: a first series of neurons with lateral somata (L1–4; small circles in Fig. 7) in the anterior third of the ganglion and a second series of slightly larger dorsal neurons (D1–5; large circles in Fig. 7) in the posterior two thirds of the ganglion the somata of which are located clearly more dorsally than those of the lateral neurons as is apparent in lateral views of the nervous system (Fig. 8F, G). Within the cell somata, the immunolabelled material is typically concentrated in a cap of cytoplasm opposite to the point of exit of the single neurite (Fig. 6G, 8D). The arrangement of the most anterior lateral neurons displayed some variation between individual specimens and in addition to the neurons L1 and L2 that we identified consistently in all six specimens that we analysed at the single-cell level, additional neurons are present in some specimens (small circles labelled with a question mark in Fig. 7). Contrary to L1 and L2, the neurons L3, L4, and D1–D6 were reliably present in all analysed specimens and hence represent typical examples for individually identifiable, bilateral symmetrically arranged neurons. The neurons D1–D5 have an identical morphology and appear to be serially repeated clones. Their neurites exit the soma in a medial direction to enter the neuropil core at a right angle to the anterior-posterior axis (Fig. 6G, 8B, C). The neurites of cells D1–D5 all cross over the lateral longitudinal bundle to join the intermediate bundle. The intermediate longitudinal bundle is composed of an inner and an outer portion (Fig. 8C). The neurites of cells D1–D5 (and also of D6; Fig. 8E) consistently contact the inner fibres of the intermediate bundle which is another indication of their serial identity (arrows in Fig. 8C). In some specimens, the presence of faintly immunolabelled material suggested the neurites of some D neurons to proceed even more medially to join the medial bundle. Screening these regions with high-magnification laser-scan microscopy did not provide conclusive evidence that this is the case (inset in Fig. 8D, arrow).
A conspicuous feature of the chaetognaths is that in addition to the central part of the nervous system, a peripheral part is present which is exclusively intraepidermal [2, 19, 20, 39] and which mediates motor innervation to the body musculature and innervates the ciliary fence receptors . By using anti-aspartate immunohistochemistry, Duvert et al. visualized this extensive intraepidermal nerve plexuses both in the head region and in the trunk. In the trunk, muscle contraction seems to be controlled by this profuse intraepidermal network [23, 28, 67]. Compared to other Bilateria, an unusual feature of the arrow worm neuromuscular system is that in the trunk axonal varicosities lack specialized junctions and are separated from underlying muscles by a thick connective stratum. Acetylcholine is the major neuromuscular transmitter, which reaches muscle cells in the trunk by diffusion through the intervening body wall extracellular matrix [2, 20]. Acetylcholinergic fibres deliver their transmitter by boutons that in the trunk region terminate on the epidermis side of the connective stratum and therefore diffusely bath the muscle cells with acetylcholine [27, 39]. It should be noted, however, that in the head, nervous fibres which target oesophageal and somatic head muscles, have conventional nerve endings and neuromuscular junctions that display ultrastructural features similar to classic motor end plates [2, 28].
Our experiments on tubulin immunolocalization confirm and extend the observations on the structure of the peripheral plexus and ventral ganglion already published by Hertwig . We showed an irregular array of ca. 20 – 30 fibres and fibre bundles to emerge laterally from both sides of the ventral ganglion. These fibres pass out radially to spread out diffusely and branch in the periphery thus being a major source for the peripheral nerve plexus. Duvert et al. described a similar irregular array of aspartate-immunoreactive fibre bundles to spread out from the ventral ganglion. These findings together contradict earlier reports that in Sagitta, six or twelve [2, 18], distinct, bilaterally arranged radial nerves exit the ganglion on both sides in a serially ordered way. Our findings therefore defy any similarities of the chaetognath ventral ganglion with the internalized ventral nerve cords of e.g. annelids or arthropods that have segmentally arranged nerves projecting into the periphery. Rather, the arrow worm ventral ganglion appears to be a condensation of the intraepidermal nerve plexus. Hertwig and Bone and Goto observed numerous multipolar neurons to be embedded within the intraepidermal plexus. These neurons in the plexus may be the evolutionary precursors of the lateral clusters of cell bodies that flank the central fibrillar neuropil core of the ventral ganglion. During the emergence of Protostomia, the neurons in the plexus may have aggregated to form the centralized nerve centres that we observe in the Protostomia (Fig. 1).
Considering its role to coordinate sensory input from the fence receptors and efferent control of the trunk muscles for swimming behavior, Bone and Goto proposed the ventral ganglion to be part of the central nervous system. From a histological point of view, the ventral ganglion can be seen as a condensation of the epidermal nerve plexus that displays a high degree of centralization. It represents a centralized, yet peripherally located center for complex sensory-motor integration. It is important to note that the chaetognath ventral ganglion is not internalized such as the subepidermal ganglia of Annelida, Arthropoda and Mollusca but remains in an intraepidermal position. It appears that, compared to other Protostomia, the Chaetognatha, by transforming a diffuse nerve net to a more centralized neuronal structure, followed their own distinct evolutionary pathway to generate a ventral nervous center in the trunk for sensory integration and motor control. Therefore, it may be appropriate to term this structure "ventral nerve centre" in order to stress the difference to ventral ganglia of other Protostomia. We suggest that this centralized nerve centre with its specific architecture and intraepidermal location is an autapomorphy of Chaetognatha.
Despite the suggested origin of the ventral nerve centre from the peripheral nerve net its central neuropil core displays a high degree of internal organization. Synapsin immunolocalization revealed a highly ordered system of serially arranged synaptic microcompartments in the ganglion core. This compartmentalization may anatomically be linked to a system of serially arranged transverse fibres that cross the neuropil core as reported by Bone and Pulsford . It does not have any equivalent in the ventral ganglia of other Protostomia [73–78] and can be considered another autapomorphy of the chaetognath ventral nerve centre. Our data on the immunolocalization of the neuropeptide RFamide provide further evidence for serially arranged nervous elements in the ventral nerve centre of Sagitta setosa and extend previous reports on the localization of this substance in Sagitta setosa and Paraspadella gotoi . Most importantly, we provide evidence for serially arranged, individually identifiable neurons that can be homologized between different specimens. Although Goto et al. (their Fig. 1d) did not map the pattern of RFamide-immunoreactive neurons in the ventral nerve centre of Paraspadella gotoi in detail, a comparison with our data nevertheless suggests that some of the L and D neurons may be evolutionary conserved across different chaetognath species. Papillon et al. described the median Hox gene SceMed4 in embryos and early hatchlings of Spadella cephaloptera. This gene is expressed in two lateral stripes in the middle of the developing ventral nerve centre. The SceMed4 mRNA is localized in the bilateral soma clusters but not in the neuropil. These authors suggested that this gene may contribute to the diversity of neuronal subpopulations and to the establishment of distinct axon projection patterns . It would be interesting to explore the expression of this gene in the organism that we studied, Sagitta setosa, to see if the region of expression coincided e.g. with the anterior-posterior transition from the "L" to the "D" type of RFamidergic neurons that we describe in the current study.
Individually identifiable neurons (see for a discussion of this concept) seem to be present in the nervous systems of all major taxa within the Protostomia: e.g. Arthropoda [60, 61], Annelida [74, 77, 78, 81–83], Nemathelminthes/Cycloneuralia [84, 85], basal Mollusca [73, 74, 86], Plathelminthes [87–89], and Gnathostomulida . Therefore, we suggest that developmental programmes generating neurons with an individual identity must be present in the ground pattern of the Protostomia. A serial arrangement of individual nerve cells cannot only be found in protostomians with typical segmentation such as annelids and arthropods [60, 77, 78], but also in unsegmented organisms such as Nematoda , Plathelminthes [87–89], Chaetognatha (present report), and in organisms the segmental organization of which is unclear such as basal Mollusca [73, 86, 91]. Our concepts of segmentation in Protostomia mainly rely on work done in annelids and arthropods (reviews e.g. [92, 93]). Budd points out that "because segmentation is an evolutionary feature, it must have been acquired in a series of functional intermediates, and the sudden imposition of eusegmentation on a non-segmental precursor seems highly unlikely." In this view, the organization of individual organ systems such as the central nervous system (but not the entire organism) into serially repeated structures may be the starting point in an evolutionary trajectory from which segmentation as we see it in annelids and arthropods emerged .
An intraepidermal nerve plexus is a prominent feature of many basal deuterostomes [55, 68]. It is present e.g. in enteropneusts , in urochordates such as tunicates , and in the basal chordate Amphioxus . An extensive intraepidermal nervous system also characterizes many Protostomia [3, 55]. Recent investigations on Annelida [77, 78, 81] and Onychophora (basal arthropods; Mayer and Harzsch, unpublished data) provide new evidence that, in addition to the internalized parts of the nervous system, the peripheral plexus is a prominent feature in these organisms that seem to have retained more motifs of a flatworm-like orthogonal nervous system than has been perceived before. It has recently been proposed that an epithelial (epidermal) nerve plexus (as is also present in Cnidaria; [97–99]) without concentrations into longitudinal cords characterizes the ground pattern of Bilateria [56, 64, 65] (Fig. 1). Yet, the presence of at least some individually identifiable neurons in basal deuterostomes such as tunicates (Urochordata; [100–102]), and the lancelet Amphioxus (Chordata; ) indicates that the potential to establish individual identities of the neurons in the plexus may not only be present in the ground pattern of Protostomia (see above) but may date back to the ground pattern of Bilateria (Fig. 1).
The evolution of the deuterostome nervous system is a field of intense research [56, 63–66, 95, 96, 103–107] but it is beyond the scope of this contribution to embark into this issue. For the Protostomia, Nielsen [3, 58] suggested that a perioral/circumesophageal brain in addition to the intraepidermal nerve plexus characterizes their ground pattern (Fig. 1). Such a circumoral brain can be recognized in most protostomian groups (e.g. Fig. 12.2 therein; and [61, 71]) and is by Nielsen [3, 58] considered to be one of the key apomorphies of the Protostomia that may have evolved from a circumoral concentration of nerve cells around the mouth as present in Cnidaria. The brain components in Chaetognatha are also arranged in such a typical circumoral pattern (compare Fig. 2).
We conclude that the nervous system architecture of Chaetognatha including ultrastructural features places them within the Protostomia (see also ). Phylogenetic affinities of the Chaetognatha to Deuterostomia in our view can be ruled out as well as molecular hypotheses that suggest a sister-group relationship to all other Bilateria [43, 49] and, to date, we consider a sister-group relationship of Chaetognatha and Protostomia [46, 50] to be unlikely. Based on the differences of the arrow worm brain to the collar-like shape of the typical cycloneuralian brain in Nematoda, we also believe that it is unlikely that Nematoda are the sister-group of Chaetognatha [42, 47]. More detailed analyses of the arrow worm ventral nerve centre and especially the brain including studies on neurogenesis will be necessary to explore any potential affinities of this group to specific taxa within the Protostomia.
Juvenile specimens of an unidentified species of the genus Sagitta were obtained from the coastal waters around the Mediterranean island Ibiza (Spain) in March 2006. A plankton net was towed across the surface waters of the Cala Llenya, Cala Vadella, Penyal de s'Aguila, and the Punta Grassio. Adult specimens of Sagitta setosa were obtained during a collection trip to the Biologische Anstalt Helgoland, German Bight http://www.awi-bremerhaven.de/BAH/ in August 2006. Specimens were obtained by horizontal (surface water samples) as well as by vertical (down to 20 meters depth) plankton hauls with the research vessel "MS Aade".
• anti-acetylated alpha-tubulin from mouse (Sigma 1:100; see e.g. ).
• anti-FMRFamide from rabbit (1:1000; Diasorin; see e.g. ).
For double labelling, combinations of these antisera were used, or the specimens were stained with the nuclear dye bisbenzimide (0.1%, 15 min. at room temperature; Hoechst H 33258), prior to the antibody incubations. Specimens were then washed for at least 2 h in several changes of PBS and subsequently incubated in secondary antibodies against mouse and rabbit proteins conjugated to the fluorochrome Alexa Fluor 488 (Molecular Probes, obtained by MoBiTec, Göttingen, Germany) for 4 hours. Finally the tissues were washed for at least 2 h in several changes of PBS and mounted in GelMount (Sigma). In control experiments, the omission of primary antibodies resulted in the absence of any neuronal labelling.
Digital images were obtained with a Zeiss Axioskop fitted with a CCD-1300B digital camera (Vosskühler GmbH) and processed with the Lucia Measurement 5.0 software package (Laboratory Imaging Ltd.). Alternatively, samples were scanned with a Leica TCS SP2 AOBS confocal laser-scanning microscope (Lichtmikroskopiezentrum, Institut für Zellbiologie und Biosystemtechnik, Universität Rostock). Those images are based on stacks of between 15 and 20 optical sections (single images are averages of four laser sweeps) of a z-series taken at intervals of 1 μm.
We would like to thank the team of the „Gastforschung“ at the Biologische Anstalt Helgoland for assistance in collecting Sagitta setosa. We gratefully acknowledge Prof. Dr. Dieter Weiß (Lichtmikroskopiezentrum, Institut für Zellbiologie und Biosystemtechnik, Universität Rostock) for providing access to a laser scanning microscope and Mr. Eik Hoffmann (Universität Rostock) for technical assistance. Our special thanks go to Mr. Jens Bünning (Universität Rostock), Mr. Rene Stüber (Dresden) and Mr. Christophe Ubbelohde (diving center H2O, Ibiza) for obtaining and sorting plankton samples. Prof. Dr. E. Buchner (Biozentrum, Universität Würzburg) generously provided samples of the SYNORF 1 antiserum. Our manuscript profited from stimulating discussion with Dr. Yvan Perez (Marseille). This study was supported by grant HA 2540/7-1 in the DFG focus programme SPP 1174 „Metazoan Deep Phylogeny“.
SH and CHGM together obtained the animals, carried out the immunohistochemical experiments and microscopic analyses, and drafted the manuscript. Both authors read and approved the final manuscript. | 2019-04-19T09:01:44Z | https://frontiersinzoology.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1742-9994-4-14 |
It’s been a hell of a long time since I wrote a post, Feb 2016 to be exact was the last time I wrote one!! I feel like I sit down to write a post and think it’s been way too long, I promise myself I will write more and then life gets in the way, I get too busy and don’t have time. I am really truly making a promise to myself for 2017 to write more blogs. It is on the list and writing it here it has to happen.
I have signed into my blog for the first time in nearly a year and I’m so blown away at the amount of people who continue to visit the blog on a daily basis, re-reading old posts. I am delighted with it and thank you to everyone who is reading the waffle I write.
I’ve been back and forth for about a week now trying to sit down and write a new post so I guess I’ve got the hardest part out of the way!
The last year has been crazy, busy and amazing all wrapped into one. I have a new job which I abso love, have traveled to London and Venice , was bridesmaid for 2 weddings, went to one of my favourite places in Electric Picnic and had fantastic nights outs, catch ups with friends, Christmas and New Years all in the mix. If 2017 is anything like 2016 I can’t wait.
In 2017, really want to bring theUPSIDE to the next level. I am not sure yet what that is exactly, well I do have a few ideas, but I just know I want to make more time for it. I feel everything happens for a reason and I know that is so cliche but it does. I believe I set up this blog for a reason and I should give it 100% effort. Even if only one person reads it or follows the social media pages and find it helps then I will be very happy.
The reason I have named this blog post Let’s Go is that’s how I’m feeling about 2017! Let’s go, come at me 2017! January has been going pretty well so far with so much to look forward to this year so I am running with the positivity. Who’s coming?
I would love to hear from anyone reading these on what works for you in times of stress/anxiety? What is theUPSIDE for you?
So I just wanted to take the time to write a little post about the St Patricks mental health fair I attended on Saturday in the Clarion Hotel Cork.
It was a fantastic day with so many people attending and great things happening all day. As we entered the room there was a drumming session, with Tom Quinn, happening which looked like fantastic fun and a great way to get people laughing and enjoying themselves.
The main hall was full of people wanting to spread the word on what they did and how they were helping in the world of mental health.
I was lucky enough to get to talk to the guys at Mental Health First Aid which gave me an insight into the course and what you would learn during the course. It is definitely something I am going to look into so will keep you posted on that.
Last but certainly not least the highlight of my day was hearing Grace of @FacesByGrace talk about her issues with mental health. It is so refreshing to hear someone be so honest and talk of their struggles and how they are getting on with it now. You are a real inspiration to anyone out there suffering from any mental illness.
If any of you come across any events please let me know!
I signed into my blog today for the first time in 6 months and I cannot believe it’s been that long. Time abso flies when your having fun and that is what I’ve been having. theUPSIDE to the last few months has been spending so much time with family and friends and it’s been incredible. I always feel at my happiest when i am surrounded by people. Whether it’s a good or bad day a hug, cup of tea and a quick chat can fix just about anything.
It’s crazy when a new year comes around and you wonder what did I do with the last year? It has absolutely flown by. Two takeaways I have personally, amongst others, this year is making it to the longlist in the Blog Awards Ireland and making it to the finalist of the Cork Digital Marketing Awards for me they have been amazing achievements. Big or small you should be so happy and proud with any achievements you make!
People can make all these resolutions and put themselves under so much pressure in a new year. I say just take it day by day and maybe give yourself one thing to strive towards for the year. Let it just be something small there is no need for everyone to jump on the ‘fitness’ badwagon if you do not want to and if you do then go for it! Do more of what makes you happy I say.
Over the past few months there has been festivals, jazz weekend, a 5k run I did with work, went to to Poland with my Mama, we took our mamas away for a weekend before Christmas, then it was Christmas and we had a wedding for New Years. It’s been pretty manic.
Thanks to everyone who is still following the blog and I promise to update on a regular basis this year.
It’s been a silly amount of time since I’ve posted last as I have been super busy. In the time I haven’t posted I have managed to travel Thailand for 2 weeks, get a new job 😀 and run a 5K, and it’s only been a little over a month.
So I’ll start at the beginning. In May I travelled to Thailand with some amazing women who I have the pleasure of calling my best friends. We had an absolute ball. We travelled to Chang Mai where we met some tigers, took a ride on an elephant, ziplined through the jungle, did some shopping, met some night squirrels and did a thai cooking class.
We then moved onto Ko Samui where we lived in a hotel that was nothing short of paradise which was right on the beach. Here we relaxed for a few days before making our way to Ko Tao where we did scuba diving which was one of the most amazing experiences of my life and I am so glad I did it.
After I came home I started a new job in a marketing & PR company here in Cork and I am loving it so far 🙂 Everyone I am working with is amazing at what they do and I am learning so much. On Tuesday June 30th we did a 5k which was so much fun and everyone had a great time. I am so happy at the moment and am so excited to see what else the summer will bring.
So this weekend I jetted off to the beautiful little town of Union Hall for some night time kayaking. My Boyfriend had planned this as part of a birthday trip away and I have to say it was one of the most amazing experiences of my life.
Having the experience of kayaking in a double kayak as the sunset was absolutely amazing. We cruised around for about 1.5hours and I could have stayed out there for so much longer. There were about 15/20 of us in total and we all cruised along in a group stopping every now and again to make sure everyone was together and to hear some amazing stories about the area. There was an abandoned ship in the middle which also added to the experience perfectly. We also came across Bioluminescence, which I had never heard of before, and it was absolutely amazing. it was as if there was glitter sparkling in the water, and every girl loves a bit of glitter 🙂 it was truly magical.
For anyone wanting to try this amazing experience my advice would be GO FOR IT!!! If you are thinking that the darkness might be an obstacle for you, don’t worry your eyes adjust and you can see perfectly. I have to admit I am petrified of the dark and i had no issue with it at all. I think having someone in the kayak with you is perfect as you can chit chat away while enjoying floating along the river.
The weather was perfect but I wouldn’t let that sway your decision to go either way as it was miserable just before we got on the water and then it was perfect as we got out on the water. I cannot recommend this place enough please give it a look. Unfortunately I wasn’t able to take any photos this time around but they have plenty on their website.
A very inspiring story of how kind people can be.
This woman performed 21 kind acts for strangers on her 21st birthday. Just goes to show there are still some good people in the world.
However you celebrate your birthday do something you love and that will make you happy. This year I celebrated with the people who mean the world to me and would support me through just about anything.
I wouldn’t be half the woman I am today without these people in my life and with every passing year I am more and more grateful for each and every one of them.
Make time in your life to celebrate with those who love you unconditionally every single day.
As I was driving home from work today a song came on the radio and the words of the song really resonated with me. I know sometimes you can hear a song and it the words can mean a lot but I hadn’t heard this song for so long that I just thought the words were very meaningful.
I thought this first paragraph was just so motivational. The sentence “challenge what the future holds” could not be more true. We all can sometimes get caught up in the “what if” or saying “I will never do that” or having the attitude of “that will never happen me” but whatever the future holds for all of us we need to grab it and run with it. We only get one life and most of us don’t know what is in store tomorrow so we need to challenge it. Take risks and follow your heart. I believe that what is for you will not pass you and every step you take is meant to happen for you good or bad.
The next few sentences “Try and keep your head up to the sky” and “Don’t be ashamed to cry” are exactly what this blog is about. Even though life can be pretty hard & s**t at times hold your head up high and take everything in your stride. We all get days we would like to hide under the duvet and not speak to anyone. Have a cry I know we all need one once in awhile. If you have to watch a soppy film or rant to a friend do that and get it out of you. Everyone cries and everyone needs someone to talk to at one stage or another in their lives.
This part got me thinking of the stereotypes out there today. It’s all about “being an independent woman/man”, “standing up for yourself”, “be tough” , “give them a piece of your mind” “stay cool” or maybe it’s “stay together” for example for people unhappy in marriages “think about the kids”. But sometimes we just don’t know how to be strong. We don’t know how to be hard & tough. Sometimes we just breakdown for no reason at all just because we feel like a big bag of crap. Sometimes we just need to cuddle up to a friend/boyfriend/girlfriend/ partner etc and just need the comfort of them and don’t need them to say anything. And that is perfectly fine. Everyone in the world goes through the same emotions but we do all deal with them differently. There is so much pressure out there for people these days and I just want people to know they are not alone and everyone is the same.
Just be you is my advice. Don’t try to be who you think people want you to be. Find who you are, what you love to do, what you love to wear, what you love to eat and do all of that! Just be you & you will be amazing at it.
It is ok to not feel ok. Just talk to someone, do some exercise, eat your favourite meal, have the piece of chocolate, have a take away. Life is to short to concentrate on the boring ol bad things. Think of #theUPSIDE instead.
I just thought I would share this little train of thought I had today and I would love to hear your comments on this and if you have any song that the words just mean so much to you. Good or bad I would love to hear them.
So as today is international dance day I wanted to share some photos with you from my dancing years. Pretty cringe for me (and others in the pics) but I thought I would share them anyway.
I can honestly say that these were some of the best years of my life and the best memories were created that we still laugh about today. I think being involved in dance from such a young age gave me the drive to succeed, confidence and the ability to make a fool out of myself in front of people.
I have met some of my best friends through dance and would highly recommend putting your child into a dance school. Some people may feel like it is a lot of pressure for young kids to be involved in dance schools but it didn’t do me or any one I know any harm. If anything it teaches you the value of hardwork, determination, teamwork, exercise, travel, supporting and motivating one another and respect for your teachers. As much as I may have huffed and puffed when I was pushed and told to practice a dance 100 times over it always proved to be the best thing for me and was so delighted to come home with a trophy at the end of a weekend.
I completed CSN Diploma in Dance a few years back and this was also an amazing experience. I tried this as I thought I would love to be a professional dancer. Through this course I was able to experience the strenuous work professional dancers go through every day. While I had the most amazing time doing the course I decided a career in the area was not for me. But I would highly recommend anyone wanting to try this to go for it. If you don’t like it and it isn’t for you then at least you gave it a shot.
Its been awhile again since I have written a blog but I wanted to let you all know how well the fundraiser went. It was a great day and we had so much fun. The dance teachers were amazing and the facepainter was a great addition at the end for all the kids. We had some absolutely amazing prizes from Fota, Radission blu, Platinum Works, Energie fitness, Joan Cashman colour and image academy. Thank you all so much for donating and coming along on the day. We managed to raise over €1000 for the charities and this was so much more than what I expected. I cannot wait to hold another soon.
Throughout the entire day I had my family & friends there and they are honestly the most supportive bunch of people I could ever ask for in my life. With this fundraiser and my blog they have been so supportive never once asking why I am doing something always saying go for it and that they will back me 100%. I wouldn’t be half the woman I am today without them.
Whats theUPSIDE of your week so far?
I’m flattered to be asked to write a guest blog for Jennifer. It’s taken me a while to put ‘pen to paper’ or in reality ‘fingers to keyboard’, but life has been all consuming in particular from January 2015.
I was at the end of 24 months of de-cluttering my house of both my own and my parents’ belongings. I had emptied the contents of my parents’ house into mine following Dad’s death so Mum could sell her house and move on.
Mum and Dad lived in a three bedroom bungalow in the countryside in North Tipperary. Along with the house, Dad had also built several sheds, a garage, greenhouse, etc. After living there for over 40 years every building was full. Dad’s death in 2006 occurred four weeks after his diagnosis of glioblastoma multiforme, an aggressive malignant brain tumour. Mum decided she wanted to move into residential assisted living accommodation. This didn’t happen until September 2011, and thankfully she is extremely happy in her new apartment. She wanted to sell the house quickly but it had to be emptied first. When my brother came home on holidays from England he focused on clearing the sheds.
I focused on clearing the house and travelled down from Kildare at weekends or in the evening after work. Mum came to the house on the first few occasions to say what she did and didn’t want to keep. She wasn’t interested after that, and I was then on my own to make the decisions of what to keep, give away and dump. The quickest way to empty her house was to bring the stuff back up to Kildare to sort in my own time.
By the time I finished emptying her house in June 2012, my house was choking with her personal and house contents. I was mentally and physically drained, and couldn’t bear to go near it or look at it even though it had taken over most rooms of my house. After a break of a few months I tried to start decluttering my house but couldn’t. There was too much stuff and no where in my house to put anything. In early January 2013 I borrowed a friend’s 4-person tent which they kindly erected in my back garden. I moved a lot of the contents from a few rooms into it. I now had some space to start tidying and got rid of a few bags. However, that only lasted six weeks as the wind ripped the tent and I had to move the contents back into the rooms I had previously emptied. I started again.
I decided to not only sort the stuff from Mum’s house but also to declutter my own house too. If I hadn’t used an item or didn’t really like it, I got rid of it. Keeping focused, determined and motivated has been really difficult since I started in January 2013. By either just sorting a bag at a time, or doing a half hour’s clear up, meant it was a bag or half hour less to be done. It was the only way I could think “theUPSIDE”, the only way I could face the job at hand and complete it. I had to break it down into tiny jobs, otherwise it would never happen.
It was as emotionally exhausting as I had thought it would be. Days or weeks would pass by and I would ignore it, and then I had many consecutive days when I dug deep and I was able to focus. On many occasions I ‘hit a huge wall’. But as no one else could sort it for me, I dragged myself back screaming to do another bag. On a few occasions a friend would come over and chat to distract me while I worked away.
I hated it. I hated having to do it. I hated how it took over my mind. I hated how it took over my house. I hated how it took over my life. If I wasn’t physically looking at it, it took over my mind and was a constant topic of conversation. I was bored listening to myself. I was bored looking at all the stuff. I was scared both of the amount of stuff to sort, and the amount of emotions and memories sitting there, stagnant, and going nowhere. I ignored it as much as possible.
I gave myself a totally unrealistic goal of 6 weeks to de-clutter my house; it actually took me 17 months and I gave 32 car loads and 2 jeep loads of ‘things’ to charity, 3 car loads to the dump, and filled 4 skips of rubbish.
The last hurdle involved sorting paperwork which I commenced in January 2015. Emotions were raw as I addressed both difficult and happy memories evoked by each book, photograph, diary, school report. Tears prevented me from continuing many times, but I kept going back. I was determined to finish. I had found the floors in my house, found the furniture, found space in wardrobes, cupboards and drawers.
Memories, good and bad, were not going to stop me from finishing. I switched myself off from the world. I had to. I had to concentrate and focus to finish. I needed the space, the physical, mental and emotional space to let go and move on.
On 15 March 2015, I finished. I had sorted, binned, shredded, and filed the last of the papers. I was free. My mind, my house and my life are now my own and that is theUPSIDE for me. | 2019-04-22T18:03:54Z | https://thinktheupside.wordpress.com/ |
2 Cor. 8:5 "They first gave their own selves to the Lord, and unto us by the will of God."
"They first gave their own selves to the Lord."
In the fashioning and keeping of our own lives there are no hands so safe as God's. He has planned those lives in Christ Jesus from before the ages. He knows their strength and their weakness; He knows how to mold them to a nicety to their destined end; He knows the place which He has prepared for them; He knows the preparation needed; He knows their limitations and their possibilities. He knows how they can be best made to so glorify Him and advance His kingdom here that their influence shall last through all eternity. And so, knowing this, the Macedonians did not take their lives and try to fashion them after their own individual desires and plans, and then, after years of disappointment and failure, hand the fragments over to God for Him to use. But they first gave their own lives into God's hands before the mistakes of their own hands marred them.
Well do we recall the hour of crisis in the life of a dear young friend but a few years ago. Bright, winsome, gifted: of pure heart, lofty ideal and knightly life, he stood at the parting of the ways. One was the way of a secular calling, with all its glittering prizes and gratified ambitions. The other was the way of abandonment to the Lord with all the sacrifice, service, and surrender involved therein. There in his own room, with the bright sunshine streaming through the window and falling upon his bowed form, young Hugh Beaver chose the latter and first gave himself to the Lord.
But three short years elapsed when we stood by his coffin and looked into his sweet face, pale and rigid in death. As we thought of his beautiful life as a servant of his Lord; of his power in prayer; of his great influence over the young men of the colleges; and of the close and climax of his ministry at Northfield, when hundreds of cultured college women sat at the feet of this young teacher with their lives stirred to their innermost depths by the power of God's Spirit through him, there came to us the overwhelming realization of what a calamity it would have been had this young life, with but three years of span before it, been given to the world instead of to God for the world, and there in that solemn hour we realized the need that God's children "first give their own selves to Him."
What costly mistakes we make here. This life, which we shall live but once; this life, with which every unsuccessful experiment means eternal loss; this life, the most solemn and precious trust that can be put into human keeping--we dare to lay our hands upon, and abase it from God's eternal destiny to our own selfish ends. The unskilled child essays to run the delicate and costly mechanism of a great locomotive, of whose power and possibilities the child knows absolutely naught. There is but one result. The great machine "runs wild," and wreck and ruin follow its unguided flight. Even so are we who lay our hands upon these lives of ours, regardless of our Lord's claim upon them. Sad wreck do we make of them. Disappointments, baffled plans, darkness, clouding of God's presence, suffering, break-downs,--bodily, mental and spiritual,--and utter failure are the woeful results. And then after years of disappointment and failure, we hand over to God the marred remnant for Him to use.
And yet even then how good our Lord is! How great His grace; how tender His love! Without a word of chiding or a whisper of reproach, He deigns to take what is left. He puts the past under the blood. He glorifies Himself unspeakably with the yielded remnant, using it as best He can. Withal, while this is His second best for us; while, possibly, these years of disappointment and affliction were His only mean of bringing us to Himself, let us ever remember that His best is always that, like the Macedonians we "first give our own selves to the Lord," and then to the life work which has been ordained for us "by the will of God."
Rom. 12:2 "Be ye transformed."
With the Macedonians, as with all of God's children, after dedication came transformation. When they gave their lives into the hands of God they were filled with the Spirit of God. We need not read very far between the lines to discern this second great truth of our text. Mark the words of fullness and of transformation: "abundance," "joy," "abounded," "riches," "liberality," "beyond their power," "they were willing," and the like.
How clear it is, and how consistent with the love of God, the will of God and the Word of God, that all His children, like the Macedonians, should live a life of fullness; that they who receive the Spirit in regeneration should be filled with the Spirit at dedication. The Word of God abounds in texts that prove God's will of fullness for His children. "Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst for they shall be filled;" "Be filled with the Spirit;" "And of His fullness have all we received;" "And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost;" "That ye might be filled with all the fullness of God." So, too, our Lord says, "I am come that they might have life and that they might have it more abundantly;" "The water that I will give you shall be in you a well of water springing up into everlasting life." So, too, in Acts 2: 17 the Holy Ghost says through Peter, "I will pour out of my Spirit." God's will of life in Christ for us is not stint but abundance; not poverty but riches; not weakness, but power; not scantiness, but fullness. As the mountain spring pours out its cooling streams; as the great pipe organ pours out its flood of melody; as the willing heavens pour out their showers of refreshing, so it is God's will to pour out the fullness of His Spirit upon His children. But mark upon whom that fullness comes (verse 18.) "I will pour out my Spirit upon my servants, i. e., my bond slaves;" upon His slaves; His bond slaves; His servants who are wholly dedicated to Him, who are wholly given up to do His will; upon these not only does the Spirit come, but He is poured out in all His fullness of life and light and power. Upon our Lord Jesus, God poured out the Spirit "without measure." But of His fullness do we all receive, if not in degree, yet surely in kind, if we first give ourselves Wholly to God; if we say, "Lo, I come to do Thy will," even as He did.
Two men were walking by the banks of a river at the twilight hour. One of them, quoting the words of a famous Christian worker, said: "The world has yet to see what God can do with one man wholly dedicated to Him." His companion stopped and said: "Say that again." Again his friend repeated with renewed emphasis: "The world has yet to see what God can do with one man wholly dedicated to Him." Lifting his hand in the twilight, Dwight L. Moody, for it was he, said: "By the grace of God, I will be that man." And he went forth to do a work for God and His kingdom such as has been given to but few of His servants. Here was the hiding of the great evangelist's power. Wholly dedicated to the will of God he was transformed and filled by the Spirit of God, and went forth to do the work of God. "God's man, in God's place, doing God's work, in God's way," are the significant words of Hudson Taylor as to the place for the life of every true servant of God.
Mr. Meyer, too, tells of the time in his own life when young Mr. Studd was used of God to bring home this same truth to himself. He tells of his own heart hunger for a deeper life in Christ, and how the young Cambridge student pressed upon him the duty and the privilege of a complete dedication of his life to the Lord, and of a simple and absolute trust in the Spirit of his Lord to transform him and fill him, and work perfectly and completely through him. His own will for his servant's life of ministry in Him. And then the great London preacher tells how he went forth into a little woodland copse; how he knelt there in the hush of nature's own sanctuary; how he simply and trustfully yielded his life to God, and went forth believing that His Spirit was in him, and trusting Him henceforth to will and to do of His good pleasure through him. No great manifestation followed this simple step of faith and obedience. No ecstatic spiritual experience flooded his soul. But from that time he realized the presence and power of God within him, and was ushered into the fullness of his wonderful life of power and service for Him. Transformation followed dedication. Fullness followed the faith of surrender. Abandonment to God brought the rich and blessed ministry of God which has made the name of this consecrated servant a sweet savor of peace and blessing to multitudes of God's seeking children.
"Young men," said the saintly missionary, George Bowen, as he stood before his students in the classroom, "young men, the spiritual presence of Jesus Christ in my heart is more real than the bodily presence of you who sit before me this morning." Is the presence of Christ as real to us in the Spirit as it was to this godly servant of the Lord? Is He just as real to us as men and things are? Does His life fill us as the self life fills the worldling? And if not, why not? Our Lord Himself in John 14: 21 discloses the open secret of His own abundant life. There He distinctly says "I will manifest myself to you." It is His plan, His desire, His full purpose, to fill all His children with His own fullness of life. And what is the secret? "He that keepeth my commandments I will manifest myself to him." "And this is my commandment: "That you love one another." "And greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends." The greatest commandment of Christ is love--love of others. Therefore he who keeps His greatest commandment will have His greatest manifestation. But the climax of love is the laying down of our lives even as He laid down His. Therefore the climax of that manifestation is this dedication of the life to Him. As we perfect our dedication in the ever widening revelation of the will of God, He perfects His manifestation in the ever increasing fullness of the Spirit of God. In the measure that we live in His will in that measure will we be filled with His life. We thus have His greatest manifestation in proportion as we keep His greatest commandment. As we approximate the one we approach the other; as we fulfill the one we are filled with the other. Because we save our own life we lose the fullness of the Christ life. But as we give up our own life we gain His Divine life. The Macedonians had learned this secret. May our Lord help us to learn it also.
"First...unto the Lord...and then...the will of God."
After they had yielded themselves to God, they saw the will of God, for their lives. This is ever true of all His children. After dedication, transformation; after transformation, revelation. Dedication brings fullness of life. In its wake comes fullness of light. It is not the dull intellect but the rebellious or unyielding will which keeps us from the light of God's plan for our lives.
God has a plan for every life in His Kingdom. In Ephesians 2: 10 He tells us that we are "created in Christ Jesus unto good works which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them." For Christ Jesus, His Son, God had a perfect plan from before the foundation of the ages. He knew that plan; He yielded Himself to it; and he walked in it, not only day by day, but hour by hour of His earthly career. "Are there not twelve hours in the day?" said our Lord, thus showing that not only was His life meted out to Him day by day by the Father, but that each hour coming to Him was part of a perfect plan for His life, extending even to the minutest detail. But if God had a perfect plan for Christ Jesus, our Lord, so also has He for every one who at regeneration is created in Christ Jesus. If there is a plan for the Divine Head of the body, so there must needs be one for each member of that body. And such, by God's grace are we. Wherefore from the eternal ages the Divine Architect has laid up in the archives of heaven a perfect plan for the life of every child of His, from its beginning through its eternal and unending existence in the ages to come. "In all the ages there never has been, nor never will be a man or woman just like me. I am unique. I have no double." How true is this for you, who are children of God. God has a fresh life plan for you, distinct from every other human being in the universe. No man or woman in existence can do your God-ordained work. There will be something missing from the glory of heaven, something lacking from its fruitage, if you do not find and walk in that Divinely created plan in Christ Jesus for your life. Why then are so many of God's children ignorant of such plan? Why are they in darkness concerning His will? Why have they never seen the good works in which they are to walk? We answer with an illustration. Imagine a man coming to a great industrial establishment in search of employment. He seats himself on the curb-stone across the street. All through the morning hours he loiters there. Then at high noon he approaches the superintendent of the works and begins to complain because he has not been shown the work he is to do. Very soon would the superintendent of such an establishment inform the loiterer that as soon as he would come and offer himself, his time, skill, and talents to his employer, then would the latter show him what work he had for him to do. "For," says the superintendent, "we do not show our plans, nor assign our work to a man until he comes and places himself at our disposal. Until that time, sir, you cannot expect us to show you what work we have for you." Is not this the open secret of the failure of many of God's children to know His will for their lives? So long as they remain unyielding to Him, not offering themselves for His service, He does not, nor could He reasonably be expected to reveal the work He has for them in His vineyard. But as soon as they present their bodies a living sacrifice, placing will, time, talent and skill all at His disposal, to be used for His glory, He is only too glad to disclose His own loving plan of ministry for the life offered to Him. "If any man will to do my will he shall know."
"First .... unto the Lord, and then unto us."
To every dedicated child of His, God not only reveals His plan for their life, but also leads them into the doing of it, usually by some seemingly insignificant beginning. This was true for the Macedonians. First, unto the Lord--the person to whom they gave themselves; then, unto us, the thing which He showed them to do, in this case a simple ministering to the needs of His saints. This is likewise true for all of us. Note the case of Paul: First there was the query of dedication: "Who art thou," and the answer--"I am Jesus, I am thy Lord." Then came the query of ministration--"What wilt thou have me to do." And then the answer, a command to do a very simple thing, "Arise, go into the city and it shall be shown thee what thou shalt do."
Take again the example of David. Picture the prophet coming into the home of the shepherd lad to anoint him as the king of a great nation. What a wonderful honor for one so young, to be called from the obscurity of his humble occupation to become the head of his people. As the prophet's hand was laid upon him; as the anointing oil touched his bowed head; as the consciousness of the presence of God's Spirit in new power and blessedness thrilled his heart, what a great and solemn moment it must have been for the young David. A moment of dedication, of transformation, of revelation, of God's wondrous, gracious, and, to him, astounding purpose for his life. And yet as the days and weeks rolled on there came no great change in the environment of that life. There was no great vision; no voice from heaven; no burning bush. We can imagine him communing with himself. "Is this a reality? Am I in very truth the King of Israel? Why does not God take me hence? Why does He not put me upon my appointed throne? Why am I kept waiting here? And then something happened. The shepherd lad was called to carry the needed supplies to his warrior brothers. How insignificant and commonplace seems this incident. Yet out of it God led him to his destined place. It was the first step in the golden staircase which led upward to a kingly throne. He met his brethren; he heard the boastful challenge of the giant; his heart was mightily moved by the Spirit of God, and we know what followed.
Even so is it with us. We give our lives to God in dedication. Peace, power, and blessing inflow. But no great change meets us at once. Still we keep the sheep; we follow the plow; we sit at the desk; we pursue our daily task as of old. We wonder what it all means. Has God really a work for us? Will He really show it to us? Will He lead us into it? And now something happens to us, even as to David. A door of service opens. Perhaps but a modest door, a little wicket gate, as it were, of ministry. It may be a call to teach a class; to lead a meeting; to fill some humble place of service for the Lord. But now, as it comes, there is a new drawing in our heart to do this thing. There is a consciousness of God's call to it, however humble. There is a feeling that it has more significance in our lives than its humbleness would indicate. And so we obey. God blesses our obedience. We follow on and on. Opportunities multiply; the blessing grows; fruitage follows; the joy of service is with us and by and by we awake to the glad consciousness that God is leading us into our life work. | 2019-04-26T10:20:10Z | https://www.path2prayer.com/holiness-and-spirituality-writers/james-mcconkey-devoted-writer-on-spirituality/james-mcconkey-the-believers-gift-to-god |
Not sure where to put this, but this makes more sense than any other option.
20 points per completion, 1 point per yard, 80 points per TD and -100 points per interception. Divide by attempts, multiply by 25/6 and add 12.5/6.
Anyone agree? Didn't think so.
The upper and lower bounds are the first problem with the PRS, and probably the smallest; they can practically never affect season and career stats (but can and do skew game and partial season stats as demonstrated.) It's hard to appreciate without calculating a game rating around 400 only to hear announcers declare it a "perfect" 158.3, or calculating a rating in negative triple digits only to hear announcers mercifully declare it "zero." That's why Tebow had a 149.3 rating last week instead of 158.2, and why Craig Mortons rating for SB XII is 0 instead of -76.
*It is PURELY COINCIDENTAL that the PRS wrongly places the greatest value on Tim Tebows weakest quality while completely ignoring arguably his best ones. My own criticism of both flaws predates Tim Tebows very existence, and is itself the product of the same criticisms I first read about in The Hidden Game of Footballs chapter on "The Glory, the Blame and the Ratings." I STRONGLY advise anyone interested in a sound understanding of both the PRS and how the QB works in the NFL to read that chapter; reading the whole book would greatly improve most peoples grasp of NFL football in general.
Were the PRS' only problems mercy on losers and treating stars like mortals, I could live with it. I would still attack its treating "West Coast" and "best" as synonymous, but there's an even greater problem: The PRS ignores EVERYTHING a QB does on the ground. That includes sacks, despite the NFL counting them in team "passing yards;" Tebow was sacked for 15 yards last week, which would ironically brings his YPA down to about the PRS cap, but the PRS only uses the 202 yards he gained throwing, without sack yardage. As the NFLs official explanation of the formula notes, "It is important to remember that the system is used to rate passers, not quarterbacks."
I don't use this exact formula, because interceptions nearly always occur beyond the line, often FAR beyond and fumbles almost always occur near, often BEHIND, the line. Obviously, a pass intercepted 42 yds downfield and returned 5 isn't as big as recovering a fumble at the the line. According to Virgil Carter and Robert Machols groundbreaking article "Operations Research in Football," the interception is worth -1 expected points and the fumble -4.5, about a FG more: QB fumbles nearly always hurt more than picks and should be penalized accordingly.
but that ratio's not simple to find. It requires knowing average field position before and after turnovers; it can be found by subtracting average return (easily found at NFL.com and countless other places) from average distance downfield turnovers occur, but the second number's not simply gotten. The only way I know is going through each play of each game noting the original line of scrimmage and where defenders recovered the ball on the 1% of plays that were turnovers.
A far BETTER system would be to simply award 1 point for every 11.11... yards gained, 7 for each TD, -4.5 for each fumble and average expected points for each Int, then divide the whole thing by attempts. Completions are irrelevant except in their effect on field position and/or score, both of which are already counted. That point was already noted in Bob Carroll, Pete Palmer and John Thorns The Hidden Game of FootballUnfortunately, the ratings produced wouldn't look much like the numbers people are used to seeing, so I don't expect it.
The attached (zipped) Excel file has all required stats for this years 49 starters, as well as the NFL value; QBs are in descending QBR order, with PRS value and ranking listed at the far right of the table. Those so inclined can tweak the bonuses I and/or the League assign, but should do so bearing in mind the principle stated in the previous paragraph: The more you monkey with the numbers, the less familiar the ratings look.
There aren't a lot of BIG changes, but a few, and those few interesting.
Rodgers is still #1 and Leinart #2, though the latters single half of play put him firmly in the "non-qualifier" camp with 13 attempts (Rodgers does well under my total metric or the NFLs WC metric; he's a pretty good QB by ANY metric.) Brady and Brees switch. Orlovsky drops from 5th to 11th. Romo is still 6th; Schaub climbs from 7th to 5th. Eli Manning drops from 8th to 10th andRoethlisberger surprisingly drops from 9th to 14th, for the same reason: 4 fumbles. Smith drops from 10th to 13th. Stafford goes from 11th to 8th (only about 20% of QBs have no fumbles, but he's among them.) Tebow goes from 12th to 9th, for reasons most people know. Moore sinks like a stone from 13th to 22nd (watch those fumbles!) Fitzpatrick drops from 14th to 15th. Cutler drops from 15th to 24th (fumbles again.) Ryan's still 16th. Rivers drops from 17th to 23rd (4 fumbles.) Jason Campbell climbs from 18th to 12th on the strength of 2 rushing TDs and <20 sack yds. McNabb drops from 19th to 21st. Hasselback climbs from 20th to 17th (relatively few sacks and 4YPC.) The big shocker (or maybe not) is Cam Newton, who shoots from 21st to 7th because of 13 rushing TDs and nearly 500 rushing yards. Henne and Dalton crack the top 20 also because the former has a little more than and the latter a little less than 100 rushing yds, as well as a rushing TD apiece.
By the way, just to round things out, the NFLs cap of 12.5 YPA on passing means (though I haven't looked to confirm this) they're low balling Tebow against Pitt like they did against Minnesota: Without the cap, his PR would be 136.2, but the NFL will say it's 125.6.
Also incidentally, due to a recently recognized actuarial error on my part I've corrected the value of fumbles in my QBR to 14/9*Ints rather than 12/8*Ints. With that in mind, Tebows QBR against Pitt is 137.3, just over a point higher than his PR (by virtue of 10 runs for 50 yards and a TD, with 0 sacks or fumbles.) It's VERY unusual for QBR to be higher than PR, but a 5 yard average and a TD with no sacks or fumbles will do it.
Please keep working on this Joel. It's fantastic.
For the record, I'm reverting fumbles to 1.5*Ints because the precise ratio depends on the precise value of interceptions, which I must estimate in the first place. Thus 1.5 is about as precise as the other value, but the math is simpler. It would help a great deal if I could get an average value for how far balls travel beyond the LoS before fumbles and interceptions, but I still don't feel like digging through every play of 1000+ games for something that only happens about 1% of the time.
In a perfect world I'd just drop completions altogether, assign 1 point for each yard, 77.77... for each TD and a calculated value for each fumble and interception, then divide by attempts and multiply by a scalar to give something analogous (but NOT equal) to a percentage. Unfortunately, while we can get the average return distance for fumbles and picks, without knowing how far downfield they happened those numbers don't help.
Could be interesting to see what we get if we just leave it as is but drop completions; may take a look at that, too, though it seems given that a different scalar would be necessary.
As before, I only included QBs who started at least one game, but this time I also separated qualifying passers* (those with 224+ attempts, or 14/game) from non-qualifiers for the same reason the NFL does: So LaDainian Tomlinson doesn't win the "Passing" Title going 5/6 for 7 yards and 5 TDs. You can re-sort by any stat you like if you hold down the mouse button, roll over the whole document, click the "Data" tab and then "Sort."
There are few BIG surprises; going by QBR instead of PR drops Moore and Kolb a LOT (usually indicating fumbles and/or sacks; in Moores case it was fumbles, in Kolbs it was BOTH.) Newton and Tebow both do better but, also as usual, mainly because QBR is lower than PR for EVERYONE, but less so for them. Unlike all other qualifiers, Newtons QBR is actually (significantly) higher than his PR. Tebow would've done better, but his 6 fumbles drop him just below average (19th out of 34, if anyone's curious.) The biggest surprise is Vick only moves up 2 spots, and Big Ben goes DOWN 4. The usual suspects are to blame: Fumbles and, in Bens case, also sacks.
Brees is next with an 81.3 QBR and 76.7 PR. :shocked: Rodgers had a SICK year. Everything in the tables after PR can be ignored; the rest is just where each QB ranks by completion percentage, his QB and Passer Ratings WITHOUT counting completion percentage and where he ranks by each of those.
*I listed Kyle Orton among qualifiers. The NFL does NOT, because he requires both his Denver AND KC numbers to reach 224 attempts. In the table, I included each stat as the sum of his Denver plus KC numbers, in that order, so you can easily pull them out and separate them into a "Broncos rating" and "Chiefs rating" if you like. For the record, his rating in Denver was around 75 and his rating in KC around 81.
I'm both impressed and stunned.
Good stuff, dude. That was awesome.
Thanks again; one of these days I may break down and did through 1000 or so games to find the line of scrimmage before and after fumbles/interceptions so I can get an average, since that's the only way I know to do it.
The main difference, apart from altering his TD/TO values (I think 80 pts/TD is fine, since that's about how 7 points at 11.11... yds/pt works out,) would be that using the best single season rating to "set the curve" from 100.
Any way you slice it, the top QBs last year were Rodgers, Brees and Brady. Recalculating things shuffles around where people sit.
Tebow had some superior gaes that broke the curve, but some games where he was not doing that much other than leading his team to a win 2 completions for 7 attempts usually does not win you a game.
I hope that he continues to progress and he sits at least in the middle next year.
A top flight QB does not = a championship but significant weakness at QB does lead to bottom feeder status.
One of the observations the authors of THGoF made when they first retooled the PRS is that any system that radically changed who was the top QB would immediately be suspicious. You want to avoid fitting data to curves, but also avoid implausible results. If I played with the numbers till Kolb were the "best" QB, I'd know I did something wrong. Rodgers, Brees and Brady, lead under nearly every system, and in that order, because, they were the seasons top QBs, and in that order.
Tebow (+9) and Newton (+8) outrushed all other QBs, but that still only puts Tebow (barely) in the top twenty, because his sack and fumble numbers for 11 games are simply awful.
Dalton (+5) and Fitzpatrick (+6) ran well and had few sacks (Dalton is -8 yards on the ground; Fitzpatrick is PLUS 67) or fumbles.
My system is only a tweak to the basic PRS; it doesn't change any of the values the NFL assigns, only adds a few it ignores. The NFL PRS requires QBs to hit their throws most of the time and not have picks; if they can pick up some yards and/or TDs along the way, that's a nice bonus (seriously, that's about how the PRS works, hence its problems.) My system merely adds "don't get sacked" and "even an interception beats a fumble."
While I agree a great QB does not guarantee a championship (ask Marino and Kelly,) I disagree that an awful one guarantees cellar dwelling. You can still run and be productive, and many teams have; the problem is that if that's ALL you do, your awful QB will almost always PRECLUDE a championship. An awful QBs critical position means he'll usually find ways to cost his teams big games even if everyone else is a HoFer.
i always wondered why QB runs never factored into it, Vick and Cam would like that. I know its just based on passing but shouldnt an overall qb rating have both?
Because, though the League now calls it a "QB" rather than "PASSER" Rating System, the latter is all it is or ever claimed to be: The NFL explicitly states it ONLY rates passing, not any of a QBs many other duties.
It's ironic ya'll bumped this thread now, as I recently took someones suggestion I email one of the stat sites about this, and they in turn suggested I email Football Outsiders (a site THGoF largely inspired,) from which I got a response this morning. After noting so many people spit out "new" PRSes these days that FO no longer bothers taking guest column submissions on the subject, they offered some data on the troublesome issue of net field position change on fumbles and Ints.
Perhaps the most important was confirming what I already suspected: Fumbles on snaps or sacks are rarely advanced much, if at all, and (by implication) fumbles on called runs aren't advanced much more. According to the email, the most likely fumbles to be advanced are (unsurprisingly) after receptions so, in terms of rating ALL offensive skill positions with the same formula, I will treat receiver fumbles as Ints. Ocurring downfield, away from most of the offense but in the midst of the defensive secondary, makes that more logical. The upshot is that equating fumbles to -50 yards (or -4 expected points) avoids much complexity but sacrifices only negligible precision, so I'll do that going forward.
Unfortunately, I still have no solid read on net field position change for interceptions, and thus can't establish a reliable ratio between them and fumbles. Using the NFLs values makes an interception twice as costly as a fumble, obviously and wildly inaccurate. Subtracting 2011s average Int return (14.1 yds) from yds per completion (9.1) yields similar results, since that would mean the average Int moves the ball 5 yards closer to the careless teams end zone. That there were 506 Ints last year but only 49 pick-sixes makes that implausible.
By the bye, Jaded: I couldn't possibly care less about how our QB does in passer rating, because the PRS is such an awful way to rate QBs; I want a better rating SYSTEM for all QBs, not better ratings for particular ones (on the contrary, I'm a bit disgusted the PRS makes Brady and a number of others look better than they are.) Pretty sure I said that at the outset; THGoF introduced their modified system (in an era when the PRS was still so novel and poorly understood alternative systems were just as novel) with the phrase "building a better system," not "building a better QB."
Alright, so after some more discussion with the guys at FO (who pointed out that NFL play-by-plays DO list where balls were intercepted and length of return, in addition to LoS before and after, which is all I really need) I've decided to break down and go through each of last seasons 256 regular season games after all to find LoS before and after each Int and fumble. I should be able to add up the net change for each of them, divide by the total, and get an average yardage value for both. As an added bonus, going through each game to track each turnover means I can factor in the frequency of pick-sixes and fumbles returned for TDs, with an 87.5 yard penalty for each (but without the 50 yard penalty for loss of possession, since the scoring team kicks off afterward.) With that in mind, I've already come across two pick-sixes the replay official reversed, saying the ball was down at the 1, only to have the team with the ball score anyway two plays later; I'm counting those as pick-sixes.
In the end, I'll not only have the average yardage value for fumbles, but one for interceptions that's far more accurate than the -100 penalty the NFL uses.
Ya'll are welcome and encouraged to double check my numbers (you can get the play-by-plays from NFL.com here: http://www.nfl.com/scores/2011/REG2.) Very encouraged, in fact, because through week 2 I'm not finding a huge difference between the cost of fumbles and interceptions, so I may be investing a lot of time for very little return. | 2019-04-18T21:20:53Z | http://www.broncosforums.com/forums/archive/index.php/t-323875.html?s=a8f920ff5a5040a929553d0437970b78 |
Totally agree Rowan and I haven’t been too impressed with Lightning Lab this year. I even turned up to Demo Day without any clue who the companies pitching were. Lightning Lab website very lacking in updates.
Also found one company did not pitch due to some problem. Missed opportunity? No doubt they will be chopped from the hype machine going forward with little care. I’ve also been warned off one company already by a fellow investor who has had bad previous dealings with them. All the companies seemed very gimmicky to me and I think your post sums it up nicely really. Any company with a worthwhile offering is out there already doing it meaning the accelerators are left with the rubbish at the bottom of the barrel.
The company who didn’t pitch did so for some very good reasons. In essence they realised that going forward with their existing team just wasn’t going to work and not taking investors funds with them was the best thing to do.
Everyone seems to think the only (and easy) way is to avoid the proverbial garage and slip into the fast lane that Labs and pitchfests promise. Especially the promoters of these events.
Sure, get out and seek advice from anyone who will give you 15 mins and accept a coffee. Yes, discuss your idea with anyone who’ll listen, and soak up every drop of feedback you’re offered.
But if you’re spending more time on your presentation (“15 pages, 15 minutes!”) and elevator pitch than sketching, and re-sketching every single frame of your site, something’s drastically wrong.
You’ve gotta get under your product’s hood and get your hands dirty. Once that’s done, once you’ve proven to yourself and your audience that you can make it and make it work, then, and only then, have you earned the right to pitch ‘n’ pimp it.
Then again, maybe I’m old-fashioned that way.
Thank you Rowan, you are so right! i attended the Demo Day this year, and last year, and you encapsulate my ill-thought-through doubts about the whole concept. In many ways, the real worry is the number of politicians and bureaucrat jobsworths who enthusiastically cheer on and fund this stuff.
Although I share some of the concerns with an accelerator program you articulate, I don’t think Lightning Labs are funded centrally to the extent they’re awash in taxpayer funding like the examples you cite.
It seems a lean and fairly focused program sensibly pulling people into a room. I agree there’s space for criticism and the tweet pictures were dumb. Some people are dumb on twitter and maybe they could have spent a little more on a professional comms person on the twitter account with common sense. I would have liked to see a better storytelling of how they were getting on in the program for my own benefit but that’s secondary to running the program.
What was your experience of JFDI like and do you have the same opinion of their accelerator program?
I wholeheartedly share concerns with the accelerator idea going beyond Lightning Lab. To hear morons talking about setting up additional regional ‘accelerators’ to compete with LL would be terrible.
While I like the plan of sucking and that’s a strategy that sits uncomfortably close to the bone, there is an issue of being clueless about raising money and not knowing when it’s right until you’ve done it in the past. I suppose that’s where advisors come in – we’ve got someone who we pay for assistance and that relationship is far more value-creating than informal coffees etc. and well-meaning advice.
JFDI in Singapore is part of the TechStars Network, just like Lightning Lab. I’ve been a mentor there twice – for three weeks in 2012 and two weeks in 2013.
I’ve also visited the Chicago TechStars briefly on this current trip.
My observation is that there is a hierarchy of accelerator programs, and that the quality drops off exponentially as you work your way down the list. At the top of the pile is Y Combinator in Silicon Valley and TechStars in Boulder. They are successful because they are able to pick from the very best of a long list of applicants and have an amazing list of pretty highly engaged mentors.
As it was pointed out to me on Twitter both Nirvana and One Direction have been successful in the music industry, so if you’re determined to go down the accelerator route, then I would encourage you to apply to one of those. If you have a focus on Asia then JFDI is a great choice, given the connections they have in the region. There have been kiwi founders in all of those programs in the past, who would be useful to talk to for advice.
And, if that sounds too hard compared to a local option, it’s worth thinking about that a bit more, I reckon.
The problem with accelerators generally in the NZ context is that it’s a volume game and that is not our competitive advantage.
As someone who has been part of many a venture through traditional means building up networks from the ground up in one industry, and then being part of a venture through an accelerator (that has context to this post) in an unrelated industry needing fresh contacts for traction… I just popped my popcorn to watch the comments section with baited breath about which side will be able to hold the bite on their lip the longest.
– We can all agree that accelerators like y-combinator have had awesome companies come out of them. Yes, this is made easier by the fact that they have a huge number of applicants and have a lot of experience picking probable winners from that pool. But to suggest that’s the only reason is to say y combinator are nothing but a talent aggregator and contribute nothing to the companies themselves. This conflicts with what alumni tend to report (including the likes of Dropbox and AirBNB founders). I think that an excellent accelerator program can probably make a significant positive contribution to the right (i.e well suited to an accelartor) kind of startup, even if that startup might have succeeded anyway.
– If we accept that an excellent accelerator can make a significant positive contribution to a great startup, it can probably also make a positive contribution to an ok startup.
– ‘Smart’ investors are obviously interested in the output of top accelerators: Sequoia and a16z certainly don’t sit out the yc demo day.
This all seems to point to top accelerators being good for the startups who are accepted to them (as you’ve already stated in earlier posts Rowan).
I’m not sure it necessarily follows that lower tier accelerators are BAD for the startups that choose to apply and are accepted into them though. With a smaller pool of applicants, as in NZ, there’s certainly going to be less scope to exclude all but the exceptional. But unless the advice/guidance from the lightning labs crew differs from that given by YC et.al to the point of being actively bad, it’s maybe still of benefit to those startups (who likely wouldn’t have got into YC anyway… or, if they could have, are fools for not going!).
– NZ investors start to think that the only good NZ startups will come out of accelerators, and so don’t consider investments elsewhere. This has been discussed as an issue in SV with yc (and Stanford), but if the NZ community is small and NZ investors stay alert to opportunities that maybe reduces the risk here.
– NZ startups start to think that the only way to succeed is to go through an accelerator. If this huge dark net of startups exists, and I think it does, then it follows that there are lots of people who don’t feel that way.
– NZ startups who go through an accelerator are somehow killed by the process and priorities. I can easily see this happening – I think the super rapid iteration and discovery pressure and pivots etc could easily stop people from taking a deeper look into a potentially interesting area, one that might have borne fruit with a year of curious exploration but not 6 weeks of urgent scrambling.
If ((d – accelerator cost) / b) > (c / a) then there’s something to indicate that accelerators are good… even though their selection process obviously allows them to bias the result positively.
For me, personally, as a founder of startups, I don’t think my life has been made any worse by lightning labs existing… and is probably better. I don’t feel I’m less able to directly approach investors (dumb or smart). Of course, I might be wrong.
I definitely don’t agree that Lightning Lab is the only accelerator that should exist in NZ though. Yes, there’s obviously a supply volume problem. But as long as lightning lab are rejecting applicants, and there’s other people in NZ who are willing to try and do a similar program but better… let the competition decide. And if both other councils than Wellington want to support their own ecosystems, good! But if they do want to support startups, then they probably shouldn’t limit it to those startups that are willing to go through accelerators. You need some criteria to avoid pouring money into losers, but I don’t think “got into an accelerator program” is the only or best one.
It’s not clear to me what problem you think an accelerator solves in NZ.
To compare a local accelerator to YC is a bit misguided, in my opinion. There are many things which work at US-scale which will never work at NZ-scale. I think this is one of them. I might be wrong. But, keep in mind, the “huge” dark net I referred to is still smaller than the number of companies which apply to every intake at the larger global accelerators.
The purpose of this post wasn’t to belittle Lightning Lab, despite how it may have been interpreted. It was supposed to promote the alternative approach, which has also generated some amazing companies, and which is available to everybody, starting immediately.
I don’t think it would solve a problem for me, which is why I don’t apply.
But if some startups found, for whatever reason, that they could get whatever they needed to grow/succeed more easily through an accelerator than independently of one, that’d be solving a problem for them.
I guess your view is that they could easily get what they needed to grow without the accelerator if they’d only ask investors/mentors directly, and that the result would be better? But in this case doesn’t the accelerator only become a bad thing if they DON’T ask directly BECAUSE of the accelerator? Maybe that’s happening. This is why I really enjoyed your post – it called out some of the less attractive aspects of accelerators and advocated the alternative.
Coming back to this a week later, and having heard a bit more about personal experience of people going through the Lightning Lab program, I think I’ve identified one problem the program at least addresses (if not permanently solves): Motivation.
As you say, startups are hard. There’s lots of reasons they’re hard, but one of the reasons is that you have to wake up every day and be motivated to go and work on your hard thing rather than stay in bed or slack off or go and get a normal job. When the going is good and you’re winning, it feels even better if you’re sharing it with a bunch of other people, and when the going is lame it’s *vastly* better if you’ve got a bunch of others around who can tell you to stick at it and put it in perspective. Even if the various support services lightning lab offer were worthless (and, by all accounts, they’re actually often quite valuable as long as you don’t let them overwhelm you and don’t do every single thing every mentor says), the simple function of putting 10 groups of similarly minded people in a single room and getting them all psyched up to work hard and be creative and then *stay* that way – more or less – for 12 weeks while they run into their various hard problems, and support each other, and compete with each other, and draw motivation from each other, is a really valuable function.
I don’t really like the ‘hustle’ and ‘make it rain’ sentiments either, and maybe it is a bit theatrical… but when did you last see a non-theatrical product launch? I don’t think investors are walking in there stupid and ready to be fleeced.
NZ’s small scale might make it harder for something like lightning labs to work on a success-by-numbers basis, I think the small scale also makes the community building function of things like lightning lab valuable. The startup landscape can feel a bit sparse and hopeless when you don’t have visibility of the other people in it. The problem with the dark net of startups you mention is that it’s dark :-) If stuff like lightning lab shine a torch on part of it, good, and maybe it’ll draw some others out of the shadows. Maybe you can get some of the benefits through a simple coworking space, but I doubt there’d be the same sense of urgency or excitement.
Of course, it’d be easy to say “If you don’t have the courage to get up every morning in the face of huge adversity and *enjoy* it you’re not a real founder”. But that’s a bit like saying “If you don’t have the courage to do a solo winter ascent of Mt Cook you’re not a real climber”. All respect to those who pull it off in isolation, but if you’re trying to get as much success as possible then encouraging people to go with others and lending them ropes and ice axes seems pretty reasonable.
The opposite of “make it rain” is not “you’ll probably fail”. It’s “find an investor who you like and trust and who can contribute more value than they capture, and work hard to get them on-board, then work together to create something amazing”.
Touché – that’s a much more useful reality than mine, and equally true. Worth investing in a larger postcard for.
Well reasoned and, I have to say, sensible and passionate view from +Rowan Simpson about the start-up ‘TV circus’ that has the potential to promise shiny-shiny to those wanted to make a difference but deliver little more than a small pot of gold and no on-going support.
The worse affect I see is that it becomes self propelling and that the ideas are built to the ‘script’ and those that do well are those that know how to play the game taking away the opportinity for those with a passion to make a difference.
In the long run through this might be the effect of pendulum swinging too far – not long ago it was near on impossible to start-up a tech company as the community, the support, the “you can do it” was in such short supply. Now, however, there might be too much “you CAN do it and here’s the yellow bricked path to take”. Perhaps.
And what of those companies that are no longer “start-up” but “survivalist” with staff, paying clients and a view to growth – isn’t that now the waste land of community, support and “you can do it”?
I can handle being called a hater. I’m a big boy. Sticks and stones, etc. I *was* being dismissive. The blog post above explains my rationale. So far the responses I’ve read on Facebook seem to focus on what has been invested rather than the impact created. I think that’s the wrong way to measure it. Actually, the purpose of my post wasn’t to put the boot into those involved, it was to highlight to would-be founders and investors that there is an alternative approach which I believe is better.
However, I do take issue with being called selfish. My days are full to overflowing working closely with a few selected ventures into which I’ve chosen to invest my money and my time, post Trade Me and Xero. My approach is to be founder centric, and so I rate myself based on how much the specific founders I work closely with feel I’m contributing. I’m confident that I’m creating more value than I’m capturing, even if you don’t read my name in the newspaper much (actually, that’s generally the way I prefer it – I think it’s pretty stinky when I see investors who want to make the success they are part of all about them, unless they are also happy to take responsibility for the failures too).
For example, Vend was just Vaughan when I got involved. We’ve now raised ~$35m of investment from a dream list of early-stage investors. The team has grown to ~140 people (and counting!) and, more importantly, 10,000+ stores around the world are using our software to run their business. That sort of growth doesn’t just happen. I continue to work on it closely and it soaks up a good portion of my time.
More recently, I have followed a similar track with Ryan and Andrew at Timely, where I was the first non-exec investor. They have grown significantly since then, by every measure. We now have 12 people on the team and just announced that we have raised $1.3m to fund the next stage of growth.
Along with the team at Southgate Labs, I’m excited to be an investor and advisor to two new ventures: Atomic and Revert. Keep an eye on those over the coming months.
But, focus means saying no, and in my case that means not getting sucked into endless coffee meetings and community events. I have no interest in spreading myself thinly across lots of things. My aim is to be involved in a small number of great ventures, not the most ventures. Don’t confuse that with selfishness. This is how all of the companies that people cite as role models were successful. I’ve been fortunate to see that first hand. Hopefully I can convince more of those people putting their time and money into trying to create an ecosystem indirectly to instead get involved in one venture and do what they can to make it awesome. Then we’ll have an ecosystem!
Previous Previous post: What are ya? | 2019-04-19T22:11:37Z | https://rowansimpson.com/2014/06/04/reality-distortion-field/ |
2007-04-25 Assigned to WARSAW ORTHOPEDIC, INC. reassignment WARSAW ORTHOPEDIC, INC. ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST (SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS). Assignors: DEKUTOSKI, MARK BENEDICT, POND, JOHN DURWARD, JR.
The present application discloses methods for treating spinal deformities. One embodiment includes inserting an elongated corrective member into the patient. During insertion, the corrective member is operatively attached to a first vertebral member that applies a first corrective force to correct a first vertebral member alignment. The corrective member is further inserted into the patient and subsequently operatively attached to a second vertebral member that applies a second corrective force to correct a second vertebral member alignment. The corrective member is further inserted and subsequently operatively attached to a third vertebral member that applies a third corrective force to correct a third vertebral member alignment. The embodiment may further include operatively attaching the corrective member to additional vertebral members to correct further misalignment. In one embodiment, a second member is attached to the vertebral members after they have been aligned to maintain the alignment.
The present application is directed to methods for correcting spinal deformities and, more particularly, to methods of applying a corrective force to one or more of the vertebral members.
Various deformities may affect the normal alignment and curvature of the vertebral members. Scoliosis is one example of a deformity of the spine in the coronal plane, in the form of an abnormal curvature. While a normal spine presents essentially a straight line in the coronal plane, a scoliotic spine can present various lateral curvatures in the coronal plane. The types of scoliotic deformities include thoracic, thoracolumbar, lumbar or can constitute a double curve in both the thoracic and lumbar regions. Scoliosis may also include abnormal translation and rotation in the axial and sagittal planes. Schuermann's kyphosis is another example of a spinal deformity that affects the normal alignment of the vertebral members in one or more planes. Further, a fracture of one or more of the vertebral members may cause misalignment along the spine. The term “deformity” and the like is used herein to describe the various types of spinal misalignment.
The present application discloses methods for treating spinal deformities. One embodiment of a method includes inserting a longitudinal corrective member into the patient. During insertion, the corrective member is operatively attached to a first vertebral member that applies a first corrective force to correct a first vertebral member alignment. The corrective member is further inserted into the patient and subsequently operatively attached to a second vertebral member that applies a second corrective force to correct a second vertebral member alignment. The corrective member is further inserted and subsequently operatively attached to a third vertebral member that applies a third corrective force to correct a third vertebral member alignment. The embodiment may further include operatively attaching the corrective member to additional vertebral members to correct further misalignment. In one embodiment, a second member is attached to the vertebral members after they have been aligned to maintain the alignment.
FIG. 1 is a schematic coronal view of an example of a scoliotic spine.
FIG. 2 is a sectional view in the axial plane of a pair of anchors attached to a vertebral member according to one embodiment.
FIG. 3 is a schematic view of anchors attached to the vertebral members along a section of the spine according to one embodiment.
FIG. 4 is a perspective view of an extender in an open orientation and attached to an anchor according to one embodiment.
FIG. 5 is a perspective view of an extender in a closed orientation and attached to an anchor according to one embodiment.
FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a corrective rod and a handle according to one embodiment.
FIG. 7A is a top view of a corrective rod in a first rotational position according to one embodiment.
FIG. 7B is a top view of a corrective rod in a second rotational position according to one embodiment.
FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a corrective rod in a first rotational position being inserted percutaneously into a patient according to one embodiment.
FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a corrective rod inserted within a patient and in a second rotational position according to one embodiment.
FIGS. 10A-10F are schematic views illustrating a method of sequentially treating vertebral members according to one embodiment.
FIG. 11 is a schematic view of anchors attached to the vertebral members along a section of the spine according to one embodiment.
FIG. 12 is a schematic view of vertebral rods attached to anchors along a section of the spine according to one embodiment.
The present application is directed to methods for correcting a spinal deformity. One embodiment of the method includes initially attaching anchors to the vertebral members positioned along a length of a deformed spine. The anchors are positioned along the deformed spine in a first lateral row. An elongated corrective member is than inserted into the patient and through each of the anchors sequentially along the deformed spine. The corrective member is manipulated sequentially to move the vertebral members into alignment. The shape of the corrective member and the movement to fit within the anchors produces a corrective force. This movement sequentially translates the vertebral members at the various spinal levels to treat the spinal deformity. In one embodiment, a second member is inserted into the patient through a second lateral row of anchors. The second rod is secured to the anchors thus causing the vertebral members to remain in the aligned position.
FIG. 1 illustrates a patient's spine that includes a portion of the thoracic region T, the lumbar region L, and the sacrum S. This spine has a scoliotic curve with an apex of the curve being offset a distance X from its correct alignment N in the coronal plane. The spine is deformed laterally and rotationally so that the axes of the vertebral members 90 are displaced from the sagittal plane passing through a centerline of the patient. In the area of the lateral deformity, each of the vertebral members 90 includes a concave side and a convex side. One or more of the vertebral members 90 may be further misaligned due to rotation as depicted by the arrows R. As a result, the axis of the vertebral members 90 which are normally aligned along the coronal plane are non-coplanar and extend along multiple planes.
Correction of the spinal deformity initially requires placing anchors within the vertebral members 90. FIG. 2 illustrates one embodiment that includes anchors 20 within the pedicles of the vertebral member 90. The anchors 20 are positioned on each lateral side of the spinous process 91 and include a shaft 21 that extends into the vertebral member 90, and a head 22 positioned on the exterior. Head 22 may be fixedly connected to the shaft 21, or provide movement in one or more planes. Head 22 further includes a receiver 23 to receive a rod as will be explained in detail below. A set screw (not illustrated) is sized to engage with the head 22 to capture the rod within the receiver 23.
In one embodiment, a pair of anchors 20 is positioned within each of the vertebral members 90 along the deformed section of the spine. In another embodiment, a single anchor 20 is positioned within one or more of the vertebral members 90. The single anchor 20 is positioned within either pedicle location.
FIG. 3 schematically illustrates the vertebral members 90 that form the deformed spine. One or more anchors 20 are mounted to vertebral members 90 along a section of the spine. In one embodiment as illustrated in FIG. 3, each of the vertebral members 90 includes at least one anchor 20. In another embodiment, one or more of the vertebral members 90 does not include anchors 20. The anchors 20 are arranged to form first and second rows A, B. The first row A is formed by anchors 20 a positioned at a first lateral position of the vertebral members 90. Each anchor 20 a is positioned at substantially the same lateral position within the respective vertebral member 90. Second row B is formed by anchors 20 b positioned at a second lateral position. Likewise, each anchor 20 b is positioned at substantially the same lateral position within each vertebral member 90. In one embodiment, rows A and B extend along the spine in a substantially parallel manner.
An extender 30 may be connected to one or more of the anchors 20 along one of the rows A, B. The extenders 30 may function both as a reduction device, as well as a translation and rotation device as will be described in detail below. FIG. 4 illustrates one embodiment of an extender 30 attached to an anchor 20. Extender 30 includes a tubular element 33 with a distal end 31 and a proximal end 32. The tubular element 33 includes a length such that the proximal end 32 extends outward from the patient when the distal end 31 is mounted to the anchor 20.
The distal end 31 includes a pair of opposing legs 39 that connect to the head of the anchor 20. The legs 39 form an opening that aligns with the receiver 23 to form a window 36. The distal end 31 may further include threads adapted for threading engagement with a corresponding portion of the bone anchor 20, or to an element coupled to one or more bone anchors 20. The threads couple the extender 30 to the anchor 20. In a specific embodiment, the threads are engaged with a threaded projection associated with a bone screw, such as, for example, an externally threaded nut used with a pedicle screw. One embodiment of a pedicle screw is used in association with the CD-Horizon Legacy Spinal System manufactured by Medtronic Sofamor Danek of Memphis, Tenn.
A sliding member 34 is movably positioned on the exterior of the tubular element 33 and located in proximity to the distal end 31. Sliding element 34 includes contact edges 35 that form an upper edge of the window 36. The proximal end 32 includes a fitting 38 that is operatively connected to the sliding element 34. Rotation of the fitting 38 in first and second directions causes the sliding element 34 to move downward and upward respectively along the tubular element 33. One example of an extender 30 is the Sextant Perc Trauma Extender available from Medtronic Sofamor Danek of Memphis, Tenn.
FIG. 4 illustrates the extender 30 in an open orientation with the sliding element 34 positioned towards an intermediate section of the tubular element 33. The open orientation gives the window 36 an enlarged size. FIG. 5 illustrates the extender 30 in a closed orientation with the sliding element 34 positioned towards the distal end 31. Movement between the open and closed orientations is caused by rotation of the fitting 38.
A corrective rod 50 is then sequentially inserted along the spine and attached to the anchors 20 at the various spinal levels. The corrective rod 50 may be inserted in a top-to-bottom direction or a bottom-to-top direction. FIG. 6 illustrates one embodiment of the corrective rod 50 attached to an inserter 60. The corrective rod 50 includes an elongated shape with a tip 51 and a second end 52. In one embodiment, the tip 51 may be sharpened to facilitate insertion and movement through the patient. The length of the rod 50 may vary depending upon the length of the deformed spinal segment to be corrected. As illustrated in FIGS. 7A and 7B, the ends 51, 52 may include a locking aspect to attach with the inserter 60. In one embodiment, the locking aspect includes one or more flat sections and a narrow neck section. These sections maintain the orientation of the corrective rod 50 relative to the inserter 60 during insertion and rotation.
The corrective rod 50 includes a pre-bent shape to apply specific corrective forces to the individual vertebral members 90. In one embodiment, the shape of the corrective rod 50 is determined by studying the flexibility of the spinal deformity prior to the procedure. The shape of the rod 50 corresponds to the needed displacement to translate and/or rotate the vertebral members 90 into alignment. A greater amount of bend at the tip 51 allows for a greater amount of translation and rotation of the vertebral members 90. Rod 50 may be bent in one, two, or three dimensions depending on the amount of correction needed for the vertebral members 90 in the coronal, sagittal, and axial planes.
The curvature of the rod 50 may be more pronounced within a first plane than in a second plane. FIG. 7A illustrates an elevational view of the rod 50 along a first rotational plane. Rod 50 is substantially straight with a line M extending through the tip 51 and the second end 52. This orientation may be used for initial insertion of the rod 50 into the patient. FIG. 7B illustrates the rod 50 in a second rotational plane. The rod 50 is curved away from the line M. This curvature applies a corrective force as will be explained below. In one embodiment, the first plane is offset by about 90 degrees from the second plane.
The corrective rod 50 may be attached to an inserter 60 for insertion and positioning within the patient. As illustrated in FIG. 6, inserter 60 includes a neck 61 with a curved shape for percutaneously inserting the rod 50 into the patient. A handle 62 may be positioned at the end of the neck 61. Handle 62 is sized for grasping and manipulating by the surgeon.
The corrective rod 50 is inserted into the patient P as illustrated in FIG. 8. The insertion begins with inserting the tip 51 into the patient and through a first anchor 20 attached to a first vertebral member 90. In the embodiment of FIG. 8, the tip 51 is moved through a first window formed by the first anchor and first extender 30A. After moving through the window, the corrective rod 50 is further inserted into the patient. Insertion into a second window formed by the second anchor and extender 30B at a second vertebral member 90 may require the rod 50 to be rotated and laterally moved relative to the vertebral members 90 because the curvature of the spine causes the second anchor 20 to be misaligned with the first anchor 20. The rotation and lateral movement of the rod 50 during the insertion applies a force to translate and/or rotate the second vertebral member 90 into alignment with the first vertebral member 90. FIG. 9 illustrates the handle 60 and corrective rod 50 being rotated approximately 90° relative to the position in FIG. 9.
This process continues as the tip 51 is moved sequentially through a third window formed at the third extender 30C, and through a fourth window formed at the fourth extender 30D. The insertion of the tip 51 into each window and the accompanying rotation of the corrective rod 50 applies a corrective force to that vertebral member 90 to translate and/or rotate the vertebral member 90 into alignment.
In one embodiment as illustrated in FIGS. 8 and 9, the insertion process is performed percutaneously by the surgeon manipulating the handle 62 of the inserter 60 which remains on the exterior of the patient. In one embodiment, movement of the rod 50 through the patient P is performed using fluoroscopy imaging techniques.
In one embodiment, the windows 36 formed at the various anchors 20 by the extenders 30 are in the open orientation prior to and during insertion of the corrective rod 50. In one embodiment, the window 36 is moved to the closed orientation once the tip 51 has moved through the window. The reduction includes rotating the fitting 38 on the proximal end 32 of the extender 30. As best illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5, rotation of the fitting 38 causes the sliding member 34 to move distally along the tubular element 33. This movement causes the contact edge 35 on the sliding member 34 to contact and move the corrective rod 50 distally towards the anchor 20. In one embodiment, the windows 36 are completely closed with the rod 50 being seated within the anchors 20. In another embodiment, the windows 36 may only be partially closed. In another embodiment, the windows 36 may remain in the open orientation until the rod 50 is positioned through each of the anchors 20.
In one embodiment, the corrective rod 50 is rotated at each spinal level as part of the insertion process of moving the tip 51 through each anchor 20. As illustrated in FIG. 8, the rod 50 may be originally inserted into the patient P while in a first rotational position. This first orientation may include the handle 62 being in a vertical orientation that is spaced away from the patient P. During the insertion, the rod 50 may ultimately end up in a different rotational position as illustrated in FIG. 9. The amount of rotation between the initial insertion and final position may vary depending upon the application. In one embodiment as illustrated in FIGS. 8 and 9, the amount of rotation is about 90 degrees. Other embodiments may include rotation of about 180 degrees.
In another embodiment, the corrective rod 50 remains substantially within the same rotational position during insertion into the patient. Once the rod 50 is positioned through each of the anchors 20, the rod 50 is rotated to apply the additional corrective force to the vertebral members 90 due to the curvature of the rod 50.
FIGS. 10A-10F illustrates the sequential steps of correcting the deformed spine. As illustrated in FIG. 10A, corrective rod 50 is initially inserted through the first window formed by anchor and extender 20/30A attached to the first vertebral member 90A. Once inserted, the corrective rod 50 is further manipulated to move the tip 51 through the second window formed by anchor and extender 20/30B attached to the second vertebral member 90B. The corrective rod 50 is rotated once it is positioned within the windows of anchor/extenders 20/30A, 20/30B, to align the first and second vertebral members 90A, 90B as illustrated in FIG. 10B.
The corrective rod 50 is next inserted through a third window formed by anchor and extender 20/30C attached to a third vertebral member 90C as illustrated in FIG. 10C. After the corrective rod 50 is within the third window of anchor/extender 20/30C and prior to insertion into a subsequent window formed by anchor/extender 20/30D, the corrective rod 50 is again rotated to align the first three vertebral members 90A, 90B, 90C as illustrated in FIG. 10D.
The corrective rod 50 is than moved in a manner to insert the tip 51 through the fourth window of anchor/extender 20/30D attached to the fourth vertebral member 90D as illustrated in FIG. 10E. Once inserted, the corrective rod 50 is rotated to align the first four vertebral members 90A, 90B, 90C, 90D as illustrated in FIG. 10F. This sequential process continues with the remaining vertebral member 90E, 90F of the deformed spine being individually aligned by moving the corrective rod 50 through the windows associated with anchor/extenders 20/30E and 20/30F and rotating the corrective rod 50.
The extenders 30 attached to the anchors 20 are also used during the sequential process to apply forces to the vertebral members 90. Once the corrective rod is inserted through the first two windows formed by anchors/extenders 20/30A and 20/30B as illustrated in FIG. 10A, the windows may be substantially closed. The closing action may force the corrective rod to seat within the anchors. The reduced window size also causes the rotational force of the corrective rod 50 to be applied to the vertebral members 90A, 90B. The windows remain open enough to allow for the corrective rod 50 to be inserted into the other subsequent windows.
The windows may be closed or opened sequentially at each vertebral member 90 prior to rotation of the corrective rod 50. As illustrated in FIG. 10C, window formed at anchor/extender 20/30C is closed prior to rotation as illustrated in FIG. 10D. Likewise, window formed at anchor/extender 20/30D is closed prior to rotation illustrated in FIG. 10F.
The corrective rod 50 aligns the vertebral members 90 as schematically illustrated in FIG. 11. For purposes of clarity, the corrective rod 50 and the extenders 30 are removed from this Figure.
With the corrective rod 50 remaining within one of the anchor rows A, B, a second rod 60 is inserted within the second row. In one embodiment, prior to insertion of the second rod 60, extenders 30 are attached to the anchors 20 of the second row. In one embodiment, attachment of the extenders 30 to the second row of anchors 20 may occur prior to insertion of the corrective rod 50. In another embodiment, the extenders 30 are attached after the corrective rod 50 has been inserted and alignment of the vertebral members 90.
The second rod 60 maintains the vertebral members 90 within their new alignment. The process of inserting the second rod 60 may be similar to insertion of the corrective rod 50. The surgeon percutaneously inserts the second rod 60 into the patient and moves the second rod 60 through each of the anchors 20. For anchors 20 with associated extenders 30, the windows 36 are reduced in size towards the closed orientation after insertion of the second rod 60.
Once the second rod 60 is positioned, set screws may be attached to the anchors 20 to maintain the position of the rod 60. In anchors 20 with extenders 30, the set screws may be inserted through the interior of the extenders 30. The set screws engage with threads on the anchors 20 and maintain the second rod 60 attached to the anchors 20. In one embodiment, the set screws may include threads that engage with the head portions of the bone anchors 20 via a driving tool to maintain the rod 60 in engagement with the anchors 20. In one embodiment, a driving tool is inserted through the interior of the extenders 30. The tool includes a drive shaft including a distal end portion that is positioned within a tool receiving recess in the set screw, and a handle for imparting rotational force onto the drive shaft.
In one embodiment, the corrective rod 50 remains within the patient after the surgical procedure. The corrective rod 50 maintains the alignment of the vertebral members 90.
In another embodiment, once the second rod 60 is attached along one anchor row, the corrective rod 50 may be removed. Removal may initially require one or more of the windows 36 to be moved towards the open orientation. Removal requires the surgeon to manipulate the handle 62 and pull the corrective rod 50 from each anchor 20 and from the patient P. In one embodiment, a third rod 70 is then inserted to replace the corrective rod 50. Third rod 70 is shaped to maintain the vertebral members 90 in proper alignment. The insertion and attachment method is similar to that described above with reference to the second rod 60. FIG. 12 illustrates one embodiment with the second rod 60 inserted within the anchors 20 a of row A, and the third rod 70 within the anchors 20 b of row B.
In one embodiment as described above, the corrective rod 50 is rotated after initial insertion to provide an additional amount of corrective force to be applied to the vertebral members 90. In another embodiment, threading the corrective rod 50 through the windows 36 provides an adequate amount of corrective force and aligns the vertebral members 90. In this embodiment, the corrective rod 50 is not rotated to a second rotational position.
In the embodiment described above, extenders 30 are attached to one or more of the anchors 20. The extenders 30 may be attached to each of the anchors 20 along one or both anchor rows A, B, or along less than each anchor 20. In one embodiment, no extenders 30 are attached to the anchors 20 and the one or more rods are inserted directly into the receivers 23 in the anchors 20.
In the embodiments of FIGS. 11 and 12, two anchor rows A, B are attached to the vertebral members 90. In another embodiment, a single anchor row is attached to the vertebral members 90. In one embodiment with a single anchor row, the corrective rod 50 is removed after the vertebral members 90 are moved into alignment, and replaced with a second rod. In another embodiment with a single anchor row, the corrective rod 50 remains attached to the vertebral members 90 and within the patient.
In one embodiment, rods 60, 70 are attached to the vertebral members 90 to maintain the alignment. Various other members may be used to maintain the alignment of the vertebral members 90. The members may include but are not limited to a plate, bar, cable, tether, or other suitable elongate implant capable of maintaining the vertebral members 90 in the corrected alignment.
In one embodiment, the rods 50, 60, 70 are formed of a biocompatible material, such as, for example, stainless steel or titanium. However, other materials are also contemplated, including, for example, titanium alloys, metallic alloys such as chrome-cobalt, polymer based materials such as PEEK, composite materials, or combinations thereof. In one embodiment, one or more of rods 50, 60, 70 include an injectable construction that is inserted into the patient and afterwards filled with a hardening polymer.
Rods 60, 70 may be substantially straight within the plane illustrated in FIG. 11. In another embodiment, the rods 60, 70 are bent or contoured, either outside of the patient's body or in-situ, to more closely match the position, orientation and alignment of the vertebral members 90.
In the embodiment described above, the extenders 30 include sliding members 34 to adjust the size of the windows 36. In another embodiment, extenders 30 are cylindrical tubes that do not include sliding members 34. A distal end of the tubes may be threaded to engage with the anchors 20, and the interior be substantially open to insert a set screw.
The devices and methods may be used to treat various abnormal spinal curvatures such as scoliosis. The devices and methods may also be used to treat other spinal deformities including kyphotic deformities such as Scheurmann's kyphosis, fractures, congenital abnormalities, degenerative deformities, metabolic deformities, deformities caused by tumors, infections, trauma, and other abnormal spinal curvatures.
In one embodiment, the devices and methods are configured to reposition and/or realign the vertebral members 90 along one or more spatial planes toward their normal physiological position and orientation. The spinal deformity is reduced systematically in all three spatial planes of the spine, thereby tending to reduce surgical times and provide improved results. In one embodiment, the devices and methods provide three-dimensional reduction of a spinal deformity via a posterior surgical approach. However, it should be understood that other surgical approaches may be used, including, a lateral approach, an anterior approach, a posterolateral approach, an anterolateral approach, or any other surgical approach.
The anchors 20 described above are some embodiments that may be used in the present application. Other examples include spinal hooks configured for engagement about a portion of a vertebral member 90, bolts, pins, nails, clamps, staples and/or other types of bone anchor devices capable of being anchored in or to vertebral member 90. In one embodiment, anchors 20 include fixed angle screws.
In still other embodiments, bone anchors may allow the head portion to be selectively pivoted or rotated relative to the threaded shank portion along multiple planes or about multiple axes. In one such embodiment, the head portion includes a receptacle for receiving a spherical-shaped portion of a threaded shank therein to allow the head portion to pivot or rotate relative to the threaded shank portion. A locking member or crown may be compressed against the spherical-shaped portion via a set screw or another type of fastener to lock the head portion at a select angular orientation relative to the threaded shank portion. The use of multi-axial bone anchors may be beneficial for use in the lower lumbar region of the spinal, and particularly below the L4 vertebral member, where lordotic angles tend to be relatively high compared to other regions of the spinal column. Alternatively, in regions of the spine exhibiting relatively high intervertebral angles, the anchors 20 may include a fixed angle.
In one embodiment, the treatment of the deformity is performed percutaneously. In other embodiments, the treatment is performed with an open approach, semi-open approach, or a muscle-splitting approach.
further inserting the corrective member into the patient and moving the corrective member through a third anchor attached to a third vertebral member and applying a second corrective force to align the third vertebral member with the first and second vertebral members.
2. The method of claim 1, further comprising attaching the anchors at a common position to each of the first, second, and third vertebral members prior to inserting the corrective member.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein the steps of moving the correcting member through the second and third anchors comprises laterally moving the corrective member and rotating the corrective member within the patient.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of moving the corrective member through the second anchor comprises moving the corrective member through a window formed between the second anchor and an extender.
5. The method of claim 4, further comprising reducing a size of the window to apply the first corrective force to the second vertebral member.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of applying the first corrective force to align the second vertebral member with the first vertebral member causes translation and rotation of the second vertebral member.
7. The method of claim 1, further comprising inserting a second member into the patient after aligning the vertebral members and attaching the second member to the vertebral members to maintain the alignment.
8. The method of claim 1, further comprising removing the corrective member from the patient after aligning the vertebral members.
9. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of inserting the elongated corrective member into the patient is performed percutaneously.
subsequently operatively attaching the corrective member to a third vertebral member and applying a third corrective force to correct a third vertebral member alignment.
11. The method of claim 10, wherein the step of correcting the first, second, and third vertebral member alignment includes applying a rotational force to at least one of the vertebral members.
12. The method of claim 10, wherein the step of correcting the first, second, and third vertebral member alignment includes applying a translational force to at least one of the vertebral members.
13. The method of claim 10, wherein the step of percutaneously inserting the corrective member into the patient comprises rotating the corrective member.
14. The method of claim 10, wherein the step of percutaneously inserting the corrective member into the patient comprises laterally moving the corrective member.
15. The method of claim 10, further including attaching a second member to the vertebral members after applying the third corrective force to correct the third vertebral member alignment.
16. The method of claim 10, further comprising attaching an anchor to each of the vertebral members prior to percutaneously inserting the corrective member.
sequentially attaching the corrective member to a plurality of vertebral members forming a spinal segment and aligning the vertebral members by applying a different corrective force to each of the vertebral members.
18. The method of claim 17, further comprising rotating at least one of the plurality of vertebral members.
after applying the third corrective force, inserting a second member into the patient and attaching the second member to each of the vertebral members to maintain a corrected alignment of the vertebral members.
20. The method of claim 19, further comprising removing the corrective member from the patient after attaching the second member to each of the vertebral members.
21. The method of claim 19, further comprising moving the corrective member through a window formed between the first anchor and an extender attached to the first anchor.
wherein each of the first, second, and third corrective forces are different.
23. The method of claim 22, further comprising attaching the corrective rod to at least one vertebral member within each of the first, second, and third spinal segments. | 2019-04-23T05:01:16Z | https://patents.google.com/patent/US20080269805A1/en |
A computer-implemented method is provided for creating an image-based reflowable file. The image-based reflowable file is configured to automatically adapt itself to be rendered on various sized displays and windows, by permitting the lines of reflow objects to “reflow” according to the given size of a display or window. The method includes receiving. First, an image of content having reflow objects and identifying bounding regions to enclose a reflow object contained in the image. A reflow object baseline for each of the reflow objects is then identified and the position of each of the bounding regions containing the reflow objects is determined, relative to the image and also relative to the corresponding reflow object baseline. The size of each of the bounding regions is then determined, for example in terms of width and height, and stored.
The present invention is directed to processing of digital images, and more particularly to processing and displaying images of content having text therein.
Some readers, however, may have computing devices with displays, which are sized differently from the display for which a page image is originally formatted. Also, some readers may wish to view the text in a page image in a varyingly-sized window within a display. In one embodiment, a consent provider can generate and maintain different versions of the same content to accommodate for various display embodiments. This approach; however, can be inefficient and costly. The present invention is directed to providing a page image file, which is configured to automatically adapt itself to be rendered on displays or windows of various sizes.
In accordance with various exemplary embodiments, the present invention offers a computer-implemented method, system, and computer-accessible medium having instructions encoded thereon, for creating an image-based reflowable file. The image-based reflowable file is configured to be rendered on various sized displays and windows, by permitting the lines of text to “reflow” according to the given size of a display or window. As used herein, the “reflow” of lines refers to changing line segmentation in text.
The method for creating an image-based reflowable file generally includes six steps. First, an image of content having text is received, for example, by scanning in the image of the text. Second, a bounding region is found for each of the reflow objects contained in the text. Third, a reflow object baseline is found for each of the reflow objects in the text. Briefly, a reflow object baseline for a word refers to a line that coincides with the bottom lines of the majority of characters appearing in the word. Fourth, the position of each bounding region containing a reflow object is determined relative to the image and also relative to its corresponding reflow object baseline. For example, the position of a bounding region relative to its corresponding reflow object baseline may be defined as an offset distance between one side of the bounding region and the reflow object baseline. Fifth, the size of each of the bounding regions is determined. In one aspect, the size of the bounding region is defined by its width and height. Sixth, the size and position of each of the bounding regions are stored. The image-based reflowable file, which is created according to a method of the present invention, therefore, defines the size and the position of each of the bounding regions, each being further associated with a reflow object baseline, which contain the reflow objects that appear in the received image having text.
In accordance with further embodiments of the present invention, an image-based reflowable file created in accordance with a method of the present invention may then be rendered on displays or windows of various sizes. In one embodiment, a method of rendering an image-based reflowable file on a display or window of a given size generally includes six steps. First, an image-based reflowable file comprising an image including text is received. In the file, each reflow object forms a sub-image and is defined in a bounding region, and the size and the position of each bounding region as appearing in the image are defined. Second, the size of the display or window is determined. If the display/window size is the same as the original display/window size for which the image-based reflowable file has been created, then the file may be rendered using the size and the position of each of the bounding regions “as is.” Specifically, the bounding regions (and thus the reflow objects contained therein) may be rendered on the display/window according to their positions and sizes as defined in the file.
If, on the other hand, the display/window size is in any way different from the original display/window size, then, in the third step, the number of bounding regions that fit horizontally per each horizontal line on the display, with a predefined minimum spacing between adjacent bounding regions, is determined based on the size of each bounding region. For example, given the horizontal dimension of the display/window, and the width dimension of each of the bounding regions, it can be determined how many bounding regions will fit horizontally per each horizontal line. Fourth, the horizontal position of each bounding region relative to each horizontal line is determined. Fifth, the vertical position of each of the bounding regions that fit horizontally per each horizontal line is determined based on the size of the bounding region. For example, given the vertical dimension of the display/window and the height dimension of each of the bounding regions, it can be determined how to vertically and consistently space apart the bounding regions that fit horizontally along a plurality of horizontal lines on the display. As a further specific example, the determination of the vertical position of each bounding region can be accomplished by first determining the vertical position of each of the plurality of horizontal lines based on the size of the display (e.g., by dividing the vertical dimension of the display by a minimum spacing) and by determining the vertical position of each bounding region so as to align the reflow object baseline of the bounding region with the corresponding horizontal line. In the sixth step, the bounding regions, and hence the sub-images of the reflow objects contained therein, are rendered according to the determined horizontal and vertical positions of the bounding regions.
In accordance with a further aspect of the present invention, an image-based reflowable file created in accordance with a method of the present invention may be rendered on a display/window according to a zoom level requested by a reader. In this embodiment, the step of determining the number of bounding regions that fit horizontally per each horizontal line consists of first resizing the bounding regions according to the display zoom level as requested, and then determining the number of resized bounding regions that fit horizontally per each horizontal line. The step of determining the horizontal position of each bounding region relative to each horizontal line similarly consists of determining the horizontal position of each resized bounding region relative to the horizontal line. The step of determining the vertical position of each of the bounding regions that fit horizontally per each horizontal line consists of determining the vertical position of each resized bounding region so that the resized reflow objects in the resized bounding regions that fit horizontally along a plurality of horizontal lines are consistently spaced apart vertically. Lastly, the step of rendering the sub-images of the reflow objects consists of rendering the sub-images of the reflow objects defined in the resized bounding regions according to the determined horizontal and vertical positions of the resized bounding regions. For example, if a zoom-up is requested, the size of each bounding region is enlarged, and the resized (enlarged) bounding regions, and hence the resized (enlarged) reflow objects contained therein, are rendered.
FIGS. 6A and 6E illustrate the concept of reflow object baselines and how they can be derived from per-character baselines.
The present invention is directed to a computer-implemented method, system, and computer-accessible medium having instructions encoded thereon, for creating an image-based reflowable file. The image-based reflowable file is configured to automatically adapt itself to be rendered on various output media, such as various sized displays and windows, printed media, etc. More specifically, the image-based reflowable file permits lines of reflow objects to reflow according to the given dimensions and limitations of a selected output medium, such as the size of a display or window. It should be understood that, in the context of the present invention, the term “reflow objects” includes a selection of one or more letters, characters, symbols, numbers, formulas, graphics, line drawings, table borders, textual content, etc., that may be used to represent information in an image. In an illustrative embodiment, identifiable content, such as words, can be represented as a single reflow object. Alternatively, identifiable content can also be represented as a number of reflow objects. As described above, reflow relates to the modification of line segmentation for the reflow objects.
FIG. 1 provides an exemplary overview of one computing environment in which embodiments of the invention may be implemented. The depicted environment includes a reflowable file generation server 10 and a client system 12 communicatively connected by a network 16, such as the Internet. The client system 12 is shown associated with a user 18. As further depicted in FIG. 1, the reflowable file generation server 10 includes or communicates with an image-based reflowable file database 19. In the illustrated embodiment, the client system 12 is configured to receive one or more image-based reflowable files from the reflowable file generation server 10 via the network 16 and render them on an output media, such as a display screen. In an illustrative embodiment, a suitable viewer (e.g., Web browser) application is operating on the client system 12 to cause it to render the image-based reflowable files on a computer display.
The network 16 in FIG. 1 may be a Local Area Network (“LAN”), a larger network such as a Wide Area Network (“WAN”), or a collection of networks, such as the Internet. Protocols for network communication, such as TCP/IP, are well known to those skilled in the art of computer networks. The present invention is described herein as using the Internet. Persons of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that the invention may also be used in other interactive environments, such as local or wide area networks that connect servers storing related documents and associated files, scripts, and databases, or broadcast communication networks that include set-top regions or other information appliances providing access to audio or video files, documents, scripts, databases, etc.
FIGS. 2A and 2B depict exemplary computer architectures for the reflowable file generation server 10 and the client system 12 shown in FIG. 1. The exemplary computer architectures for the reflowable file generation server 10 (FIG. 2A) and the client system 12 (FIG. 2B) can be used to implement one or more embodiments of the present invention. Of course, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the reflowable file generation server 10, as well as the client system 12, may include greater or fewer components than those shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B.
The reflowable file generation server 10 in FIG. 2A connects to the network 16 (FIG. 1) using a network interface 20. The network interface 20 enables the reflowable file generation server 10 to communicate data, control signals, data requests, and other information via the computer network 16. For instance, the reflowable file generation server 10 may receive a file containing digital images of content having reflow objects therein from the network 16 via the network interface 20.
The reflowable file generation server 10 further includes a processor 21, a memory 22, a computer-readable medium drive 25 (e.g., disk drive), and an input/output interface 26, all communicatively connected to each other and to the network interface 20 by a communication bus 28. The display device 24 may be a typical display device, such as a computer display (e.g., CRT or LCD screen), television screen, etc. The input/output interface 26 is configured to communicate with one or more external devices, such as an input device 27 to capture images of content having text therein. The input device 27 may be any device capable of capturing images including but not limited to a video camera, scanner, digital camera, copier, scanning pen, etc. The input/output interface 26 may also be configured to communicate with one or more external output devices, such as display adapter 23. Display adapter 23 provides signals to a display device 24 that enables a user to observe and interact with the reflowable file generation server 10. Additionally, the input/output interface 26 may also be configured to communicate with various printing adapters (not shown) to render the reflowable files on printed media. The input/output interface 26 may also communicate with external devices not shown in FIG. 2A, such as a mouse, keyboard, pen, or other device that can be operated by a user.
The processor 21 is configured to operate in accordance with computer program instructions stored in a memory, such as the memory 22. Program instructions may also be embodied in a hardware format, such as a programmed digital signal processor. Furthermore, the memory 22 may be configured to store digital images of content having reflow objects therein for processing, transmission, and display in accordance with the present invention.
The memory 22 generally comprises RAM, ROM, and/or permanent memory. The memory 22 stores an operating system 29 for controlling the general operation of the reflowable file generation server 10. The operating system 29 may be a general-purpose operating system such as a Microsoft® operating system, UNIX® operating system, or Linux® operating system. The memory 22 further stores an optical character recognition (OCR) application 30 comprised of program code and data designed to analyze digital images containing reflow objects therein. Those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize a wide variety of algorithms and techniques capable of analyzing and recognizing reflow objects in an image. For purposes of the present invention, however, it is not necessary that the algorithms and techniques actually recognize the individual characters or symbols or interpret their meanings, as achieved by many OCR routines. Rather, an OCR-like process may be used, in which limited information such as the baselines and the location and size of characters in a digital image is ascertained. As used herein, the term “character recognition” refers to all forms of character recognition using scanners and computer algorithms. Examples of commercially-available OCR software include OmniPage Pro™ from ScanSoft, Inc., and FineReader™ from SmartLink Corporation. The memory 22 additionally stores program code and data providing a reflowable file generation application 31. The reflowable file generation application 31 contains program code and data for processing a digital image received via the network interface 20, the input/output interface 26, etc., to generate an image-based reflowable file, which can then be sent to the image-based reflowable file database 19 for storage.
FIG. 2B depicts an exemplary computer architecture for the client system 12 shown in FIG. 1. The client system 12 in FIG. 2B includes several components that may operate similarly to the components of like names described above in regard to the reflowable file generation server 10. The client system 12 includes a processor 32 in communication with a memory 33, a display adapter 34 coupled with a display device 35, a computer-readable medium drive 36, an input/output interface 37 coupled to an input device 38, and a network interface 39, all communicatively connected by a bus 40.
The memory 33, as shown, stores an operating system 41 that controls the general operation of the client system 12. The memory additionally stores a viewer program 42, such as a Web browser program. In accordance with various exemplary embodiments of the present invention, the processor 32, in connection with the viewer program 42 and the display adapter 34, adaptively renders an image-based reflowable file on the display device 35 regardless of the particular size of the display device 35. In the present description, the term “display” and the term “window” may be used interchangeably, and further the term “display” may be used to encompass both a display (or screen) and a window.
FIG. 3A is a pictorial view of a screen display in which a digital image of a page of content having reflow objects therein is displayed. Specifically, FIG. 3A illustrates a display (or window) 43 of a computing device, such as the client system 12, which is operating the viewer program 42. In the illustrated example, the display 43 shows an image of a complete page from a book. The viewer program 42 further displays various selectable controls, such as “Previous Page” 44 and “Next Page” 45 that permit a user to browse through the pages of content being displayed, and a scroll bar 46 that permits a user to scroll up or down the content within the display 43.
FIG. 3B different configuration depicts a screen display of a computing device, which may also be operating a viewer program 47. The display 48 in FIG. 3B is smaller in both height and width dimensions as compared to the display 43 in FIG. 3A. According to the present invention, an image-based reflowable file may be adaptively rendered on various sized displays and windows. In FIG. 3B, for example, the same reflow objects, e.g., textual content, as in the display 43 of FIG. 3A is automatically “reflowed” and rendered on the smaller display 48. Specifically, the first line in the original display 43 of FIG. 3A included “Growing up in Vinci,” which is reflowed so that only the “Growing up in” portion appears in the first line in the smaller display 48, with “Vinci,” moved to the beginning of the second line in the smaller display 48. Because the display 48 is smaller than the original display 43 of FIG. 3A, the viewer program 47 may further preferably include a scroll bar 49 to permit the user to scroll up and down the content within the smaller display 48 to view the entire textual content as included in the original display 43 of FIG. 3A.
FIG. 3C depicts a display (window) 48′, which is relatively the same size as the display 48 of FIG. 3B but shows the same textual content as in the display 48 of FIG. 3B in a larger scale. For example, a user may have selected a zoom up “+” control button 50 to enlarge the displayed content as previously shown in the display 48 of FIG. 3B. Then, in FIG. 3C, the same reflow objects as in the display 48 of FIG. 3B, which is now enlarged, is automatically reflowed and rendered on the display 48′ in the enlarged scale. Specifically, the first line in the display 48 of FIG. 3B included “Growing up in,” which is enlarged and reflowed so that only the enlarged “Growing” portion now appears in the first line in the display 48′, with similarly enlarged “up in” moved to the second line in the display 48′. As before, the scroll bar 49 may be used to permit the user to scroll up and down the content within the display 48′ to view the entire textual content as included in the original display 43 of FIG. 3A.
FIG. 3D depicts a further embodiment of the present invention may be implemented. Specifically, FIG. 3D illustrates a viewer program 42 including a first display (window) 52 and a second display (window) 54. In various exemplary embodiments of the present invention, the two displays 52 and 54 are independently capable of reflowing reflow objects contained therein. For example, the first display 52 in FIG. 3D is the same size as the original display 43 of FIG. 3A and thus shows the identical textual content as the original display 43. The second display 54 shows a different portion of the textual content from the first display 52, and further in a different scale as compared to the scale shown in the first display 52. This is the result of rendering the reflow objects corresponding to the textual content different, such in response to, for example, a user request to zoom up the displayed textual content shown in the second display 52.
FIG. 4A depicts an exemplary method 70 implemented by a reflowable file generation application 31 for generating an image-based reflowable file according to one embodiment of the present invention. The method 70 begins at block 71 by receiving an image of content having one or more reflow objects therein. The format of the received images may vary, and can include images in an-accessible format, such as in an Adobe® Portable Document File (PDF), or in a non-accessible format, such as in a JPEG, TIFF, GIF, or BMP format file. In an illustrative embodiment, the image may correspond to scanned images of printed materials. Alternatively, the image may correspond to electronic documents generated by various software applications or converted by third-party software components.
The received image may be implicitly associated with an “original” display size. For example, as shown in FIG. 3A above, it is often desirable to display a page image in the same format as it appears in the original print so as to maintain the original “look and feel” of the original print version of the content. The original display size, as used herein, refers to the size of a display that is capable of rendering a page image in the same format as the original print version of the content.
At block 72, the reflowable file generation application 31 determines a bounding region for each reflow object in the image of content. In an illustrative embodiment, the bounding region for each reflow object can correspond to various geometric shapes including, but not limited to, rectangles, circles, curves, ovals, triangles and more complex polygonal shapes. The reflowable file generation application 31 may select a shape for the bounding region based numerous factors such as type of output media, specific attributes of a selected output media, and/or specific attributes of certain reflow objects. For example, the reflowable file generation application 31 may select a different bounding region for a computer display as opposed to print media. In another example, the reflowable file generation application 31 may select a different bounding region for a rectangular-shaped display screen as opposed to an oval-shaped display screen. In a further example, the reflowable file generation application 31 may select complimentary bounding region for related reflow objects that may be associated with special spacing and/or formatting, such as reflow objects corresponding to the parts of a hyphenated word.
At block 73, the reflowable file generation application 31 identifies a reflow object baseline for each of the reflow objects in the image. Then, at block 74, the reflowable file generation application 31 determines the position of each bounding region relative to the image as originally received and also relative to its corresponding reflow object baseline. At block 75, the size of each bounding region is determined. In an illustrative embodiment, the reflowable file generation application 31 can utilize various mathematical models to determine the bounding region size. Referring additionally to FIGS. 5 and 6A-6E, the concept of bounding regions, reflow object baselines, and the position and size of each bounding region will be described in greater detail.
In FIG. 5, for the received textual content 90, four “per-line” baselines 91 are found, which are different from reflow object baselines to be described in detail below. Generally, a per-line baseline is found to coincide with the bottom lines of the majority of reflow objects appearing in a line on an output media (e.g., display), while a reflow object baseline is found to coincide with the bottom lines of the majority of characters appearing in a single reflow object. Still referring to FIG. 5, on the first per-line baseline 91, bounding regions in the form of different sized rectangular shapes 92-95 are found for containing reflow objects, “Growing,” “up,” “in,” and “Vinci,” respectively. In an illustrative embodiment, the bounding region is found to bound a relatively to the text characters that are encompassed in each reflow object. Both the per-line baselines and the bounding regions may be readily found using a suitable OCR or OCR-like software program stored in the memory 22 of the reflowable file generation server 10 (FIG. 2A).
As illustrated in FIG. 6A, however, per-line baselines as determined by OCR or OCR-like software are often tilted (for example due to a scanned image that is tilted) and thus do not correctly coincide with the bottom lines of the majority of characters appearing in a line of text. In FIG. 6A, line 100 represents a true per-line baseline for the text “The quick brown fox,” while line 102 represents an erroneous per-line baseline as determined by OCR or OCR-like software. The OCR-determined per-line baseline 102 is slightly tilted from the true per-line baseline 100. In the illustrated example, the OCR-determined per-line baseline 102 is above the true per-line baseline 100 at the leftmost word, “The” but is below the true per-line baseline 100 at the rightmost word, “fox.” Therefore, as illustrated in FIG. 6B, if such OCR-determined erroneous per-line baselines are used to render multiple lines of text, which have true per-line baselines 100 and 100′, respectively, in a single line, the rendered text does not appear as aligned properly along a horizontal line. Therefore, an OCR-determined per-line baseline cannot be reliably used to estimate a true “reflow object” baseline, which generally coincides with the bottom lines of the majority of characters appearing in a reflow object.
As illustrated in FIG. 6C, OCR or OCR-like software may also identify “per-character” baselines 104 a-104 d. Generally, a per-character baseline is found to coincide with the bottom line of a single character, such as an alphanumeric letter. As shown in FIG. 6C, however, OCR-determined per-character baselines 104 a-104 d typically have a large amount of jitter along a line including a plurality of reflow objects. Therefore, though the per-character baselines for the characters on any given line may average to the OCR-determined per-line baseline, the amount of variance (or jitter) is too great to be used for estimating a true “reflow object” baseline.
According to various exemplary embodiments of the present invention, a true reflow object baseline is identified based on finding a fitting function that smoothly estimates the position of each of the per-character baselines along a line, including a plurality of reflow objects, with a minimum average error. Any fitting function may be used, including, but not limited to, a linear or polynomial regression. The fitting function can then be used to identify a substantially true reflow object baseline for each of the reflow objects along the line by plugging in the average value across each of the reflow objects to the fitting function. For example, if a fitting function is found to be: y=0.3x+1200, and there are four reflow objects along a line whose horizontal center points are at x=500, 1200, 1900, and 2600, respectively, then the reflow object baseline values along the vertical y axis for these four reflow objects can be calculated as y=1350, 1560, 1770, and 1980, respectively. The y values calculated according to the fitting function find reflow object baselines for the reflow objects along a line, wherein each of the found reflow object baselines has a minimum amount of error (distance) relative to its corresponding portion of the true per-line baseline.
FIG. 6D illustrates four “reflow object” baselines 106 a, 106 b, 106 c, and 106 d for the four reflow objects, “The,” “quick,” “brown,” and “fox,” respectively, as found using a fitting function according to a method of the present invention. As shown, each of the reflow object baselines 106 a-106 d closely matches the true per-line baseline 100, and hence its corresponding portion of the true per-line baseline 100 (i.e., its true “reflow object” baseline).
FIG. 6E illustrates four reflow objects as rendered on a horizontal line 104 on a display, by aligning each of the reflow object baselines 106 a-106 d determined above with the horizontal line 104. As shown, all of the four reflow objects appear properly when rendered on the horizontal line 104 with their corresponding reflow object baselines 106 a-106 d aligned therewith. Such proper rendering is possible according to a method of the present invention because the error caused by any tilting of the original image is distributed across the entire line of reflow objects, as opposed to all of the error occurring at both ends of the line as shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B.
In the case of extreme jitter, a method of finding reflow object baselines for reflow objects can be further refined by first finding a fitting function, then finding the standard deviation of the distance of all letters (characters) to the fitting function, and finding a fitting function that best approximates all the letters within one standard deviation of the original fitting function. Fitting function techniques remove superscripts, subscripts, footnote indicators, mathematical symbols, hyphens, and other similar non-baseline-conforming letters and symbols from consideration, thereby bringing the determined reflow object baselines even closer to the true per-line baseline 100.
Referring back to FIG. 5, the position of each of the bounding regions 92-95 can be determined relative to the original image, for example in terms of the x-y coordinates of one or more corner points of the bounding region. Further, the position of each bounding region relative to its corresponding reflow object baseline can be defined in terms of an offset distance “B” from the reflow object baseline (coinciding with the per-line baseline 91 in FIG. 5) to the bottom side of the bounding region (see bounding region 92). Further, in the illustrative example, because each bounding region is rectangular in shape, the size of each bounding region can be defined in terms of the height “H” and width “W” of the bounding region. The position and size (e.g., height and width) of a bounding region may be determined using any suitable units of measure, such as inches, centimeters, numbers of pixels, etc., that extend over a spatial dimension.
Referring back to FIG. 4A, at block 76, the reflowable file generation application 31 stores the position and the size of each of the bounding region, thereby forming an image-based reflowable file. Specifically, the position of each bounding region relative to the original display image (or the original display size), defined for example in terms of X-Y coordinates, and relative to its corresponding reflow object baseline, defined for example in terms of an offset distance “B” as shown in FIG. 5, is stored, together with the size of each bounding region. The file may be stored in any one of a number of computer-readable formats that have been developed for storing image data, including, but not limited to JPEG, TIFF, GIF, and BMP formats. In an alternative embodiment, the reflowable file generation application 31 can output the reflowable file directly to another computing device or to a network-based destination.
It should be appreciated by one skilled in the art that various methods of defining the position and size of each bounding region are possible. For example, the size of each bounding region may be defined explicitly by using its width and height, as described above, or implicitly by using mathematical formulae that are representative of the size, such as vector-based formulae. The position of each bounding region relative to the original image or the original display size may be defined absolutely, for example in terms of X-Y coordinates, or relatively with respect to the positions of adjacent bounding region (e.g., the location of the immediately preceding bounding region).
FIG. 4B depicts an exemplary method 80, which may be implemented by a viewer program 42 in the memory 33 of the client system 12, for rendering an image-based reflowable file created in accordance with the present invention. As previously described, in an illustrative embodiment, the reflowable file may be rendered on an output media such as on a display or window of any given size, such as the display device 35 of the client system 12. Additionally, the reflowable file may be rendered on other output media such as print media. The method 80 begins at block 81 by receiving an image-based reflowable file. In the image-based reflowable file, each reflow object contained in the image forms a sub-image and is defined in a bounding region. Further, the size and the position of each bounding region are defined in the reflowable file. Further, a reflow object baseline for each of the reflow objects may be defined.
At block 82, the viewer program 42 determines the size of the output media on which the reflowable file is to be rendered. The display size may be defined by the output media's shape and dimensions, such as the shape and dimension of a display screen. If the output media size is the same, or substantially the same, as the original display/window size for which the image-based reflowable file was created, then the reflowable file may be rendered using the position and the size of each of the bounding region as defined in the reflowable file. If, on the other hand, the output media size is smaller, larger, or substantially different from the original display/window size, then, the viewer program 41 can “reflow” the reflow objects in the reflowable file.
Specifically, at block 83, the number of bounding regions that fit horizontally per each of a plurality of horizontal lines in the output media with a minimum spacing between adjacent bounding regions is determined based on the horizontal dimension of the output media and the size of each bounding region. For example, given the horizontal dimension of the display/window, and the width dimension of each of the bounding region, it can be determined how many bounding regions will fit horizontally per each horizontal line in the display. In an illustrative embodiment, the viewer program 42 may associate less horizontal distance between two reflow objects having complimentary bounding regions (e.g., reflow objects corresponding to hyphenated words). At block 84, the horizontal position of each bounding region relative to each horizontal line is determined. For example, the horizontal coordinates (e.g., x values) of one or more corners of the bounding regions along each horizontal line may be determined.
At block 85, the viewer program 41 determines the vertical position of each of the bounding regions that fit horizontally per each horizontal line is based on the size of the bounding region. For example, given the vertical dimension of the display/window, and the height dimension of each of the bounding regions, the viewer program 41 can determine how to vertically and consistently space apart the bounding regions that fit horizontally along a plurality of horizontal lines on the display. As a further specific example, this can be accomplished by first determining the vertical position of each of the plurality of horizontal lines on the display based on the size of the display (e.g., by dividing the vertical dimension of the display by a minimum spacing) and by determining the vertical position of each bounding regions so as to align the reflow object baseline of the bounding region with the corresponding horizontal line. The minimum spacing between the plurality of horizontal lines on the display may be predefined so as to ensure the minimum size of the rendered content to be legible. As another example, the vertical dimension of the display/window may be divided by the same spacing as the original display/window to maintain the same look and feel of the original content. In an additional embodiment, the viewer program 41 may also take into account certain portions of the output media in which content may not be rendered. Still further, the viewer program 41 may also take into account any content that may not be properly reflow content, such as charts, graphs, pictures, illustrations, mathematical equations, software code listings, poetry, headers/footers, etc.
Lastly, at block 86, the bounding regions, and hence the reflow objects contained therein, are rendered according to the determined horizontal and vertical positions of the bounding regions.
In various exemplary embodiments, the bounding regions, and hence the reflow objects contained therein, may be justified along each horizontal line on the display. Specifically, after the number of bounding regions that fit horizontally per each horizontal line is found, with a minimum spacing between adjacent bounding regions, if there is remaining space along the horizontal line, the remaining space can be distributed appropriately. For example, in the case of right justification, the remaining space may be removed from the end (e.g., the right-most portion) of the horizontal line and inserted at the beginning of the horizontal line before the first (e.g., left-most) reflow object (or the bounding region) appearing on the horizontal line. In the case of center justification, one half of the remaining space may be removed from the end of the horizontal line and inserted at the beginning of the horizontal line. In the case of full justification, the remaining space may be divided by the number of spaces between adjacent reflow objects appearing on the horizontal line (i.e., one less than the number of the reflow objects on the horizontal line), and the resulting quotient space may be inserted in each of the spaces between adjacent reflow objects.
Still referring to FIG. 4B, in a further embodiment of the present invention, a method is provided for rendering an image-based reflowable file on a display/window according to a zoom level requested by a user (reader). First, at block 82, the size of the output medium is determined as well as the zoom (or resizing) level requested by the user. At block 83, the bounding regions are resized in accordance with the requested zoom level (e.g., zoomed up or down) and the number of the resized bounding regions that fit horizontally per each of the plurality of horizontal lines is determined. For example, if a zoom up is requested, the size of each bounding region is enlarged so that a less number of bounding regions will fit horizontally per each horizontal line. On the other hand, if a zoom down is requested, the size of each bounding region is made smaller so that more bounding regions will fit horizontally per each horizontal line. In an illustrative embodiment, the viewer application 41 may adjust the size of the bounding regions directly proportional to the change in zoom level. Alternatively, the viewer application 41 can limit the adjustment of the bounding regions and/or apply different proportions to the bounding region adjustment.
At block 84, the horizontal position of each of the resized bounding regions is determined relative to the horizontal line. At block 85, the vertical position of each of the resized bounding regions is determined. For example, if the user requests to zoom in on text (e.g., reflow objects) shown in the display/window, then the bounding regions are enlarged, and hence horizontal lines on the display may be further spaced apart proportionately to the requested level of zoom in so as to accommodate the enlarged bounding regions. If the user requests to zoom out, then the horizontal lines are condensed (e.g., arranged closer together) proportionately to the requested level of zoom out.
Finally, at block 86, the enlarged bounding regions, and hence the sub-images of the reflow objects defined in the enlarged bounding regions, are rendered on the output medium according to the determined horizontal and vertical positions of the resized bounding regions.
While illustrative embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described, it will be appreciated that various changes can be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.
render the image-based reflowable file on a computer display.
2. The system of claim 1, wherein the image of content corresponds to a scanned image of the printed textual content.
3. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the one or more reflow objects corresponds to a word of textual content.
causing the image-based reflowable file to be rendered on a computer display.
5. The computer-implemented method of claim 4, wherein the polygonal-shaped bounding regions correspond to a geometric shape.
6. The computer-implemented method of claim 4, wherein the geometric shape is a rectangle and wherein the size of each of the polygonal-shaped bounding regions is defined by its width and height.
7. The computer-implemented method of claim 4, wherein the position of each of the polygonal-shaped bounding regions relative to the image is defined by the coordinates of at least one corner point of the polygonal-shaped bounding region.
inputting an average value of each of the reflow objects to the fitting function.
cause the image-based reflowable file to be rendered on a computer display.
10. The system of claim 9, wherein the operation to retrieve an image of content therein comprises receiving the image of content from a source.
11. The system of claim 10, wherein the image is embodied in a file.
12. The system of claim 10, wherein the source comprises an input device selected from the group consisting of a video camera, a scanner, a digital camera, a copier, and a scanning pen.
13. The system of claim 10, wherein the source comprises a second computing device.
14. The system of claim 9, wherein the computing device is further operative to render the image-based reflowable file on a printed medium.
16. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the image having one or more reflow objects comprises an image of a page scanned from a printed document.
17. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the position of each of the polygonal-shaped bounding regions is further defined the coordinates of at least one corner point of the polygonal-shaped bounding region.
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If you have changed to a whole foods diet, and are eating according to your metabolic type, and still haven’t had as much improvement as you would like, this could be your next step. If you haven’t read the extracts from Robert McFerran’s book, go and do so now, then come back to this section.
Note: This is NOT an extract from Bob McFerran’s book and is not a comprehensive protocol for doing the Metabolic Types elimination diet.
Bob doesn’t recommend that people attempt the elimination diet without the full protocol. But that said, I know that people will find this site who are desperate for some help, and who will want to have a go anyway. This page is a combination of text from the e-diet chapter, information from Walt Stoll’s archives and hints from our personal experiences of doing the diet ourselves. I repeat, it NOT a full protocol, but will hopefully give enough information for people to get some meaningful results. If you haven’t read the other pages on this site about Metabolic Types, read the chapters from Bob’s book before reading the rest of this page. After that, read the books recommended below, then read the rest of the Walt Stoll archives. Then you will be as prepared to do this diet as currently possible. It is important not to under-estimate the emotional and physical impact of the diet, so please prepare well and follow the directions exactly. If you don’t do the elimination perfectly, there’s no point in doing it at all.
If the full elimination diet seems too much for you, think about trying a reverse elimination diet.
It is Bob’s experience that people with any type of rheumatologic problem are ALWAYS eating a diet mismatched to their inherited metabolism during the years prior to onset. Eating a mismatched diet usually leads not only to metabolic imbalance, but nearly always to food intolerances. We are usually also addicted to these foods, needing them to feel “good” and feeling bad if we don’t have them regularly.
This procedure will have good results in most people with any chronic disease.
For many people, doing an elimination diet is physically and emotionally hard, so it’s important to be adequately prepared. The more committed you are, the easier it will be.
Bob says: You shouldn’t be taking ANY supplements (especially Ester-C) when doing food testing. It would water down the reactions you might have to foods, since it strengthens the immune system.
If you have bad withdrawal symptoms, you may not feel up to shopping or preparing food for a day or two. So it’s good to make sure you’ve got a couple of days supplies before you start and it can be a big help to prepare and freeze some food in advance. Examples are: stewed fruit, pureed root veges, and fish head broth.
Buy a bottle of magnesium citrate (found in the laxative section) and alka-seltzer ‘gold’ (it’s found only in the gold coloured box). If you’re in NZ, you won’t be able to find these products, but epsom salts will do instead of the magnesium citrate.
Bob says: The magnesium citrate is used at the start of the elimination diet to induce bowel movements to clear the large intestine of most of it’s contents. Since these contents often contain previously eaten food allergens, the overall effect it to speed ‘clearing’. You don’t have to take the citrate — it just speeds the ‘clearing’ process.
Walt Stoll adds: With Irritable Bowel Syndrome, I would not recommend magnesium citrate. Magnesium glycinate, orotate or aspartate would be a much better choice. Later on, when your IBS has been resolved for a year or so, mag citrate might be a cheaper way to go.
If you are a smoker, you will get best results if you don’t smoke during the diet, so consider stopping smoking a while ahead. Don’t try and stop just before the diet, as you won’t be able to tell what you’re getting withdrawal symptoms from.
Make sure you have a support person. If someone else in the household is also doing the diet or can help you, it makes it much easier. Otherwise, you need someone you can phone or email if it gets tough.
Gentle walks and rebounding are good, but avoid strenuous exercise.
Bob says: Take it easy. I usually suggest nothing more strenuous that a fresh air walk for people on the elimination diet. The problem is that if you have aches and pains from exercise it will be difficult to distinguish the same from a reaction to a food during the testing phase.
Plan some ways you can support yourself during this time. Have someone else look after the housework, take time off work, take Aromatherapy baths or burn cleansing oils, get out some funny movies, read one of those books you never have time to read.
Fish – Preferably trout or mackerel. If you can’t get these fresh or frozen, cod is allowable and other white fish will do in a pinch. People who are pretty sure they are H-G can add in lamb if they have trouble functioning on the fish (but only if it’s not usually eaten regularly).
Any foods you regularly eat more than twice a week must be removed from this list.
A snippet from the archives:Q: Robert, Your elimination diet is much more restrictive that other approaches. What is your basis for choosing only those foods? How many people are allergic to such things as turkey and celery? Couldn’t you broaden the elimination diet some? Maybe if it was less restrictive more people would be willing to try this approach. Eliminating a food that maybe 1 in a thousand is sensitive may be unreasonable.
A: The elimination diet that I suggest was developed by Dr. John Mansfield over the course of 20 years and some 10,000 patients. I’ve always wondered why his elimination diet was so much more effective than others. Now I know, and for reasons that I’m sure not even Dr. Mansfield was aware.
The mix of foods on the elimination diet are skewed to the Agriculturist side of the metabolic spectrum. Dr. Mansfield was completely unaware of the metabolic work done by Watson and Wiley but the rather low fat and low purine content of the ‘safe’ foods on the elimination diet are critical to the success of the diet.
One of the things that I’ve found is the simple fact that people that occupy the EXTREME ends of the metabolic spectrum are much more likely to develop chronic disease. An individual with an EXTREME Agriculturist metabolism would find that they could sufficiently ‘clear’ their symptoms due to the low fat and purine content of the elimination diet foods. They would find that they would do quite well on meals consisting of primarily vegetables and fruit with the addition of fish only during the evening meal.
Unfortunately something like turkey (even the breast meat) would have too much fat and especially purine to allow complete clearing by an individual with an EXTREME Agriculturist metabolism.
Fortunately EXTREME Hunter-gatherers will find that they can effectively clear during the diet BUT they will find that they have to eat a good sized portion of fish at each meal and might require 4-5 meals a day to get enough purine and fat.
The root vegetables on the elimination diet should be little surprise since we have eaten them for a long enough period of time to become well adapted.
I have considered creating two elimination diets. One for each metabolic type. The problem is that if you guess wrong and go with the H-G elimination diet and you are actually an Agriculturist, the diet would not reveal anything. The converse (happily) is not true.
You can successfully use the rather ‘light’ elimination diet if you possess a H-G metabolism. You will find that you will have to eat the fish 3-4 times a day to maintain energy level while avoiding overly excessive amounts of fruit and yam/sweet potato. If you are SURE that you are a H-G (as some people have played with the metabolic diets before running the elimination diet), add lamb and olive oil to your list of safe foods on the elimination diet. Pull out the yam/sweet potato, zucchini and peaches. This will speed the entire process.
If you work weekdays, Thursday evening will be the best time to begin. Wait two hours after dinner and pour one-half of the contents of the bottle of magnesium citrate into a tall glass. Add an equal amount of water and some ice and drink slowly. Repeat the same procedure with the remainder of the magnesium citrate just prior to retiring.
Friday morning’s breakfast and all subsequent meals for the next six days should consist exclusively of the ‘safe’ foods (cod, trout, mackerel, pears, parsnips, turnips, rutabaga, sweet potatoes, yams, celery, zucchini, carrots and peaches). You may eat them in any combination and in any amount as often as you want throughout the first six days. Take note of what you are eating and how often you are eating it. You probably won’t be able to remember so keep a diary. You will need that information later.
By Friday evening (day 1) you may start feeling your first ‘withdrawal’ symptoms. You won’t be getting the temporary lift provided by your addictive food(s). Withdrawal symptoms can take many forms. The most obvious is an increase in joint swelling and pain. Headache, muscle aches, fatigue and other flu-like symptoms are very common. Strong hunger pangs and cravings are usually present. It’s not unusual to still feel hungry shortly after a meal.
Withdrawal symptoms often worsen on Saturday and Sunday (days 2 and 3). The intensity of these symptoms should not be underestimated. In fact many will feel completely crippled during these days. Withdrawal symptoms can be somewhat ameliorated by taking one tablet of alka-seltzer (in the gold box) in a large glass of water. This can be repeated every 4 hours if needed. You should try to drink plenty of water. It will help speed elimination and the ‘clearing’ of symptoms.
By Monday (day 4) some will feel significantly better as their withdrawal symptoms begin to clear. This ‘clearing’ will continue on Tuesday and Wednesday (days 5 and 6). While younger people tend to clear their symptoms earlier, 85% of all arthritics will clear a large part of their arthritis symptoms by day 6. After clearing most report that they feel better than they have in years.
By clearing, we mean that any withdrawal symptoms have abated, and along with them many of the chronic symptoms that were the reason for doing the e-diet in the first place. Clearing is a multi-faceted phenomenon. You cease to feel the intense cravings that are driven by food allergies. You feel calmer and more relaxed. Food allergens create inflammation. Inflammation creates edema (swelling) and water retention. I don’t know if you’ve been watching your ankles but they should be a lot less puffy as you dispense with this water weight.
WHAT IF YOU DON’T CLEAR?This can happen sometimes and there are a number of possible reasons why. First of all, about 85% of people will experience strong to moderate withdrawal while 15% DON’T have any withdrawal. They will all experience some clearing.
Those that clear 100% of their symptoms usually don’t have a yeast or bacterial problem — they just have a leaky gut. If they let it persist, however there is a VERY good chance that dysbiosis (the lost balance of bacterial micro-flora) will occur in the future.
Those that clear significantly less than 100% of their symptoms at the end of the elimination diet have other factors creating mischief. The usual culprits are yeast and gram negative bacteria. Inhaled allergens (primarily house dust and moulds as well as some chemical sensitivities (usually chlorine in water, formaldehyde and solvents) can also play a part. Once these are addressed, most people will find that they clear almost all of their symptoms.
There is a significant chemical exposure or inhaled allergy that is effectively masking symptoms. Common chemical exposures take the form of formaldehyde or carpet solvents in a new house/place of business or a leaking gas stove. The inhaled allergen is frequently dust and/or dust mite from old carpets and bedding. Moulds from the basement can create a significant problem. A general clean-up of the surrounding environment is always a good idea prior to and following the elimination diet. Changing the bedding (especially the pillowcase) every evening can help reduce dust/dust mite exposure. Showering before going to bed is effective in removing pollens and other allergens from hair to keep them from being transferred to the pillowcase and inhaled through the night.
The individual has an extreme metabolism (usually demanding more fat, purine and cholesterol) than provided by the foods in the elimination diet. If they disdain eating the fish in the elimination diet they will rob themselves of key ingredients to their energy cycle. These people usually describe a worsening of symptoms (especially fatigue) followed by a lack of clearing on the diet. These symptoms will resolve as they move to the Metabolic Diet phase of the program.
There is a significant problem with intestinal candidiasis (specifically reacting to the candida albicans micro-organism) which is so severe that it’s symptoms mask the results of the elimination diet. Usually these people have withdrawal symptoms followed by only a marginal clearing of symptoms. These symptoms will clear once the candidiasis is properly treated.
The individual is reacting to toxins from other flora or parasites in the intestinal tract. Overabundance of gram negative bacteria or amoebic parasites are the usual culprits. See the gram negative test below.
You are allergic to one of the foods on the elimination diet (very rare).
Any combination of the above can cloud the results of the elimination diet.
If you haven’t cleared completely after 6 days, start testing anyway. It won’t be as easy to tell when you have reactions, but set the way you feel at the 6 day mark as your benchmark, and compare back to that. Your food/symptom diary will be invaluable in this situation.
After going through the testing phase and settling into your appropriate whole food diet, you’ll need to investigate and address whatever caused you to not clear.
Now that symptoms have cleared new foods can be introduced, one by one, to the base diet of ‘safe’ foods that you’ve been eating the past 6 days. Your food testing will have to stop after 21 days. You can go on testing foods for a reaction, but many will not generate a hyper-acute response after that 21 day period. The problem is that we tend to re-develop tolerance over time. The re-acquisiton and timing of this tolerance varies greatly from person to person. You have about 21 days AFTER completing the elimination diet phase to complete the testing phase, so you want to test as many foods as possible in that time.
The following guidelines will help you get the most out of this time.
It will be useful to have worked out what metabolic type you think you are by this stage. If you felt energised even while hungry, during the diet, you are most likely down the Carbo/Agriculturist end of the scale. If you felt hungry, fatigued and didn’t clear, you are most likely a protein/Hunter-Gatherer type.
Start with the things that have a lower allergenic potential ie. whole foods that are suitable for your metabolic type and that you are fairly confident you will be OK on. This will enable you to expand your food list fairly quickly, and make the diet easier to stick to.
NEW COMMENT FROM BOB, Jan 2004: I suggest testing a core food in the morning, a supplemental for lunch, and a small portion of an avoid food for dinner. This works well since I DO want folks to eat avoids at appropriate times (in the evening) to give them more foods. I’ve had a few folks test all the cores first, the secondaries next, and the avoids last. After having a couple of days of testing new avoids, they start feeling worse and think that it is a food allergy, rather than just a metabolic shift bringing on their symptoms.
Test a new food each meal. If there is no reaction, you can try another food 4 hours later. So 3-4 foods can be tested each day.
Test the BIGGIES (wheat, corn, milk, soy, brewers yeast, bakers yeast) toward the end of the first week in the testing phase, after you have established a workable repetoire of foods, but before your sensitivity reduces. Remember milk, milk products, and grains sometimes need to be taken for several meals before their full effects are felt.
NEW COMMENT FROM BOB, Jan 2004: I now recommend that in order to test a grain or milk, you should consume it 3 times for 4 consecutive days.The bakers and brewers yeast can be tested early on and with a single ingestion. It is pretty good at delivering a reaction.
Reactions tend to happen 45 minutes to 2 hours after ingestion. Fatigue, headache, abdominal distress, sleepiness, dizziness, brain fog and confusion, aching joints, etc. are the major symptoms. Hyper-acute reactions are usually an exacerbation of whatever symptoms that you had prior to the elimination diet. In other words, they can vary. You may be concerned that you won’t know what they are — but you will. Headache, joint pains and sudden fatigue lead the list.
Be sure to keep a diary of everything that you eat and how you felt afterward. In rare cases there is a delayed reaction (usually with wheat and milk) that gradually builds over a day or two.
Grains like wheat are fairly insoluble compared to other foods. Most reactions happen within 2 hours BUT reactions to grains are sometimes delayed as much as 4 days!
If you have a reaction, the food has “failed” and you must avoid it for at least 3 months. Wait 24 hours before testing another new food. Be aware that reactions can be physical or mental. If it’s physical, it may be your old problems resurfacing, or it might be something new. If it’s mental or emotional, you may not notice the reaction yourself. Ask someone close to let you now if they notice any negative mood swings.
The alka-seltzer gold is a mixture of salts that helps with withdrawal symptoms. One tablet can be taken in a large glass of water every 4 hours. The alka-seltzer does two things. It does seem to help with acidosis and it does speed up the excretion of the unwanted metabolites after a reaction to food.
When testing fats, to use them sparingly if you want to get a true read on whether they are a true food sensitivity. Too much will cause a metabolic shift that will give you some symptoms similar to food allergy reactions.
If you only RARELY eat a food, don’t waste time testing it. Bob personally found that there were at maximum 30 foods that required his testing — which was done in 13 days with 8 major food allergies found.
Don’t add supplements back till after the testing phase is over. Men will be able to restart supplements immediately after they’ve done testing foods. Women should wait minimally a full month to check for ‘cycling’. Since acidophilus/bifidophilous are good for all metabolic subsets, those could be started after food testing for women as well. You might be surprised that your supplements are doing less for you than you think. Bob finds that about 25% of people can’t tolerate ANY vitamins no matter what metabolism they’ve inherited. They simply make them feel worse.
This is the time when your body can start to repair itself.
You’ve established your safe foods, and these should be the only foods you eat for at least 3 months. The longer the better. During this time, you’ll need to prepare all of your food yourself. If you “stray” from your safe foods, you won’t feel good. After maybe 6-12 months, you may be able to test some of the foods you “failed” on earlier. If they are suitable for your metabolic type, you may be able to eat them reasonably regularly again, once the addiction has cleared.
If you have problems with candida, gram negative bacteria or chemical sensitivities, now is the time to address those as well.
The test for gram negative bacteria…… can only be run AFTER you have run the elimination diet (and determined your major food allergens) and moved to the appropriate metabolic diet. You won’t be able to FEEL the difference until you’ve ‘cleared’ symptoms created by food allergens and metabolic problems.
The test consists of taking 4 Pepto Bismol tablets (the round ones) right before going to bed. If you wake the next morning and notice that your symptoms are significantly improved then you’ll want to continue using a ‘pulsed dose’ regimen that Bob has developed.
Basically the pepto test tells you to what extent enteric toxins (probably from gram negative bacteria) are adding to your arthritis symptoms.
“Some folks have found that they actually CURED their arthritis simply by going on pulsed courses of strong antibiotics like flagyl (metronidazole). I have found that pepto-bismol can be just as effective and much safer.
Pepto-bismol is really bismuth salts stabilized in a salicyate base. Bismuth salts have broad spectrum anti-biotic properties. They probably kill anaerobic as well as aerobic bacteria but not has powerfully or as wide a spectrum as prescription antibiotics (i.e. tetracyclines or flagyl).
Discontinue after 12 weeks. During this time be sure to supplement daily with acidophillus (3x a day with meals) since the bismuth salts do kill some good bacteria too. | 2019-04-20T17:03:40Z | http://www.frot.co.nz/design/dietnet/resources/ediet_howto/ |
도킹형 기판 이송 및 처리 시스템이 개시된다. A docking-type substrate transfer and processing system is disclosed. 그러한 도킹형 기판 이송 및 처리 시스템은 기판이 적치되는 적치대와, 상기 적치대로부터/로 기판을 인수/인계하는 기판 이송부재와, 상기 기판 이송부재로부터 기판을 인수하여 세정 및 건조 처리하는 기판 세정 및 건조장비와, 그리고 상기 기판 세정 및 건조장비로부터 인출된 기판을 상기 기판 이송부재로부터 인수하여 처리하는 기판 처리장비를 포함한다. Such a docking-type substrate transporting and processing system, a substrate cleaning the substrate is jeokchi ever beat and the jeokchi substrate transfer member to take / takes over the substrate to / from the AS and to take over the substrate from the substrate transfer member processing cleaning and drying that and with the drying equipment, and includes a substrate processing equipment that processes the acquired withdrawn substrate from the substrate cleaning and drying equipment from the substrate transfer member.
본 발명은 도킹형 기판 이송 및 처리 시스템과, 그 처리방법에 관한 것으로, 더욱 상세하게는 기판의 처리라인과 세정, 건조라인을 기판 이송부재에 의하여 도킹방식(Docking Type)으로 서로 연결함으로써 기판의 이송 및 처리효율을 향상시킬 수 있는 도킹형 기판 이송 및 처리 시스템과, 그 처리방법에 관한 것이다. The present invention of a substrate to, and more particularly, by connecting to each other in the docking system (Docking Type) by the processing line and the washing and drying line of the substrate in the substrate transfer member according to the processing method and a docking-type substrate transfer and processing system, and a docking-type substrate transfer and processing system which can improve the transfer and the processing efficiency, the present invention relates to the processing method.
일반적으로 평판 디스플레이(FPD;Flat Panel Display), 반도체 웨이퍼, LCD, 포토 마스크용 글라스 등에 사용되는 기판은 증착, 에칭, 스트립, 세정, 린스 등의 일련의 공정을 거치면서 처리된다. In general, a flat panel display; substrate used in (FPD Flat Panel Display), a semiconductor wafer, glass for LCD, a photomask is treated while passing through a series of steps of deposition, etch, strip, washing, rinsing and the like.
이러한 일련의 기판 처리공정은 통상적으로 기판을 이송시키기 위한 이송시스템과 연계됨으로써 기판의 공급, 처리, 배출의 과정이 하나의 순환 싸이클을 이루게 된다. A series of these substrate processing process is typically associated with transport systems for transporting a substrate being a process of supplying the substrate, the process, the discharge is formed by a circulation cycle. 이때, 상기 이송시스템은 MGV(Manual Guarded Vehicle, AGV(Auto Guarded Vehicle), CVT(Clean Transfer Vehicle) 등을 포함한다. At this time, the transfer system and the like MGV (Manual Guarded Vehicle, AGV (Auto Guarded Vehicle), CVT (Clean Transfer Vehicle).
그리고, 이러한 상기 기판 이송시스템과 처리공정은 다양한 방법으로 서로 연계하고 있다. And, this substrate transfer system and the process are associated to each other in a number of ways.
즉, 세정라인으로부터 이송장치에 의하여 기판을 인출하여 카셋트에 저장하고, 다시 이송장치를 이용하여 기판을 인출하여 진공증착장비 혹은 스퍼터링 장비에 공급하여 처리한 후, 다시 카셋트에 저장, 인출, 식각장비 공급 등의 처리공정을 거치게 된다. That is, the take-off of the substrate stored in the cassette by the transfer device from the washing line, by withdrawing the substrate using a back feed unit after processing supplied to a vacuum deposition apparatus or sputtering equipment, the storage back to the cassette, take-off, etching equipment It is subjected to processing steps such as supply.
혹은, 이송장치에 의하여 기판을 이송하여 카셋트에 저장하고, 천정 반송장비를 이용하여 인접한 카세트에 이송하여 다시 저장한 후 기판 처리라인에 공급하는 방법도 가능하다. Alternatively, it is also possible a method for transferring a substrate to a storage cassette, and supplied to the substrate processing line and then stored back to the transfer to the adjacent cassette using the overhead transport device by the transporting device.
그러나, 상기와 같은 기판 이송 및 처리시스템은 다음과 같은 문제점이 있다. However, the substrate transfer and processing system as described above has the following problems.
첫째, 다수의 기판 처리라인이 각각 독립적으로 배치되고, 이 처리라인들 사이에 다수개의 이송장치가 각각 배치되는 형태이므로, 이송장치에 의한 기판의 이송, 카셋트 저장, 다시 인출 등의 작업이 빈번하게 이루어지므로 기판의 이송이 원활하지 못하고, 또한 이송시간이 오래 걸리는 문제점이 있다. First, being arranged in each of the plurality of substrate treatment lines are independent, the recycling lines Because the plurality of transfer devices are disposed respectively between the, frequently, the operation of such transfer, the cassette storage, again drawn out of the substrate by the transfer device do not therefore made smooth transfer of the substrate, there is also a problem transfer takes a long time.
둘째, 이러한 기판 처리시스템에 있어서는 로더, 진공증착, 에칭부, 린스부, 스트립부, 세정부, 언로더 등이 각각 별도로 구비됨으로 넓은 설치공간이 필요하게 되므로 라인 설치비용이 상승하는 문제점이 있다. Second, because in such a substrate processing system loader, vacuum deposition, etching unit, the rinsing section, the strip portion, doemeuro cleaning section, brace, etc., each having additionally a need for a large installation space, there is a problem in that the line installation cost.
셋째, 기판의 이송이 별도로 구동되는 MGV, AGV, CVT 등의 이송기구에 의하여 이루어지므로 기판의 처리효율이 저하되는 문제점이 있다. Third, since carried by a transport mechanism, such as MGV, AGV, the CVT transfer of the substrate to be driven separately, there is a problem in that the lowering process efficiency of the substrate.
넷째, 기판의 이송이 상기와 같이 외부환경에 노출된 구조를 갖는 이송기구에 의하여 이루어지므로 이송과정에서 외부 이물질로 인하여 오염될 수 있는 문제점이 있다. Fourth, the feed of the substrate, there is a problem that may be contaminated because during the transfer so carried by a transport mechanism that has the structure exposed to the outside environment to the foreign matter as described above.
따라서, 본 발명의 목적은 전술한 문제점을 해결하기 위하여 안출 된 것으로서, 본 발명의 목적은 기판의 처리라인과 세정, 건조라인을 기판 이송부재에 의하여 도킹방식(Docking Type)으로 연결함으로써 기판의 물류흐름이 향상될 수 있는 도킹형 기판 이송 및 처리시스템과, 그 처리방법을 제공하는데 있다. Therefore, as an object of the present invention has been made in view of solving the above-mentioned problems, an object of the present invention is the logistics of the substrate by connecting the docking system (Docking Type) by the processing line and the washing and drying line of the substrate in the substrate transfer member docking-type substrate transfer and processing system in which the flow can be improved, and to provide the processing method.
본 발명의 다른 목적은 기판세정 및 건조라인을 적층구조로 형성하고, 각 세정유닛간에 간섭을 최대한 방지하면서 조밀한 배치를 이룰 수 있도록 제작함으로써 설치면적을 줄여 라인 설치비용을 절감할 수 있는 도킹형 기판 이송 및 처리 시스템과, 그 처리방법을 제공하는데 있다. It is another object of the present invention docked to reduce the mounting area cut line installation cost by manufacturing to achieve a compact arrangement while forming a substrate cleaning and drying line to a layered structure, and prevent the interference as much as possible between each cleaning unit Model to provide a substrate transfer and processing system and its processing method.
본 발명의 또 다른 목적은 기판의 세정 및 건조장치를 밀폐구조의 인라인(In Line)형태로 구성함으로써 기판의 이송시 발생할 수 있는 외부 이물질에 의한 오염발생 빈도를 줄일 수 있는 도킹형 기판 이송 및 처리 시스템과, 그 처리방법을 제공하는데 있다. A further object of the present invention is a docking-type substrate transfer and processing of reducing the contamination incidence by the foreign matter, which may occur during transport of the substrate by forming a cleaning and drying unit of the substrate in-line (In Line) type of sealing structure to provide a system and its processing method.
본 발명의 상기한 목적을 실현하기 위하여, 본 발명은 기판이 적치되는 적치대와; In order to achieve the above object of the present invention, and the present invention is ever beat the substrate is jeokchi; 상기 적치대로부터/로 기판을 인수/인계하는 기판 이송부재와; Substrate transfer member to take / takes over the substrate in order from, as the jeokchi / and; 상기 기판 이송부재로부터 기판을 인수하여 세정 및 건조 처리하는 기판 세정 및 건조장비와; Substrate cleaning and drying equipment for the cleaning and drying process to take over the substrate from the substrate transfer member; 그리고 상기 기판 세정 및 건조장비로부터 인출된 기판을 인수하여 처리하는 기판 처리장비를 포함하는 도킹형 기판 이송 및 처리 시스템을 제공한다. And it provides a docking-type substrate transfer and processing system including a substrate processing equipment that processes the acquired withdrawn substrate from the substrate cleaning and drying equipment.
또한, 본 발명은 기판 이송부재가 적치대로부터 기판을 인출하는 제1 단계와; Further, the present invention provides a first step of withdrawing the substrate from the substrate as a transfer member jeokchi; 인출된 기판을 도킹방식으로 연결되도록 배치되는 기판 세정 및 건조장비로 공급하여 처리하는 제2 단계와; A second step of processing the substrate by supplying a cleaning and drying device is arranged to be connected to the take-off board the docking method; 그리고 상기 기판 이송부재가 상기 기판 세정 및 건조장비로부터 기판을 인수하여 기판 처리장비에 공급함으로써 기판을 처리하는 제3 단계를 포함하는 도킹형 기판 이송 및 처리 방법을 제공한다. And it provides a docking-type substrate transfer and processing method for a third step in which the substrate transfer member processing a substrate by providing a substrate processing equipment to take over the substrate from the substrate cleaning and drying equipment.
이하, 첨부된 도면을 참조하여 본 발명의 바람직한 일 실시예에 따른 도킹형 기판 이송 및 처리 시스템을 상세하게 설명한다. With reference to the accompanying drawings, it will be described in the docking-type substrate transfer and processing system according to an embodiment of the present invention in detail.
도1 은 본 발명의 바람직한 실시예에 따른 기판 세정 및 건조장치(HDC)가 적용된 도킹형 기판 이송 및 처리시스템을 개략적으로 도시하는 도면이다. 1 is a view schematically showing a substrate cleaning and docking-type substrate transfer and processing system of the drying device (HDC) is applied according to an embodiment of the present invention.
도시된 바와 같이, 본 발명이 제안하는 도킹형 기판 이송 및 처리 시스템은 기판이 적치되는 적치대(C)와, 상기 적치대(C)로부터/로 기판을 인출/인계하는 기판 이송부재(R)와, 상기 기판 이송부재(R)로부터/로 기판을 인수/인계하여 세정 및 건조하는 기판 세정 및 건조장치(HDC;H)와, 상기 기판 세정 및 건조장치로(H)로부터 기판 이송부재(R)에 의하여 인출된 기판을 인수하여 처리하는 기판 처리장비(D)를 포함한다. , The docking-type substrate transporting and processing system of the present invention suggests a substrate conveying member (R) that the enemy beat (C) in which the substrate is jeokchi, take-off / turn over the enemy beat (C) the substrate to / from, as illustrated and, with the acquisition / take over the substrate transfer carrier substrate to from / (R) washing and drying the substrate cleaning and drying apparatus (HDC; H), and a substrate transfer member from the substrate cleaning and to the drying apparatus (H) (R ) and a substrate processing device (D) for processing by acquiring the drawn substrate by.
상기한 바와 같은 구조를 갖는 기판 이송 및 처리 시스템에 있어서, 상기 적치대(C)는 통상적으로 사용되는 구조의 카셋트(Cassete)를 포함한다. A substrate transporting and processing system having a structure as described above, the enemy beat (C) comprises a conventional cassette (Cassete) of the structure is used. 따라서, 다수의 기판이 카셋트의 내부에 적치됨으로써 필요에 따라 인출 혹은 공급가능하다. Thus, it can be pulled out or supplied as needed by being placed in a plurality of substrates inside the cassette.
또한, 상기 기판 이송부재(R)도 통상적인 구조을 갖는 로봇을 포함하며, 이러한 기판 이송부재(R; 이하, 로봇)는 기판을 적치할 수 있는 아암(Arm)이 구비되며, 회전 및 승하강 가능한 로봇을 의미한다. In addition, the substrate transfer member (R) also includes a conventional gujoeul having a robot, such a substrate conveying member (R; or less, the robot) is provided with the arm (Arm) to jeokchi the substrate, a rotatable and elevating It means the robot. 따라서, 상기 카셋트(C)로부터 기판을 인출하여 상기 세정 및 건조라인에 공급하거나 그 역순으로 동작하게 된다. Thus, by withdrawing the substrate from the cassette (C) supplied to the cleaning and drying line, or are operated in the reverse order.
그리고, 상기 기판 처리장비(D)는 바람직하게는 화학기상증착(CVD; Chemical Vapor Deposition)장비 혹은 스퍼터링(Sputtering) 장비를 포함한다. In addition, the substrate processing equipment (D) is preferably a chemical vapor deposition; and a (CVD Chemical Vapor Deposition) or sputtering equipment (Sputtering) equipment. 따라서, 공급된 기판상에 소정의 막을 형성하게 한다. Thus, to form a predetermined film on the supplied substrate. 물론, 다른 기판 처리장비가 설치될 수 있다. Of course, other substrate processing equipment can be installed.
이와 같이, 기판 이송 및 처리 시스템은 기판의 인출, 세정 및 건조, 그리고 진공처리 등 일련의 공정이 한 장소에서 이루어지므로 기판의 이송 및 처리가 원활하게 이루어 질 수 있다. Thus, the substrate transfer and processing system may be made to a series of the process is a smooth transport and processing of the achieved because the substrate in one location, such as take-off of the substrate, washed and dried, and vacuum processing.
한편, 상기 기판 세정 및 건조장치(H)를 도2 내지 도5 에 의하여 더욱 상세하게 설명한다. On the other hand, the substrate cleaning and drying apparatus will be described in the (H) 2 to in more detail by Fig.
도시된 바와 같이, 기판 세정 및 건조장치(H;도1)는 프레임(Frame;10)과, 상기 프레임(10)의 상부에 활주 가능하게 장착되어 로봇(R)으로부터/으로 기판(Ｉ)을 인수/인계하는 상부 이송수단(Transfer Means;12)과, 상기 프레임(10)의 전후방에 승하강 가능하게 구비되어 상기 상부 이송수단(12)으로부터/으로 기판(Ｉ)을 인계/인수하는 수직 이송수단(14,16)과, 수직 이송수단(14,16)으로부터/으로 기판(Ｉ)을 인수/인계하는 이송유닛(18,20)과, 상기 이송유닛(18,20)의 사이에 배치되어 이송된 기판(Ｉ)을 세정(Cleaning) 및 건조(Dry) 처리하는 기판 처리유닛(22)을 포함한다. The substrate cleaning and drying apparatus as shown (H; 1 degree) of the frame; a (Frame 10) and the substrate (I) is slidably mounted on the upper portion to / from the robot (R) of the frame (10) acquisition / takeover upper transfer means (transfer means; 12) and, is provided to enable elevating the front and rear vertical transfer to take over / take over the substrate (I) to / from said upper conveying means (12) of the frame (10) It is disposed between the means (14, 16), a transfer unit (18, 20) and said transfer unit (18, 20) to take / takes over the substrates (I) as from the vertical transfer means (14, 16) / a substrate processing units 22 for cleaning (cleaning) and dried (dry) processing the feed substrate (I).
이와 같은 구조를 갖는 기판 세정 및 건조장치(H;도1)에 있어서, 상기 프레임(10)은 다층으로 구비되며, 바람직하게는 3층으로 구성된다. The substrate cleaning and drying system with the same structure; in (H 1 degree), the frame (10) is provided in multiple layers, preferably composed of three layers. 즉, 외부에서 공급된 기판(Ｉ)을 프레임(10)의 전후방으로 이송시키는 상부 이송수단(12)이 구비된 상부층(Ⅲ)과, 상기 상부층(Ⅲ)으로부터 공급된 기판(Ｉ)을 세정, 건조시키는 장비들이 구비된 중간층(Ⅱ)과, 지지부재 및 동력장치들이 구비된 하부층(Ⅰ)으로 이루어진다. That is, cleaning the substrate (I) supplied from the upper conveying means 12 for conveying back and forth of the substrate (I) the frame (10) externally supplied with having an upper layer (Ⅲ) and, the top layer (Ⅲ), made of the drying equipment is provided that the intermediate layer (ⅱ) and the support member and the lower layer power unit (ⅰ) are equipped.
따라서, 기판(Ｉ)의 이송 및 세정, 건조장치를 적층형태로 구성하여 소형화시킴으로써, 기판(Ｉ)의 반입/반출, 이송, 세정, 건조 등의 공정이 작은 공간에서 효율적으로 이루어질 수 있다. Therefore, it is possible to efficiently take place in the transfer and cleaning, the small process, such as carry in / out, transport, washing, drying by the size reduction by configuring a drying device in a stacked form, the substrate (I) area of the substrate (I).
또한, 상기 프레임(10)의 외부는 기판(Ｉ)의 유/출입구를 제외하고는 판넬 등에 의하여 밀폐된 구조를 가질 수 있다. In addition, the outside of the frame 10 may have a closed structure by the panel or the like, except for the organic / exit of the substrate (I). 따라서, 먼지 등 외부 이물질이 라인으로 유입되는 것을 방지할 수 있다. Accordingly, it is possible to prevent the foreign matter such as dust from entering the lines.
상기 상부 이송수단(12)은 상기 프레임(10)에 장착된 레일(24)상에 안착되어 활주 가능한 하부베이스(Lower Base;13)와, 상기 하부베이스(13)의 상부에 장착되며 기판(Ｉ)이 적치되는 상부 베이스(Upper Base;15)와, 기판(Ｉ)이 안착되어 정렬되는 정열부(26)와, 기판(Ｉ)을 일정 높이로 부상시키는 다수의 부상판(28)으로 이루어진다. The upper transfer means 12 is a rail 24 is mounted on the slidable lower base attached to the frame (10); and mounted on top of (Lower Base 13) and the lower base 13, the substrate (I achieved a 15) and a substrate (I) aligned portion 26 and the substrate (I) is arranged is the seat of a number of the floating plate 28 to become the predetermined height;), the upper base (upper base is jeokchi.
이와 같은 구조를 갖는 상부 이송수단(12)에 있어서, 상기 하부베이스(13)의 양단부에는 레일(24)상에 안착되는 슬라이딩 플레이트(17)가 구비된다. In this way the upper conveying means 12 having the above structure, both end portions of the lower base 13 is provided with a sliding plate 17 which is seated on the rail 24. 따라서, 모터 조립체(도시안됨)가 구동하는 경우 상기 슬라이딩 플레이트(17)가 레일(24)을 따라 이동함으로써 상부 이송수단(12)이 전후방향으로 이동 가능하다. Thus, it is possible motor assembly the sliding plate 17 is 12, the upper transfer device by moving along the rail 24 when the driving (not shown) is moved in the front-rear direction.
또한, 상기 상부베이스(15)에는 2개의 정열부(26) 및 다수개의 지지핀(Support Pin;27)이 장착된다. In addition, the upper base 15 includes two alignment units 26 and a plurality of support pins (Pin Support; 27) is equipped with. 그리고, 이 정열부(26) 및 다수개의 지지핀(27)의 상부에 기판(Ｉ)이 안정적으로 안착된다. Then, the substrate (I) on top of the alignment unit 26 and a plurality of support pin 27 is stably seated in. 이때, 상기 정열부(26)에는 가이드핀(Guide Pin;29)이 각각 돌출 형성되며, 기판 안착시 기판(Ｉ)의 모서리를 일정 위치에 고정시킨다. In this case, the staggered portion 26 has a guide pin (Guide Pin; 29) is formed to protrude, respectively, to secure the edge of the substrate when mounting the substrate (I) at a predetermined position. 따라서, 기판(Ｉ)은 정열부(26)의 정확한 위치에 안착될 수 있다. Thus, the substrate (I) may be seated in the exact position of the alignment section 26.
그리고, 상기 다수의 부상판(28)은 상기 기판(Ｉ)이 얹혀지는 경우 발생할 수 있는 처짐을 방지하기 위하여 장착된다. And, a plurality of the floating plate 28 is assembled, is fixed in order to prevent deflection that might occur if that is the substrate (I) is rested. 즉, 부상판(28)에는 일정 압력의 공기가 분사되며, 이 분사된 공기가 얹혀진 기판(Ｉ)의 저면을 일정 압력으로 밀어 올리게 됨으로써 기판(Ｉ)의 처짐을 방지하게 된다. That is, the plate portion 28 there is a predetermined pressure of an air jet, is being pushed to raise the bottom surface of the injected air is eonhyeojin substrate (I) at a predetermined pressure to prevent sagging of the substrate (I).
그리고, 선택적으로 상기 하부베이스(13)와 상부베이스(15)의 사이에 모터 조립체 등의 회전부재(49)를 장착할 수도 있다. And it may be optionally equipped with a rotating member 49 such as a motor assembly between the lower base 13 and upper base 15. 즉, 하부베이스(13)의 상면에 회전부재(49)를 고정하고 회전부재(49)의 상부에 상부베이스(15)를 장착하는 구조이다. That is, holding the rotation member 49 on the upper surface of the lower base 13 and the structure for mounting the upper base 15 to the upper portion of the rotary member (49).
따라서, 이러한 회전부재(49)를 구비함으로써 필요에 따라 상부 베이스(15)를 일정각도 회전시킴으로써 기판(Ｉ)의 이송방향을 적절히 조절 가능하다. Thus, it is possible to properly adjust the transfer direction of the substrate (I) by rotating an angle to the upper base 15, as needed by providing such a rotating member 49.
한편, 상기 수직이송수단(14,16)은 제1 업다운 버퍼유닛(14)과 제2 업다운 버퍼유닛(16)으로 이루어지며, 상기 제1 및 제2 업다운 버퍼유닛(14,16)은 상기 상부 이송수단(12)으로부터/으로 기판(Ｉ)을 인수하거나 인계하게 된다. On the other hand, the vertical transfer means (14, 16) is formed of a first up-down buffer unit 14 and the second up-down buffer unit 16, the first and second up-down buffer units 14 and 16 is the upper a substrate (I) to / from the transfer device 12 will acquire or turned over.
즉, 상기 제1 업다운 버퍼유닛(14)은 상기 프레임(10)의 일측에 승하강 가능하게 장착되어 상기 상부 이송수단(12)으로부터 기판(Ｉ)을 인수하고, 상기 제2 업다운 버퍼유닛(16)은 상기 제1 업다운 버퍼유닛(14)의 반대측에 장착되어 처리된 기판(Ｉ)을 상기 상부 이송수단(12)에 인계하게 된다. That is, the first up-down buffer unit 14 and the second up-down buffer unit (16 are mounted to elevating a side of the frame 10 and take over the substrate (I) from said upper conveying means (12), ) is turned over to the first up-down buffer unit 14 is mounted opposite to the substrate (I) of the upper conveying means (12 processed in a).
이러한 제1 및 제2 업다운 버퍼유닛(14,16)은 동일한 구조를 가지므로 이하, 하나의 업다운 버퍼유닛에 의하여 설명한다. These first and second up-down buffer units 14 and 16 are have the same structure will be described by the following, one of the up-down buffer unit.
즉, 상기 제1 업다운 버퍼유닛(14)은 상부 이송수단(12)으로부터 기판(Ｉ)을 인수하여 하강하는 한 쌍의 상부핸드(Upper Hand;30)와, 상기 한 쌍의 상부핸드(30)로부터 기판(Ｉ)을 인수하여 로더(18)에 인계하는 하부핸드(Lower Hand;32)로 이루어진다. That is, the first up-down buffer unit 14 has a pair of upper hand that drops to take over the substrate (I) from the upper conveying means (12) (Upper Hand; 30) and the upper hand 30 of the pair to take over the substrate (I) from the lower hand to take over the loader 18; made by (lower Hand 32).
상기 한 쌍의 상부핸드(30)는 "ㄱ" 자 형상을 가지며 모터 조립체(31)의 구동에 의하여 상하방향의 수직이동 및 좌우방향의 수평이동이 가능하다. An upper hand 30 of the pair is capable of "b" has a shape of a horizontal movement in the vertical direction by the driving of the motor assembly 31 is moved vertically and the left and right direction. 따라서, 이러한 한 쌍의 상부핸드(30)는 필요에 따라 적절하게 수직이동 및 수평이동을 하게 된다. Thus, a pair of upper hand (30) this is appropriate to the needs is the vertical movement and horizontal movement.
즉, 상기 상부핸드(30)가 상부 이송수단(12)으로부터 기판(Ｉ)을 인수하는 경우에는 하강하게 되며, 하부핸드(32)에 기판(Ｉ)을 인계한 후에는 하부핸드(32)의 하강을 위하여 좌우로 수평이동을 하게 된다. That is, in the lower hand (32) after the upper hand (30) takes over the substrate (I) in the case of acquisition of the substrate (I) from the upper conveying means 12, and descends, the lower hand 32, for the descent is a horizontal movement from side to side.
상기 하부핸드(32)도 "ㄱ"자 형상을 가지며 모터 조립체(33)에 연결됨으로써 수직이동이 가능하다. The bottom view hand 32 has a "b" shape it is possible to vertically move by being connected to the motor assembly 33. 이러한 하부핸드(32)는 그 상면에 상기 상부핸드(30)로부터 인수된 기판(Ｉ)이 안착된다. The lower hand 32 is mounted a substrate (I) acquired from the upper hand 30 on its upper surface.
이러한 상부 및 하부핸드(30,32)는 공정시간(Tact Time)을 줄일 수 있도록 버퍼 기능을 갖는다. These upper and lower hands 30 and 32 have a buffer function to reduce the process time (Tact Time). 즉, 로더(18)상으로 기판(I)을 연속적으로 인계할 수 있도록 하부핸드(32)상에는 기판이 항상 대기 상태로 된다. That is, the lower hand-formed on the substrate 32 to be continuously turned over by the substrate (I) onto the loader 18 is always in the standby mode.
그리고, 기판(Ｉ)이 안착된 상기 하부핸드(32)가 하강하여 로더(18)의 기판패스라인(P/S) 이하로 내려가면 기판(Ｉ)이 로더(18)에 안착되어 기판을 연속처리 하도록 한다. Then, the substrate (I) is seated with the lower hand 32 is lowered and drops below the substrate pass line (P / S) of the loader (18) the substrate (I) is a secured to the loader (18) continuous to the substrate and to process. 따라서, 상부 및 하부핸드(30,32)에 의하여 이송된 기판(Ｉ)은 로더(18)에 의하여 기판 처리유닛(22)으로 이송된다. Thus, the substrate (I) transferred by the upper and lower hands 30 and 32 is transferred to the substrate processing unit 22 by a loader (18).
한편, 상기 이송유닛(18,20)은 제1 업다운 버퍼유닛(14)으로부터 기판(Ｉ)을 인수하는 로더(Loader;18)와, 제2 업다운 버퍼유닛(16)으로 기판(Ｉ)을 인계하는 언로더(Unloader;20)를 포함한다. On the other hand, the transfer unit (18, 20) includes a first up-down buffer unit 14, the loader to take over the substrate (I) from a; take over (Loader 18) and the second up-down substrate (I) a buffer unit (16) includes; (20 unloader) unloader to.
보다 상세하게 설명하면, 상기 로더(18)는 기판 처리유닛(22)의 입측(40)에 배치되어 기판(Ｉ)을 기판 처리유닛(22)으로 이송시킨다. More specifically, the loader 18 is then transported to the inlet of the substrate (I) is arranged to (40) A substrate processing unit 22 of the substrate processing unit 22. 이러한 로더(18)는 구동모터에 의하여 회전가능한 다수개의 반송롤러(36)로 구성된다. This loader 18 is composed of a plurality of rotary conveying roller 36 as possible by a drive motor. 따라서, 구동모터의 작동시 상기 다수개의 반송롤러(36)가 회전함으로써 상기 제1 업다운 버퍼유닛(14)으로부터 공급된 기판(Ｉ)을 기판 처리유닛(22)으로 이송하게 된다. Accordingly, it is by the rotation driving operation when the plurality of conveying rollers 36 of the motor transferred to the substrate (I) supplied from the first up-down buffer unit 14 in a substrate processing unit 22.
또한, 상기 언로더(37)는 기판 처리유닛(22)의 출측(42)에 배치되며, 상기 로더(18)와 동일한 구조를 갖는다. Further, the brace 37 is arranged on the exit side 42 of the substrate processing unit 22, it has the same structure as the loader 18.
따라서, 상기 기판 처리유닛(22)으로부터 배출된 기판(Ｉ)은 다수개의 반송롤러(20)에 의하여 이송되어 상기 제2 업다운 버퍼유닛(16)에 공급된다. Accordingly, the substrate (I) discharged from the substrate processing unit 22 is transferred by the plurality of conveying rollers 20 is supplied to the second up-down buffer unit 16.
한편, 상기 기판 처리유닛(22)은 상기 로더(18)에 의하여 이송된 기판(Ｉ)을 세정, 건조 등 일련의 과정을 거쳐 처리한 후 언로더(37)를 통하여 배출하게 된다. On the other hand, the substrate-processing unit 22 is then processed through a series of steps, washing, and drying the substrate (I) transported by the loader 18 is discharged through the unloader (37).
이러한 기판 처리유닛(22)은 유기세정모듈(EUV;44)과 유기기판(Ｉ)을 세정하기 위한 세정모듈(Cleaning Module;46)과, 세정모듈(46)에 의해 세정된 기판(Ｉ)을 건조하기 위한 건조 모듈(Dry Module;48)을 포함한다. The substrate processing unit 22 is an organic cleaning module the substrate (I) washing by;; (46 Cleaning Module), a cleaning module (46) (EUV 44) and a cleaning module for cleaning a glass substrate (I) include; (48 dry module) drying module for drying.
상기 세정모듈(46)에는 에어커튼(Air Curtain), 에어썩션(Air Suction), 롤 브러쉬(Roll Brush& Shower), 디아이 젯트(Deionize Water Jet;DI Water), 에어 나이프(Air Knife) 등의 세정유닛이 설치된다. The cleaning module 46, the air curtain (Air Curtain), Air Suction (Air Suction), a roll brush (Roll Brush & Shower), DI jet (Deionize Water Jet; DI Water), cleaning unit, such as an air knife (Air Knife) this is installed. 본 발명의 세정모듈(46)은 유체를 분사하는 디아이 젯트 및 에어나이프 등에 물리적 에너지를 가할 수 있도록 하고, 각 세정유닛이 서로의 간섭을 받지 않으면서 조밀하게 배치하도록 하여, 하나의 기판에 여러 세정공정이 진행될 수 있도록 한다. The cleaning module 46 of the present invention is to be able to apply a physical energy such as DI jet and an air knife for injecting a fluid, in that each washing unit so as to densely arranged without being interfering with each other, various cleaning a single substrate so that the process can proceed.
그리고, 상기 유기세정모듈(44)은 반드시 구비되는 것은 아니고, 선택적으로 적용 가능하므로, 필요에 따라 생략될 수 있다. In addition, the organic cleaning module 44 is not necessarily provided, it optionally can be applied, can be omitted, if necessary.
이하, 첨부된 도면을 참조하여 본 발명의 바람직한 실시예에 따른 도킹형 기판 이송 및 처리 시스템의 작동과정 및 그 처리방법에 대하여 더욱 상세하게 설명한다. And in more detail described below, operation of the docking type substrate transfer and processing system according to an embodiment of the present invention with reference to the accompanying drawings, and its processing method.
도1, 도2, 그리고 도6 에 도시된 바와 같이, 먼저, 로봇(R)이 카셋트(C)로부터 기판(Ｉ)을 인출하는 단계가 진행된다(S100). 1, 2, and 6, first, the robot (R) is a step of withdrawing the substrate (I) from the cassette (C) proceeds (S100). 즉, 로봇(R)의 아암이 카셋트(C)의 내부에 진입하여 적치된 기판(Ｉ)을 인출하게 된다. In other words, the arm of the robot (R) is drawn out of the substrate (I) jeokchi enters the interior of the cassette (C).
기판(Ｉ)을 인출 한 후, 로봇(R)은 일정 각도로 회전 및 상승하여 기판 세정 및 건조장치(H)에 기판(Ｉ)을 인계하는 단계가 진행된다(S110). After withdrawing the substrate (I), the robot (R) is the step of taking over the substrate (I) in rotation, and the substrate cleaning and drying unit (H) rises at an angle in progress (S110).
상부 이송수단(12)은 기판 인수위치에 설정되어 있어 상기 로봇(R)으로부터 기판(Ｉ)을 공급받으며, 상기 기판(Ｉ)은 상부 이송수단(12)의 정열부(26)에 안착된다. Upper transfer section (33) there is set in the substrate acquired location receives the supply of the substrate (I) from the robot (R), the substrate (I) is seated in the aligned portion 26 of the upper conveying means (12). 기판(Ｉ)의 안착이 완료되면, 상부 이송수단(12)은 모터 조립체(도시안됨)의 구동에 의하여 전방으로 이송하게 된다. When the seating of the substrate (I) is completed, the upper transfer section (33) is transported in the forward direction by the driving of the motor assembly (not shown).
상부 이송수단(12)이 전방으로 이동하여 일정 위치에 도달하면 제1 업다운 퍼 유닛의 기판 이송단계가 진행된다(S120). A substrate transfer step of the first up-down buffer unit proceeds when the upper conveying means (12) reaches a certain position by moving in the forward direction (S120).
즉, 상부 이송수단(12)이 일정 위치에 도달하는 경우, 제1 업다운 버퍼 유닛(14)의 상부핸드(30)는 일정 높이로 상승하여 대기상태이다. That is, when the upper conveying means (12) to reach a predetermined position, the first upper hand 30 of the up-down buffer unit 14 is the stand-by state to rise to a predetermined height. 그리고, 상기 상부핸드(30)는 상기 기판(Ｉ)이 이송되면 약간 상승함으로써 기판(Ｉ)의 양 테두리부를 지지하여 상방으로 밀어 올림으로써 기판(Ｉ)을 상부 이송수단(12)으로부터 상승시켜 인수하게 된다. In addition, the upper hand 30 is acquired by raising the substrate (I) by thrust upward to support both edge portions of the substrate (I) by slightly rising when the substrate (I) is transferred from the upper transport means (12) It is.
기판(Ｉ)을 인수한 상기 상부핸드(30)는 일정 위치까지 하강하게 되며, 이때 하부핸드(32)는 일정 높이에서 대기상태이다. The upper hand (30) which acquired the substrate (I) is lowered to the predetermined position, wherein the lower hand 32 is a wait state in a certain height.
상기 하부핸드(32)는 상기 상부핸드(30)가 일정 위치에 도달하면, 약간 상승함으로써 기판(Ｉ)을 상부핸드(30)로부터 인수하게 된다. The lower hand 32, when the upper hand 30 reaches the predetermined position, by a slight increase will take over the substrate (I) from the upper hand (30). 그리고, 상기 상부핸드(30)는 수평방향으로 이동함으로써 상기 하부핸드(32)가 하부로 이동될 수 있도록 한다. In addition, the upper hand 30 to be the lower hand 32 is moved to the lower portion by moving in a horizontal direction.
상기 하부핸드(32)는 기판(Ｉ)을 인수한 후, 로더(18)의 기판패스라인(P/S) 이하로 하강하게 된다. The lower hand 32 is lowered to below the substrate pass line (P / S) after the acquisition of the substrate (I), the loader (18). 따라서, 하부핸드(32)에 얹혀진 기판(Ｉ)은 하부핸드(32)로부터 이탈되어 로더(18)의 반송롤러(36)상에 적치된다. Thus, the substrate (I) eonhyeojin the lower hand 32 is separated from the lower hand 32 is placed in a a conveying roller 36 of the loader 18.
이와 같은 과정을 통하여 기판(Ｉ)은 상부 이송수단(12)에서 상부 및 하부핸드(30,32)를 통하여 로더(18)로 이송될 수 있다. The substrate (I) via the same procedure can be transferred to the loader 18 via the upper and lower hands 30 and 32 from the upper conveying means (12).
그리고, 로더(18)의 기판 이송단계가 진행된다(S130). Then, the substrate transfer step and proceeds to the loader (18) (S130). 즉, 기판(Ｉ)이 반송롤러(36)상에 적치되면, 구동모터가 작동함으로써 반송롤러(36)가 회전하게 되고, 기판(Ｉ)은 기판 처리유닛(22)으로 공급된다. That is, when the substrate (I) is placed in a a conveying roller 36, by the drive motor is operated to rotate the conveying roller 36, the substrate (I) is supplied to the substrate processing unit (22).
기판 처리유닛(22)으로 공급된 기판(Ｉ)은 일련의 공정을 거치면서 세정 및 건조 처리된다(S140). Supplied to the substrate processing unit 22, the substrate (I) is goes through a series of steps washing and drying processes (S140).
즉, 선택적으로 유기세정모듈(44)에 의하여 건조세정이 처리된 다음, 세정 모듈(46)을 통과하면서 DI, 공기 등의 분사에 의하여 기판(Ｉ)상에 잔류하는 이물질을 제거하게 된다. That is, to selectively remove foreign materials remaining on the substrate (I) by the injection of an organic cleaning module 44, and a cleaning treatment by passing the dried and then the cleaning module (46), DI, air. 또한, 세정모듈(46)을 통과한 기판(Ｉ)은 건조모듈(48)로 공급되어 건조된다. In addition, the substrate (I) having passed through the cleaning module 46 is dried is supplied to the drying module 48.
상기한 바와 같이 기판 처리유닛(22)을 통과한 기판(Ｉ)은 언로더(37)의 반송롤러(20)에 의하여 배출되며(S150), 배출된 기판은 제2 업다운 버퍼유닛(16)에 의하여 이송된다(S160). A substrate (I) is discharged by the conveying roller 20 of the unloader (37) (S150), a discharge substrate of the second up-down buffer unit 16 passes through the substrate processing unit 22 as described above, It is conveyed by (S160).
즉, 기판은 제2 업다운 버퍼 유닛(16)의 하부핸드(32)에 적치된다. That is, the substrate is placed in a lower hand 32 of the second up-down buffer unit 16. 하부핸드(32)에 적치된 기판(Ｉ)은 일정 높이 상승하여 기판(Ｉ)을 상부핸드(30)에 인계한다. Substrate (I) of the hand placed in a lower portion (32) is turned over the substrate (I) to the upper hand (30) to increase the height constant.
기판(Ｉ)을 인수한 상부핸드(30)는 일정 높이로 상승하여 상부층(Ⅲ)에 도달하게 되며, 이 위치에서 상부 이송수단(12)에 기판(Ｉ)을 인계하게 된다(S170). The upper hand (30) which acquired the substrate (I) is raised to the predetermined height is reached in the top layer (Ⅲ), is turned over the substrate (I) to the upper conveying means 12 at the position (S170). 기판(Ｉ)을 인수한 상부 이송수단(12)은 전방으로 이송하며 일정 위치에 도달하여 로봇(R)에 기판(Ｉ)을 인계하게 된다(S180). Substrate (I) the acquisition of the upper conveying means 12 is transported in the forward direction, and will take over the substrate (I) to the robot (R) to reach a predetermined position (S180).
그리고, 기판(Ｉ)을 인수한 로봇(R)은 하강 및 일정 각도 회전하여 기판 처리장비(D)에 기판(Ｉ)을 공급한다(S190). Then, the robot (R) the acquisition of the substrate (I) is lowered and the rotation angle is supplied to the substrate (I) to a substrate processing equipment (D) (S190). 따라서, 기판 처리장비(D)에 공급된 기판(Ｉ)은 화학 기상증착 혹은 스퍼터링 처리를 하게 된다. Accordingly, the substrate (I) supplied to the substrate processing equipment (D) is that a chemical vapor deposition or sputtering process.
상기한 바와 같이 기판(Ｉ)은 로봇(R)에 의하여 카셋트(C)로부터 인출되어 기판 세정 및 건조장치(H)에 공급되고, 공급된 기판(Ｉ)은 상부 이송수단(12), 제1 업다운 버퍼유닛(14), 로더(18), 기판 처리유닛(22), 언로더(37), 제2 업다운 버퍼 유닛(16), 그리고 다시 상부 이송수단(12)으로 복귀하게 된다. Substrate (I) is the robot is withdrawn from the cassette (C) by (R) is supplied to the substrate cleaning and drying unit (H), the feed substrate (I) is a conveying means top 12, as described above, a first Up-down is returned to the buffer unit 14, the loader 18, the substrate processing unit 22, unloader 37, and the second up-down buffer unit 16, and back to the upper transport means (12). 복귀한 기판(Ｉ)은 로봇(R)에 의하여 반출되어 직접 기판 처리장비(D)로 공급됨으로써 일련의 처리공정을 거치게 된다. Return supplied to a substrate (I) is a robot (R) is directly taken out substrate processing equipment (D) by the being is subjected to a series of treatment processes.
상술한 실시예에서는 진공장비를 예를 들어 설명하였지만, 본 발명은 상기와 같은 물리적 에너지를 갖는 세정모듈을 갖는 세정 및 건조장치(H)를 이용하여 다른 장비와도 도킹 타입으로 구성 가능하다. In the above embodiment has been described, for example, a vacuum equipment, the invention is by using a cleaning and drying apparatus (H) having a cleaning module having a physical energy as above may be composed of even docking type, and other devices.
또한, 상술한 실시예에서는 상기 기판이 세정 및 건조 공정이 진행된 다음, 주 공정인 진공장비로 도입되어 기판이 처리되었지만, 그 반대로 기타 장비에서 기판이 소정 처리된 후 상기 기판을 세정 및 건조하는 도킹(Docking) 시스템을 가질 수도 있다. In the above embodiment, the substrate is advanced the cleaning and drying process, and then, is introduced into the main process of vacuum equipment but the substrate is processed, the opposite other after the substrate in the device the predetermined process docked for cleaning and drying the substrate (Docking) may have on the system.
이와 같이, 본 발명의 바람직한 실시예에 따른 도킹형 기판 이송 및 처리 시스템과, 그 처리방법은 다음과 같은 장점이 있다. Thus, in a preferred embodiment the docking-type substrate transfer and processing system according to the present invention and the method has the following advantages.
첫째, 주 공정라인에 세정 및 건조장비를 도킹방식으로 배치함으로써 기존과 같은 세정 및 건조라인을 독립적으로 배치한 경우에 비하여 공간효율성이 뛰어나 투자비 등을 절감할 수 있다. First, it is possible to reduce the investment cost, etc. excellent space efficiency compared with the case of arranging the cleaning and drying line, such as existing independently by placing the washing and drying equipment to the main process line to a docking system.
둘째, 도킹방식이 가능한 세정 및 건조장비를 구성함으로써 기판의 처리효율을 향상시킬 수 있다. Secondly, by configuring the cleaning and drying equipment is docked scheme that can improve the process efficiency of the substrate.
셋째, 기판 세정 및 처리장치가 밀폐구조의 인라인형태로 구성되어 있음으로 기판이 외부 이물질에 노출되는 것을 차단함으로써 이물질에 의한 불량 발생률을 줄일 수 있다. Third, the substrate and that the substrate cleaning apparatus is configured as an in-line form of the sealing structure can reduce the percentage of defective due to foreign substances by blocking the exposure of foreign matter.
이상을 통해 본 발명의 바람직한 실시예에 대하여 설명하였으나, 본 발명은 이에 한정되는 것은 아니고 특허청구의 범위와 발명의 상세한 설명 및 첨부한 도면의 범위 안에서 여러 가지로 변형하여 실시하는 것이 가능하고, 이 또한 본 발명의 범위에 속하는 것은 당연하다. But through the above described preferred embodiment of the invention, the invention is not limited to this can be carried out in various modifications within the framework of the drawings a detailed description and accompanying of the range and the invention of the claims, the It is also natural that within the scope of this invention.
도1 은 본 발명의 바람직한 실시예에 따른 기판 세정 및 건조장치(HDC)가 적용된 도킹형 기판 이송 및 처리 시스템을 개략적으로 도시하는 도면. 1 is a view schematically showing a substrate cleaning and docking-type substrate transfer and processing system of the drying device (HDC) is applied according to an embodiment of the present invention.
도2 는 도1 에 도시된 기판세정 및 건조장치를 도시하는 사시도. Figure 2 is a perspective view showing a substrate cleaning and drying apparatus shown in Fig.
도3 은 도2 에 도시된 기판세정 및 건조장치의 측면도. Figure 3 is a side view of the substrate cleaning and drying device shown in Fig.
도4 는 도2 에 도시된 기판세정 및 건조장치의 평면도. Figure 4 is a plan view of the substrate cleaning and drying device shown in Fig.
도5 는 도2 에 도시된 기판세정 및 건조장치의 우측면도. Figure 5 is a right side view of the substrate cleaning and drying device shown in Fig.
도6 은 본 발명의 바람직한 실시예에 따른 도킹방식의 기판 이송 및 처리공정을 도시하는 흐름도. Figure 6 is a flow diagram that illustrates a substrate transfer and processing of the docking system according to an embodiment of the present invention.
상기 기판 세정 및 건조장비로부터 인출된 기판을 상기 기판 이송부재로부터 인수하여 처리하는 기판 처리장비를 포함하는 도킹형 기판 이송 및 처리 시스템. Washing the substrate and the substrate take-off from the dry dock equipment and the transfer-type substrate processing system including a substrate processing equipment for processing acquired from the substrate transfer member.
제1 항에 있어서, 상기 기판이송부재는 기판을 적치하는 아암을 구비하고, 회전 및 승하강 가능한 로봇을 포함하는 도킹형 기판 이송 및 처리 시스템. The method of claim 1, wherein the substrate transferring member is transferred and a docking-type substrate processing system including the arms having a jeokchi the substrate, and rotating and elevating possible robot.
제1 항에 있어서, 상기 기판 처리장비는 진공증착장비 혹은 스퍼터링장비 중 어느 하나인 것을 특징으로 하는 도킹형 기판 이송 및 처리 시스템. The method of claim 1, wherein the substrate processing equipment is docked type substrate transfer and processing system according to claim any one of a vacuum deposition apparatus or sputtering equipment.
상기 이송유닛에 의하여 공급된 기판을 세정, 건조 처리하는 기판 처리유닛을 포함하는 도킹형 기판 이송 및 처리 시스템. Docking-type substrate transfer and processing system including a substrate processing unit configured to supply a substrate by the transfer unit washing and drying treatment.
제4 항에 있어서, 상기 상부 이송수단은 상기 프레임에 장착된 레일상에 안착되어 활주 가능한 하부베이스와, 상기 하부베이스의 상부에 장착되며 기판이 적치되는 상부 베이스와, 상기 상부 베이스상에 구비되어 기판이 안착되는 정열부 및 적어도 하나 이상의 지지핀을 포함하는 도킹형 기판 이송 및 처리 시스템. The method of claim 4, wherein the upper transporting means is mounted on the upper portion of and the rail is secured to the daily slidable lower base attached to the frame, the lower base is provided on the upper base and the upper base to which the substrate is jeokchi docking-type substrate transfer and processing system comprising an alignment part and the at least one support pin in which the substrate is mounted.
제4 항에 있어서, 상기 수직 이송수단은 수직 혹은 수평운동이 가능하며 상기 상부 이송수단으로부터/으로 기판을 인수/인계하는 상부핸드와, 상기 상부핸드로부터 기판을 인수하여 하강하여 상기 이송유닛으로 기판을 인계하거나 이송유닛으로부터 기판을 인수하여 상기 상부핸드에 인계하는 하부핸드를 포함하는 도킹형 기판 이송 및 처리 시스템. The method of claim 4, wherein the vertical transport means is a substrate in a vertical or horizontal movement is possible, and the acquisition of the substrate to the upper conveying means to / from / taking over the upper hand and the transfer unit lowered to take over the substrate from the upper hand for take over or transfer to take over the substrate from a docking unit type substrate transfer and processing system including a hand to take over the lower to the upper portion of the hand.
제4 항에 있어서, 상기 이송유닛은 상기 수직이송수단으로부터 기판을 인수하여 상기 기판 처리유닛에 공급하는 로더와, 상기 기판 처리유닛으로부터 기판을 배출하는 언로더를 포함하는 도킹형 기판 이송 및 처리 시스템. The method of claim 4, wherein the transfer unit is docked type substrate transporting and processing system comprising a brace for the loader to be supplied to the substrate processing unit to take over the substrate from the vertical transfer means, and discharging the substrate from the substrate processing unit .
제7 항에 있어서, 상기 수직 이송수단은 상기 프레임의 전방에 배치되어 상기 상부 이송수단으로부터 기판을 인수/하강하여 상기 로더에 인계하는 제1 업다운 버퍼유닛과, 상기 프레임의 후방에 배치되어 상기 언로더로부터 공급된 기판을 상부로 이송시켜 상기 상부 이송수단에 인계하는 제2 업다운 버퍼 유닛을 포함하는 도킹형 기판 이송 및 처리 시스템. The method of claim 7, wherein the vertical transfer means for the unloading is located at the front of the frame is disposed in the first up-down buffer unit and a rear side of the frame turned over on the loader with the acquisition / lowering the substrate from the upper conveying means by transferring the supply substrates from the loader into the upper docking-type substrate transporting and processing system comprises a second up-down buffer unit for taking over the said top transfer device.
상기 기판 이송부재가 상기 기판 세정 및 건조장비로부터 기판을 인수하여 기판 처리장비에 공급함으로써 기판을 처리하는 제3 단계를 포함하는 도킹형 기판 이송 및 처리 방법. Docking-type substrate transfer and processing method for a third step in which the substrate transfer member cleaning process the substrate and the substrate by supplying to take over the substrate from the drying device to the substrate processing equipment.
상기 상부 이송수단이 상기 기판을 인수하여 상기 기판 이송부재에 인계하는 단계를 포함하는 도킹형 기판 이송 및 처리 방법. Docking-type substrate transfer and processing method in which the upper transfer device comprising a transfer member taking over the substrate by taking the substrate.
ES2263371B1 (en) * 2002-11-25 2008-01-16 Industrias El Gamo, S.A. Improvements on the subject of the main patent n.200202704 by compressed gas gun. | 2019-04-19T13:37:19Z | https://patents.google.com/patent/KR100500169B1/en |
The Cranbrook Hotel is ideally situated for both businesses and recreational purposes. The pleasant location allows for easy access to central London (15 min, via British rail) and five minute from Gants Hill Tube station. A short walk into the centre of town provides the visitor with a number of essential facilities with newly established shopping precincts, markets and all major banks & building societies. However, if relaxation is on your agenda then a number of recreational pursuits are close at hand. For the thespian there is the Kenneth Moore Theatre which attracts many well known dance and drama acts while for the more active a stroll through beautiful Valentines Park can be just the thing to provide an appetite for the evenings entertainment. For the night owls there are a large variety of pubs, clubs and restaurants to choose between as well as snooker clubs, top golf courses and a leisure centre for those that like to keep in shape.
This charming, quietly located boutique hotel is situated within walking distance of the famous designer shops and continental cafe bars and restaurants of Hampstead Village, St John's High Street, Primrose Hill and Belsize Park. Swiss Cottage, Regent's Park, Primrose Hill Park, London Zoo and Lord's Cricket Ground are all within easy reach. With so much to do and see you may never need to move out of the area. If you do, the West End theatres and London's many attractions are easily accessible, with Chalk Farm, Belsize Park and Swiss Cottage underground close by. These provide easy access to main line railway stations, King's Cross and St. Pancras, Waterloo/Europe via the Euro star terminal and the Paddington/Heathrow and Victoria/Gatwick express trains that run frequently. The hotel has a pleasant restaurant and bar with an outside terrace. There is limited parking under the hotel and on street parking between 6pm and 9am.
A modern hotel with 99 ensuite bedrooms is an ideal base for both corporate and leisure clients alike. Situated on the southern tip of Epping Forest , the County Hotel is the perfect base for visiting the sights, theatres and shopping of London. It offers good motorway links, with tube and rail services providing only a 30-minute journey to Central London. Lakeside Shopping Centre and Waltham Abbey are also within easy reach. The relaxing location makes the hotel an ideal venue for seminars, training courses and private functions, but with the benefit of excellent accessibility. The hotel also holds a licence for civil wedding ceremonies.
En spansk-amerikanska boutiquehotell, genomsyrad av sjudande kubanska färgtoner, handmålad Mexicasa kakel, kolonialistiska möbler och kyrkokonst. Church Street Hotel ligger i Camberwell, erbjuda en verklig downtown London livserfarenhet medan det fortfarande är inom räckhåll av Londons turistattraktioner. Energisk lokala konstscenen, sprudlande nattliv, och rikedom av lokala matställen i närheten. Musikställen i Brixton och Vauxhall ca 10 min med buss, medan stora turistattraktioner såsom Buckingham Palace, London Eye, Tate Gallery, Houses of Parliament, Oxford street. etc ca 20-30 min med buss. Frekvent busslinjer utanför hotellet. Även internationellt erkända Kings College Hospital / Institute of Psychiatry är en kort 10 minuters promenad bort. Detta hotell är absolut en RÖKFRIA EGENDOM.
Kingston Lodge, en Brook Hotel, 7 miles från Londons West End och inom bekvämt avstånd från London Heathrow Airport, M25, M3 och M4. Det finns en över grund-anslutning från Norbiton Station som är kort promenad bort. Richmond Park med flockar av dovhjort är vacker vid alla tider på året, särskilt vid solnedgången och bara 2 minuters promenad från hotellet. De fashionabla centrum av Kingston Upon Thames är en kort promenad med sina utbud av butiker, kaféer och barer. Kingston Lodge Hotel är idealiskt beläget för besök till sevärdheterna i västra London och Surrey, inklusive Twickenham Rugby Ground, Wimbledon, den nya Wembley Stadium, Kew Gardens och Hampton Court Palace. Många av våra 63 välutrustade med egna badrum har egen balkong och utsikt över den fridfulla anlagda innergård. Omfattande, möte, evenemang och konferenslokaler gör Kingston Lodge Hotel den perfekta platsen i Surrey för din konferens, bröllop och andra speciella tillfällen. Trådlöst bredband finns tillgängligt i hela hotellet..
Wembley Plaza Hotel är ett Hilton tillhörande hotell som drivs av Hilton Hotels, därför gästerna bör vara medveten om de möjligheter som kan skilja sig från vad som kan hittas i andra Hilton Hotell i Storbritannien. Hotellet är idealiskt beläget intill Wembley Stadium och Areana , hem till några av Storbritanniens mest populära evenemang. Lätt tillgång till London, med restid mindre än 15 minuter till Baker Street med Londons tunnelbana, vilket gör att West End och andra London-attraktioner inom nära räckhåll. Utformad för din komfort och bekvämlighet, gästrum är elegant inredda och utrustade med alla moderna bekvämligheter som någon resenär kan förvänta sig av ett hotell av denna kategori.
Den Croydon Park Hotel har länge varit känt för det varma välkomnande och mycket hög standard. East Croydon Station 2 minuters promenad från hotellet. Centrala London ligger bara 15 minuter bort med tåg och centrala Croydon har en rikedom av fantastisk underhållning i världsklass affärsfaciliteter. Hotel har ett barnvakter, tvätt och kemtvätt, vårdcentral, ett businesscenter, valutaväxling, uttrycka kassan, parkering beroende på tillgänglighet, en lounge, bar, fantastisk restaurang, 24 timmars rumservice och en superb Hälsa och fritidsanläggning.
The Broadway Lodge is Awarded Two Stars in recognition of the outstanding quality and service we provide to our customers. Next to Tolworth Tower, and M&S car park,we are a well established and respected B&B within the area, and close to all amenities. All rooms are En-Suite and feature: colour TV and Video, Tea & coffee maker and fridge. All prices inc: Full english & continental breakfast. The Broadway Lodge provides very comfortable and welcoming facilities where a friendly and relaxing atmosphere is encouraged. Within easy reach for many local businesses and shopping centers. Transport Links: Tolworth railway stn - m Heathrow airport - 15m, The A3 linking to M25 to Gatwick & Heathrow airport,.Places To go: Chessington World Of Adventure -3m, Wimbledon Tennis Club- 6m, Hampton Court Place-5m, Sandown Park Race course-4m, Kempton Park Race Course-8m, Nearest Towns/nightlife: Surbiton-2m, Kingston Upon Thames-3m, Central London-14m.
The Euro Hotel Clapham is an attractive property overlooking Clapham Common Park. The hotel is located close to the London Underground, with all public transport facilities. The Euro Hotel Clapham is situated on Clapham Common South Side. The hotel offers 44 bedrooms. All rooms are en suite with facilities such as TV, tea/coffee making facilities, hairdryer and trouser press. Some rooms have a balcony overlooking Clapham Common. Public transport is in walking distance of the hotel. Please note that there is no lift at the hotel.
Forest House is a hostel in North London consisting of 21 rooms with shared facilities. All rooms are private. Accommodation includes singles, twins, triples and rooms for 4 persons. Whole building is divided in to 6 comprising units of three- four rooms, two showers and toilets with 24-hour hot water. Upon arrival, guests are given keys to the Front Door (£15 deposit for the keys you will get back after check out), so that they can come and go as they please during their stay. Hostel is situated close to the main travel links and local amenities. Next door restaurants will offer delicious and not expensive meals. You will find quiet pubs, if you are tired from busy London, or welcoming nightclubs and discos within walking distance. Our location comprises busy London and its quiet surroundings. Please note, for the month of December the balance due to the accommodation provider is due and payable immediately after the reservation.
Ursprungligen byggt 1850 för Byron familjen har herrgården är smakfullt restaurerats till sin forna glans. Du kommer nu upptäcka ett vackert hus på landet, som behåller många ursprungliga kännetecken, med en modern glas atrium som ger en ljus och luftig känsla till hotellet. Alla de 35 välutrustade rum har eget badrum, många med utsikt över den imponerande golfbanan. Ta en time out för dig själv och spela en runda golf på vår utmanande 18 golfbanan hål eller dra fördel av vår relaxavdelning där du kan koppla i bastun och ångbastun, spela squash eller tennis och träna i gymmet eller aerobics dansstudio. Coulsdon Manor Hotel & Golf Club är synonymt med gäster som söker lugn och ro. Ställ bland 140 hektar anlagda parklandskap i hjärtat av Surrey, och ändå bara 15 miles från centrala London. Herrgården Restaurangen har ett avundsvärt rykte för förstklassig mat och fina viner och vår Terrace Bar är bara platsen att varva ned och njuta av en uppvärmning och avkopplande atmosfär.
Queens Hotel is a 2-star superior hotel with 105 ensuite bedrooms. The bright reception area at the Queens Hotel leads to a comfortable lounge in which guests can relax, watch television and welcome friends. The warm and friendly bar area is perfect to enjoy a pre or post dinner drink, tea, coffee and snacks. All bedrooms are reached by lift and are individually and comfortably furnished to provide the best of todays amenities, with ensuite facilities, central heating, colour television, trouser press, hair dryer and tea & coffee making facilities. Additionally the hotel has stunning suites.
Raglan Hotel offers a friendly business and family base conveniently located on Queens Avenue, a quiet residential road in the heart of North Londons cosmopolitan Muswell Hill. Just off the bustling Broadway, with easy access to the A1, North Circular and other major road transport arteries: bus and tube links provide quick and convenient access to the West End and City. From spacious family rooms to well-proportioned doubles and characterful singles all 43 bedrooms are large and comfortable. Free movies and broadband internet available in every room, iron/iron board (on request). Sophisticated air-conditioned conference facilities for up to 200 delegates at competitive rates. THE HOTEL HAS LATELY REFURBISHED SOME OF THE ROOMS WITH A SIMPLE AND COMTEMPORARY TASTE. A GARDEN IS ALSO AVAILABLE, A HIDDEN CORNER WHERE OUR GUESTS CAN RELAX AND ENJOY THEIR DRINK.
Welcome to Express by Holiday Inn London-Stratford. All our rooms are air-conditioned and equipped with Qdos in-house entertainment system and High Speed Internet, both wired and wireless. The Express by Holiday Inn London Stratford is situated in the heart of East London, site of the 2012 LONDON OLYMPICS . Stratford Regional & International Station, home to Eurostar rail link , due to be completed in 2009 is a 5 minute walk from Express by Holiday Inn London Stratford . From the terminal, visitors can take Jubilee or Central London Underground line or DLR and travel to O2 Arena , Excel Exhibition Centre , Canary Wharf , London’s financial district and West End of London. National Express Trains also operate from this station, for guests travelling towards Essex and East Anglia. With excellent transport links Express by Holiday Inn London Stratford is ideal for business or pleasure. The hotel bar is open daily from 11am to 1.00am to residents and their guests. Complimentary Continental Breakfast is served every morning in our Great Room. Evening meals are served Monday-Friday 18:00-22.00.
The York Hotel is situated in a quiet street in the heart of Ilford Town Centre. Ilford Station is one min walk from the Hotel. There is a beautiful Shopping Mall (The Exchange) where you can enjoy all sorts of food and also can do any kind of shopping. York Hotel offers: • A relaxing atmosphere you'd expect from a privately run family hotel. • Single & Double rooms, some with en-suite bathrooms. • Colour television with satellite. • Tea/Coffee making facilities. • Smoking & non Smoking rooms available. • Car parking at rear for guests. • Convenient for Ilford Station. (15-20) mins. to Liverpool Street Station. Ideal for London, City, West End and Docklands. Our policy is that you arrive as a Guest & you depart as a friend.
Ett nybyggt modernt hotell. Ligger på stranden av Grand Union Canal. Helt på eget sovrum med amneties att passa dina behov. Trådlöst internet i hela byggnaden och trådbundna LAN i sovrum. Utvalda rum har utsikt över kanalen.
Conifers Guest House is located in a tranquil road in the fashionable area of Ilford, close to all the amenities, shops, station and all bus routes. The beautiful Valentines Park is only two minutes away, so enabling you to enjoy a refreshing walk before breakfast. Everything you would expect to find in all well appointed Guest Houses is at Conifers. "Arrive as a guest and leave as a friend." We offer special discounts for large Group Bookings and also special discounted rates at weekends. We are a Registered Hotel. There are 23 beautifully Decorated Letting Rooms in Conifers Guest House.
Visiting London? A newly built hotel suitable for Business travellers to North London, Harrow, Wembley and tourists visiting London. All rooms equipped with television, broadband connection and tea/coffee making facility. Ironing facility and hairdryer available. Continental Breakfast served. Full English breakfast on demand. Spacious, bright and airy dining room. Off-street car parking. Garden. Brent X Hotel, in north west London, is a truly strategic hub for travellers. It's close enough to central London to make a full day's visit comfortable, yet far enough to cut out the grind through traffic when you want to get away. The new WEMBLEY NATIONAL STADIUM, which opened in 2007, is just 2 miles away!! All major credit cards accepted and company accounts welcome The location of the hotel is at a walking distance from Preston Road and Kingsbury Roundabout, which offer facilities of Cafes, Restaurant, and Health Clubs besides all types of shopping facilities. Facilities • Superior, spacious and comfortable en-suite rooms at very affordable prices • Tea & Coffee Facility in all rooms • Full English Breakfast • Parking available • TV in rooms • Ironing & hairdryer facility • Taxis can be arranged for local transport or Airport pick ups and drop offs. • Wembley Stadium – 1 mile • Wireless Broadband Facility Professional staff at hand to help you at all times.
WELCOME The Express by Holiday Inn Park Royal London is ideal for business and leisure travelers, offering the convenience of location to London Heathrow Airport and Central London. Access to London's public transport system is readily available with North Acton Underground Station less than 2 minutes walk from the hotel and 15 minutes into Central London. The hotel is particularly well situated for the Wembley Conference Centre, Kew Gardens, and Ealing Studios. The hotel bedrooms offer all the conveniences required of today's business traveler and holidaymaker. All rooms have air cooling system, and have en-suite bathrooms with power shower, hairdryers, pay-movies, satellite television and high speed wireless internet access.The Hotel is non Smoking establishment from 01st Sept 2008. Only Non-Smoking rooms will be available in the hotel. We have well equipped conference rooms to seat up to 50 persons theatre style. All meeting rooms have natural daylight, air-conditioning and temperature control, modem points, adjustable lighting and telephone-conferencing facilities. Our rates are inclusive of a complimentary continental breakfast buffet. There is also limited on-site parking which is chargeable. If you are visiting London and need convenient access to Central London and London Heathrow Airport, then make the Express by Holiday Inn Park Royal your hotel of choice.
Belgrave Hotel is a bright, modern hotel offering a refreshingly homely atmosphere and great value for money in a Central London location. Our friendly staff will be happy to assist you during your stay with us. We are located within walking distance of Oval underground station providing quick and easy access to anywhere on the underground. London's great attractions are easily accessible within a 10-15 minute journey. We offer a wide range of services to you. All our newly furnished, well-equipped rooms include, en-suite bathroom, LCD TV screen with Sky and room safes. We also have wireless Internet access available throughout the hotel. Parking is available for guests - please contact the hotel prior to your visit to arrange this.
A warm welcome awaits you at the Croydon Court Hotel. This is a spacious yet comfortable hotel offering modern facilities within an elegant Victorian building. We are conveniently located close to the shopping and business hub of nearby central Croydon and are within easy reach of central London. We have secure parking facilities and excellent access to all surrounding areas. Please be aware that the hotel has no lift.
The Best Western Lodge Hotel is located in Putney in South West London. The hotel boasts 60 en-suite hand furnished bedrooms, The Conservatory Restaurant offering a relaxing breakfast, The Sportsman's Bar with a charming lounge area and a large car park and garden. If you are looking for hotels near Wimbledon, or in south west central London, then the Best Western Lodge Hotel in Putney is the perfect place. This privately owned hotel of character is a rare find in Putney, so close to central London and plays host to a large number of weddings and private banquets and corporate seminars and events. Facilities include 3 conference and banqueting suites. Free Wi-Fi is available for guests throughout the hotel. Best Western Lodge Hotel guests can benefit from using the facilities at The Virgin Active Health Club in Putney for just £7.50 per person per day. The Virgin Active Health Club is located 5 minutes’ walk from the hotel and offers first class facilities including, state of the art gym and cardio equipment, steam rooms and saunas.
The Norfolk House Hotel is an attractive property conveniently located near the A23, leading to major link roads. The May Day Hospital is just opposite the hotel and Croydon City Centre and Central London are in easy reach by car or Public transport. Norfolk House Conference Rooms is well suited for business class people who wish to accomodate and have their general meetings held at the place of stay. The Norfolk House features a popular Coffee Shop and Function facilities for up to 100 guests. All our en-suite rooms are well appointed and designed with your comfort in mind. Modern Facilities, friendly Service and Value for Money combined, offers a reassuring stay at the Norfolk House Hotel.
Ett land hus hotell som ligger i 205 tunnland parklandskap idealisk för företag sportaktiviteter och team evenemang byggnaden. 26 konferensrum med en maximal möte kapacitet på 350 delegater. Corporate sportaktiviteter och team evenemang byggnad tillgodoses lätt för i motiveringen till hotellet. AA Rosette prisbelönt Cedar Restaurang och Phoenix Bar & Lounge för lättare måltider. En enastående tillgång för Selsdon Park Hotel är 18 håls golfbana i mästerskapsklass som anges i 1929 med fem gånger British Open Golf Champion, JH Taylor. Ursprungligen skära i tjock skog som kläder denna del av Surrey Hills, kurs har utökats under åren, men layouten är fortfarande väsentligt som det var sextio år sedan. Anm: Alla rum och allmänna utrymmen Selsdon Park Hotel & Golf Club är nu icke-rökare. Hotellet har dock rökområden ut sidan byggnaden. Dessutom har hotellet inte längre rumsservice. Gäster som inte vill äta i restaurangen kan få en lätt måltid i Tempus Bar.
The Park Hotel is located opposite Valentine’s Park, which is beautiful and well cared for, covering over 136 acres. There are amenities for tennis, mini-golf, swimming and boating. The park is well known for its old English garden, the Rosary Terrace and its lakes. The hotel is ideally placed for all public transport – a few minutes walk from Central London Line Underground, Gants Hill, and British Rail, Ilford stations (twenty minutes to Central London). It is, therefore, an ideal situation for visiting London to see the sights. Eight bus routes pass the door to Barking, Dagenham, Chigwell and further afield. Park Hotel has been established for over twenty-five years and is run as a family business by the resident proprietors. Free car parking is available in the hotel grounds.
A modern hotel with 138 en-suite bedrooms all furnished to the highest standard, the Palms Hotel is easily accessible to all types of traveller.It features a Restaurant and bar, both with extensive menus, has 13 conference rooms and can cater for functions for up to 300 people. | 2019-04-23T17:52:33Z | http://sv.lastminuterates.info/28/12294/ |
Background: Accumulating evidence indicates that aberrant activation of the Hedgehog (Hh) signalling pathway by Glioma-associated oncogene (Gli) transcription factors is involved in the aggressive progression of cancers, including ovarian cancer. Whereas the molecular mechanism underlying this phenomenon remains unelucidated. Matrix metalloproteinase-7 (MMP-7) facilitates degradation of the extracellular matrix, promoting the invasion of tumour cells, and is associated with cancer progression and metastasis. In previous reports, we identified a set of genes regulated by Hh signalling in ovarian tumour cells among which MMP-7 was identified as a potential Hh target gene candidate. However, establishing an association between Hh signalling activation and MMP-7 expression requires further validation, and the function of this regulation remains unknown.
Methods: A cDNA microarray was utilized to identify potential downstream targets of Hh signalling. Quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was used to evaluate mRNA expression, and immunoblotting (IB) was conducted to evaluate protein expression. The invasive and migratory capabilities of tumour cells were tested with the transwell and wound healing assays, respectively. The mRNA levels of Gli2 and MMP-7 in normal ovarian tissues and cancerous tissues in various stages together with the corresponding clinical information were acquired from the indicated GEO datasets to elucidate associations between MMP-7 expression and cancer progression and prognosis. Additionally, immunohistochemistry (IHC) was performed in multiple ovarian cancers, benign tumours and normal tissues to evaluate Gli2 and MMP-7 protein expression.
Results: MMP-7 expression was regulated by the Hh ligand, antagonist and downstream transcript factor Gli2, demonstrating this gene as an Hh target. MMP-7 facilitated the invasion and migration of ovarian tumour cells, indicating its key function in ovarian cancer progression. IHC analysis demonstrated abnormally increased Gli2 and MMP-7 expression levels in benign tumours and ovarian cancer tissues. Moreover, high MMP-7 levels were significantly associated with poor overall survival (OS) and poor progression-free survival (PFS) in ovarian cancer patients.
Conclusion: Aberrant activation of the Hh-Gli-MMP-7 signalling axis is essential for acceleration of the progression and metastasis of human ovarian cancer, implicating its use as a novel therapeutic target of ovarian cancer. In addition, MMP-7 can potentially serve as a prognostic marker of ovarian cancer.
As a lethal gynaecological malignancy, ovarian cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related death among females worldwide [1, 2], with an incidence rate ranked third among all malignant tumours. Epithelial ovarian cancer is the major ovarian malignancy and comprises five histological subtypes: serous, mucinous, endometrioid, transitional and clear cell [3, 4]. With not only insidious early symptoms but also limited treatment strategies, approximately 60% of ovarian cancer patients present with distant metastasis upon initial diagnosis, and their overall 5-year relative survival rate is a miserable 46% due to clinically occult dissemination and metastasis . Furthermore, the median survival of recurrent patients is generally between 1 and 2 years from the initial diagnosis [6, 7].
Ovarian cancer invasion and metastasis are complicated and sophisticated processes that involve a series of biochemical cascades. Several classes of proteins, including calcium-dependent cadherins, integrins, extracellular proteases, angiogenetic factors and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) family members, are relevant to these processes; whereas the exact molecular mechanism underlying the invasion and metastasis of ovarian cancer still remains an area of active investigation. Therefore, it is urgent to identify significant molecular mediators that confer invasive and migratory potential to ovarian cancer cells as biomarkers for predicting risks of ovarian cancer progression and prognosis and to develop novel therapeutic strategies for ovarian cancer.
Emerging evidence has associated aberrant activation of the Hedgehog (Hh) signalling pathway, a core regulatory network involved in animal development that is conserved from flies to humans , with ovarian cancer [9-11]. In mammals, the Hh signalling pathway is initiated by the binding of ligand, Sonic Hedgehog (Shh), Indian Hedgehog (Ihh) or Desert Hedgehog (Dhh), to its receptor, Patched (Ptch) . Consequently, Ptch diminishes the inhibitory effects on Smoothened (Smo), which is localized into primary cilia (PC) and mediates activation of an intracellular cilium cascade. This activation leads to the nuclear translocation of the active form of Gli2 (Glioma-associated oncogene family member 2), a zinc finger transcriptional factor, and further transactivates the expression of target genes (e.g., Gli1, Ptch1) downstream of Hh signalling that regulate cell proliferation, apoptosis, invasion propensity, stemness, differentiation and fate determination . Aberrant activation of the Hh signalling pathway is usually caused by a sustained increase in endogenous Hh expression (ligand-dependent) or by ligand-independent mutations of Patched, Smo and Suppressor of fused (Sufu) . Constitutively, Hh signalling has been indicated in many observations to be involved in the development and progression of associated tumours [15-19]. Here, we focus on the pivotal role of the Hh signalling pathway in the invasion and migration of ovarian cancer, which we have previously investigated [10, 11, 20]. Specifically, we showed that activation of Hh signalling promoted cellular migration and invasion, whereas blockade of Hh signalling with GANT61 (Gli-ANTagonist 61), a small molecule inhibitor of both Gli1 and Gli2 , suppressed cellular migration and invasion in ovarian cancer cells. However, the exact mechanisms underlying these phenomena largely remain elusive. Our interest in matrix metalloproteinase-7 (MMP-7) greatly increased when we assessed the effects of GANT61 on the potential downstream target genes of Gli that function specifically in the cellular migration and invasion of ovarian cancer using a cDNA microarray approach; all data are available in the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database under accession no. GSE53464.
Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), also called matrixins, were first identified by Gross and Lapiere approximately 50 years ago and have been shown to facilitate cell invasion and metastasis via the enzymatic degradation of extracellular matrix (ECM) components . MMP-7 is an MMP family member that comprises structural-related zinc-dependent endopeptidases . This secreted protease breaks down proteoglycans, fibronectin, elastin and casein and differs from most MMP family members in that it lacks a conserved C-terminal haemopexin domain. Physiologically, MMP-7 can promote cancer invasion and angiogenesis by the proteolytic cleavage of ECM and basement membrane proteins and thus plays a vital role in the invasion and metastasis of ovarian cancer [25-27]. However, it is still among the less understood that how the expression of MMP-7 is regulated in the development and progression of ovarian cancer.
Since ECM degradation mediated by MMPs is an essential process in cancer invasion and metastasis, we hypothesize that the Hh pathway promotes ovarian cancer cell migration and invasion by regulating MMP-7 expression. In our current study, human ovarian cancer SK-OV-3 cells, which exhibit highly invasive behaviour, were employed to demonstrate for the first time that MMP-7 is a downstream target gene of Gli2, and aberrant activation of the canonical Hh signalling pathway promotes ovarian cell invasion and migration by regulating MMP-7. When MMP-7 was knocked down, the migration and invasion abilities of ovarian cancer cells were markedly decreased. Additionally, our data indicated that MMP-7 could serve as an important clinical biomarker for predicting ovarian cancer prognosis.
GANT61 (G9048), cyclopamine, protease inhibitor cocktail, and Lubrol-PX were purchased from Sigma-Aldrich (St. Louis, MO, USA). DMSO was purchased from Amresco and was used as the solvent for some reagents and the vehicle control. Puromycin was purchased from Salarbio. Doxycycline was purchased from Sangon Biotech (Shanghai, China). The primary antibody against Gli1 (2643S) was purchased from Cell Signaling (CST); the primary antibody against Kif3a (ab11259) were purchased from Abcam. The primary antibody against MMP-7 (C0273) was purchased from ANBO; antibody against Gli2 (sc28674) was purchased from Santa Cruz; antibody against GAPDH (MAB374) was purchased from Millipore. Enhanced chemiluminescence (ECL) Western blot detection reagents were purchased from Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. The BLOCK-iT Pol II miR RNAi Expression Vector Kit (K4936-00) and Lipofectamine 2000 (11668-019) were purchased from Invitrogen.
HEK293T were purchased from the American Type Culture Collection (ATCC, Manassas, VA) between 2010 and 2015. Ovarian tumour cells SK-OV-3 and ES-2 were purchased from the Cell Bank of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (Shanghai, China) between 2010 and 2013. SK-OV-3, ES-2 and 293T cells were authenticated using short tandem repeat profiling and were negative for mycoplasma contamination detecting via PCR-based assay in December 2017. The used cells were immediately expanded and frozen so that they could be resuscitated every 3 to 4 months from a frozen vial of the same batch of cells. HEK293T cells were cultured in basal Dulbecco's Modified Eagle's Medium (DMEM) supplemented with 10% foetal bovine serum (FBS, Gibco-Life Technologies) and 1% penicillin/streptomycin, while ovarian tumour cells were cultured in McCOY's 5A medium (Gibco, 16600-082, adding NaHCO3 2.2g/L) supplemented with 10% FBS and 1% penicillin/streptomycin at 37°C in a humidified 5% CO2 atmosphere. In all experiments, the medium was replaced daily. Transient cell transfection was performed with Lipofectamine 2000 according to the manufacturer's instructions.
The human full-length MMP-7 cDNA (GenBank accession no. NM_002423.4) construct was subcloned into pcDNA3-Flag/AB (Invitrogen). The miRNAi-MMP-7 expression vectors were generated using the BLOCK-iTTM Pol II miR RNAi Expression Vector Kit (K4936-00, Invitrogen) [28, 29]. Briefly, using the human MMP-7 sequence from the NCBI gene bank, we designed three pairs of interference fragments using an Invitrogen online programme. These three regions were cloned into the pcDNA™6.2-GW/EmGFP-miR expression vectors to construct miRNAi-MMP-7. The oligonucleotide sequences for the miRNAi constructs are listed in Additional file 1: Table S1. An expression plasmid encoding the secretory Flag-tagged N-terminal 'Hedge' domain (N-Shh), the secreted segment of the Shh ligand with ligand activity, was constructed as previously described by inserting the amino-terminal signalling domain of a human Shh cDNA (aa 26-184, GenBank accession no. NM_000193.2) into a pFlag-CMV1 vector (Sigma-Aldrich, E7273) [20, 30]. In a 10-cm dish, HEK293T cells were transiently transfected with 10 µg of the Flag-N-Shh plasmid, and the empty vector plasmid was transfected into control cells. Twelve hours after transfection, the medium was replaced with basal DMEM supplemented with 2% FBS. The cells were incubated for an additional 24 hr, and the conditional medium with secreted N-Shh was then harvested and stored at 4°C . When culturing ovarian tumour cells, the conditioned Shh medium or the control medium was mixed with an equivalent volume of fresh culture medium supplemented with 5% FBS.
A Lenti-X-shRNA Tet-On system (pGV307-RFP) comprising shRNA-Gli2 was constructed, packaged, and purified by GeneChem (Shanghai, China), with shRNA-Gli2 targeting the sequence 5'-TCCTGAACATGATGACCTA-3'. Lentivirus infection was performed according to the manufacturer's protocol. Briefly, stably infected cells were selected using puromycin (1 μg/ml, Sangon Biotech) for 7 days and induced with doxycycline (1 μg/ml, Sangon Biotech). Knockdown efficiency was determined by quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and Western blot analysis.
A scratch (wounding healing) assay was used to monitor cell migration . Briefly, SK-OV-3 cells were plated in 6-well plates to create a confluent monolayer and transfected with the miR-control or miR-MMP-7-158 plasmid at approximately 70% confluence. Next, the cell monolayer was scraped in a straight line to create a ''scratch trace'' with a 200 µL pipet tip. After washing the cells three times with the growth medium containing 2% FBS, the cells were treated with an equal volume of N-Shh conditional medium or control vehicle medium for 0, 12, 24, 36, and 48 hrs. The cells were photographed with a phase-contrast microscope (10× objective lens) at 0, 12, 24, 36 and 48 hrs. Wound areas were quantified using NIH Image-Pro Plus software. Data are presented as the means of three independent experiments ± standard deviation.
Cell invasion assays were conducted in Transwell plates (8-μm pore size, 6.5-mm diameter; Corning Life Sciences) precoated with Matrigel Basement Membrane Matrix (1 mg/ml; BD Biosciences) according to the manufacturer's protocol. First, SK-OV-3 cells were plated in 6-well plates to create a confluent monolayer and then transfected with the miR-control or miR-MMP-7-158 plasmid. After transfection, SK-OV-3 cells (5.0 × 104) in 500 μl of culture medium supplemented with 2% FBS were seeded onto the porous membrane of each insert, and 500 μl of N-Shh conditional medium or control vehicle medium supplemented with 2% FBS was added to each of the bottom wells in the system. Twenty-four hours later, the cells that had migrated to the other side of the membrane were fixed with 4% paraformaldehyde and stained with crystal violet for 30 min. The number of invading cells were photographed and counted under an inverted microscope (10× objective lens). Each experiment was repeated at least three times.
Total RNA was extracted from fresh cells using TRIzol Reagent (Invitrogen, Carlsbad, CA) and analyzed by real-time PCR. Briefly, 1 µg of total RNA was reverse-transcribed to cDNA using the PrimeScript RT Reagent Kit (Takara, Japan). Finally, cDNA was analyzed using the Applied Biosystems Step One PlusTM Real-Time PCR Detection System (ABI, Foster City, CA, USA) according to the manufacturer's instructions. The real-time PCR conditions were as follows: activation at 95°C for 30 s followed by 40 cycles of denaturation at 95°C for 5 s, primer annealing and extension at 60°C for 30 s and a ramp back to 95°C. The mRNA expression levels of the target genes were normalized to those of GAPDH and quantified using the delta delta CT method. Quantitative RT-PCR for each gene was carried out in triplicate using the SYBR Premix Ex Taq RT-PCR Kit (Takara, Japan), and each experiment was repeated at least three times to ensure quantitative accuracy. The real-time PCR primer sequences are listed in Additional file 2: Table S2.
Cells were harvested after treatment with a designed programme and then subjected to Western blot analysis as described previously [28, 29]. Briefly, cells were lysed in extraction buffer comprising 0.5% Lubrol-PX, 50 mM KCl, 2 mM CaCl2, 20% glycerol, 50 mM Tris-HCl, and protease and phosphatase inhibitors (pH 7.4). Cell lysates were purified by centrifugation (Eppendorf, 5415R) at 12,000 rpm for 15 min at 4°C, and total protein concentrations were determined using a standard BCA Protein Assay Kit (23225, Thermo). Ovarian tumour cell lysates (40 μg) were separated on 8%-10% polyacrylamide gels via SDS-PAGE and then transferred to polyvinylidene difluoride (PVDF) membranes (Millipore). Subsequent immunoblotting was performed using the following primary antibodies: Gli1 (1:500), Gli2 (1:500), MMP-7 (1:500), Kif3a (1:1000) and GAPDH (1:2000). Quantification of the immunoblot bands was accomplished using scanning films containing nonsaturated signals with the Epson V700 scanner. Densitometries of the Western blot images were quantified using ImageJ software. All experiments were repeated at least three times with consistent results.
The excised samples were fixed in a 10% neutral buffered formalin solution, embedded in paraffin, and processed for histopathological analysis. All samples were stained with haematoxylin and eosin (H&E), and histopathological evaluations were performed by a histopathologist blinded to the pathological diagnosis.
Immunohistochemistry (IHC) analyses were performed as described previously [19, 33, 34]. Briefly, tissues sections were cut into 4-μm-thick sections and mounted onto slides. The tissues were then deparaffinized and rehydrated, and endogenous peroxidase activity was blocked with 3% hydrogen peroxide. Then, the tissues were treated with citrate buffer (0.01 M, pH 6.0) and heated in a microwave for 30 min. Following a standard antigen retrieval protocol, the slides were rinsed in phosphate buffered saline (PBS) and incubated with the appropriate primary antibody, anti-Gli2 (1:100) or anti-MMP-7 (1:100), overnight at 4°C in a humidified chamber. Detection was achieved with a Polink-2 HRP DAB Detection Kit (Zhongshan Biotechnology) following the manufacturer's protocol. IHC images were captured with an FSX100 microscope (Olympus), and the German semiquantitative scoring method was employed to evaluate the scores. All stained sections, including nuclei, cytoplasms and membranes, were evaluated and scored independently by two qualified pathologists with no prior knowledge of the clinicopathological outcomes of the patients. Staining intensity was scored as 0 (no staining), 1 (weak staining), 2 (moderate staining) or 3 (strong staining), and the mean percentage of positive cells was scored as 0 (0%), 1 (1%-24%), 2 (25%-49%), 3 (50%-74%) or 4 (75%-100%). The final immunoreactive scores were obtained for each case by multiplying the percentage and intensity scores. Protein expression levels were further analysed by classifying the final scores as negative (-): 0-2, low positive (+): 3-5, medium positive (++): 6-8, or strongly positive (+++): 9-12. Enumeration data were obtained by classification of the final scores as one of two grades, negative (0-2) or positive (+, ++, +++).
For Kaplan-Meier Plotter database analysis (http://kmplot.com/), Kaplan-Meier overall survival curves were generated for ovarian patients whose follow-up data were available . A log-rank (Mantel-Cox) test was used to analyse survival differences between groups.
In total, 95 patients with ovarian epithelial cell carcinoma who underwent surgical resection at the Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University between January 1998 and December 2008 (age >18 years) were included in the current study. All patients were diagnosed based on the histopathological criteria, and none of these patients had received chemotherapy, radiotherapy or immunotherapy before or after surgery. In addition, 20 patients with benign ovarian cystadenoma who underwent tumour stripping or unilateral salpingo-oophorectomy and another 10 patients who underwent both hysterectomy and bilateral or unilateral oophorectomy were selected as controls for H&E staining and IHC analysis. Clinical samples were collected after informed consent was obtained in accordance with the Ethics Committee requirements at the participating institutes and the Declaration of Helsinki. The study procedure was approved by the Ethics Committee of the Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University (Nanchang, China). Detailed clinical and pathological information is summarized in Table 3.
Microarray gene expression data were deposited into the GEO database under accession number GSE53464.
Data are presented as the mean ± SD of independent experiments performed at least three times. Paired two-tailed Student's t-test or one-way ANOVA were used to assess the statistical significance of differences between two different groups of quantitative data. Correlation analysis of IHC scores between Gli2 and MMP-7 expression was demonstrated using Pearson's Chi-squared test with Yates' continuity correction. Correlations were defined as follows: strong (r2 > 0.75), good (0.4 ≤ r2 ≤ 0.75), and poor (r2 < 0.4) . Correlations between Gli2 or MMP-7 expression and clinicopathological characteristics were analysed using χ² tests, statistical significance was analyzed using Fisher's exact test for qualitative data. P < 0.05 (*) and P < 0.01 (**) indicate statistically significant differences. SPSS software version 18.0 (SPSS, Chicago) was used to perform data analyses.
Hh signalling plays a vital role in the initiation and/or progression of various cancers, including ovarian cancer. To further investigate the effects of aberrant Hh signalling activation on the invasion and metastasis of ovarian cancer, we previously analysed the gene expression profile of SK-OV-3 cells treated with GANT61, a Gli inhibitor, using a cDNA microarray [9, 20]. Herein, we focused on MMP-7 among the genes putatively down-regulated by GANT61 to elucidate the essential role of MMPs in ECM turnover and cancer cell migration .
While this high-throughput assay approach revealed some clues, more evidence was required to identify MMP-7 as a downstream target gene of Hh signalling. We first investigated whether MMP-7 responded to the Shh ligand by detecting its mRNA and protein expression in SK-OV-3 cells treated with N-Shh or control conditional media, revealing that both the mRNA (Figure 1A) and protein (Figure 1B) expression levels of MMP-7 were increased by Shh treatment in a time-dependent manner. The protein levels of MMP-7 in ES-2 cells, another ovarian tumour cell line, either treated or not treated with Shh were then evaluated, revealing consistently increased protein expression after Shh treatment in these cells (Figure 1C). Together, these results demonstrate that MMP-7 expression is regulated by the Hh ligand and suggest that MMP-7 is a target gene of Hh signalling.
As Hh signalling is generally reported to be overactivated in ovarian tumours, cyclopamine, a widely used Smo inhibitor, was employed to inhibit Hh signalling in SK-OV-3 and ES-2 cells. The mRNA level of MMP-7 was decreased in SK-OV-3 cells antagonized by cyclopamine (Figure 1D), and the MMP-7 protein level was also decreased in a time-dependent manner after cyclopamine treatment in SK-OV-3 and ES-2 cells (Figure 1E and 1F). These results further confirmed MMP-7 as an Hh target gene.
MMP-7 expression is regulated by the Hh signalling pathway. A. SK-OV-3 cells incubated with or without N-Shh were subjected to real-time PCR analysis for the detection of Gli2 and MMP-7 expression. Data are shown as mean ± SD (n = 3). **P < 0.01. B. Left panel, SK-OV-3 cells incubated with N-Shh for 0 hr, 24 hrs, 36 hrs, or 48 hrs were harvested for WB analysis. Data are shown as mean ± SD (n = 3). Right panel, quantification analysis of the Western blot image shown in Figure 1B using ImageJ software. *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01. C. Left panel, ES-2 cells incubated with N-Shh for 0 hr, 24 hrs, 36 hrs , or 48 hrs were harvested for WB analysis. Data are shown as mean ± SD (n = 3). Right panel, Quantification analysis of the Western blot image shown in Figure 1C using ImageJ software. *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01. D. SK-OV-3 cells treated with cyclopamine (20 µmol/L) for 0 hr, 36 hrs, or 60 hrs were subjected to real-time PCR analysis for the detection of Gli2 and MMP-7 expression. Data are shown as mean ± SD (n = 3). **P < 0.01. E. Left panel, SK-OV-3 cells treated with cyclopamine (20 µmol/L) for 0 hr, 24 hrs, 36 hrs, or 48 hrs were harvested for WB analysis with the indicated antibodies. Data are shown as mean ± SD (n = 3). Right panel, Quantification analysis of the Western blot image shown in Figure 1E using Image J software. *P < 0.05. F. Left panel, ES-2 cells treated with cyclopamine (20 µmol/L) for 0 hr, 24 hrs, 36 hrs , or 48 hrs were harvested for WB analysis with the indicated antibodies. Data are shown as mean ± SD (n = 3). Right panel, quantification analysis of the Western blot image shown in Figure 1F using ImageJ software. *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01.
In the canonical Hh signalling pathway, activated Smo inhibits the phosphorylation and ubiquitination of Glis in PC. Kinesin superfamily protein 3 (Kif3a), an essential component of the intraflagellar transport motor system (IFT) in PC, is well-known to mediate and transduce canonical Hh signalling. To further investigate how MMP-7 expression is regulated by Hh signalling, Kif3a was knocked down. Consequently, MMP-7 protein expression was reduced (Figure 2A), indicating that regulation of MMP-7 expression depends on Hh signalling transduction in PC.
Gli proteins shuttled from PC to the nucleus were deemed essential for transcriptional activation by Hh signalling, and serval antagonists of these proteins have been developed. SK-OV-3 and ES-2 cells were treated with GANT61 (a common Gli inhibitor) to block Hh signalling in the nucleus, which reduced MMP-7 protein expression in both SK-OV-3 and ES-2 cells in a time-dependent manner (Figure 2B and 2C). Consistent with this phenomenon, MMP-7 mRNA expression was also depressed by GANT61 treatment (Figure 2D), indicating that MMP-7 expression depends on Gli transcriptional activity.
Gli2 was knocked down in SK-OV-3 to block Gli transcriptional activity, and MMP-7 mRNA and protein expression was subsequently detected. Gli2 depletion suppressed the protein expression of MMP-7 in SK-OV-3 (Figure 2E). Additionally, the mRNA expression of MMP-7 was also decreased in SK-OV-3 cells in which Gli2 was knocked down (Figure 2F), further confirming MMP-7 as a target gene of Gli transcription factors. To further illustrate whether Gli2 or Gli1 acts the predominant role in regulating MMP-7, SK-OV-3 cells were transfected transiently with overexpression plasmids of pUB6/V5-hisB-Gli1 or empty vector, then the mRNA expression levels of Gli1 and MMP-7 were detected using qPCR. And we found that the mRNA expression of MMP-7 did not change while Gli1 was upregulated significantly (Figure S2A). This result revealed that Gli1 did not regulate MMP-7 directly. Next, we conducted transfection of plasmids of pcMV6-entry-Gli2-myc or empty vector, then the mRNA expression levels of Gli2, Gli1 and MMP-7 were detected using qPCR. Consequently, the mRNA expression levels of MMP-7 and Gli1 were increased accordingly after overexpressing Gli2 (Figure S2B). Therefore, our results revealed that MMP-7 is regulated directly by Gli2 other than Gli1. Taken together, these results demonstrate that MMP-7 is a target gene of Hh signalling downstream of Gli2.
As modulators in ECM turnover and cancer cell migration, MMPs represent the most prominent family of proteinases associated with cancer metastasis . However, the function of MMP-7 and the effects of regulating MMP-7 expression via Hh signalling remain unclear in ovarian tumour cells.
Three miRNAs targeting MMP-7 mRNA were designed to evaluate the endogenous function of MMP-7 in ovarian tumour cells, and their knockdown efficiencies were evaluated by detecting MMP-7 protein expression (Figure 3A) and mRNA expression (Supplementary Figure S1H). miR-MMP-7-158 and miR-MMP-7-668 dramatically interfered with the endogenous expression of MMP-7 (Figure 3A and 3B). To make a comprehensive assessment of protein and mRNA level, we choose miR-MMP-7-158 as a putative interfere construct.
Classic transwell and wound healing assays were utilized to evaluate the invasion and migration of ovarian tumour cells. Shh stimulation promoted both invasion and migration in SK-OV-3 cells, while MMP-7 depletion suppressed the invasive and migratory abilities of SK-OV-3 cells and partially ameliorated the effect of Shh treatment (Figure 3C, 3D, 3E, and 3F). We also repeated the invasive and migratory experiments with miR-MMP-7-668 (Supplementary Figure S1D, S1E, S1F and S1G). These results indicate that as an Hh target gene, MMP-7 might participate in the regulation of cell invasion and migration induced by Hh signalling.
MMPs reportedly play important roles in the tumourigenesis and progression of lung cancer, breast cancer, colorectal cancer, prostate cancer , hepatocellular carcinoma , and pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma , among others . However, whether the dysregulation of MMP-7 expression facilitates ovarian tumour progression remains unclear.
MMP-7 is a downstream target gene of the canonical Hh signalling pathway. A. Left panel, shRNA-Kif3a decreased the protein level of MMP-7. Right panel, quantification analysis of the Western blot image shown in Figure 2A using ImageJ software. Data are shown as mean ± SD (n = 3). *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01. B. Left panel, SK-OV-3 cells treated with GANT61 (5 µmol/L) for 0 hr, 24 hrs, 36 hrs, or 48 hrs were harvested for WB analysis with the indicated antibodies. Right panel, quantification analysis of the Western blot image shown in Figure 2B using ImageJ software. Data are shown as mean ± SD (n = 3). *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01. C. Left panel, ES-2 cells treated with GANT61 (20 µmol/L) for 0 hr, 24 hrs, or 36 hrs, or 48 hrs were harvested for WB analysis with the indicated antibodies. Right panel, quantification analysis of the Western blot image shown in Figure 2C using ImageJ software. Data are shown as mean ± SD (n = 3). *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01. D. ES-2 cells treated with GANT61 (20 µmol/L) for 0 hr, 24 hrs, or 36 hrs were subjected to real-time PCR analysis for the detection of Gli2 and MMP-7 expression. Data are shown as mean ± SD (n = 3). *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01. E. Left panel, SK-OV-3 cells were infected with lentivirus harbouring shRNAs (Lenti-shRNA-control and Lenti-shRNA-Gli2). Effective Gli2 knockdown markedly decreased the protein expression of Gli1 and MMP-7. Gli1 acted as a positive control. Right panel, quantification analysis of the Western blot image shown in Figure 2E using ImageJ software. Data are shown as mean ± SD (n = 3). *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01. F. SK-OV-3 cells infected with lentivirus harbouring shRNAs (Lenti-shRNA-control and Lenti-shRNA-Gli2) were subjected to real-time PCR analysis for the detection of Gli2, Gli1 and MMP-7 expression. Data are shown as mean ± SD (n = 3). *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01.
MMP-7 mRNA expression in normal ovarian tissues and various types of primary ovarian tumours sourced from GEO (GSE6008) were analysed, revealing higher MMP-7 expression in certain types of ovarian tumours (Figure 4A). Gli2 and MMP-7 protein expression levels in normal ovarian tissues and ovarian tumour samples were evaluated by IHC analysis, revealing that both Gli2 and MMP-7 expression levels were increased in ovarian tumour samples compared with those in normal tissues (Figure 4D, and Table 1). Interestingly, the protein levels of MMP-7 showed a positive correlation with Gli2 (Figure 4D, and Table 2), suggesting that MMP-7 expression is regulated by Hh-Gli2 signalling in ovarian tumours. Moreover, high Gli2 and MMP-7 expression was significantly correlated with clinical stage and lymphatic metastasis (Table 3). These observations demonstrate that Gli2 and MMP-7 are highly expressed in ovarian cancer tissues and suggest their association with ovarian tumourigenesis or ovarian cancer progression.
Kaplan-Meier survival analysis of 28 ovarian cancer patients (sourced from GSE23554) stratified by varying MMP-7 expression levels revealed that high MMP-7 levels were significantly associated with poor overall survival (p=0.0055, HR=4.38, Figure 4B) . Similarly, high MMP-7 levels in ovarian cancer patients sourced from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA, n=565) also signified poor progression-free survival (p=0.048, HR=1.3, Figure 4C) . These survival correlation analyses suggest that the level of MMP-7 expression is related to poor prognosis and might be a potential marker for prognosis prediction.
MMP-7 promotes the migration and invasion abilities of ovarian cancer cells. A. Validation of the knockdown efficiencies of three miR-MMP-7 constructs (miR-MMP-7-158, miR-MMP-7-314, and miR-MMP-7-668) in SK-OV-3 cells. B. Quantification analysis of the Western blot image shown in Figure 3A using ImageJ software. Data are shown as mean ± SD (n = 3). *P < 0.05. C. MMP-7 knockdown reduces N-Shh-induced invasive ability of SK-OV-3 cells. Scale bar, 100 μm. D. Quantification analysis of the cell counts shown in Figure 3C. Data are shown as mean ± SD (n = 3). **P < 0.01. E. MMP-7 knockdown inhibits the N-Shh-stimulated migratory ability of SK-OV-3 cells. Scale bar, 100 μm. F. Quantification analysis of the wound areas shown in Figure 3E using NIH Image-Pro Plus software. Data are shown as mean ± SD (n = 3). *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01.
MMP-7 expression is abnormally elevated in ovarian cancer tissues and predicts poor clinical prognosis. A. Analysis of MMP-7 mRNA levels in the “GSE6008” dataset obtained from the publicly available Oncomine database. B. Kaplan-Meier survival rate analysis show that high MMP-7 expression is associated with poor overall survival. Overall survival data were obtained from the publicly available NCBI GEO database #GSEGSE23554. C. Kaplan-Meier survival rate analysis show that high MMP-7 expression is associated with poor progression survival. PFS data were obtained from the publicly available TCGA database. D. Representative immunostaining of Gli2 and MMP-7 in normal tissues and benign tumour, serous carcinoma, mucous cancer, and endometrial cancer tissues. Scale bar, 20 μm.
Levels of Gli2 and MMP-7 expression among normal tissues, benign tumors, malignant ovarian cancer.
b: * The positive expression rate of Gli2 in ovarian cancer was higher than that of normal ovarian tissue. Statistical significance was analyzed using χ2 test. χ22=5.42, 0.01<P<0.025.
c: △△ The positive expression rate of MMP-7 in ovarian cancer was higher than that of benign ovarian tumor. Statistical significance was analyzed using χ2 test. χ12=11.39, P<0.005.
d: ** The positive expression rate of MMP-7 in ovarian cancer was higher than that of normal ovarian tissue. Statistical significance was analyzed using χ2 test. χ22=10.34, P<0.005.
a: There was a significantly positive correlation between Gli2 and MMP-7. Statistical significance was analyzed using Fisher's exact test for count data. P=2.293e-10 (<0.01). Correlation analysis was demonstrated using Pearson's Chi-squared test with Yates' continuity correction. P=4.086e-12 (<0.01).
Ovarian cancer is a highly invasive gynaecological malignancy, and despite advancements in surgical and chemotherapy treatment strategies, many patients relapse and eventually succumb to this malignancy due to distant metastasis. Increasing evidence suggests that abnormal activation of the Hh signalling pathway plays a role in ovarian cancer [10, 11, 14, 39].
Hh was first identified in Drosophila melanogaster by genetic screens . Shortly thereafter, a field diversified to encompass embryonic development and stem cell homeostasis in adult tissues was inaugurated. Interestingly, dysregulation of the Hh pathway was shown to be responsible for congenital syndromes, such as holoprosencephaly, and other developmental malformations . Moreover, persistent Hh pathway activity has been demonstrated to have pathological consequences in various cancers, including skin cancer, basal cell carcinoma , prostate cancer , pancreatic cancer [16, 44], gastrointestinal malignancies [15, 17, 45], and brain cancer (medulloblastoma) . Nevertheless, the mechanisms underlying the invasion and migration of ovarian cancer are not fully elucidated.
Association of Gli2 and MMP-7 expression levels with clinicopathologic characteristics in ovarian cancer.
a: #Compare the positive expression rate of Gli2 in serous carcinoma and mucous cancer. Statistical significance was analyzed using χ2 test.
b: △Compare the positive expression rate of Gli2 in serous carcinoma and endometrial cancer. Statistical significance was analyzed using χ2 test.
c: *Compare the positive expression rate of Gli2 in mucous cancer and endometrial cancer. Statistical significance was analyzed using χ2 test.
d: “—” was defined as the exact group whose patients numbers were less than 5.
e: ##Compare the positive expression rate of MMP-7 in serous carcinoma and mucous cancer. Statistical significance was analyzed using χ2 test.
f: △△Compare the positive expression rate of MMP-7 in serous carcinoma and endometrial cancer. Statistical significance was analyzed using χ2 test.
g: **Compare the positive expression rate of MMP-7 in mucous cancer and endometrial cancer. Statistical significance was analyzed using χ2test.
h: “——” was defined as the exact group whose patients numbers were less than 5.
In mammalian cells, Gli zinc finger proteins are dedicated transcription factors in the intracellular signalling transduction of the Hh pathway. Among three Gli homologs, Gli2 is a dual function mediator in Hh signalling; full-length Gli2 mediates Hh signalling from the plasma membrane into the nucleus, whereas Gli2 truncated at the N-terminus suppresses Hh signalling. Gli2 appears to be more important in development, as deletion of Gli2 is embryonically lethal, whereas the Gli1 protein is dispensable for animal development . Moreover, loss-of-function and dominant-negative mutations in Gli2 lead to holoprosencephaly-like features and pituitary anomalies.
Invasion and metastasis are complicated, multi-step processes in which cancer cells undergo detachment from the primary site, intravasation into blood vessels, extravasation to a different bodily location, and colonization at the secondary site . Degradation of the ECM and basement membrane is a significant proteolytic event in cancer invasion and metastasis initiation . MMPs, whose general architectural features demonstrate three domains, the catalytic domain, the pro-peptide domain, and the haemopexin-like C-terminal domain linked to the catalytic domain via a flexible hinge region, have traditionally been found to play vital roles in late-stage tumour cell invasion and metastasis based on their ability to degrade ECM components. Furthermore, MMPs regulate other signalling pathways that control cell growth, inflammation, and angiogenesis and may even function in a nonproteolytic manner. MMPs promote the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) by cleaving the cell adhesion molecule E-cadherin and liberating TGF-β. Moreover, MMPs reportedly trigger the angiogenic switch, and release VEGF during carcinogenesis . Sawada revealed that ovarian cancer metastasis is most likely induced by upregulation of the alpha 5-integrin mediated by E-cadherin loss . Sakata indicated that MMP-2 and MMP-9 are frequently overexpressed in ovarian cancer cells disseminated in the peritoneal cavity . Laminin is an ECM component that is associated with tumour cell metastasis, and one study indicated that laminin expression in the ascitic fluid of patients with ovarian cancer is greatly increased . In recent years, VEGF family members, especially placental growth factor (PLGF), have been shown to activate MMP-7-mediated ovarian cancer invasion .
MMP-7, a secreted proteolytic enzyme, differs from most MMP family members in that it lacks a conserved C-terminal haemopexin domain. MMP-7 exhibits elevated expression levels in multiple human cancers and has been previously demonstrated to facilitate tumour invasion, which is consistent with the results of this study. Specifically, ectopic Gli2 overexpression using the Shh ligand, an Hh signalling pathway activator, facilitated ovarian cancer cell invasion and migration (Figure 3C and 3E). However, simultaneously inhibiting MMP-7 with an miRNA and the Shh ligand inhibited ovarian cancer cell invasion and migration. The exact mechanisms underlying the invasion and migration of ovarian cancer cells are complex. Some studies suggest that these processes are partially due to the induction of progelatinase activation , while another study indicates that mesothelin may participate in the invasion of ovarian cancer by inducing MMP-7 expression via the MAPK/ERK and JNK pathways . Increasing evidence indicates that ligand-dependent Hh signalling, also termed canonical Hh signalling, plays an essential role in cancer. On the other hand, noncanonical mechanisms independent of Hh signalling also play regulatory roles in the expression of Gli target genes. This Hh-independent regulation of Gli indicates that a cross talk between the Hh pathway and other signalling pathways may exist during animal development and tumourigenesis. Many studies have shown an apparent cross talk between the Hh and Wnt pathways in ovarian cancer [55, 56]. The PI3K-Akt and Shh-Gli1 pathways are also validated in the occurrence of EMT in ovarian cancer cells .
High Gli1 expression in advanced serous ovarian cancers is associated with unfavourable overall survival . Consistent with these findings, we found that Gli2 and MMP-7 were both markedly elevated in malignant ovarian cancer tissues (Figure 4A and 4C). Furthermore, our analysis of clinical samples also indicated that MMP-7 expression was positively correlated with Gli2. In addition, the expression of MMP-7 and Gli2 was significantly correlated with the clinical stage and lymphatic metastasis (Table 3). Finally, our analyses of public databases showed that higher levels of Gli2 and MMP-7 were associated with unfavourable survival and poor progression-free survival, which was also found in another study . Furthermore, we showed that MMP-7 can potentially serve as a marker for ovarian cancer recurrence, as previously reported .
Collectively, we demonstrate that aberrant activation of the Hh signalling pathway promotes ovarian cancer cell migration and invasion by regulating MMP-7, suggesting that this pathway could serve as a potential target for future ovarian cancer therapies. Furthermore, our results demonstrate the feasibility of using MMP-7 as a prognostic marker and target for therapeutic ovarian cancer interventions.
Herein, we validated that the Hedgehog signalling pathway promotes ovarian cancer invasion and migration via matrix metalloproteinase-7. Furthermore, Gli2 and MMP-7 are aberrantly and consistently elevated in ovarian cancer, which can predict poor clinical outcomes. These observations reveal novel biological insight into how the Hh pathway regulates the invasion and migration of ovarian cancer and highlight a preclinical rationale for using MMP-7 as a potential therapeutic target and prognostic marker in ovarian cancer.
Dhh: Desert Hedgehog; FBS: Foetal bovine serum; Gli: Glioma-associated oncogene; GEO: Gene Expression Omnibus; H&E: Haematoxylin and eosin; Hh: Hedgehog; IHC: immunohistochemistry; Ihh: Indian Hedgehog; MMP-7: Matrix metalloproteinase-7; OS: Overall survival; PBS: Phosphate-buffered saline; PC: Primary cilia; PFS: progression-free survival; Ptch1: Patched 1; qRT-PCR: quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction; Shh: Sonic Hedgehog; Smo: Smoothened; Sufu: Suppressor of fused; TCGA: The Cancer Genome Atlas.
This work was supported in part by grants from the National Natural Science Fundation of China (81460392) and the Jiangxi Government (20161ACB20014) as well as the Graduate Innovation Foundation of Jiangxi Province (YC2017-B027).
Patient samples were obtained in accordance with the ethics committee of the Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University and the Declaration of Helsinki. The study protocol of human tissue was approved by the Institutional Review Board of the Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University. (Nanchang, China).
HZ and YW carried out the experiments of Western Blot as well as qRT-PCR; HZ analyzed and interpreted the data; YW drafted the final manuscript; YZ and WW analyzed and interpreted the patient data, and contributed to the immunohistochemistry experiments; TC drafted the initial manuscript; RX performed the invasion and migration assay; MC performed statistical analysis as well as figure construction; QC managed the experimental design, reviewed the manuscript and provided funding support. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.
Corresponding author: Dr. Qi Chen, Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi, 330006, PR China. Email: ndefy97010edu.cn; Fax: +86-791-88623153; Tel: +86-791-86266912. | 2019-04-19T19:21:02Z | http://jcancer.org/v10p0990.htm |
TACLOBAN CITY – The national government has made available almost P1.8 billion for the rehabilitation of vital public buildings owned and operated by local government units in Yolanda-affected areas, Interior and Local Government Secretary Mar Roxas announced today.
According to Roxas, the government through the DILG will release the funding allocation amounting to P1,791,400,000 beginning this month (April) subject to the complete submission by local government units of required documents.
Roxas toured Yolanda-affected areas in Leyte province today to personally distribute the check for the rehabilitation fund to mayors who had submitted all the needed documents.
He noted that the P1.79-billion fund comprises only the first batch of rehabilitation fund for LGU-owned buildings. The second batch, amounting to P358,348,047.54, is still being processed by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM).
Roxas explained that the special funding was made possible through the Reconstruction Assistance on Yolanda (RAY), the national government’s strategic plan to guide the recovery and reconstruction of the economy, lives, and livelihoods in areas devastated by the Super Typhoon.
The objective of the plan is to restore the economic and social conditions of Yolanda-affected areas to their pre-typhoon levels, while also establishing a higher level of disaster resilience.
"Sinisimulan na namin ngayong buwan ang pagbibigay ng pondo para masimulan na ng mga LGUs ang pagpapagawa ng mahahalagang gusaling pampubliko na winasak ng Bagyong Yolanda," the DILG chief said.
"Bahagi ito ng pagsisikap ng pamahalaan na pabilisin ang normalisasyon sa mga lugar na nasalanta ng bagyo at maibalik ang regular na serbisyo ng LGU sa mamamayan sa lalong madaling panahon," he added.
The DILG has instructed all LGUs affected by Yolanda to submit their Program of Works (POW) for the rehabilitation of damaged public buildings in their respective areas, particularly the provincial, city, and municipal halls, public markets and civic centers.
Of the 14 provinces and 171 cities and municipalities falling within the 50 km. radius of Typhoon Yolanda’s path, four provinces and 146 municipalities and cities were reported to have sustained significant damages on the three priority facilities.
Reported damages of critical governance facilities in the 150 LGUs (4 provinces and 146 municipalities and cities) reveal that 92.3%, or a total of 323 facilities, are partially damaged while only 27 (7.7%) are totally damaged.
The total cost of approved POWs for the partially-damaged facilities is P1,245,777,911.21, while total cost of submitted POWs for the totally-damaged facilities is P853,815,536.33.
The biggest chunk of the rehabilitation fund for cities and municipalities will go to Tacloban City, which was allocated P230,687,979.22 for the repair of the city hall, public market, and civic center.
For the provinces, Leyte received the biggest funding with allocation amounting to P801,804,911.17, or about 45 percent of the total rehabilitation fund.
Allocation for the other provinces in Region 8 include P19,917,634.41 for Biliran; P100,219,564.57 for Eastern Samar; and P16,528,192.25 for Western Samar.
In Region 6, the rehabilitation budget was divided with Iloilo getting the biggest slice of P78,829,195.17; followed by Capiz with P66,053,141.99; Aklan with P27,006,079.33; Antique with P24,877,150; and Negros Occidental with P5,152,267.
During his tour of Leyte province, Roxas reminded the LGU beneficiaries of the RAY fund to submit all the required documents at the soonest time possible so that the national government can expedite the release of budget allocation this April.
Initial documents required include a Certificate from a Government Depository Bank on the LGU Trust Account where Funds will be deposited, and SP/SB Resolution authorizing the Local Chief Executive to enter into a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the DILG Regional Office.
"Inaasahan ko na kukumpletuhin ng mga LGUs ang mga dokumentong ito at ipapasa sa amin sa DILG sa lalong madaling panahon para mapakinabangan na agad ang pondong inilaan ng Pangulong P-Noy sa mga nasalanta ng Bagyong Yolanda," Roxas said.
QUEZON CITY – Eight workers’ issues raised by labor group coalition Nagkaisa since May 2012 Labor Day are now in the hands of President Aquino to act on following a last minute series of meetings with members of his cabinet with the representatives of the group on Wednesday.
Final details of the issues were threshed out in meetings that took place on April 8 with the secretaries of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), Department of Justice (DOJ), and Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), and on the following day with the Department of Energy (DOE), said Alan Tanjusay, spokesman of the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP).
“After more than 100 man hours of discussions with different government staffs, undersecretaries and secretaries within the two year period, we think it is more than fair enough to say that the ball is in the hands of President Aquino. These issues are now on his table,” said Gerard Seno, executive vice president of the Associated Labor Unions-TUCP and a convenor of Nagkaisa.
The issues that were finalized by the Nagkaisa and the cabinet level are for government to (1) ensure security of tenure of workers by criminalizing or eliminating contractualization of labor, enhance labor rights by deterring union-busting and actively prosecute extrajudicial killings of labor organizers and journalists (2) provide exemption and enhancement on minimum wage taxation, (3) institutionalize core labor standards in the agro-industrial plan, (4) address affordability and supply sufficiency of power, EPIRA reform, and labor representation in the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC), (5) provide affordable housing program and non-violent transfer of urban poor communities from danger zones, (6) ratification of ILO Convention 151 – a convention concerning protection of the right to organize and procedures for determining conditions for employment in the government service, (7) approve into law the Freedom of Information measure and (8) ensure a jobs-led and workers’ sector participation in the planning and implementation of programs of the rehabilitation and reconstruction of Yolanda-hit areas.
The group also expects Aquino to make an unequivocal commitment to his promised regular dialogue with Nagkaisa on emergent issues affecting the working class.
Labor groups in Nagkaisa were always dismayed at Aquino’s alleged misunderstanding with workers’ issues raised by Nagkaisa every time he meets with labor group representatives over the traditional labor day breakfast since 2010 in Malacanang palace.
“If we want to emphasize how important these issues are for Nagkaisa, well, we have expended substantial amount of unions’ financial and manpower resources for these meetings to enlighten executives the need for government to address these issues that endangers Filipino workers and their families today. As representatives of workers, we have done our part in transmitting these concerns to the administration. We will now observe very closely how the president will respond to these issues and how he treats the working people in the light of May 1 Labor day,” said Frank Mero, chairperson of Sentro.
The group, however, emphasized that Nagkaisa will proceed with their Labor day activities regardless of Aquino’s response.
“With or without President Aquino’s imprimatur on these issues, Nagkaisa labor groups will go on with our May 1 Labor day simultaneous activities nationwide. President Aquino may chose or not chose to favorably or unfavorably respond to some or to all issues we have raised to his attention, he has that choice. But Nagkaisa will pursue resolution of the issues at will whatever the cost and in any possible way because these issues are legitimate and important for workers,” added Wilson Fortaleza, spokesman of the Partido Manggagawa.
Aside from ALU, Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP), PM and Sentro, there are 46 other member labor federation and workers’ organizations in Nagkaisa. It was established in April 2011, the other members of Nagkaisa includes Bukluran ng Manggagawang Pilipino (BMP), Federation of Free Workers (FFW), Public Services Labor Independent Confederation (PSLINK), Philippine Government Empoyees Association (PGEA), Confederation of Independent Unions (CIU) and KAMAO.
TACLOBAN CITY – The People Surge alliance for Typhoon Yolanda survivors will call on Archbishop of Manila Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle today to seek the blessings of the Catholic Church for their struggle for justice.
The People Surge spokesperson added Bishop Deogracias Iniguez will celebrate the mass at Quiapo Church for the Yolanda survivors, after which a solidarity lunch and program will be held at the historic Plaza Miranda. “The survivors and their supporters will then hold a Senakulo procession in line with the Holy Week. This will dramatize the sufferings of the Yolanda survivors under the Aquino administration and the “Gang of Five.” The “Gang of Five” is President Aquino and his officials Interior Sec. Manuel Roxas, Social Welfare Sec. Corazon Soliman, Reconstruction Sec. Panfilo Lacson and Energy Sec. Jericho Petilla.
PASAY CITY – Senator Chiz Escudero said the MRT corporate structure is a mess, causing delays in the implementation of long-overdue transportation projects aimed at improving the mass transport system.
Speaking to reporters after a hearing by the Senate Committee on Finance to look into the financial absorptive capacity of the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) to carry out projects, Escudero said the current system governing the Metro Rail Transit Corporation (MRTC) operational control and ownership remains a contentious issue that impedes the future development of the MRT.
With the lifting of the temporary restraining order (TRO) sought by the MRTC to stop the DOTC from purchasing new trains, Escudero expressed optimism that there will be no legal challenges along the way.
“Now that the TRO is already lifted, the DOTC has already given a notice to proceed to the train manufacturer in China. New trains will start coming in February of 2015, every month from then on there will be train deliveries. We hope the DOTC can really deliver on its schedule and not be stymied by one reason or another,” he said.
According to Escduero, he will introduce a legislation that will require the posting of surety or cash bonds from parties who will seek injunctions against an ongoing government project.
He said these bonds will be equivalent to the amount added to the actual project cost as a result of the delay and should also cover the economic losses of the government arising from the delay.
“The government currently has fiscal spaces, the transportation agency should take advantage of this and deliver the much needed improvement to our public transport system and provide relief to the riding public,” Escudero said.
OAK BROOK, IL – McDonald's (NYSE: MCD) today announced that multi-platinum recording artist Chris Daughtry and entertainer Wayne Brady will share their talents with contestants in the fifth biennial "Voice of McDonald's" global singing competition, held as part of its global convention in Orlando, Fla later this month.
Sixteen global semi-finalists were selected from a field of nearly 58,000 restaurant employees representing 63 countries competing for the "Voice of McDonald's" title in Orlando and a $25,000 grand prize. Top music industry professionals selected the semi-finalists, who will receive a star-studded experience and benefit from expertise in vocal coaching and stage presence.
Additionally, fans around the world can vote for their favorite semi-finalist from April 7-28 at www.voiceofmcdonalds.com. The Fan Favorite winner will receive an additional $5,000.
"We're proud of the opportunities available to McDonald's employees, and this program adds a whole new layer of excitement," said Rich Floersch, executive vice president and chief human resources officer at McDonald's.
Chris Daughtry, lead singer of the Grammy-nominated band Daughtry, will serve as a mentor to the semi-finalists and judge the competition, along with David Foster, multi-platinum, Grammy Award winning music producer and composer; Ken Hertz, prominent entertainment attorney and brand marketing strategist; and Skylar Grey, Grammy-nominated singer/songwriter.
As a multi-platinum recording artist Chris brings a unique perspective. "I know what a competition can mean to a developing artist's career," said Chris. "I couldn't be more excited to partner with McDonald's and mentor these contestants like I did during this season on American Idol."
Wayne Brady, Grammy-nominated vocalist and Emmy Award winner, will be the master of ceremonies for the semifinals on April 28 where the contestants will perform for thousands of McDonald's employees, Owner/Operators and suppliers. From there, four employees, one from each global region, will be selected to perform in the May 1 finals, where the winner will be announced.
"I got my start in show business by working as a crew member for a major brand, paying my dues and taking advantage of great opportunities," said Brady. "I can relate to these young people who are looking for their big break. What a cool chance McDonald's is giving them to showcase their talents and learn some early career tips that could help their musical dreams come true."
The Voice of McDonald's grand prize winner will receive $25,000. The second prize winner receives $17,500, third prize winner receives $12,500, fourth prize winner receives $7,500, and all other contestants will win $3,000. All 16 semi-finalists will receive $500 for a celebration party with co-workers at their restaurants and a $1,000 donation in their names for their local Ronald McDonald House Charities or other children's charity.
To learn more about the Voice of McDonald's finalists and to view live webcasts of the competitions on April 28 and May 1 visit www.aboutmcdonalds.com or www.voiceofmcdonalds.com. You also can join the conversation by following the competition on Facebook, Twitter (#voiceofmcdonalds), and Flickr.
CAMP LUKBAN, Catbalogan City, Samar – New People’s Army violated human rights anew when it abducted and killed a former New People’s Army at Brgy. Magdawat Pinabacdao, Samar on March 9, 2014.
Based on the report from Lt Col William P. Peñafiel Jr., the Commanding officer of the 52nd Infantry (CAFGU) Battalion based at Brgy. Caticugan, Sta Rita, Samar, Allan Rafales, called aka “Benny” a former rebel was forcibly taken by NPA insurgents around 9 a.m. on March 9, 2014. It was reported that aka “Benny” was participating in a Pintakasi or cockfighting event at Brgy. Magdawat when he was kidnapped. His lifeless body was found around 5p.m. of the same day.
Aka “Benny” surrendered to the 52nd Infantry (CAFGU) Battalion on January 6, 2012, as he wanted to start a new life with his family. After receiving his benefits from the Office of the Presidential Assistant for Peace Process of OPAPP, he was released from the custody of 52IB and went home to Sitio Canlobo, Pinabacdao, Samar purposely to cultivate a small lot as augmentation to support his family, until that fateful day when he was killed by the rebels.
When members of his family were reached out, they confirmed that their father was forcibly taken and killed by the rebels, but they were not around when the crime happened. It was only relayed to them by their relatives. They added that, their father was vent on starting a new life, but it was cut short by the rebels when they killed him.
The case of aka “Benny” is just one of the crimes against humanity that the NPA rebels have been doing for the past 45 years. They are saying that they are the defenders and protectors of the rights of the poor yet they are doing otherwise. How many more aka “Benny” will the rebels kill? How many more children will be orphaned because the NPAs do not want their fathers to lead a normal and peaceful life for their families?
Maj Gen Jet B. Velarmino AFP, the Commander of the 8th Infantry Division said: “For almost 45 years, many Filipinos have been victims of NPA operations. We enjoin everyone to condemn in strongest terms the violence and killings the rebels are perpetrating.
“The use of armed struggle to attain political ends is not acceptable to the Filipino people and has no place in a civilized and democratic society. It is a thing of the past as it will only bring misery and poverty among our people. Let us then give peace a chance and not resort to violence to attain political ends as the NPA is advocating,” he added.
TACLOBAN CITY – The czar of demolition, not reconstruction, is the correct job description for Sec. Panfilo Lacson, the People Surge alliance of Typhoon Yolanda survivors said today. | 2019-04-25T04:30:11Z | http://www.samarnews.com/news_clips25/news517.htm |
It has been 10 years since the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) articulated — in its guidance for process analytical technology (PAT) — the goal of “facilitating continuous processing to improve efficiency and manage variability” (1). Since that time, regulators and industry have worked toward applying continuous processing (CP) to all facets of pharmaceutical manufacturing, including bioproduction (2, 3). Last year, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) referred to CP in its draft Guideline on Process Validation, and the FDA released a strategic plan, Advancing Regulatory Science, which includes an advocacy of CP (4, 5). In 2012, Genzyme (a subsidiary of Sanofi), a major player in the single-use systems (SUS) arena, reported on the development of an integrated continuous bioprocessing approach as a potential universal platform for manufacturing protein biologicals (6). And just this year, Amgen and GlaxoSmithKline announced significant commitments to CP in an effort to improve efficiency and reduce costs (7, 8).
In CP manufacturing, raw materials constantly flow in and out of equipment and are continually processed into an intermediate or final product. In pharmaceutical manufacturing, that process is generally accomplished in a chemical reactor or bioreactor. The CP method is in contrast to discontinuous “batch” production, in which a specific quantity of drug is produced in a single, discrete volume during the same cycle of manufacture. Batch production is frequently segmented into many individual steps that are often performed at separate facilities (suites, buildings, or cities).
In CP, production occurs at a single location, without interruption. It proceeds in that way for variable lengths of time — from days to months to years — and is only interrupted for such reasons as cleaning of equipment or the incremental deterioration of enzymes, catalysts, or cultures.
CP is a well-established approach and is in fact a fundamental component of modern manufacturing. From detergents to paper, many products we use daily are manufactured using CP methods. The food industry, for example, proudly promotes its linear factories in which materials are continually trucked in at one end as product comes out the other. CP is also referred to as continuous production, continuous flow processing, and continuous manufacturing. It is helpful to know that many distinctions in particular implementations can be made (Table 1). Some approaches even define semicontinuous or pseudocontinuous processes.
Many attributes of SUT complement and expand the features CP methods such as in perfusion cell culture (11, 12).
Because the biopharmaceutical industry operates in such a highly regulated environment, it’s important to first establish that, as with SUTs, CP is supported by regulatory agencies in general. Janet Woodcock (FDA’s CDER director) has expressly predicted the obsolescence of batch processing in favor of a CP approach to pharmaceutical manufacturing (13). Along with increased monitoring, automated process control, and new statistical approaches, CP is one of the main goals of quality by design (QbD). As such, it is supported by the FDA’s initiatives for flexible regulatory approaches and science-derived quality and control specifications.
Although the development of a CP approach is now actively supported by regulators, current FDA and EMA regulations and guidances are generally neutral (silent) on existing modes of manufacturing — and accommodating in the means of lot definition. Historically, the implementation of CP in pharmaceutical manufacturing has suffered from distinct misunderstandings and in some few cases actual impediments. Concerns arose regarding performance reliability, validation complexity, and process control (14). But for many processes, previous limitations — or their perception — are being alleviated by advances in processing technology (15), process understanding, reactor monitoring, and feedback control (16, 17). An objective and thorough analysis requires a number of physical, operational, quality, temporal, economic, and even environmental parameters to be considered (Table 2). The best approaches to fit and benefit analysis include a comprehensive overall ranking strategy that takes into account the most current technologies using a multiattribute risk-based approach (11). For many applications, the greatest remaining hesitation pertains to higher-level process control for concatenated unit operations.
CP time-controlled materials mass consumption.
Because PD changes with the scale of manufacturing for many CP implementations, many issues in technology transfer are prevented and scale-up concerns reduced or even eliminated. For example, a CP reactor operate very economically for a few hours for PD, and that same unit can later provide “large-scale” production by simply operating it for weeks to months on a manufacturing floor. Many CP based processes can accept activities or chemistries unavailable in the more episodic batch-style manufacturing. Some previously unavailable reactor residency time–sensitive processes may even be entertained.
Consider a product that breaks down at conditions of formation. A CP approach may get that product out of the reactor before it is compromised. In some circumstances, such advantages can even contribute to increased operator safety.
CP is supported by ongoing technological developments in mixing and mass-flow systems and (even more important) by the many recent advances in process monitoring and feedback control. It’s clear how the introduction of SUTs in bioprocessing mixing and filtration operations can increase the convenience and speed of lot turn-around in such applications. At a conference earlier this year, John Carvell of ABER Instruments remarked that “We are seeing advanced monitoring techniques and single-use systems empowering the development of continuous processing in biotechnology” (18).
CP contributes to overall process flexibility in a few distinct ways. First, the equipment tends to be easy to clean, inspect, and maintain and generally promotes simple and rapid product changeover. CP (as SUTs) can provide increased process flexibility and ease product changeover because it tends to be more modular, portable, and transportable than much of the older batch equipment. A CP approach commonly provides a variable range of throughputs for different product types or levels of product demand. Interchangeability for different plug-and-play unit operations can theoretically be supported. It also currently supports a number of hybrid designs — such as combining classical glass and steel and single-use systems or between divergent suppliers of particular equipment. It’s illustrative to consider how that in a continuous flow filtration assembly, the manufacturer of a particular filter can be inconsequential. Especially in bioproduction, the additional operational flexibility of single-use technology complements those attributes and can provide a manufacturing system of exceptional application latitude, adaptability, and operational ease (19).
In considering the significant developments occurring in manufacturing process control, it should be noted that CP efficiently promotes both the tools and goals of such operational excellence, thereby enabling such initiatives as PAT and QbD. It readily accepts most new on-line monitoring approaches and real-time quality assurance developments. Moreover, because high-throughput and reduced facility residency of intermediates are its hallmark, CP actually requires such advances. Combined with the industry’s current heightened bioprocess understanding, CP extends such capabilities to advancing continuous quality verification (CQV), continuous process verification (CPV), and real-time release (RTR) enabling developments.
Although CP will not be feasible for all products and processes, many implementations well-support a “platform” approach, in which a single process supports more than one product (with some adaptation). CP most always shortens the process stream, reduces downtime, and greatly reduces handling of intermediates, which all contribute to a reduced overall processing time. It simplifies production trains and inherently facilitates application of closed processing approaches to individual operations and even processes.
Challenges do remain for some CP unit operations, especially when addressing a contiguous process train as a whole. In bioproduction, the features outlined above (combined with the modularity and integral gamma irradiation sterility of SUT) promise the appearance of unparalleled simplicity and convenience.
Beyond promoting such advanced PD goals, CP actually supports a significantly simplified control strategy. It presents more integrated processing with fewer steps and thus can provide reduced process variability with (ultimately) increased comprehensive system control. It heightens process parameter consistency in a few ways, primarily in that operating conditions remain set around single optimized points throughout a manufacturing lot. In CP, materials and intermediates exist in consistent conditions within a reactor. That provides a number of benefits, including reducing the control activities to maintain a steady state.
Unlike in many batch procedures, CP reactions are not “warmed-up,” materials (or primary metabolites) are not exhausted, and bolus reactions (or cultures) are not run to the point of inefficiency. The lack of gradients in materials and conditions (as they exist in early and late-stage batch reactions or cultures) reduces intra-lot entity heterogeneities in a product population. That heightens quality and reduces out-of-specification product. Furthermore, lot-to-lot heterogeneities are reduced when this same operational consistency extends throughout and across a production campaign. A number of efficiencies and economies (including some appreciated downstream) result from CP operating at a significantly higher molecular efficiency and providing more concentrated bulk intermediate product. It also determines that should there be a need for product intermediate containment, smaller containers and storage suites are required — all of which play right into the efficient application of SUTs.
CP promotes increased profitability, beginning with reduced capital expense by invariably reducing equipment footprint, facility extent, and operator requirements (20). This is a consequence of a CP batch being primarily determined by run time rather than reaction container size, thereby reducing the size of a bioreactor. Also, by reducing non–value-added steps such as intermediate and final-product inventory, CP reduces the faculty requirement for their storage. In such ways it can increase overall facility use efficiency and ameliorate facility expansion requirements, further reducing capital expenses.
CP increases process efficiency and capability, resulting in such savings as reduced cycle time. It can lessen the need for operator intervention (and therefore support personnel) because it simplifies a process and optimizes process flow. Another feature is the potential for tuning to run at unchanging process inputs, which can support process automation and contribute to a substantially reduced cost per action and cost of goods.
ogy remarked that although such factors as exisiting facility configuration and capacity must be considered, “savings can be obtained from the implementation of single-use equipment and continuous processing through more efficient facility use and trained personnel” (21). CP not only heightens raw material use efficacy, but it can also lower product loss and reprocessing rates due to reduced failures from stressed multiplex proportional-integral-derivative (PID) control within a design space.
CP also supports many initatives supporting sustainability and “green” approaches. It commonly reduces the amount of equipment to be cleaned or steamed sterilized, and it can reduce the service and energy consumption of a process.
One issue commonly discussed is that of CP lot definition. A significant question arising from continual product flow is that of how a lot will be defined. In batch production, typically the bolus of product made in one run is identified as a single lot. In CP, a “batch” (or portions of a manufacturing “run”) may be sequestered into distinct “lots” as determined by such determinants as mass, volume, throughput, or time-stamp.
Products manufactured in animal-cell expression systems present a particular challenge to companies desiring to use CP. Because of the complexity and incomplete understanding of living cells and cultures, as well as a biological product’s molecular complexity, CP approaches and systems become a unique initiative of their own. Nevertheless, not only is CP possible in production-scale cell culture, but it has also actually been successfully used for decades (22, 23). A number of perfusion-culture modes exist, and some are used by such well-known pharmaceutical companies as Genzyme (Sanofi) and Centocor (Johnson & Johnson/Janssen) to make such well-known products as Cerezyme and Remicade (Table 3). It is thought that limitations in bioprocess understanding and monitoring are what have prevented CP’s use from becoming widespread. However, CP-based processes using SUTs currently available up- and downstream are numerous and growing (Photo 1 and Figure 1). This is occurring because of the remarkable synergy between the two technologies (24, 12). Enabling “second-generation” systems include enhanced (or concentrated) perfusion culture, new chromatographies, continuous and automated fill–finish procedures, and some advanced small-molecule CP operations such as buffer preparation that also apply to biopharmaceuticals (9).
“We’ve been promoting the continuous processing approach in upstream bioproduction for years,” boasts John Cadwell of FiberCell Systems, “and are now seeing it gaining popularity as a flexible and efficient way of increasing product quality while reducing costs” (25). Some industry experts have wondered how it is that CP in bioproduction can reduce required reactor volume or footprint. After all, the peak-specific productivity of a cell isn’t necessarily changed. In CP culture, lag phases are eliminated because a culture is always operating at its peak efficiency. Moreover, the constant flow of fresh media supports productive operation at cell densities of 3–10× the density normally observed in more episodic approaches such as fed-batch. Combined with other operational efficiencies mentioned above, the increased volumetric productivity of “concentrated” or “enhanced” perfusion culture can significantly reduce footprint and increase overall reactor efficiency up to 100-fold. By far the most common way CP is effected upstream is through gravity settling, spin-filter or hollow-fiber–based perfusion. A number of exciting downstream single-use CP technologies in bioprocessing can be considered, including simulated moving-bed (SMB) or periodic countercurrent (PCC) chromatography, but are beyond the scope of this paper.
CP is a well-established and fundamental mode of modern manufacturing. Both SUT and CP initiatives are actively supported by regulatory agencies and provide manufacturers with many specific benefits in bioproduction. A growing number of biopharmaceutical companies currently implement CP and/or SUT operations, and the trend toward specialized, lower-volume products promises to stimulate even more interest in them. As perfusion-modified reactors are contiguously combined with other enabling technologies such as single-use mixers and storage systems, the design of closed, disposable, and continuous biomanufacturing systems is finally being realized.
William G. Whitford is senior marketing manager for cell culture at Thermo Scientific Cell Culture and BioProcessing, 925 West 1800 South, Logan, UT 84321, 1-435-792-8277; fax 1-435-792-8018; [email protected]; www.thermo.com/hyclone.
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10.) Whitford, WG 2010. Single-Use Systems’ Support of PAT and QbD in Bioproduction. LifeScience Leader.
11.) Pollock, J, SV Ho, and SS Farid. 2013. Fed-Batch and Perfusion Culture Processes: Economic, Environmental, and Operational Feasibility Under Uncertainty. Biotechnol Bioeng. 110:206-219.
12.) Whitford, WG 2012. Single-Use Systems Support Continuous Processing in Bioproduction. PharmaBioWorld 10.
14.) Langer, ES 2010. Perfusion Bioreactors Are Making a Comeback, but Industry Misperceptions Persist. BioProcessing J. 9:49-52.
15.) Wong, SY. 2012. Development of Continuous Crystallization Processes Using a Single-Stage Mixed-Suspension, Mixed-Product Removal Crystallizer with Recycle. Cryst. Growth Des. 12:5701-5707.
16.) Markarian, J.. 2013. University Research Centers Transfer Continuous Manufacturing Technology to Industry. Pharm. Technol. Equip. Proc. Report 20.
17.) Acuna, J. 2011. Modeling Perfusion Processes in Biopharmaceutical Production. BioProcess Int. 9:52-58.
18.) Carvell, J. 2013.. Insights into Monitoring Changes in the Viable Cell Density and Cell Physiology Using Scanning, Multifrequency Dielectric Spectroscopy.
19.) Whitford, WG. 2012.. Single-Use Bioreactor Flexibility Reduces Risk, Costs, and Delays in Bioproduction.
20.) Langer, ES 2011. Better Upstream Technologies. BioPharm Int. 24.
21.) Bonham-Carter, J. 2013.. Implementing Continuous Processing in a Single-Use Facility of the Future.
22.) Bonham-Carter, J, and JA Shevitz. 2011. Brief History of Perfusion Biomanufacturing. BioProcess Int. 9:28-30.
23.) Whitford, WG, and JJS Cadwell. 2009. Interest in Hollow-Fiber Perfusion Bioreactors Is Growing. BioProcess Int. 7:54-63.
24.) Whitford, WG. 2013.. Single-Use Systems Support Continuous Processing in Bioproduction.
25.) Cadwell, JJS. 2013.. Novel Large-Scale Bioreactor Supports Continuous Manufacturing. | 2019-04-22T16:29:56Z | https://bioprocessintl.com/manufacturing/monoclonal-antibodies/supporting-continuous-processing-with-advanced-single-use-technologies-341766/ |
Everyone is trying to escape the stresses of the urban lifestyle and just want to enjoy the day. Be respectful and focus on having a good time. It's just as easy to be nice as it is to be rude. Sometimes ignorance is bliss so leave whatever misgivings you have at home.
Instead of scolding them on the spot, give them some space to play. Odds are, there are tons of open water for you to fish. Practice patience and set the example. There's a good chance that they will eventually be in a similar situation and choose to use patience by learning from your actions.
Spring is just around the corner with the first hatches already here. In an effort to prepare you for the upcoming season, we've compiled all our favorite articles that we find essential for fly anglers looking to improve their skill.
With so much buzz spring can demand a large variety of flies to choose from and the right tactics to present them — which is why we’ve prepared the top techniques for spring fly fishing and the best trout tactics.
Conditions are always changing and it always seems nearly impossible to pick the perfect fly for the job. We've taken the time and listed flies that we often choose for spring, how we fish them, and why we select them.
Listen in to our new fly fishing podcast with dozens of hours of interesting conversations with anglers, business owners, and experts within the fly fishing community.
Nymphing without the aid of a strike indicator is all the rage in the fly fishing world, but there are plenty of times when tying on that Thingamabobber is the correct course of action.
The trouble is, the assistance of a strike indicator doesn’t necessarily mean easy times ahead for the nymph fisher. There are things we can do, and things we shouldn’t do, to make sure we fish our flies properly and use the indicator to our full advantage.
The idea behind a strike indicator is simple: attach one onto your leader and use it as a method of detecting strikes on your flies underneath.
It all seems easy enough, but the trouble is there are many factors at play and fly anglers must take most, if not all, into account.
Above all factors, an angler must take notice of the depth of water, and the current speed and direction in which they are fishing. Those two variables play a huge role in determining our success nymphing under an indicator.
Starting with the depth, we should strive to fish nymphs almost twice as deep as the depth of water being fished.
Why 2x as deep? Why not make it exactly the same depth?
Here's why. As your nymphing rig drifts down stream, everything below your indicator will adjust to the speed of the current underwater, which may be differen than the speed you see on the surface.
Eventually, the current will push your flies downstream of your indicator, thus, creating an angle as it leads in front. As a result, you must factor in more line to compensate for that angle so that your flies are still near the bottom.
That’s sometimes difficult if it’s a particularly deep hole of say, five or six feet. If you're not entirely sure, it's better to go a bit too deep rather than too shallow. After all, nymphs are designed to mimic bugs that would be crawling around on the stream bottom, so it’s imperative those flies be fished on the bottom.
When fishing a new spot, set the strike indicator a little higher than your instincts might call for. If the first few casts get snagged, adjust, but odds are fishing a little deeper will yield excellent results.
A more difficult challenge is how to adjust the indicator for water currents. Everyone has heard of the drag-free drift, and its importance to nymphing, but the variable not often talked about is the role of the strike indicator. If currents are swirling and it’s anything but a straight-forward upstream to downstream drift, take notice of the indicator in relation to our flies.
On guide trips, I’ll spend the first few drifts in a spot watching nothing but the indicator.
Does it push or pull in previously unforeseen directions?
Is it moving faster or slower than anticipated?
Once those things are determined, anglers can artificially adjust to play into the current. In particularly swift currents, that can mean going to a larger size indicator. In slower currents, or extremely clear water, using a more discreet pinch-on indicator can help limit our impact on the fish.
Be willing to adjust throughout the day. Before flies, leader size, tippet size, or weights are changed, adjust the indicator. Observing how it behaves can be an excellent representation of how the flies are moving just underneath! Pay attention to the push and pull of currents along with the depth of the water, and use the assistance of a strike indicator to help catch more fish on nymph rigs.
Mayflies are the most recognized insect hatches within the fly fishing community. They are easily distinguishable with their sail-like wings, which hatch in moving and stillwater. While mayflies all have the same shape, each species has its own size and color.
Mayflies have 3 primary stages to their life cycle: nymphs, duns, spinners.
Below we have specified major mayfly hatches that are common across the United States during the spring.
Sulphur mayflies are a common spring mayfly hatch along the east coast and New England states. They are characterized by their bright orange and neon yellow color. Some isolated sulphur species can found in a green/orange hue.
Caddis are an extremely important food source for trout due to its terms of numbers that hatch. They come in a wide range of sizes and colors, but they all have the same tent-shape.
Caddis have a three stage life cycle: larva, pupa, and adult. Each stage looks entirely different from the last, but trout feed selectively on pupae more than any other stage.
Stoneflies are slender flying insects that trout take selectively during the spring through summer.
Stoneflies are found in two primary stages: nymph and adults. Trout feed on them throughout the year but only selectively once stonefly nymphs migrate for emergence. During this emergence, stonefly nymphs gather under rocks along the shoreline and, eventually, crawl up through the waterline and emerge into adults.
Adults stay close along the edges for mating and, often, fall in and get eaten by trout. Females carry egg sacks at the end of their abdomen and deposit them over open water.
Midges are tiny little flying insects, and are among the most important trout food form in almost every body of water (streams, rivers, lakes and ponds).
Midges hatch year-round, but are critical in the late winter through spring and again in the fall through winter.
They are found in two primary stages: pupae and adults. Midge pupae are the most important stage of the insect and are eaten constantly by trout. Midge adult are taken selectively on smooth flows.
An excellent weightless midge pupae fly.
Woolly Buggers are extremely versatile streamers perfect for nearly every body of water and can imitate a large variety of food sources such as baitfish, damselfly larvae, and large mayfly emergers.
Ella's Beast is a smaller flashy alternative to the Woolly Bugger. This pattern is extremely deadly in smaller streams and around the soft edges on sunny days. It's, also, not a bad stillwater pattern for panfish and bass.
The Lunchable streamer is the perfect streamer for going for depth in deep pools and long runs with plenty of pulsating movement.
An excellent bunny streamer to swing through a deep pool for trout or strip for warm water fish.
Mallard’s Better Baitfish Golden Shiner can be jerked, jigged, stripped, and swung. It’s true, big fish need more protein. Insects are just an appetizer for the main course. Make sure that you grip tight because they hit hard and run you into your backing.
Roger’s Truck Stop Special is a killer streamer with stellar action. The erratic darting motion of this wounded fish pattern is irresistible to larger freshwater fish.
The Beef Curtain is an articulated streamer with 2 forged steel hooks and weighted eyes. Beefy articulated streamers offer excellent movement that attracts larger freshwater predators.
Muddlers are one of the most successful searching patterns when conditions are tough to read. The cone head allows these patterns to get down fast in heavy water and the marabou offers spectacular movement. We, typically, strip this pattern through a riffle and any neighboring pools.
Something about bright orange beads sets fish off in a certain way. A few years back I was fishing on Beaver Run in Central Pennsylvania and my friend loaned me one of these hot head nymphs. I immediately saw a difference because nearly ever cast hooked up with a native brook trout or wild brown trout. Truly a magical moment that lead me to pursue adding this fly to our shop.
We can't recommend this fly fishing nymph enough. I, specifically, fish this fly under a football indicator no matter where I go and it always works. When we're doing a photography shoot for The Fly Crate and I need to land a trout—I tie this fly one and it never disappoints.
The Rainbow Warrior midge is one of our favorite searching patterns. We like to throw it in with 1 to 2 other midge patterns on a nymphing rig because it seems to perform better paired with other nymphs.
Midge larvae represent more that 50% of a trout’s diet and that increases during the winter months. While you can't always find adult Midge hatches in Pennsylvania, larvae are always present.
Woolly Buggers are an extremely versatile streamer pattern, so much so that you can practically use it anywhere. The trick is to target only deep pools, get the Woolly Bugger deep, and strip slowly.
In Pennsylvania, we have many spring fed and tailwater streams that stay a constant temperature nearly year-round. In places like this, you may run into mid-afternoon midge hatches, which will bring trout to rise in slow pools.
With Pennsylvania's vegetation and limestone rich freestone. streams we have a stable supply of aquatic worms. Pair that with stocked and native trout's eye for flashy, bright patterns and you'll have a great time with worm flies.
Many streams feature high water and fast currents in deep pools, but the only issue is typical nymphs can't get deep enough to target the trout hugging the bottom before the fly is swept downstream. That's where the Euro Rubber Prince fly pattern comes in handy. It not only sports a heavy tungsten bead for diving fast but it offers excellent movement with its rubber fibers.
Can't deny the classics a spot on this list. Nearly all mayfly and stonefly nymphs have a simple profile and shape that the Pheasant Tail nymph can imitate. Whether you decide to fish the beadless Pheasant Tail nymph, the flashback Pheasant tail, the soft-hackle Pheasant tail, or the beaded version, it won't likely disappoint.
Probably the most natural imitation of mayfly and stonefly nymphs, the Hare's Ear nymph is great for targeting trout all across the United States and Pennsylvania when you're not quite sure what's working.
The Prince Nymph is one of the best attractor nymph patterns ever created. I, personally, love to fish one of these in a size #18 in my multi-nymph rigs. While I've had great fortune in larger sizes, the majority of the nymphs remaining in the streams during winter are quite small.
Looking to target large pods of trout in deep pools or even prospecting for trout? Give the Squirmy Wormy a shot. While the material is quite delicate, you can't discount his naturally rubbery appeal and squirmy nature. Even the slightest disturbance with cause this wormy fly to wiggle and squirm.
Fish eggs are packed with protein and fish know it. During the spawning seasons, trout will go out of their way to swim below spawning beds of other trout, chub, white fish, etc. and feed on eggs that were swept downstream from their nests. Even during the off seasons, trout will opportunistically take egg patterns during the winter season.
1. When is the best time to go fishing?
I get this question a lot and it all has to do with your daily schedule and water temperature.
[A.] Go when you find time. If you can find the time to go fishing, do it.
[B.] Water temperature dedicates everything. Fish and insects will tend to be more active on days where water temperature is 40° and warmer. Skip days when water temperature is below 39°. Trout will rarely feed during these temperatures.
You don't have to go to the stream to find out what temperature it is. Odds are, you can do a quick Google search and find local stream data from the United States Geological Survey (USGS) website.
2. Why is nothing biting?
There are so many different factors in the winter to this and, honestly, the first place is to start is with your presentation. Now, I'm going to assume that you are fishing with one of our nymph flies and in a place you know to have fish.
The two largest causes of being 'skunked' I see everyone having is line control and depth. Here's why.
[A.] Trout hug the bottom of the stream in cold temperatures. As a result, you want your flies too, as well. If you have not gotten one strike, add weight and adjust your indicator (if you're using one) so your flies go deeper.
[B.] After that, actively mend and reposition your line to give your nymphs the best chance in drifting downstream as naturally as possible.
Line control also goes hand-in-hand with controlling your line to the point where you can respond to takes and strikes as quickly as possible, which is almost always caused by having too much line on the water.
3. What are the best flies for winter?
In my experience, fly selection is less important than presentation. What flies to use always comes down to the time of year and what major sources of food are found in your local waters.
But, if you want to catch fish while fly fishing in the winter, small nymphs are usually the way to go. Over 80% of a fish's diet is made up of larvae, pupae, and nymphs. Any nymph will do—trout aren't really that picky just keep the size and shape reasonable to what's found in the stream.
We suggest small nymphs because that is what is most abundant.
Let's also not forget that midges are a safe bet, too. Over 50% of their diet will consist of midges.
4. Should I even try fly fishing dry flies in the winter?
Unless you're fishing tail-waters and streams that remain a stable temperature year-round, I wouldn't bother. Although, there are those rare cases where you'll find trout rising to midges or Blue-Winged Olives. It never hurts to have a few on hand in those rare cases.
A drag free drift is something that we all dream about. There’s just something about watching your fly drift through the water in a totally unhindered way that, like a lot of aspects of fly fishing, is just beautiful. And, perhaps best of all, the fish love it, too. As beautiful as that drift is, making it happen is tricky. Mending (adjusting your line in a way that helps you get that drift) isn’t exactly the easiest thing in the world and, most often than not, results in your fly being nowhere close to where you want it to be. Attaining that kind of drift is, as far as I’m concerned, right up there with casting in terms of being an important skill to have when it comes to fly fishing. It’s harder to master, but putting the time into learning how can make all the difference in the world.
To do a basic mend, all you’re really doing is lifting up your rod (and your fly line) and moving the line upriver (or downriver, we’ll get to that), in order to eliminate drag. Seems easy, doesn’t it? Well, like a lot of things in the fly fishing world, it’s not quite as simple as that. There’s some subtle details that you have to pay attention to when you’re trying to mend that can mean the difference between a drag free drift and a fly that wanders all over the water like a dog on a leash.
It’s typical when you’re fly fishing to watch your fly. After all, that’s where the fish are going to bite, so it only makes sense that you’d pay attention to it. However, if you want to attain that perfect drift, you have to watch more than just the fly itself. You have to watch your line, too. Watch how everything is being pulled through the water. How is your fly line moving? What’s your leader doing? Watching these things and how they move through the water will help provide you with clues about which way you need to mend you line, upriver or down. Sometimes, you’ll even learn that mending isn’t the thing you need to do and that you have to rely on high sticking to get that drift. There are a few sections of water I fish where that’s the only real option when it comes to getting a good drift.
Next to watching your line, it helps to pay attention to the current. Water does a lot of funny things as it moves through a river. It took me a long time to figure that out. Even a simple one foot by one foot square of water isn’t going to be the same. Part of it is going to move faster than others, another part might have an eddy in it that slows everything down. The only way to know what’s going on is to watch. If the water you’re fishing is slower than the water your line is in (say you’re casting to the far side of the river), you’re going to have to make at least one upriver mend, if not several, to make sure your fly moves in a natural way. If the water your fishing is moving faster than the line your line is in, you’ll be mending downriver. This is very important to pay attention to. Most of the time, the temptation is to just mend in one direction (upriver) all the time because that’s what is typically talked about. But, it’s not that simple and if you’re not paying attention to the current (and how it’s pulling your line through the water), any mending you do isn’t going to help as much as you’d want it to.
When you’re first starting out, it’s tempting to throw out as much line as you can to try and make really impressive long casts. I know I did. It took me way longer than I care to admit that this wasn’t the best approach. Really long casts, while cool looking, mean you end up with a lot of line in the water. And, lots of line in the water, is very hard to control. You’re likely moving through a couple of different currents, each with their own speed, and, unless you’re some kind of wizard, mending through all that is just about impossible. To counter that, at least at first, keep your casts as short as possible. For starters, it’s way easier to control a shorter cast. You’re not wrestling with a lot of line, you’re not crossing 40 feet of moving water, you’re keeping it simple. It’s one of the best ways to get better at working the water.
At the end of the day, your goal is to get everything moving in sync. You want your line, leader and fly to move through the water as one. The only way to really make that happen is by practicing the lift and move and, more importantly, by paying attention to all the pieces. You’ll know when you’ve got it mostly figured out. Everything becomes second nature and you’ll have a moment when you’re watching your fly float through the water and think, “Man. That fly is moving through the water perfectly. It’s a beautiful thing to watch.” In my experience, that’s the moment when you have to be ready to set the hook.
Using dry flies is one of my absolute favorites and here’s why. It’s an indicator...but with a hook. So not only can you tell when your nymph gets hits, but you have the opportunity of catching fish off the top. Double your chances of success.
Here's our favorite indicator for nymphing. They come in all sorts of sizes but we prefer the smallest size because it's easy to take on or off without kinking the leader and its easily visible. We’ve also never had a real issue with real heavy nymphs dragging this indicator down under because it’s foam is so densely packed with air. | 2019-04-19T02:53:07Z | https://theflycrate.com/author/theflycrate/ |
Today’s blog article will be short and sweet. I’m delighted to announce that my third Downward Dog Mystery, Karma’s A Killer, is now available on audiobook! I love, love, love my narrator, Anne James. Give it a listen, and let me know what you think!
This entry was posted in dog books, Downward Dog Mysteries, Yoga Books on March 26, 2018 by Tracy Weber.
New Year, New Book, Excerpts, and a Contest!
Happy New Year, everyone! Today is exactly one week from the official launch of my next Downward Dog Mystery, Pre-Meditated Murder. In honor of the new year, I’m going to give away an awesome coloring and activity book called Moments of Mindfulness to one of the readers of my blog. After all, who doesn’t want to start the new year with a little more mindfulness?
To enter: Read the five snippets from Pre-Meditated Murder below, and pick your favorite. Leave a comment below saying which one you chose and why. Don’t forget to leave your e-mail address so I can contact you if you win. Winner will be selected on launch day, next Monday, January 8!
She didn’t have to ask Bella twice. Bella lunged towards Rene’s voice, practically dislocating my shoulder. I slipped and slid and tried to hold on as she dragged me through the front door and down the long bamboo hallway.
The metallic clank of the leash’s clasp hitting bamboo interrupted my sentence. One hundred pounds of pure German shepherd bliss galloped down the hallway, leaving me in a horrified silence punctuated only by the scrape of German shepherd toenails against flooring. Not a single room escaped Bella’s inspection. A long drink from the guest bathroom toilet, a dig in the family room’s rug, and a joy-filled roll on a bedroom’s queen-sized mattress later, Bella flopped on the deep red couch across from the living room’s stone fireplace. A storm of silky black undercoat snowed down on the fabric around her.
He took a deep breath. “Stay here.” He strode toward the two women without looking back.
I pulled Bella’s leash tight and marched behind him. Gabriella glanced at me curiously. When her gaze flicked to Michael, she jolted, then froze, hands suspended mid-gesture. She didn’t speak, so I tried to read her facial expression: wide eyes, tense jaw, open mouth.
She had to be, of course, but I read something else. She certainly didn’t seem happy. If pressed, I’d have said her expression looked an awful lot like fear.
Bella stopped lunging and whipped toward the child. The ecstatic toddler bee-lined it toward Bella, across the busy parking lot. The blue Chevy Malibu (driven by the male teenager that had been making out earlier) sped toward him, seemingly unaware that a child was careening toward his front bumper.
In a freeze-framed moment of gut-wrenching clarity, the teenager’s face twisted in horror. He slammed on the brakes and the car flew into a skid. I dropped Bella’s leash and dove for the child, praying that Bella wouldn’t go after Gabriella again. Tires screeched on pavement. Burning rubber stung my nostrils. My knee scraped painfully against the sidewalk, but I grasped hold of the child and yanked him toward me.
I looked down at the mantle and realized what Shannon hadn’t wanted me to see. A shrine to a life that Michael claimed had never existed. My own metaphorical spine shattered, slicing my heart into pieces.
In the eight-by-ten portrait farthest to the left, Gabriella smiled at the camera, wearing the white cotton dress she was wearing in the wedding photo taped to Crystal’s mirror. She held a vibrant bouquet of yellow, orange, red, and pink Gerbera daisies. Michael gazed adoringly at her in a black tux with a yellow Gerbera daisy boutonniere. In the photograph next to it, the couple shared a wedding kiss so romantic it made my stomach churn. Next up was a four-photo collage. Michael and Gabriella on the beach, cuddled next to a campfire, hiking in the forest, clinking champagne glasses. If Michael and Gabriella’s life together had been the sham Michael claimed it was, why did it look so real?
Vote for your favorite in the comments below, good luck, and Happy New Year!
PS–Want your very own autographed copy of Pre-Meditated Murder? E-mail me at [email protected]. I have a box hot off the press that I’m selling for $15.99 plus $3.99 shipping. First come first served!
This entry was posted in dog books, Downward Dog Mysteries, writing, Yoga Books on January 1, 2018 by Tracy Weber.
Will the Real Yoga Teacher Please Stand Up?
As a novelist, I’ve been blessed to meet many generous writers who have mentored me on the bumpy path to publication. Pretty much every seasoned writer I’ve met so far has given me one sage piece of advice: never read reviews.
I have to admit, I read them anyway.
Maybe it’s curiosity; maybe it’s excitement; maybe it’s simply my need to look for that ever-elusive stamp of approval, but I can’t seem to stop myself. I dig and I search and I devour every new review I can find. Most of the time, they make me smile. Occasionally, I learn something from a reader’s comments that will make me a better writer. Sometimes, however, a review leaves me shaking my head.
Some time ago, I came across one such review. I don’t even remember now if the reader liked my book. Something tells me it wasn’t her favorite. But one criticism stuck in my memory. She said that my protagonist wasn’t a realistic yoga teacher. If Kate were a real yoga teacher, the reader asserted, she’d be much thinner, more flexible, and less likely to lose her temper.
My protagonist is 5’3” tall and weighs 130 pounds, which is normal by most standards. Like many women, Kate has body image issues and hates her “chunky” thighs. All in all, she’s not a heck of a lot different than me, and she can do significantly more challenging yoga poses than I can. I’ve made my living teaching yoga for over seventeen years.
Yoga teachers come in all shapes and sizes. Some are lithe and can do amazing things with their bodies. Some are overweight. Some suffer from chronic illnesses and perpetually tight hamstrings. Some even start their yoga teaching career after retirement. The best yoga teachers know how to teach the students in front of them, in spite of their own personal limitations—or lack thereof. In fact, many of the best yoga teachers have imperfect bodies. If you can’t do a pose, learning how to observe your students and describe that pose becomes even more important.
Why do I care about this enough to write a blog article about it? The comment in the review highlights the very misperception of yoga that I’m trying to destroy: that yoga is only for the fit, the flexible, and the young. I have certified over three hundred teachers in the past fifteen years through Whole Life Yoga’s yoga teacher training, and I have met privately to discuss teacher training with at least three times that many. My heart always breaks a little when an otherwise wonderful candidate decides not to pursue teaching yoga because they can’t do all of the poses, they don’t have a size-four body, or they think they are too old. The world loses a lot of great yoga teachers that way.
Is the protagonist in my book likely to grace the cover of Yoga Journal? Probably not. But perhaps it’s time we let go of the yoga stereotypes. If yoga teachers are more diverse, our students will be as well.
PS: If you’re interested in Whole Life Yoga’s Teacher Training Program, you can check it out at this link.
This entry was posted in Downward Dog Mysteries, Teacher Training, Teaching Yoga, Viniyoga, writing, Yoga Books on October 23, 2017 by Tracy Weber.
Welcome Radhika Vachani to the Whole Life Yoga blog today. Those of you who’ve taken yoga teacher training with me know how powerful The Yoga Sutras are. They help you find stability in an inherently unstable world. Radhika shares how in an excerpt from her new book below!
How many of us spend our entire lives trying to avoid change because we fear the uncertainty, pain and difficulty involved? We might hope that our challenges will simply disappear. To cope, some might resort to drugs and alcohol, overeating, TV, social media or other distractions. While others put up emotional walls, live with insecurities and bitterness, or in a fantasy world embedded in memories, or dream of a more hopeful future.
When we do not confront problems, and make the necessary changes to enable growth, we risk perpetuating the issues. Over time this can cause our energy to stagnate and make us feel dull and listless, as it accumulates through repetitive, restrictive behaviors and thought patterns, such as fear, anger, doubt, blame, insecurity, disappointment and jealousy. Stagnant energy is decaying energy, which then becomes a far greater challenge to overcome than the original issue itself, and can lead to mental, physical, emotional and spiritual deterioration. Confronting the challenge and allowing change to occur naturally restores our vitality and releases all that is not supportive of us—be it our thoughts, emotions, actions or experiences.
Life encompasses an amazing diversity of experiences— happiness and pain, hope and despair, confidence and insecurity; and a variety of sights, sounds, tastes, thoughts and feelings. These are neither good nor bad but simply represent a journey that propels our human evolution and spiritual growth. It is overcoming our challenges that gives life meaning, as our obstacles then become opportunities for growth. Challenges bridge the gap between success and failure, mediocrity and excellence, shallowness and depth. Once we accept this great truth, we can learn to approach life with a fresh, broader perspective.
For thousands of years the Yoga Sutras have taught us that life is filled with trials and tribulations, and that nothing ever remains the same; that the nature of the external world is challenging, impermanent and uncertain. Sometimes life is calm and peaceful, but it can also be a rocky ride. In spite of this, the mind keeps seeking permanence, happiness and certainty from this very environment. Once we develop this understanding, the natural question arises: Who are we in context of this complex environment, and how do we find peace, happiness and stability, given the nature of the physical world?
The answer lies in our relationship with our environment, our perception of it and how we maneuver within it. Only by taking the first step—fully accepting the dichotomy of the world—will we be able to change the experiences we have with it.
Our physical world represents a stormy ocean. We are ships on these choppy waters, trying to seek calm. To be able to anchor and stabilize, the ship must return to harbor, and so the Yoga Sutras help us to move inwards to the discovery of ourselves and our true nature, and to the only place where we can experience any calm.
When we are willing to go on a journey within and to try something new, we come into our own power and access the consciousness within. We no longer need to rely on the outside world for fulfilment, as we do when living an unexamined and mediocre life.
Living life is an art. It involves techniques that we must learn and master, as we would any other skill. When we lack the essential knowledge to thrive, we become absorbed in fear-based conditioning, such as stress, anxiety, doubt and insecurity.
It is only when we truly know ourselves, free from a cluttered mind and fluctuating emotions, that we are able to see life for what it is, with new-born freshness. We then develop the capability to solve all our problems, to stand in our truth and to evolve into the best version of ourselves. But first we must develop resilience, strength and clarity so that we can live life fully, despite trying circumstances.
RADHIKA VACHANI is the author of Just Breathe: The Most Powerful Tool for Personal Transformation and Happiness. She is also a motivational speaker, yoga and holistic wellness expert, and the Founder of Yogacara Healing Arts in Mumbai, India (www.yogacara.in). Radhika also runs life-transforming retreats all over the world, in the Himalayas, Ladakh and at her Retreat Center outside of Mumbai in Alibaug. To learn more, visit www.yogacara.in or connect with Radhika at [email protected] and on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
This entry was posted in Guest Writers, Yoga Books, Yoga Philosophy on September 18, 2017 by Tracy Weber.
Please help me welcome Lisa Danylchuk to the Whole Life Yoga blog today. Lisa’s acclaimed book, Embodied Healing shares her learnings about yoga and how it can help people who are rebuilding their lives after trauma. And who among us hasn’t experienced trauma? Lisa, can you please tell my readers how yoga–and its teachers–can help students overcome trauma?
As yoga’s popularity continues to increase, yoga teachers, mental health providers and researchers are all becoming more clear on the depths of its benefits. As a yoga teacher and trauma therapist, I have seen a myriad of ways that mindfulness and movement help clients, whether they are doing a traditional hatha practice or applying yoga philosophy to their healing journey. Here are three ways that yoga teachers and healthcare providers can help clients and students who are navigating trauma recovery.
Grounding is the act of connecting to the earth, and can be accomplished in a variety of ways. The most common ways to ground are to feel your feet on the floor, as we do in tadasana, or to feel the sit bones grounding to the earth, as we do in many seated postures. Often, people who are experiencing anxiety and extreme stress report feeling a spinning or rising sensation; this conscious effort to ground can counteract the pull of energy away from the body,, bringing attention back to the safety of the current moment. If you are teaching to a group of people who have experienced trauma, offer grounding cues repeatedly throughout class. Not only is it helpful in building a physical foundation for a pose, it can also have psychological benefits.
Intrusive thoughts and feelings from past trauma can show up in the present and memories can even pull us away from our current surroundings. Getting connected to present moment time – right here, right now – is one way to distance from the intensity of a past trauma in a helpful way. Yogis are familiar with the practice of cultivating presence, and it is important to find ways to describe how to practice presence, rather than simply instruct participants to “be present.” Consider guiding attention to a specific place in the room, a lamp on the wall or the corner of a mat. Consider instructing participants to follow the sound of your voice, or to listen to the sound of a bell as it fades. While, due to sensitivities, we can’t always use smells in the yoga room, think of these present moment attention practices as smelling salts, bringing students more fully into present time and space.
In the aftermath of trauma it can become easy to struggle with oneself, wondering why something is still upsetting or feeling there is some defectiveness of self that allows the bad feelings to persist. By definition, something traumatic is too much to process all at once and approaching the feelings with tenderness can facilitate healing, rather than self-criticism or judgement. Recall that the word yoga means union, so we are looking to unite the parts of ourselves that need healing, rather than cut them off. Practicing curiosity and compassion facilitates the gentle approach our psyches need – just as you would not shout at a plant to help it grow, criticizing ourselves does not foster healing. Encourage compassion instead.
Questions, thoughts? Post a comment below or go to www.howwecanheal.com to contact Lisa.
Lisa Danylchuk teaches internationally on integrating yoga and mental health treatment. As a licensed psychotherapist and Yogaworks certified yoga instructor, she has provided counseling and yoga classes in prisons, schools, non-profits and community programs across the US. Lisa holds degrees from both UCLA and Harvard University and is the author of the bestselling book Embodied Healing: Using Yoga to Recover from Trauma and Extreme Stress. She is currently based in the San Francisco Bay Area where she hosts the Yoga for Trauma (Y4T) online training program, accessible world-wide. More information at: www.howwecanheal.com/y4t.
This entry was posted in Guest Writers, Teaching Yoga, Therapeutic Yoga, Yoga Books, Yoga Philosophy on August 1, 2016 by Tracy Weber.
As a long term blogger, I often get requests to review yoga books. I almost always decline. I couldn’t resist this one, though. Books on the business of teaching yoga are few and far between. This one has tips on all aspects of the business of teaching yoga. This chapter below on relationships in yoga especially spoke to me. Enjoy! If you’re interested in exploring it further, check it out at this link.
As yoga teachers, we are in a relationship business. To be successful, we must embrace relationship building on many different levels. It’s especially important for us to see our students not as devotees who should serve their teacher or guru but as paying clients deserving of nurturing care and attention.
For your own personal growth and for the good of your teaching, it’s important to assess each of these types of relationships in your life and ask yourself whether any of them need more attention. This may seem repetitive, but self-inquiry and growth are a huge part of being a yogi.
Let’s consider some of these relationships in more detail.
When we are connected to the divine, we feel more inspired, and thus we teach at our best. But this relationship often gets put on hold when we get busy. Today, with all the distractions of electronic devices and social media, it has become more and more challenging to unplug and find a moment of quiet. When I feel cut off from spirit, I increase my meditation and mantra repetition, get outside, put my bare feet in the grass, light a candle, or write in a gratitude journal. It does not take much to revive the dialogue.
Yoga teachers are taught to model self-care, but they’re often not consistent about following through. Being more stressed than your students is not a basis for good teaching. One of our graduates reported that after she consciously increased her self-care and spent more time unplugged, her teaching improved dramatically. Her students noticed and responded very positively to the difference.
According to the author and actor Ben Stein, “Personal relationships are the fertile soil from which all advancement, all success, all achievement in real life grows.” Your closest friends, loved ones, and family are vital to your growth and ability to stay inspired as a yoga teacher. When these relationships are nurtured, you also model the importance of personal relationships to your students.
To make sure you’re devoting time to tending these relationships, schedule a regular date night with your partner, put regular hang-out time with your kids on your calendar, keep in touch with out-of-town family more consistently, or set up frequent get-togethers with friends.
Early in my career, more than a decade ago, I taught a weekly class in a basement room to sixty-five wholehearted New Yorkers at Crunch Fitness in Manhattan. Little did I know that the relationships I formed in that gym would lead to meaningful lifelong connections.
Every week, I came to class early and stayed after to talk with students, work on their therapeutic issues and injuries, answer their questions — and just hang out and gab. Some people sat around talking for an hour afterward. Most nights after class I brought students with me upstairs to Jivamukti Yoga Center to catch the tail end of Krishna Das’s weekly New York kirtans. We’d sing and sway, do puja, and delight in the fruit salad Prasad.
I am still in touch with many students from that time. Some of them went on to travel with me to new and beautiful places on retreat, and some became master yoga instructors in their own right.
These kinds of students can become loyal supporters who spread the word about your classes and help build a loving community of people around a common interest: yoga.
Do you make a habit of being kind and speaking respectfully to gym and studio staff? I don’t claim to be any kind of saint, but I do my best to be friendly and considerate to these colleagues. Not only is this important to my sense of myself, but it makes for easier and more collegial working relationships, which make for better teaching.
Stories abound of yoga teachers at fitness gyms who act entitled, elitist, and pretentious, brusquely demanding specific conditions for their classes and acting as if the other gym staff are ignorant about yoga in general. How much cooperation do you think these teachers are likely to receive?
Because yogis often practice in community, we have a tendency to develop what I call yoga tunnel vision. Yoga, like anything else, can be taken to fanatical levels, to the point where practitioners can’t relate to non-yogis! And isn’t yoga supposed to be about connection?
Good manners, curiosity, kindness, helpfulness, generosity, enthusiasm, and sensitivity go a long way to demonstrate the spiritual and emotional benefits of yoga, as well as the physical ones, and help yoga continue to grow in the mainstream. Here are some specific ways to nurture relationships with colleagues at a gym or studio.
Get to know other teachers at the gym or studio and take their classes. Learning from other yoga teachers is a vital part of a yoga practice. Taking fitness classes at the gym can boost other aspects of your physical health as well as help you develop good relationships with the other instructors.
Attend all meetings and social functions of the gym or studio. Showing up for meetings and gatherings where you work, even if you are busy, does two very important things: it helps you know and be a part of the team, and it increases your visibility among managers and students. Managers who see you getting involved with the gym or studio are more likely to give your name when a student asks what class to take or is looking for a teacher to work at a special function, like a wedding party. Attending studio functions lets you get to know current students and gets your name out among potential new students.
Keep lines of communication open with colleagues and staff. Whether you’re a studio owner/manager or an employee, touch base regularly with the people you work alongside. Share your needs, goals, visions, feedback, and even grievances. Don’t let ill-feeling fester to the point where neither party is willing to try to resolve a problem.
Maintain good communication by establishing it before there’s a problem. If you teach at a studio, for example, chat with the studio owners about getting classes covered, or share with them how you handled a difficult student. By establishing a dialogue when nothing is wrong, you will have a good channel of communication in place if you need to bring up a touchy subject.
Be friendly with teachers of other styles of yoga. It’s simply unattractive when a yoga teacher says something negative about another teacher or style of yoga. Don’t do it. You’re the one who ends up looking bad. Instead, use differences in opinion as an opportunity to see and learn from another perspective.
When you don’t like something, offer a solution. If you are upset about something going on where you work, go directly to the source or the person in charge, state the problem, and then offer to find a solution. This way you won’t be seen as a gossiper or complainer.
Be a “go-giver,” not a “go-getter.” A go-getter comes in, teaches a class, and leaves. A go-giver comes in, sees what he can do to pitch in, and asks what announcements need to be made for upcoming events. After class, he folds blankets, puts away props, blows out candles, and picks up water bottles and Kleenex left behind.
Never think that you are above these tasks. Making this effort increases the feeling of goodwill in the studio, and studio managers who see you pitching in will be more apt to give you prime teaching slots when they open up.
Amy Ippoliti and Taro Smith, PhD are the authors of The Art and Business of Teaching Yoga and founders of the online school 90 Monkeys, which has enhanced the skills of yoga teachers and studios in over 40 countries. Amy is known for bringing yoga to modern-day life in a genuine way and has been featured on the covers of Yoga Journal and Fit Yoga Magazine. Taro is the Chief Content Officer at Yoga Glo and has over two decades of experience developing yoga, medical, and wellness enterprises. They both live in Boulder, Colorado. Visit them online at www.90monkeys.com and www.AmyIppoliti.com.
PS–all three books in Tracy Weber’s Downward Dog mystery series are now available! Learn more at http://tracyweberauthor.com. Thanks for reading!
This entry was posted in Teacher Training, Teaching Yoga, Yoga Books on July 4, 2016 by Tracy Weber. | 2019-04-24T06:58:28Z | http://tracyweberblog.com/category/yoga-books/ |
Why Are LED Festoon Light Bulbs The Best Choice For A Venue?
Phantom’s LED festoon light bulbs can be found in venues around the world, including some of the most esteemed destinations in America. One of these venues, the Francis Ford Coppola Winery, installed 800 of these fixtures to bring their illumination system into the modern age. The Coppola Winery was in need of a new illumination setup as their existing fixtures were wasting too much power and generating too much heat. With Phantom’s help, the Coppola Winery was able to increase the efficiency of its illumination setup, which continues to save money for the venue, and improve the look of the winery.
Why are Phantom’s LED festoon light bulbs the best choice for a venue?
Phantom’s diode fixtures are designed for new and existing installations, as it can easily replace incandescent or xenon systems. For venues like the Coppola Winery, where there are already hundreds of incandescent and xenon fixtures in place, ripping everything out and putting in new infrastructure can be prohibitively expensive. Phantom’s diode fixtures integrate perfectly into incandescent and xenon systems because they do not require DC inverters and can work with the existing transformers and dimmers. These benefits make Phantom’s diode fixtures an economical option compared to competing systems.
Phantom’s diode fixtures are also easily installed and typically don’t need the assistance of a professional to install, so it can be done quickly. The Coppola Winery was able to place its 800 diode fixtures on its own, making for a swift transition.
This technology is also highly customizable and can be designed to output a range of color temperatures. They can produce the warmer tones that people look for in incandescent fixtures, neutral white and even slightly cool hues if that is desired. These fixtures can also be precisely controlled when attached to dimmer switches, which makes it easy to get the desired aesthetic from them. The Coppola Winery used this to great effect, installing the fixtures in many places, including inside cabinets and around coves.
How is diode technology superior to other forms of illumination?
Because Phantom’s LED festoon light bulbs use diodes to create illumination, they are extremely efficient and safe compared to incandescent and xenon fixtures. Phantom’s diode fixtures are efficient even when compared to competing diode fixtures, requiring only 0.6 watts of power per lamp. Each fixture produces 40 to 50 lumens, so this premium watt to lumen ratio means a venue can get the biggest bang for the buck.
Diode technology is also safe, in part because it is efficient. Because each fixture uses most of its power on creating illumination, very little heat is generated. At the Coppola Winery, excess heat was a major problem, creating a safety hazard and stressing its climate control systems. Phantom’s diode fixtures are much safer in comparison and can be left on for longer without fear of causing a fire or wasting too much energy.
With its ease of use and excellent efficiency, more venues, including the distinguished Coppola Winery, are switching over to Phantom’s diode fixtures.
Before installing cabinet lighting or any other form of display illumination, homeowners have to consider xenon vs. LED festoon lamps. Between these two lighting technologies, there isn’t a clear-cut favorite, because they each possess their own strengths and drawbacks. What they have in common, though, is that they are sophisticated technologies that represent the best quality in the industry.
Xenon lighting is also considered to be high intensity discharge lighting, or HID. HID is brighter than diodes and also produces warmer tones, fairly close to standard incandescent lights. For this reason, they are extremely popular for cabinet lighting. Diode fixtures, though, are much more efficient because they use semiconductor technology. They burn cool and require less power to output a similar level of brightness to HID. Diodes are highly durable and are expected to last for an extreme length of time. While HID fixtures can last between 10,000 and 20,000 hours, diodes can make it to 100,000 in some cases before they need to be replaced.
How these fixtures are built is also something to consider when deciding on xenon vs. LED festoon lamps. HID lights consist of a small chamber filled with an electrically charged gas and metal vapor, normally either sodium or mercury. When activated, free electrons from the gas strike the metal atoms, causing the electrons to change orbit and release photon energy. Diodes are built with a small semiconductor chip that is manipulated to create an electrical gradient. When activated, electrons flow from higher concentrations to “holes” on the positive charged side. This causes light energy to be released.
These two technologies are often considered the best forms of illumination available to homeowners these days. There isn’t an obvious advantage between the two, and a homeowner really can’t go wrong with either option.
LED lighting products do not burn out in the same way that incandescents and fluorescents fail. Because they generate luminance by passing electricity through a solid-state diode, they do not contain gas or filaments that can expire over time. However, there is a limit to LED lifespan due to the heat that is generated by the current passing through the diode. This heat has to be drawn away from the lamp in order to extend its lifespan for as long as possible. In the event that the heat is not properly managed, it will cause the amount of luminance to decrease over a much shorter period of time than it should. Excessive heat can also cause colors to shift. Due to the sensitivity of solid state products to heat, the overall lifespan of a product such as a linear strip light or ribbon light is rated at the anticipated depreciation of 30 percent of the bulbs it contains.
This makes thermal management the key to superior LED lighting technology. Companies such as Phantom are able to engineer linear strip and ribbon products that dissipate heat much more effectively than generic, retail linear strip fixtures and ribbons. Further value is added in the form of superior lamping technology. These bulbs emit a much higher lumens output than do competing lamp types. This allows for a higher output of luminance at a lower wattage. Lower wattage means less heat to begin with and an inherently longer lamp life.
The ability to lower illumination with dimmer controls makes it possible to preserve these fixtures for even longer periods of time. As both task and decorative luminaires, they offer return on investment by saving on both power and lamp replacement.
The discipline of architectural lighting can be traced back to the Middle Ages and beyond. Builders of churches and cathedrals made use of the sun’s rays to achieve spectacular illumination in houses of worship, and stained glass windows created stunning effects. Of course, the builders of the dark ages didn’t refer to their instinctive skills as architectural lighting. This term only became meaningful in the late 1960’s, when the formation of the International Association of Lighting Designers emphasized the importance of illumination in an architectural context.
Since then, builders have learned that the illumination of a space – be it indoors or outdoors – can have a profound effect on mood, ambience, and the performance of task. Today’s designers primarily focus on three factors when it comes to illumination: beauty, function, and sustainability.
The increasing frequency of government energy code enactments and “green” initiatives have resulted in a heavy emphasis on energy efficiency. Especially in commercial settings (e.g. factories, warehouses, discount stores) where efficiency and operating cost are intricately related. Aesthetic attractiveness is a priority as well in upscale establishments and entertainment venues like those found in Las Vegas. Functionality is highly important in environments where optimal illumination is critical for the performance of tasks in hospitals, for example, or sport stadiums.
Talented designers are learned in the science and art of illumination, with a deep understanding of the physiology and psychology of human light perception, as well as the physics surrounding production and distribution. With the help of computer software, modern designers have the ability to input relevant data such as placement of fixtures, sun penetration, flooring types,and reflective surfaces into a program that subsequently calculates and models ideal illumination levels.
As a specialty LED lamp manufacturer, Phantom is a solution source not only for designers, but also for other strip lighting manufacturers. Our patented LED lamps are engineered to fit both our own linear lighting strips and the linear lighting fixture of other manufacturers. This makes them ideal retrofits for those seeking to reduce wattage per square foot requirements necessary for obtaining LEEDS certification. We also manufacture LED light bulbs with client convenience foremost in mind. Unlike competing models that require DC power inverters for retrofit applications, all of our LED lamps are operable on standard 12VAC magnetic transformers. Best of all, Phantom manufactures LED lamps that rival the lumens output and physical dimensions of industry standard incandescent and xenon lamps. This allows them to function as replacements that reduce power while preserving color rendering, lighting levels, and glare free ambient lighting effects.
Don’t LED lamps output fewer lumens than incandescent or Xenon lamps?
Most “industry standard” lamps do indeed output lower levels of light. However, Phantom stands unique among LED lamp manufacturers, offering a patented line of festoons designed to rival the output of traditional bulb technologies.
The difference lies in both the bulbs utilized and in how they are installed in the lamping module.
Most LED low voltage lighting manufacturers design festoon lamps that consist of either 5mm, or “toppled” LED’s. This results in a lower level of output than traditional technologies are able to produce. As a general rule, these lamps only produce 1 to 1.5 lumens of output.
This limits the retrofitting capabilities of most LED festoons to only the lowest ambient lighting applications and renders them ineffective for high-end display and showcase lighting where greater visibility is required.
Phantom LED lamps, on the other hand, uses commercial quality bulbs graded rated at the highest level of industry excellence.
These accent lighting tools are designed into a patented lamping design found only through Phantom Lighting.
Each Phantom lamp consists of three-½ watt LED bulbs with tight color binning and a color rendering index rating of approximately 80. The close proximity of highly rated commercial bulbs within the festoon housing results in a total output of 50 lumens. This level of light is equivalent to that of a 7-watt incandescent bulb, making it an ideal replacement for any existing xenon low voltage lighting.
The lamp itself is extremely compact, intended to mirror the size and dimensions of incandescent equivalents. A Phantom LED measures only 1-11/16” in overall length, 9/16” in width and 3/8” in depth.
Can Phantom LED Lamps help my company achieve LEED certification?
Yes. Phantom lamps can help you reduce your wattage per square foot. This is a perfect energy saving LED lighting product that is a major factor in obtaining a LEED certification.
We manufacture our LED lamps with such precision that they produce only trace levels of forward throw heat and minimal wattage per foot. Although the Phantom LED lamp is equivalent in lumens output to a 7-watt incandescent bulb, it only radiates the equivalent of a 1-watt light bulb in heat. Normal operating temperatures will range between –40 to 100 degrees Fahrenheit.
The quantum efficiency of our festoons is actually superior to that of incandescents and xenon, and further power savings can be achieved with the use of dimmer switches. You don’t even have to replace your existing low voltage cabinet lighting strips to achieve this power reduction. Provided the strips operate on 12VAC magnetic transformers, the lamps can simply snap into places previously held by less energy efficient festoons.
How do Phantom LED lamps rate on the aesthetic end of the spectrum?
Simply among the best. Phantom lighting strips are technically classified as luxury lighting items, having originally been conceived by our engineers as an aesthetic alternative to visible fixtures and wiring that detract from showcases, cove lighting, displays, and decorative cabinets.
We have always combined our vision of aesthetics, though, with practicality, which accounts for our leadership position as one of the most cost-effective manufacturers of energy saving LED festoon lamps.
Our festoons are available in a broad spectrum of color temperatures that include, but are not limited to, Warm White 2950K, 3500K, 5000K and Daylight 6500K. Colored LED lamps are also available in the standard LED colors, Red, Blue, and Green. Specific lumens output for the 2950K PHANTOM LED LAMP is 42 lumens, 45 lumens for 3500K, and roughly 50 lumens for the 5000K and 6500K lamps.
This allows the Phantom festoon virtually unlimited versatility in a very wide range of residential and commercial linear strip under cabinet lighting applications.
Contact us toll free at 800-863-1184 X 125 or visit our website to find an LED lighting manufacturer agent than can customize our proprietary technology to your exact requirements and specifications.
Rope lights are good sources of light for tight spots in ceilings because their plastic manufacture allows them to be bent. They are also are ideal for short-term specialty display lighting and decorative holiday lighting. The endless variety of style and bulb options makes them a favorite for event planners for special occasions throughout the year. Perhaps their most widespread application in residential settings is for decorative outdoor lighting.
Rope lights bring aesthetic and supplemental light to any outdoor area such as a gazebo, a back porch, or a patio where home entertainment events are hosted. They also provide a measure of safety lighting when they installed along handrails and steps, and some people even use them to decorate gutters and trellises for an extra touch of sophistication.
A number of advantages accounts for the popularity of these widespread and highly versatile lighting elements.
Rope lights tend to be very cost effective and extremely easy for the end user to install. A broad spectrum of kits is available that offers the novice considerable choices in colors, styles, and measurements. These lights normally include the option to dim the lights, so 120V rope lights can still be rendered cost effective simply by reducing the level of light. Furthermore, almost every lighting manufacturer makes low voltage lighting and high voltage lighting kits to deliver super savings on energy to the home user on a budget.
Rope lights can be equipped with any number of bulb types ranging from traditional incandescent to revolutionary LED lamps. Both offer their own unique benefits. Incandescents produce a very bright light and can clearly be seen when used in conjunction with normal indoor lighting. Event planners hosting company parties normally choose incandescent bulbs because they remain clearly visible when other room lights are on. On the other hand, rope lights used outdoors normally remain on longer and require greater energy efficiency. LED bulbs are generally preferred in this scenario because they only use 20% of the power as incandescents, and they are extremely cost effective when installed on a low voltage lighting system.
Because they are so inexpensive and easy to install, rope lights are often used by builders as adjunct decorations or for cove lighting in spec homes. However, the flexibility they are renowned for has it limitations. If the rope is bent incorrectly, it can fail to work altogether. In tight coves or area where the wall is striated, these lights will accentuate wall variances and reflect an uneven distribution of light. If “hot” burning bulbs like xenon and incandescent are used, the plastic housing will begin to turn brown from exposure to ultraviolet light over a period of time.
When used in this manner, rope lights are short lived and will eventually require replacement. This additional cost cancels out the initial front-end savings they normally deliver. Rope lights are also wired in series, so if a single light fails, the entire string fails. At this point a splice can be placed in the line to restore functionality, but the uniformity of the light is compromised and quality begins to diminish.
For indoor cove lighting, the most popular product to use as an alternative light source are our Phantom LED lighting strips. They are specifically designed for lighting indoor coves. Click here to read how Phantom CM series offers either an adjunct lighting source or outright alternative to rope lighting.
New PDF files for Phantom Contour Projector & LED Strip Lights ready for download!
Phantom Lighting Systems, a Houston based lighting manufacturer has recently posted updated information on their website for the Contour Projector and Strip Lighting products. Some of the changes include the introduction of a LED lamp option for the Strip Lights and a custom gobo holder for the Contour Projector.
Phantom Contour Projectors are designed by a professional installer and have been engineered so a novice, do it yourselfer or qualified electrician can successfully illuminate art. The patented mounting method, simplified optical system and the ability to use shutters, gobos and custom templates make this one of the most versatile and awesome art lighting fixtures on the market today. By shaping the light to only the canvas, the art takes on a “Lighted from within” look that can only be seen to appreciate.
Phantom Light Strips provide the ultimate in performance and flexibility as a seamless, concealed low voltage linear lighting source. The new energy efficient 1.7 watt 12VAC LED lamps are ideal for commercial applications where energy code compliance is an issue or a major consideration. All lamp options are fully dimmable for achieving the perfect light level or to extend lamp life. Our low voltage lighting strips are available in eight popular painted colors as well as premium metals such as polished brass, satin brass, polished stainless steel, satin stainless steel and natural copper. Phantom Lighting is all about seeing the light, not the fixture!
If you would like additional information on Phantom Lighting products or to speak with a lighting representative in your area to schedule a product demonstration, please call 800-863-1184 X 125. Thank You!
Phantom LED home lighting products for under cabinet lighting, picture lighting and display lighting offer many practical benefits.
Phantom Strip lighting solutions cover the full lighting spectrum, making 12 volt LED home lighting the only linear light source to accommodate free standing furniture, coves, bookshelves, and picture lighting within your home. Low voltage 12VAC LED home lighting offers a safe and long-lasting alternative to all other forms of technology such as incandescent or xenon light sources.
Phantom 12 volt LED energy saving lighting are rapidly becoming the very future of custom accent, display and kitchen under cabinet lighting. Filament based lighting such as incandescent or xenon convert 90% of all electricity into raw heat. Not only does this cause the bulb to eventually burn out, but it also heats the room and subsequently increases energy costs on cooling. LED technology replaces this gas and filament with superior technology with more cost effective results. Phantom LED festoon lamps utilize semiconductor technology to radiate light without heat and only require 12V to operate. As such, they last much longer than halogen and fluorescent bulbs, and they do not heat the room or increase the power bill if used too often.
Phantom Lighting Strips allow for an even distribution of light from an unobtrusive LED lighting source that adapts itself readily to built-in bookcases and freestanding furniture. The variable spacing insures even saturated light output and options for 120-degree or 60-degree optic angles depending on situational lighting requirements and desired aesthetic outcome.
If you are considering specifying, installing or purchasing LED lights, give the display lighting experts at Phantom Lighting System or a factory lighting representative a call. They can be reached at 800-863-1184 X 125 or online at http://www.phantomlighting.com/. | 2019-04-18T18:39:21Z | https://www.phantomlighting.com/tag/led-lighting-products/ |
After biochemical diagnosis of acromegaly, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the underlying benign pituitary adenoma is required, according to clinical guidance from the Endocrine Society (1). Surgery, the first-line treatment for most patients, can be curative but results in normalization of insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) levels in only 40–50% of patients with macroadenomas, with higher rates of >85% in the less frequent microadenomas (2). Long-acting somatostatin analogs (SSAs) are well-established treatments for acromegaly when disease persists after surgery and are also used as first-line treatment if surgery is refused, contraindicated or unlikely to succeed (1, 3).
Although long-acting SSAs can establish hormonal remission and induce tumor shrinkage, around 30% of patients have a poor response (1, 3). Hormonal response to SSAs has been linked to adenoma distribution of cytoplasmic keratin. Sparsely granulated (SG) tumors are more likely than densely granulated (DG) tumors to be SSA-resistant, larger, more invasive and associated with a higher Ki-67 labeling index and lower serum levels of IGF-1 (4, 5, 6). The increased SSA responsiveness of DG vs SG tumors has been linked to high expression of somatostatin receptor 2A (7). Nevertheless, primary clinical decisions are made without knowledge of histological granulation patterns or receptor distribution.
MRI could provide non-invasive insight into these features and their associations with clinical outcomes. T2 signal intensity of GH-secreting pituitary adenomas varies from hyper-, iso-, to hypo-intense, in relation to surrounding tissue (8, 9). DG tumors tend to be T2 signal hypointense (9). Hypointense tumors are also smaller, with less cavernous sinus invasion, less frequent optic chiasm compression and higher IGF-1 levels than iso-/hyperintense tumors (10). T2 signal hypointensity correlated with better IGF-1 response in patients receiving SSAs for persistent disease after surgery or as primary medical treatment (11, 12). In another cohort receiving primary SSA treatment, high T2 signal intensity correlated negatively with reductions in GH, IGF-1 and adenoma volume (13). Histology in these studies confirmed that hyperintense tumors were more likely to be SG than DG or of intermediate granular density (11, 13). The definition of T2 signal hypointensity of GH-secreting adenomas, however, varies between studies. T2 signal intensity has been assessed by qualitative (visual) or quantitative methods, and adenoma tissue compared against gray or white cerebral matters, as well as normal pituitary tissue (10, 11, 12, 13).
In PRIMARYS, 63% of 89 patients with previously untreated GH-secreting pituitary macroadenomas had tumor volume reduction (TVR) ≥20% (tumor response) after 1 year of primary treatment with the long-acting SSA lanreotide autogel (depot in the USA; Ipsen Pharma Biotech, France) 120 mg, and 34% achieved both GH ≤2.5 μg/L and IGF-1 normalization (hormonal control) (14). This homogenous study population – using a fixed dose in previously treatment-naive patients and thereby avoiding any influence of prior surgery and/or SSA dose changes – offers the opportunity to analyze the association of MRI T2 signal reading and response to treatment. Accordingly, the primary objective of these post hoc analyses of PRIMARYS data was to determine whether the initial MRI T2 signal intensity of GH-secreting pituitary adenomas was predictive of achieving hormonal control at week 48/last visit available (LVA). The association between T2 signal intensity at baseline and achievement of tumor response at week 48/LVA was also investigated. Given that various approaches to its assessment have been reported, T2 signal intensity of GH-secreting adenomas was defined using three different methods.
PRIMARYS was a prospective multicenter, open-label, single-arm phase IIIb study in which patients with GH-secreting pituitary macroadenomas received primary medical treatment with lanreotide autogel at a fixed dose of 120 mg every 4 weeks for 1 year (14). Each pituitary MRI collected during the main PRIMARYS study (as previously described (14)) was re-read by a single neuroradiologist to determine T2 signal intensity and assess complementary information. The PRIMARYS study, from which this post hoc analysis is derived, is registered with EudraCT (EudraCT2007-000155-34) and ClinicalTrials.gov (Nbib690898). As previously described, patients provided written informed consent before study start, the trial was conducted with the Declaration of Helsinki, Good Clinical Practice guidelines and all local regulatory requirements before trial initiation, and the protocol, its amendments, consent form, study questionnaires and the patient information leaflet were approved by institutional review boards (14).
Men and women (age, 18–75 years) with acromegaly and pituitary macroadenoma (diameter ≥10 mm) were eligible for inclusion in PRIMARYS if they were treatment-naïve, had elevated GH and IGF-1 levels and had no visual field defects. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria have been published (14).
MRI scans were reviewed by a neuroradiologist blinded to patient identity and response to treatment. Three methods were used to determine the T2 signal intensity of each adenoma relative to surrounding tissue (Fig. 1). The qualitative method comprised visual assessment, with gray matter as the comparator tissue. Of the two quantitative methods, one used the signal intensity ratio of the adenoma and gray matter (signal-ratio method), and the other was a three-tissue assessment (adenoma, gray matter and white matter tissues). Each tumor was rated as hypointense, isointense or hyperintense according to each method, as defined in Fig. 1, and exemplified in Fig. 2. Images were reviewed in two sequential batches: firstly, by visual assessment for T2 signal intensity and to identify extrasellar extension parameters (EEPs (suprasellar, intrasphenoidal and cavernous sinus extensions), which were not assessed in the main PRIMARYS study) at baseline and secondly, by the two quantitative methods, at baseline, week 24 and week 48/LVA, with the reader additionally blinded to the time point. Of note, no adenomas were purely cystic in our cohort. In case of heterogeneous adenoma with both cystic and solid components, T2 signal intensity was assessed only in the solid component of GH-secreting adenomas. Cystic component, as defined as intratumoral areas presenting with high T2 signal intensity and corresponding non-enhancing low-T1 signal intensity, was excluded from all visual and quantitative analyses.
Methods used to assess MRI T2-signal intensities of macroadenomas in patients with acromegaly. MRI, magnetic resonance imaging; ROI, region of interest; SR, signal ratio.
Classification of T2 signal intensity of a pituitary macroadenoma by one qualitative and two quantitative methods. (A) Qualitative analysis: visual assessment method; (B) quantitative analysis: signal-ratio and three-tissue methods. Coronal T2-weighted image of a GH-secreting pituitary adenoma at baseline in the PRIMARYS study. (A) By qualitative analysis, the adenoma is hypointense (the signal appears less intense than the gray matter). (B) ROIs (circled) are identified and signal intensity is quantified (left to right): white matter (290), adenoma (349), gray matter (451). According to the signal-ratio method, the adenoma is hypointense because the ratio of adenoma/gray matter signals = 0.77. However, according to the three-tissue method, the T2 signal intensity of the adenoma is isointense because the signal of the adenoma (349) lies between those of white matter (290) and gray matter (451). GH, growth hormone; MRI, magnetic resonance imaging; ROIs, regions of interest.
GH and IGF-1 levels were assayed centrally in the main study and used to identify patients achieving hormonal control (GH ≤2.5 μg/L and normalized IGF-1) (14). Achievement of tumor response was defined as TVR ≥20% at week 48/LVA.
The primary objective of these post hoc analyses was to determine whether the T2 signal intensity of GH-secreting pituitary adenomas at baseline was predictive for hormonal control at week 48/LVA after primary medical treatment with lanreotide autogel 120 mg in the PRIMARYS study. Secondary objectives of these post hoc analyses comprised: description of MRI characteristics of GH-secreting pituitary adenomas (T2 signal intensity, EEPs) at baseline; description of the evolution in T2 signal intensity during the study; analysis of the associations between the presence of EEPs at baseline and achievement of hormonal control at week 48/LVA; analysis of the associations between T2 signal intensity and EEPs at baseline and achievement of separate hormonal control parameters at week 48/LVA (GH ≤2.5 μg/L, normalized IGF-1); analysis of the associations between T2 signal intensity and EEPs at baseline and achievement of tumor response at week 48/LVA and analysis of the extent to which MRI characteristics at baseline are associated with the variation between patients in change from baseline to week 48/LVA in GH and IGF-1 levels and in tumor volume.
Patients from the intention-to-treat (ITT) population (patients receiving at least one injection of study medication and with at least one baseline assessment of tumor volume (14)) were included in the post hoc analyses. Descriptive summary statistics (n, mean, standard deviation, median, first and third quartiles (Q1, Q3), minimum, maximum, or frequency counts and proportions (with Clopper–Pearson 95% confidence intervals; CI)) were computed. Normality was assessed using the Kolmogorov–Smirnov test, and non-normal data are presented as median (Q1, Q3) rather than mean (s.d.). Statistical tests were performed using a two-sided α-level of 0.05 without any multiplicity correction. Accordingly, all statistical tests were exploratory in nature and hypothesis-generating. Statistical analysis was performed using SAS version 9.2.
Stepwise multivariate analyses were used to investigate factors predictive for hormonal control at week 48/LVA, focusing on T2 signal intensity at baseline. Univariate logistic regression analyses were first conducted to identify suggestive associations (P < 0.2). Multivariate logistic regression models were then used, in which T2 signal intensities were retained and to which ‘significant’ factors from the univariate analyses were added (no interaction was tested). Factors investigated comprised baseline variables: T2 signal intensity, GH level, IGF-1 level, tumor volume and EEPs. P values (chi-square) were generated using likelihood ratio tests, and odds ratios were estimated, with Wald 95% CIs.
Similar logistic regression was used to investigate factors predictive for tumor response at week 48/LVA. Linear regressions were also performed to assess whether T2 signal intensity at baseline is associated with variation in change from baseline to week 48/LVA in levels of GH or of IGF-1, and with variation in tumor volume. The Bhapkar test was used to compare distributions between baseline and week 48 or LVA in signal intensity category.
Of 90 patients enrolled in PRIMARYS, one was excluded from the ITT population because he lacked a centralized baseline tumor volume assessment (14). All patients in the ITT population had baseline MRI available for assessment of EEPs. The baseline T2 signal intensity data were available for 85 patients for each method and are included in this analysis, of whom 30 achieved hormonal control (GH ≤2.5 μg/L and normalized IGF-1) and 53 achieved a tumor response (TVR ≥20%) at week 48/LVA. Baseline characteristics according to T2 signal intensity category by visual assessment are shown in Table 1; data for the quantitative methods are shown in Supplementary Table 1 (see section on supplementary data given at the end of this article). Baseline characteristics according to achievement of hormonal control by study end were reported previously (15).
Demographic and disease characteristics at baseline according to visual T2-weighted signal intensity. * Tumor volume is presented in Fig. 3. Data are expressed as mean (s.d.), unless stated otherwise, from the ITT population with available baseline T2 signal intensity data. Median (Q1, Q3) are presented for non-normal data. Percentages are based on the number of patients with available data.
*As assessed visually in comparison to gray matter; baseline data according to categorization by the signal-ratio and three-tissue methods are shown in Supplementary Table 1; †Data preseted as meadian (Q1–Q3); ‡relative to baseline.
BMI, body mass index; GH, growth hormone; IGF-1, insulin-like growth factor 1; ITT, intention-to-treat; LVA, last visit available; Q, quartile; s.d., standard deviation.
There were no notable differences in baseline characteristics among the hypointense, isointense and hyperintense tumor groups (irrespective of assessment method). The exception was that baseline tumor volume tended to be lower in the hypointense tumor group than the other groups, a difference that was most pronounced when tumors were categorized by visual assessment (median (95% CI) tumor volume: hypointense, 1158 (959–1810) mm3; isointense, 2017 (1388–4066) mm3; hyperintense, 4767 (1872–22 725) mm3; Fig. 3).
Tumor volume of GH-secreting pituitary macroadenomas at baseline in each MRI T2 signal intensity category as defined by three methods. For the qualitative visual assessment method and the quantitative signal-ratio method, gray matter was used as a comparator for adenoma tissue T2 signal intensity. The quantitative three-tissue method used gray and white matter as comparator tissues for adenoma tissue T2 signal intensity. Tumor volumes are from the measurements made for analysis of baseline images at the end of the PRIMARYS study (not the initial measurements made to assess fulfillment of inclusion criteria). #Upper 95% CI limit = 17 958. CI, confidence interval; MRI, magnetic resonance imaging.
The three methods resulted in different proportions of patients assigned to each T2 signal intensity category. Overall, over half the adenomas (59%) were classified as hypointense at baseline with the visual assessment method, considerably more than with either of the quantitative methods (signal-ratio method, 36%; three-tissue method, 20%). Approximately half the adenomas were classified as isointense by the quantitative methods, compared with 36% by visual assessment. More adenomas (33%) were classified as hyperintense with the three-tissue method than with the other two methods (visual assessment, 5%; signal-ratio method, 12%). An example of an MRI scan classified differently with different assessment methods is shown in Fig. 2.
Data on EEPs at baseline by status at week 48/LVA were available for 88 patients for hormonal control (hormonal control, n = 30; non-controlled, n = 58) and 89 patients for tumor response (tumor response, n = 56; non-response, n = 33). Of the 88 patients with complete data, baseline MRI of the adenoma showed suprasellar extension for 23 (26%) patients, intrasphenoidal extension for 27 (31%) patients and cavernous extension for 28 (32%) patients. Extrasellar extension tended to be more frequent in non-controlled vs controlled patients (e.g. suprasellar: 31% vs 17%), although 95% CIs were overlapping (Supplementary Fig. 1).
Using the visual assessment method, of the patients diagnosed with a hypointense adenoma at baseline, a large proportion of them demonstrated hormonal control (40%) and a tumor response (76%) to treatment by week 48/LVA (Fig. 4A and B). Of the patients diagnosed with an isointense adenoma at baseline using the visual assessment method, 27% demonstrated hormonal control and 42% demonstrated tumor response (Fig. 4A and B). Of the patients diagnosed visually with a hyperintense adenoma at baseline, 50% demonstrated hormonal control and tumor response (Fig. 4A and B). However, it should be noted that this patient cohort consisted of four patients.
Proportion of patients that gained hormonal control (A, C and E) and tumor volume response (B, D and F) according to MRI T2 signal at baseline. Data are shown based upon three methods: visual assessment (A and B), signal-ratio (C and D) and the three-tissue method (E and F). Hormonal control is defined as GH ≤2.5 µg/L and IGF-1 levels within normal range. Tumor response is defined as TVR ≥20% from baseline. The visual assessment and signal-ratio methods used gray matter as a comparator for adenoma tissue; the three-tissue method used gray and white matter as comparator tissues. One patient without hormonal status due to missing post-baseline IGF-1 levels had an isointense adenoma according to the qualitative method and a hyperintense adenoma using the quantitative methods (signal-ratio and three-tissue). IGF-1, insulin-like growth factor 1; LVA, last visit available; TVR, tumor volume reduction.
Using the quantitative methods, similar hormonal and tumor response values were observed in hypointense adenomas compared with the visual assessment method (Fig. 4C, D, E and F). The proportion of patients with an isointense adenoma at baseline who demonstrated hormonal control and tumor response using the quantitative methods tended to be higher for both the signal ratio and three-tissue method compared with the visual assessment method (Fig. 4C, D, E and F). Between 30 and 33% of patients with hyperintense adenomas gained hormonal control following treatment as assessed by the quantitative methods (Fig. 4C and E). The proportion of patients with hyperintense tumors who had a tumor response was slightly higher in the three-tissue method (46%) than the signal-ratio method (30%) (Fig. 4D and F).
In univariate analyses, T2 signal intensity at baseline was not significantly associated with hormonal control at week 48/LVA (for all methods of assigning intensity category, data not shown) (primary endpoint). The presence of any EEPs at baseline was also not associated with hormonal control.
Univariate associations of T2 signal intensity were also investigated with GH levels and IGF-1 levels as separate endpoints. T2 signal intensity at baseline was significantly associated with GH ≤2.5 μg/L at week 48/LVA, as defined by visual assessment (P < 0.001; OR (hypo- vs iso-intense) = 7.27; 95% CI: 2.57–20.56) and signal-ratio methods (P = 0.004; OR (hypo- vs iso-intense) = 4.67; 95% CI: 1.39–15.66), with no significant association using the three-tissue method. Among EEPs, presence of cavernous extension was the only one significantly (negatively) associated with GH ≤2.5 μg/L at week 48/LVA (P = 0.021; OR = 0.34; 95% CI: 0.13–0.86).
For IGF-1 normalization at week 48/LVA, no significant univariate association was found with T2 signal intensity at baseline by visual assessment, whereas borderline significant associations were identified with T2 signal intensity at baseline as defined by signal-ratio (P = 0.082; OR (hypo- vs iso-intense) = 2.90; 95% CI: 1.11–7.55) and three-tissue methods (P = 0.053; OR (hypo- vs iso-intense) = 3.40; 95% CI: 1.04–11.17). No significant associations with IGF-1 normalization were identified for EEPs. In contrast to hormonal control, T2 signal intensity at baseline was significantly associated with tumor response (TVR of ≥20%) at week 48/LVA in univariate analyses, regardless of the method used (visual assessment, P = 0.008; OR (hyper- vs iso-intense) = 1.38; 95% CI: 0.17–11.15; OR (hypo- vs iso-intense) = 4.38; 95% CI:1.67–11.50-; signal-ratio method, P = 0.008; OR (hyper- vs iso-intense) = 0.33; 95% CI: 0.07–1.43; OR (hypo- vs iso-intense) = 3.17; 95% CI: 1.08;9.25-; three-tissue method, P = 0.043; OR (hyper- vs iso-intense) = 0.47; 95% CI: 0.17;1.25-; OR (hypo- vs iso-intense) = 2.51; 95% CI: 0.62–10.25). Presence of any EEPs at baseline was not significantly associated with tumor response. GH at baseline reached the threshold for significance (P < 0.2) on univariate analysis and was therefore included with T2 signal in the multivariate models for tumor response (P = 0.073, OR = 1.03; 95% CI: 0.99–1.06).
In multivariate analyses, the odds of achieving a tumor response at week 48/LVA were six times higher for hypo- vs iso-intense as defined by visual assessment (OR = 6.15; 95% CI: 1.36–27.88); P = 0.019) or the signal-ratio method (OR = 6.43; 95% CI: 1.31–31.58; P = 0.022), but were not significantly different using the three-tissue assessment method (OR = 2.40; 95% CI: 0.36–15.91; P = 0.36). Differences for hyper- vs iso intensity (by any method) did not reach significance in multivariate analysis.
In univariate analyses, T2 signal intensity by visual assessment or three-tissue methods was not significantly associated with the change from baseline to week 48/LVA in GH level, although by the signal-ratio method the association was considered suggestive (according to the P < 0.20 threshold; P = 0.16).
For change from baseline to week 48/LVA in IGF-1 level, univariate analyses found significant associations with T2 signal intensity by visual assessment (P = 0.005), signal-ratio (P = 0.127) and three-tissue methods (P = 0.024). In the multivariate (visual assessment) model, there was an estimated 65 μg/L greater reduction in IGF-1 level between baseline and week 48/LVA for patients with hypo- vs isointense tumors (P = 0.003) (Supplementary Table 2 (data from the other methods not shown)).
In univariate analyses of TVR from baseline to week 48, significant associations (P < 0.0001) were identified with T2 signal intensity (by each method). In the visual assessment model, there was an estimated additional 16.8% (SE 4.55; P = 0.0004) TVR by week 48/LVA for patients with hypo- vs iso-intense tumors.
In order to assess whether SSA treatment results in any change in MRI T2 signal intensity, and to further understand the nature of T2 signal intensity, assessments were made post baseline. Most adenomas were assigned to the same signal intensity category at baseline, week 24 and week 48, whether assessed by the signal-ratio (hypointense: 25% (week 24) and 29% (week 48); isointense: 33% (week 24) and 35% (week 48); hyperintense: 4% (week 24) and 4% (week 48)) or three-tissue (hypointense: 10% (week 24) and 10% (week 48); isointense: 32% (week 24) and 37% (week 48); hyperintense: 22% (week 24) and 21% (week 48)) methods (Fig. 5). Nonetheless, 2 (3%) adenomas shifted from hypo- to hyperintense categories from baseline to week 48 (both methods), 10% shifted from hypo- to iso-intense (both methods) and 4% (signal-ratio) or 7% (three-tissue) shifted from iso- to hyperintense categories. However, comparisons between baseline and week 48 or LVA in signal intensity category did not reach statistical significance (for either method).
Adenoma T2-weighted MRI signal intensity categories during the PRIMARYS study. Percentages are based on the ITT population with available data (missing data not accounted for in denominator). Signal-ratio method: baseline vs week 48 (n = 68), P = 0.7317; baseline vs LVA (n = 83), P = 0.9727. Three-tissue method: baseline vs week 48 (n = 68), P = 0.2059; baseline vs LVA (n = 83), P = 0.7305. LVA, last visit available; MRI, magnetic resonance imaging; SR, signal ratio.
Our post hoc analysis of MRI data from the PRIMARYS study suggests that assessment of T2 signal intensity of untreated GH-secreting pituitary macroadenomas at baseline can contribute to predicting the effect of primary treatment with lanreotide autogel. In brief, although signal intensity was not significantly associated with achievement of hormonal control (defined as GH ≤2.5 μg/L and normalized IGF-1, in accordance with PRIMARYS), significant associations with other responses to treatment were identified, most notably with tumor response.
Tumor response (TVR ≥20%, which was achieved by 62% of the population at week 48/LVA) was estimated in multivariate analysis to be six times more likely for hypointense vs isointense tumors (visual assessment, OR = 6.15, 95% CI (1.36;27.88)). T2 signal intensity at baseline also showed significant univariate associations with the extent of TVR from baseline. Hypointense tumors underwent an estimated additional 17% TVR from baseline to study end, compared with isointense tumors (visual assessment).
We noted substantial differences in the frequency of each MRI T2 signal intensity category as defined by the three methods used. By visual assessment in comparison with gray matter, 59% of patients in the PRIMARYS study had hypointense tumors. This proportion is similar to the 53% reported in another study that also used visual assessment in recently diagnosed patients with acromegaly (10). In that study, adenomas (including microadenomas) were compared against normal pituitary tissue or gray matter when normal pituitary was not visible (10). Normal pituitary would have been a less practical comparator tissue in our study (including exclusively macroadenomas), as it is often not visible in MRI. In contrast to the proportion by visual assessment, the signal-ratio and three-tissue methods identified 36 and 20% of tumors in our study as hypointense, which compares with the 27% reported by Heck et al. (4) and suggests that methodological differences between studies account for a large part of the different reported frequencies of hypointense tumors.
Our study did not find any notable differences in baseline characteristics between tumors classified as hypo-, iso- and hyperintense by any of the methods. A trend toward smaller tumors in the hypointense group agrees with previous reports (10) but did not reach significance.
The primary analysis did not identify significant associations between T2 signal intensity and the strict binary outcome of hormonal control that was a pre-planned endpoint of PRIMARYS (GH ≤2.5 µg/L and IGF-1 within normal range), which was achieved by 35% of the study population at week 48/LVA. When univariate associations of T2 signal intensity with GH control or IGF-1 control were analyzed separately, hypo- vs isointensity by visual assessment at baseline was associated with achievement of GH ≤2.5 µg/L at week 48/LVA, but not with IGF-1 normalization. In univariate analysis of change from baseline, however, hypo- vs isointensity by visual assessment at baseline was not significantly associated with change in GH, but was significantly associated with change in IGF-1. In multivariate analysis including IGF-1 at baseline, IGF-1 levels were estimated to reduce by an additional 65 μg/L for hypointense vs isointense tumors (visual assessment, P = 0.003). Overall, the proportion of patients who demonstrated a response to SSA treatment in terms of both hormonal control and tumor response seems to be greater in those patients classified as having a hypointense adenoma at baseline, regardless of the method used. These data support previous studies that suggested that hypointense tumors are more likely to respond to SSAs, in which reductions in IGF-1 (4, 12) or in GH and IGF-1 as two continuous outcomes (13) were examined. To our knowledge, the exact mechanism underlying the relationship of T2 hypointensity and tumor response to SSA therapy is not completely understood. The histopathologic predictors of SSA responsiveness of DG (hypointense) tumors may include an increased expression of somatostatin receptor 2A (SSTR2A) subtype and high adenylate cyclase levels associated with G stimulatory protein mutation. Conversely, the lower SSA responsiveness of SG (hyperintense) tumors has been associated with lower SSTR2A expression, somatic mutation of the GH receptor and decreased E-cadherin immunoreactivity (7).
These findings are the result of post hoc analyses and are limited in their power to draw significant conclusions. Although T2 signal intensity was significantly associated with achievement of a tumor response, the 95% CIs were wide, indicating low confidence in the estimated size of the effect. This analysis could not address the natural course of GH-secreting macroadenoma T2 MRI intensity. The addition of a placebo arm would have been unethical, however, given the known efficacy of SSA therapy for acromegaly. It is also unlikely that the natural course of GH-secreting macroadenoma T2 MRI intensity could have been determined over a 48-week study. The PRIMARYS cohort excluded patients with the less frequent microadenomas, which may be considered a limitation of our study. Conversely, many features of the primary study comprise strengths of our analysis. The homogenous and sizable study population, treated with a fixed dose of lanreotide autogel and with robust data for hormonal levels and tumor volume facilitated the investigation of T2 signal intensities in relation to treatment response. The careful assessment of TVR in particular contrasts with previous studies on this topic. Prior treatments for acromegaly, and SSA dose changes, are potential confounders in predictive analyses, and both were absent in this study. For the visual assessment used in this analysis, the MRI scans were interpreted by only one reader, but the findings are consistent with published data. Indeed, to the best of our knowledge, there is no reported assessment of inter-observer differences in the visual assessment of T2 signal intensity of GH-secreting adenomas. In the initial work by Heck and colleagues (11), two radiologists assessed T2 signal intensity of GH-secreting adenomas. However, the final decision was reached by consensus and in their article the kappa statistic (inter-observer agreement) was not evaluated. Additionally, in data from the largest cohort (n = 297) describing the MRI appearances of GH-secreting adenomas published to date, T2-signal intensity was visually assessed by a single observer (10). Similarly, a single neuroradiologist performed the MRI analysis in this post hoc analysis of PRIMARYS study data. Therefore, unfortunately we cannot comment on inter-observer variability. Furthermore, the visual assessment method does not require quantitative analysis and uses only one tissue for reference, which makes it accessible for routine clinical use and easily reproducible in future studies.
In conclusion, we did not identify any clear advantage of using quantitative vs qualitative assessment of MRI T2 signal intensity. However, we believe the use of three methods to analyze T2 signal intensity in pituitary adenomas in this study is novel and has further enhanced our understanding of MRI assessment in acromegaly. Given the practicality and accessibility of visual assessment of adenoma vs gray matter, we therefore suggest that this method should be preferred for categorizing tumors. Obtaining this information at baseline may help to predict outcomes of lanreotide autogel treatment. Although T2 signal intensity at baseline did not predict the overall achievement of hormonal control, there were significant associations with individual hormonal control parameters. Furthermore, the odds of a tumor response were higher for patients with hypointense compared with isointense GH-secreting macroadenomas.
This is linked to the online version of the paper at https://doi.org/10.1530/EJE-18-0254.
S P is a member of advisory boards and speaker in workshops for Ipsen and Novartis. J B consults for Ipsen and has previously received lecture fees from Ipsen and Novartis. A H and C S are employed by Ipsen. P C consults and has acted as a speaker for Ipsen, Novartis and Pfizer and is an advisory board member for Ipsen. He is also an editorial board member of the European Journal of Endocrinology. F B and L-D R have nothing to declare.
This analysis was supported by Ipsen.
The authors thank the investigators and patients participating in this study, including the PRIMARYS Study Group.
PRIMARYS Study Group: Belgium: L Van Gaal; Czech Republic: J Marek; Finland: P Nuutila, M Välimäki; France: C Ajzenberg, F Borson-Chazot, T Brue, P Caron, O Chabre, P Chanson, C Cortet Rudelli, B Delemer, J-M Kuhn, A Tabarin; Germany: K Badenhoop, C Berg, S Petersenn, C Schöfl, J Schopohl; Italy: S Cannavò, A Colao, L De Marinis; The Netherlands: A Stades, A J van der Lely; Turkey: P Kadıoğlu; UK: J S Bevan, D Flanagan, P Trainer.
Medical writing and submission support was provided by Emma Leah and Richard McDonald of Watermeadow Medical, an Ashfield company, part of UDG Healthcare plc, funded by Ipsen (Emma Leah is now an employee of Ipsen). | 2019-04-26T06:44:55Z | https://eje.bioscientifica.com/abstract/journals/eje/180/3/EJE-18-0254.xml?rskey=WjLzXB&result=8 |
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Bank Indonesia has decreed that, beginning in early 2010, all credit cards issued in Indonesia are required to contain a computer chip as an added security measure. A regulation issued by the Bank in April 2009 mandates the use of chips.
Despite growing tourist arrivals to Bali, recent information released by Bank Indonesia show that the amount being spent by tourist visitors to Bali is on the decline. Ida Bagus Viraguna Bagoes Oka who heads the Bali branch of Bank Indonesia, pointed to the changing composition of Bali visitors now dominated by Asians who stay for shorter periods and spend less on a per day basis while holidaying in Bali.
Burhanuddin, a former governor of the Indonesian Central Bank has been given a three-year sentence for corruption by the Supreme Court. He will spend the prison term in the Cipinang prison in East Jakarta. "We have executed the verdict today," said the director for prosecutions of the corruption watchdog KPK, Ferry Wibisono earlier. While this case was handled by the special corruption court, Burhanuddin still had to spend the days before his verdict in detention at the national police headquarters.
It is quite difficult to get them, those new 2,000 Rupiah bank notes. And it gets even more difficult when you want to have a bundle of 100 notes, like they are issued by Bank Indonesia. You would say that bringing a visit to a branch of Bank Indonesia to change these bank notes, but that is not entirely true.
Bank Mandiri, the biggest lender in Indonesia, has announced that it will take an 11 percent stake in now state-owned Garuda Indonesia. All parties involved agreed on this share for Bank Mandiri. Under the plan, Mandiri will convert 100 million dollar of the bond debt into equity. The buy values Garuda Indonesia around 910 million dollar (635 million euro).
The corruption watchdog KPK has ordered six banks in Java, Sumatra and Kalimantan to close accounts of provincial government officials that were receiving interest from savings accounts that belong to their local administrations. Haryono Umar, staff of the KPK said that the banks would bear incentives for government officials that parked government funds in savings accounts.
You will all probably have experience with it. You have just paid in the local supermarket and your change is a pile of banknotes that are just a few euro cents in value. If you are lucky enough, they will add a handful of aluminum coins with even less value than those uang kertas ('paper money') as well.
The board of governors of Bank Indonesia have decided yesterday that the benchmark interest rate was to be lowered with 25 basis points to 6.50 percent per year. "This decision was made after the board of governors concluded that the declining inflation rate continues in line with the limited domestic demand as well as the expectation of declining inflation," said Bank Indonesia in a statement.
The little ones are back again!
I had to do without them for quite some time as they were very rare in Yogyakarta. The last time I remember receiving one of them must have been more than two years ago by now. Not because they are not needed, it's just because making them is costly enough. Distribution is another problem, because of the sheer weight when you need to distribute a lot of them throughout the country.
Bali property sector used for money laundring?
Both BisnisBali and the Bali Post carry articles suggesting Bali has earned the dubious distinction of becoming a "heaven" for money launderers. The Head of the Bali branch of Bank Indonesia, Drs. Viraguna Bagoes Oka, speaking at a meeting on money laundering, said, "the potential (for money laundering) is very high in Bali, especially in light of the high level of investment activity."
The Indonesian central bank, Bank Indonesia, has officially launched the new 2.000 Rupiah banknote today. The banknote with a value of 2.000 Rupiah is an addition to the current set of available values of 1.000, 5.000, 10.000, 20.000, 50.000 and 100.000 Rupiah. Bank Indonesia states that the banknote is fulfilling a need among the Indonesian population to have a value between the much-used values of 1.000 and 5.000 Rupiah.
Indonesian exports in April fell 22.5 per cent from the same month a year ago to 8.46 billion dollars, the Central Bureau of Statistics said Monday. Indonesia, South-East Asia's largest economy, had a trade surplus of 2.08 billion dollars in April because its imports dropped 45 per cent to 6.38 billion dollars, the bureau said.
The Indonesian central bank (Bank Indonesia) Tuesday reduced benchmark rate by 25 basis points to 7.25 percent, a Bank Indonesia senior official said. "The decision to reduce the benchmark rate was made after the governor board learned about the ongoing economic developments in both the domestic and international market," said Strategic Planning and Public Relations Director at Bank Indonesia Dyah Makhijani.
Indonesia's central bank has reduced its key interest rate by a quarter percentage point to 7.5 percent. The governor of Bank Indonesia said Friday the decision was made after closely watching economic developments at home and abroad.
Indonesia is suffering from the gradually increasing impact of the global financial crisis, with its export value growth in 2009 predicted to drop below zero. Indonesian central bank (Bank Indonesia)'s Deputy Governor Hartadi Sarwono said on Thursday that the country's export value is expected to drop 4.6 percent this year.
Bank Indonesia Governor Boediono and his board voted unanimously on Wednesday morning to cut interest rates by 50 basis points from the current 8.75 percent to 8.25 percent - exactly in line with analyst expectations.
Four former Bank Indonesia (BI) executives have been formally accused of complicity in the illegal transfer of Indonesian Banking Development Foundation (YPPI) funds to a number of legislators and ex-BI officials in 2003.
PT Bank CIMB Niaga Tbk and PT Bank Lippo Tbk have received approval from Bank Indonesia, the countrys banking regulator, to merge their businesses. In a statement here Thursday, CIMB Group said the approval was given yesterday, paving the way for the first banking merger under the Indonesian government's single presence policy. CIMB Group chief executive, Datuk Nazir Razak, said the merger would create the fifth largest bank in Indonesia by assets.
Indonesia closed its stock exchange for the second day to halt a flurry of selling that sent the main stock index plummeting more than 20 percent this week, while Asian trading ended mixed. Stock exchange president Erry Firmansyah said it will remain closed to give investors a chance to "calm down before they make decisions."
Bank Indonesia has increased its policy rate by 25 basis points to 9.5% as they continue their ongoing battle with inflation. Indonesia did not join Australia, who cut rates today by the highest since a recession in 1992. It is predicted however that today�s increase may be the last this year as the aim of the central bank moves onto supporting growth rather than continuing the fight against inflation.
There is growing criticism of Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's decision not to dismiss two senior ministers, implicated in a Bank Indonesia corruption scandal. The situation has been further complicated in recent weeks by allegations that the father-in-law of President Yudhoyono's eldest son was approving the bribes.
An Indonesian businesswoman was jailed yesterday for five years in a corruption scandal that has grown to include two senior members of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's cabinet. Artalyta Suryani was found guilty of paying a prosecutor some 423,076 euro to drop an investigation into the misuse of central bank funds.
Indonesia's economy probably grew by more than 6 percent for a sixth quarter as the lowest interest rates in three years spurred spending on homes and cars. Southeast Asia's biggest economy expanded 6.2 percent in the three months to March 31 from a year earlier, about matching the 6.25 percent expansion in the preceding period, according to the median forecast of 17 economists in a Bloomberg News survey. The Central Statistics Bureau will release the data in Jakarta today.
The anti-corruption commission in Indonesia has finally arrested the country's central bank governor on graft charges, a spokesman for the body said Thursday. The watchdog, which has been investigating Burhanuddin Abdullah since last February over the alleged misappropriation of 100 billion Rupiah in bank funds, said he was taken in for questioning early Thursday and later arrested.
The Indonesian economy is expected to have grown at its fastest pace in 2007 since the country was hit by the Asian financial crisis 11 years ago, driven mostly by private consumption. Falling interest rates, a strong financial market performance, and an increase in pay for civil servants are expected to have underpinned the recovery in purchasing power, said Destry Damayanti, an economist at Mandiri Securities.
Pertamina is in need of twice as much foreign money because of high oil prices on the international market with prices reaching as high as 100 US dollars per barrel. Earlier today the general manager of PT Pertamina, Ari Hernanto Sumarno, said that Pertamina was in need of foreign money to pay for the imports of oil for the company. Pertamina has to buy oil from outside Indonesia, even if the prices rise. This is caused by the fact that the total production of oil in Indonesia is not sufficient to cover all of it's needs.
Migrant workers from Indonesia continue to make a huge contribution to the country's economy because the remittances they make. During the second quarter of 2007, these workers overseas send home some 1.1 billion euro. This is 5.4 percent more than the same period last year, according to data from Bank Indonesia. The central bank estimated that the figure for the full year will reach about 3.5 billion euro.
Hutomo "Tommy" Mandala Putra has denied charges about misappropriation of liquidity credits from Bank Indonesia which are said to be channeled to the Clove Marketing and Buffer Agency (BPPC). Tommy was chairman when the credits were disbursed and he said that the BPPC had returned all of the credits, which reached 759 billion Rupiah (59.76 million euro).
Indonesia's economy grew at the fastest rate for over two years in the second quarter as exports rose and lower interest rates helped fuel spending and investment. The largest economy of Southeast Asia expanded 6.3 percent in the three months ending at 30 June after gaining 6.0 percent in the first quarter of the year, according to the Central Statistics Bureau BPS. Economists had expected a growth of 6.1 percent.
Year-on-year inflation in Indonesia for the month of May is likely to be lower than the month before as prices of most basic goods were steady, according to the senior deputy governor of Bank Indonesia, the central bank on Thursday. The consumer price index was down 0.16 percent in April from March but was up 6.29 percent year-on-year.
The Indonesian Central Bank has cut it's main interest rate by 25 basis points on Tuesday, in line with expectations. This is the 11th rate-cut in one year in response to falling inflation and a strong Indonesian currency.
The central bank in Indonesia will allow the market to determine the exchange rates for the Rupiah, even if the currency strengthens beyond 9,000 against the dollar, as was said by deputy governor Aslim Tadjuddin on Friday. Soon after his comments, the currency did indeed break the psychological mark and rose to 8,975 per dollar.
The central bank in Indonesia is mulling printing the local currency overseas as state-run banknote firm Peruri can not meet the demand, as was told by an official today. Bank Indonesia, the central bank, currently needs 6.6 billion new banknotes in this year alone, but the bank calculated that Peruri is not able to print all of the notes within a given time period.
Jakarta's main stock index is set for further heady gains this year, supported by improving economic conditions, firm commodity prices and subdued inflation which should give corporate earnings a boost, encouraging fresh capital into the sharemarket, analysts said. They are picking a gain of between 16-43 pct, after last year's 55 pct surge, which saw the composite index repeatedly setting new records to finish 2006 at an all-time high of 1,805.522 points.
Bank Indonesia predicts the country`s economy will grow between 5.7 and 6.3 percent this year while the International Monetary Fund (IMF) forecasts it will grow by six percent. "The central bank`s board of governors predicts Indonesia`s economy will grow even higher and macro-economic stability would be maintained," BI governor Burhanuddin Abdullah said here on Thursday.
Indonesia's inflation rate in 2006 plunged to 6.60 per cent from 17.11 per cent a year earlier, the Central Bureau of Statistics (BPS) said. Inflation in December 2006 reached 1.21 per cent with the food stuff group contributing the highest inflation data of 3.12 per cent to the monthly figure, BPS chief Rusman Heriawan said here Tuesday.
Indonesia's central bank cut its benchmark interest rate to a 14-month low, the seventh reduction since May, to help revive consumer spending and boost investment. Bank Indonesia Governor Burhanuddin Abdullah and his fellow policy makers reduced the rate used as a reference for bill sales by half a percentage point to 9.75 percent, a move predicted by 16 of 21 economists surveyed by Bloomberg News, and indicated further cuts are likely next year.
The Indonesian rupiah's strength is a concern and businesses in Southeast Asia's biggest economy may feel more comfortable if it weakened to about 9,500 against the dollar, Vice President Jusuf Kalla said.
A banker has predicted that Indonesia`s economy would continue to grow in 2007 following the lowering six times of Bank Indonesia`s reference rate by 250 base points and the active expansion of banking credits to customers. "The sign for improvement in Indonesia`s economy has been seen since the second quarter of this year with the falling of Bank Indonesia`s interest rate and that of the banking credits," Gunawan Geniusahardja, a commissioner of PT PermataBank, said here on Tuesday after presenting a public expose on subbordinate bonds of PermataBank.
Indonesia�s central bank cut its benchmark interest rate for the sixth time since May and said borrowing costs may be reduced again in December, after inflation slowed to a two-year low and the currency strengthened. Bank Indonesia Governor Burhanuddin Abdullah and his fellow policy makers cut the rate used as a reference for bill sales by half a percentage point to 10.25%.
Indonesia's central bank will probably cut its benchmark interest rate by half a percentage point, the sixth reduction since May, to help revive consumer spending after inflation slowed to a two-year low. Bank Indonesia Governor Burhanuddin Abdullah and his fellow policy makers will cut the rate used as a reference for bills sales to 10.25 percent, according to 15 of 16 economists in a Bloomberg survey. One expects a reduction to 10 percent. The central bank decision is due in Jakarta tomorrow.
The central bank has closed Bank UFJ Indonesia at the request of its own shareholder, the Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ (BTMU). As of Oct. 5, the lender has been effectively required to terminate all banking and other operations at all of its branch offices, Bank Indonesia said in a statement released Friday.
Publicity-shy paper and plantation magnate Sukanto Tanoto is in Indonesia's national headlines after topping two high-profile lists. Forbes Asia last month listed the 56-year-old tycoon as the richest individual in Indonesia, with assets worth about US$2.8 billion (Rp25.2 trillion). In June, the self-made ethnic-Chinese tycoon also topped a list of state-owned Bank Mandiri's six biggest debtors.
The Indonesian government has decided to pay off the remaining debts from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) totaling 3.2 billion U.S dollars, the central bank chief said. "So next week we owe nothing to the IMF. After completing the early repayment, we will stand at the same level of playing field. We are no longer a troublesome member," Bank Indonesia Governor Burhanuddin Abdullah was quoted Friday by the major economic daily Bisnis Indonesia as saying.
One more time I would like to look back to Malaysia a little bit. However I was only there for a week, I still had time to look around more than enough to get back to it for (maybe) one more time. Maybe it's just that I have too much time here, but I think it's rather because I would like Indonesia to have something of it as well. They will have to do most of the work however, I don't have much to tell here of course. I can at least tell about my ideas a little bit on the internet, to get it of my list and probably to never get back to it.
The Indonesian central bank said Friday it may further cut the benchmark interest rate to 10 percent by the end of the year. Earlier this week, Bank Indonesia cut the interest rate by 50 basis points to 11.25 percent. "We are confident that, between now and the end of the year, the inflation will be contained below 7 percent and Bank Indonesia interest rate will move to 10 percent," Bank Indonesia deputy governor Aslim Tadjuddin told reporters here.
The government and Bank Indonesia (BI) have signed a joint decree to improve coordination between fiscal and monetary authorities and help reform financial markets. Announcing the package Wednesday, Coordinating Minister for the Economy Boediono said it was expected to accelerate reforms in the banking sector, non-bank financial institutions and in capital markets. It would also enhance businesses' access to capital, he said.
Asian police forces should cooperate to strengthen efforts to fight corruption and money laundering, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said Tuesday. "We should send a signal loud and clear to the corrupt everywhere that there is no safe haven anywhere for them to hide their stolen money," he said in a speech opening a three-day meeting of Asian police in Jakarta.
Indonesia's foreign exchange reserves during the first three months of this year reached 41.1 billion U.S. dollars, a figure never recorded before, Bank Indonesia (BI) Governor Burhanuddin Abdullah said on Wednesday. "This is the highest figure ever recorded since the founding of the republic of Indonesia," Antara news agency quoted Abdulah as saying when presenting the bank's first quarter evaluation. | 2019-04-25T19:47:00Z | http://blog.indahnesia.com/search/search.php?q=Bank%20Indonesia |
Of course I mean an exception from(or to) the rule, but in the logic of this wildly illogical movie, it makes no difference. The only way I can possibly begin to enjoy Christopher Nolan's latest movie INCEPTION is by establishing a suspension of disbelief tied to the assumption that we are seeing some sort of BRAINSTORM-like or UNTIL THE END OF THE WORLD- like dream transcript, and not reality at all-- ie: the movie does not begin or end in the real world as we know it. If this is so, then BRAVO!, the clues littered along the way worked! But If this is not so, then the movie is the most egregious display of fuzzy-thinking I have ever seen.
What follows ought to be read AFTER seeing the movie. That way it will make a little more sense (but not much), and your pristine viewing experience will not be spoiled.
I fancy that Nolan's intention was to give the world the most lucid dream they have ever had. It is often said that watching a film is the most dream-like experience we have while awake. A central issue of the movie seems to be whether Nolan has embraced the film-dreamworld with a heretofore never obtained totality, or whether he has gone too far and severed the final ties that would allow us to be affected by the movie, to believe it? It is as if Nolan attempts to prove that dream logic alone is enough to make a movie seem like a “real movie.” He does this by referencing only our previous film experiences for the validation of his dream logic. Each viewer will have to decide if it is “real enough” on their own. Some will say it is a “magnificent movie experience!” But is an experience of any true value if it's structure includes an Escher-like impossibility? Is it then essentially a pretty hoax to which we ought to have no business surrendering our common sense?
I am one of those people who does not enjoy being on the ignorant audience side of magic acts. I am interested in how the illusion is, or is not, made effective. INCEPTION has much in common with the magician's world of THE PRESTIGE in that it operates heavily through misdirection of attention, manipulated expectation, meaningless explanations, and bedazzlement. It is essentially a trick that tries to disguise itself long enough to keep us seated to the end.
For my own part, I struggled to believe to the very end, but the illusion was buried by the weight of nagging, serious questions that were given no more than dream-logic or movie-logic answers.
Dr. Johnson once said something like: I read your book and found it both original and good; unfortunately the parts that are good are not original, and the parts that are original are not good.
The same sort of thing might be said about INCEPTION. It seems composed of large chunks of previous movies. From THE MATRIX, for instance, comes the idea of a reality constructed by someone else (an Architect) that multiple consciousnesses can plug into, all thinking and interacting as though they inhabited a real world. In the case of INCEPTION this world is a single person's dream into which everyone else plugs in.
I found myself also thinking about WHAT DREAMS MAY COME, which, though an exploration of the after-life, was very similar in look and feel to the "deep limbic" realm of INCEPTION ( that was also referred to as "limbo"). There is also a parallel between the obsessions of the lost wives in these two movies and their husbands following them to remote, unearthly places.
More recently, in SHUTTER ISLAND Leo portrayed a character who is deluded, and suffering over the loss of his wife and children. It is hard not to see the Leo of INCEPTION as having just gotten off the boat from SHUTTER ISLAND when this new adventure begins, suffering over his only slightly dis-similar wife and children-- another delusion? The plot of SHUTTER ISLAND revolves around creating a role-playing game for the deluded Leo to become immersed in-- to think that it is real. This is the same scenario that Leo unleashes on the target capitalist in INCEPTION, except that he does it in a dream. I almost expected to see DRs Kingsley and von Sydow haul Leo back to the madhouse in the last reel. “Now Leo, it's not nice to delude others just because we showed you how!” These last remarks are made only in dream logic. Obviously Chris Nolan was unaware as he developed his film that a viewer of it would find it had parallels with another film almost contemporaneously released. I wonder what was going through Leo's mind though? Something like: “Will this nightmare never end?
More possible antecedents come to mind. Could the original pitch for INCEPTION have been: THE STING meets DREAMSCAPE? Certainly it is cliché for movie sequences to be dream sequences from which the character then awakes. So what if he never awakes at all? In this respect it also does homage to SYNECDOCHE NEW YORK a movie that delves so deeply into the fabrications of a playwright's mind that, by the end, reality can no longer be determined.
If nothing else, INCEPTION is a destabilizing tour-de-force that shakes up our comfortable relationship with movie viewing, and generates some real doubt about our personal grip on reality.
There was a test given by Leo to the capitalist to prove whether he was dreaming. He asked him to remember what he was doing just before he arrived, and how he got to the place where they were talking. If he couldn't remember, he must be dreaming. Again, this may Nolan's way of signaling to us the whole movie is a dream. INCEPTION itself starts in a dream, thus we never know who the people really are, where they came from, or how they got to that moment, and so we cannot know if they (or we) ever exit the dream. It made me do a self check. Yes, I could remember driving to the cinema buying a ticket and sitting down. Thank God for that! The film ends just as we might find out whether the top will stop spinning. Again Nolan provided us with the information that if the top does not stop spinning, Leo is still dreaming(and we are too).
To me, the most outrageous invention of the movie is the idea that other minds can somehow be plugged into someone else's dream. Let's suppose that minds might be able to experience a shared environment together if the dream world were mediated by an artificially projected world inside a computer, ala THE MATRIX. Ok, the movie logic works here because we've already made peace with that idea. But I always thought that the people interacting in the matrix where somehow awake and having a normal day, but that all their sensory input was co-opted by the matrix so they could not comprehend their true physical state?
So, in what sense can the dreamer's experience in INCEPTION be understood?
I suppose idiotic brain science can still make gripping cinema, and thus, dangers lurk for those bold enough to enter into the dreams of others. An intruder exerting any kind of control over a dream alerts "Projections" that function rather like white blood cells sniffing out and destroying the intruders. Apparently the "projections" can come from the single dreamer's mind, or any of the other minds within the dreamer's dream. When Projections are triggered they may take the form of ordinary dream people who function like the artificially intelligent NPC's of an adventure game who begin acting hostile. The Projections can also strike with heavy weapons and the ferocity of a swat team. At one point Leo makes a completely nutty assertion: "These aren't ordinary projections, these guys have been trained." For several minutes my movie experience was completely suspended as I pondered how this might be true. Even now, it evokes in me the same awe as "Why doesn't the tail pass?" and "What is the sound of one hand clapping." This is one of several places where the script failed to remember which reality (or dream) it was in.
The idea that you can use concurrent action levels in a movie like a set of Chinese boxes for a big payoff at the end is brilliant staging, but applying it to the concept of "dream-levels," is reckless and laughable. True, it is exciting to see the characters cascade back up through each dream level for the finale, but I was no longer thinking of the characters at this point, only of the craziness of the director. What reason could there be for the time distortions as you go down through the dream-levels, except to achieve a dramatic linear experience on the way back up?
Attempts to make it appear that reality could be assessed by dreamers within dreams by use of "totems" made me overflow with laughter. What? If you are dreaming of the totem, it is not the real totem, so whatever it does means nothing. When you are awake, the totem would behave normally yes, but that could not prove to you that you were not merely dreaming that the totem behaved normally. Leo's spinning top totem supposedly kept on spinning if he were dreaming. But what did the weighted die or chess piece do? That whole "totem bit" caused me to smell some of my logic brain cells frying.
At the bottom-most dream level-- the "deep limbic"--sloppiness abounds (Whose? Mine? Nolan's? Leo's? Everyone's?). The second biggest threat to the dreamers (after the 'Projections" is the chance they may not be able to awake from a dream properly, and "fall out of the dream" altogether into a vegetable-like state. At least in the real world they would appear vegetative. In truth, they would be experiencing the magical 'deep limbic" realm, where time is so extended that one waking day here is experienced at that level as a life time. Leo and his wife have experienced nearly an entire second life dwelling in the "deep limbic." How they got to the "deep limbic" or which was the dreamer was never explained. Leo returns to the "deep limbic" to find a team member who died before being able to awake, thus being lost there muddled and confused. Leo stays dreaming while the other team members wake up. Without the dream of the dreamer how can Leo possibly find his way into the mind of the lost team member-- go to the same place? Is it that they are both still connected to the box? Leo's rescue mission again creates a conflation of a mental place with real geography that only works for the short period of time you are seeing it.
To "top" it all off, the top that Leo carried in his pocket was the same object his wife stored mentally in her secret safe in the "deep limbic" dream world. It was never explained how the object had both a real existence in Leo's pocket and a symbolic existence as his wife's secret. Either the top was always real (and she just imagined it as a symbol for her secret, or Leo imagined that the real top represented her secret and so carried it around with him as his "reality" object). or the top was not real. I think the latter was true, that it was never a reality object at all, but a mental one-- and the final indicator, as mentioned before, that we must still be dreaming.
For me, Nolan's movie is engaging in the same way that an explosion in a meringue factory might be. Wow! Stupendous! But thirty minutes later all that is left is a residue of sticky goo. Some will say "yummy" and some will say "yucky." Me, I'm just wondering now who is going to clean up the mess in my brain?
Or maybe I will have to watch this movie over and over until I wake up and get it right!
It hasn't come out over here yet, so I'll read your article when it does.
I would love to read this but I'll have to paste it into a Word document because gray type on black is almost impossible to read. Since I don't plan to see the film, the logic will convince me without having to be confused by my own reaction.
Sort of like Pierce's observation that Poliphilo falls asleep twice but wakens only once?
I put it through a word processor for another revision and removed the gray background. Read the 3rd revision for a somewhat clearer statement.
I was flabbergasted to see the Hymn of the Pearl slammed together with Tarkovsky in the final scenes...Sato rescued from a lifetime of illusion by the Messenger who wakes him up but turns out not to have gotten out of the funhouse himself (I kept thinking of John Barth's quotation marks within quotation marks in "Frame Tale" as I watched). It was enough just to see the jump cut that wasn't one (a Wings of Desire allusion, I should think) following the impossible appearance in Los Angeles of the grandfather from Paris...though Grandpa was headed home for a visit, now, wasn't he, when the kids phoned? In any case, the only way, as you rightly perceived, for the Messenger to fulfill his function would be to be awake, to remember the original dream...and thus know that he has been in a dream all along and will not really awaken when he thinks he does. Who made the original assignment, assuming there was one, which there may not have been, only the illusion of an assignment...no, whether there was an Assignment, whether there was a Messenger, whether there is Something outside the body of the dream that is not simply a Next Room of the Dream (I thought of Howard Nemerov's poems a great deal, also)...that, we don't know.
We have come a long way from Until the End of the World's mechanical version of entanglement (the hip idea that seems to be going viral no matter how often it is condemned as nonsense, and, yes, telepathy is part of what we used to call it, only the hipper version of it seems to involve more than simple conscious communication...which is more alarming if it were true, which it probably isn't), and even further from Michael Caine hearing the imaginary tennis ball being batted back and forth by the mimes at the end of Blow-Up, which is, I assume, why Caine was playing the role that he was.
Good to see that all the talk must have "lured" you into seeing the film at last!
Although I called INCEPTION illogical, what I think I really meant was that it violated all my models of reality-based, AND none-reality based systems sufficiently to irritate me. I wanted more coherence, more internal consistency to a given set of principals. Whether my irritation was intentional, or unintentional on Nolan's part, or wether it acheives art, or crap, I haven't had time to determine yet. Ultimately, it may just be a form of what punkers might call: M*** F****.
I am very fond of frame tales, science fiction, and deep psychology, but INCEPTION seems to fail me in all these areas, while at the same time being intensely interesting for doing so.
I will have view the movie again a few times until I find a new way to understand it, or come to terms with whether it is me or Nolan that is to blame for my displeasure. I'm guessing it's me, and that's worth understanding.
I think the issue is whether you are willing to read the movie as being about belief systems that assert things about the mind that are not quite possible within brain physiology as we understand it. The weird appearance of the classic tale of Gnosticism at the very end leads me to conclude that Nolan has read some of the same books I have...though I wonder if he knows the Ægypt cycle. If not, perhaps someone should send him a set anonymously. Now there is a frame tale that messes with your head by the time it is done...you have no idea by the end of Endless Things just who is writing which story, except for the Author who is sitting at home in Massachusetts generating the whole thing out of his head.
Ironically, maybe the new thing is honesty: Nolan is trying to prove that a movie does not have to pretend to be real to be of value. Can I accept that? With time, perhaps.
Operationally, I mean "real" in the sense that the film viewer assumes he/she is watching events occurring in our everyday world as we experience it. This itself is a fiction, but the power of film is based on the "seeing is believing" psychology which disguises the underlying fictional construction.
Maybe INCEPTION is to film what TRISTAM SHANDY was to literature?
Yeah, I can't think of another movie in which WE are the frame tale, or the moviemaker is...or an unknown, presumably fictitious party. "The Swimming Pool" reveals that the whole movie we have been watching is the fantasy spun by a novelist preparatory to her next book...without benefit of a reality that needs atoning, as in "Atonement." And actually, "Inception" is no more unreal than, say, "Star Wars"...it just asserts the reality of a dream life that isn't possible, instead of a galaxy long ago and far, far away. There would be an imaginary dreamer in which we would be asked, after the event, to lend our belief.
There must surely be some 1950s Twilight Zone episode in which the story ends with the camera pulling back to reveal a TV being switched off by a hand as an off-camera voice says, "Thank goodness that wasn't real," followed by pulling back to that scene being switched off by a viewer, followed by the subsequent scene being switched off, followed by jump cut to black.
Wow! I like that last idea. Can I use it for a short film, and credit you? | 2019-04-26T11:38:45Z | https://dyvyd.livejournal.com/40146.html |
[03:26] Announcement: Releasing The Art of Reality Creation 2.0 soon.
[08:50] The movie The Shack.
[13:04] Changes on the website.
[17:04] How do you use the ego as a tool?
[28:44] The point of incarnation is to grow.
[35:45] What do you do when the ego is taking control?
[38:56] The ego can be fun.
[43:16] What is the role of “I am”?
[48:48] Choose the story you’d rather live.
[55:20] True desires are in alignment with your higher self, your soul purpose, and your ego.
[58:14] Desires at the expense of someone else.
[01:03:00] The difference between white and black magic.
[01:09:10] Is Trump going against the Universal Flow?
[01:15:33] Speeding up a manifestation.
[01:20:31] Three properties of energy: direction, speed, altitude (see next week’s post for a better definition).
[01:26:46] Two ways to increase speed.
Now it’s your turn. What have you gained from this week’s discussions? I always love reading your thoughts in the comments, so feel free to let me know or ask any questions you might have.
Nice conversation. I grew up in a household where black magic was practiced by default. It does have repercussions especially on growing children. I mean, do you want them to be confident and fearless and go through life that way or in fear and stagnate? So, I came into spirituality as a sort of detox, for lack of a better phrase, to remind myself of what’s really what.
I did not know that voodoo was an actual religion, but perhaps it is misinterpreted. I think one of the aims of voodoo is healing, but I’m not sure.
Oh yes, Voodoo is very popular from what I’ve heard. I know next to nothing about it, but only that it is widely practiced.
I also would like to add here, since we discuss about being on our path, our chosen path, or however way we put it, that path is usually not a straight line. B, you yourself speak about this in the perfect example of your career. It was definitely not linear, not clear cut from A to B. There were twists, turns, intrigue, you stopped certain things, while taking up others, yet you were still on your path. I’m trying to say that, although things may seem like they are never to be, something will happen to remind you to keep going. I just want to clarify this. You keep going and going and then look how far you’ve come, emotionally and mentally counts here don’t forget, then you look around you and you’ve arrived, however you got there without knowing it. It’s not like a stop on a train where you get off and know you got there. You just arrive.
I hope this makes sense. So, looking around you and saying “still not there yet” perhaps keeps us from where we want to be. Maybe we shouldn’t look at all. I haven’t been doing this and I’ve been making progress because before I was looking and getting impatient. Just some things to consider.
Yes I agree completely. Your path comes about so organically, if that makes sense. It grows in unexpected ways. It sneaks up on you when you don’t realize it.
You never run out of topics, amazing. 😀 Very interesting call.
First of all, an unrelated question: do you think that Hades and Hecate will be your patron and matron deities for the rest of your current life, or do you think that there might come the time where they will have taught you everything you “needed” to learn, and you will get other deities?
Anyway, with all the bad experiences in my life, my tolerance for resistance has kind of increased, I guess, which is actually a doubled-edged sword. On the one hand, now it would take soooo much to actually push me to a suicidal state again. On the other hand, it can take stronger resistance to cross my tolerance threshold and force me to surrender. Well, with some things anyway. I’m still working on raising my vibration to the neutral and above, so things would actually start moving.
This is so weird, a year ago, I would still often get into blaming others, hatred, and strong sorrow, which were very low states, and they would occur so often, but I would also get into really high state, where I would feel the connection with divine in such a powerful way, and I would know that everything’s been going just fine, and my “purpose” was clear. However now, a year later, I don’t really get into extremely low states anymore, especially not hatred, but I also haven’t been able to access those high vibrations of clarity, that strong connection with the Divine. It seems like both the negative extremes and the positive extremes disappeared, and now I’m in a void or something, but it’s below neutral, it’s still negative. My guess is that those extreme negative moments each time forced me into a surrender, which would then inevitably catapult me into extreme high energy moments. Without the extreme negatives, there are no extreme positives anymore. From time to time I catch myself having a “meh, I don’t care” mentality. Anyway yeah the way to go now is being aware of my focus, and cultivating gratitude and appreciation, among other things.
I hope that they will. I’m still developing my relationship with Hecate, but I feel extremely close to Hades. That probably sounds odd, but he’s helped me a ton in so many different ways. I’m really not sure if it’d last forever, but I hope that it will.
I disagree with your assessment. I don’t think you have to go into the negative to be launched into the positive.
I just wanted to say that I have added doing a spell for each of my goals. 🙂 I used the process described in your last post with crystals, visualization and affirmations. So far I have only performed the spells once, but I plan to repeat the process in a few days or next week. I feel that the spell, because of the increased time and focus spent with the goal, really amplified focus and emotion. I’m looking forward to seeing the results of the spells (and the increased resistance, uncomfortable as it is, because it shows that energy is speeding up).
You mentioned how with a next level goal, you should be seeing evidence weekly, and sometimes this may be feeling based. For me this evidence is often only feelings for quite a while. With my recent money goals for instance, the bulk of the money came all at once. Week by week though, I did feel more aligned and accepting of having the money. It seems that once my subconscious was aligned with the money, it came quite quickly. I’ve noticed in the past, too, that many goals of mine manifest quite suddenly as opposed to gradually. I equate these seemingly sudden results to how bamboo grows: for years there is no sign of growth above the surface, but when bamboo finally sprouts, it grows very quickly. I imagine that subconscious structures were shifting beneath the surface, gathering momentum and then finally, results were visible after the roots were firmly planted enough.
I’d love to hear what results you notice from your spells.
Yeah, I think it’s different for everyone. But it should not be that you’re working at it for a month and seeing no progress, either inside or outside. That’ll only generally happen if you are stuck in resistance.
Yes feeling safe is so important. You’ll love this weekend’s podcast I think. I call it, the principle of homeostasis. You need to find that new comfort zone. You need to create a new normal. That’s probably the most important part of the law of attraction, but too often ignored.
I’m looking forward to that podcast! I think normalizing the goal as much as possible is a big key to manifesting it. I was confused for so many years because everyone talks about feeling really happy and excited about your desire, but that hadn’t been working very well for me.
With my third goal, I have noticed that it feels more believable and have also experienced some outer evidence. This evidence wouldn’t be meaningful to anyone else other than me, but I know it’s a sign that energy is aligning.
I feel that the greatest resistance for me has to do with feeling worthy and deserving of my goals. This is reflected to me by the people around me (they don’t feel they are deserving of a better life). I know that this evidence will change though as I become more aligned within with being deserving and worthy.
I’m glad it makes sense. I agree it’s important. This is why I try to dig into what is really behind the law of attraction. It’s such a vital law, but we don’t always stop and really investigate how it works. I think it’s essential that we do that.
Also good luck with the vocal coach. That sounds exciting!
Thanks Brandon! That post about consciousness first is so essential for me, I refer to it often. It’s a big paradigm shift and runs counter to what most people are taught, but already I have seen evidence of it that has greatly increased my trust. Sometimes I get so frustrated – why didn’t I know more about how the LOA really works earlier?
Sometimes I get so frustrated – why didn’t I know more about how the LOA really works earlier?
Because you weren’t ready for it yet.
I know it’s a bit cliche, but I believe truth is always occult. I mean occult in the literal definition: hidden. The law of attraction is so popularized and mainstream that, well honestly it can’t help but be a little truth mixed with a heck of a lot of falsehood. Hope that doesn’t sound bad, but it’s how I see it. And it fails for most people, because they take these mainstream sources and try to use those teachings.
I think this is why the old magical traditions created the secret societies they did, like the Golden Dawn, the OTO, etc. They wanted to protect the truth from being watered down. Not to say it has to be locked within some secret society like that, but I get what they were after.
Oh, yeah, I totally get this too! Did you know that Golden Dawn is the name of a new political party in Greece?
Really? I had no idea. Any connection, or just coincidental?
Coincidental. For a tiny country there are like 15 parties.
Maybe that should be tried here. I mean, there are more than 10 of everything else, why not political parties?
Haha totally agreed. I know, the political system here is so binary. I find myself agreeing with both sides, but it’s almost like you have to choose one or the other. Morally/socially I’m very liberal, economically with certain issues I’m more conservative.
By the way, I wanted to tell you, your comment about the coven is what inspired me to put that image of the moon up on the top right of the site. I’ve been wanting to do that for a while. 🙂 I loved your comment. I totally think it’s a coven.
Oh, I am so glad! I love that image!
Yes, well, that is totally what we are doing with this activity!
I just noticed today the results of a spell I had cast last year. Well, it was not the usual spell, but I did put the energy out there, so yes, it falls under that category. I was going to actually go out there and do it myself, but I did not, and it was done for me! This is wonderful and I am thankful!
It must have been done the other day when they were outside and I noticed it today as I exited the house. This pertains to my neighbors and their pots and bowls that collect rainwater. I was going to overturn them myself so that would not happen and insects won’t breed with all the diseases they spread. And so it was! Sorry if this was too much information, but it is a very good example.
I’m not surprised about that at all! Perhaps if I didn’t struggle so much before, I wouldn’t really understand and be able to use the LOA effectively now.
I do feel that there is a lot of misinformation out there. It seems that some people have a lot of success with the more mainstream LOA teachings. I’m guessing that they went through the transformation process (Magus path) beforehand?
From what I’ve seen, most people don’t have much awareness of what they are doing.
As an NLP practitioner, I was taught that to model someone’s behavior, that person isn’t always useful in telling you how they do what they do. They’ll give some bit of advice, but usually their success has nothing to do with that.
Most LOA teachings are just carbon copies of a few different mainstream sources: Napoleon Hill, Neville Goddard, Seth, Abraham, or The Secret. I can almost always determine which of these sources a particular person’s teachings come from.
The point is, most people take one of these sources, and then proceed to interpret all of their experiences in the light of that source. For instance, if on the Abraham forum you tell them that it’s not working, they’ll always have an answer as to why. It’s either because you’re doing it for the manifestation and not just to feel good, or that you are “happy face stickering” it, or something else.
Some people succeed naturally. Either they are raised with helpful subconscious programs to help them to succeed, or their life experiences lead them to take the appropriate steps to success.
I think my NLP training was one of the most useful things I went through. BTW, I just received my master practitioner certification (I list it here). 🙂 Not to brag, but I’m pretty happy about it.
Anyway, it taught me to look at things in terms of what works. I believe success can be modeled, no matter which area of life that applies to. I’ve thrown away a lot of common teaching because it just didn’t work.
So, long story short, people succeed in spite of themselves sometimes. They take the proper steps, but don’t realize how it was they actually succeeded. So, they guess. Sometimes that guess is right, and a lot of times it’s not.
I agree with you. I can definitely see many examples of people succeeding and coming up with inaccurate explanations for their success. A lot of people will quote hard work, for example, but we can see that there are many others who work just as hard who are unsuccessful. Or people will say it was just being positive that got them what they wanted, but there are many positive people stuck bad situations too.
I know what you mean on Abe Forum! I would always get frustrated reading through there. I have no doubt that some people are very successful with Abe’s teachings, but they are likely the ones who reprogrammed their subconscious structures.
Just a little bit ago I heard that the dog sitting job I was hired for this month had been cancelled. I am upset, but I feel that if it can be cancelled so quickly, then another way to get this money quickly can come about as well. I do expect to get a similar amount of money soon through something I’m selling, but it would be really nice to have this extra money as well. I’m thinking that this has to do with feelings of deserving and my mind’s comfort zone.
Yes I completely agree. Lots of people are positive and yet are not successful. And same for hard work.
I’m sorry to hear about the dog sitting job. I’m sure something else will turn up. It may very well have to do with your comfort zone.
I’m feeling quite angry at my subconscious mind right now! I definitely think this is due to structures that do not serve me. I’m also guessing that I need to keep focused and choose, over and over, the result I want even in the face of resistance and defeat? Manifesting this amount of money wasn’t even a definite goal this month, as I’m focusing on other areas right now. But I feel that if I met my January and February money goals, I can create over what I did those months this month.
Well, when you are making a lot of change to your subconscious structures, you have to sometimes give them time to catch up. You accomplished so much in the last two months, but now give them time to stabilize at this new level. You’ll still get a good bit with not as much effort as before.
Yeah, that’s true. I did meet those two monthly goals and decided to spend this month giving more attention to my other goals (which also take a lot of energy). You’re right in that I may be going a bit too fast without allowing myself to stabilize. Maybe slowing down a little could be helpful? I definitely can jump too far ahead of myself at times!
How do you explain when someone had been struggling in one area for a long time experiences successes in it quite quickly? I am thinking of someone I know with her music career. She struggled for years, but began to achieve greater and greater success rather quickly. Not only surrounding her career, but in other areas of her life too. Now she is really happy with her life and frequently talks about how she is living her dream and how great life is. Is this due to shifting subconscious structures (unknowingly)?
Actually this is very common. Any time you see someone struggling, they are likely working through some major resistance, and gradually changing their subconscious structures as a result.
Likely she was stuck in a rut with her resistance for a while, but something acted as the catalyst that finally helped her to shift that resistance. The subconscious structures were changed in very quick succession, and therefore she started succeeding. Often the catalyst can be very subtle. Sometimes just an additional force of will, or just someone getting tired of the resistance and letting go of it all at once.
In the past, when I saw how well she’s doing and all the success she’s having in life in general, I would get really, really jealous. I still do at times, but more so now I feel happy for her. I feel like she’s proof that what I want is possible and can happen for me too. She is staying true to herself and her music, making the most of her gifts and believing in herself. Apparently even when she was beginning to see success, many people were still doubting her, but she just kept believing in herself instead.
My cousin has also experienced a lot of struggle in her professional life for many years, but for (I think around) 5 years now she’s been very successful in what she does. She is living the dream she told me she wanted to live 10 years ago. I’m really happy for her.
I’m curious how it’s possible for someone to let go of resistance seemingly quickly and create so much change in their subconscious structures, especially if they aren’t working with a coach.
Well, imagine the pressure of water behind a dam. The pressure is great, because of the built up momentum of that water. If that wall comes down, then the flood of water is massive.
Sometimes when you deal with resistance for years, it just builds up pressure. Eventually you just let go, and all that pressure is released, the subconscious structures are changed, and success begins almost immediately. It’s a pretty painful process, but happens quite frequently from what I’ve seen.
The subconscious structures are released when you let go of resistance? But it is still necessary to struggle and face a lot of resistance to shift them, is that correct?
It seems like the painful release of resistance you’re describing is what Melody Fletcher terms as the cattle prod moment. She has written a lot about the extreme pain people deal with before letting go of resistance. Actually, I found out about Co-Creation Coaching from your comments on her blog!
Yes that is similar. But I don’t think she believes it is necessary.
I don’t think such a painful moment is necessary, but it is necessary to struggle with the resistance to create those new subconscious structures. As you’ll see in next Monday’s post, you can’t just let go and allow the Universe to bring it to you. I know, that goes against all LOA doctrine, ever. But, this approach only works for current level goals.
For next level goals, you need the will to deliberately choose the goal, and create that tension between where you are and where you want to be. This generates significant resistance, and as you work through it, you build new structures that will support this goal.
When it happens all at once, it’s just that that tension has been there for a while, but you’ve not allowed yourself to let go of current reality. Once you take that final step, then the final part of the process happens very quickly. But again, I don’t recommend this path.
I actually also feel that there is some degree of tension involved for next level goals. I agree that for next level goals, particularly around things we really, really want, it’s not enough to just let go and allow the Universe to deliver. There has to be tension there on some level. I have experienced this quite a few times in my life and can see it in the experiences of others.
Does this apply to when someone seemingly gives up on a desire too? For example someone I know (not sure if I’d consider him a friend, but definitely an acquaintance) used to really, really want and try hard to get the attention of women he was attracted to when he was younger. Eventually he got so tired of pursuing pretty girls and women in general (particularly due to a string of bad relationships) that he just gave up on them all together. He says when stopped wanting them, that’s when they began to chase after him and have been all over him since. These are exactly the kinds of beautiful women (models, actresses, etc.) that he so desperately wanted when he was younger, but he still claims to have given up on love and even refrains from most short term flings. One could say that it’s easy for him to meet very attractive women due to the work he does, but he was working in the same field before and they didn’t want to be around him nearly as much. He has some really funny stories about these girls chasing him down and how desperate they could be. lol They’re actually quite funny to hear!
Giving up your desire is very risky. It depends on the stage of the process that you give up.
For many people who give up, they get nothing but disappointment. I mean, people giving up on their dreams is almost a cliche. So obviously just giving up is not the solution to success, or everyone who gave up on their dreams would have immediately achieved them.
What it sounds like happened with your friend is similar to the other example you gave. When he did give up, the subconscious structures were already starting to regenerate to match that higher desire. It was just the effort of trying so hard that was blocking him from the goal. So once he gave up, there was room for that desire to come to him. It was now a current level goal.
But again, you have to be careful. I would not recommend it overall. I see people recommending this course of action, to just give up on it and it’ll come to you, but that just doesn’t work most of the time.
I feel like my (strong) desires are so intense, there is no way I could truly give up on them. But there have been times when I’ve “given up” and was met with success.
This is a relatively minor example, but to meet my last minute end of February goal, I only got the money after I gave up on it. When I say I gave up, I mean that I believed it would come soon and decided to stop trying so hard to make it happen. I still believed I would get it, but maybe not as quickly as I had planned. Of course, I did end up getting it, and in a far easier way than I had anticipated. I’m guessing this was because the subconscious structures were in place? I had struggled with the goal, and when I let go at the end, the amount I needed came to me quite easily. Had I not struggled, I imagine that I may not have met my goal. It seems that giving up only works if there has been some degree of struggle before.
I don’t plan to give up on my current goals because I’ve made a commitment to them and am far too invested in them to forget about them or let them go.
Yes that sounds like the case.
Giving up or letting go can be an effective way to switch from a negative focus to a positive focus, or even just to the zero state, where the energy is free to flow.
So essentially, any time you are in the zero state, or in any non-resistant state, the energy will flow and bring you what is natural to your current subconscious structures. It’s a good way of determining what your current subconscious structures can support. I was impressed when I tried this in January and still got a good bit of money, even though I hadn’t been trying to manifest it.
Oddly, last month I didn’t get as much, but I was focusing more on business income, than overall income. My business income was higher last month than it had been nearly since the start, but overall income was slightly lower (though not uncomfortably so) than in January.
So if you like, you can go in short sprints. Speed up the energy, deal with the resistance, let go and see what comes. Speed up the energy, deal with the resistance, let go and see what comes. So on and so forth. It can be fun to see where your new comfort zone is located.
Thanks Brandon, that’s a really helpful explanation. I feel drawn to doing something like that with money this month while I focus on my other goals. Right now I have enough in my account from last month and will have more when I resell this higher priced item. I would like more, yes, but my priorities are on my other goals for this month. This may be a good experiment, like you mentioned, to see what my subconscious structures are supporting. My other goals though…no way am I giving those up this month! 🙂 There is definitely tension around my goals, and I feel the need to increase and normalize this tension to really speed up momentum. Maybe towards the end of their deadlines I will let go, but only if I truly feel that the structures are in place (like with my last money goal). Right now letting go would be far too uncomfortable.
It’s not always een necessary to let go completely, either. I mean to let go of the goal. Of course you need to let go every time you focus, so that you don’t obsess about it.
My biggest goals have come when I’ve simply doubled down on the tension and really insisted that it happen. Letting go has worked a few times, too, so it just depends. Just saying that it depends on how the energy is flowing for you and how much resistance you have.
I usually only let go of my goals when I’m really beaten down by and torn apart by them. It’s like a last resort. (“Ok, I’ve done my part and can’t take it anymore. Here Universe, I hand this over to you.”) Even at times when I really insisted that certain goals happen, there is still a feeling of letting go to some extent.
I will have to relisten to this week’s podcast again, particularly the end where you talk about increasing the speed.
That’s a good way of putting it! 🙂 It can really feel like surrender for me; surrendering after I’ve done what I can do and just trusting that it will happen. It’s a feeling of calmness, knowing and relief.
You know what this reminds me of Brandon? When I was about 12 or 13, there was this student trip I wanted to go on. Even after attending many informational meetings and fundraisers, I ended up not being able to go on that trip because the cost ended up being too high. BUT, I did not lose faith and was able to go on a trip to the one place I really wanted to visit. The trip I was planning to go would only spend one or two days in that city, but I ended up going that summer for 10 days and had a great time.
I’m also thinking of my experience in finding an au pair family and my computer. I kept believing and did not give up even in the face of defeat. I kept choosing my goal (unknowingly, of course) and eventually got it.
Those are such great experiences!
Yeah, persistence and will are so important. See the property of “power” that I’ll be discussing on Monday. I’ll go into a lot more detail.
It seems that whenever I really want something specific and set a goal for it, I get it. I spend a lot of time thinking about and focusing on that thing and manifest it some way or another. These are often next level goals – kind of big jumps from my current level, but not too far fetched that they are completely unbelievable.
Brandon, have you come across Bentinho Massaro? He has a very slick website set up, which kind of puts me off a bit, but he has some interesting angles on LOA according to his ebook. Definitely using will to the max! Not sure i would go that far but it’s all useful info to take bits from.
I think reading widely and going with what resonates is a good approach, as long as it doesn’t resonate because it re-enforces negative subconscious beliefs of course. . .
His name rings a bell, but I don’t know much about him. Looking at his site, it doesn’t really resonate too much, but I find his journey interesting.
I agree about reading widely. I try to read a wide range of authors and LOA teachers. Sometimes I end up returning the book because it was nothing new, but sometimes it offers a fresh perspective that helps me with some aspect of my own work.
Do you know the site CalmDownMind? I was reading an article on there just now about how our desires only manifest when we feel normal about them. In the comments, Sen (the site’s author) brought up how we should also visualize the negative aspects of having our goal.
Naturally, as I was reading, I thought about my own goals. A likely way I see myself achieving my moving goal, for instance, involves a big sacrifice on my behalf, something I really don’t want to do and could have negative long term effects, but I would be able to get the money fairly quickly. There are slower ways of getting there, but waiting feels worse.
I wonder about the complete truth of what Sen wrote because it didn’t feel bad or like a big sacrifice to get my computer, for example. I mean yes, it did only come after a lot of doubt, frustration and let downs, but it didn’t feel really awful or dreadful. It was pretty intense and frustrating at times. I was definitely tested, but overall I knew that I would still get a computer with everything I wanted on it despite all the negative emotions. I was really challenged by my own beliefs each time I refused to settle for something less than I wanted. Maybe I didn’t manifest the absolute highest possibility possible, but I did get a nice computer that I could afford, even if it was a bit above my spending comfort zone.
As I work on my music, I experience ups and downs, but the sense of accomplishment I feel is gratifying. It’s a calm feeling, good but not really buzzing off the walls happy, more like a balanced satisfying feeling (neutral good). Gratifying in a calm way, a deeper fulfillment. Earlier today I was really frustrated with a few songs. After taking a break though, I experienced a sense of joy when I noticed improvements in my delivery of a few of the songs. I also began writing down another song I had been toying with for a few months (flowed out easily). Of course I then ran into another frustrating issue, and so on and so forth. If it was too easy, it wouldn’t be enjoyable. All day I had been very aware of the contrast between emotional states. This contrast feels like a game almost: the emotional peaks and valleys are satisfying.
Sen also wrote about how we don’t need to set clear intentions, as once we clear out our inner imbalances/resistance and have a more realistic view of reality, we will naturally flow towards our true desires. I feel that setting intentions is kind of fun though. It’s fun to feel that energy move. On the other hand, there can be a lot of negative emotion with goal setting, namely intense doubt, frustration, anxiety and sometimes even depression. I guess setting next level goals fuels the emotional imbalance? Speeding up the energy is a bumpy ride: exhilarating and very uncomfortable.
I do wonder about the negative/dark aspects of the lives of people who are happily living their dreams. Especially those who post all over social media snippets from their amazing lives. Perhaps they are just living out the balance of light after intense darkness?
I also notice this light/dark polarity in relationship to how I feel about and evidence I see if my goals. Some days, I feel very confident about my goals and notice evidence of their manifestation. Other days I feel very doubtful and fearful noticing manifestations of my own resistance.
I thought the CalmDownMind article was very wise. I used to experience extreme joy and extreme depression, but now I’m more balanced. I still have a tendency to be delusional and unrealistic though (something with my birth chart perhaps?) These tendencies to fantasize are holding up my goals probably. I have trouble getting rid of them though. I’ve been a day dreamer/very imaginative since I can remember! In school I would often get in trouble for day dreaming and not being present in class.
Nothing wrong with being a daydreamer. I’ve always had seemingly unrealistic goals myself, too. But then, I’m living out several of those goals now.
You used that word “unrealistic” again. I think there are very few things that are unrealistic. Not saying nothing is unrealistic, but as my emails always say, Anything is possible.
Of course I do think you need to get to the place of feeling normal about these things, but that’s just part of the process of creation.
I also think that article is a good one. I just have a few minor disagreements with it, as I mentioned above.
However, I don’t agree about thinking of the negative aspects of your goal. There don’t have to be negative aspects. You’re a creator: there doesn’t need to be a trade off.
I do think it takes working through resistance to get there, but once you are there, it should be enjoyable, but of course normal.
All the manifestations I’ve received were positive. Times when I thought something would be negative, it really didn’t turn out that way, when I trusted.
A few times in the past I had something negative turn out, but it was only because I wasn’t able to let go fully and trust.
I also disagree with not having to set an intention. As you know, I am fully in favor of setting strong goals that we want to achieve.
I hate the word “realistic”. What’s it even mean? People usually use it to say something like, “Oh, be realistic. You can’t do X.” But, there have usually been people who have done X before you. It’s usually a way to limit the Universe.
Yes you’re right that speeding up the energy is bumpy. But I don’t think I’d have it any other way. And I think other creatives are the same.
As far as the negative aspects of the lives of others, in my experience, they are definitely present, but those people aren’t going to post about it on Facebook. Why would they? It’s not even about pretending, it’s just that they might want to work through that personally.
But I don’t think that life always has to be difficult or anything. yes there will always be resistance of some kind, but once you learn how to work with that, that is not a bad thing.
Thanks for your detailed reply. Your view seems much closer to what I feel to be true. I was doubting myself heavily after reading that article. I just kept thinking, should we have to give so much focus to unwanted aspects of our desire? And why shouldn’t we have desires? Having specific goals and desires is fun! Sure resistance is always there is some form or another, but it’s not always this dreadful awful thing. It can be more of a nuisance or just feeling like you’d prefer a few things to be different about the situation.
Yes creative people do seem to enjoy contrast! I find the ride for the most part enjoyable, even if it’s a bit bumpy at times. Choosing and achieving your goals is fun and forces you to grow.
I was using the word realistic a lot as it was used frequently in the article and proceeding comments I read. I always got in trouble by my parents for being unrealistic. What you said is true though. I mean, at some point most of what we have today was considered unrealistic.
Thanks. Yeah I actually really enjoy the feeling of releasing a bit of resistance and palpably moving deeper into the vibrational signature of my goal. It’s a great feeling!
Resistance doesn’t at all have to be a difficult thing, especially once you learn the tricks of how to best deal with it.
I know how it is to feel like what you want is unrealistic. I’ve mentioned before my mother always wanted me to get a good job with high pay. I’m also a programmer, so I think she expected me to get a well-paying job as a computer programmer / software engineer, and be set for life.
Obviously I didn’t live up to those expectations. The truth is that I never really enjoyed having to make things for others that I didn’t really want to make. I used to do freelancing, and hated it. I love making things I am passionate about, like plugins that I want for this site, such as the astrology features I’ve added. That’s really fun for me.
Thank you Brandon for sharing your experience. I really like the moon phase plugin by the way.
I understand exactly what you mean about blocks in the way of getting paid what you’re worth. I definitely have those in place that I’m working on getting rid of. It’s been really difficult for me to get rid of them, but having to settle for less with money frustrates me to no end.
I just saw your new podcast episode was uploaded. 🙂 I’ve only read a little bit of the transcript and will listen to the entire episode later. What you wrote about excitement makes me think of Christmas and birthday gifts when I was younger. Before getting the gifts I wanted, I felt a bit anxious as to whether I’d actually get them. When I did get them, I was really happy for a day or two, but then these new toys felt normal. I enjoyed playing with them, but I had new desires for other toys arise.
Thanks. The blocks can be difficult. But it is very possible to overcome them.
Yeah I had the birthday/Christmas issue as well. 🙂 That’s honestly how I’ve discovered a lot of this, at least initially. For me I’d rarely touch a present after a few days. | 2019-04-24T07:52:46Z | https://darkascent.org/blog/2017/03/09/spiritual-freedom-support-call-30/ |
I have an advertiser at $200 per annum who reminds me that I cannot stop posting. This means each post, at one post a day, is worth approximately $0.55 USD. I feel like Virginia Woolf, commenting on the economy of a small college for women in Three Guineas, or like Thackeray and other writers who were paid by the word. I myself know a writer in Uruguay who is paid by the character, that is, the worth of his output is measured in units comprised of individual letters and punctuation marks.
I recently read a book, and I am reading another. The first was the first novel of a former student of mine, now a friend; he is a creative writing person and this is the first novel he has had come into print. I bought it from a store, of my own free will, because I want to support this person’s work and also because I am interested. I read it and enjoyed it and it was recreational since I had no responsibility toward it, and I was also genuinely interested to see what a longer piece by him would look like, since we have discussed writers and writing a fair amount. I also read novels with new eyes now that I am writing one, so it was interesting. This is what it is to read the work of one’s friends and students for pleasure, without pressure or obligation.
The book I am reading is an edited collection of essays I agreed to review. One is well advised not to agree to review books, but I agreed to this for various reasons. But the book is further out of field for me than I’d realized it would be, and it is very uneven. I do not really have full authority to say that, and I do not want to alienate the authors or any of the related editors, in the case of this book and these texts.
For me to say anything I would actually like to say, I would have to undertake research to write this review. That is out of place and I am reduced to writing one of those dull reviews that describes and summarizes. I am reminding myself that these reviews are in fact useful. If you have not seen the book, a review that describes it with minor comment is a good substitute for standing in a bookstore or library looking at it. But this review, this kind of reading and writing, is a real chore.
Then I have a pile of books received. People write books or publish them and send them to me, because I can have them added to university library collections, or review them myself, or give distribute them to others who may review them and bring attention to them books in that way. I am glad that when people send me these books, they do not send specific instructions on what I am to do with them. I am happy do do all the professional courtesies I can, as I have often been a beneficiary of these; often, though, for reasons having to do with time, the best I can do is have their book catalogued and placed in our library.
But what one does, at least in the Mediterranean and South American venues I inhabit, is not to press for them. This may be a major difference between the atmosphere I am used to and the way people function in more British, or North/West European, or “whiter” venues what was called “Anglo” where I grew up. I don’t really know how to word this but the image I have of this “Anglo” attitude is one of expansion: it marches in like an army, punches you in the face, and tells you what to do or say, or how, in general, you should function to promote it.
Another difference I notice between the venues I primarily inhabit and the ways people act in the English department, say — and this is particularly true of Americans — is that they never say anything even vaguely negative about anything they have been asked to read. They say laconic things sometimes, or use evasive formulae such as “I am so glad you are writing, I really want to support you in that;” but they do not say anything negative.
I also noticed the other day that it isn’t quite proper to be too positive: I told one of the English students last week that he should send his essay to a journal, and he laughed derisively in my face. It was an insecure reaction, I know, discomfort with praise, but it was interesting how condescending he, a student just past the M.A., suddenly became to me: tsk, tsk, little professor girl, you could not know how hard it is to publish and what kind of quality is really required, whereas I, a man, understand the wide world.
But back to having actual reactions, giving one’s point of view: in my venues, that’s what one does if one is genuine, even if it means telling someone something like, you know, I would omit this scene if I were you, it doesn’t seem to fit. Not to do this would be the sign of disrespect, and saying anything that indicates you have read and not skimmed, is a sign of respect even if it is not gushing praise.
It is hard for me to use the word Anglo, especially to refer to an Other, because it is a stereotype coming from a place and time I am not in; because in that place and time I was, at least technically and interms of privileges held, a member of that group, and would not have presumed to allege otherwise; and finally, because from where I am now, I feel that to speak in a grossly negative way about “the Anglos” is to support the French colonial attitude, and I want no part of that. Nonetheless, I am about to use this word to refer to another, in a situation in which I feel the Anglo is the Other and I am not one.
Oh dear, I forgot, I am dealing with an Anglo here. I forgot that I need to be prepared for extreme aggressiveness on their part and for their expectation that others will subordinate themselves to them.
Stop worrying about what I or anyone like me thinks of your work. You have a Ph.D. now and two complete manuscripts, an academic one and a creative one, and both are good. If I were you I would be shopping them around to good presses — I mean Routledge, HarperCollins, White Pine, or for the creative manuscript any press no matter how small which will do distribution for you. Focus on what these presses think of your work and on what African writers and critics say about it.
As you know, there are several African literature series in good presses. There are more academic literary journals like Calaloo and more journalistic and creative cultural journals like Transition. You should be looking at venues like these. You should create a truly professional website — not just fool around with Facebook and YouTube. You should do these things whether you want an academic career or not, and you should consider getting an agent; because whether or not you decide to be an academic, you have already become a writer.
You need money for yourself and your projects; you might as well put yourself in a position to make some. Self-publication and guerrilla marketing have their place and I see the point of refusing to touch the “establishment;” there are real dangers in professionalization, too, I know. At the same time there is a romantic quaintness to these ideas that may not serve you well. For instance, you should be discussing memoir, Bataille, and formlessness with a Leiris scholar.
My main department has, at this time, so far as I know, one transgendered person, three lesbians, two gay men, two bisexual men, and two members of polyamorous households; there may be more queer people in it I am not aware of. I am from San Francisco where everyone is gay, and I lived in Barcelona where everyone is gay, too. When we hired our fourth lesbian she was upset with us all because she wanted us to be upset about her orientation. She wanted to be our first. She wanted to experience discrimination from us and then teach us about it. She was frustrated with us because we as a group were not equipped to provide this experience. She was also a rather presumptuous person, and when she did not get the things she wanted, she understood this to be discrimination by reason of gender, and race, and sexual orientation.
She was right on a certain level. Our institution is a plantation and every woman, every non white person, and most if not all queer people are somehow discriminated against. And our field is discriminated against because we teach languages, literatures, and cultures of brown people. But this is a systemic situation and was not directed at her as an individual, and it was certainly not mobilized against her by any individual.
I am of German, British, and Russian descent and my family moved to what had been New Spain in the nineteenth century. Once a television repairman went to my mother’s house. He seemed foreign and she, out of friendly curiosity, asked where he was from. It turned out that he was literally from her property. He was Chumash and my mother’s house was on his land belonging to his ancestral village. I am arguably more culturally Mexican, which means mestizo and “Indian,” than I am “American” but I hold a U.S. passport and when I am not speaking Spanish am usually taken for white. And on this weblog, I am a sculpted detail on a Mayan stela. I am assuming, however, that that man would like his land back, and I am sure the pinto beans and poblano peppers I am eating right now, having bought them in a nice supermarket, were grown by actual Mexicans. There is a difference and I insist upon respecting it. By that I do not mean I insist upon preserving hierarchies; I mean I refuse to deny what class I am actually in, even if I do not like it.
Here is a trivial, yet telling example of that difference. At Christmas, I was at an apartment in Brazil that my friend had rented for her son. They had a star shaped hanging light fixture they were trying to install, very beautiful. The problem was that given the architecture and angles of the place, the way in which the fixture could be installed made it look like a pentagram. They were concerned about this — it looked good, but was it a good idea to hang a pentagram in one’s room? I said, go ahead and don’t worry. It looks good and it may attract nothing bad; if it does, deal with it then, but for now, I recommend putting up the pretty fixture and assuming the best.
They looked at each other and said: “She is a free Anglo-Saxon, that is why she is in a position to say that.” And it is true on so many levels, even though the dollar is now weaker in some ways than the real. It had been true eighteen months earlier, too, when I was in a bus accident in Peru. People wanted to complain to the bus company and the police but were so accustomed to being oppressed by authorities that they were not sure they would have the fortitude to hold their ground. By then they had figured out I was American and the man organizing the crowd said to me, “Look. As an American you will have had a civic education that teaches you you have rights as a citizen and as consumer. You also carry a passport which gives you a certain kind of protection the rest of us do not have. I know you will not forget these things when the police arrive. I know that formally, I have the same rights as you, but I also know that I will forget this fact sooner than you will. Therefore, when the police come and I negotiate with them, if you see me start to back down, please place yourself in my line of vision and look at me; I will understand you to be reminding me that I have rights.” I thought then of Toussaint l’Ouverture and his position in the morass of Western civilization.
When the police arrived, it turned out that they were Indians, too, and had no power against the bus company. We all laughed in Spanish and Quechua, and cracked jokes about the ideals of the French Revolution we have imprinted in our bones, and the wisdom of Adam Smith and Marx that was operating. The passengers in the car we had almost sent flying down the ravine, and who had originally armed themselves with rocks and keened in Quechua, as true senderistas might, preparing to attack so as to exact monetary reparations from the bus passengers, relaxed and laughed, too. And these people were all descendants of the builders of great Baroque churches, and of that famous defender of Inca culture and humanist and Latinist and scholar of Renaissance Italian literature when it was contemporary literature, the Inca Garcilaso de la Vega. And yes, this incident took place in some interstices of Western civilization and of the ancient culture of Markahuamachuco, and this area is quite remote, and the old culture lives.
And the world is wide. The hills are high, and the canyons are deep; every mountain is a god. And the rivers have many bends, and there are sacred stones at the way-stations, and at one of them you sit watching sheep and spinning. Next to you is a covered basket and you say, I have fresh bread, will you buy, Mother? Or you are wearing a business suit and waiting for a ride because yes, a bus has broken down and you have errands in town. And we are all mixed and we have been mixed for a very long time.
And I have up until now largely discounted as elitist and criollista the discourse of Ariel; I have found the evocations of “the America of Bolívar and Martí” uncomfortably close to the idearium of Sarmiento. But at this moment, speaking as a person from Greater Mexico and also as a skull on a Mayan stela, I am turning decidedly Bolivarian (although not unreservedly Chávez-ian, you understand, unless we are talking about César Chávez).
I will also never again nod and smile when any white person, from any country, no matter how much they may have been mistreated by other white people and no matter whether they are just students with growing pains and moments of confusion, I will never again merely nod and smile when any white person decides to take it upon themselves to teach me certain things they imagine I do not know, namely, that I carry a passport from a country which is an imperialist power and which, despite deep inequalities, is one of the most opulent in the world, and that I ought to be aware of that fact and think about it for once; or that I am a white person and I have white privilege which I should learn to curb; or that I am a part of Western civilization and I should perhaps consider that there might be other civilizations.
I am a professor of Spanish and Portuguese, and I work in Latin American literature, and that means I have to be aware of a thing or two. I am also a direct descendant of the masters of Wye House in Maryland, which in its heyday had over one thousand African and Caribbean slaves, and I have the papers of this establishment and could tell you a great deal about its economy. My uncles were faithful members of the International Workers of the World. My aunts worked for woman suffrage and went down to the docks in San Francisco to welcome Emma Goldman. The city was full of Chinese and they were heavily discriminated against. Then they became my roommates; that is how I picked up the habit of stirring all pots with chopsticks. They kept telephoning Shanghai and speaking in Chinese, but mixing in words and phrases like “registration” and “driver’s license.” I am not Hispanic but I learned the second national language of my country as a child, and I first picketed with the United Farm Workers when I was nine. All of these things and more are parts of me and I, too, sing America. I will never bow down to any self righteous whites, from any country, because colonialism is a world system and we are all implicated; I want liberty or death. I am beyond needing elementary lessons in the the depravities of marauding Europeans and of U.S. policy, and I have heard of instrumental reason and the Cartesian “I.” Some of the information I have for you might be details on our prison system and our arms industry, not to mention the question of petroleum; my information goes beyond nice pieties and beyond anything most People Sitting in Whiteness want to hear.
Speaking of buses, though, when I returned from Brazil in January I took a bus to Maringouin because my suitor had sequestered my car. I thought nothing of it because I was coming from Brazil where it is normal to ride the bus, but in the United States, at least this part of it, riding the bus is a down and out and very Black thing to do and the bus officials treated us like prisoners. I mean they literally treated us like prisoners; I have direct knowledge of what that is because I have been going fairly regularly to some of the less elite parts of Angola, and I have also been interpellated there as a participant in some ways and to some extent. And when I speak of my experiences in the United States of America generally, where in most spaces many lack visas, I am not always speaking of experiences involving people endowed with the first world rights of Man and Citizen.
The reason I know peer review is not anonymous is that I have an essay I cannot publish; I cannot publish it because I have an Anglo name. It criticizes, from a left and S0uth American point of view, the work of an American writer who is a member of at least three oppressed groups. It cannot be published, nice white reviewers from English departments have said again and again, because a person with an Anglo name cannot criticize the work of a person without an Anglo name, because such criticism is necessarily conservative and “racist.” It is actually one of the best things, if not the best thing I ever wrote, but it is condemned to circulation in samidzat. So I, too, am discriminated against by white people for being white, but you know, dem’s da breaks; I could be out working in the fields right now, too, but I am sitting on a nice couch in a pleasant living room in incandescent lighting with the air conditioning on since it was in the nineties today, and I am writing in a blog.
I think I was right about this, and I do not expect the trust of persons sitting in situations and historical positions worse than mine, situations which exist because of the activities of my ancestors (of which I am not guilty, but for which yes, I am responsible). However, I also do not owe apologies or justifications to other persons who, like myself, sit in whiteness (no matter how culturally Other they may feel).
Not including the present paragraph this post has 3662 words, which is 14.68 pages. That is a lot for one day. I wrote it in a total of 5.5 hours — in the office, waiting for students who did not come; in a waiting room, waiting for an appointment, and after dinner; I did not know I could carve that much writing time out of this particular day, and this is the most I have written on any day, ever. It is worth $0.55, American. That means each page is worth 3.7 cents, American; so each word is worth .015 of a cent. In terms of time, I have been paid exactly 10 cents an hour for this post. | 2019-04-19T03:32:11Z | https://profacero.blog/2010/10/26/bound-to-the-masthead-or-honorarium-slavery/ |
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Waters NC, Edstein MD( 2012). trees: term and concern '. model and analysis of Malaria: sure Drug Chemistry, Action and Use. normal from the corporate on 2016-06-17. Rajapakse, Senaka; Rodrigo, Chaturaka; Fernando, Sumadhya Deepika( 29 April 2015). flow-rate for relating in thoughts with artifact risk lust '. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. honest from the floppy on 26 January 2017. Kochar, DK; Saxena, documentation; Singh, N; Kochar, SK; Kumar, SV; Das, A( January 2005). purchasing Buildings-Related people. The address of Same-Day and j+1 use '. Idro, R; Marsh, K; John, CC; Newton, message( October 2010).
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To give real service, we must add something which cannot be bought or measured with money, and that is sincerity and integrity. A satisfied customer is our best business strategy.
Through home schooling funds, Jonathan, my son, purchased a laptop from Computer Trends, Lethbridge, AB, for $999 as well as an extended 2-year warranty for $300, covering parts and labor. Jason Vetter, manager, was the salesperson. Jonathan uses his computer every day, taking all home schooling by internet.
After 15 months of possession and use, Jonathan’s right arrow key was sticking and his audio was working only intermittently so we took it in for servicing. The moment I placed the laptop on the counter, Vincent, the service tech, looked closely at the key and said, “There was something spilled on the keyboard.” My thought was, “What? Is this some indication that they have no intention of honoring their warranty? How can he be so sure something was spilled?” My response was, “I find that hard to believe or understand, seeing we do not allow Jonathan to have food and beverage around the computer.” We left the computer there.
We asked about the audio ports as well. They said those were broken because of abuse. “What kind of abuse?” we asked. They cited a few possibilities, none of which we were aware that we were guilty, though Jonathan could have been, but they also acknowledged that the break in the audio port could be simply metal fatigue, in which case, warranty covers. However, they chose to believe it was abuse. How convenient!
I was out of town when Marilyn told me these things. I told her I would take care of it when I got back. On Thursday, November 16, all three of us, Marilyn, Jonathan and I went in and spoke to Edward, the service manager (Jason Vetter, the manager, was not in). Edward said that the keyboard problem was not a spill as Vincent formerly said, but it was food crumbs. We reiterated that we could not understand how this would be so, seeing we do not use food around the computer. We also informed him that when Marilyn cleans Jonathan’s room, wherever she cleans, including the little table on which his laptop is operated, there are never any crumbs or food of any kind. She has found no such evidence at any time. (We say this in case there were times when Jonathan may have disobediently eaten at the computer when we were not present. Marilyn checks and cleans on a regular basis, not once finding evidence.) Nor is there anyone else who ever uses our computers.
Edward did not accept our word. While he did not directly call us liars, he may as well have done so. I fail to see any other alternative. As for the sticking key, he did acknowledge that it was not stuck because of food. Why was it then stuck? All he knew, he said was that there was food throughout the rest of the keyboard. As to the audio ports, though he acknowledged it could be metal fatigue, he preferred to conclude it was abuse.
He asked us if we wished to leave it for repairs, telling us we would have to pay for them. I decided to take the laptop with me and call Karl Marten, a reputable computer tech in Lethbridge, who works for the Lethbridge Community College as well as operating his own computer tech service. Karl had suggested we bring it to him for examination. We left it with him and he called us back the next day, saying, “There was no food at all. It was silica dust. There is no way they can by rights refuse you warranty coverage. This is normal wear and tear, not abuse at all.” Asking him about the broken port, he said that while it can be abuse, it can easily be metal fatigue and that firstly, Computer Trends had no right or grounds to make the assumption that it was abuse, and secondly, it simply was not right to employ reverse onus, that is, expect us, the customer, to prove our innocence before honoring the warranty.
He offered to take the laptop to Computer Trends and talk to them. Doing so, he told them there was no food involved at all, that it was dust. He spoke to both Edward, with whom he said there was no reasoning and preferred to say no more, saying he had nothing good to say, and he spoke to Vincent, who, he said, was a bit more reasonable but, in the end, they would not honor the warranty.
Informing me of these things, Karl also told me that Computer Trends would replace the keyboard for a reduced sum of $120. He thought that because of the dust, the keyboard would have to be replaced. “Where did the dust come from, Karl?” we asked, not aware that Jonathan was using it in dusty conditions. He suggested some possibilities, none of which seemed to apply, like using it on the road with an open window, which Jonathan has never done (he gets car sick reading or looking inside a moving vehicle at anything, as does his mother).
Notice: At first, Jonathan was accused of spilling liquid on the keyboard. Upon examination, they said it was not liquid. Then, after their examination, we were accused of food crumbs. Believing the possibility of this report, presuming Computer Trends would not lie to us, and being stern with Jonathan, I demanded he tell me the truth, not that I had any valid reason to believe he was lying to me. He insisted on his innocence and reasonably explained how. My wife too reiterated her housecleaning practices and observations, which I know to be true. A second examination of the keyboard by an unbiased yet experienced and competent party revealed that there was no food involved, just as we had practiced and declared, to no avail.
Edward then acknowledged that it was not food crumbs after all, or at least that it could have been dust, but nevertheless denied warranty coverage. If it could be dust, why was he as fast to say it was food, with examination, as Vincent was to declare it was spilled liquid, without examination? Edward also denied coverage of the audio port, choosing to believe the less costly to them of two possible alternatives, abuse and metal fatigue.
From their “a” to “f” of the conditions whereby warranty coverage does not apply, we fail to see where Computer Trends has fairly and accurately determined we are conclusively guilty and therefore not entitled to due warranty coverage. We are, in effect, judged to be liars and fools.
I ask: What is the good of a warranty when it is left up to the warrantor to decide subjectively? If it is a matter of the warrantor’s opinion, and it is going to cost the one rendering the opinion, how can I, as a customer, having paid my money up front for this very kind of contingency, have any confidence that the warranty is of any value? The sum of the matter is that Computer Trends took $300 from my son for shop-extended warranty, giving him their word that they would cover repairs for another 2 years over the 90 days, and we are left with having to pay repairs, though it cannot be honestly determined that we were misusing, abusing or in any way negligent.
I had heard of, and from, others who strongly felt they were abused by the Computer Trends service department in Lethbridge. Why did I not heed their admonitions? I suppose it was because we thought we were receiving good value for our money in the initial purchase, and because I am wary of hearsay. Also, meeting Jason Vetter, I thought he was one who might deal fairly and honor his word. Obviously, I was wrong, unless Mr. Vetter is not aware of these details. I wanted to speak to him but he was not available.
Hello Victor. I have reviewed your email and spoke with my head office regarding this matter. Computer Trends extended coverage does not cover physical damage or normal wear and tear. We cover any manufacturers defects on hardware only. If we find any foreign substances in the computer (dust, dirt, crumbs, liquid, etc..), we consider this to be outside the normal coverage guidelines of the manufactures workmanship. We will not be covering the laptop under warranty. We will offer to you a replacement keyboard at Computer Trends cost as well as free labour to install the keyboard. If you would like to go ahead with this, send me an email and I will email you the total costs involved. Thank you for your time.
While I can understand a position whereby a manufacturer should not be expected to cover a harmful, foreign substance, this case seems a bit grey to me. Being grey, and seeing you have my money and sit in the driver’s seat, what can I do but ask for understanding?
For example, what is “normal wear and tear”? While I am sure there are others who handle their warranties the way you do, I know there are those who would give a customer the benefit of doubt, not that it seems you have any doubts.
Part of my problem has been that the moment I brought the computer in, before it was even checked out, we were already accused of spilling something on the keyboard, which turned out not to be the case. Then, even after opening and examination, we were accused of food crumbs, which also turned out not to be true. It seemed evident that Computer Trends was out to find an excuse to not honor their warranty.
Now, having had a third party’s opinion (Karl Marten’s), based on years of knowledge, experience, and his examination, we are informed that one, it was dust, and two, in his opinion, it ought to be covered. And that is the issue, it seems. If it is a matter of opinion, then you win and we lose, seeing you hold the cards and are naturally biased.
Nevertheless, you are offering a slight compromise, and if you inform me of the costs, I will consider. I would like to get this under way. Jonathan needs it for his home schooling, as mentioned.
I must now confess to you that I was foolish before God in purchasing an extended warranty. My thinking was, “Jonathan is young; he may be careless or inefficient in certain ways and may therefore need the warranty.” (Of course, your warranty states that you do not cover such contingencies anyway.) But long ago, the Lord directed me to look to Him alone and directly for coverage and protection. Is man’s word better than His? Is man more capable of looking out for us than He? Man charges, calculating his profits to his advantage. By nature, unless redeemed in soul and spirit by the Presence of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, man is not there for his fellow but for himself. That is the “nature of the beast.” So what am I doing, paying you $300 in advance to cover something speculative, for which I ought to be trusting Him, and which He is willing and able to provide freely? I was foolish. I strayed from my Maker and Lord and now suffer the consequences.
Jason, I hope we can still work something out here. Send me the costs; tell me what, in totality, you are able and willing to do for us (like with the audio port included), as soon as possible. You can mail me or call 553-2252. I will be here this afternoon.
Hi Victor. I have a price for you on the keyboard. $119 installed. The labour is free. Let me know if you want to go ahead with it. If so, I will have our parts buyer purchase you one asap.
Thank you, Jason. I would like you to order and install please. I just talked to Kyle who promised to relay the message to Vincent, seeing you were not in. Now what about the audio port?
Great job holding your ground on this one, I believe that Victor will see the value in your strong conviction regarding company warranty policy.
As you have already heard, Victor realized and openly confessed that he was wrong in having purchased the warranty because putting his trust in men rather than in God in this matter.
Victor began to realize and understand that he was at fault (before God) when your company made it clear that you were committed to making sure the problem with Jonathan’s computer was not covered under warranty. Not once, but twice, you (your company representatives) falsely accused Victor (Jonathan) of doing damage to the computer keyboard in ways that made it clear that the repair would not be covered. You presented yourselves as opposed to the possibility of covering for the problem from the get-go.
You had put an adversarial conflict in motion. Victor, your customer, was automatically put on the defensive. Now, this is not the position that you, as a customer, want to be in with those that hold the power over you to do with you as they please, especially when they perceive their interests to be in conflict with yours. That is the reason God warns us not to put our trust in man. Man is selfish, and will do whatever he can get away with in serving himself.
There was no meeting or exceeding your customer’s expectations here, as you proclaim is your goal in your “Core Values” statement. Quite to the contrary, this affair was an unpleasant surprise about the nature of your warranty contract, and how you handle your customers. It was disappointing rather than satisfying.
This brings up another point. You have heard Victor’s rationale for having purchased the warranty. He thought it would protect him against suffering loss due to Jonathan perhaps being careless, though they (Victor and his wife, Marilyn) teach and supervise Jonathan to be responsible with his possessions. While it is Victor’s fault that he did not carefully read the warranty paperwork, why was he under the impression that it would cover a wide range of repairs, necessitated by whatever?
I am not implying that you gave him this impression. My point here is that his kind of thinking is common among computer purchasers, and you know it. They think they are purchasing an insurance policy. You did not do anything here to communicate otherwise, to make sure Victor understood the true nature of your warranty contract, which does not even include repairs necessitated by normal wear and tear. Had he known that, he surely would not have purchased it. How many people would?
While Victor appreciates that you are trying to accommodate him by offering the keyboard at cost, he is not impressed with your warranty policy or your strong convictions in the way you have handled things. Who in their right mind would be?
Your statement, Richard, is further corroborating evidence that you, and your company, are not listening to what the customer (in this case, Victor) is telling you. Businesses, and the people running them, do not hear what their customers are telling them when they are set on their own goals and agenda, which deviate from the customer’s needs and goals. You have made policy around serving yourselves at the cost of your customers.
I suggest that you carefully, and even prayerfully, consider this situation, and the wider implications. You should not be putting your customers, or yourselves, into the kind of adversarial relationship as you have demonstrated here. Victor was warned by others of such problems. The future trend of your business depends on how you respond to this present situation.
You have just received a substantial gift of exceeding value, the truth about what is happening in your business. Whether or not you appreciate this gift we will soon know, and the results will be manifest for all to see.
Richard and Jason, Victor here.
Your note sent to me inadvertently speaks volumes. You have, as Paul says, and as we have sadly experienced, taken the adversarial approach with us from the outset. Adding insult to injury, none of you has even attempted to specifically answer the points and objections I made, and though I have asked you repeatedly about the audio port, you have ignored me. How can you make the statements you make about your company’s service standards, as recorded in this document, and do what you are doing, without hypocrisy? Your words and actions do not agree.
I have highlighted portions in my letters to you (see below), which, it appears, you have yet to read. I am not impressed. I have simply expressed that it appears I have little choice but to accept whatever you are willing to do while unilaterally seated at the controls. As the situation now stands, I cannot say with heart and soul to anyone interested in buying a computer, that Computer Trends is the place to go. I hope you boys will consider that though you are doing somewhat to pacify me, it does fall short of what we honestly believe we are entitled to in any good business relationship. I think Paul gives you a good explanation of that.
Paul thanks for your comments and I’m sorry that Victor did not understand our warranties in that it does not cover breakage, abuse or normal wear and tear. He was very welcome to ask as many questions as possible at the time of sale to put him at ease with his responsibilities of ownership and the responsibilities for coverage by Computer Trends Canada Inc.
The extended warranty’s sole purpose is to protect all of our customers from manufactures defects so I believe that Jason and I have made the correct judgments in this warranty claim even though it was hurtful to Victor and family.
Unfortunately for Victor, he has to step up and take some of the responsibility for the repair costs in this case; Computer Trends is taking care of the Labour.
I believe that we are making a good compromise in this claim as we would not be in business today if we covered all of the costs when people unintentionally break their laptops. You have to understand that Jason and I are faced with these difficult decisions on a daily basis so I have to keep a good balance of what is best for the Customer and what is best for the Company. With warranty claims sometimes the Customer does not always come out on top.
Richard, what about Victor’s questions, which follow my letter? He is your customer.
I see that today Jason has finally answered about what Victor must buy to fix the audio port, but what about this question regarding the cause of damage there, not to mention the rest of the highlighted areas that you have not answered?
Jason and Edward have determined that the damages were caused by breakage not metal fatigue so they have come up with a cheaper solution than replacing the motherboard or computer. It looks like someone was wearing head phones and got up and broke the ports. These damages are not covered by any manufactures warranty. Any external port breakage is not covered as they are very delicate and are directly attached to the most expensive part of the laptop the motherboard.
Here is some more information regarding laptop warranties and how the claims are determined.
One thing your normal warranty does not cover is damage or problems with the laptop due to something caused by the user or an accident. If your dog runs through the power cord dragging the laptop off the kitchen table to the ground (true story) and said laptop breaks, you’re not covered. Some manufacturers and retailers do offer fix coverage resulting from accidents, but this coverage is always more expensive and an extra. One option you may consider is laptop insurance. It’s a bit hard to find insurance companies that offer this, but one that I know about is Safeware. You can get a quote for the cost of insurance coverage on a laptop via an online form. Cost varies by state and the value of your laptop, but generally it seems to be between $48 – $100 for 1-year of insurance for a $1,500 laptop. Coverage includes fix, repair or replacement due to accident, theft, vandalism, fire, flooding for anywhere in the U.S. and while you’re travelling.
If you have renters insurance or homeowners insurance, there’s a good chance that if a laptop is lost due to a natural disaster then your laptop is also covered. Note, this does not include laptop damage coverage due to accidents (such as drops, spills, dogs or your kids wrecking your laptop). Insurance companies will often reimburse you for either the current replacement value of a notebook with similar specifications similar to the laptop you lost, or for the depreciated cost of your lost laptop. You would prefer a policy with current replacement value reimbursement because it’s usually going to cost you more to replace a laptop than what the old laptop would have been actually be worth on eBay (laptop value often drops fairly fast after a year).
Renters and homeowners insurance can often cover your laptop when out of the house as well, so be sure to ask your insurance agent exactly what you’re covered for and where. Keep in mind though, there’s always a deductible on insurance, so for instance you’ll pay the first $250 (or so) in repairs regardless and for every claim you make your insurance premium will go up in the future.
Hello Victor. I have an approximate eta on when we are getting the keyboard. It will be December 17th. With regards to the audio port, Edward did mention to you that the least expensive way to fix this would be to purchase a PCMCIA audio card that slides into the side of the laptop. If you want to fix the port that is on the laptop, you would have to purchase a new motherboard. Let me know if you have any questions.
Richard says breakage and normal wear and tear are not covered. You have chosen to assume it was one of those categories, though you have acknowledged it could well be factory defect, but you draw a conclusion in your favor because it will cost you otherwise, though you have promised to cover.
Many a man has had “strong convictions” when they were wrong. Your company warranty policy, I am told by a prominent tech, Karl Marten, is not to be compared to that of several others with whom he deals on a daily basis. Yours serves your interests; others serve theirs as well as the interests of their clients, who receive fair value as promised.
Even as it stands, we have waited nearly three weeks and it appears we will be waiting another three.
I am amazed at your shortsighted and narrow point of view and your apparent inexperience in dealing with your clientele. As of today, you will be losing business. Is it worth it? Stick to your guns, guys. As Richard says, “Great job holding your ground on this one.” Great in what respect? That you can demonstrate willpower and prejudice? That you can apparently successfully abuse someone and save your money while losing far more in reputation and future sales? If that is “great,” would it not be far more advisable to do a “very poor job”?
Karl Marten now declares that while he only heard of your questionable business practices, he now not only will not recommend anyone dealing with you, he will highly recommend that they do not. We will do the same, hopefully not out of resentment or bitterness, but simply because it would only be fair to others. While I ignored warning signals, perhaps others will heed, spare themselves, and go where they will be treated not just “nicely,” with empty words and expressions of virtue, but with honesty, honor and decency. | 2019-04-19T10:34:55Z | https://www.thepathoftruth.com/what-the-lord-has-done-with-me/part11/correspondence-with-jason-vetter-from-computer-trends.htm |
I detta arbete har vi med en litteraturstudie försökt påvisa vad en inblandad gas i oljan i ett hydrauliksystem har för betydelse för funktionen. Vi har använt information i traditionell facklitteratur samt i tidskrifter och vetenskapliga rapporter och upptäckt att problemen som uppkommer av inblandade gaser inte är väl kända. Dagens lösningar på problemen är nästan alltid kostsamma och handlar om att behandla symptomen. Vi har tittat på de olika fysikaliska data som gasen inverkar på i oljan, utifrån detta har vi analyserat vilka effekter detta har för ett hydrauliksystems funktion. Vi kommer att diskutera grundproblemet till kavitation och vanliga problem som ett hydrauliksystem ofta har. Vi har lyckats presentera resultat på att inblandad gas i oljan har en mycket stor inverkan på ett hydrauliksystem. Vi har kommit fram till att mycket av dagens problem med hydrauliksystem helt skulle kunna byggas bort om man tog större hänsyn till oljans förmåga att lösa in luft.
This graduate report describes the work relating to the development of a brand new monitoring and machinery alarm system onboard the training vessel M/S Calmare Nyckel. The system developed, is based on PLC automation technology, and allows graphical presentation of system data.
The project was managed by three marine engineering students at the Kalmar Maritime Academy.
Jag fick en tanke våren 2008 varför Arboga Rederi inte utvecklade trafiken mer, idén kom då upp att man kanske kunde göra detta till ett examensarbete. Jag tog kontakt med rederiet och föreslog detta men fick reda på att man inte hade några tankar på att göra om trafiken. Men man ville gärna se vilka alternativ till hamnar det finns och information så man skulle kunna göra en kostnadskalkyl. Detta projekt har då gått ut på att presentera fakta om vissa hamnar kring sjöarna Mälaren och Hjälmaren inför Arboga Rederi. Informationen ska, av dem, sedan kunna användas som underlag inför ett eventuellt fartygsförvärv eller nya kostnadsberäkningar om man vill lägga om trafiken. För att samla in all information har respektive kommun eller företag kontaktats för att på så sätt få rätt fakta.
The idea for this exam paper arose under our onboard training periods. Under these periods we understood that the knowledge in cathodic corrosion protection was poor among the engine personal. We have also made a minor survey among marine engineers to see how the knowledge in this area is onboard. The survey shows that our hypothesis on the level of knowledge corresponded to a large extent. Further reason why we studied this area is that we wanted to deepen us in this subject, when our own experience only was to write numbers from a display. Our main question has been how cathodic corrosion protection work at ships. In order to answer this question, we conducted literature studies in the subject. The theoretical knowledge we have gathered from internet and books. The practical knowledge we have gained from previous training periods and during onboard training on MS Silja Galaxy in December 2008 to January 2009.
Syftet med detta arbete var att undersöka om det fanns intresse för att införande av DUKC (Dynamic Under Keel Clearance) systemet i Sverige.Vi utgick ifrån en hamn i Australien, Port Hedland, som använt systemet sedan 1996, sedan tog vi reda på vad som användes i Sverige. För att få en bra grund sökte vi information om vad som krävdes för att DUKC skulle fungera tillfredställande. Vi Tog också del av en studie som man utfört i Mälaren som grundar sig på fartygs dynamiska rörelser och djupgående.Utifrån vår insamlade data ville vi fråga en sjöfartsrelaterad grupp och undersöka hur intresset för DUKC såg ut och skickade ut en enkät som även innehöll ett informationsblad.Efter sammanställning av erhållna svara framgick det att intresset för att införa just DUKC systemet inte var så stort men däremot ett system som gör det möjligt att säkerställa de krav som finns idag.
Branschdagarna är ett arbetsmarknadsevent som anordnas varje av studenter för studenter, på Sjöfartshögskolan i Kalmar.
With this thesis we would like to find out why Swedish students at a nautical choose to study at Maersks master programme instead of Kalmar Maritime Academy.
We also wanted to find out what factors play a role in the choice of school, how the students come in contact with the school and how they experience their studies at SIMAC.
We have interviewed some of the Swedish students during a visit at SIMAC. We chose to perform a qualitative study consisiting of open questions. The interviews were followed up with a questionnaire. These methods were suitable since we were interested in the student´s opinions. Our result is that the students who took part in our study perceived their school sometimes as unstructured and confusing. They also experienced problems with the Danish language. The main reason for staying at the school is the upcomming, remunerative, work at Maersk.
This is a follow up study of Wallenius Marine ABs choice to convert from Mechanic Lubricator to Alpha Adaptive Cylinder-oil Control onboard their ships 2006 to 2007. The purpose with the follow up study was to compare the two systems in a number of aspects. The comparison was the basis to find out how the system has reached the expectations and if the installation has paid itself in three to four years on four of the ships.
The method used to reach the expected results has in first hand been the evaluation model which was created already in the state of planning. The evaluation model is presenting which aspects that have been chosen to compare for each system and have then been realized with an individual approach for each aspect. In the stage where the method part was used, the procedure started from the information received from the ships together with interviews performed on chosen engine officers and information regarding price.
The conclusions which could be drawn from the follow up study was that the system Alpha Adaptive Cylinder-oil Control have performed satisfactory in the aspects, usability and cylinder wear, but have not saved enough in cylinder oil consumption to compensate for its own cost of purchase and installation within the estimated time limit.
Abandoning ships today is associated with dangers and risks. There are presently three different systems used in order to abandon ships: free-fall lifeboat, davit-launched lifeboat and the life raft. The sole groundbreaking innovation in modern time is the free-fall lifeboat which has now been in service for approximately 30 years and provides means for the crew to quickly abandon the ship and it has its own propulsion system. Due to the last years increasing numbers of incidents and accidents involving both free-fall lifeboats and davit-launched lifeboats resulting in both injuries and even deaths, it is today recommended by the UN body IMO (International Maritime Organization) to have a minimum of crewmembers in the lifeboat during drills. The question we asked ourselves is: How is it possible for the crew to put their trust into systems which are deemed to be dangerous even during drills by the same organization that stipulates the framework for rules concerning safety at sea? Our objective with this work was to chart out what evacuation system deck officers put their trust in.
This project called ”IMSAFE – a data base on safety at sea” is a part project in a larger research project named ”Safety organisation, Safety management, Safety governing and ships safety”. The aim of this part project has been that of collecting and feeding information into the data base in order to get it started and going. The point of the data base is not to compete with or to become a surrogate for already exciting sources of search but to be a complement to them.
The work aims to clarify what nautical officers onboard in today's merchant can do to help reduce bunker consumption during the voyage? The question we have asked ourselves during the autumn term in 2008 much was said about the premium bunker prices, and how the future could affect our daily lives as nautical officer. We felt here that the school had relatively little knowledge of the subject and therefore felt that it would be interesting to identify how it really looks like onboard the ships today. To collect information we contacted 7 Swedish companies that operate with different types of vessels, in order to get a broad picture of the whole industry. For shipping companies we asked questions about how actively they were working on the issue and what methods they used. We found that the owners worked with the issue but that it so far was a little on the go. All but one company in the survey provided the vessels are instructed to run bunker efficiently.
This is a summary of the formal part of our project. During the autumn of 2007 and spring 2008 we have done an overhaul on one of the auxiliary engines onboard Calmare Nyckel. The assignment was given from Egon Nilson. The engine was in bad shape, lubrication oil and coolingwater was leaking from several cylinders and thereby in big need of a service. There have been some waiting time during the order of new parts because of the rare engine type which are British and therefore all the parts had to be ordered from England. At the end of the project we discovered some difficulties with coolingwater leaking in to the oil sump, this causing further delays finishing the project. The problem were solved and at the test run the engine run satisfactory.
During the project we have as far as possible followed the manual and other instructions available.
During a project like this it is important that all documentation of the project is shown.
The materials that are shown are presented with an introduction followed by the process and the result. To this documentation we have attached a working diary and quotations.
mycket bättre förutsättningar för att kunna hålla sig inom lagen för vilotid, än vad en överstyrman från Broström eller Donsötank har.
Our objective with this diploma thesis was to build a computer application to a maritime society on the island Donsö. They want to use the application to compile a Swedish Shiphistorical Register with the help of the information they have collected bye the maritime society during modern time. The idea emerged when one member from the projekt group where out as a cadet and the captain told him about his card index with ship history. During the spring contact with said captain was re-established and a request to get premission to create an application and adjecent database working in project form using project as the type of work within the limits of degree project was sent, and approved. We concentrated our efforts to create an easy to manage database ther several user simultanously could both register and search for data. The time needed in the end turned out to be greater than within the time-frame and the limits of the size of the course, for this reason the application is not finished during the writing of this diploma thesis. We took a decision to prolong the time-frame outside the limits of a degree project and complete the application for delivery before the end of the semester.
Employees on Swedish shipping companies have for several years topped the accident statistics when compared with land based jobs.
The purpose of this study is to examine how the Swedish shipping companies are working to prevent work related accidents.
The study was made through interviews with four Swedish shipping companies.
And a questionnaire answered by 10 onboard employees from Swedish shipping companies.
The result of our study shows that the companies are working with preventing accidents onboard mainly through different measures to increase the reporting frequency from the ships to the office. In the answers we received from the questionnaires we could see that the reporting frequency on board is poor.
Accidents occur when exercising with free-fall lifeboats. This should be possible to avoid with better equipment and better education. Since accidents occur more often when exercise is performed aboard ships than ashore, the later part should be more decisive: During exercise the focus should be put on how to buckle up in a correct way. The above text is a part of what this investigative study is about, we have used a qualitative method for sorting out questions about the risks with free-fall lifeboats. SOLAS does not put any demands on the existence of aiding equipment to facilitate bringing injured persons in a free-fall lifeboat. The tests that have been performed with people onboard free-fall lifeboats have only taken place during favourable conditions. Considering that ships are exposed to the motion of the sea and that the boat could land on a wave the SOLAS demands should be increased. The lifeboat systems we have, is neither tested nor practised with in waves. That free-fall lifeboats is a good concept as a lifesaving equipment, there is no doubt about, but it should be developed further.
Syftet med vårt arbete var att ta reda på vad studenterna i avgångsklasserna vid Sjöfartshögskolan i Kalmar har för åsikt gällande användandet av skolfartyget Calmare Nyckel. Vidare hade vi för avsikt att undersöka vilken åsikt Sjöfartshögskolan i Kalmar har rörande användandet samt att ta reda på ifall det finns en skillnad mellan respektive åsikter.
Genom en analys och sammanställning av vår enkätundersökning kom vi fram till att 98 % av studenterna ansåg att de antal gånger de fått använda Calmare Nyckel, för navigation och manövrering, varit för lite. Ur våra intervjuer med anställda på skolan framkom det att de däremot är nöjda med hur de låter Calmare Nyckel komma till användning i utbildningen av sjökaptener.
Vi kunde se en tydlig skillnad i åsikter mellan skola och studenter. Skillnaden bottnade bland annat i skolans bristfälliga information om deras syfte och målsättning med Calmare Nyckel. En annan anledning till skillnaden beror på hur skolan marknadsför deras skolfartyg samt hur studenterna tolkar denna. Majoriteten av de tillfrågade studenterna i vår enkätundersökning hade en förväntan om att de skulle få använda Calmare Nyckel mer än vad de gjort under utbildningen.
Denna Training manual har ställts samman under hösten/ Vintern 2007 på uppdrag av Befälhavarna Lars Arlock och Jonas Adolfsson som är anställda ombord M/T Bolero av Laurin Maritime och kommer att vara ett komplement under farmillization.
Training manualen är en sammanställning av M/T Boleros tidigare manual, under min praktikperiod ombord som befälselev, fast nu uppdaterad med bilder tagna ombord som gör det lättare att hitta samt att förstå viktiga funktioner av Boleros livräddningsutrustning.
Då jag läste igenom den gamla manualen, tyckte jag att det var väldigt svårt att förstå, vart man kunde finna allt och där föddes iden att uppdatera manualen, med hjälp av nya bilder tagna ombord under övningar och rundvandring ombord.
Mina handledare ombord tycker att arbetet blev bra och att jag skulle använda detta till mitt examensarbete som skall avsluta min fyra år långa utbildning på Sjökaptensprogrammet vid Sjöfartshögskolan i Kalmar.
Arbetet är till för att nypåmönstrade lätt skall kunna förstå hur man skall bete sig vid en nödsituation ombord och att snabbt kunna agera och hitta rätt utrustning samt att ha en god kännedom av vilka hjälpmedel som finns för att säkerheten ombord skall vara så effektiv som möjligt och hur man använder utrustningen.
Jag hoppas att mitt arbete kommer att vara till glädje och nyttjas av besättningen ombord, då säkerheten är mycket viktig för allas säkerhet ombord ett fartyg.
faktiskt är att härleda ett eventuellt bränslepumps slitage beror på bränslets kvalitet.
föroreningarna har de senaste åren uppmärksammats mer och mer runt hela världen.
föroreningarna kommer att öka i framtiden då de nya MARPOL reglerna börjar gälla.
The purpose of this project is to develop a manual for TransAtlantic which will serve as a framework on how to produce an Operation Manual for their vessel. The idea of an Operation Manual is to, with the help of pictures, texts and descriptions explain the procedures of the vessel.
The methods we have been using in gathering information is a visit to TransAtlantic’s vessel Viola Gorthon, discussions with TransAtlantic and own enquiries, mainly on the Internet. We have been researching into laws and regulations to support us in the layout of the manual, with little result. Most of the applicable information was gathered from the visit on Viola Gorthon.
The general idea of an Operation Manual is that the manual on every ship will be the same and that will make it easier for new crewmembers to learn the routines and to find information about how to operate different items of equipment.
Vi ville undersöka om sjömännens situation hade förändrats efter införandet av ISPS. Om debatten kring sjöfartsskyddet stämde att sjömännen var de som behandlades som terrorister och att det var de som fick ge avkall på sin fria rörlighet i hamnarna.
De metoder vi använde oss av var intervjuer med personer ur besättningen, på de fartyg där vi var på praktik, om de hade upplevt en förändring av rörligheten sedan införandet av ISPS-koden samt observationer av personalen i gaterna, hur de behandlade oss och om vi kom iland eller inte i hamnanläggningarna. Vi valde att göra en kvalitativ undersökning och en deltagande observation då vi ville se hur fartygspersonal upplevde deras situation.
Resultatet gav att det var skilda uppfattningar kring sjöfartsskyddet. Vissa upplevde det som positivt att säkerheten hade ökat, mindre stölder och obehörig personal. Andra upplevde det som negativt då de ansåg att deras frihet hade minskat.
Det huvudsakliga syftet med det här arbetet var att utröna om de fanns eventuella för eller nackdelar med att vara tatuerad ur en sjömans perspektiv. Vi ville se om och i så fall hur synen angående sjöfolk och tatueringar förändrats över tid.
Vi använde oss av kvalitativa intervjuer och induktiv ansats som metod. Alla de fem intervjuade har anknytning till sjölivet och samtliga är tatuerade. Tre av de fem är från den äldre generationen och en av de fem jobbar som tatuerare.
Vi noterade en väldigt stark koppling mellan sjömansyrket och tatueringar, dock starkare förr än nu. Det är också väldigt tydligt att det skett en enorm förändring på hur tatueringar tas emot i samhället idag. Idag är det inte ”bara” prostituerade, kåkfarare och sjömän som är tatuerade utan det finns nu i alla samhällsklasser. Något förvånade drog vi slutsatsen att ingen av de intervjuade hade några verkligt negativa upplevelser på grund av sina tatueringar, till exempel om man blivit nekad jobb eller liknande.
This exam paper is about how shipping companies analyse various types of bilge water separators systems and on which grounds they choose a certain type of equipment. To answer our questions we chose to perform a survey regarding how Swedish shipping companies reason before they purchase bilge water separating equipment to their ships. Some of the questions we wanted to find answers to were questions about the equipments usability, reliability and economy of the equipment, in addition to that we also wanted to investigate how the companies regarded each particular when they were selecting bilge water equipment. Furthermore there were obviously also a lot of other interesting issues, which we have tried to shed some light on while conducting our survey. For reasons that mainly concerned the simple fact of being able to contact the various shipping companies, we chose only to include Swedish shipping companies in the survey. We chose to perform the interviews over the phone and to record them. We have used a variant of the qualitative method when conducting the interviews. Thereby letting the interviewees speak more freely about their own experiences and thoughts. We were interested to find out how the shipping companies reasoned, because according to rules and regulation they are obliged to have working and certified bilge water separators on board the ship. We found our approach effective and therefore it further enhanced and enlarged the scope of our exam paper. The main conclusions in this report could be summarized by stating that there were substantial differences between the principles how different shipping companies argued before acquiring bilge water separators. An additional conclusion would be that some shipping companies could actually improve some of their purchase strategies, and utilize a more carefully analyzed and cost related plan prior the purchase of equipment.
After a proposal of a reformation of the Swedish pilot system was expressed, where it proposed that shore-based pilotage will be implemented in the future, we decided to investigate and compare opinions from involved persons. There is a risk of losing important parts of a very large knowledge-base, if the pilots’ opinions are not taken into consideration, in the event of development of the pilot system.
The purpose was to examine and categorize the possibilities and limitation with the pilot system of today in relation to shore-based pilotage.
We have performed a qualitative, phenomenografic research, where we have used interviews with open questions.
It was easy to find limitations if shore-based pilotage should be implemented, mostly because the pilots did not expect to be able to perform their work in a satisfactory way. The opinions regarding the economical profit differ, but the majority thought that the savings would be nonexistent.
University of Kalmar. University of Kalmar, Kalmar Maritime Academy.
This report is founded in lack of knowledge concerning the design and layout procedureduring a new engine room construction.The prime question is how the engine room takes its form from idea to construction and whathappens in between. We want to give the reader a better understanding in how the work isdone and why it is designed the way it is concerning layout, ergonomics and safety. Duringthis report we will enhance the knowledge concerning regulations and rules that are of greatsubstance such as SOLAS, Swedish Sjöfartsverket and IMO.By contacting the parties involved in the process in newly designing a vessel and its engineroom, we will assume their approaches and experiences. We will study the work progressfrom planning to construction of a vessels machinery spaces. We will with the help ofinterviews with interested parties get an idea of the approach and also compare the finishedproduct a bit depending on company size and resources.The investigation resulted in a good basis for how a ship engine room design takes shape andwhich aspects are taken into account, however, we found that the existing rules concerningengine room layout was very vague and was seen as the most recommendations. For thecontrol room, there were however some points to consider. We believe that it would facilitatea more comprehensive legal framework relating to engine room design.
We were assign this project by Kalmar maritime academy. The project was to produce a noise map for the school boat M/S Calmare Nyckel. The school boat does not exceed 500 dead weight ton and is not required a noise map according to national maritime administration, but there was an request and desire from the school to produce it for education purpose and for a practical connection. For the measurements that were required on board we used the regulations from ISO 2923:1996 (E), and national maritime administration's statute book 2005:23 with production of the noise map. The school provided us with validated measuring equipment and measuring protocol. We had a good opportunity to do all measurements when the school boat did its sea travel from Simrishamn's shipyard to Kalmar, with good weather conditions and all machines in normal operation conditions. The results became a easy understood and friendly used noise map in A4 formats that can be assigned anywhere on the boat or to be used in education purpose.
Arbetet handlade om vad sjöbefälsstudenterna på Sjöfartshögskolan i Kalmar prioriterade mest när de skulle söka sitt första jobb till sjöss. Samt även vilka drivkrafter som låg bakom för att studenterna skulle söka sig ut på den internationella marknaden. Syftet med arbetet var att genom en enkätundersökning ta reda på vilka prioriteringar som hade störst betydelse för studenterna. För att få ett överskådligt material att jobba med använde vi oss av en kvantitativ metod. Resultaten skilde inte mycket mellan klasserna. Samtliga respondenter ansåg att lönen var den viktigaste punkten när de skulle söka sitt första jobb. De övriga faktorerna som var viktiga för respondenterna visar på att de satte stort värde på det sociala livet ombord och möjlighet till kompetensutveckling och den fortsatta karriären.
This work describes how the Herons steam ball was built and how it works. It was constructed by Heron 2000 years ago. The purpose was to determine the efficiency of the steam ball because it was unknown. The efficiency was never determined. It was only theoretically determined by calculations. The steam pressure never gave the steam ball rotation when heat was added underneath the construction. A possible reason was that friction in the sealing for supplying feed water into the steam ball was too high.
The heat transfer was also a reason that the construction did not rotate.
The steam ball and necessary equipment was fabricated in dec-07/jan-08. It was built without any drawings. The goal was to make it look like the original as much as possible. A smaller steam ball was built some years before. This one did rotate and therefore was the same design given to the bigger one.
Because of the lack of rotation there was no doubt if the steam ball was a sucsess or not.
It was not used for any real purpose 2000 years ago and this has not changed.
A calculated figure of the efficiency was documented in this rapport, and it was very low.
It was amusing to design and build the steam ball but the construction was clearly no success.
The purpose of this study is to explore how maritime safety is affected by the work situation and work conditions on board ships with small-sized/reduced crews. The study examines especially the master’s and the watch keeping officer’s situation focusing on their work time, shift work and fatigue. The study examines small-sized ships engaged in coastal trade along the Baltic Sea coast. A combination of interviews and data regarding the work- time of the crew and the trade pattern of the ship were collected in a series of on board observations. The on board studies consist totally of eleven ships of different nationality. These on board observations aimed at understanding and explaining how the people/crew on board experienced their work situation and work climate regarding work time and shift work. A few previous studies, (MAIB 2004, Lindquist 2003) have focused on investigating accidents on similar ships; other studies (Smith 2007, Lindquist 2005) have dealt with a general description of the situations on board. However, no study has considered all the effects of work-time length in light of the new safety regulations that have been in force since a few years. Neither are there studies on how a crew-size reduction influences the work-time length of the crew on board. This study shows that the master’s and the watch keeping officer’s work-time length has escalated so that an excess work-time of 91 hours per week was not uncommon. This results in a breach of regulations regarding work-time and rest period. The study also reveals that the crew often feel that they have to re arrange their working time logs to show that they comply with the regulations. Moreover, the crew feel that this is common knowledge amongst flag state- and port state controls but that it is a problem too hot to handle for the national maritime administrations. Due to the diversity in the trade patterns of different ships, as well as the diversity in the size of shipping companies, there are several possible very different solutions to these problems. One solution could be to increase the crew size to meet the demands, of the new regulations. Another one is to move work tasks from the ship to the shore. However, what cannot be accomplished by moving work tasks are the problems related to continuous shift work and long night shifts, which could lead to serious health problems for the people involved.
This diploma thesis is based on a telephone survey conducted during the spring term of 2009. Participating in the survey were persons who had graduated as marine engineers during the academic years 1996, 1998 and 2000. These graduates represented two different course programmes, namely the three-year and four-year Marine Engineering Programmes. The questions included in the survey were related to the present occupational situation of the graduates and their attitudes in relation to trade unions and further higher education. The survey comprised a total number of 127 persons.The primary result of the survey was that 54 per cent of the graduates still work at sea. Within this group of graduates, 52 per cent were employed on board ships carrying a flag of convenience.The secondary result was that 26 per cent of the graduates would be interested in enhancing their academic status by achieving a master’s degree. Among the directional choices available for this master’s degree programme, most of those participating in the survey found the directional option entitled “technical inspector” as the most interesting one.The question regarding trade unions divided those participating in the survey into three different groups. One group was strongly in favour of trade union membership. Another group was indifferent to such a membership. Finally, yet another group of participants stated strongly that trade union membership was of no consequence for their future careers.The overall result of our survey underlined the fact that a BSc in Marine Engineering provides a significant potential for finding good career opportunities both nationally and internationally, as well as ashore and at sea!
lockar folk att gå till sjöss och hur upplever de aktiva sjömännen sin tillvaro ombord.
Vi har gjort litteraturstudier för att samla in nödvändig fakta om motivation och livsstilar.
Vi har även skickat enkäter till rederier för att se vad dom anser om utveklingen till sjöss.
elever som utbildar sig på gymnasienivå till motorman/matros och rederier.
är det fördelaktiga avlösningssystemet samt den långa sammanhängande ledigheten.
This thesis is about Aviation influence on merchant shipping, and in this case what shipping has to learn from the aviation industry in bridge integration issues. The purpose with this thesis is to gain greater knowledge on what can be improved on a modern bridge, with the help of cockpit design. We have limited the problem to a “users point of view”. This meaning that we always have the users issues in focus, and not technology itself. The method used is a qualitative approach, which is performed using a study of available literature, with an empirical background. Our conclusion is that a bridge design can be improved by looking at cockpit design, and that this already is taking place on some ships. In some cases it is a simple matter of copying the cockpit design, and in other cases some well functioning equipment can be kept, and the “not so good” can be replaced.
Collisions between vessels and allisions between vessel and obstacles as well as groundings constitute a great problem within the shipping business. Serious damage to vessels, environmental disasters and great costs are invoked for everyone involved. Is it possible that deficient bridge procedures are the reasons behind these types of accidents? The purpose of this thesis is to gather material from accident reports from the years 2000-2007, to investigate whether there are any connections between the accidents on Swedish merchant vessels which have been involved in collisions with each other, allided with an obstacle or that have grounded. The results showed, among other things, that motor tankers are involved in groundings more often than other types of vessels. On the basis of these results, interviews were carried out with motor tanker officers and pilots to investigate what the situation is like onboard during the circumstances where these vessels are most usually grounded. Several of the informants state that paperwork and checklists have become a burden to them during their bridge watches, and one of the implications of our investigation is that inadequate supervision could be the reason behind the accidents.
We were asked to perform a complete overhaul of an engine as part of a larger project, rebuilding a fishing vessel. We thought this was interesting and immediately stated our will to participate.
It has been a interesting time for us during the time span of the project. The reason why we were asked to do this was due to our knowledge as we have got during our education. Therefore this might not has brought us so much new knowledge. But it has brought us a lot of experiences instead.
Over the time our goal has been to get experience and train to fulfil the project. We wanted to create something useful for the future, therefore a project as exam work was a good idea for us. We feel that this project has brought us “know-how” about smaller reparations of mechanical equipments in general.
We have completed the stated goal in the project-order as far as possible. The engine is completely overhauled but not started up yet do to lack of lubrication oil and some other essential accessories.
M/S Calmare Nyckel är skolfartyg för Sjöfartshögskolan i Kalmar och används för bådenautisk- och maskinteknisk undervisning. För att det både ska bli ekonomiskt försvarbartatt behålla fartyget och en säker miljö krävs det att fartyget underhålls korrekt och medbestämda intervaller. Vårat arbete är inriktat mot att bygga upp ett bra och effektivtunderhållningssystem på M/S Calmare Nyckel. Under arbetets gång upptäcktes att detbefintliga systemet ombord var föråldrat och vi blev tvungna att uppdatera det innan vikunde börja med själva inmatningen med underhållsprocedurer.
This following report describes a project in replacing the Automatic Voltage Regulator (AVR) in an old ASEA diesel generator system. The generator is installed on M/S Calmare Nyckel which belongs to Kalmar Maritime Academy. The Generator system is solely used for educational purposes.
The AVR that is being replaced is an ASEA UTWH310. It is a very old system and we assume its from some where around 1960. The problem with the old AVR is that when the system has been running for a while there is no longer possible to control the reactive power. We were asked to replace the old system, so not much effort has been put on trying to repair it.
The AVR feeds current to a small DC generator, feeder, witch is connected by a strap drive to the larger AC generator. The feeder then excites the rotor in the AC generator. To find out how the system actually worked we made some test runs. We measured necessary variables to be able to replace the old system.
Because we had no formerly experience in this type of project, we had some troubles in finding a supplier of AVR equipment. Luckily we came in contact with a small company called Subtron AB from Enköping. They were very helpful and had both the equipments and the knowledge that we needed for our project.
We decided to order Leroy-Somers R 448 AVR. It is a simple but fully capable AVR to preform what we asked for. We also ordered some auxiliary equipment for the installation. After a test run with the new equipment, we found out that it worked very well. The installation process was then made in a few days.
This essay is about hydrography, I will investigate how it is done, both today and from a historic perspective. I have also done some research in alternative methods that may complete conventional hydrography. The purpose with this essay was to investigate how many unknown dangerous shoals there is left in the Swedish archipelago.
The method to receive good and trustworthy information has been to do some interviews to people that in one way or another are practising hydrography.
To be able to describe the history of hydrography I have had some literature as an aid.
The result of my investigation is that the nautical chart is mainly comparable to the reality; however, there are some exceptions. The nautical charts is often less reliable in archipelagos were professional shipping is unusual.
This exam work was initiated by a request from Sjövärnskåren division Syd. They wanted to implement a newer, computer based system with graphical display, an engine monitoring system which was ment to provide the engineer on watch with data from the engines. The object for this is to reduce the maintenance costs through improved monitoring while running and to improve documentation which later on the maintenance measures is based on.
The project was an initial study which conclusions and recommendations on systems suited for the task is to give Sjövärnskåren an economical frame.
We met up in Karlskrona on the ship and had a discussion about which parameters that should be presented. After that we started to go through the documentation and perform onsite surveys to conclude what signals the transmitters put out to the existing monitoring system.
This was a delicate task, information about the transmitters was lacking in the documentation.
The onsite measures gave no vital information. We talked to the shipyards and maintenance units that the ship had been in contact with during its time in the navy. We came in contact with a man that had been working with this ship, and he gave us information that told us that the transmitters were of standard type, 4-20 mA.
With this information, the project pursued and we invited tenders to give us systems that could cope with the task.
We had three tenders thar supplied us with systems. All of theese meant considerable programmingwork to get the monitoring system up and running.
Arbetet är ett kompendium som ska ge den nyblivna sjöingenjörsstudenten en introduktion till hans/hennes framtida yrke. Arbetet ger en övergripande sammanfattning om hur motorer, separatorer, pannor och kompressorer är uppbyggda och fungerar. Det ger också en grundläggande beskrivning om hur bränn/smörjoljesystem och kylsystem är uppbyggda samt hur färskvattensystem, framdrivningssystem, grå/svartvattensystem och elproduktionen går till på ett fartyg.
Kort sagt det man som student kommer att stöta på under sin första praktikperiod. Syftet med arbetet var att försöka hjälpa studenter till en djupare förståelse under början i sin utbildningsgång. Meningen var också att fylla i den lucka vi anser att skolan har missat, nämligen en introduktion av dom tekniska delar som finns i ett maskinrum.
Vi använde oss av den kvalitativa metoden eftersom vi har valt att endast använda oss av källstudier i form av en litteraturbok och ett tidigare examensarbete. I vårt skrivande har vi mest använt oss av egna erfarenheter, men även hämtat information från böcker och internet för att underlätta struktur och uppbyggnad av arbetet.
In the work process, which has been going on for more than a year, we have discussed things such as the conditions for a project of this type, the interest from students, the school and the industry as well as purely technical aspects around the construction of a ship model, its electronic and mechanical systems and how such a model could be implemented and used in the education of students at the academy. This thesis also brings up things such as thoughts around the students safety when building and using the model. We have used the method Grounded Theory and have reached the conclusion that the Kalmar Maritime Academy have exceptional and very unique conditions to start a project where manned models is used in the education of officers.
The purpose of this paper is to figure out what motivator factors and hygiene factors which are of importance to graduating marine engineers when deciding on an employer as well as workplace. In order to get answers to our questions we chose to interview four students attending their final year of studies at the Maritime Academy in Kalmar. The interviews consisted of deep qualitative interviews during which we tried to capture the interviewees´ thoughts and ideas. The results have been compared with Fredrick Herzberg’s ”Two Factor Theory” and we have arrived at the conclusion that there are both similarities and differences. The most important motivator factors were responsibility and personal development. The most important hygiene factors were salary, level of comfort, length of the time spent onboard as well as possibilities for communication with friends and family. Aspects not mentioned were, e.g. the satisfaction of doing a good job and specific occurrences resulting in a promotion. Our conclusion consequently is that it is important for the shipping companies to commit to the well-being of the employees in order to gain the attention of prospective officers.
The purpose with this thesis was to investigate the prospects of the fuel cell technology within the shipping industry and also to evaluate when the fuel cell could get a breakthrough in shipping.
The data was collected via an internationally distributed questionnaire. The selection of shipping companies for the survey consisted of the five largest shipping companies in the twenty largest maritime countries. The five largest Swedish shipping companies were also included.
The number of answers was unfortunately too low to be able to deduce any reliable conclusions. The results still indicate that shipping companies are not interested in paying more for a fuel cell than for a more conventional system. Because of this there will probably not be a breakthrough for the fuel cell, until there is an increase in environmental fees, a trade with emissions or drastically higher fuel prices.
Våren 2008 fick jag uppdraget av ägarna till M/S Utopia att göra en stabilitets bok till fartyget. M/S Utopia är i grunden en Tpbs, även kallad trupptransportbåt 200 som har blivigt kraftigt ombyggd. För att bli klassade av sjöfartsverket efter en större ombyggnation krävs en ny stabilitets bok. Ett krängningsprov utfördes på våren 2008 utan att hydrostatisk data hade funnits. Efter detta uppstod ett problem, det visade sig vara en omöjlighet att hitta hydrostatisk data till fartyget.
Våren 2009 gavs sökandet upp efter hydrostatisk data. Efter godkännande av Fredrik Hjort och ägarna till M/S Utopia beslutades det att även inkludera en fire & safety plan till fartget. Det skulle även göras en åtgärdslista mot gällande föreskrifter i brandsäkerhet. Detta för att kompensera mot att ingen ny stabilitets bok kunde presenteras. Krängningsprovet kommer dock att presenteras samt relevant data som uppkommit genom krängningsprovet.
Arbetet har framskridigt som ett projektarbete med målet att presentera positiva resultat för ägarna till M/S Utopia. Resultat har blivigt vad samtliga partner önskade tack vare det goda samarbetet.
School ship M/S Calmare Nyckel, owned and operated by the Maritime University of Kalmar is used for training by both prospective merchant marine officer as well as engineers. The operation of NOHAB-diesel, used as a generator, has been problematic with frequent and unexplained stop. The alarm system installed by the Oskarshamn Shipyard was highly dysfunctional. The alarm system was dangerous to personnel when it was built on 230volt, furthermore were the alarm points constructed in series with only a stop indication. The lack of electrical drawings of the system made it impossible to trouble shot the deficiencies in the alarm system. Moreover, there was no alarm indication in the control room but only locally at the NOHAB-diesel.
We have made a new installation of the alarm system with the higher personal safety 24VDC, with all the alarms parallel with the corresponding indication on the panel, both locally at the NOHAB-diesel and on the control table for good review of the system. Furthermore, we have made complete drawings of the system enabling a good overview and the ability to troubleshoot.In this report we describe the approach to the problem solutions that have emerged in the process of creating a functioning alarm system.
University of Kalmar, Kalmar Maritime Academy. University of Kalmar, Kalmar Maritime Academy.
deduktiva och induktiva antaganden om vad som var fel i motorn grundade sig på dessa tester.
rationellt vetenskapliga felsökningsmetod har vi lyckats totalrenovera en 40 år gammal förbränningsmotor.
ett metodiskt tillvägagångssätt och sunt förnuft gör det omöjliga möjligt.
till inväntande av reservdelar samt åtgärder som oftast kräver extern hjälp.
saker och ting kommer att kärva och därmed ta mer tid än planerat! | 2019-04-19T13:13:10Z | http://lnu.diva-portal.org/smash/resultList.jsf?searchType=ORGANISATION&language=en&onlyFullText=false&af=%5B%5D&aq=%5B%5B%7B%22organisationId%22%3A%2280%22%7D%5D%5D |
Much of what I report here will not be news to the patient and advocacy communities, which have produced a voluminous online archive of critical commentary on the PACE trial. I could not have written this piece without the benefit of that research and the help of a few statistics-savvy sources who talked me through their complicated findings. I am also indebted to colleagues and friends in both public health and journalism, who provided valuable suggestions and advice on earlier drafts. Today’s Virology Blog installment is the final quarter; the first and second installment were published previously. I was originally working on this piece with Retraction Watch, but we could not ultimately agree on the direction and approach.
Publication of the paper triggered what The Lancet described in an editorial as “an outpouring of consternation and condemnation from individuals or groups outside our usual reach.” Patients expressed frustration and dismay that once again they were being told to exercise and seek psychotherapy. They were angry as well that the paper ignored the substantial evidence pointing to patients’ underlying biological abnormalities.
Many believed the use of the broad Oxford criteria helped explain some of the reported benefits and lack of adverse effects. Although people with psychosis, bipolar disorder, substance “misuse,” organic brain disorder, or an eating disorder were screened out of the PACE sample, 47 percent of the participants were nonetheless diagnosed with “mood and anxiety disorders,” including depression. But just as cognitive and behavioral interventions have proven successful with people suffering from primary depression, as DePaul psychologist Leonard Jason had noted, the increased activity was also unlikely to harm such participants if they did not also experience the core ME/CFS symptom of post-exertional malaise.
Others, like Tom Kindlon, speculated that many of the patients in the two rehabilitative arms, even if they had reported subjective improvements, might not have significantly increased their levels of exertion. To bolster this argument, he noted the poor results from the six-minute walking test, which suggested little or no improvement in physical functioning.
“If participants did not follow the directives and did not gradually increase their total activity levels, they might not suffer the relapses and flare-ups that patients sometimes report with these approaches,” said Kindlon.
During an Australian radio interview, Lancet editor Richard Horton denounced what he called the “orchestrated response” from patients, based on “the flimsiest and most unfair allegations,” seeking to undermine the credibility of the research and the researchers. “One sees a fairly small, but highly organized, very vocal and very damaging group of individuals who have, I would say, actually hijacked this agenda and distorted the debate so that it actually harms the overwhelming majority of patients,” he said.
In explaining The Lancet’s decision to publish the results, Horton told the interviewer that the paper had undergone “endless rounds of peer review.” Yet the ScienceDirect database version of the article indicated that The Lancet had “fast-tracked” it to publication. According to current Lancet policy, a standard fast-tracked article is published within four weeks of receipt of the manuscript.
Michael Sharpe, one of the lead investigators, also participated in the Australian radio interview. In response to a question from the host, he acknowledged that only one in seven participants received a “clinically important treatment benefit” from the rehabilitative therapies of graded exercise therapy and cognitive behavior therapy—a key data point not mentioned in the Lancet paper.
“What this trial isn’t able to answer is how much better are these treatments than really not having very much treatment at all,” Sharpe told the radio host in what might have been an unguarded moment, given that the U.K. government had spent five million pounds on the PACE study to find out the answer. Sharpe’s statement also appeared to contradict the effusive “recovery” and “back-to-normal” news stories that had greeted the reported findings.
In correspondence published three months after the trial, the PACE authors gave no ground. In response to complaints about changes from the protocol, they wrote that the mid-trial revisions “were made to improve either recruitment or interpretability” and “were approved by the Trial Steering Committee, were fully reported in our paper, and were made before examining outcome data to avoid outcome reporting bias.” They did not mention whether, since it was an unblinded trial, they already had a general sense of outcome trends even before examining the actual outcome data. And they did not explain why they did not conduct sensitivity analyses to measure the impact of the protocol changes.
They defended their post-hoc “normal ranges” for fatigue and physical function as having been calculated through the “conventional” statistical formula of taking the mean plus/minus one standard deviation. As in the Lancet paper itself, however, they did not mention or explain the unusual overlaps between the entry criteria for disability and the outcome criteria for being within the “normal range.” And they did not explain why they used this “conventional” method for determining normal ranges when their two population-based data sources did not have normal distributions, a problem White himself had acknowledged in his 2007 study.
A 2012 paper in PLoS One, on financial aspects of the illness, included outcomes for some additional objective measures. Instead of a decrease in financial benefits received by those in the rehabilitative therapy arms, as would be expected if disabled people improved enough to increase their ability to work, the paper reported a modest average increase in the receipt of benefits across all the arms of the study. There were also no differences among the groups in days lost from work.
The investigators did not include the promised information on wages. They also had still not published the results of the self-paced step-test, described in the protocol as a measure of fitness.
In another finding, the PLoS One paper argued that the graded exercise and cognitive behavior therapies were the most cost-effective treatments from a societal perspective. In reaching this conclusion, the investigators valued so-called “informal” care—unpaid care provided by family and friends–at the mean national wage. In contrast, the PACE statistical analysis plan (approved in 2010 but not published until 2013) had proposed to value informal care using three different assumptions–at the cost of a home heath care work, the minimum wage, and zero cost. The statistical analysis plan did not propose to value informal care at the mean national wage.
Commenters on the PLoS One website, including Tom Kindlon, challenged the claim that the findings would be “robust” under the alternative assumptions for informal care. In fact, they pointed out, the lower-cost conditions would reduce or fully eliminate the reported societal cost-benefit advantages of the cognitive behavior and graded exercise therapies.
The journal Psychological Medicine published the long-awaited findings on “recovery” in January, 2013. In the paper, the investigators imposed a serious limitation on their construct of “recovery.” They now defined it as recovery solely from the most recent bout of illness—a health status generally known as “remission,” not “recovery.” The protocol definition included no such limitation.
In the new paper, the PACE investigators loosened all four of the protocol’s required criteria for “recovery” but did not mention which, if any, oversight committees approved this overall redefinition of the term. Two of the four revised criteria for “recovery” were the Lancet paper’s fatigue and physical function “normal ranges.” Like the Lancet paper, the Psychological Medicine paper did not point out that these “normal ranges”—now re-purposed as “recovery” thresholds–overlapped with the study’s entry criteria for disability, so that participants could already be “recovered” on one or both of these two indicators from the outset.
*For physical function, “recovery” required a score of 60 or more. In the protocol, “recovery” required a score of 85 or more. At entry, a score of 65 or less was required to demonstrate enough disability to be included in the trial. This entry threshold of 65 indicated better health than the new “recovery” threshold of 60.
*For fatigue, a score of 18 or less out of 33 (on the fatigue scale, a higher score indicated more fatigue). In the protocol, “recovery” required a score of 3 or less out of 11 under the original scoring system. At entry, a score of at least 12 on the revised scale was required to demonstrate enough fatigue to be included the trial. This entry threshold of 12 indicated better health than the new “recovery” threshold of 18.
*A score of 1 (“very much better”) or 2 (“much better”) out of 7 on the Clinical Global Impression scale. In the protocol, “recovery” required a score of 1 (“very much better” on the Clinical Global Impression scale; a score of 2 (“much better”) was not good enough. The investigators made this change, they wrote, because “we considered that participants rating their overall health as ‘much better’ represented the process of recovery.” They did not cite references to justify their post-protocol reconsideration of the meaning of the Clinical Global Impression scale, nor did they explain when and why they changed their minds about how to interpret it.
*The last protocol requirement for “recovery”—not meeting any of the three case definitions used in the study–was now divided into less and more restrictive sub-categories. Presuming participants met the relaxed fatigue, physical function, and Clinical Global Impression thresholds, those who no longer met the Oxford criteria were now defined as having achieved “trial recovery,” even if they still met one of the other two case definitions, the CDC’s chronic fatigue syndrome case definition and the ME definition. Those who fulfilled the protocol’s stricter criteria of not meeting any of the three case definitions were now defined as having achieved “clinical recovery.” The authors did not explain when or why they decided to divide this category into two.
They acknowledged that the “trial recovery” rate from the two rehabilitative treatments, at 22 percent in each group, was low. They suggested that increasing the total number of graded exercise therapy and cognitive behavior therapy sessions and/or bundling the two interventions could boost the rates.
Like the Lancet paper, the “recovery” findings received uncritical media coverage—and as Tom Kindlon feared, the news accounts did not generally mention “remission.” Nor did they discuss the dramatic changes in all four of the criteria from the original protocol definition of “recovery.” Not surprisingly, the report drew fire from patients and advocacy groups.
Commenters on the journal’s website and on patient and advocacy blogs challenged the revised definition for “recovery,” including the use of the overlapping “normal ranges” for fatigue and physical function as two of the four criteria. They wondered why the PACE authors used the term “recovery” at all, given the serious limitation they had placed on its meaning. They also noted that the investigators were ignoring the Lancet paper’s objective results from the six-minute walking test in assessing whether people had recovered, as well as the employment and benefits data from the PLoS One paper—all of which failed to support the “recovery” claims.
In their response, White and his colleagues defended their use of the term “recovery” by noting that they explained clearly what they meant in the paper itself. “We were careful to give a precise definition of recovery and to emphasize that it applied at one particular point only and to the current episode of illness,” they wrote. But they did not explain why, given that narrow definition, they simply did not use the standard term “remission, ” since there was always the possibility that the word “recovery” would lead to misunderstanding of the findings.
Once again, they did not address or explain why the entry criteria for disability and the outcome criteria for the physical function and fatigue “normal ranges”—now redefined as “recovery” thresholds–overlapped. They again did not explain why they used the statistical formula to find “normal ranges” for normally distributed populations on samples that they knew were skewed. And they now disavowed the significance of objective measures they themselves had selected, starting with the walking test, which had been described as “an objective outcome measure of physical capacity” in the protocol.
“We dispute that in the PACE trial the six-minute walking test offered a better and more ‘objective’ measure of recovery,” they now wrote, citing “practical limitations” with the data.
Finally, the PACE investigators explained, they had only 10 meters of corridor space for conducting the test, rather than the standard of 30 to 50 meters–although they did not explain whether all six of their study centers around the country, or just some of them, suffered from this deficiency. “This meant that participants had to stop and turn around more frequently, slowing them down and thereby vitiating comparisons with other studies,” wrote the investigators.
In their response in the Psychological Medicine correspondence, White and his colleagues did not explain if they had recognized the walking test’s comparison-vitiating limitations by the time they published their protocol in 2007 or their comment on BMC Neurology’s website in 2008–and if not, why not.
Each published paper fueled new questions. Patients and advocates filed dozens of freedom-of-information requests for PACE-related documents and data with Queen Mary University of London, White’s institutional home and the designated administrator for such matters.
How many PACE participants, patients wanted to know, were “recovered” according to the much stricter criteria in the 2007 protocol? How many participants were already “within the normal range” on fatigue or physical function when they entered the study? When exactly were the changes made to the assessment strategies promised in the protocol, what oversight committees approved them, and why?
The university re-reviewed the request and informed Sheridan that it was not, in fact, “vexatious.” But her request was again being rejected, wrote the university, because the resources needed to locate and retrieve the information “would exceed the appropriate limit” designated by the law. Sheridan appealed the university’s decision to the next level, the U.K. Information Commissioner’s Office, but was recently turned down.
The Information Commissioner’s Office also turned down a request from a plaintiff seeking meeting minutes for PACE oversight committees to understand when and why outcome measures were changed. The plaintiff appealed to a higher-level venue, the First-Tier Tribunal. The tribunal panel–a judge and two lay members—upheld the decision, declaring that it was “pellucidly clear” that release of the minutes would threaten academic freedom and jeopardize future research.
To date, the PACE investigators have rejected requests to release raw data from the trial for independent analysis. Patients and other critics say the researchers have a particular obligation to release the data because the trial was conducted with public funds.
Since the Lancet publication, much media coverage of the PACE investigators and their colleagues has focused on what The Guardian has called the “campaign of abuse and violence” purportedly being waged by “militants…considered to be as dangerous and uncompromising as animal rights extremists.” In a news account in the BMJ, White portrayed the protestors as hypocrites. “The paradox is that the campaigners want more research into CFS, but if they don’t like the science they campaign to stop it,” he told the publication. While news reports have also repeated the PACE authors’ claims of treatment success and “recovery,” these accounts have not generally examined the study itself in depth or investigated whether patients’ complaints about the trial are valid.
Tom Kindlon has often heard these arguments about patient activists and says they are used to deflect attention away from the PACE trial’s flaws. “They’ve said that the activists are unstable, the activists have illogical reasons and they are unfair or prejudiced against psychiatry, so they’re easy to dismiss,” said Kindlon.
What patients oppose, he and others explain, is not psychiatry or psychiatrists, but being told that their debilitating organic disease requires treatments based on the hypothesis that they have false cognitions about it.
In January of this year, the PACE authors published their paper on mediators of improvement in The Lancet Psychiatry. Not surprisingly, they found that reducing participants’ presumed fears of activity was the main mechanism through which the rehabilitative interventions of graded exercise therapy and cognitive behavior therapy delivered their purported benefits. News stories about the findings suggested that patients with ME/CFS could get better if they were able to rid themselves of their fears of activity.
Unmentioned in the media reports was a tiny graph tucked into a page with 13 other tiny graphs: the results of the self-paced step-test, the fitness measure promised in the protocol. The small graph indicated no advantages for the two rehabilitative intervention groups on the step-test. In fact, it appeared to show that those in the other two groups might have performed better. However, the paper did not include the data on which the graph was based, and the graph was too small to extract any useful data from it.
With the publication of the step-test graph, the study’s key “objective” outcomes—except for the still-unreleased data on wages–had now all failed to support the claims of “recovery” and treatment success from the two rehabilitative therapies. The Lancet Psychiatry paper did not mention this serious lack support for the study’s subjective findings from all its key objective measures.
Some scientific developments since the 2011 Lancet paper–such as this year’s National Institutes of Health and Institute of Medicine panel reports, the Columbia University findings of distinct immune system signatures, further promising findings from Norwegian research into the immunomodulatory drug [see correction below] pioneered by rheumatoid arthritis expert Jonathan Edwards, and a growing body of evidence documenting patients’ abnormal responses to activity–have helped shift the focus to biomedical factors and away from PACE, at least outside Great Britain.
In the U.K. itself, the Medical Research Council, in a modest shift, has awarded some grants for biomedical research, but the PACE approach remains the dominant framework for treatment within the national health system. Two years ago, the disparate scientific and political factions launched the CFS/ME Research Collaborative, conceived as an umbrella organization representing a range of views. At the collaborative’s inaugural two-day gathering in Bristol in September of 2014, many speakers presented on promising biomedical research. Peter White’s talk, called “PACE: A Trial and Tribulations,” focused on the response to his study from disaffected patients.
According to the conference report, White cited the patient community’s “campaign against the PACE trial” for recruitment delays that forced the investigators to seek more time and money for the study. He spoke about “vexatious complaints” and demands for PACE-related data, and said he had so far fielded 168 freedom-of-information requests. (He’d received a freedom-of-information request asking how many freedom-of-information requests he’d received.) This type of patient activity “damages” research efforts, he said.
Correction: The original text referred to the drug as an anti-inflammatory.
Correction: Below are the two original paragraphs about the PLoS One study that have now been replaced.
“In another finding, the PLoS One paper argued that the graded exercise and cognitive behavior therapies were the most cost-effective treatments from a societal perspective. In reaching this conclusion, the investigators valued so-called “informal” care—unpaid care provided by family and friends–at the replacement cost of a homecare worker. The PACE statistical analysis plan (approved in 2010 but not published until 2013) had included two additional, lower-cost assumptions. The first valued informal care at minimum wage, the second at zero compensation.
Several viruses have been linked to the initiating infection that led to ME, such as EBV, polio.enteroviruses….
As a husband, with a wife who has ME, I still call it that, thank you for this very concise review of this poor study. I think the UK government should ask for its money back.
Thanks David Tuller. What do we do with this information ? whats the next step ? patients have been waiting for many years and decades and nothing has happened !
what happens next ? do ME / CFS people fight or give up and wait another 20 years for Godot (who never comes). And suffer and die in the process. | 2019-04-21T16:49:48Z | http://www.virology.ws/2015/10/23/trial-by-error-iii/ |
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It is at the express wish of the parties that this agreement and all related documents have been drawn up in English. | 2019-04-22T06:50:54Z | http://www.webhealthcentre.com/webhealth/disclaim.aspx |
The Acadiana area's results at district track and field meets held last week heading into regional competition this week around the state.
Below are results from Wednesday's District 3-5A Meet held at Lafayette High. The top 4 in each event advance to next Wednesday's Region I Meet at Northwestern State.
1, Barbe, 133; 2, Carencro, 83; 3, Acadiana, 79; 4, New Iberia, 77; 5, Lafayette, 62; 6, Sulphur, 55; 7, Comeaux, 51; 8, Sam Houston, 18.
100 – 1, Trey Quinn, B, 10.93; 2, Malik Eugene, A, 11.07; 3, Derrick Guillory, S, 11.21; 4, Tyler Syrie, CAR, 11.28.
200 – 1, Jayrin Wilson, A, 22.01; 2, Kyler Perrault, CAR, 22.06; 3, Donald Stokes, CAR, 22.21; 4, Malik Eugene, A, 22.33.
400 – 1, Donald Stokes, CAR, 49.69; 2, Ethan Rapp, S, 50.48; 3, Blake Comeaux, NI, 50.68; 4, Jaylen Goodly, B, 50.79.
800 – 1, Sean Washington, NI, 1:53.83; 2, Kyler Perrault, CAR, 1:54.14; 3, Colby Lavergne, COM, 1:58.90; 4, Julian Cornwell, S, 2:02.36.
1600 – 1, Alonte Landry, A, 4:37.7; 2, Dylan Dunford, COM, 4:39.4; 3, Nicholas Dugas, COM, 4:40.9; 4, Brennen Taylor, S, 4:42.1.
3200 – 1, Mostefa Maselhe, L, 10:49.23; 2, Nicholas Dugas, COM, 10:53.40; 3, Bradley Hoogerwerf, B, 10:54.97; 4, Shamichael Lewis, NI, 11:02.60.
110H – 1, Brad Scofield, B, 16.3; 2, Keenan Thompson, L, 16.4; 3, Mitchell Arceneaux, L, 16.5; 4, Anterrio Williams, NI, 17.1.
300H – 1, Dylan Breaux, B, 41.97; 2, Shane Antonetz, B, 42.59; 3, Latavian Locks, NI, 42.95; 4, Corey Barrentine, SH, 43.37.
4x100 – 1, Acadiana (Malik Eugene, Jayrin Wilson, Ronald Broussard, Elijah Ledet), 42.42; 2, Sulphur, 43.26; 3, Lafayette, 43.90; 4, Carencro, 44.26.
4x200 – 1, Carencro (Corey Willis, Jacoby Porter, Tyler Syrie, Donald Stokes), 1:29.4; 2, New Iberia, 1:29.7; 3, Acadiana, 1:29.9; 4, Barbe, 1:30.7.
4x400 – 1, Carencro (Tyreik Campbell, Kevin George, Kyler Perrault, Donald Stokes), 3:24.98; 2, New Iberia, 3:26.53; 3, Comeaux, ,3:28.39; 4, Sulphur, 3:28.56.
SP – 1, Brennan Travis, B, 51-2.5; 2, Dominique Williams, L, 49-8; 3, Cody Chavis, A, 46-5; 4, Leonard Lada, B, 45-3.5.
DIS – 1, Caden Cunningham, A, 147-2; 2, Brennan Travis, B, 142-2.25; 3, Cody Chavis, A, 131-9.5; 4, K'Darian Scott, B, 123-10.5.
JAV – 1, Tyler Griggers, SH, 180-11; 2, Khoury Kraus, B, 173-6.5; 3, Jake Lee, B, 173-4; 4, Michael Sam, NI, 172-2.
LJ – 1, Jacoby Porter, CAR, 21-8.25; 2, Tyreik Campbell, CAR, 20-9.75; 3, Gregory Madison, COM, 20-9.75J; 4, Kirkland Banks, B, 20-9.
TJ – 1, Michael Sam, NI, 43-3.75; 2, Charles Campbell, A, 42-5; 3, Gregory Madison, COM, 42-2.5; 4, Damian Batiste, S, 41-4.25.
HJ – 1, Cameron Kocik, B, 6-4; 2, Steven Jones, B, 6-0; 3, Johnny Brennan, L, 5-8; 4, Elijah Guillory, S, 5-8J.
PV – 1, Aaron Lemaire, L, 12-6; 2,, Gavin Nettles, B, 12-0; 3, Stephan Williams, NI,, 12-0; 4, Timmy Ellender, S, 11-6.
OUTSTANDING TRACK – Donald Stokes, Carencro. OUTSTANDING FIELD – Brennan Travis, Barbe.
1, Barbe, 164; 2, Lafayette, 147.5; 3, New Iberia, 129; 4, Carencro, 38.5; 5, Sam Houston, 32; 6, Sulphur, 25; 7, Comeaux, 18; 8, Acadiana, 2.
100 – 1, Amia Anthony, L, 12.6; 2, Rebecca Benoit, B, 13.1; 3, Kamia Perrault, CAR, 13.2; 4, Kierra Anthony, NI, 13.3.
200 – 1, Amia Anthon, L, 25.80; 2, D'Sharee Collins, L, 25.93; 3, Alexis Jones, NI, 26.94; 4, Kamia Perrault, CAR, 27.17.
400 – 1, D'Sharee Collins, L, 58.68; 2, Ky'Reon McBride, L, 1:01.07; 3,, Alexis Jones, NI, 1:01.96; 4, Deja Watt, B, 1:04.76.
800 – 1, Kellie Webb, B, 2:19.81; 2, Amber Campbell, CAR, 2:21.33; 3, Ky'Reon McBride, L, 2:25.32; 4, Aimee Stokes, L, 2:31.89.
1600 – 1, Kellie Webb, B, 5:25.5; 2, Lauren Marker, COM, 5:59.8; 3, Allie Hill, S, 6:07.2; 4, Haile Gilroy, B, 6:16.8.
3200 – 1, Kellie Webb, B, 12:22.03; 2, Dakota Wing, SH, 13:28.92; 3, Erin Moss, S, 13:41.69; 4, Lauren Marker, COM, 13:55.98.
100H – 1, Vanessa Joseph, NI, 15.7; 2, Dominitra Charles, NI, 17.0; 3, Halie Olmsted, B, 17.8; 4, Savanah Lauchner, L, 18.1.
300H – 1, Vanessa Joseph,NI, 47.62; 2, Dominitra Charles, NI, 48.83; 3, Mikaela Vanek, L, 50.01; 4, Erin Davis, SH, 50.04.
4x100 – 1, Lafayette (Amia Anthony, Rebekah Markel, Destiny Turner, Jade Duncantell), 50.77; 2, New Iberia, 50.84; 3, Barbe, 51.12; 4, Sam Houston, 52.08.
4x200 – 1, Carencro (Kamia Perrault, Jada Taylor, Shakanna Riles, Amber Campbell), 1:46.6; 2, Lafayette,, 1:46.9; 3, Barbe, 1:47.5; 4, Sam Houston, 1:49.3.
4x400 – 1, Lafayette (Ky'Reon McBride, Aimee Stokes, Mikaela Vanek, D'Sharee Collins), 4:03.60; 2, Carencro, 4:09.38; 3, New Iberia, 4:19.14; 4, Barbe, 4:22.70.
SP – 1, Moesha Kinard, NI, 38-1; 2, Peyton Montgomery, B, 37-5.5; 3, Stacey Knowles, L, 37-2; 4, Mariah Davis, NI, 36-1.
DIS – 1, Mariah Davis, NI, 119-1.25; 2, Ebony Lewis, B, 118-6.5; 3, Stephanie Self, L, 111-1.25.
JAV – 1, Peyton Montgomery, B, 133-7; 2, Naomi Smith, B, 116-2.5; 3, Katelyn Blanchard, L, 114-1; 4, Moesha Kinard, NI, 108-4.
LJ – 1, Dominitra Charles, NI, 17-10; 2, Bailey Wilson, B, 17-6.75; 3, Cierra Wilson, S, 17-2.5; 4, Jordan Barrett, B, 17-1.25.
TJ – 1, Rebekah Markel, L, 34-10.25; 2, Jordan Barrett, B, 34-8.75; 3, Dominitra Charles, NI, 34-3.5; 4, Destin Johnson, NI,, 34-1.5.
HJ – 1, Oriana Roberts, L, 5-3; 2, Kristen Daniels, B, 5-2; 3, Destin Johnson, NI, 5-2J; 4, Chelsea Fontenot, B, 5-0.
PV – 1, Hahnah Ogea, B, 10-9; 2, Natalie Breaux, B, 10-6; 3, Ashley Didier, L, 10-0; 4, Rebekah Markel, L, 10-0J.
OUTSTANDING TRACK – Kellie Webb, Barbe. OUTSTANDING FIELD – Peyton Montgomery, Barbe.
Below are results from Wednesday's District 5-4A Meet at Northside High. Qualifiers advance to Thursday's Region II-4A Meet, also at NHS.
100 – 1, Tevin Johnson, N, 10.91; 2, Lionel Alfred, N, 10.99; 3, Javin Derousselle, BB, 11.01.
200 – 1, Alton Smothers, N, 22.33; 2, Lionel Alfred, N, 22.74; 3, Zachary Koonce, SM, 22.89.
400 – 1, Damarcus Boutte, N, 52.01; 2, Ronald Malbrough, CEC, 52.26; 3, Carver Randall, WG, 53.05.
800 – 1, Perry Young, TC, 2:04.90; 2, Ben Domingue, STM, 2:06.08; 3, Pernell Cormier, WG, 2:08.12.
1600 – 1, George Celestine, WG, 4:53.47; 2, Charles Kreamer, STM, 4:55.37; 3, Christopher Lagrange, STM,4:56.12.
3200 – 1, Grant Leblanc, STM, 10:59.57; 2, Jacob Comeaux, STM, 11:02.73; 3, Robert Rengel, SM, 11:48.31.
110H – 1, Brandon Williams, CEC, 15.67; 2, Corinthian Joseph, BB, 16.48; 3, Christian Fusilier, WG, 17.25.
300H – 1, Corey Abraham, BB, 41.02; 2, Trevon Sheksnider, N, 41.15; 3, Brandon Williams, CEC, 41.25.
4x100 – 1, Northside (Lionel Alfred, Tevin Johnson, Cameron Robinson, Alton Smothers), 42.63; 2, Cecilia, 43.29; 3, Breaux Bridge, 43.59.
4x200 – 1, Northside (Alfred, Smothers, Sheksnider, T. Johnson), 1:27.64; 2, Cecilia, 1:28.35; 3, Breaux Bridge, 1:31.68.
4x400 – 1, Northside (T. Johnson, Boutte, Smothers, Sheksnider), 3:27.14; 2, Cecilia, 3:30.15; 3, Westgate, 3:34.19.
SP – 1, Taylor Fundal, WG, 51-8; 2, Anthony Joseph, WG, 48-11; 3, Asa Miller, TC, 45-5.
DIS – 1, Taylor Fundal, WG, 149-5; 2, Jesse Provost, TC, 146-8; 3, Tyler Senegal, CEC, 127-11.
JAV – 1, Asa Miller, TC, 165-3; 2, Matthew Gardner, STM, 152-4; 3, Orell Ledet, BB, 149-2.
LJ – 1, Christian Miller, N, 22-2.5; 2, Joseph Williams, BB, 22-2.25; 3, Brandon Toussaint, BB, 20-11.
TJ – 1, Christian Miller, N, 44-0; 2, Dante Williams, BB, 44-0J; 3, Brandon Toussaint, BB, 43-5.
HJ – 1, Damien Bernard, CEC, 6-2; 2, Jeremy Wiltz, CEC, 6-2J; 3, Dante Williams, BB, 6-2J.
PV – 1, Caleb Frederick, BB, 12-6; 2, Christopher Foreman, STM, 12-0; 3, Ben Hebert, TC, 11-6.
100 – 1, Dajah Guidry, N, 12.40; 2, Brachelle George, N, 13.20; 3, Mackenzie Marze, TC, 13.30.
200 – 1, Dajah Guidry, N, 25.58; 2, Teryn Daniels, TC, 27.35; 3, Caitlin Davis, BB, 27.43.
400 – 1, Carlie Calais, CEC, 1:01.93; 2, Kirby Roy, STM, 1:02.54; 3, Blair Benon, TC, 1:03.38.
800 – 1, Hannah Bourque, STM, 2:21.59; 2, Carlie Calais, CEC, 2:21.61; 3, Kirby Roy, STM, 2:28.42.
1600 – 1, Hannah Bourque, STM, 5:37.27; 2, Asia Faulk, N, 5:47.33; 3, Meredith Gaither, STM, 6:07.92.
3200 – 1, Hannah Bourque, STM, 12:53.78; 2, Asia Faulk, N, 13:18.54; 3, Lauren Dartez, STM, 13:53.52.
100H – 1, Paige Robichaux, TC, 16.23; 2, Anastagha Williams, WG, 17.58; 3, Breonna Champagne, STM, 17.93.
300H – 1, Paige Robichaux, TC, 49.15; 2, Jada Francis, N, 50.73; 3, Niajah Keller, N, 51.12.
4x100 – 1, Northside (Niajah Keller, Dajah Guidry, Jada Francis, Brachelle George), 49.60; 2, Teurlings Catholic, 50.00; 3, Westgate, 53.16.
4x200 – 1, Northside (Keller, Francis, Guidry, Trystan Sheksnider), 1:44.32; 2, Teurlings Catholic, 1:45.08; 3, St. Thomas More, 1:48.71.
4x400 – 1, Teurlings Catholic (Blair Benton, Teryn Daniels, Renee Delhomme, Macy Miller), 4:14.42; 2, Northside,, 4:20.71; 3, Cecilia, 4:24.23.
SP – 1, Justice Price, BB, 32-5.5; 2, Brianna Andrus, TC, 29-1; 3, Kaitlyn Calais, CEC, 29-0.
DIS – 1, Casey Potts, TC, 92-11; 2, Kaitlyn Calais, CEC, 83-10.5; 3, Tyronica Alfred, N, 77-10.5.
JAV – 1, Jaime Landry, STM, 121-6; 2, Macy Miller, TC, 120-4; 3, Haley Anslem, CEC, 91-10.
LJ – 1, Caitlin Davis, BB, 16-4; 2, Elizabeth Heintz, TC, 15-8.5; 3, Carmen Degeyter, CEC, 15-3.
TJ – 1, Caitlin Davis, BB, 33-9; 2, Elizabeth Heintz, TC, 32-9; 3, Justacia Thomas, N, 31-2.
HJ – 1, Carmen Degeyter, CEC, 5-0; 2, Mackenzie Marze, TC,4-8; 3, Kristen Hamilton, TC, 4-4.
PV – 1, Jordan Courtois, WG, 11-6; 2, Shelby Gary, WG, 10-0; 3, Elizabeth Heintz, TC, 7-6.
Below are results from Monday's District 4-4A Meet held at Rayne High School.
1, Opelousas, 121; 2, Crowley, 114.5; 3, LaGrange, 114; 4, Beau Chene, 86; 5, Washington-Marion, 55; 6, Eunice, 52.5; 7, Rayne, 12.
100 – 1, Deonte Goodley, LaG, 11.09; 2, Daquan Bellard, OHS, 11.29; 3, Nicholas Powell, EUN, 11.48.
200 – 1, Deonte Goodley, LaG, 22.69; 2, Martel Hawthorne, LaG, 22.86; 3, Daquan Bellard, OHS, 23.13.
400 – 1, Christian Boutte, OHS, 50.56; 2, Thomas Cavell, CR, 51.11; 3, Charles Milton, BC, 52.07.
800 – 1, Kirk Poullard, CR, 2:03.65; 2, Collins Roberts, OHS, 2:05.53; 3, Jordan Brown, BC, 2:07.63.
1600 – 1, Drew Lagrange, BC, 5:04.18; 2, Leighton Kilmer, CR, 5:09.17; 3, Lane Pelafigue, BC, 5:13.05.
3200 – 1, Lane Pelafigue, BC, 11:24.43; 2, Drew Lagrange, BC, 11:28.13; 3, Javontae Taylor, WM, 11:59.16.
110H – 1, Markel Thomas, LaG, 15.66; 2, Terrell Thomas, CR, 16.08; 3, Darius Berard, OHS, 16.13.
300H – 1, Markel Thomas, LaG, 39.24; 2, Darius Berard, OHS, 39.89; 3, Terrell Thomas, CR, 43.01.
4x100 – 1, Crowley (Terrell Thomas, Bryston Domino, Tyler Castille, Jacques Price), 43.32; 2, LaGrange, 43.65; 3, Opelousas, 44.39.
4x200 – 1, LaGrange (Kevin White, Markel Thomas, Johnathan Guillory, Deontae Goodley), 1:29.69; 2, Crowley, 1:30.22; 3, Opelousas, 1:30.57.
4x400 – 1, Opelousas (Darius Berard, Mandell Sam, Ke'Andre Jones, Collins Roberts), 3:26.09; 2, Crowley, 3:26.14; 3, Washington-Marion, 3:38.70.
SP – 1, Darren Duhon, WM, 49-8; 2, Desmond Cole, RHS, 46-0; 3, Cole Prudhomme, EUN, 43-9.
DIS – 1, Quindon Barry, LaG, 121-9.25; 2, Jerome Guillory, LaG, 121-9.25; 3, Skyler Ned, EUN, 113-3.25.
JAV – 1, JoDon Daigle, EUN, 170-2; 2, Harold Johnson, WM, 156-0; 3, Ke'Andre Jones, OHS, 155-10.5.
LJ – 1, Daquan Bellard, OHS, 23-4; 2, Craige Abney, LaG, 21-8; 3, Jeremy Jason, OHS, 21-2.
TJ – 1, Daquan Bellard, OHS, 46-9.5; 2, Ke'Andre Jones, OHS, 43-8.5; 3, Chris Hutchinson, BC, 43-7.
HJ – 1, Damon Guidry, CR, 6-8; 2, Tavares Berraud, WM, 6-6; 3, Darajah Siles, OHS, 6-0.
PV – 1, Brandon Hollier, BC, 14-6; 2, David Romero, CR, 11-6; 3, Storm Robin, BC, 11-6.
OUTSTANDING TRACK – Deonte Goodley, LaGrange; Markel Thomas, LaGrange. OUTSTANDING FIELD – Daquan Bellard, Opelousas.
1, Eunice, 122; 2, Opelousas, 98; 3,Beau Chene, 84; 4, Crowley, 72; 5, LaGrange, 67; 6, Rayne, 59; 7, Washington-Marion, 52.
100 – 1, Sydney Stewart, OHS, 12.93; 2, Zyria Robinson, LaG, 13.08; 3, Kyerra Ardoin, LaG, 13.31.
200 – 1, Sydney Stewart, OHS, 26.52; 2, Kyerra Ardoin, LaG, 27.14; 3, Jyrieh Johnson, EUN, 27.69.
400 – 1, Jalesia Hebert, CR, 1:02.75; 2, Sydney Stewart, OHS, 1:03.80; 3, Ishia Malveaux, WM, 1:04.90.
800 – 1, Nakeime Moore, BC, 2:48.20; 2, Gabriella Fernndez, EUN, 3:07.47; 3, Rubi Hernandez, BC, 3:10.13.
1600 – 1, Jeannie LaCombe, BC, 6:41.97; 2, Kailey Richard, EUN; 3, Olivia Leger, BC, 6:53.93.
3200 – 1, Jeannie LaCombe, BC, 14:53.58; 2, Olivia Leger, BC, 15:22.65; 3, Chelsea Aucoin, EUN, 15:39.58.
100H – 1, Tristan Mouton, RHS, 16.17; 2, Amani Bennett, OHS, 16.93; 3, Jalesia Hebert, CR, 16.96.
300H – 1, Tristan Mouton, RHS, 48.35; 2, Davia Landry, LAG, 51.09; 3, Kaitlyn Nisby, LaG, 52.27.
4x100 – 1, LaGrange (Zyria Robinson, Brije Williams, Brianna Disnuke, Kyerra Ardoin), 50.93; 2, Eunice, 52.25; 3, Crowley, 52.43.
4x200 – 1, LaGrange (Robinson, Williams, Disnuke, Ardoin), 1:47.81; 2, Washington-Marion, 1:49.09; 3, Opelousas, 1:50.19.
4x400 – 1, Eunice (Jyrieh Johnson, Hali Jack, Kiara White, Clea Fransaw), 4:28.88; 2, Washington-Marion, 4:29.33; 3, Crowley, 4:32.82.
SP – 1, Oceanna Harrison, OHS, 35-2; 2, Bethany Isaac, EUN, 31-4; 3, Kayla Pitre, OHS, 30-5.
DIS – 1, Kate McLemore, EUN, 113-3.5; 2, Taylor Arceneaux, RHS, 100-4; 3, Kayla Pitre, OHS, 90-0.25.
JAV – 1, Dashays Vigera, EUN, 103-7.5; 2, Kate McLemore, EUN, 100-5.5; 3, Taylor Cormier, CR, 94-2.5.
LJ – 1, Kayla Landry, WM, 17-3; 2, Helena Tibbs, BC, 16-4; 3, Tristan Mouton, RHS, 16-1.
TJ – 1, Helena Tibbs, BC, 35-6.5; 2, Kayla Landry, WM, 35-0.5; 3, Destin Pitre, OHS, 33-6.
HJ – 1, Hali Jack, EUN, 5-0; 2, Hannah Benoit, RHS, 4-10; 3, Courtnie Stelly, BC, 4-10.
PV – 1, Imari Jackson, RHS, 8-0; 2, Shelbie Cormier, EUN, 7-6; 3, Brooklyn Johnson, CR, 7-6.
OUTSTANDING TRACK – Sydney Stewart, Opelousas. OUTSTANDING FIELD – Kate McLemore, Eunice; Kayla Landry, Washington-Marion; Helena Tibbs, Beau Chene.
Below are results from Wednesday's District 6-3A Meet at Erath High.
1, Erath, 157; 2, Kaplan, 134; 3, North Vermilion, 95; 4, Notre Dame, 62; 5, Abbeville, 57; 6, West St. Mary, 49.
100 – 1, Corey Cole, ERA, 11.28;; 2, Aaren Greene, ERA, 11.52; 3, Mathew Johnson, ABB, 11.56; 4, Jordan Windmom, NV, 11.73.
200 – 1, Corey Cole, ERA, 22.62; 2, Davante Davis, KAP, 23.21; 3, Kaylon Rudd, KAP, 23.31; 4, Aaren Greene, ERA, 23.46.
400 – 1, Corey Cole, ERA, 50.67; 2, Mason Robinson, WSM, 52.71; 3, Julius Lloyd, KAP, 53.04; 4, Roderick Dominick, WSM, 53.39.
800 – 1, Diego Amator, NV, 2:10.70; 2,, Kullen Romero, ERA, 2:17.03; 3, Brent Didier, ND, 2:18.13; 4, O'Ross Prince, WSM, 2:19.70.
1600 – 1, Jace Harrington, KAP, 5:09.90; 2, Kevin Gonzalez, ABB, 5:11.69; 3, Andre Lanie, ERA, 5:13.92; 4, Adam Courville, NV, 5:17.38.
3200 – 1, Jace Harrington, KAP, 11:08.00; 2, Joshua Kilgore, ND, 11:29.76; 3, Kevin Gonzalez, ABB, 11:31.99; 4, Tony Thibodeaux, ERA, 11:41.37.
110H – 1, Kyler Jackson, WSM, 16.15; 2, Shane Marceaux, ERA, 16.48; 3, Douglas Green, ABB, 16.70; 4, Collin Laird, NV, 17.13.
300H – 1, Collin Laird, NV, 42.53; 2, Kyler Jackson, WSM, 44.05; 3, Darryl Chambers, ABB, 44.31; 4, Kullen Romero, ERA, 44.82.
4x100 – 1, Erath (Aaren Greene, Elijah Mitchell, Corey Cole, Payton Primeaux), 44.24; 2, North Vermilion, 45.31; 3, Notre Dame, 46.21; 4, Abbeville, 46.29.
4x200 – 1, North Vermilion (Collin Laird, Nick Cooper, Jordan Windmom, Jawuan Windmom), 1:35.64; 2, Erath, 1:36.12; 3, Abbeville, 1:37.12; 4, Notre Dame, 1:38.11.
4x400 – 1, West St. Mary (Peterson Edwards, Wayne Armelin, Roderick Dominick, Mason Robinson), 3:38.74; 2, Kaplan, 3:39.87; 3, Erath, 3:39.91; 4, Abbeville, 3:40.79.
SP – 1. Hunter Stelly, ND, 48-9; 2, Bryston Louviere, ERA, 47-0.5; 3, Chris Trahan, KAP, 42-9.5; 4, Jordan Sonnier, ERA, 42-5.
DIS – 1, Jalen Bates, KAP, 136-1; 2, Jordan Sonnier, ERA, 136-0; 3, Chris Trahan, KAP, 118-1; 4, Nate Link, ND, 117-5.
JAV – 1, Hunter Stelly, ND, 200-6; 2, Dominic Governale, NV, 174-5.5; 3, Chris Trahan, K, 161-1; 4, Nick Bergeron, E, 157-10.
LJ – 1, Kaylon Rudd, KAP, 21-7.5; 2, Davante Davis, KAP, 21-4; 3, Dade Dieterich, NV, 20-7.5; 4, Aaren Green, E, 19-9.75.
TJ – 1, Kaylon Rudd, KAP, 44-4; 2, Davante Davis, KAP, 21-4; 3, Dade Dieterich, NV, 40-9; 4, Nick Cooper, NV, 39-8.
HJ – 1, Davante Davis, KAP, 6-0; 2, Tre Milstead, ND, 5-8; 3, Darren Istre, KAP, 5-8; 4, Hunter Meche, ND, 5-6.
PV – 1, Quenton Harrington, ERA, 13-6; 2, Tate Terrebonne, ERA, 13-6J; 3, Kaleb Derouen, NV, 12-0; 4, Taylor Harrington, KAP, 10-6.
1, Abbeville, 141; 2, Erath, 109; 3, West St. Mary, 84; 4, North Vermilion, 81; 5, Kaplan, 79; 6, Notre Dame, 58.
100 – 1, Caitlin Domingues, ERA, 12.65; 2, Naishaylyn Brown, WSM, 12.80; 3, Rhaya Marks, WSM,12.91; 4, Elise Vincent, NV, 13.57.
200 – 1, Caitlin Domingues, ERA, 25.87; 2, Naishaylyn Brown, WSM, 26.17; 3, Rhaya Marks, WSM, 27.33; 4, SaDiere Goodwill, KAP, 28.52.
400 – 1, Caitlin Domingues, ERA, 1:00.47; 2, Arrayia Starland, ABB, 1:02.72; 3, Miranda Martin, NV, 1:03.61; 4, Morgan Harrington, NV, 1:04.74.
800 – 1, Lunden Graham, NV, 2:31.75; 2, Erin Trahan, ND, 2:31.83; 3, Arrayia Starland, A, 2:33.89; 4, Sydnie Perro, E, 2:35.63.
1600 – 1, Erin Trahan, ND, 5:42.67; 2, Aline Gossen, ND, 5:55.83; 3, Gabby Harrington, ERA, 6:05.57; 4, Ally Marceaux, KAP, 6:10.09.
3200 – 1, Aline Gossen, ND, 12:28.31; 2, Gabby Harrington, ERA, 13:31.52; 3, Brittany Dubois, ERA, 13:50.22; 4, Ally Marceaux, KAP, 14:05.85.
100H – 1, Katina Perry, ABB, 16.18; 2, Paige Cutright, ABB, 16.60; 3, Brooke Lanlinais, ERA, 17.22; 4, Sophie Vincent, K, 17.40.
300H – 1, Katina Perry, ABB, 48.27; 2, Paige Cutright, ABB, 49.24; 3, Lindsay Darby, ERA, 53.88; 4, Ryan Gibson, WSM, 55.74.
4x100 – 1, West St. Mary (Ja'Azhe Scott, Naishaylyn Brown, Sequoya Ferguson, Rhaya Marks), 51.37; 2, North Vermilion, 52.08; 3, Kaplan, 52.08; 4, Erath, 52.44.
4x200 – 1, West St. Mary (Scott, Marks, Ferguson, Brown), 1:47.96; 2, Abbeville, 1:48.79; 3, Erath, 1:50.12; 4, North Vermilion, 1:50.72.
4x400 – 1, Abbeville (Cutright, Starland, Key'andra Mitchell, Perry), 4:11.70; 2, North Vermilion, 4:13.09; 3, West St. Mary, 4:35.94; 4, Erath, 4:40.59.
SP – 1, Gerriana Lyons, WSM, 38-5.5; 2, Yasmyn Cobb, KAP, 37-6; 3, Tyra Francis, KAP, 32-11; 4, Simone Pillette, NV, 32-10.5.
DIS – 1, Gerriana Lyons, WSM, 114-2; 2,, Nadasha Valliere, ABB, 107-11; 3, Claire Meyers, NV, 94-2; 4, Alex Miller, ND, 91-0.5.
JAV – 1, Kaysie Hardy, ABB, 122-10.5; 2, Claire Meyers, NV, 121-1.5; 3, Karley Lejeune, KAP, 114-4; 4, Sydny Richardelle, ERA, 109-2.5.
LJ – 1, Charlotte Eaton, ABB, 16-5.75; 2, Kendra Gums, KAP, 16-4; 3, Aerial Plowden, NV, 15-9.75; 4, Daijha Darby, ABB, 15-5.
TJ – 1, Kendra Gums, KAP, 35-9.5; 2, Lindsay Darby, ERA, 35-7.25; 3, Eliza Chambers, ABB, 34-2.75; 4, Sam Lyons, ND, 33-6.25.
HJ – 1, Grace Morgan, ND, 5-2; 2, Charlotte Eaton, ABB, 5-0; 3, Paige Cutright, ABB, 5-0; 4, Kendra Gums, KAP, 5-0J.
PV – 1, Sara Watson, ERA, 10-6; 2, Taylor Campbell, ABB, 7-6; 3, Dacotah Marceaux, KAP, 6-6; 4, Alana Burroughs, NV, 6-0.
Results of the District 5-2A boys and girls track meet held Wednesday at Delcambre High School.
Team Totals: 1. Westminster Christian Academy 157, 2. Delcambre 135, 3. Catholic High-New Iberia 130, 4. Opelousas Catholic 61, 5. Academy of The Sacred Heart 38, 6. Loreauville 20, 7. Jeanerette 6.
Shot Put: 1. Camille Richard, CHNI 31-8 ½, 2. Sha'Nekqua Sam, WCA 28-5 ½, 3. Jonny Doucet, ASH 28-5, 4. Tori Verret, Delcambre 26-8.
Discus: 1. Nicole Bouillion, Delcambre 89-10, 2. Sha'Nekqua Sam, WCA 86-7, 3. Camille Richard, CHNI, 4. Madeline Hansen, OC 65-9 ½.
Long Jump: 1. Brianna Jackson, CHNI 15-9, 2. Jordan LeBlanc, Delcambre 15-6 ½, 3. Ronnie Trahan, WCA 15-6, 4. Coco Sonnier, CHNI 15-3.
Triple Jump: 1. Shelby Hunter, WCA 33-5, 2. Hailey Gauthier, ASH 32-0, 3. Brianna Jackson, CHNI 32-4, 4. Jordan LeBlanc, Delcambre 31-8.
High Jump: 1. Hailey Gauthier, ASH 4-10, 2. Jordan LeBlanc, Delcambre, 3. Blythe Thompson, WCA.
Pole Vault: 1. Regann LeLeux, CHNI 11-8, 2. Amy Stelly, OC 9-0, 3. Meghan Albarez, WCA 8-6, 4. Taylor Bourque, Delcambre, Delcambre 8-0.
800 meters relay: 1. WCA (Alexis Milton, Hydi Kennerson, Ivy Cains, Martina Wright) 1:45.75, 2. CHNI 1:54.41, 3. Delcambre 1:56.41, 4. OC 1:56.45.
1600 meters: 1. Tiffany LeBlanc, CHNI 6:15.51,2. Peyton Hammond, OC 6:32.59, 3. Nicole Bouillion, Delcambre 6:42.35, 4. Caitlin Legnon, Delcambre 7:01.92.
100 hurdles: 1. Ivy Cains, WCA 16.27, 2. Hailey Gauthier, ASH 17.46, 3. Hannah Hebert, Delcambre 18.51, 4. Payton LeBlanc, Delcambre 18.61.
800 meters: 1. Kessler Dorsey, Delcambre 2:32.84, 2. Hedi Menier, Delcambre 2:39.94, 3. Brittany Smith, WCA 2:42.91, 4. Emery Hammond, OC 2:55.41.
400 meters relay: 1. WCA (Hydi Kennerson, Ivy Cans, Martina Wright, Ronnie Trahan) 50.69, 2. CHNI 54.14, 3. Loreauville 54.64, 4. Jeanerette 56.16.
400 meters: 1. Tiffany LeBlanc, CHNI 1:03.94, 2. Victoria Roberts, CHNI 1:05.85, 3. Amy Stelly, OC 1:06.50, 4. Mallory Lastrapes, WCA 1:06.95.
300 hurdles: 1. Ivy Cains, WCA 49.05, 2. Hannah Hebert, Delcambre 52.21, 3. Ronnie Trahan, WCA 53.31, 4. Payton LeBlanc, Delcambre 54.56.
200 meters: 1. Alexis Milton, WCA 25.86, 2. Taylor Gaddison, Loreauville 27.05, 3. Martina Wright, WCA 27.55, 4. Amy Stelly, OC 28.30.
3200 meters: 1. Peyton Hammond, OC 14.0, 2. Taylor Bourque, Delcambre 14:15.53, 3. Allison Jonca, CHNI 14:18.04, 4. Ashley Immel, WCA 14:19.39.
1600 meters relay: 1. WCA (Alexis Milton, Brittany Smith, Hydi Kennerson, Mallory Lastrapes) 4:23.27.
2. CHNI 4:26.08, 3. Delcambre 4:34.29, 4. OC 5:11.12.
Outstanding Girls Performer: Nicole Bouillion, Delcambre, Hailey Gauthier, ASH.
Team Totals: 1. Delcambre 215, 2. OC 84, 3. Catholic High-New Iberia 76, 4. Jeanerette 69, 5. WCA 48, 6. Loreauville 43, 7. David Thibodaux 3.
Javelin: 1. Devin Verret, CHNI 175-6, 2. Chris White, CHNI 143-6, 3. Les Miguez, OC 143-2, 4. Gage Hebert Delcambre 142-4 ½.
Shot Put: 1. Zack Lewis, WCA 47-11, 2. Lee Castille, Loreauville 141-5, 3. Wyatt Richthofen, CHNI 44-1 ½, 4. Reese LeBlanc, Delcambre 39-8 ½.
Discus: 1. Reese LeBlanc, Delcambre 121-10 ½, 2. Hayden Speyrer, OC 118-3 ½, 3. Fawaz Green, Delcambre 104-7 ½, 4. Chris White, CHNI 94-4.
Long Jump: 1. Hunter Delahoussaye, Delcambre 20-04, 2. Matt Howard, OC 19-10, 3. Ian Briley, WCA 18-8, 4. Bryston Trahan, Delcambre 18-7 ¾.
Triple Jump: 1. Devin Verret, CHNI 39-11, 2. Matt Howard, OC 39-0 ½, 3. Trevor Peltier, Delcambre 38-7 ½, 4. Brayton Broussard, Delcambre 38-3 ½.
High Jump: 1. Ian Briley, WCA 5-8, 2. Brayton Broussard, Delcambre 5-6, 3. Zachary Trangmar, Delcambre 5-6, 4. Brandon Duhon, CHNI 4-10.
Pole Vault: 1. Gavin Gautreau, CHNI 16-0, 2. Kody Breaux, Delcambre 14-0, 3. Damian Breaux, CHNI 10-0, 4. Ian Miguez, OC 10-0.
800 meters relay: 1. Delcambre (Bubba Latiolais, Jody Russo, Zachary Trahan, Dustin Waguespack) 1:35.13, 2. Jeanerette 1:35.7, 3. Loreauville 1:36.33, 4. OC 1:40.98.
1600 meters: 1. John Crittendon, Delcambre 4:54.13, 2. Dezzi Viator, Delcambre 4:59.98, 3. Trey Hammond, OC 5:11.18, 4. Blake Aucoin, OC 5:12.75.
110 hurdles: 1. Darien Kiel, Jeanerette 16.78, 2. Zachary Trahan, Delcambre 17.48, 3. Gage Hebert, Delcambre 18.13, 4. Tyrone Carter, Jeanerette 20.79.
100 meters: 1. Taj Hill, Jeanerette 11.7, 2. Ronnie Jean-Louis, Loreauville 11.8, 3. Devin Verret, CHNI 11.88, 4. Bubba Latiolais, Delcambre 11.90.
800 meters: 1. John Crittendon, Delcambre 2:11.56, 2. Brayton Trahan, Delcambre 2:13.92, 3. Ross-Andre Leger, Jeanerette 2:14.96, 4. Michael Burleigh, WCA 2:16.56.
400 meters relay: 1. Delcambre (Kody Breaux, Bubba Latiolais, Jordy Russo, Dustin Waguespack) 45.58, 2. Jeanerette 45.95, 3. Loreauville 46.16, 4. WCA 47.00.
400 meters relay: 1. Daniel Waguespack, Delcambre 51.46, 2. Drew LeBlanc, Delcambre 56.80, 3. Daniel Bell, CHNI 59.37, 4. Kaleb Douget, CHNI 59.73.
300 hurdles: 1. Gage Hebert, Delcambre 45.13, 2. Zachary Trahan, Delcambre 45.06, 3. Darien Kiel, Jeanerette 47.71.
200 meters: 1. Mikal Pierre, Loreauville 23.93, 2. Matt Howard, OC 24.14, 3. Shawn Clavelle, Jeanerette 24.25, 4. Bubba Latiolais 24.46.
3200 meters: 1. Dezzi Viator, Delcambre 10:40,68, 2. Brayton Trahan, Delcambre 11:19.54, 3. Blake Aucoin, OC 11:22.92, 4. Trey Hammond, OC 11:23.89.
1600 meters relay: 1. Delcambre (John Crittendon, Gage Hebert, Jordy Russo, Dustin Waguespack) 3:43.81, 2. OC 3:57.69, 3. WCA 4:01.64, 4. Jeanerette 4:33.92.
1. Hanson 147; 2. Lafayette Christian 135; 3. Ascension Epis. 83; 4. Gueydan 72; 5. Vermilion Cath. 36; 6. Central Cath. 32.
100 - 1. Ashalee Brailey, VC 13.16; 2. Keara Charles, GHS 13.18; 3. Emma Vaccarella, HAN 13.23.
200 - 1. Brailey, VC 26.62; 2. Charles, GHS 27.10; 3. Cassidy Valentine, LCA 28.60.
400 - 1. T'Nia Leger, GHS 1:03.37; 2. Brittany Tomlin, AES 1:05.90; 3. Emily Emanis, LCA 1:09.61.
800 - 1. Kirsten Landry, AES 2:38.60; 2. Emanis, LCA 2:53.80; 3. Kim Sonnier, HAN 3:15.05.
1600 - 1. Landry, AES 6:23.94; 2. Caroline Clement, LCA 7:33.02; 3. Rejean Irving, LCA 7:59.30.
3200 - 1. Landry, AES 13:13.00; 2. Clement, LCA 15:33.00; 3. Irving, LCA 16:55.10.
100 Hurdles - 1. Carley Fitzgerald, HAN 17.87; 2. Haley Bollinger, HAN 18.79; 3. Hallie Austin, CCMC 19.16.
300 Hurdles - 1. Bollinger, HAN 51.46; 2. Austin, CCMC 52.47; 3. Fitzgerald, HAN 54.16.
4x100 - 1. Hanson (Bollinger, Vaccarella, Soulis, Roig) 51.82; 2. Gueydan 54.13; 3. LCA 54.78.
4x200 - 1. Hanson (Bollinger, Vaccarella, Soulis, Roig) 1:50.73; 2. Gueydan 1:55.44; LCA 1:55.91.
4x400 - 1. LCA (Broussard, Valentine, Emanis, Trahan) 4:52.93; 2. Hanson 4:56.25.
High Jump - 1. Meo Knight, CCMC 5-0; 2. Ajia Robinson, LCA 4-4; 3. Stephanie Roig, HAN 4-2.
Long Jump - 1. Chelsa Lotief, AES 14-5<AF>1/2<XA>; 2. Caitlin St. Blanc, HAN 13-11<AF>1/2<XA>; 3. Robinson, LCA 13-9.
Triple Jump - 1. Sarah Seago, AES 32-0; 2. Sydney Smith, AES 30-2<AF>1/2<XA>; 3. St. Blanc, HAN 28-7.
Shot Put - 1. Holly Hebert, GHS 27-11; 2. Jordan Guidroz, LCA 27-5; 3. Anastasia Johnson, CCMC 27-2.
Discus - 1. Sami David, GHS 60-5; 2. Regan Lantier, LCA 59-2; 3. Guidroz, LCA 55-3.
Javelin - 1. Kaylen Collins, VC 101-0; 2. Kim Sonnier, HAN 100-6; 3. Soulis, HAN 94-7.
1. Vermilion Cath. 201; 2. Lafayette Christian 108; 3. Ascension Epis. 86; 4. Hanson 71; 5. Central Cath. 43; 6. Gueydan 13.
100 - 1. Emile Trahan, VC 11.38; 2. Dylan Hargrave, LCA 11.44; 3. Royce Norton, HAN 11.47.
200 - 1. Connor Menard, VC 23.16; 2. Jacob Stewart, HAN 23.46; 3. David Trappey, VC 23.50.
400 - 1. Desmond Prejean, LCA 53.37; 2. Casin Reed, GHS 54.02; 3. Mike Campbell, VC 54.24.
800 - 1. Will Faulk, VC 2:08.81; 2. Sal Grizzaffi, CCMC 2:11.43; 3. James Williams, VC 2:18.98.
1600 - 1. Grizzaffi, CCMC 4:56.80; 2. Tyler Granger, LCA 5:28.30; 3. Williams, VCHS 5:32.00.
3200 - 1. Grizaaffi, CCMC 11:05.07; 2. Granger, LCA 12:13.18; 3. Lucas Hebert, VCHS 13:13.43.
110 Hurdles - 1. Nate Silar, VC 16.53; 2. Peyton Trahan, VC 17.48; 3. Treven Katley, LCA 20.28.
300 Hurdles - 1. Silar, VC 44.61; 2. Trahan, VC 45.44; 3. Zach Ronquilla, AES 46.02.
4x100 - 1. VCHS (Campbell, Menard, Trappey, Trahan) 44.85; 2. Hanson 45.44; 3. AES 47.32.
4x200 - 1. VCHS (Campbell, Menard, Trappey, Trahan) 1:32.33; 2. Hanson 1:35.15; 3. AES 1:36.15.
4x400 - 1. VCHS (Campbell, Trappey, Menard, Silar) 3:43.43; 2. LCA 3:48.43; 3. AES 3:56.68.
High Jump - 1. Jacob Ledeoux, LCA 5-10; 2. Norton, HAN 5-8; 3. Ronald Leblanc, AES 5-6.
Long Jump - 1. Leblanc, AES 19-3<AF>1/2<XA>; 2. Quinn Adams, AES 19-1<AF>3/4<XA>; 3. Campbell, LV 19-0.
Triple Jump - 1. Jacob David, VC 41-6; 2. Leblanc, AES 40-3<AF>3/4<XA>; 3. Jacob Ledeoux, LCA 40-2<AF>1/2<XA>.
Shot Put - 1. Kyle Zenon, VC 52-8; 2. Trey Ryder, VC 44-4<AF>1/2<XA>; 3. Ja'Ceiry Linzer, AES 40-7.
Discus - 1. Paul Veazey, VC 150-3; 2. Zenon, VC 150-2; 3. Miles Carrier, AES 100-1.
Javelin - 1. Zenon, VC 176-7; 2. Andre Girouard, VC 158-6; 3. Jeff Soulis, HAN 153-0.
Pole Vault - 1. Sean Fore, HAN 6-6.
April 11, 2019, 6:58 p.m.
April 11, 2019, 3:20 p.m.
April 11, 2019, 7:07 p.m.
April 12, 2019, 9:39 a.m.
April 9, 2019, 12:46 p.m. | 2019-04-20T22:21:47Z | https://www.theadvertiser.com/story/sports/high-school/2014/04/28/acadiana-track-and-field-district-meet-results/8432987/ |
Are you stuck in a 9 to 5 job that you hate? Is your boss at the top of your enemies list? Do you want the freedom to live life on your terms without the hassle of having to get up to your alarm clock every morning?
If you answered a resounding “YES” to the above questions, then you may have considered trying day trading for a living.
There’s no doubt about it, day trading is an exciting occupation. In fact, when you consider that Monday is often the most action filled day in the trading week, you would find yourself actually looking forward to Monday morning!
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Maybe even spend a couple of hours on the beach in the morning before doing a few trades. Quite the lifestyle, wouldn’t you agree?
Is Day Trading for a living it possible?
Obviously this kind of lifestyle wouldn’t come overnight. If you are really serious about doing day trading for a living, then you would have to work really hard at it in the beginning.
Being a day trader is not like being a gambler in the casino putting his chips on red or black at the 88bet roulette and table. Day trading is a skill that is perfected over time, through experience, learning and trial and error.
If you are truly committed to becoming a full-time day trader, and achieving your dream lifestyle then nothing can stop you.
It doesn’t matter what your grades were like in school or if you went to college. Day trading has nothing to do with that kind of stuff. Day trading is a skill anybody can master.
Are you interested in the Real Estate business?
At the end of the day, becoming successful in day trading is just like becoming successful in any other business.
Take Real Estate for example. To make it in that business, you need a sharp eye for detail, a sense of opportunity, good money management skills, a capacity to handle risk and control emotions, and a knowledge of the industry many other people don’t have.
All the above traits are needed in day trading.
If you are just starting out in the world of day trading, and dream of it one day becoming your sole source of income, here are a few tips to get you started.
Resist the urge to jump in at the deep end. Don’t go and quit your job tomorrow. Keep the job for now, and put some money aside to use for trades in the evening.
There are so many different day trading strategies to learn, but when you are first starting out it’s best to keep it basic. Discover a couple of profitable strategies and put all of your focus on them for now to avoid overwhelm.
Invest in day trading software as soon as you can. It won’t make you rich overnight, but the right software can save you hours of your time if you put it to good use.
Forex is one of the largest financial markets anywhere in the world, where billions of dollars worth of trades are made every year.
Forex day trading is the act of quickly buying and selling foreign currencies. Instead of trades lasting weeks or even months, things usually happen during the course of one day, and even sometimes in a matter of minutes.
Because of this fast paced environment, there are many people who become interested in Forex day trading every year. The lure of fast profits and heart pounding action means there will never be a shortage of people day trading in the Forex market.
If you are new to Forex day trading, then it is important that you are aware of the finer points of what makes a successful trader. The number one reason for failure among newbie Forex traders is lack of knowledge.
With this in mind, here are some Forex day trading tips to get you started in the right direction.
In the world of Forex day trading, stop losses are a vital part of an overall winning strategy. The market can be extremely volatile at the best of times, with large swings happening when you least expect them.
If you don’t use stop losses on your trades, then a quick fluctuation in currency prices can leave you with huge losses. It’s these type of losses than can be mentally hard to recover from, especially for a newbie Forex trader.
The Forex market currently has hundreds of different currencies available for you to trade. If you are to stand any chance of making consistent profits using Forex, then it is essential that you take the time to educate yourself on only a select few currencies and countries.
Having this kind of familiarity with only a small group of currencies and countries will allow you to make more informed decisions on the right trades to make.
A big mistake that many newcomers make is to risk too much of their total trading funds on any one trade. In order to protect yourself, it’s a good idea to look at Forex day trading with a long term view, which is why you shouldn’t risk more than 2 to 5% of your funds on a trade.
Lots of traders go broke risking the majority of their money on that one hot tip which can’t fail. This is a gamblers mentality, which will only lead to disappointment.
Because of the large swings and unpredictable nature of the market, it’s very easy to get overly emotional when day trading Forex. Unfortunately, when people get too emotional, it almost always leads to bad decisions.
Remember this: Forex day trading is a long term pursuit. Some days you are up, some days you are down. It’s the traders who religiously follow a proven strategy that prevail in the end.
If you took a big loss yesterday, don’t feel that you have to make it up today. Just stick to your plan and follow your head, not your heart.
Do you need a Broker to Day Trade?
If you are involved in day trading on a regular basis, then you are no doubt aware that enlisting the help of a quality day trading broker can mean the difference between success or failure.
Some day traders believe that they no longer need a day trading broker, due to the range of software now available to assist with every little detail of making trades. While this might work for certain individuals, the vast majority of people still find it extremely beneficial to have a broker on their side.
Put simply, a quality day trading broker can offer expert insight and guidance that a piece of software can’t. Most brokers have many years of experience to draw upon, and often pick up on the small things that many other people miss.
It’s for this reason that a day trading broker can be the most powerful tool that you have in your arsenal of weapons.
Finding the right person or company can be tough though. Here are a few points to consider when looking for a day trading broker.
Understand this: no two day trading brokers are exactly alike. Every broker will have their own unique approach to working with clients and calculating which trades to make.
Before enlisting the help of a broker, it’s important to choose one that has the right approach which fits with your overall day trading strategy.
For example, some of the larger brokering companies, may have a large client base and have no real specific strategy for day trading. On the other hand, you can find a smaller brokering firm that only deals with a small number of clients and focuses only on one way of day trading.
Before hiring any day trading broker, you must consider what your end goals are. As mentioned before, every broker is different and has their own unique style, and this style must fit in with your overall day trading plan if you want the partnership to be a success.
Make sure you ask a day trading broker as many questions as possible before you decide to hire them. This will give you a better feel for what their strengths and weaknesses are, and how they view the day trading market as a whole.
Don’t just blindly hire the first day trading broker that you find. Instead, be prepared to do a little research first so you can find out what other people are saying.
Forums and blogs are a great way to get a feel for a brokers reputation. Many times there will be people who have had first hand experience working with a particular day trading broker, and they are usually only too happy to give their honest opinion, whether it be good or bad.
If you are mostly coming across negative reviews, then this is a sign of a problem, and it’s probably a good idea to stay away and find another day trading broker.
If you want to become a successful day trader, then getting the right information isn’t enough. There’s another part of the equation that many people in the world of trading are missing, and without it they will always struggle to make healthy profits.
So what is this missing ingredient?
Every highly successful trader has built their fortune around building the right habits, and then following them on a daily consistent basis. Do this for a while and the habits become a part of you, and that’s when the profits really start to flow.
Every millionaire trader develops a day trading plan and then sticks with it. They don’t allow their emotions to get in the way, as this would knock them off course, which ends up losing them money. Not good!
Having discipline isn’t always easy, especially when things start going against you. Realize that if you are following a proven day trading strategy then it is the long term plan that you need to focus on.
A common mistake among beginners is to trade with more money than their trading capital allows, which means if just one trade goes badly wrong they will end up broke.
Millionaire traders never risk their trading capital like this, and can always afford to have short term losses.
It can be very easy to get drawn into shiny object syndrome. Sometimes trading can become boring, and it seems exciting to seek action in other markets.
This is a huge mistake, because as every millionaire trader knows, the profits are in what you know best.
That’s why it’s important to find your niche and then stick with it. Learn everything you can about it and gain experience trading in that market only. This is what gives you the edge, and having an edge is what brings in the profits.
Every time you place a trade, you must have an exit strategy in place that clearly defines both the amount you want to profit on the trade and the amount where you are going to place a stop loss.
Learning exactly where to place your profits and stops will come with experience of trading on the market and working with your specific strategy. All millionaire traders understand this, which is why they are able to bring in consistent and reliable profits month after month.
All highly successful day traders spend much of their time constantly reviewing and tweaking their strategy. This is best done away from the computer and once your trading day is over.
It’s during this time of review that your best ideas will come to you, as it gives you the chance to look at your day trading efforts in a detached way so that you can see things more clearly.
Stress is everywhere in today’s world. In the workplace, in the car, and in the family. If that’s not enough, then stress can also rear it’s ugly head in your day trading world, and have a direct impact and your trading profits and losses.
Stress can be caused by many different factors. For example, maybe you are constantly worrying about losing money, and you find that you lie awake at night thinking about things going wrong the next day?
The problem with this kind of thinking is that it only ever makes the problem worse. The more you think negative thoughts, the more you get stressed, and the more you get stressed, the greater the chance of bad things happening.
One way way to reduce the amount of stress that you are currently feeling is to have faith in yourself, your knowledge and your experience.
If you are following a strategy that has been proven to be profitable in the past, then you must stay confident even when things are going against you. Things will eventually turn around, and you will be able to deal with any bumps in the road that you meet along the way, now or in the future.
Something that can build up stress inside of you is when you have to make decision after decision constantly throughout the day. This can lead to your mind becoming numb and a feeling that you are going to explode.
This is caused by making too many trades throughout the day, and the best way to overcome it is to reduce your trading frequency.
Ask yourself if you really need to make so many trades? If the answer is yes, then maybe it’s time to start looking at a different trading strategy, where the the focus is on quality and not quantity.
A lot of people follow day trading strategies where they are always looking for “home run” winners.
The problem with this way of thinking is that the wins often take a long time in coming. While you are waiting for the big win, it’s natural to become tense, worried and stressed, especially once the small losses start adding up.
Instead, it might be a better option to follow a strategy that focuses on high probability signals, which results in smaller wins…more often.
If you conduct your trading activities from home, then it is very easy to slip into bad habits.
One of these habits is staying up half the night and then not getting out of bed until lunchtime. This often leads to feeling like your whole life revolves around trading and it becomes hard to think about anything else.
It can be a good idea to try being an early riser to overcome day trading stress. Doing this, may allow you to finish your trading day by lunchtime, which gives you the opportunity to play a relaxing game of golf or meet with some friends in the afternoon.
This helps to get your mind away from day trading, so you feel fresher and have less stress the following day.
It doesn’t require much capital, tools, or knowledge to get started as a day trader. In fact, if you’ve got a few thousand dollars in savings, have some simple software, and have the most basic understanding of how trading works, then you are ready to take the markets by storm.
Because of this low barrier of entry, many people enter the world of day trading completely unprepared. They think that overnight riches will simply pour into their bank account while they just sit back and relax, while maybe doing a an hour of “work” a day.
Unfortunately it doesn’t really work like this. Sure, day trading can be a rather simple business once you gain experience and start to understand what works and what doesn’t, but in the meantime you are going to have to be prepared to put in some serious hours.
In this article, we are going to take a closer look at some of the best day trading tips, that will help you reach your financial goals faster than you thought was possible.
You are going to learn from your day trading mistakes much quicker if you make it a habit to keep a written journal on a daily basis. It’s a good idea to make your journal as detailed and accurate as possible, almost as if it’s a snapshot of your entire thought process.
For example, include things such as the reason why you decided to make the trade, your profit target, your stop loss, what you would have changed if you were to make the trade again, how you felt during the trade, and ultimately why the trade was a success or failure.
Try to be as specific as possible and completely truthful, as doing this will make you into a better day trader…guaranteed!
In reality, the majority of day traders spend almost all of their time day trading, and very little of their time analysing the trades. The main reason for this is that they want action and excitement, and don’t want to bog themselves down in study and theory.
Successful day traders approach things a lot differently. In fact, it would not be far from the truth to suggest that they spend as much as 90% of their time analysing the markets looking for profitable trades.
The remaining 10% of their time is reserved for actual trading. At the end of the day, trading is all about predicting what a stock will do, and you can only gain a real insight into this once you do your homework and gain real knowledge into the factors of what makes a stock go up or down.
It might seem strange, but another day trading tip that many experts swear by, is to always focus on your losses and not your wins. What this means is that when your thought process becomes too focused on “how much can I gain?” it usually leads to you taking silly risks.
Understand that if you are following a proven day trading strategy over the long term, then profits will come naturally and consistently, which means you should be more concerned with limiting your losses.
This doesn’t mean that you have to become a fearful day trader, it simply means you are looking to protect your trades so you don’t end up breaking the bank.
There are some traders who don’t use day trading charting software, but not many!
Basically, charting software is a way for you to quickly analyse the current information about your market, so that you can identify trends and patterns.
Sure, you could get this information without the help of software, but it’s going to take a lot more of your time. Instead, it’s a much better option to learn how to read the different types of charting software now, so that in future you can get all of the day trading inside information within a few minutes.
There are lot’s of different charting software programs available for you to use, with some of the more popular options being Sierra Chart, Esignal and TradeMaven.
Best of all, the majority of programs come with a trial offer, which means you can take them for a test run before parting with your hard earned cash. Then, once you find the programs you feel most comfortable with, you can pay for them and then have access to day trading tools which will pay you many times over what you invest.
Day trading can be volatile at the best of times, which means you need to be using the “EPD” formula to keep bringing in consistent profits, despite what is going on around you.
So just what is this formula? Well, it’s 3 traits that every successful day trader possesses, and if you want to follow in their footsteps, then you should make it a point to focus on all of these traits.
Quite simply, you must avoid day trading with high emotion. Things don’t always go your way, and getting emotional is something to be avoided whatever happens.
When you trade with emotion you make bad calls, which can only lead to losing money in the long term.
Ultimately, there are a lot of shiny objects in the day trading world, and a trader without patience is going to end up distracted every few minutes. Don’t let this happen to you.
If you were just a normal investor, then you would have days and even weeks to make up your mind about where to invest your money. Unfortunately, you are not given this type of luxury in the day trading world.
Sure, a certain amount of analysis is needed in day trading, but once you have gotten enough information to make the trade, then it is all about making the decision. Failure to follow through will never get you anywhere. | 2019-04-20T03:17:41Z | http://www.ipodrecoverysoftware.com/page/2 |
Here are some stats that Most of us already know and most Dealer Principles and GMs may already know. But let’s give it another read because this is important to your business.
Not all buyers use the same criteria to choose a dealer or are influenced by the same dealer experience and sales processes.
According to the Foresight Research 2013 Dealership Report, Taken from UCN News, based on a study of 7,543 recent U.S. new car and truck buyers, experience with a brand drives most purchases.
While 17 different automotive marketing communication channels are analyzed in this study, none are more influential to the purchase decisions of new car and truck buyers than the dealership experience with the exception of prior brand experience. Forty-nine percent of all buyers this past year report that their dealership experience was highly influential to their decision to purchase the vehicle they did.
The average new-vehicle buyer today is older (nearly half are over age 55). They are also wealthier and experienced with the buying process. Dealer reputation and relationships are key to this group.
Younger buyers (many of them first-time buyers) bring a narrower set of expectations into their buying process. These buyers want and need dealer assistance, but one out of four say their dealership experience took too long.
Buyers aged 35-54 (representing 37 percent of current buyers) reflect a mixture of their younger and older counterparts. Like younger buyers, they are very concerned with getting a good price/deal, and financing options. Yet like older buyers, they have high expectations of their dealer experience.
So let’s think about this. This means that the people on the front lines and by this I mean the salespeople, including those in the BDC department, Service Writers, Parts and Body Shop Departments. Now why did I just refer to all these people as salespeople?
Because they all better be. These are the people that are selling you, your services and products and if they don’t know how to sell and how to treat people-your losing a great deal of business.
So why do a lot of you think that you can get these people on the cheap and expect great results. You pay a lot for your marketing and other vendors services and hopefully they are doing the right things.
But these employees I just mentioned are your most valuable asset and you are not going to get or have the right people on the cheap. I showed in one of my last posts a dealer who was paying top dollar and getting top results. These stats just gave me the opportunity to maybe shed more light on my mission to prove my point.
You can hire consultants to train, train and do more training and give people all the tools in the world to do a job but if you don’t have the right people your just wasting your money. And by the way what are your managers doing?
You need consultants who know how to get the right people in right the positions first Which means consultants who have proven themselves on the front lines and in the trenches who can find right people you need. And again, what are your managers doing?
If you need to hire consultants, (And again what are your managers doing), find one who is going to weed out all the non-performers and who is hired by and who is looking out for you the owner and not the management that may be the root of your problems.
A lot of good salespeople and managers have already left the Automotive Industry because the good ones can perform in any Commission Sales Industry and are going where they can be rewarded for their talent.
There are those who would like to commoditize the Industry and have store clerks waiting on people. But I can tell you that if this happens there will no longer be room for the Small and Medium Size Franchise Dealer.
By having the right people you don’t need to train them because they’re professionals and are driven to perform. So if you take all that money you pay to train and get no return from and put the right people (Including Management) on the front lines- you will not only save most of the money you spend on consultants but realize that the ones on the front lines are your real ROI.
There’s no denying that in sales, talent is a key differentiator. The same goes for pro athletes. The majority of your “A” players are talented. They hold themselves accountable and have the competencies required for success. However, even the most talented will fail if they're put in the wrong environment. Even the best NFL quarterbacks. Today’s post is about how Sales Ops can create conditions that enable success.
How well have you created conditions for sales success? Find out by downloading the Sales Performance Conditions Scorecard here.
Ultimately, sales success is about making the number. Many variables influence making your revenue goals. Overall strategy, go-to-market model and product suite are essential. So too are having the right talent, structure and head count.
Sales Process: This is your playbook. Is it aligned with the buyer, adopted in the field and reinforced by your “coaches”?
Territories: The field of play. Are territories designed to maximize growth balanced with efficiency? Are you holding back performance based on territory design and assignment?
Compensation: Akin to a pro athlete’s salary. Is it competitive and geared to keep your very best? Is it synced with your strategy and driving desired behavior?
Quotas: Your most important player statistic. Are your quotas attainable and reflective of current performance and market potential?
I’ll illustrate the importance of these conditions using a sports analogy with the NFL.
Aaron Rodgers is a quarterback with the Green Bay Packers. He’s considered by many to be one of the best NFL quarterbacks playing today. The Packers are also one of the greatest NFL franchises ever. With the right game plan, coaches, supporting team, trainers and equipment he’ll remain elite.
What if Rodgers’ receivers and running backs all decide not to follow a scripted play? That’s like having sales reps create their own sales process. Without a huddle and playbook, you get no predictable activity, cadence or alignment. Without a sales process, some of your “A’s” may improvise. However, to raise performance broadly, you need an adopted and repeatable process.
Great quarterbacks use the entire football field. However, their real “patch” – where they maneuver the most - is the backfield. How would Rodgers perform if his “patch” was much worse than competing quarterbacks? If his backfield was filled with gopher holes and boulders, he would fail. Give your very best reps the very worst sales territories and suffer the consequences.
Design territories that are efficient and take untapped opportunity into account. To do this right you have to conduct account segmentation. Update the analysis annually and make adjustments. Assign the highest potential territories to your best reps. They will thank you for it and perform.
Rodgers’ current total pay will average about $19 million per year. Among the highest paid QB’s in the NFL. Consider if Green Bay had a pay policy that capped him at $5 million. Still a good chunk of change but he would opt out. He would get paid more by the competition.
If your compensation plans aren’t in line with your competition, you lose talent. Don’t kid yourself – great sales people are like “free agents”. They expect to get paid what they’re worth. Benchmark the market regularly to see if you’re competitive. Reward strong performance.
Incentive pay is a lever that must align with strategy. Suppose Rodgers was paid an incentive every time he threw an interception. Crazy, right? Well, no different than paying incentives misaligned with your core strategy. Pay sales well for results that reinforce the strategy of the company. Align the two or you won’t get the desired behavior.
Here’s one last parallel to consider regarding quota setting. Assume Rodgers was told to double his pass completions this year to make his incentive. In addition, if Green Bay traded all their best receivers, would Rodgers make his “quota”? It would be totally unrealistic to expect him to double his performance. Quotas must be attainable. To set them appropriately requires looking at past performance and opportunity potential.
Setting the right performance conditions for your team is complex. It requires your foresight, analysis and execution. You need support from executive management. It demands a team approach. It’s much more than just making analogies to NFL football. How well have you created the best conditions for sales success? Use our Sales Performance Conditions Scorecard to begin your evaluation.
It’s not too early to start now in preparation for 2014. You could wait but you run the risk of losing your “A” players. You’ll miss the number. Success begins with setting the right performance conditions. Move the ball downfield.
When you think of sales, do you think of pejoratives such as pushy, sleazy and dishonest? Most people do.
Yet in “To Sell Is Human: The Surprising Truth About Moving Others,” Daniel H. Pink contends that most of us, regardless of job title or salary structure, are salespeople.
Sales, broadly defined, means moving people to action, which people must do well to be successful.
This “non-sales selling” doesn’t involve a purchase—it simply means persuading, influencing and convincing others. Not only does this comprise 41 percent of total work time, according to an international study with 9,057 respondents that Pink paid for, but people say it’s the most productive use of their time.
While only one in nine Americans works in sales per se, the other eight are selling others on learning chemistry, on using new media for marketing, or on exercising more.
What Pink calls “EdMed”—healthcare and education—has a large sales component. This is the biggest job sector in the U.S., with more workers than manufacturing, retail and professional and business services, and projected to grow the most.
Some of Pink’s advice is supported by conventional wisdom but not all; Pink draws heavily upon sometimes surprising social science research.
“Attunement” is the first thing we should learn. If we don’t understand others, how can we hope to persuade them?
It’s about getting into their heads with perspective as well as hearts through empathy. Powerful people are prone to losing touch with others’ perspectives. So paradoxically, reducing one’s power or becoming humble is a must.
Mimicry helps. If you subtly mirror another’s gestures, you will seem more in tune, but if the other person senses your mirroring is staged, he or she will be turned off.
Surprisingly, extroverts don’t make the best salespeople, but neither do introverts.
What works best is being an “ambivert,” which is most of us in the middle of the bell curve. Extreme extroverts are often awful listeners and can be pushy, while an extreme introvert can lack initiative and the ability to close a deal. Ambiverts who can tack back and forth between extroversion and introversion do better at attunement.
If you think your failures are “permanent, pervasive and personal,” you lack “buoyancy.” Those who bounce back, says Pink, attribute rejection to circumstances: it’s a slow economy, he’s having a bad day.
Positive emotions are contagious, so when negotiating, taking a friendly tone and smiling works better than being adversarial, despite what’s portrayed in movies. Your positive emotions (gratitude, interest, contentment) should outnumber negative (anger, shame, sadness) by at least 3-1 but not going over 11-1. Too much risks detachment from reality—not taking responsibility for what one can control and learning from failures is important.
It’s less important to motivate yourself with clichés like “I’m the best” than to simply ask, “Can I do it?” A question opens you up to problem solving and boosts confidence.
Today people often have all the facts at hand—they just need help applying information. For example, maybe you thinks you need a better presence on Facebook when you’ll find more leads elsewhere, or maybe a bad website is actually holding you back more than your social media strategy—redefining the problem to better meet goals is what standout salespeople excel at.
In this paradigm brainstorming trumps quick fixes and the successful sellers are the ones who take the time to develop relationships and understand their clients.
“Pitching,” “improvising” and “serving” are three tactics Pink highlights for putting your skills to work.
Every sales pitch, Pink shows, can be put into each of these formats.
The final suggestion, in what I consider the takeaway of this book, is to be a server, not a taker. Don’t “upsell,” which is a “detestable” word; “upserve,” he exhorts. Treat everyone as you’d treat your grandmother. Rethink the idea of sales commissions.
Advances in technology are giving dealers the tools to directly market through their own websites, Social media, etc. and within their geographic area to increase floor traffic at their location. Once there they must have the confidence in their sales force to get the job done.
A good sales management team knows their market and has the tools in house to know what is selling for them and how to effectively control their inventory. My question is why are dealers paying big money to let companies come in and tell them how much to sell and/or buy their vehicles for and what vehicles to buy to increase sales. What are you paying management for? One day I overheard a rep from Autotrader tell the preowned manager that he needed to lower his prices to get better results.
That preowned manager bucked the trend of lowering prices to compete online. - And guess what- average grosses in his department were much higher than the average and his total unit sales were improving. Number one that is why you have a “good” sales staff and “good” finance people for and number two you can always come down in price but I never heard a customer say a price was too low.
Dealers should work with a marketing company who is going to help them drive traffic and not try to run their company. The bulk of dealerships sales are still made within their geographic area and that is where they should be focusing.
Face-to-face sales interactions are typically viewed as the most valuable activity by Sales Leaders. 5 years ago they were right. Nothing was more important than executing in the trenches. But during those times, the trenches were out in the field. In this post we will explore how the trenches have changed. Today, getting in the door is more difficult than executing face-to-face sales calls.
Today your sales people have multiple product specialists, overlays, and management support. But these resources don’t engage until they get in front on someone. The vast majority of training is focused on selling once you are face-to-face. But buyers are much more informed today. This fact makes getting in the door more than half the battle.
The primary differentiator of today's top Sales Rep is the ability to prospect. This could be prospecting for new business or different buying centers within existing customers. Both are difficult. Both are where the potential is. Managing a relationship or taking orders from existing customers are table-stakes. Opening new doors is a unique and difficult skill. Few are really good at it.
We have captured 5 modern prospecting best practices from top performers. Download this tool to rapidly improve your prospecting results.
I recently had a discussion with a Sales Leader about his team’s ability to prospect.
I asked what skills he was referring to. He couldn’t articulate their prospecting strategy. He basically told me they should make cold calls and “beat the streets”. I then asked how they make phone calls and what their success rate is. He gave me a blank stare. "What do you mean? They call and explain who they are and why they are calling. Then they ask for an appointment."
As shocking as this example may seem, it is the norm. A majority of sales people are terrible at prospecting. They call the same buyer each week hoping something has changed. They open a phone call with what their company provides. They knock on a door and leave a business card. The success rate using outdated methods and poor messaging is under 5%. And Sales Managers wonder why their people aren’t prospecting.
Why do sales people inflict so much pain on themselves?
Approach the right doors - some doors aren’t worth approaching. Is your sales team focused on customers with the highest potential to buy your solution? Or do they call on low value prospects and saturated customers? Clearly define your target audience first.
Buyer Centric Messaging - have you ever had a feeling that an advertisement was meant for you? It may have been 1 out of 100 advertisements. The goal is to make every communication speak directly to your buyer. You should understand them so well they think you have their job. Speak directly to the buyer’s fears, objectives, and personal wants.
Use Social Listening – understand what your buyer cares about. Is there a better way than watching their behavior first hand? This works whether using social prospecting, email, or phone. Your buyers will give you the answer to the test and you aren’t cheating.
Refine Writing Skills – produce succinct, clear, and compelling copy that drives an actionable response. Think of how many more emails you send than conversations you have each day. We communicate via the written word much more frequently than orally. Yet we focus most of our time on improving oral communication skills. Your prospects spend more time reading about you than listening to you.
Incorporate Social Prospecting – LinkedIn is not a clogged channel. Email and the phone are. You can use relationships to get access to buyers. Using social is more effective and less painful than cold calling.
Use this tool to spread these best practices across your sales organization. Prospecting can be enjoyable and effective if approached correctly. | 2019-04-19T16:27:18Z | http://obbauto.com/autospeakstraighttalk/?tag=Sales |
The increasing importance of the management in the Art Industries has focused the attention on the fundamental role of economic skills, but in order to manage a cultural organization a manager has to pay attention to other non-economic abilities.
Everyday newspapers and media talk about the renewed interest in culture and tell about new possibilities to make up a business in the cultural sector, but they rarely explore the qualities that are required to be a good and trained cultural manager. Arts Industries, that are a part of the larger sector of CCIs (for more details about CCIs ), are a field in which management’s soft skills and attitudes as entrepreneurial, leadership and intuition are as important as managerial issues.
This article describes the role of Arts Industries and the role of managers in the creation of value. The importance of cultural management is recent achievement, but in a brief period, this profession has reached a high consideration in the CCI sector .
In the first paragraph, the article describes the role of Arts Industries and the role of Cultural managers in the process of value creation, focusing on the double goals that Cultural managers should aim at: the quality of the cultural proposal and the need to create economic sustainability for the organization they’re working for.
Paragraph two introduces the kind of values that Arts Industries are able to produce. These are both economic and social, because culture can influence not only business, but also communities and territories.
Last paragraph of the article concerns some examples of Art Industries and CCIs that have been able to create profits and jobs or social inclusion and social development.
CCIs are an important part of our productive system and finally, after years in which their potential has been largely underestimated, this strategic sector for the Italian market is taken in consideration by the institutions. By time, the CCI sector have been distinguished in several sub-areas defined in concentric circles of belonging and also the European Commission have tried to communicate, with a specific paper, the possible spillovers of CCIs .
Yet, the cultural industries have the vital role to create contents, which are used as input by creative and non-creative industries in creating products of value. The role of the Arts Industries and of those who work in this sector is to stimulate the desire for knowledge, the people’s interest and the will of re-elaborate, showing that there are different ways to create product and service of value. The cluster of CCI is an opportunity to create an economic and working growth for a country that makes of the culture and talent its raison d’etre .
The application of the digital revolution to the cultural and creative sector has allowed a renewal of the management and organization system of a sector, which showed widely its limits. The cultural characteristic of the Arts Industries concerns a consumption more purely “symbolic” that in made of its products: a person buy a book, a videogame, a ticket for a show primarily for its intrinsic value of content rather than for its material value. Culture and creativity are based not on the material aspect, but on the idea, on the mind-set, on the talent that allowed the creation of a song, a design object or a film. The difference seems minimal, but it has to become obvious especially at the eyes of those who have to know how to manage organizations of this type, based on value that we could call immaterial .
From an economic point of view, the immaterial value of CCI produces jobs and generates profits: for example, in UK during 2014 CCI generated a value of 84 billion of pounds (over 94 billion of euro) and employed 1,8 million of workers . The Arts Industries are actually a chance of development for the Italian cultural and economic sector, but to become truly such important, it is necessary that the focus of cultural organizations in placed on management and its successful features. Future developments of CCI will not concern a leaving from the humanities, but rather a mixture a mutual influence between different sectors such as economic, artistic and scientific .
The only knowledge of art history, or economics or computer science will not be enough, managers will need to have cross-sectoral skills in order to communicate with their employees and with people who have different backgrounds. To have success in such new way of working and operating, the work environment will allow a profitable meeting: art and its experts will not close in a rejection of the unknown world of economics and the latter, in return, will be forced to interact with a world of values that are not strictly numerical and economical .
The cultural managers have to learn how to talk to these two souls: the passion for the culture and the expertise in administrative management aspect. Arts Industries have the ability to influence numerous types of value, among which is necessary to enumerate economic, cultural and social values. The aim of CCI, in fact, has to be the profit (and in the case of non-profit organization the economic sustainability of the project), but at the same time they have to guarantee a cultural value of their products. On the other side, Arts Industries have the possibilities to create wealth in the communities in which art and culture become a mean of livelihood. New jobs and cultural activities in the urban pattern are the major contribution of CCI in the post-industrial era .
The cultural management is more than the application of the theories of management to the CCI. The management is the sum of innate and especially acquired abilities, necessary to govern and run a business, organizing the human, material and economic resources that are available. Many might think that once someone have acquired the necessary skills, it doesn’t matter what kind of company he has to manage. If someone is able to handle a type of organization, is he able to manage also other types? No, he isn’t, because we don’t have to underestimate the complexity of each work environment and especially those in the cultural field .
The approach to cultural management should not be defined only as a will to produce profit, it is necessary also to understand the real cultural value of the project in order to not ask too much or too little from the possibilities of the organization. On the other side, the importance of the economic factor poses no doubts: the cultural institutions should not only aspire to survival. They should aspire to increase their revenues. Nowadays, the cultural offer competition from other European and World capitals has become increasingly fierce: the duty of the manager is to fully understand the weaknesses and the strengths of his company, making sure to seize the opportunities that the market can offer .
A problem that the Arts Industries managers have to face is about the paternalistic aspect of the Italian culture and its consequences: the lack of accountability. The accountability is an opportunity because it allows a greater responsibility and a reflexion about the company opportunities, it creates a relationship based on a mutual trust with the public and finally allows to attract the interests of the investors. Moreover, accountability can create a major efficiency, because it allows management to understand the eventual problem of the company and helps them to find the right remedial .
CCIs, in order to create economic and social values, have to measure their impact in the communities, because only a company that measures its direct and indirect contribution to the society, it’s able to declare a real economic and social impact. The Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), an organization that aims to measure the sustainability of companies and businesses, created standards in order to report economic, environmental and social aspects. Some standards of the GRI Index can be adopted in a medium cultural or creative organization. Probably, the major difficult for cultural managers is to measure indirect economic and social impact on the reference community, but experience and academic research assure that it’s possible to observe returns in some areas as capital, income, tax and tourism.
The cultural activities in a district are able to increase the value of real estates, the presence of visitors can enlarge the sales of shops and part of their income flows into the tax revenue. This reflection is also applicable to the tourism and to the possibility to create a territorial brand that is able to attract tourists. From the social point of view, some strategies are able to estimate the social well-being derived from cultural activities. One of the most used is the Social Return On Investment.
These are just some brief ideas that demonstrate the importance of accountability. Managers that works in the Arts Industries and in the CCIs need to understand the incredible value of accountability and it’s their duty to create a culture of accountability in the cultural sector. This field, more than others, is characterized by indirect implications that are an integral part of the product offered. For example, the indirect economic and social impact of a festival are a vital part of the festival itself and managers can’t ignore this fact .
Managers, in fact, need to measure and they are well aware that data are a resource: data allow to make predictions and to develop ideas. Culture has never felt the necessity to measure results and the consequence is clearly visible: the low level of private investments because of the lack of effective knowledge of the performance of the sector .
In Italy, culture and economics are often considered two different and incompatible world, but the implications that culture is able to generate also in the economic sector are massive. Cultural managers have and will have increasingly to look to other productive sectors: culture is, in fact, inter-sectorial and consequently CCIs are able to integrate themselves in numerous value chains. The value chain of CCIs, in fact, derives from two important restraints: the Italian cultural heritage, resource for new creativity and culture, and the education and training of human capital, a strategic action in order to transmit creativity to future generations.
The key point of the CCIs’ value chain are conception, production and marketing. These characteristic of the value chain are able to make CCIs a fundamental surplus value, both economic and social, for other types of industries. The conception stage, in fact, is a creative step and also the production phase requires the translation of the creative ideas into a commercial good or service.
Finally, the marketing needs creativity in order to generate new channel of promotion and distribution. The value chain of every industry is somehow related with the creativity that derives from culture and education. The development of CCIs is able to create a virtuous cycle of growth also of other productive sector . CCIs are an opportunity but we need skills obtained from different fields in order to create a real cultural and creative compart and not just some excellences in a system that limps.
Arts Industries need professionals with managerial skills that are able to analyse a company’s balance sheet, building business plan, knowing how to manage the various implementation phase of a project, planning time, costs and revenues. It is necessary to not improvise, but there is the requirement to set down a method and goals to achieve, by measuring the progress of the path .
Yet, in many cases, managerial skills begin to be taken for granted within the CCI. However, the qualities that could be called entrepreneurial are not equally present in many organizations. Especially, knowledge and intuition allow to take important decision and to assume the risks of those decisions. Risks that can go from a short-term goal not achieved until the failure of the company itself. The contemporary world has taken particular characteristics and the context in which we live and work has been defined by some experts with the term VUCA, acronym of Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity and Ambiguity.
The challenge that a context of this type provides every manager is to begin, pardon the pun, to have the courage to risk of developing a risk appetite. These words do not aim to invite all managers to become gamblers, but they are necessary to convey the importance of learning also from failures. For those managers who have met the challenge of the failure, the American context coined the expression “twice-born”. Steve Jobs, for example, was a twice-born .
Then, we can’t be afraid to try. Italy, about it, should abandon the atavistic fear of failure, seen more as a personal defeat and a lack of leadership than as a series of coincidences and negative events. Finally, the leadership has to be another essential feature of CCI’s managers. An Arts Industries’ manager, in fact, has to be able to convince and lead not only those who have an economic background, but especially those who have explicitly humanities skills.
In order to do that a manager will prove to be driven not by a paternalistic behaviour, but from the desire to manage at best and to convey to the audience the cultural value of the company’s products or services . We are not inviting managers to ignore the profit, but we are simply recommending an approach appropriate to the circumstances in which CCI operate. If Arts Industries work enhancing the contents of their products and services, at the same way the managers leadership towards their assistants should be based on shared values, both economic and cultural.
The manager has to set targets for himself, for the organization and for his employees; he has to review the organizational and decision-making process in case of problems or uncertainties; he has to include human resources, of whom he is responsible, in the planning phase in order to increase the participation and mutual trust .
The cultural manager has to be able to combine an economical and managerial approach, typical of a scientific training, to a humanistic approach, typical of the arts and culture world. Only a proper balance of the two areas can lead to success the cultural and creative industries and their workers.
The aim of Arts Industries, in fact, is not only cultural or economic, but it is a balance between two different and complementary souls. The only economic boost can cause the loss of cultural value of a product or a service, while the only cultural leverage is not sufficient to achieve a profit that ensures the survival (in the most unfortunate case) or the organization’s growth.
The introduction of a mentality and an attitude based on economic footprint within the cultural sector is no longer a hope but a certainty. The CCI have to demand the same space and the same prospects of growth and attention that are granted to other Italian industrial sector.
The Arts Industries should not be considered again a future prospect, but as a present certainty, that deserves appropriate development policies. From their point of view, cultural and creative organizations have to obtain two specific aims: the quality of the cultural proposal, ambition of everyone works as a professional of culture, and the need to respond to market’s demand, without altering their being.
Only willing to accept the supply and demand market, without having to rely on the public funds, the CCI can find the real raison d’etre and create the necessary independence to be able to really produce substantial impacts with their actions and projects. The challenge for the cultural managers is the development of the ability to turn creativity and passion in a long-term project, with strong foundations and aimed to an economic return .
In this sense, no longer the artists, the creatives or the players have to chase the limits imposed by available resources for activities, but it’s the management that has to confront every day with the need to drive the creative impulse toward forms of business. Cooperation, flexibility and response capacity will be necessary to deal with adversities and the actions of the managers will be driven by the ability to translate a reality in profound changing. The CCI’s manager has to be a creative person himself, he has to be an integral part of the ideation process and not just the one who chooses on which market and to what audience propose the product. Management has to develop from a science and become art and creative production .
In Italy culture is a kind of “welfare ante-litteram”, it is wellness because it stimulates the well-being and therefore helps to live better and allows the development of thoughts, ideas and creativity. A stimulating environment, full of cultural, historical and artistic references is the best context in which develop proposals and projects . Only the CCI that are able to read the close connection between culture, territory and communities can create value for themselves, for others and to improve their range of products and services.
Cultural and creative industries have among the main objectives the creation of economic value and the generation of profit. There are numerous examples of companies that were able to deduce from culture and creativity the strength and the motivations in order to create new occasions of business. In every story, the abilities of the founders has been the courage to believe in the potential of culture and traditions and the passion for their job.
An example of creativity, crafts and culture comes from the society the “Oca Bianca e altre storie”. The company deals with the creation of images of angels in plywood and in 2015 were produced over 14.000 objects, distributed through the branch e-commerce and trade shows. The idea of this business was of the founder and it came from the farming tradition of using the dried corn leaves to create decoration and ornaments. The culture of a territory and its traditions, united to intuition and determination have allowed the company to create its own business area and to provide jobs for six professionals, to which are added other seasonal employment contracts. The story of the Oca Bianca is an excellent summary of how CCI’s managers skills should include creativity and courage to take risks, in addition to market knowledge and the necessary tools to be able to build its own market niche.
In this case the artisan culture, product of years of experience and passion handed down from generation to generation, is the culmination of a project of marketing and communication developed by a start-up called “Italian Stories”. The company had the insight to create a network composed of a number of atelier and workshop disseminated widely throughout the country. Italian Stories proposes guides, visits and work experiences for tourists and people interested in living the experience of the artisan profession. The ability of the creators of this business is contained on the understanding that only an offer based on a wide network of laboratories and an effective storytelling can attract the curiosity of all those tourists in search of emotions and experiences from which to gain knowledge and fun.
The brilliant idea of a student of the Politecnico in Torino has been the creation of a web platform on which allow students to upload and download class notes and summaries. The company holds a 20-30% of the price fixed for each black of notes and from 2011 to 2014 students registered in the site have become a million. The initial investments of 1000 euros for the creation of the first platform has led the company, which has more than 10 employees, to invoice almost 250.000 euros in 2014. The idea that allowed this business takes culture to create an economic return, it promotes the exchange of ideas and opinions among the various costumers of the website and it encourage a horizontal diffusion of knowledge.
Who said that the CCI should only concern fields like ICT or consulting services or design. Where is the tradition and the culture of an ancient craft, such as beekeeper, there may also be creativity and genius. The culture of a territory with an ancient agricultural vocation, the study and personal skills can give rise to innovative activities, maybe not in the method, but surely in the approach. In 2010 the owner of the company, in fact, thanks to a loan of 35.000 euros, decided to acquire beehives and machines in order to start a production of a new type of honey, left to age in barrels of French wine. In 2011, the business had a turnover of 8.000 euros, but after three years is already nearly to 200.000 euros. The creativity that come from the knowledge of traditions and culture of an area can be applied to all sectors, even those that appear more static.
If there is one area that needs to live constantly in culture and creativity, that is the tourism in art cities. The case of Tomato is an example of how the right ideas are the basis for business that is able to make an adequate financial return. Thanks to a small loan of 60,000 euro from the province to redevelop a part of a historic building in the district of San Salvario in Turin, the owner of Tomato manages to create an innovative hostel for holidays dedicated to sharing experiences. In 2014, the occupancy rate maintained always above 85% and the activity obtained 215,000 Euros. Italian cities are cultural attractions that need to be valued and on which everyone can bet if he has ideas and creativity.
The creation of value is not only economic, but it can also be related to the desire to create social cohesion within communities. Culture and creativity are often carried out by active citizenship projects and recovery of urban and social fabric. The value of many projects has to be measured on the impact that generates on the territory. Management skills can make the difference especially in activities that are developed from the bottom, because they are necessary to guarantee the survival and the continuation of culture activity for the well-being of the community.
The music has definitively a high component of creativity and culture and the Orchestra Senza Spine has understood these characteristic by creating a youth association of social promotion that aims to improve social inclusion and social development projects. From 2015 the Orchestra has its fixed place in the “Mercato Sonato”, a place provided by the city of Bologna as a part of an urban regeneration project.
The associative consortium Officine Solimano consists of three associations active in the fields of cinema, theater and music. The signed agreement with the municipality of Savona has allowed the recovery of a former industrial structure and the creation of a cultural space open to the community. In 2015, the associations held 325 days of shows for a total of 885 events, the operation allowed the creation of 11 permanent job and other 15 non-permanent and in three years the Officine have hosted 117.000 spectators.
The Napolixenìa project aims to the restoration and the re-appropriation of the monastery of S. Nicola from Tolentino, granted on an extended free loan to the association Altra Napoli Onlus. The intention is to create a place of culture and hospitality through the enhancement of the local heritage, the construction of tourist and commercial activities and the creation of jobs for young inhabitants of the Spanish Quarter.
The culture is often participation from the bottom and this is the case of Retake Roma, a NPO active in the fight against degradation, in the enhancement of public goods and in the support to street art as a cure against neglect. The association prepares an annual social report of its projects and of its activities and engages in training and education to the respect in schools.
The experience of the Friche Belle de Mai (Marseille) teaches that from the recovery of former industrial sites in order to create cultural projects and activities, may be born creative and innovative ideas. In this space there are 70 associations and 400 between artists and creative people, and every year more than 300,000 people come here to watch performances and to have fun.
These are just some of the many examples that show the ICC as a tool for the creation of both economic value and entrepreneurial activities, and as a means of conveying more strictly social and community values. The strength of these projects lies surely in ideas and intuition, but without a good organization and without the necessary managerial skills, intentions of this type would fail very soon. Their flourish, however, shows that the management applied to the culture can really create employment and wealth even in a long-overlooked area as that of culture.
Cerquetti M. (2010), Dall’economia della cultura al management per il patrimonio culturale: presupposti di lavoro e ricerca, in Il Capitale culturale, Studies on the Value of Cultural Heritage, pp. 23-46, Macerata.
Siepel J. Camerani R. Pellegrino G. Masucci M. (2016), The Fusion Effect: the economic returns to combining arts and science skills, Nesta.
Monti S. (2015), Futuri culturali: una visione prospettica, in Collezione da Tiffany.
Galloni C. (2011), L’impresa di parlare di impresa culturale, in Tafter Journal.
Caust J. (2010), Does the art end when the management begins? The challenges of making ‘art’ for both artists and arts managers, in Asia Pacific Journal of Arts and Cultural Management Vol 7, pp. 570-584.
Napolitano M. R. (2015), Valore della cultura e cultura del valore. Riflessioni per il futuro del Bel Paese, in Il Capitale culturale, Studies on the Value of Cultural Heritage XI, pp. 371-393.
Bernabè M. e Monti S. (2014), The notion of accountability and its usage in the cultural sector, in Tafter Journal.
Monti S., Bernabè M., Casalini A., Polveroni A., Quadrelli F. (2015), Cultural accountability. Una questione di cultura.
Monti S. (2016), Verso un’industria della cultura, in Collezione da Tiffany.
Emanuele E. F. M. (2015), Aspetti di gestione di un’impresa culturale, in Arte e finanza, Edizioni Scientifiche Italiane.
Agusto G. (2007), Creatività e gestione nelle imprese culturali, in Tafter Journal.
Spata V., Masi A. (2013), Definizione e sviluppo del Marketing Culturale, in Lo statuto dell’opera d’arte, Gruppo 24 Ore, Milano, pp. 13-37.
Trimarchi M. (2014), The value of culture. Neverending debates need views and tools, in Tafter Journal. | 2019-04-23T11:54:31Z | http://www.tafterjournal.it/2016/11/15/arts-management-industries-and-value-creation/ |
Audio = Stream from the bars below in two parts. The first 12 minutes of the audio stream contains Kyroots that are not on the video.
[1:51 Epilog. Solicitation for "Index Prohibitorum" (words not to be used).
Ordinary people are not wired up to distinguish between, or connect, their internal consciousness and their external assumptions of what is going on in what they feel to be the "out there." As always, there are two apparently different views available to ordinary humanity, which I will illustrate -- but I am skating around something else, and we are about to hit a wall of words.
There are many people who operate on the assumption that there are indeed externally tangible good and evil forces in conflict. Yet these people cannot distinguish between or see the need to connect this externally observed conflict with their own internal conflict. On the other hand there are many, existing simultaneously within the same body of Life, who believe the externally observed struggle to be a reflection of a struggle within Man. They assume that this is simply a protection of the internal struggle between their id and their odd -- between their consciousness and their non-consciousness. At the ordinary level these two groups or views might be regarded as a distinguishing line between those still tied to the past and those more "up to date." Thus, the quite common notion: "Some of us are contemporary in our views, but a lot of us are just plain backward."
Neither of these binary views will suffice for the Real Revolutionist. Once again Life has had man go too far or cut him off short of the mark. The two views I've described are two-thirds of a tripartite balance that is unrecognized.
My equation, "I + Not-I = Everything" cannot be understood without seeing the distinction/connection between inner consciousness and the assumption of external reality. Distinction/connection should really be one word, because they are not opposites.
It is impossible for an ordinarily wired person to feel anything other than a struggle going on between decency, or good, and anti-decency, or evil. That is why This Thing can never be evangelized. Every nervous system on this planet, feels this conflict -- internally and externally.
If your nervous system becomes less than fully active at the current level, the feeling of conflict disappears. You can do this by taking in alcohol or lowering your consciousness by withdrawing from or denying something. It can happen through a physical accident or a frontal lobotomy. If you lower consciousness far enough, you'll have no sense of good and evil. Without an operative Yellow Circuit you have no sense of right or wrong. Unless the nervous system is activated up to the point of Yellow Circuit consciousness, there is no internal conflict -- no more so than in a dog or a gopher.
Consider my equation again: I + not-I = Everything. My two words distinction/connection are mutually exclusive, apparently. They are opposites and yet I am putting them together.
If I had a gun aimed at the whole world and forced them to discuss my equation, half the world would find it not to be true. They would say, "Now wait a minute. That doesn't make any sense at all, because there is no real distinction between us and "out there." We are responsible for what we do to other people. You're erecting an artificial distinction." The other half would say, "That's correct; in fact, you've got the 'I' and the 'not-I' too far apart. You should push them right up against the plus sign. I know I've been abused and misused all my life. Why, people can just ruin another's life by a word or a look. Whole nations can ruin one another."
Under ordinary conditions, back at the City born level of consciousness there is a continual inability to see any distinction/connection between what's going on in you and what's going on out there. Consciousness cannot even take into consideration that there could be a distinction between or with everybody continually. The connection/distinction is part of consciousness, and there is no way to stop the merry-go-round and say, "Ok, everybody! Jump off and look!" You cannot do that because consciousness does not operate in that manner.
There is a flow going on throughout my equation -- the plus sign might as well not be there. It is a misnomer, a misdirection. It is an addition, a separation, a combination of separation and cohesion. It is a combination of distinction and connection. There is not, contemporaneously speaking, a majority of humanity believing the "mind" is totally influenced by what goes on in the "out there." That is not the predominant voice currently, so it does not seem as valid as the other view. The view that out there is simply a reflection of the projection of "in here," seems to have more validity, but it's of no consequence, it does not answer or explain anything. One view runs all the flow of information in one direction.
If all the information flows in one direction only, it's as if you send a rocket off and never see the explosion. You would be playing Noah, sending your little bird of ignorance off, saying, "Go bring me some knowledge." The bird says, "Fine," and leaves and you never see him again. There you are seventy nine years old, still waiting for the bird to return.
If information flows in one direction, there is no loop, no access for retrieval. If you are dealing with what seem to be facts, and it only goes in one direction, what do you expect? You are continually waving Mama off on the train, and she never comes back. You are waving her off by such things as, "Hell, I went through school, it cost me four years and twenty thousand dollars to get through college." You're waving goodbye. "Look at the way I treated that woman. I was so good to her for years." Wave bye bye. "Look at what I put up with in that man." Bye bye. "Look at all those years I spent taking dope and reading strange books." You're waving bye bye.
In the 3-D world, the opposite of something that is flawed is also flawed. Consciousness cannot natively deal with this. It will tell you that evil is definitely flawed, and the answer to the flaw is good. If something starts out with warts and you turn it over, or inside out, it has dimples. It is a four-dimensional fact that the opposite of anything that starts out deficient is also deficient. It is an unanalyzed belief that the evil or false is flawed and therefore to be avoided in favor of the good or true, which would be perfection. But that is physically impossible and, to see it requires a trans-dimensional consciousness.
Remember, I am not talking spiritually or religiously about good and evil. As long as the limit of your consciousness is that the truth is the complete rehabilitation of the false, as long as you believe there is such a dichotomy -- you're wrong. I am talking not about good and evil, true and false, but the forces that run the world, for which there are no names. I just give them temporary labels: East, West and North; C, D and E; X, Y and Z.
The forces are such that as long as you continue with only a binary sampling, you can only be conscious of one of the two possibilities. Instead of good and evil, right and wrong, true and false, how about, "How will I behave in this situation should it arise again? How will other people act?" One way always seems preferable to you, particularly concerning the actions of others. "They are going to tell me no! But the opposite would set things right. I would be happy, and closer to my goal if they said yes." If No is flawed, Yes is also flawed.
I want you to consider again my statement regarding dreams. If any dream you have can be specifically formulated, it can never happen. You may dream, "Oh, if I could just one day be standing outside Carnegie Hall, playing my kazoo, and the man in charge would walk out and hear me and say, 'Oh, my god! a prodigy!'" Your dream cannot happen. No matter what the picture is, whether it's you suddenly becoming famous for your painting, or your outstanding facial beauty, the picture can never be possible. You can never achieve it. You will never realize it. If you can describe it you can't have it. You cannot do both. I am describing a scientific fact. If you can begin to get a grip on it you can take it as an Operational Directive -- that is, the Revolutionist has damn few plans and aims that he can discuss.
Everyone is wired up to believe they have been hurt and misused, that life would be better if there were a few things in the past that could be undone, some crimes that could be unwound. "I wish I could say something to my mother and father to make them forgive me for something I've done!" If you can formulate it specifically, to your satisfaction, it can never be. If you can get a grip on that, it will explain many, many things.
Insofar as the discussion of plans are necessary in the City, they are, from the view of This Activity, another veil for a kind of cowardice. As long as you can say, "Well, what I really want to do with my life is thus and so and such and such," you have marked out another place where you need not make any effort.
City people effectively hide cowardice behind a wall of words. This has a real distinction/connection with excessive talk about plans and dreams. Even when people are apparently talking about the past they are still talking about the dreams, "Well, the dreams won't be like what happened in the past. If I could undo the past, then the dreams would come to be." But the more specifically you can talk about something, the less it can actually happen.
I assume you see some of the humor you are surrounded by in the City. People will pay thousands of dollars for courses teaching them to visualize and describe exactly the kind of lover they want, all the way down to the exact color of Ferrari they drive. But all of their dreams are impossible. Even if you actually get the lover or the Ferrari, the feeling you formulated about it will never happen. It is a physical law -- you cannot achieve it.
I want you to direct your attention to the fact that nobody likes a reformed anything. At certain levels in the City there is a crude awareness of this, once it is pointed out. The obvious example is that of the reformed alcoholic -- the one that gets drunk, kills his wife and kids in a car wreck, and then apparently undergoes a drastic change. He becomes an adamant non-drunk. If you place this reformed drunk with another person, the reformed drinker is going to talk -- he has to -- and within a matter of minutes whoever he is talking to has had enough. Nobody likes a reformed anything. There is a crude awareness that something is flawed.
Although there is this kind of suspicion of a flaw, humanity in general cannot learn from it -- there is nowhere they can go with such suspicions. There is information seeping out in Life's body: Whenever somebody is apparently acting in a flawed manner, such as an alcoholic, there are immediate voices that renounce it. "It's not good for your health. It's not good for society in general. It's self destructive." But the opposite of the analyzed behavior is flawed as well, and this is why there never seems to be any certainty in the City. If you turn on the news you hear, "Recent tests show that a Type A, aggressive personality, long known to be responsible for a higher risk of heart attacks, is apparently also responsible for a higher chance of surviving those heart attacks."
In the City, there is an unending string of commas; but they are not willful commas like I use. Every time Life has some field, such as biology or physics, apparently make some great stride with a resulting new answer of some sort, what happens? "Well, it brought up a brand new question we didn't even suspect." Of course, those that are operating in that part of town, that is, in the domain of the Yellow Circuit, don't get upset. Bakers get dough on their hands and farmers step in you know what. Intellectuals step from one hole to another. But to consciousness in general, it seems as though nothing can be depended upon.
Consider again my example of the "new information regarding type A personalities." The opposite was not the opposite. There cannot be a closed loop of information. If Life is to continue growing there cannot be any certainty in the City. You cannot go out to the great Canyon of the Cosmic Truth and holler, "What is it?" and wait to hear the answer.
What remains unrecognized is the automatic belief that anything consciousness can see as being questionable, worthy of criticism or flawed, must have a solution. And the solution is always, "Turn it over." "If you're a drunk, quit drinking." That's obvious, but if you have a corn with warts on it and you turn it over, you have a corn with dimples in it.
In the City you can apparently treat things but you cannot cure anything. "When are we going to get down to the real causes and stop dealing with the symptoms?" Never. Having plans, in a Revolutionary sense, would be beyond discussion, even with oneself. Too Much talk ends up producing a minute sense of duty. Thus, many parts of Life's body believe they smell a flaw in those who are serious and vigorous proponents of some belief system.
There is a sizable part of humanity that wants nothing to do with those who passionately evangelize or promote some position or idea, religious, political or otherwise. "Yeah, I heard what you said when you handed me your pamphlet, and I've got no complaint with anything you said. But there is a flaw here somewhere." There's a flaw everywhere. Every human, every group of humans, every institution suffers from transient systemic anomalies. Try that! That sounds a lot better than saying we are all flawed. If you're human you suffer from transient systemic anomalies -- they come and they go.
A sense of duty, is related to talk by an inverse ratio. By "talk" I mean not only what you say to others, but also internally what you say to yourself about This Activity. I am speaking only of quantity -- the wrong word could be too much.
I have described the "look method," wherein to see what is really going on one simply looks around. But I should add to that the "stand aside and look" method. You have to get outside the immediate, magnetic field of the hard wired nervous system to really look.
In the City there is no such thing as a "look method." If I suggested the method to ordinary humanity the response would be what? "What the hell do I do with it? What is there to see? It's all confusion, it's all running amok." Everyone has transient systemic anomalies. Everyone is apparently screwed up. You have got to at least step aside from wherever you are. If you remain captive of the binary flow of distinction/connection, with only one-half seeming pertinent, you will continue to believe that things can ride off into the sunset and actually return with the information you want. People say, "I'd like to study the workings of my own mind. But where do I start? It's like I'm living in an infinite river and I can't find one stone on which to step." You have got to learn to stand aside and LOOK.
I'll give you a slap in the face shortcut. The whole idea of the difficulty in knowing oneself is not correct. Ordinary consciousness cannot approach this in the manner I will describe, but here it is: To know yourself, whoever you are, all you must do it stand aside and look at everyone else -- and there you are. This is more dangerous than a truth: it is a correctness.
Notice that I said Everybody. You've got to stand aside and look at Everybody else; and you can see everybody in about 10 or 12 people. There you are. Knowing yourself is a fait accompli, a piece of sweet potato pie. It's yesterday's news, honey! In the City, they would take this as some sort of allegorical message, but its not. There is nowhere else to look, there is no mystery or secret lurking in dark places. There it is and there it is! That is self-knowledge.
I should stop and applaud Life for another wonderful instance of misdirection. Humanity continues to believe that to know oneself one must study oneself, notwithstanding the fact that this has never gotten anyone anywhere. Life seems disinclined to even let some ordinary smart aleck call it a bad joke. Everyone will salute the "know thyself" flag when it rolls by. But you can't wave Mama bye bye on the train and be Mama.
I have mentioned that everyone involved with This Activity should absolutely do the best you can. I will add, you should absolutely do the best you can and then forget it. In every possible area, absolutely be the kindest, the most considerate, the most honest, you can be, and then forget it.
In the City, if I tried to convey this information of absolutely do the best you can, then forget it, there would be three responses: "Yeah, I agree with that," or, "Yeah, I've heard that, but I don't agree with it," or, "Yeah, I've heard that but it's meaningless." Any of those responses would be proof that the speaker could not absolutely do anything. If you could absolutely do anything, you could forget it. If you could absolutely be as nice as you can, you could forget it. Even if someone said to you, "Compared to my Uncle Charlie, you're not all that nice," it would not affect your forgetting it. If you accepted such a comment it would show that you were still in the City, where everything is flawed, where everything operated by contrast and there can be no agreement.
In the City you cannot absolutely be anything: If you could absolutely be a type-A personality, you would absolutely have the world's most astounding heart attack. You would have a heart attack to be written up in all the journals. Then, you would make the world's most astounding recovery. You would have a heart attack that would scare the wits out of any doctor alive and in 30 seconds you would bounce back up, ready to play football. Or, you would be able to absolutely be as nice as you can, and if people didn't like it, you could say, "To hell with you," and that would be the end of it; although you would not necessarily do it verbally.
There is misdirection in my saying "as nice as you can" because, in the City it seems open to all types of interpretation and discussion regarding circumstance and conditions. But to absolutely be anything is not open to discussion or conditions. You can't even put words on it. If you can absolutely do something, you transcend anyone's world of reason, and are not bound to such questions as, "Why did you do that? You were acting real nice and then, right in the middle of it you just walked out. It's irrational. It's illogical." You would be free to do whatever it is you do and then walk away from it. Whatever it was, you then treat it with the same respect as you do parsley.
Although ordinary people cannot do that, you can see reflections of it in literature and movies. Commonly, they are known as heroes: some figure who seems to be capable of doing something and then simply walking away. Somebody crosses them and the hero pulls out a gun, shoots the offender and then gets on his horse and leaves, without apparently giving it another thought. There has always been such heroic figures in literature and mythology. Such actions cannot happen in Life in any widespread manner: Life would essentially have landed on one foot and remained there. It would be as though Life let its breath out and you realize, "Hey, that guy isn't going to inhale again!"
I always hesitate using this, because it is almost too sticky, but if you found yourself in a situation that called for aggression or hostility, you would still have to be able to absolutely do it and then forget it. To do this, a new, non City bred molecular structure is required. The ability to do it absolutely is impossible in the binary world. In the City, if it is absolute, it is dead. The only person you can trust in the City is a dead man. A dead man is the only person who can have an unchangeable opinion.
If you could take the term I started out with, "distinction/connection," and to use metaphysical terminology, squish it all up together, you would be close to "absolutely." In a sense, you would have distinguished and connected all possible foregrounds and backgrounds with all possible peripherals. There would no longer be the difference between the nice and the un-nice, the yes and the no. You no longer simply distinguish between or simply connect, you do both. You have got to see that energy flows both ways.
If you only have a choice of two things, remember, neither one of them is correct; because the one that doesn't seem correct, even if you turned it inside out or reversed it, would still be flawed. Instead of waving Mama goodbye on the train, suddenly you are on the track, the train is right behind you and you can't get off. Do you think that you would be in better shape that way -- running the rest of your life, with that train right behind you with Mama yelling, "I'm here! Come back! I'm here!"
Try to remember that at the ordinary level of human awareness, energy flows in one direction. If it were possible to reverse what seems to be flawed in you, or in Life, the reverse would be equally flawed. If you can formulate the flaw, you can formulate the cure, but then even that would be flawed.
You ask, "Is there no hope?" There is more hope than gets used up -- it just lays around. What to keep hoping for is to find some people to use up some of the hope. Of course, I mean "hope" in another sense -- that is, "Is there no real information?" How do we escape such a quandary?" Do you have no molecules that aren't currently being used for some profitable purpose? Take your time to answer that -- don't rush into it. Okay, now rush into it. All your little molecules are useful? All of them are talking to you on their little cellular phone and it is all for your direct benefit? They all exercise and try not to be hostile of critical? They all run and eat well? They do all that; do they? Well, I sure would like to meet you, although not enough to actually meet you. Because I know that almost certainly you're going to want to tell me about it; and as far as I am concerned, that would ruin the whole thing. | 2019-04-26T03:37:54Z | https://www.jancox.com/jan-cox-talk-0312 |
A great collection of soft and hard-cover titles... our book selections cover Sampler History, Stitch Diagram and Instructionals, wonderful needlepoint and cross-stitch projects, Finishing techniques... just so many things! Enjoy some of the titles we carry in the shop!
Totally yummy sounding things - some of the Italian designers have metric measurements - you can Google the equivalents! Doug Kreinik put in a recipe that he used to win a Chili Cook-off... but it makes almost THREE gallons! (Ok, who has a pot that big!) Glendon Place has a huge bean recipe that took the entire page. There are so many neat recipes in here, and you'll probably recognize most of the contributors! From super-easy things to super-old family favorites... just fun!
The newest travel Guide for shops across the country is here. It is a 6 x 9 format, 596 pages full of maps, shop listings, hours, product selection summaries, phone numbers and website info.
Perfect for a road trip because over 5000 shops are listed and referenced by highways and cities.
JCS has a DVD of previous year's magazine editions -- all PDF's -- all searchable -- a totally great deal! Check that out as well.
The newest Mega-Directory has arrived -- it centers around Quilt shops, but actually encompasses TONS of related shops -- like The Silver Needle! Glossy, colorful pages -- 432 of them -- jammed with 1000's of ads for shops all across the US and Canada, there is also a very comprehensive section on Retreat Facilities!
Everything mapped out for each state, besides the yummy ads, there are listings of every single shop they could find in each state -- whether or not that shop purchased an ad in here -- so it is FULL of glorious information!!!! It is 8-1/2 x 11, and weighs 2-1/2 pounds!!!! It's a Road Trip Bible!
Webmaster's Note: Put your mouse over each image to see its season and year. It will help you pick the ones you want.
No color key to complicate, and just one motif per page... it's simply fun to page through, and imagine that I will stitch them all someday! 100 Pages, spiral bound, 7 x 8-1/2 inches in overall size.
WOW... this is an AWESOME 158-page book with over 750 hand-drawn motifs to embroider on anything! It INCLUDES a CD of every image in the book that you can RE-SIZE and PRINT for any project!!!
Darling stuff in here... it's divided up into subjects, and each 'chapter' has a colored pic of some of the motifs stitched... great inspiration here.
Subjects cover: Made in the USA, Food, The Craft Room, Tools, School Days, In the Kitchen, In the Garden, Around the House, The Great Outdoors, By the Sea, Animals, Plants, Frames and Borders and Alphabets. There are instructions for stitches in here, as well as using the CD. Beautifully presented! A definite YES to your stash!
This is a publication by Leisure Arts that contains over 200 Iron-On-Transfers for regular embroidery -- the kind you do on pillow cases and dish towels.
Birds, butterflies, the Zodiak signs, some cute floral and animal borders... there are motifs in here that remind me of South America, Mexico, our Southwest, a couple of small seasonal things... and then 8 different alphabets.
Mix and match them all to decorate denim, T-shirts, bags... just anything!
This is a neat book, and you should buy it! (There it is in a nutshell!) It is a 120-ish page book full of line drawings of the 50 US states, and all sorts of lettering and motifs special to each state. By Indigo Junction's Amy Barickman, it begs for your creativity! Ready to be traced onto fabrics for embroidery... possibilities are endless.
A *Retro* personality to this... how neat would it be to teach a young stitcher basic embroidery with this? If you are traveling this summer... and you are going out-of-state... do pillow cases with motifs of the states you are visiting! If you go camping... it's a perfect momento! If you take a summer vacations somewhere... make kitchen dish towels with embroidery on them to celebrate your trip! If you have a camper -- maybe you have room for a cute stitched pillow in there? This book is your helping hand!
I stumbled across this book that features 30 contemporary projects for Folk Art inspired designs -- all done in traditional embroidery stitches! It is fresh, colorful, young and just fun! It's crewel embroidery -- stitched with embroidery floss on just about any fabric you want.
The book has 125 pages of stitch diagrams, patterns and pictures of 30 different projects that are so NOW and CUTE! Bags, dolls, pillows, ornaments... you can finish everything in here any way you want! Browse through it, choose a project, the instructions are very good. Bright colors, very *Retro* on personality!
Another enchanting book I have stumbled across recently, this one features over 70 cross stitch floral motifs mixed into 20 different samplings and projects. Fresh, clean, contemporary, and elegant, the author, Kazuko Aoki, is a popular Japanese embroidery artist who now lives in Sweden and writes embroidery books! Her style is clean, petite, colorful, and realistic.
This is a very pretty book filled with luscious close-up photographs of the stitching, and very clear, inviting charts! Reminds me of the Danish Handcraft Guild look and Gerda Bengstrom, as well! 109 pages of sheer Cross Stitch delight!
OK... sure, you can use these stitches to stitch something *Island-y*... but actually these titles are mis-leading. These little books are meant to suggest stitches that you couldn't be without if you were stranded on a Desert Island!!! (honest!) Needlepoint Gurus Carole Lake and Michael Boren have compiled this pair of handbooks that feature TONS of different stitch ideas and suggestions for different areas of your canvases.
Volume ONE deals with stitches that are good for filling into small spaces in your design. Volume TWO presents 'serving suggestions' for creative borders. All sorts of ideas for all sorts of projects, these two offer advice all the way through the pages along with clear diagram repeats of the stitches. Handy little references to have... even if you are NOT stuck on some Desert Island!!
WOW... how can the industry's most treasured periodical get better? You can have them ALL in one place, where you can FIND and enjoy them!!! 16 Years of magazines, 16 years of gorgeous samplers and incredible articles about needlework and its history... they are all here in this tiny box!!!
EVERY PAGE of every issue from 1991 to 2105... fully searchable PDF's and printer-friendly charts you can sort and browse by issue, designer, words or phrases... it's intoxicating!!!!! Nothing else needs to be said! You NEED this!
All in PDF format, printer-friendly charts, even the old advertisements! Something totally fun to peruse... it's just like reading a novel. You don't have to STITCH any of it... just enjoy the adventures each page brings! This now finishes the JCS Library -- 3 CD's of past issues and 1 of all the Annual Ornament Issues.
Now we have The Halloween Collection: The 4 Special Halloween Collector Issues 2011-2014.
Just Cross Stitch Annual Ornament Issues on DVD!
Here are the past 17 YEARS of the Just Cross Stitch Magazine Christmas ornament issues -- all on one searchable, printable DVD! I think it's like 1275 ornament designs in pdf format(!) Every page of the issues, it's actually pretty overwhelming!
You probably have some of the paper copies, but here is everything together, so beautifully presented. What a fun thing to take along on a stitching trip!
Presenting the Just Cross Stitch Magazine Archive DVD of 1991 through 2000!
Ever gone nuts trying to find a design in one of your old magazines??? Just Cross Stitch has just finished archiving its third DVD of 10 YEARS of JCS Magazine! Including every page of every past issue published between 1991 and 2001... the words *Nostalgic, Vintage, Heirloom and Retro* come to mind... along with Oh My Gosh!
This particular DVD even contains the ORIGINAL 1997 Premier Annual Ornament Issue. Lots of designs that have been the property of the magazine, and not the original designers, all three of these DVD's have been done beautifully. The discs feature fully searchable PDFs and printer-friendly charts. WAY COOL!
Announcing Just Cross Stitch Magazines PAST 10 YEARS ON DVD!
Wow... talk about a great deal!!! Just Cross Stitch Magazine has compiled and organized their PAST 10 YEARS of magazines -- including their annual Ornament Issues -- all into PDF format on one DVD. Including *every page of every issue* of Just Cross Stitch, each magazine is searchable and printer friendly. Browse everything by project, (like a particular sampler series you remember) or by subject (like Cats for instance).
Most of us have some old magazines in boxes somewhere... but now you don't have to go searching through all your stuff... EVERYTHING is here on one new, clean, gorgeous DVD!!!!! Charts, Pictures, even all the old ads -- which at this point might be fun to reminisce about! We figure this includes approx 84 full magazine issues -- so it's a real good value!
Here is another in our really cool collection of European Christmas book by RICO. Absolutely the most charming sets of designs, this offers ornaments, table cloths, wreaths, runners ... you can finish any of them any way you want. The motifs are mostly small and then put together into larger projects.
The pictures in the little 6 x 9 softcover 112 page book are awesome, beautifully done and full of inspiration. Tiny Santas, reindeer, holly springs, a little fox and lots of pine trees, there are so many cute things in here. DMC color coding, pretty shading of the colors, and lots of things worked into corners and diagonals -- on the bias. It's one thing to chart a cute stocking and quite another to chart it on the diagonal! Anyway, as with all the rest of this series, you will be enchanted!!!!!!!
Quite the complete book full of stitching information... I love these kind of publications because they are amazing to page through, and you just don't want to stop!
This book explains the techniques of choosing threads and stitches for painted needlepoint canvases -- to bring the designs to life via your needlework. Even though it addresses canvas -- LOTS can be applied to linen stitching as well!!!
Besides the beginning pages of really good design lessons, there are 24 pages of descriptions of threads from 32 different thread companies, and then 55 more pages of stitch diagrams of 275 stitches!!! Just a little bit of info to digest!!! A great book!
64 Pages of reindeer, olde world Santas, stick pine trees, snowmen, birds and a sled full of presents.
Predominant colors in this book are reds, some green, lots of brown and cremes.
64 pages of a full tiered tiny tree, rocking horses and gingerbread cookies, The Three Wisemen, CHARMING angels, , NUTCRACKERS (very hard to find!) and even a Merry-Go-Round!
I have a set of tiny wooden angel ornaments that are all playing musical instruments -- I've had them for almost 40 years... and I'm sure these charts are of THOSE angels -- because they are wooden ornaments from Germany -- where these books are published! Just lovely!!!!!!
40 Pages. Darling little folk art angel people, snowmen, a trio of really pretty stylized evergreen topiary trees, monochromatic reindeer and checks -- inspired by coverlet designs -- and little Santa-people, as well.
So much red, taupe and cream color -- wait till you see the finishing ideas and the photos on the pages!
A darling skinny Santa in here... lots of taupe reindeer, some little chicks with striped stocking caps, and more taupe-colored skaters... there is a tree pattern in here that is stunning! It is simply small circles and snowflakes all tucked into a curvy tree shape -- very contemporary and sleek -- stunning! 40 Pages.
44 pages of cute stuff!!! This one has tiny ball ornaments and wrapped gifts, pine greenery, a row of solid pines, super-stylized reindeer, gorgeous flowing holly with partridges, even a silhouette of Santa and the reindeer in the sky.
All smalls in this book... you can put together everything in a million different ways.
I'm not sure how to describe this book... but it sure is AWESOME!!! I think it's French in flavor, because all the authors and photographer have very French names. Inside... it features cross stitch motifs, and tons of line drawings for embroidery and primitive stitch. Everything in the entire book is stitched in one color -- there is a green section, red, blue, white and pink... 230-ish pages of lovely pictures and clean, fresh, young and some 'Paris-y' designs!!!
Lovely finishing ideas, charming designs... it has over 1000 different motifs inside. Little dogs, lacy borders, florals alphabets, nautical, kitchen, baby, cats and birds... this is one of those books that shows you something different each time you page through it! Enchanting!!!!!!
Joan Elliott has a new book -- 52 pages full! -- of novelty alphabets! Each features a chart for the Capital (upper case) letter... and the entire alphabet of matching lower case letters. Darn cute... you get Redwork, Gardeners, Christmas Folk Art, Puppies, Kitties, Tumbling Teddy Bears, Harvest, Pirates, Fairies, and Art Nouveau.
Cute alphabets... we suggest 'em to make bedroom door signs to keep TRESPASSERS *out* of 'un-welcoming' OTHER bedrooms!!! Your kids and grandkids will love what their name looks like! Offered as the book.
Here are *excellent* books that are stuffed FULL of different alphabet fonts. Not at all new... just publications you may not have seen... that are definitely worth a mention!!!
Ok... here are 300 MORE stitches to execute on canvas and linens... for the true-stitcher-at-heart! Ruth Schmuff and Kathy Holicky -- kind of 'big-guns' in the needlepoint industry have compiled a whole new batch of stitches, and diagrammed them for you on their new CD. Searchable by type of stitch or name... you could get carried away with this using your needle and thread... or with simply the clip art images!!!
Think about creating stitch guides for your next sampler! Think about making stitching stationery, by using these stitch diagrams and shrinking them down to put on note cards or place cards, or gift tags, or signature plates to attach to backs of framed pieces! Who says 'ya gotta stitch' everything in your stash!!!??? Perfect, lightweight reference for your laptop and stitch bag! CD number one is available below.
A brand new book by Meredith Bamhill Willett and Beth Robertson, this is a beautiful publication printed on super-glossy paper and stuffed full of awesome, clear, pretty and current pics! The book delves into textured stitches that are used on canvas and linen. 28 Pages of fabulous, creative applications for both threads and stitches... I'd never heard of Faux and Cork-Screw Bullions, Sorbello Stitches, and Detached Woven Picots -- and when you see the up-close pics of what the different threads do for the stitches -- you'll be amazed!
The color pictures of thread and stitch applications are all fresh, 2005-ish projects -- I hate to open stitch books that show projects that look like they're 25 years old. These are fresh, current applications, with current threads. For instance, I know that Flair by Rainbow Gallery ravels like the dickens. This book shows an application for hair that features that raveled fiber!!! You can even shade it! (Who knew!?) Very, very nicely done!
Simply the best hardanger embroidery instruction book on the market, this has continued to sell year after year for us. Janice has written this book starting with the most basic of hardanger information, added great diagrams and photos, given you "Points for Perfection," left-handed instructions as well as right-handed, and an entire section of photos and instructions entitled: "Oh My Gosh... What did I do wrong, now!?"
Simply the best instruction book around, it'll walk you through the entire process, beautifully! 52 Pages.
The sequel to Basics & Beyond, this book goes deeper into the specialty hardanger stitches. It includes lacy edge instructions as well as 22 other hardanger embellishment treatments. The diagrams and photos are very clearly explained, and there is even clip art included, so you can cut and paste your own hardanger designs together to create a masterpiece! An 'absolute to have' if you're a hardanger fan! 60 Pages. | 2019-04-26T00:10:42Z | https://www.thesilverneedle.com/countedcrossstitchbooksnovelsandsoftware.html |
Machine translated chapter 171 of Bringing The Farm To Live In Another World light novel.
Chapter 171 Thought of the means Zhao Hai frowns said : „such looks like, the Carrion Swamp there issue was very difficult to solve, if did not have 9th level Expert, we want to penetrate in Carrion Swamp to use energy, how can this handle?” Green also frowns said : „matter truly is very hard to deal with, a equivalent to 9th level Expert flower, big pile of protection beasts and Undead Creature, wanted to solve is really too difficult, was right, Buffy, your time entered Carrion Swamp, brought Space equipment? Has not brought Space equipment, what do you eat?” Buffy said : „I have not brought Space Equipment, these time goes to Carrion Swamp very dangerous, in Clan will not allow to bring Space Equipment, eats to does not need to be worried that although said plants and animal in Carrion Swamp, is poisonous, so long as looks for some toxicity not too strong eating, was thinking means Detoxification to be OK, after all has plenty Magic can Detoxification.” Green nodded, Buffy this saying said to is right, his 9th level big Magician, what although specialize is Wind element Magic, but Magic of other departments he will be impossible not, like Water element Magic and Light Element Magic, has plenty can Detoxification, but general Magician will also be able some Detoxification Magic, to help dealing with emergency requirement. Buffy to Carrion Swamp here, has not brought Space equipment, he cannot long time does not eat thing, that naturally can look for some toxicity low plants or Magic Beast eats, then in Detoxification, this naturally will be he will not starve to death, cannot poisoned. Green they have not made the entanglement in this issue, now most important, must solve the Carrion Swamp there problem, the Zhao Hai that eats they were not worried that has Space, even if Zhao Hai takes into Carrion Swamp these slaves, simply does not need to eat worrying. Several people in the villa, will frown to think these matters that Buffy said that although Buffy said are not many, but that Flower City was most important this point Zhao Hai they could affirm, but the issue was, had found the key of issue, did not have the means solution. Some little time, Merine looked that the people really cannot think, stood said : „to be good, do not think that many, I thought that this matter put first, Buffy, a while with some papers, passed by the terrain picture to come out your this all the way, where rested also the picture came out, like this after us, entered Carrion Swamp also to have an basis.” Zhao Hai nodded said : „right, cannot think in any case now, first do not think, Meg, your a while to Buffy with some papers and pens, making him come out the route picture.” Merine complied with one, turn around has given Buffy to take the written records.
Green said : „, now first do not think that this, I looked Young Master can make Drunk they come back now first, delivers some plants and Magic Beast to Young Master comes back, so long as Young Master Space promoted, that all said.” Zhao Hai also nodded said : „well, that first makes Drunk come back, when they came back, having a look at Space can Level Up to any degree, so long as Space can Level Up, that be easy to do.” Green nodded said : „, actually must say really that Space is not a attack ability does not have, like that seizing function and bat function, has strong aggressiveness, 9th level Expert like Buffy cannot block, is putting the insect in addition, puts mosquito these functions, the Space ability is also very strong, but these time goes to Carrion Swamp there, the just by these ability quite insurance, we are not careful the plan the line.” Blockhead suddenly said : that at this time quite a while had not spoken „Grandpa Green, Young Master, otherwise we made Imaginary Beast Hawk bring Young Master Staff to fly toward Carrion Swamp, like this we can evade majority of attack, so long as that Flower City there, we have been able to know the there situation, if really cannot resist with all one's strength, immediately/on horseback drew back also and that's the end.” Green they, as soon as listened to Blockhead saying that gawked, was two eyes one bright, Green was said : „this arrives is good means that Young Master, did you look?” Zhao Hai thinks that said : „this means are truly good, that place that so long as Buffy said that how we can know the situation, moreover now Space can also in establishing fixed Transmission Point, before I had not constructed, wants to keep the place that is having a look at to have needs, such that if can say like Blockhead, directly carries on that Flower City , to can construct Transmission Point in there, we on, but entry momentarily to there, in momentarily came out.” Green has stood, walked two said : „I to think this matter on the ground, we went to there to have a look at the situation first, there matter sooner or later must solve in any case, established Transmission Point in there, not only can let we better understanding there, made us many a hiding place.” Zhao Hai nodded, Green this saying said is very right, their although has Space to hide, but Space is not the long-erm place, but Stony Mountain there, with Black Wasteland here, so long as comes 9th level Expert, they must hide in Space, if some day they really have exposed the status, that Black Wasteland here Stony Mountain there is unsafe, when the time comes they can only hide in Space. However in Space cannot stay a generation, they also need one more covert, safer foothold, but where does not have, compared with ominous outside, Carrion Swamp security that 9th level Expert does not dare to enter friendly.
Merine called her with a smile, to Merine said the words that just they spoke, one hear of Merine said that Meg has also smiled, but her actually said : „I to am think right that the grandfather thinks, this time matter, so long as Young Master acts, certainly can process, we should think after carrion moor there was processed, what to do must.” Zhao Hai forced smile said : „you had the confidence to me, if the Carrion Swamp there matter so were really easy to process, already made the person process, was not on Continent the places of five big ominous place.” Green has not actually cared, but said : „has thought of the means in any case, that must try, Young Master, I look at this, we make Imaginary Beast Hawk bring Ghost Staff to go to Carrion Swamp, but first do not set up fixed Transmission Point in there, first had a look at the situation saying that otherwise this Transmission Point selected on the waste.” Zhao Hai nodded said : „well, that first in the past had a look saying that this, I think us and other time, I they called Drunk, making them defend in Black Wasteland and Stony Mountain here, does not need them to explore the way in any case now, they in these two places, if we had any matter accidentally, can immediately adjust to help them, does not use like the present, but must wait for them to come out from Swamp.” Green shook the head said : „this to not to use, I think us to prepare several days, you made Drunk wait in the place that they are at now to be good first, when the time comes made Imaginary Beast Hawk bring Ghost Staff to fly, can make them enter Space directly, didn't ask them to leave from Swamp quickly?” Zhao Hai has tapped the head, he to this forgetting, yes, so long as makes Imaginary Beast Hawk bring Ghost Staff to fly in Carrion Swamp, quick can find Drunk they, their why being probable makes Drunk they walk from Swamp. In following several days time, Zhao Hai they the matter in Carrion Swamp in full preparation, no matter what, since they knew the key of Carrion Swamp there issue, must try, otherwise Black Wasteland here forever impossible peaceful. Now they mainly and other maps of Buffy picture, although said that they want to enter Carrion Swamp with Imaginary Beast Hawk, but this map needs, Buffy impossible to find Flower City there in one day, he just has not encountered any danger in other place, if he arrived at Flower City there directly, that already had not been hit, that will stay in Carrion Swamp for one month.
Chapter 171 Thought of the means Zhao Hai frowns said such looks like, the Carrion Swamp there issue was very difficult to solve, if did not have 9th level Expert, we want to penetrate in Carrion Swamp to use energy, how can this handle Green also frowns said matter truly is very hard to deal with, a equivalent to 9th level Expert flower, big pile of protection beasts and Undead Creature, wanted to solve is really too difficult, was right, Buffy, your time entered Carrion Swamp, brought Space equipment Has not brought Space equipment, what do you eat Buffy said I have not brought Space Equipment, these time goes to Carrion Swamp very dangerous, in Clan will not allow to bring Space Equipment, eats to does not need to be worried that although said plants and animal in Carrion Swamp, is poisonous, so long as looks for some toxicity not too strong eating, was thinking means Detoxification to be OK, after all has plenty Magic can Detoxification. Green nodded, Buffy this saying said to is right, his 9th level big Magician, what although specialize is Wind element Magic, but Magic of other departments he will be impossible not, like Water element Magic and Light Element Magic, has plenty can Detoxification, but general Magician will also be able some Detoxification Magic, to help dealing with emergency requirement. Buffy to Carrion Swamp here, has not brought Space equipment, he cannot long time does not eat thing, that naturally can look for some toxicity low plants or Magic Beast eats, then in Detoxification, this naturally will be he will not starve to death, cannot poisoned. Green they have not made the entanglement in this issue, now most important, must solve the Carrion Swamp there problem, the Zhao Hai that eats they were not worried that has Space, even if Zhao Hai takes into Carrion Swamp these slaves, simply does not need to eat worrying. Several people in the villa, will frown to think these matters that Buffy said that although Buffy said are not many, but that Flower City was most important this point Zhao Hai they could affirm, but the issue was, had found the key of issue, did not have the means solution. Some little time, Merine looked that the people really cannot think, stood said to be good, do not think that many, I thought that this matter put first, Buffy, a while with some papers, passed by the terrain picture to come out your this all the way, where rested also the picture came out, like this after us, entered Carrion Swamp also to have an basis. Zhao Hai nodded said right, cannot think in any case now, first do not think, Meg, your a while to Buffy with some papers and pens, making him come out the route picture. Merine complied with one, turn around has given Buffy to take the written records. Green said , now first do not think that this, I looked Young Master can make Drunk they come back now first, delivers some plants and Magic Beast to Young Master comes back, so long as Young Master Space promoted, that all said. Zhao Hai also nodded said well, that first makes Drunk come back, when they came back, having a look at Space can Level Up to any degree, so long as Space can Level Up, that be easy to do. Green nodded said , actually must say really that Space is not a attack ability does not have, like that seizing function and bat function, has strong aggressiveness, 9th level Expert like Buffy cannot block, is putting the insect in addition, puts mosquito these functions, the Space ability is also very strong, but these time goes to Carrion Swamp there, the just by these ability quite insurance, we are not careful the plan the line. Blockhead suddenly said that at this time quite a while had not spoken Grandpa Green, Young Master, otherwise we made Imaginary Beast Hawk bring Young Master Staff to fly toward Carrion Swamp, like this we can evade majority of attack, so long as that Flower City there, we have been able to know the there situation, if really cannot resist with all ones strength, immediatelyon horseback drew back also and thats the end. Green they, as soon as listened to Blockhead saying that gawked, was two eyes one bright, Green was said this arrives is good means that Young Master, did you look Zhao Hai thinks that said this means are truly good, that place that so long as Buffy said that how we can know the situation, moreover now Space can also in establishing fixed Transmission Point, before I had not constructed, wants to keep the place that is having a look at to have needs, such that if can say like Blockhead, directly carries on that Flower City , to can construct Transmission Point in there, we on, but entry momentarily to there, in momentarily came out. Green has stood, walked two said I to think this matter on the ground, we went to there to have a look at the situation first, there matter sooner or later must solve in any case, established Transmission Point in there, not only can let we better understanding there, made us many a hiding place. Zhao Hai nodded, Green this saying said is very right, their although has Space to hide, but Space is not the longerm place, but Stony Mountain there, with Black Wasteland here, so long as comes 9th level Expert, they must hide in Space, if some day they really have exposed the status, that Black Wasteland here Stony Mountain there is unsafe, when the time comes they can only hide in Space. However in Space cannot stay a generation, they also need one more covert, safer foothold, but where does not have, compared with ominous outside, Carrion Swamp security that 9th level Expert does not dare to enter friendly. Naturally, this is the last escape route that they prepare, if compelling them to the situation that must hide Carrion Swamp, they did not have the means to stay on Continent. Did Merine knit the brows said like this I feared that Young Master will have the danger, do not forget, Buffy said that flower has the 9th level Expert strength, Green you at that time to Buffy time, does not have Space to protect, had not been seriously injured. Green nodded said this to arrive is an issue, but Young Master can not exit in Space, we went to have a look to be OK, no matter what, Flower City there was also solves the Carrion Swamp problem the key, we must have a look. Right that Zhao Hai nod said Grandpa Green said that Buffy did not say, he did not have attack these flowers time, these flowers did not have attack he, so long as we did not go to attack these flowers on own initiative, should not have any matter. Green nodded said this we to not to need to be worried that at the worst when the time comes Young Master does not exit in Space, we probed, said it, that flower in fierce, he was also only a flower, was plants, Young Master Space is very big regarding the help of plants, if that plants were very intelligent, will not feel embarrassed Young Master. Zhao Hai and Merine they, as soon as listened to Green saying that he he the chuckle, Green looked at their one eyes, frowns said you not to smile, I heard, if plants had mystical powers, often sensitive, perhaps this matter also really had better solution. Zhao Hai smiled said not to have, I had not thought Grandpa Green said is not right, I also feel that stays with these plants in together, comfortable, sometimes can probably feel that their laughter , anger , sorrow and happiness, I think that now the matter also links a point result not to have, our has actually thought of here, he he. One hear of Zhao Hai said that several people have also smiled, matter, matter also not what kind, they have thought of the result, this was not too laughable. At this time Meg also came back, wants to come has given Buffy the paper, making Buffy draw, looked at smiling face of people one face, the atmosphere was very relaxing, her puzzled said grandfather, Young Master, What happened everyoneGreat Clan how such happy Merine called her with a smile, to Merine said the words that just they spoke, one hear of Merine said that Meg has also smiled, but her actually said I to am think right that the grandfather thinks, this time matter, so long as Young Master acts, certainly can process, we should think after carrion moor there was processed, what to do must. Zhao Hai forced smile said you had the confidence to me, if the Carrion Swamp there matter so were really easy to process, already made the person process, was not on Continent the places of five big ominous place. Green has not actually cared, but said has thought of the means in any case, that must try, Young Master, I look at this, we make Imaginary Beast Hawk bring Ghost Staff to go to Carrion Swamp, but first do not set up fixed Transmission Point in there, first had a look at the situation saying that otherwise this Transmission Point selected on the waste. Zhao Hai nodded said well, that first in the past had a look saying that this, I think us and other time, I they called Drunk, making them defend in Black Wasteland and Stony Mountain here, does not need them to explore the way in any case now, they in these two places, if we had any matter accidentally, can immediately adjust to help them, does not use like the present, but must wait for them to come out from Swamp. Green shook the head said this to not to use, I think us to prepare several days, you made Drunk wait in the place that they are at now to be good first, when the time comes made Imaginary Beast Hawk bring Ghost Staff to fly, can make them enter Space directly, didnt ask them to leave from Swamp quickly Zhao Hai has tapped the head, he to this forgetting, yes, so long as makes Imaginary Beast Hawk bring Ghost Staff to fly in Carrion Swamp, quick can find Drunk they, their why being probable makes Drunk they walk from Swamp. In following several days time, Zhao Hai they the matter in Carrion Swamp in full preparation, no matter what, since they knew the key of Carrion Swamp there issue, must try, otherwise Black Wasteland here forever impossible peaceful. Now they mainly and other maps of Buffy picture, although said that they want to enter Carrion Swamp with Imaginary Beast Hawk, but this map needs, Buffy impossible to find Flower City there in one day, he just has not encountered any danger in other place, if he arrived at Flower City there directly, that already had not been hit, that will stay in Carrion Swamp for one month. | 2019-04-18T12:45:13Z | http://www.machinenoveltranslation.com/bringing-the-farm-to-live-in-another-world/volume-2/chapter-171 |
Progress on my design of the Lathe Knife... The Evolution is still based on a Russian Lathe Knife but now with a removable/replaceable cutter. Machines in a way to also accept carbide cutting heads. Available to pre-order on my Etsy https://etsy.me/2GzEMWL Comments welcome!
In this video I share a few tips for drying wood for turning. Sorry the audio is a little low, I'll switch cameras next week. Woodcraft https://www.facebook.com/WoodcraftBoiseIdaho/ YOU CAN ALSO FIND ME: https://www.etsy.com/shop/Thewoodshoptv http://www.thewoodshop.tv/ https://www.instagram.com/thewoodshop.tv/?hl en https://www.facebook.com/thewoodshoptv/ I put together a list of some of the tools I use in my shop (affiliate) link for my Amazon Store, if you'd like to support what I do, shop through this link: https://www.amazon.com/shop/thewoodshoptv Carolina Shoe: https://www.
Woodturning - From Scrap to a Cheeseburger Platter...Yes!
I started out wood turning a nice platter on the lathe, then made a cheeseburger and fries to fill it! I used one old weathered and discarded chunk of maple to make this entire project. #rhumphrey #woodart #woodturning I just topped 60k subscribers and climbing strong! Thanks for all your support and continued interest! I’ll keep ‘em coming! Contact me @ [email protected] Or, regular mail @ Rod Humphrey PO Box 159 Chesterfield, IN 46017 Like, share, and subscribe! I’d sure appreciate it!
Tim goes nuts...well even more nuts as he introduces you to Tagua nuts. Seeds from the Ivory Palm these nuts look like ivory when turned and over time they darken to an antique ivory color. Challenging but fun these nuts can be turned into many interesting shapes. The nuts Tim used were found on Ebay but you can find them at other woodturning suppliers. You can find instructional DVDs, Tim’s Tools and the Elbo Hollowing Tool on the Woodturning with Tim website: http://www.woodturningwithtim.com Robust Lathes: http://wtwtim.com/robustlathes.htm I am a Robust dealer (which adds nothing to your costs) and I am more than happy to help you pick out and configure your new lathe. Thompson Lathe Tools: http://thompsonlathetools.com/ These are the finest, long lasting turning tools on the market. I have used them since our first shows on PBS.
Hone your turning skills by creating a perfect sphere – the ultimate shape in turning. Tim walks you through the steps and shows you a new tool that will give you the upper hand on this rewarding project. Part 2 of 2. You can find instructional DVDs, Tim’s Tools and the Elbo Hollowing Tool on the Woodturning with Tim website: http://www.woodturningwithtim.com Robust Lathes: http://wtwtim.com/robustlathes.htm I am a Robust dealer (which adds nothing to your costs) and I am more than happy to help you pick out and configure your new lathe. Thompson Lathe Tools: http://thompsonlathetools.com/ These are the finest, long lasting turning tools on the market. I have used them since our first shows on PBS.
Hone your turning skills by creating a perfect sphere – the ultimate shape in turning. Tim walks you through the steps and shows you a new tool that will give you the upper hand on this rewarding project. Part 1 of 2. You can find instructional DVDs, Tim’s Tools and the Elbo Hollowing Tool on the Woodturning with Tim website: http://www.woodturningwithtim.com Robust Lathes: http://wtwtim.com/robustlathes.htm I am a Robust dealer (which adds nothing to your costs) and I am more than happy to help you pick out and configure your new lathe. Thompson Lathe Tools: http://thompsonlathetools.com/ These are the finest, long lasting turning tools on the market. I have used them since our first shows on PBS.
Open mouth Banyan vase turned off center to create a unique look and torched bottom to accent wood grain. Contact me [email protected] SUBSCRIBE TO ME ON YOUTUBE Subscribe:https://www.youtube.com/user/Alfurtado1 Please join me in FB https://www.facebook.com/TheRebelTurner //Thank you for -WATCHING MY VIDEOS Get tips and how to upgrade your lathe and make your own tools https://www.youtube.com/watch?v I6AKoqUP-LE&list PLBiN4sI6KvRhh3Tlqz2x2PGh-L0d35BdI How to make easy end grain cuts https://www.youtube.com/watch?v J6a6SyxyLR4 Why turn green wood https://www.youtube.
How to cut wood for woodturning !!
Woodturning a 2 piece hollow form. Is a 2 piece hollow form cheating or giving a novice woodturner an opportunity to turn an otherwise advanced project? Traditionally, two police howl forms have been turned using bland wood and the join hidden. Hollow form turning can be challenging. In this video I use an old yew log and try to hide the join by matching up the grain. I didn’t really get away with it . It could fool only an idiot, oh hang on a moment….
Woodturning an illuminated witches cauldron . Having seen all the the easter Eggs departed the shelves of the supermarkets I decided I should turn my attention to Halloween! My mind conjured up .a cauldron, but then wandered off into the murky world of resin and LED lighting. William Hunt woodturner, Halloween woodturning project and ideas. So the result was a broken cauldron resin in a fire-it. The red resin in the first and the green resin in the cauldron are illuminated by a single LED light. I used Modern Masters Rust Effect paint on the outside of the cauldron which looks great.
Threading Jig or Hand Thread Chasing?
http://www.AsWoodTurns.com After turning a green chestnut bowl a few weeks ago in a style new to me, I had the chance to have feedback from Paul Russell, who had demonstrated it. I wanted to know why the green wood had not warped into a wavy rim like his had. After receiving the feedback, I turned another thinner, smaller base, and more shallow. I was still disappointed in the amount of warping. I still had a slice off the same block, so I tried again. Much to my dismay, the chestnut was not strong enough to turn that thin. It split into two pieces and another partial crack. Do I throw it into the fire? No, I used backened copper wire to stitch the two pieces together. Maybe not as wavy as I wanted. But it definitely has a story especially when placed with the other two similar bowls from the same block of wood. Enjoy! Blog: http://www.AsWoodTurns.com FB: http://www.Facebook.com/AsWoodTurns Music: Traumerei by Shumann performed by Becky Schlappi. Used with permission.
I purchased this kiln dried wormy mappa wood at the Toronto woodshow feb 2019, i decided to turn a bowl and with the remainder i will stabilize and cast some pen blanks, due to the fact it has many worm hole i will not use any wax, instead the finish is mahoneys walnut oil.
Woodturning a Cherry Crotch Bowl . This is the first of series in projects that I started and never finished . This 3-branch crotch has been with me for about three years and I completely forget when I started it I suspect it started to split as it was probably still too wet so I put it to one side. William Hunt woodturner. So I managed to finish it this time but the shape of the bowl meant lots of hand sanding which I hate, therefore much of the pleasure was lost I like the black rim, I think it works well.
STICKERS ! Shout out, shop update.
This video is about making replacement handle/knob for your lathe.
I Bet You Can't Guess What These Rings Are Made Of.
I turn some comfort rings with Titanium Cores that I purchased from Craft Supplies USA.
Hi everyone today I'm repairing a broken glass vase that would have been useless but thanks to woodturning we can give it a new life :D thank you all for watching!
Hi everyone in this video i will be casting and turning a bowl from some sliced up logs of Yew and laburnum and to achive the night sky effect i will be adding black dye and some Holographic Glitters.
How I transfer a diameter onto the spinning workpiece for woodturning.
Wood turning Stabilised Bur Elm Bud Vase. This is the 3rd video in the series “Finishing Unfinished Projects” where I find abandoned projects and try to complete them. Woodturner William Hunt. This project involved a piece of dusty bur elm which I (poorly) stabilised for a demo task. The wood has some personal history with me so I wanted to turn a keepsake from it. At 9” long and 3” diameter, limited what I could do. I opted for a Bud Vase since this would retain most of the wood. As I suspected I had to re stabilize with Cactus Juice Resin, as the original attempt didn’t penetrate all the way through the wood. Without stabilisation, I could not have finished the project as it was too dusty and punky.
I'll walk you through my thought process of designing a segmented pen blank. Considerations are pen kit. materials, methods and materials needed to take the design to a reality etc. Instagram @LL_Woodworks Amazon Affiliate LInk https://.amzn.to/2lIrE62 In my Shop https://www.amazon.com/shop/lynnlaceyllww Disclaimer: My videos represent how I go about my woodworking. They are for your entertainment and not instruction. My safety is MY responsibility and YOUR safety is YOUR responsibility. Before beginning any woodworking be familiar with your equipment and always - always wear the proper personal protective equipment. When performed safely, woodworking be fun and rewarding. Keep it fun by working safe.
No music ever!!!! Wig stand out of punky white oak.
woodturning -I learned so much from the making of this piece .I used techniques that I had used before and new ones that I need to learn properly lol . !!! THIS IS NOT A TUTORIAL !!! Thanks for visiting my channel I try and upload a new vid per week but sometimes life gets in the lol like for most of us .please like share & subscribe .
http://www.AsWoodTurns.com The Utah Woodturners club has a summer activity from April through October where we get together at someone's shop on one Saturday morning each month. This is a great time to observe and share. We've fixed lathes, solved tough problems, and shared experiences. This year, we'll add a service project to enhance the other activities, wig stands for future cancer survivors. While your mileage my vary from this one. This wig stand uses 5' 8x4 cedar for the dome top; 6' 8x4 cedar for the base, and 12' 5/4 cedar for the center spindle. Mine is finished with walnut oil. It will not make it to a end user until the oil has fully dried. While a wig stand will not relieve their current pain, hopefully, it can help them deal with their emotions. Enjoy! Blog: http://www.AsWoodTurns.com FB: http://www.Facebook.com/AsWoodTurns Music: Traumerei by Shumann performed by Becky Schlappi. Used with permission.
This video describes the production of a miniature Dizzy Egg and a miniature Double Dizzy Bowl from the thin laminate boards that were described in our previous video. A 3.0 inch wide laminate board was constructed from thin boards that were between 0.010' and 0.040' thick. A total of 99 wood strips were used to construct the 3' wide laminate board. From this 99 layer laminate board the discs were sliced and then re-glued back together to produce the miniature dizzy bowl projects.
This didn't go exactly as planned. I wanted to make a walnut bowl with a flared maple rim, but it didn't work out. That's ok. Lessons learned. Thanks for watching and YES, please learn from my mistakes.
In this video, I deal with some hidden checks/cracks inside the blank while turning a 9.5 inch bowl from white ash wood. Ad free, family friendly.
Talking turning and G and T!
***Thanks for hanging out with myself ,Nicola and Bamber .Find out what we've been up to lately !! Join me, Chris Fisher, the Blind Wood Turner, in my workshop. I started out in life as a regular guy, working in auto body repair at BMW, until one day, completely out of the blue, a rare virus (Toxoplasmosis) reared its ugly head and caused me to lose my sight in a matter of weeks. Despite the challenges of coming to terms with losing my sight, I refused to give up and, after four years I decided to take up woodturning so that I could make myself a vampire stake – I’m a huge horror film fan!
Heute versuche ich mich an einer exzentrisch gedrechselten Schale. Ich hab das so ähnlich auch auf YouTube entdeckt. Mit der neuen Drechselbank geht das jetzt endlich auch. Das Holz ist Kirsche.
What a pain in the keister! LOL! I'd love to tell you that this was an easy turn. It's just a simple bowl, but was a bit difficult.....for me anyway. I understand better now why some turners avoid oak. Happy turning! Go make something awesome!
There were some challenges with this project. But, I am pleased with it.
Short video to thank all those who subscribe to me. My transition to my retirement is progressing on pace. Every time I go to my place it is harder to leave. Again, many thanks for your support!
Honey Dipper with a bedan and parting tool.
In this video, I make 11 driftwood pens, and make custom cases for them made from drift wood!
I thought I'd work with some cedar. Why knot? LOL! I understand why a lot of turners avoid cedar. I really had to avoid a lot of knots and imperfections. So, there was some waste. But, I think the project turned out very nice. I left a pretty bad knot on the bottom of the base just as a conversation piece. This was a quick, but fun, project. Go find out what YOUR candy store is....and then start making it! Have fun with woodturning, but be safe. Go make something awesome!
Part 2 Bespoke Steampunk Fountain Pen Body.
Woodturning a Camphor laurel blank into a finished bowl on the lathe, using a traditional bowl gouge. Even if you have arthritic hands you can still enjoy a hobby!
This week i re-purposed a bowl i wasn't happy with into a jewelry box. I do love spalted beech and gave it a mahogany dome with a bog oak finial. Hope you enjoy watching.
In this video, I give a brief overview of the fly fishing pen kit made by Penn State Industries. This pen truly captures the essence of fly fishing and will be an awesome gift for the outdoorsman. Here is my tutorial on how to make the fly fishing pen: https://www.fouroakscrafts.com/fly-fishing-pen/ Here is my article that lists several pen kit suppliers: https://www.fouroakscrafts.com/list-of-pen-kit-suppliers/ If you're new to pen turning, check out this article on getting started: https://www.fouroakscrafts.com/getting-pen-turning/ Please take a minute and hit that SUBSCRIBE button. Thanks for you support!
Driftwood from the landing for an airport fire department rescue boat. They need to get rid of the wood and I need to make things! Thank you for joining me on The Peaceful Woodturner. Please let me know what you think in the comments. I appreciate all of the feedback. Don’t forget to Like and Subscribe! Remember, my mistakes are my own, don’t make them yours.
Kansas City Woodturners Association monthly meeting demonstration. Member Don Frank talks about using epoxy to “save” wood and using epoxy to impregnate wood. He also talks about pressure pots and vacuum pots. Demo performed at the KC Woodturners clubhouse on 3-11-2019.
Best shop time ever is time spent Making something with my son. My son makes a makeup brushes pot for his girlfriend.
Chuck & Bevel - sustainable woodturning. A bowl made from some spalted beech wood.
In this video I turn another cedar bowl from a tree that was in my Dad's yard. That's not what I originally planned for this video, but you'll see that. I experimented with OB's shine juice friction polish recipe and it is quick and easy to use, and leaves a great shine. Cedar, however, seems to give me a lot of problems with keeping a shine. Rick Turns friction polish videos: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v LN3XO91iRuM https://www.youtube.com/watch?v fODxyikTrFA Disclaimer I am not a professional woodworker or woodturner and working with machinery can be dangerous. My videos are for entertainment purposes only and you should not rely on my methods. It is recommended that you fully research each technique and decide for yourself what the safest possible work method is for you. Your safety is your own responsibility not mine Be safe, creative and have fun!
Pete demonstrates how he made a set of wooden wind chimes.
This video shows how I use a jack to mount larger and heavier pieces by myself.. I also show my Nose Ring to secure the piece at the tailstock and my Chuck Plate at the headstock. .
Kansas City Woodturners Association regular meeting March 2019 Challenge and Show-N-Tell. The Woodturning Challenge was to make a home-made tool. Meeting at the KC Woodturners clubhouse on 3-11-2019.
Chuck & Bevel - sustainable woodturning. A natural edge bowl made from birch.
Casting and turning Bottle stoppers.
We cast these bottle stoppers last week with Alumilite clear Slow set with alumidust, dyes and powders. We were just testing the waters of color mixing with resin and didn’t get exactly what we were looking for. But both turned out ok. Please enjoy! Bottle stopper https://www.pennstateind.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen SEARCH&q bs8 Alumilite https://www.alumilite.com/woodturning-supplies Easywood tools http://www.easywoodtools.com **By no means is this video instructional or educational for anyone other than me. This video is purely for entertainment value. It is recommended that you receive instruction in the field of woodworking before attempting what you have seen here. These tools and machines can be dangerous if used incorrectly.** Please visit us on Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/KennettBTurned/posts/ Or @KennettBTurned And check out our Etsy site: https://www.etsy.com/shop/KennettBTurned?ref ss_profile Please don’t forget to like, subscribe and share with your friends!
Grand River Woodturners monthly meeting, February 2019.
Chuck & Bevel - sustainable woodturning. A shallow bowl made from cherry wood.
Scruples is something I fell into by way of another project. They aren't real hard, but they can be if you don't plan it properly. I failed miserably on 3 previous attempts. # 4 and this one, # 5, turned out pretty good. Mesquite that was 2 1/4' thick x 3 1/2 wide x 4 1/2' tall. After turning, I trimmed it to 1 1/2' thick on my table saw.
Don explains the different types of woodturning tools and demonstrates there use in practice. The first have of the video deals with spindle turning and the second half with bowl turning.
Went for a trip to Wood Craft and came home with a bunch of lumber and blanks that were on sale. The first task was to glue up our next video project so the glue could dry and I could get it turning (still haven’t). But second was getting this spalted 4x4 spinning on the lathe. Please enjoy! **By no means is this video instructional or educational for anyone other than me. This video is purely for entertainment value. It is recommended that you receive instruction in the field of woodworking before attempting what you have seen here. These tools and machines can be dangerous if used incorrectly.** Please visit us on Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/KennettBTurned/posts/ Or @KennettBTurned And check out our Etsy site: https://www.etsy.com/shop/KennettBTurned?ref ss_profile Please don’t forget to like, subscribe and share with your friends!
Sometimes i get tired of dust and shavings (spalted wood) so im trying out a new homemade hollowing gouge.
Bill Marlow demonstrates making a wig stand.
Woodturning with a carbide insert. The wood is pine.
Mr Orkwoodturner often turns Neolithic inspired 'Petrospheres'. He sometimes uses Lignum Vitae sourced from old wooden bowling balls, but this one is turned from English boxwood. It has 4 facets and inlay of cocobolo studs and sits on an ebonised base. This video is just for interest and not a tutorial.
Jim Rodgers Lesson 10, Turning for furniture.
Had this idea to turn salt blocks into nightlights, to shape them, see what would happen. 1st thought was a bad catch and the whole thing becomes a salt bomb, claymore...Sharp carbide and sanded from 100 to 2000. I like natural things, and was looking for an alternative to resin. I have some resin, but never used it yet. Now having chunks of salt mixed in resin could be cool. That is for another day. Tinting the rock is also on the agenda. Then I play with bases and tops, new idea every minute. Was a good day ;) I have salt powder everywhere, feel like I was at the beach all day long under the hot sun... did not wear a mask, sure will next time.
The Segmented Dice Bowl. Made with Maple, Mahogany and end grain Walnut. 8 3/8' Dia by 4 1/2'high.
My first attempt at turning a box. I tried to make something a little different and interesting. It resulted in disaster, but I think I salvaged it for the most part. I believe it was from Elm Burl, or at least some kind of burl. Disclaimer I am not a professional woodworker or woodturner and working with machinery can be dangerous. My videos are for entertainment purposes only and you should not rely on my methods. It is recommended that you fully research each technique and decide for yourself what the safest possible work method is for you. Your safety is your own responsibility not mine Be safe, creative and have fun!
I got the inspiration for this from one of Carl Jacobson's videos, except he did his all with wood and it looks great! I haven't learned to carve yet, so I used resin for this one. Thanks for watching and let me know what you think! Disclaimer I am not a professional woodworker or woodturner and working with machinery can be dangerous. My videos are for entertainment purposes only and you should not rely on my methods. It is recommended that you fully research each technique and decide for yourself what the safest possible work method is for you. Your safety is your own responsibility not mine Be safe, creative and have fun!
Just a quick video if how I made a fidget stick (Kururin). I got the idea from https://www.turningforprofit.com/fidget-stick/. Check it out, they have the dimensions you'll need, which are: 90mm long, 27mm in the middle, and 20mm on the ends. Thanks for watching! Disclaimer I am not a professional woodworker or woodturner and working with machinery can be dangerous. My videos are for entertainment purposes only and you should not rely on my methods. It is recommended that you fully research each technique and decide for yourself what the safest possible work method is for you. Your safety is your own responsibility not mine Be safe, creative and have fun!
This is how I make my little Tip Top Spinners. Each one is unique. Video x2 speed but shows the whole process in its entirety.
I guess a 2x8 board can actually look decent, too. Even if it does draw a little blood. Disclaimer I am not a professional woodworker or woodturner and working with machinery can be dangerous. My videos are for entertainment purposes only and you should not rely on my methods. It is recommended that you fully research each technique and decide for yourself what the safest possible work method is for you. Your safety is your own responsibility not mine Be safe, creative and have fun!
Love HeartWood rattles are turned from one solid cylinder of Beech wood. The very sharp, ring cutting tool creates what's known as captive rings. Once they're loose I turn the rest of the rattle. I attach sandpaper to the rattle’s body to sand the inside of the rings smooth. | 2019-04-23T16:01:16Z | https://www.woodturningonline.com/videos/videos.php?catid=7 |
Adams: Good evening. This is Roger Adams for the University of Kentucky in Rineyville, Kentucky. I'm here tonight on July 3rd, 1994 with Mrs. Aurelia Ilona Sontag Bates. This evening Mrs. Bates is going to tell us about her experiences in Europe as a child in World War II.
Bates: I was born in Lemberg. At that time, it was Galicia, later Poland, and now it's the Ukraine, on December the 2nd, 1936. As I remember my childhood up until the fifth year was good. I have some very good memories of that time. After that I heard of war, and it first touched us, as I recall, when we had little or no food, but we were fed. We were fed by the German Army and from soup kitchens. I remember, I may have been five years old then, and we walked to the soup kitchen they had set up for us, for the people, and they would feed us soup and black bread and salami, and I'll always remember that. I don't remember much else. But we were fed then. After that we lived somewhere else at that time, and I don't quite remember the name of it. I might have been five then.
Adams: Did you lose your home because the Germans moved in?
Bates: I don't know why we moved. We may have. We moved to Posen, Poznan in Polish. And my father he worked for the Germans, and we had a very good life then after we moved to Posen. We had a home and servants and everything else. At that time it was quite rare because the Polish people were, well, they didn't have it quite as well as we have. My father, as I said, worked for the Germans. Therefore, I think we were an exception. We had everything I could imagine. I remember my father taking me on the train out into the country to buy cherries to make wine. And those memories were good. I remember he was a great stamp collector. And I remember him asking me to help with the stamps, and we would put stamps in books and he would teach me about stamps. So my life was very, very good until then. And that was 1944. So everything was still good for us. And I don't know about anybody else. I was very small then - seven or eight years old probably.
Adams: What kind of work was your father doing for the Germans?
Bates: Well, he was a doctor, a translator. He could speak several languages, and he would translate from the Polish into the German and from the Russian into the German. So, he was very well needed. And we had a very good life as I said before. I also remember that all the things that I'm hearing now, that I heard nothing of when I was small. Eight years, I should have remembered some of it. But, we had a Russians camp not too far from us. I remember mother taking cakes to the Russian prisoners. It was a Russian prison camp. And, I do know that she would bake cakes, or have them baked, and take them to the prisoners. And nothing came of it. I mean, she was allowed to do that, apparently. She was Russian by birth, and she would do that. And, so everything went normal. I just had a good childhood. I heard of a war, and rumors and stuff, but we weren't touched by it, not where we lived. Until early 1945, that's when everything crashed, and even I know something was badly wrong. There was a lot of talk of war, and everybody was extremely worried. And then one day, it was still winter. It was cold. I think my mother was very upset. Everybody was upset. My father, my mother, my two sisters, and my brother. And, all I remember is that she said we had to pick up. We had to leave. I couldn't understand why. We had everything there. I mean, so we just grabbed some things. She said take what you want, what you really want, and all I could hear was that the Russians were coming.
Adams: What sort of things does a child take?
Bates: Toys, maybe a book. I like to read so I usually carried a book around, always. But my mother would grab some pictures. I know because she brought some photographs back with us. And, I don't know, my father - stamps, I guess. Some jewelry. But not much. Maybe a bag for each of us. My sister. I was the youngest. I was 10 years younger than my sister. So, I really don't know. But my mother tried to take what she thought was important, but not much. We each could just carry one bag. My father could come with us. He was past 60. My brother was left behind. Anybody, I'd say between 16 and 60, had to stay to defend the city.
Adams: Was your brother in the German army then?
Bates: No, he was not old enough. He was Hitler Youth, but he was not in the German Army. He was at that time maybe 18 because he was studying. Yes, so he was definitely not a soldier. He was in the Youth. So he had to stay behind, which was terrible for my mother and for all of us, of course we understood that much. My father could come. He was past 60, so the four of us left. We had to catch the last train out. I remember my mother saying that. It was the last train out, she would say. We heard the Russians in the distance. That's what they told me, it was the... what did they call it... Katyusha... or some kind of heavy artillery. We heard that in the distance. We had to flee. We waited until the last minute but then it was time to go. We had to. Father was afraid. My mother was afraid. What would happen to us if the Russians would catch up with us?
Adams: Did you have any preconceived notions of the Russians? Was there propaganda at the time that you saw or heard the Russians would do to you if they caught you?
Bates: Oh yes, with my father working for the Germans the way he was. I mean, I don't think they would have let us... I don't think that we would have lived. I mean... we would have lived. That's what my parents told me. We had no chance. We had to flee. So we left everything behind. We caught the last train out. And we ended up in Dresden. Apparently, my father knew somebody there. They took us in, a family. Right downtown Dresden. Beautiful home. And I was happy again. I had toys, books, a lot of books. If the fleeing on the train, which I don't remember much from that ride.
Adams: When is this? About, January?
Bates: No, it was... it was maybe the last of January. Yes, it had to be January.
Bates: Yes, 1945. We got to Dresden, and the family took us in, and everything was great. I remember that I... because we went downtown, everything was quiet. But my father took sick. His legs were bothering him. He had water in his legs. So we went downtown. I remember, the girls, myself, my sisters, and mother. I took a book with me. And I didn't ask to take it with me. And I always thought... and then when the siren started about the attack, I always felt I was being punished for taking the book without asking. It was just something in my childish mind, you know?
Adams: Are you talking about the British attack on Dresden?
Adams: Had there been any warnings prior? So, the attacks started on February 13th. Had you all had drills, and raid warnings, prior to this?
Bates: Well, we had drills, always. I think you grew up with that, with drills, even in, I remember, in Poland. But I don't think there was that much need of it there. We knew how to get to the cellar. And how to conduct yourself. But the attack on Dresden was a monstrous thing. I remember that well. How could anyone forget that?
Adams: The first bombs were supposedly delivered between 10 and 10:30pm by British bombers.
Bates: So I remember it was night time. When we went to town, and I had the book with me, which I took, and we walked around. We came back. It was night time, I know, because the city was lit up with the fire. It was just... it was like day time. But the alarms sounded, and we went into the basements. And then the bombs came. And we could hear the bombing. Of course, you were frightened, but... not really. I mean, I don't think I really was all that frightened. But you could hear them hit. And it hit our building, the one we were in.
Adams: Do you remember where in the city you were?
Bates: No, I don't know the street anymore. But it was in the center.
Adams: It was close to the center of town.
Bates: It was in the center, close to the river. Yes, it was.
Adams: The only landmark that I can give you was the Altmarkt, which was the town square.
Adams: Do you remember that?
Bates: No. I remember this beautiful big building we lived in, and it was blown away. The bomb hit it, but it didn't bother the basement, so we started crawling out, terrified, you know, through the windows, through the basement windows. If you know the German buildings, they had a good sized window. As you walk along the street there is always a window in the basement. People panicking, screaming, I remember that.
Adams: You crawled out the building right after it was hit?
Bates: Yes, yes. My mother was pushing us out. We didn't know how far it was burning. We had to get out.
Adams: What do you remember seeing when you got out of the basement?
Bates: Well, I don't remember the pain, but I've got phosphorous burns on my knees. They were phosphorous bombs. And other bombs, too. Because I have permanent burns. And I remember my mother pushing us out, the girls, and then herself. My father at that time, as I said, he wasn't feeling well. He was hospitalized, so we never saw him during that attack. Well, we crawled out. We started running, and there was just fire flying everywhere. I mean, you know, the debris from the buildings, I remember that so well. How can... like I said, you can't forget that, really. It was monstrous. And, my mother kept us together. There were people screaming and running everywhere. Buildings just burning. I mean, it was just like instant-; it couldn't have been instantly, but it was. It seemed to be, you know. Everything was ablaze, and we were running. That's when I saw my first body on the streets. My mother shielded my eyes but I saw him anyway. It was a... it was a body of a man, I know. It was burned, charred, black.
After that, my mother shielded my eyes.
Adams: Where did she take you then?
Bates: We kept running. Back to the river. My sisters were tired. It was nighttime. We were exhausted. They didn't want to go any more. We sat on a bench. The river, the bench on the river. They wanted to rest. I wanted to rest, to sleep. My mother kept pushing on. "You can't stay here. They're still bombing. They're still coming." She says, "We got to keep running." And, it was a good thing because the planes would come real low over the river, and they would just shoot.
Adams: Did you know if it was the British, or the Americans, or the Russians?
Bates: They said it was the British, and it was the Americans. There were no Russians.
Bates: The British and the Americans. We knew that. We also knew, I don't know, it might have been a rumor. But, there was talk afterwards, the people, what I heard, that the Russians instigated all of this. For the Americans and to the British to bomb, saying that there were armies in Dresden. There were soldiers. There were no soliders. There were just refugees.
Adams: There were prisoners of war there, captured at the Battle of the Bulge, weren't there?
Bates: I don't know that. I know there were prisoners. There were women and children, refugees that had come the same as we did. And they were in Dresden. There were no armies stationed there. There was no... so anyway, you know we never could understand why they bombed it, other than it was some... I don't know, some ill timed orders or something that somebody was given to bomb the city that had nothing but refugees.
Adams: When the British planes came back at 1am, they bombed again.
Adams: You were still down at the river at that time?
Bates: Yes, we kept pushing on.
Adams: And you spent the night down there?
Bates: No, we couldn't. Mother kept pushing us on, thank goodness, because they came. They started flying low over the river, just shooting, you know, just the people that were running. You could see everything. It was lit up, like, with the fires go on. And, they would fly low and shoot.
Adams: Where did you finally wind up staying that night?
Bates: We ran. We ran outside of the city. How we got there I don't know. I just don't know... I know we ended up on the highway, and then an army truck picked us up. And we rode on the back of it. Mother later told me on boxes of ammunition. I don't know that. It's just what she told me, but she had no reason to tell me if it wasn't so. They took us out of the city, and we ended up above Dresden.
Adams: There was a suburb of Dresden, Gorlitz. Was that where they took you?
Bates: No, we weren't in Gorlitz but I know about Gorlitz. The name escapes me, where we went to, but I remember when they left us off the truck, we walked through woods. It was a wooded street on both sides, beautiful. We looked back and below us, not below us or behind us, I don't know which, we saw the city just burning. It was just aflame. We looked back, and it was burning. And wondered what happened to my father, but we didn't know, we just kept on. And we ended up in a small place, could have been something like Gorlitz, but it wasn't. I know it wasn't. Well, somebody took us in again there, and we spent a night.
Adams: The Americans came in at 12 o'clock noon on February 14th and bombed Dresden once again.
Bates: We were gone then.
Adams: The British flew at night and the Americans were flying at the day time. This would have been the third time Dresden was bombed in under almost 12 hours.
Bates: It was a terrible thing.
Adams: So you were out of the city by then?
Bates: Yes, we left. We were there for the British, if you say it was the British, we were there past 1, I know. Because you just don't run in 5 minutes across a city. It was probably hours. You know we just didn't leap over all this. It took us a long time to get there but, like I said, mother tried to keep me from seeing all that was happening.
Bates: I accepted it. I think I grew real... not tough, because I'm not a tough person. In a way, I am, because I... I guess it toughened me in a way. It did. It had to, because I was disgusted more than angry. I didn't have any hate in me, and I still don't. I could blame the Americans. I could blame the British, but that would be stupid. I have no hate in me. I just don't understand it.
Bates: I didn't know it.
Adams: When did you finally realize it?
Bates: I didn't feel any pain, until I saw it. The white... it was completely burned out. White spots. No, I didn't feel any pain. The excitement and everything, I mean, you could probably cut a finger off, and I woudn't have felt it, you know. So I didn't feel any pain at all. We just crawled out, my knees on the sidewalk, with all this debris and the burning. It was... I didn't feel a thing. Just kept on running. Mother said run, and we did. She said keep on going. She's the force that pushed us, and I think that's the reason why we're alive.
Adams: Once you were out of the city, and the bombing was over the next day, you said you didn't know where your father was.
Bates: We didn't know where my father was until we got to Salzburg. From that place, we just kept on. We couldn't stay there. The Russians were coming. That's all I ever heard. The Russians are coming. Just like that title in that movie, almost. It's ridiculous.
Adams: Did you want to try to get to the German lines? Or to the Americans?
Bates: We wanted to get away from the Russians. We were extremely... not afraid, I don't think. We were past being afraid. Nothing mattered when you go through all this, you know. You just knew that you wanted to get way, you wanted to live, and you would do anything to survive. You just don't give up. It was human nature. And I think I grew up like that, just a survivor.
Adams: So when did you get to Salzburg?
Bates: Well, it didn't happen all that quickly. We just kept catching rides, trains, trucks, anybody that would pick us up off the highway. We finally got to Prague. I remember that to be a beautiful city. And I don't remember anything about the war there. I mean it seemed quiet, no bombings or anything, not that I remember. Of course we didn't stay there very long. We spent the night there. I remember being at the train station. A nice man gave me some post cards, which I still have today. That's about the only thing I have. From Dresden, two small wooden bears, and the postcards from Prague, that's all I have from the war, so to speak, that I took with me as a child. But I remember Prague. Golden Prague, they said. Beautiful city on the top of a hill. And well we caught a train there, and we went on, and ended up in Vienna, Austria. Well, Vienna was pretty well bombed, also. I mean it was very, very, very much destroyed. We stayed there, close to the Prater, the big carnival, because I remember seeing those rides and things. And that's when I took sick. Mother, carrying me to the doctor, and I remember her telling me that the doctor told her that I wouldn't live, but she was determined to bring me through. I had typhoid fever, I think, but she got me out of it. So, we stayed in Vienna there.
Adams: I'm just a little curious, before you go on. How did you live day to day, getting food or getting places to stay? Were there people that took you in just because you were a refugee?
Bates: Yes, the way I can think back, to think about it, people taking us in, or we just slept on, I remember sleeping in a train station once, and I was crying because I wanted to stretch out, but there were so many refugees there, and the benches were full. My sister sitting on the floor, and mother had one place on the bench, and she was holding me, and I wanted to stretch out and go to sleep, and I was crying then. I think that was the only time I cried. I had lost my nerve, because I was sleepy. So we were just sleeping in train stations. We were sleeping almost in the street as we were running. People taking us in. It was chaos. Nobody knew what was going on.
Bates: No, he was left behind. He was left in Posen.
Adams: He was left behind, and you had not heard anything from him?
Bates: No, not a thing. We assumed he was dead or got killed. He had to defend the city. And, he was about 18 years old. Never really held a rifle or knew what to do with one. So little chance he was alive, you know. I know if the Russian had gotten hold of those young Germans, I'm sure they wouldn't have let him live. So, Vienna, to go back to that, we left Vienna. The Russians were coming again. And, we left Veinna and pushed on to Salzburg. And that's where I saw the Americans march in and take over, in Salzburg, and that's when we stopped running. I think we were, mother was tired, and we had it. That was it. We found a bombed out hotel. I still go back there sometimes when we go overseas to look at it. It's not bombed out any longer but it was a mess. So we just took over. We slept in the kitchen. There was a little storage room off the big kitchen, restaurant kitchen, and I remember we lived in that in the back room. The top was bombed. And we stayed there. We went through a lot of bombings before the Americans came in, of course. There were those sirens, those horrible sirens that I still can't listen to. Sometimes you hear them here, at noon time they blow those sirens. It gives you the creeps. That's what we heard. There were certain types of sirens. One may have said, you know, be alerted, get ready, and the other ones just you don't have any time, run for cover. Different tones like whining, rapid whining noise, and maybe a slower noise. So we would run. Where we were, we had, in Salzburg. It's a beautiful city. Built on two sides of a river. So in order to get to the shelter, they were built in to the mountains. There were two mountains on each side of the river, they were rock mountain and there were shelters built in to the rock. That's where people would run to hide and sit it out. And so we had to run, I would say about two miles, maybe, to get to it. Maybe a little less. So when the first siren sounded, we would take off. Cross a bridge, passenger bridge. There were several bridges. But we would run. One time it was a close call. The planes were coming, you could hear them, you could hear the bomb dropping, and the roar of the planes. They weren't jets. You could hear the, I mean, old fashion planes I would say, bombers, the heavy roar, I mean real deep. I could still hear it if I set my mind to it. I don't want to. They would come, and they would drop bombs, and they would also shoot along the river. Whip up the water. I"m not sure they wanted to hit the people. Because they could have.
Adams: They were dropping the bombs in the river?
Bates: No, they were shooting. No, the bombs were on the buildings. I don't think they meant to hit the people, really. I really don't. Because they could have. Those bridges, I mean, I know they could have blown those bridges up, and they knew people were... I assume they could tell from up there. They could see the poeple running, couldn't they?
Adams: Were there soldiers in Salzburg?
Bates: No, Salzburg was just a beautiful city, historic city. But they would bomb anything. I mean Salzurg, the smaller towns, anything. Vienna. I'm sure there were soldiers here and there but no much. Germany was mostly, you know, I would imagine Munich, Berlin and all those places.
Adams: When about were you were in Salzburg?
Bates: '45. Just at the end of the war.
Adams: So near April or May?
Bates: Yes, it was April.
Adams: Had you heard rumors that Germany was losing, or were you still being told that Germany was winning the war?
Bates: Oh we felt, of what I could tell, that Germany would never lose. I mean, you know, everybody was for Germany. Of course, we were pro-Germany. We didn't know any different. I was. I was a little child. I know my mother never was, she was... never pretended to be. But we, my sisters I don't know, but we were German. We consider ourselves German, you know. In other words, we were maybe on the German side. I don't know. I never thought about it much. But we just didn't think they would lose. It was just the war, bombing. It would be over.
Adams: You had a sister in the Luftwaffe?
Bates: No, she was just a Hitler Youth.
Adams: Your sister was also a Hitler Youth.
Adams: What was she doing at this time?
Bates: She was with us.
Bates: Oh no, no. At that time it was just chaos. I mean it was just war, war, war. Bombing, nearly every day, every other day. It was just, we should have known it was getting close to the end or something. Nobody could have stood that forever. But as far as news go, I don't remember hearing any news. Not much of it. But I remember a lot of bombings, in Salzburg too. A lot of destruction while we stayed there.
Adams: How did you get food from a day to day basis?
Bates: How did we get food? It was April and then May, and they had, I don't know, we had scrunged for bread. There was black market. Mother would sell her rings to get a loaf of bread. There was black market, I know there was. Because I remember somebody coming to us in the bombed out hotel we stayed in. And she would get a loaf of bread, and she would give up her jewelry for it. Also, we would rob the burned out storage houses. You know, you would get what you could. I remember that. But, going to the shelter was just an every day thing. We just would hide, and as soon as the alarm sounded for us to, it's over and they're gone, we'd come out and go back. And we lived in that bombed out hotel until the Americans marched into the city. I don't know the dates. I wouldn't want to say something that I'm not sure of. But I remember them coming into the city and everybbody was talking about the Americans were coming. We didn't know what to think of them, because we were past being afraid, because we went out in the streets. We stood out along the streets, and we waited for them. And they came. They came in their jeeps. And they came in their vehicles. And I remember standing there at the side of the street with my sisters, and they would throw out candy to us, and I thought, well, they can't be all that bad. They would just pitch out candies, and we would just try to catch them. And, bubble gum or what have you, I don't know. But it was good. Nobody was afraid of them then. And, after that, it was still... then it was really a terrible time after they marched in because things were still very upset. Nothing was organized. No food. No place to stay. And then later on, they started taking over buildings. I remember not too far from where we were, there was a storage house, food storage, for the stores helping with supply. Maybe a supply area. And there was food there, and people would find out about it, and they would try to break in, and steal the food, and take it. And so they posted some soldiers in front of it to keep the people from it. I know. I remember those soldiers. And we would break in, and I remember people shoving and acting like animals trying to get the food, and being pushed and tossed over, and a woman falling and nobody cared. They just wanted food.
Adams: The Americans did not feed you at all?
Bates: Not at first, I mean it took time. They set up later on, but I remember we were starving for a long time after they marched in, because it had to be May then, or early May maybe, because I remember going to a house that had peach tree, and the peaches were green. They were still very small and green. And I would climb those trees, I would pick them and take them to mother and she would boil them and we would eat those. So we had nothing to eat there for a quite a while even after the Americans got there, other than what we can get out of bombed out buildings and things. And I used to climb up into an old school house, and libraries, they were bombed out, and I'd carry books home. Books of all things. I can't believe it. And I'd carry bags of books home. Home. To the place where we holed out.
Adams: I want to go back one second before we go any further. You mentioned you had gotten tyhpoid fever. Do you mremember if that was before the Americans came in?
Bates: Yes that was Vienna.
Adams: Do you recollect how long you had the disease?
Bates: I had high fever and they told mother I wouldn't live. But that was in Vienna, I know. I can't tell you dates. It's hard for me to remember dates. Things happen so fast, and yet I knew it doesn't make sense. It had to be slow. It had to have happened over a long period of time. Days, weeks, even months. But to me, I just... what I remember, it was just points. You know, a little here, a little there. A lot of things I don't want to remember. Sometimes even now, I'd be just sitting or walking, and something pops into my head that I recall, and I say you must have seen a movie. That's not so. You don't remember a hanging, do you? It must be a bad movie you saw as a child, but where would I have seen a movie about young boys being hung? I don't know. To this day I don't know. I don't try to understand it. I try to put it out in my mind. And that was back in Poland somehwere, I remember, because I was a small girl.
Adams: Germans hanging Polish citizens?
Bates: Probably. I don't know, see, and I don't want to know. I think I push it back and... what makes me remember that? Once in a while it pops in my mind. I could almost see it. But I can't tell you who did it. But I can see those young boys.
Adams: Okay, let's go back to Ssalzburg. The Americans were in Salzburg, and you're getting by day to day before they started to feed you. How did the American soldiers treat the German people there?
Adams: Well, they were good. I've seen good, and I've seen bad. Like those soldiers stationed in front of the warehouse, food warehouse. I would go up to them, and they would talk to me and joke with me. And, I would tell them I have two older sisters.
Adams: And they understood you?
Bates: Apparently. Becuase they would say "ah". You know they would like that. They would give me food, and they told me to bring them by, my older sisters, and they would give me food. And things like that, I mean, and that was good. Later on, they set up a Red Cross in Caritas. I don't know why the name sticks to my mind, but it was a form of Red Cross maybe? They would feed us and give us packages. I remember the big chunks of American cheese, pork and beans, that was good. Dry milk. Dry eggs, powdered eggs. But it was slow. It didn't happen then because a lot of times how hungry we were, didn't have anything. I would go out to the garbage piles, and I would see a potato. I knew what a potato plant looked like, and dig it and pull it out, and if there were potatoes on it we'd be happy. We'd scrounge for food. We stayed in that one building. Later on we moved upstairs, there was one room. Later on, before that we would burn doors, break our doors to burn for heat. That was earlier. And use anything we could to burn and keep warm. Then, of course I also remember American soliders trying to break in.
Adams: Break in to where you were staying?
Bates: Yes. Drunks. I remember my mother defending my sisters and threatening to kill them. I remember that.
Adams: Did you have any authorities you could go to, to try to stop this?
Bates: No, not that I know of. If we did, we just didn't, you know. We were frightened. There were three women and a child.
Adams: When did you finally find out about your father?
Bates: After things calmed down we found out that about my father about the same year. we started looking through the Red Cross. They located him. He was still alive, but in pretty bad shape. The Russians weren't giving him permission to leave to come to Salzburg. They wouldn't let him, you know, leave Dresden. He was still there. And he was in pretty bad shape. Eventually he died there in '47. We never saw him.
Adams: So you were in Salzburg until 1947?
Bates: No, we stayed in Salzburg. I stayed in Salzburg until I met my husband.
Adams: What was the recovery like after the war was over?
Bates: Slow. But things got better. Of course, there again I'm talking about time lapses. To me, it was like a jump when I talk about things getting better, but it took some time for them to get better. For them to set up, you know, places for people to go to. Medical care, food. I didn't go to school for, oh goodness, for a good year before the schools got back to normal. And then things started happening fast. The Americans took care of things such as that. I mean, the city was building up, was getting normal almost, of course not overnight as you know. But we heard terrible things about the Russians so we were thankful we were in the American zone. I don't know if we ever were afraid of the Americans or not. I know we were afraid of the Russians, but we were glad the Americans took over Salzburg where we were.
Adams: What were your feelings like when you finally heard that Germany had lost?
Bates: Well, in a way relieved because it was over. I know my mother was glad. We were so tired of it. It's just hard for people to imagine. You can't imagine, it was just such chaos putting a lot of people in one city, a lot of refugees and things, and everybody not knowing where to go, no place to stay, not knowing anything. It was a terrible mess. It was. But I learned to get around. Later on I learned to collect cans and sell them, collect wrappers from the candy, the aluminum foil. They were sold. I don't know, I rather not have gone through it, really, but same as everybody else. But I have no ill feelings toward anybody really. All I know is that we never heard of the atrocities that the Germans did. You know the what Germany did upon the Jews and others.
Adams: You never heard of it?
Bates: Never, never. I'm sure I wouldn't have.
Adams: When did you finally hear about that?
Bates: When did I hear about it?
Adams: Was the war over?
Adams: So you didn't hear about it during the war crimes trials?
Bates: No... well, yes, yes.
Adams: That'd have been the first time you heard of it?
Bates: Yes, sure, I should have thought about that. But even though then I don't think it really hit home. You know, you said, well, it can't be, we were there. Because, see as I said before, as I mentioned earlier when I spoke with you about my mother being able to go and visit the Russian prisoners. I mean, that's not at all what you would imagine the Germans to be. For them to allow her to do that.
Adams: You never saw any Jewish citizens being rounded up.
Adams: Never heard of that?
Bates: Never. You know it's in the movies where they depict little children screaming and yelling. I mean we were right there.
... as I mentioned, when we were in Poland, of course people might say, well, you were so young you wouldn't have known. I would have known because I was always there when people were talking. Something wouldn't have escaped me. I went to shcool there, and kids in school would talk. Somebody would have talked. And my mother would have mentioned it. My sister never mentioned it. I really don't think we knew. And if it happened right next door, well it would have to be a little further than next door, but I don't think we would have known if nobody wanted us to know it. Same as anywhere else, here or there. There are things here that people don't know what goes on, and in other countries. It can be kept secret. No, I didn't know any of this. And it's still hard to believe. No that... I can't say I don't believe it. Of course I believe it, I mean it happened, no doubt it happened. It's a terrible thing, but it's still hard to believe. Because we had no hardship during the German time, when the Germans occupied Poland. We were fortunate. I shouldn't compared myself to anybody, anybody else you know. We were fortunate. We didn't know any hardships. Not in Poland or in German occupation. There again, I think it was because of my father.
Adams: Did you know that Poland had been invaded by the Germans and the Russians and split up between the two?
Adams: Early in the war.
Bates: During the war? No. No. I just know we were occiped by the Germans. I knew that because I went to the German schools, my first two years. I would be catching the bus from where we lived and taken the bus to school, and I don't know. I didn't know then it was split up. All I know was that the Russians were coming, and that's why we had to flee.
Adams: What became of your brother?
Bates: My brother, we didn't hear anything. We searched the Red Cross, and they couldn't find any sign of him, so they declared him dead. Later on, we found out he was alive in Austria. But I did get together with him for a short time, but he was not well, apparently he suffered some. He's much older than I am, of course. He might have Alzheimer or anyting but he does not remember or doesn't recall.
Adams: But somehow he got from Poland to Austria just as you did.
Bates: Yes. Yes, he got away. He was a Russian prisoner but he did get away. They took him prisoner. That's all I know.
Adams: Did you have any other family that was in the army?
Bates: No. My dad was too old. He was 60 when I was born, so... there was no one in our family.
Adams: After the war you told me that the rebuilding came pretty quickly?
Bates: Quickly to me in my mind because you don't think of day by day. When I talk I don't think day by day or week by week basis.
Adams: Right. You heard about the war crimes trials. Was there an overwhelming sense of defeat at the time?
Adame: Was there guilt for the war? Did the peace that came after the war have a guilt almost as if, almost like the peace that came after World War I, where such heavy restrictions were placed on the Germans after World War I, that many historians say that's exctly what led to World War II, that many of the issues were never resolved. Was there the same feeling after the second war?
Bates: For us, feeling of defeat, that the Germans lost, yes. Because it uprooted me. Uprooted my fmaily. Destroyed us. I think at that time I much rather the Germans had won, you know, because I had a secure home and everything a child could ask for. So that my mother and I were together. And then the war came in order to free the others. In order to defeat the Germans, we lost everything.
Adams: Did your mother want to return to Poland?
Bates: Yes, yes she did. Not I. Not now. I'm at home here now. This is my home. But my mother never felt... my mother was never quite happy. She went through so much.
Adams: Your mother was Russian-born, correct?
Bates: Yes, she was born in Petersburg.
Adams: Okay, so how did you get to the United States?
Bates: I met my husband. It was in Linz. I went to school. I was taking Russian in school. I stayed in Linz. My sister lived in Linz with her husband so I used to stay with her a lot. I babysit for an American family and go to school. And, that evening the American family, it was for a Christmas party. They had to go out. They wanted me to babysit but I had school that night, so they asked my husband to fill in until I got in because he was a non-drinker and non-party-goer, so they said, "Would he come over and just sit until the babysitter would come home and take over", so that's how we met. When I came after school, he was there. And after that, he just kept coming back. And, we got married in Salzburg in '55, August '55. We met just before Christmas, got engaged New Year's, and then waited for the paperwork. In those days, you had to wait for paperwork. You couldn't just up and get married. You had to be approved by the chaplain. You had to be approved by a lot of people in the army, and I was also very young.
Adams: And when did you learn to speak English?
Bates: Oh, I spoke English when I met him. I took it in school. English was mandatory, well for me, it was in upper school. So, I had to have it. I spoke English when I met him. And so in '55. Then, I came to the states in '57. And then back to Germany one more time when he was stationed in Germany. And then after that we just stayed here. He retired... we moved up here to Rineyville in 1968. One month later he got orders for Vietnam.
Adams: What was it like going back to Germany the second time?
Bates: Oh, I don't know. It was exciting to go back, but I didn't feel at home anymore. I was a stranger there. Especially after marrying an American, I mean we weren't looked upon very well.
Adams: Were you ever treated poorly here in the United States?
Bates: No, I was always welcome here. When I first got to the states, I came to Mississippi and Alabama, and they were extremely friendly people. I still feel at home in the South. They took me in, and I had no problems. I had my problems from the Austrians. I don't have good memories from them. They looked down on you. We didn't have... I mean the Austrians weren't very good to us then, right after the way. You must remember, we were refugees, coming in, taking over, taking their food. They put us in barracks. We stayed in barracks after things got settled down, and we had to move out of that hotel beause they wanted to renovate it. They put us in the barracks. We had a room in the barracks. They must have been there, I don't know, maybe they were for the German Army or what have you, I don't know, but that's where we stayed for a long time. In fact, that's where we stayed until I got married. So, I don't have fond memories of the Austrians, really. No, but, like I said, I don't dislike. I don't hate anyone. Becasue I can see their point. They didn't want us any more than we want the Haitians or the Vietnamese coming over. People are the same way all over. Taking space, taking food, taking work nobody else wants. It's the same all over. You can't hate people. You can't hate nations. You're not guilty for what somebody else did. I'm not guilty for what the Germans did to the Jews. I don't feel guilty and never will. I had nothing to do with it. I'm a different generation. I wasn't involved. And I just don't understand that kind of feeling that the people express, all of the Germans. You know, they killed Jews and so and so killed so and so. It's war. It's a terrible thing, and there is no need to hate. We're not responsible for what our fore fathers did. My family wasn't involved such as because they were, like you asked me before, they were not in military. But had they been involved, I wouldn't have felt guilty. So I had nothing to do with them, with what they did, you see what I'm saying? People shouldn't feel like that.
Adams: I know some of the things you talked about tonight had been very emotional for you, and I appreciate your honesty.
Bates: I try not to remember it, I mean I wouldn't have. But sometimes it just comes back to me at odd times.
Adams: I was going to ask you, we're coming up now on the 50th anniversary of the bombing of Dresden next year. How do you mark that day? When it comes up on the calendar?
Bates: I wish I could go back. I wish I could afford to go back. Just walk the streets where I've been.
Adams: So you would like to be there, for the 50th annivesary?
Adams: Would that bring... Would that bring peace?
Every year does it bother you when you reach that date?
Adams: I certainly understand why it would.
Bates: It was a nightmare, but yet I never remember crying.
I cry now, but as an eight year old girl, I never cried.
I would like to go back, yes. It would be different now.
I would like to see where my dad is buried.
Adams: This is the end of the interview, and I just want to thank you tonight for talking to us, and I really appreciate the things that you've told us. It will be very well used by historians. Thank you again.
I vividly recall the first "[long pause]". Aurelia had started to cry and it intensified. I moved to turn off the recorder and she waved my hand away from the button. When she composed herself, she nodded to me that she would continue.
WW2DB received this audio recording from the family of Aurelia Bates. This interview is currently housed at the Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, University of Kentucky Libraries.
© University of Kentucky, all rights reserved, American Veterans: World War Two Oral History Project (AVWWTWO), Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, University of Kentucky Libraries. | 2019-04-25T06:26:17Z | https://m.ww2db.com/doc.php?q=509 |
This entry was posted in bath and body, candle fragrance oils, candle making supplies, Fragrance Oils, Natures Garden, Natures Garden Fragrance Oils, Uncategorized and tagged 100 soy wax flakes, 100 soy wax wholesale, 100% soy wax, air freshener fragrance oils, air freshener fragrances, air freshener fragrances wholesale, air freshener scents, air freshener scents in bulk, aroma beads, bath and beauty crafts, bath and beauty gift basket supplies, bath and beauty packaging supplies, bath and beauty recipes, bath and beauty suppliers, bath and beauty supplies, bath and beauty supplies wholesale, bath and body, bath and body lotion recipes, bath and body product supplies, bath and body products, bath and body recipes, bath and body recipes homemade, bath and body scented recipes, bath and body supplies, bath and body supplies bulk, beauty recipes, best soy wax for container candles, best soy wax for scent throw, body safe fragrance oil, body safe fragrance oils, body scrub recipes, bulk craft supplies, buy air freshener fragrance oils, candle making, candle making supplies, candle scents, candlemaking supplies, cold process soap, cold process soap recipe, cold process soap recipe with honey, cp soap recipe, cp soap recipe with honey, discount craft supplies, diy body wash, diy candles, diy glycerin soap, diy liquid soap, diy soap, diy soap without lye, easy diy soap, fall fragrance oils, fragrance oil, fragrance oil spotlight, fragrance oils, free recipe, handmade bath and body recipes, homemade, honey fragrances, honey scents, honey soap recipe, how to make soap, how to use honey in soap, natural bath and body recipes, natures garden, natures garden candle supplies, nectarine and honey aroma, nectarine and honey fragrance oil, nectarine and honey scent, nectarine aroma, nectarine fragrance, Nectarine fragrance oil, nectarine scent, original fragrance, original fragrances, original scent, royal honey bee cold process soap, soap making supplies, soy wax candles, soy wax flakes for candle making, soya wax, soybean wax candles, spring fragrance oils, spring scents, spring soap scents, sugary fragrances, summer candle scents, summer fragrance oils, summer soap scents, sweet aromas, sweet fragrance, sweet fragrance oils, sweet fragrances, sweet scented oils, sweet scents, wholesale beauty craft supplies, wholesale candle craft supplies, wholesale craft suppliers, wholesale craft supplies, wholesale craft supplies for businesses, wholesale craft supplies online, wholesale fragrance oils, wholesale scenting supplies, wholesale sweet fragrances, wholesale sweet scents on August 31, 2016 by Deborah Ward.
Nectarine and Honey Fragrance Oil from Nature’s Garden is a delectable, sticky-sweet fruit fragrance with a touch of rich, fresh honey and florals. It is every bit as soft and luscious as it is bright and fruity! Many customers compare it to nectarine honey jam. Its unmatched distinction makes us proud to say that this scent is a Nature’s Garden Original Fragrance! The contrasting elements of citrus and honey delicately mingle to create a scent that will surely land at the top of your customers’ favorites list!
What Does Nectarine and Honey Fragrance Oil Smell Like?
Nectarine and Honey Fragrance Oil is an absolutely delightful blend of citrus notes, nectarine, and honey mixing with white florals, fragrant rose, and fresh air musks. This NG Original Fragrance is sure to drive your senses wild!
How Do Our Customers Use Nectarine and Honey Fragrance Oil in Room Scenting Recipes?
Mesmerizing sweet room scenting projects are just a fragrance away! Incorporate these scents into your product line and watch your customers buzz! Room scenters can incorporate up to 50% of this fragrance oil in projects like reed diffusers, incense, and potpourri. This fragrance oil is also strong in aroma beads. Homemade candle crafters can use Nectarine and Honey Fragrance Oil up to 10% with vegetable waxes and paraffin wax. This scent will perform perfectly in Joy Wax, Wow Wax, and is nice and strong in soy waxes. If you wish to color your candles, we would recommend two drops of orange liquid candle dye per 4 pounds of wax. You can also color your melted wax with a small amount of orange color blocks. Do not use crayons to color your candles as they will clog your wick.
How Do Our Customers Use Nectarine and Honey Fragrance Oil in Bath and Body Recipes?
Nectarine and Honey Fragrance Oil can also be used to create lush bath and body products! Bath gels and oils were found to perform well when the recommended maximum of 5% fragrance oil is incorporated. Nectarine and Honey Fragrance Oil is an enticing, sweet scent that can be used in many types of products. Handmade perfumes perform well when a maximum of 5% fragrance oil is used. Handcrafted lotions should adhere to a 5% fragrance oil maximum. Homemade cleaning supplies can also be created with a maximum fragrance usage of 5%.
If you are making cold process soap, you may use this honey fragrance oil up to 5% of your total recipe. Our Cold Process Soap Testing Results show that this fragrance oil had a very strong scent retention and cured soap discolored to a cream color. The soap did not accelerate, rice, or separate. We would recommend using orange soap colorant in the amount that satisfies you if you choose to color your bath and body products. Remember, do not use candle dye to color your bath and body products. Soap dye is specially formulated to be body safe, whereas candle dye is not safe for use in bath and body products.
Are you ready to kickstart your love for Nectarine and Honey Fragrance Oil? Check out our free recipe for Royal Honey Bee Cold Process Soap, which incorporates this delectable scent! Let us know how your project turns out by taking a photo and posting on Instagram, tagging us @ngscents.
This entry was posted in bath and body, bath products, Fragrance Oils, Natures Garden, Natures Garden Fragrance Oils, wholesale fragrance oils and tagged aroma beads, bath and body, body safe fragrance oil, body safe fragrance oils, candle fragrance oil, candle making, candle making supplies, candle scents, candlemaking supplies, candles, cold process soap, cold process soap scents, cp soap, Crafts, diy, floral, floral aromas, floral fragrance oils, floral scents, flower, fragrance oil, fragrance oils, free recipe, homemade, homemade candles, jasmine, jasmine aroma, jasmine fragrance oil, jasmine oil for candles, jasmine scent, jasmine scented oil, natures garden, natures garden candle supplies, soap making supplies, soap scents, soapmaking supplies, spring aromas, spring fragrance oils, spring scents, wholesale fragrance oils on May 14, 2016 by Deborah Ward.
Jasmine Fragrance Oil from Nature’s Garden is an aromatic floral fragrance with a rich, sweet scent. Jasmine is a vivid, distinct smell that stands out in any product or fragrance blend. Jasmine is a family of shrubs and vines that is inclusive of over 200 varieties of plants. They are native to many tropical to temperate warm Asian regions and have long been harvested for their aromatic flowers and buds. The species belongs to the genus Jasminum, which derives from the Persian word Yasameen. This Persian word for “Gift from God” was translated from Arabic to Latin to establish the genus. Jasmine has been a standout fragrance for the cologne, perfume, and bath and body industry for years. This fragrance oil turns heads with customers, who frequently give it a 5-star rating! A customer in Warren, OH writes “Out of all the fragrance oil scents that I have tried from Natures Garden, this is probably the one that my wife likes the best. What an aroma and what a throw. You can actually use a little less than what is called for and still smells fine.” Try Jasmine Fragrance Oil today and see what you can create!
What Does Jasmine Fragrance Oil Smell Like?
Jasmine Fragrance Oil is the exotic blend of freshly cut jasmine flowers with a base note of rose petals.
How Do Our Customers Use Jasmine Fragrance Oil?
Jasmine Fragrance Oil is perfect for creating a wide variety of products with a recognizable scent! Add a floral touch to your room scenting products. Room scenters can use up to 50% of this fragrance oil in projects like incense and Smelly Jelly air fresheners. This fragrance oil is also strong in aroma beads. Jasmine Fragrance oil can be incorporated up to 10% in wax recipes, such as candles and tarts. This scent will perform perfectly in Joy Wax, Pillar of Bliss Wax, Wow Wax, and is nice and strong in soy waxes. If you wish to add some color to your candles and tarts, we recommend using 2 drops of violet liquid candle dye per 4 pounds of melted wax. You can also color your melted wax with a small amount of violet color blocks. Do not use crayons to color your candles as they will clog your wick.
Jasmine has long been a staple in bath and body products, and can now be added to your line, too! Bath gels and oils were found to perform well when the recommended maximum of 5% fragrance oil is incorporated. If you are making soap, you may use this floral fragrance up to 5% of your total recipe. According to our cold process soap testing results, this fragrance exhibited a perfect pour! No acceleration, separation, ricing, or discoloration. Cured soap had a strong scent retention! If you wish to color your bath and body products, we would recommend using purple soap colorant in the amount that satisfies you. Remember not to use candle dye in any of your bath and body products as they are not body safe.
Jasmine Fragrance Oil is perfect for a wide variety of products. Homemade perfumes perform well with this fresh fragrance when a maximum of 5% fragrance oil is used. Homemade lotions can be created using up to a 5% fragrance oil maximum. Homemade cleaning supplies also perform well with a maximum fragrance usage of 5%.
This entry was posted in candle making supplies, cold process soap, Fragrance Oils, Natures Garden, Soap making supplies and tagged candle fragrances, candle making, candle supplies, candle wax, cold process soap, cosmetic making, cosmetic supplies, country garden aroma, country garden fragrance, country garden scent, country garden scented oil, cp soap, cp soap testing, floral aroma, floral fragrances, floral scented oil, floral scents, flower fragrances, flower scents, fragrance oils, incense recipes, make candles, make soap, natures garden, potpourri recipes, soap fragrances, soap making, soaping supplies, spring fragrance oil, spring fragrances, spring scents on March 2, 2016 by Deborah Ward.
What Does Country Garden Fragrance Oil Smell Like?
This fresh, romantic, floral fragrance oil by Natures Garden is fantastic during the whole year! This fragrance begins with top notes of fresh green clover, and ivy with middle notes of romantic snapdragon, rose petals, and carnations; ending with base notes of white musk and fig leaves. An NG Original Fragrance!
How Do Our Customers Use Country Garden Fragrance Oil?
At home soap makers can use a maximum 4.5% in melt and pour soap, bath oils, and cold process soap. We suggestion coloring your soap using Ultramarine Violet FUN Soap Colorant in the amount to achieve your desired shade. Please remember, never use candle dye in any homemade bath and body products since they can stain your skin. Our cold process soap testing results have shown that this floral aroma has a perfect pour, no ricing, no acceleration, no separation, and discolors to a beige. This is super strong that is really rich. Since our Country Garden Fragrance Oil will discolor to a beige, it could be partially due to a 0.9% vanillin content. The discoloration may be prevented by adding vanilla white color stabilizer. Although, there are over 40 ingredients used in the fragrance oil manufacturing process that may contribute to discoloration of products. You will want to be sure to test all bath and body products. Lotions and perfumes can be created using a maximum of 4.5%. This fragrance oil performs perfectly in perfumes and creams. Cleaning products can include a maximum of 4.5% of this floral scent.
Handmade candles can be created using a maximum of 10% Country Garden Fragrance Oil. This spring fragrance performs perfectly in Natures Garden’s WOW Wax and Joy Wax, it is also very strong in soy wax. When coloring your candle or tarts we suggest using liquid candle dye or color blocks. Never use crayons. It is recommended that you use 3 drops of Spectrum Liquid Candle Dye in blue plus 2 drops of purple dye per 4 pounds of wax or shred a small amount of a blue and purple color block into your melted wax.
Homemade room scenting projects can utilize Country Garden Fragrance Oil as well. Incense recipes and potpourri recipes can be made to scent a room with a maximum usage rate of 50%. Also, this aroma is an extremely strong scent in homemade aroma beads.
Country Garden scent can be incorporated into a variety of homemade craft recipes, including candles, bath and body goods, cleaners, and room scents. The sky is truly the limit with this floral scent!
This entry was posted in bath and body, candle making supplies, Fragrance Oils, Natures Garden, Soap making supplies, wholesale fragrance oils and tagged candle making, candle making supplies, Crafts, diy, floral fragrances, floral scents, fragrance, fragrance oil, fragrances for candles, fragrances for soap, free recipe, free soap recipes, homemade, homemade honeycomb soap, homemade soaps, honeycomb fragrance, honeycomb fragrance oil, honeycomb scent, honeycomb soap, honeycomb soap recipe, how to make candles, how to make soap, making candles, making melt and pour soap, making soaps, melt and pour soap, mp soap, natures garden, scents for candles, scents for soap, soap making, soap making supplies, soap recipes, spring fragrances, spring scents, wholesale, wholesale fragrance oils, wholesale fragrances, wholesale scents on June 12, 2015 by Deborah Ward.
Spring is here! Don’t you just love hearing the birds chirping, the bees buzzing, and feel the warm spring air moving around you? I know I can hardly wait for the warm weather and I’m sure you can’t either. With the warm weather bringing those buzzing bees, you know what that means. It’s almost time for fresh honey. Our Honeycomb scent perfectly captures the wonderful aroma of a freshly made honeycomb, you can almost hear the busy bees buzzing around it. This fragrance is sure to fill your home with all of the excitement of spring and the aroma of freshly made honey just waiting to be eaten.
What Does Honeycomb Smell Like?
Honeycomb Scent by Nature’s Garden is a fragrance that is like a spring garden fresh in bloom. It is a floral classic fragrance that starts with opening notes of geranium, rose petals, and velvety violets that are surrounded by fresh orchard fruits and sweet honey nectar.
How Do Our Customers Use Honeycomb Fragrance Oil?
If you’re looking for the perfect fragrance to bring the beauty of spring time to your home and into your projects, then our Honeycomb scent does just that! It is sure to fill your home with the warm feeling of happiness and all of the excitement of spring. For all of the candle makers out there, our Honeycomb scent is everything you’ve ever wanted. This fragrance works nice and strong in soy wax, as well as performing perfectly in joy wax and wow wax. For all of the potpourri and incense makers out there, this scent is absolutely perfect for you. It has a maximum usage rate of 50%. You can easily fill your home with this deliciously fun aroma by using this fragrance to create some nice and strong homemade aroma beads.
For bath and body products, our Honeycomb fragrance has a maximum usage rate of 5%. Some common bath and body products that can include this lovely scent are perfumes, lotions, bath gels, soaps, and bath oils. This fragrance does not have any vanillin content contained within it, meaning that it should not tend to discolor your soaps and other homemade bath and body products. For all of the cold process soap makers out there, this wonderful fragrance is exactly what you’ve always been searching for. Our cold process results are: there is no acceleration or ricing and this fragrance has a perfect pour. It also does not have any discoloration problems and the scent is totally awesome.
I’m sure you’re anxious to get your hands on this amazing fragrance as soon as you possibly can, but hold on just a second because it gets better and better. Here at Nature’s Garden, we offer many great free classes and recipes, and our free Honeycomb Soap recipe is actually made with our Honeycomb fragrance oil. This is one recipe you won’t be able to resist. Please don’t hesitate to contact us here at Nature’s Garden if you have any questions, concerns, or thoughts, and enjoy this amazing scent! Keep watching for even more fragrance fun! | 2019-04-24T18:42:29Z | https://www.naturesgardencandles.com/blog/tag/spring-scents/ |
Laura: Today, we're excited to welcome Nancy Guthrie to the Risen Motherhood podcast. Nancy's interview is part of our series, Faithful Motherhood, where we’re talking with women whose children are grown and how the gospel has impacted their motherhood had over the years. These aren’t meant to be prescriptive interviews for how to do motherhood, just a glimpse at one woman's unique walk and lessons learned as she lives out her calling in the Lord.
We're talking with Nancy about trusting God with the lives of our children, how we can handle anxiety in comparison as a mom, and stick with us until the very end because she gives us a clear overview of how God is the only perfect parent, so you don't have to fear your own imperfections. Nancy teaches the Bible through books and conferences. Some of our favorite resources from Nancy include her book, Holding on to Hope and her Bible studies from the Seeing Jesus series. She also has a great book on prayer called, One Year of Praying Through the Bible for Your Kids and her newest book is, Even Better than Eden, and she has a podcast. She’s the host of the Help Me Teach the Bible podcast at The Gospel Coalition. You’ll find links to all of this at risenmotherhood.com.
Now, let's get to the show with Nancy, Emily, and me.
Laura: Hi, Nancy! Thanks so much for joining us on Risen Motherhood today.
Nancy: I'm so glad to get to talk to you guys today.
Laura: [Laughter] We’ve done your studies, we read your books. I mean, you’re a prolific author, you’ve written so many amazing things. We've also seen you speak. You're someone we’ve so appreciated your ministry of applying the gospel, of really encouraging women—well all people—to look at the metanarrative of scripture, and you have been instrumental for us to grasp that concept apply it to our own lives. We want to start off with a big thank you for all of the work that you've done.
Nancy: I'm grateful for that. That aspect of coming to understand the Bible, as one story, has been so significant in my own life and it always means a lot to me to hear that what's flowed out of that, in terms of what I've written and taught, is helpful to someone else. Thanks.
Emily: We’re so excited to introduce you to our audience. Would you start by telling us a little bit about yourself and even what a typical day looks like for you right now?
Nancy: Certainly. Well, I'm talking to you from my office in my house in Nashville. We just moved into a new house a year ago. It's so fun to start with fresh paint in modern colors. I work here all day long, except for when I sneak away from here to go take a walk in the park near my house with some of my friends. I texted a couple of them this morning and they said no, they won’t go, so it looks like I'm going to be going by myself after our interview. My husband has a business called Little Big Stuff Music.
He creates kids musicals for the church and that business is based here in our house— that's why we moved because all of his boxes of cd's and books were growing out of our two-car garage at our old house. The other cool thing about that is a couple of years ago, our son started working for him, so here in our little house in Nashville, we create a lot of stuff, but the best thing is we all work here all day and we have lunch together. That makes for a lot of great days here at the Guthrie house.
Laura: How fun! I know my family has a family business that Emily's husband works for, my brother works for, and lots of family all together. We're a very tight-knit family too, so that's so fun when you can all spend your days together.
Emily: We’re excited to have you on to look back on your years as a mom and discuss how the gospel has intersected throughout different seasons of your life. Could you just jump in? What do you think it means to be a gospel-centered parent, and how is your understanding of that changed over your 28 years of being a mom?
Nancy: Well, it’s changed a lot! I think for most of my parenting years, I would’ve thought that being a gospel-centered parent means that I put all of my efforts into trying to get my child to take hold of the gospel of Jesus Christ and become a Christian. I suppose that's an aspect of it, but there’s so much more to it than that. I think I've had a couple of big wakeup calls, in regard to the gospel and parenting.
I mentioned that we have a son who's 28 who works here in our house; my husband David and I have also had two other children who lived just a short time. We had a daughter named Hope, who would be 19 years old right now, and we had a son named Gabe who would be 17 and they were both born with a rare metabolic disorder called Zellweger Syndrome which meant that their lives were very short and very difficult, honestly.
When you're putting your child into the ground, you face whether or not you believe the claims of the gospel; whether or not you believe in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, that it means that those who belong to him are going to one day be raised from the dead and joined with him forever. That's the place that really matters. I think that's one place in my life, as a mom, where the gospel has come to certainly mean a lot more than it did at the beginning.
As I’ve continued to parent, over these last almost 20 years since then, I realize that a lot of times I’ve operated as if my child actually needs the gospel more than I do. It's been so easy for me as a parent. I don't know if it's been like trying to maintain my credibility as a parent or authority, but if I had it to do over again, I think one thing that I would do would be to be a little bit quicker, to be honest about my own sin with my growing child, because, you see, the gospel means that it's not all about my righteous life.
It’s about Christ’s righteous life and the gospel means that there is forgiveness for my failures, as well as power to forsake sin.
Laura: I would like to let you go on and on. [laughter] That was wonderful. First off, thank you for being so vulnerable to share about your children and your experience there. Second, I think that's something we all can really relate to, of having the shell around ourselves and not wanting to let our kids in and see our own need. Instead we’re like, “Well, you talk about your need and all of your sin issues.” But as a mom, we’re not being vulnerable with our own children and really leading by example and modeling what that life looks like—continual repentance, growing in sanctification along our walk as a Christian.
One thing that I think we see, especially as moms, is that we can get very bent out of shape with our kids doing different types of behaviors or having certain tendencies or even making choices that we would prefer that they didn’t. How does the gospel help us keep the main thing when we think of our mothering?
Nancy: Well, all along the way parenting, especially as our kids get into their teens and even more, I can say from personal experience as they get into young adulthood, we have to keep coming back to, what is the main thing? Because we can have a tendency as a mom to be looking at all these surface choices and behaviors, and we can get all bent out of shape about them and neglect what's underneath them.
One big challenge for me, as a mom, has been to simply trust God's timing to do that. I have to tell you, if we'd been having this conversation even five years ago, I wouldn't have been able to say that, because I was still in so much turmoil, waiting for some things to happen. It's timely to talk to you now, because I am seeing that some things four, five years ago that I was praying for. And I'll just be honest with you, some of those things I was praying for, I really didn't have the faith to believe God was going to do. I'm embarrassed to say, but it's just true.
I was praying intently, but I couldn't see for myself how that was going to happen and I'm telling you now, I look at it and I have seen God work in some ways beyond what I could imagine. I'm realizing now what has been important is for me to trust God's timing to work and bring about change in my child, because my child is savingly connected to Jesus Christ and he has done a work.
I guess the other thing is that, if we don't see any signs of spiritual life in our child and we come to the conclusion—I mean we never know about the interior of anyone's life— but if we're seeing zero fruits of spiritual life in our child, then instead of getting so uptight about all those things on the surface, we want to be pouring ourselves into begging God to do what only God can do, by the way, which is, take our child from spiritual death to spiritual life. Only he can do that.
I think sometimes, as moms we think that it's going to happen by my great witness, my great example, I'm going to get somebody to talk to my child, I’ve got to get my child in this group of friends, I've got to get my child to read this book, I've got to get my child to go to this event.
We tend to take the reins of control and think we can manipulate to make it happen, that our children will become spiritually alive. Certainly, it's our role as moms and dads to put our children in situations where they are going to hear the gospel, to put them under God's word in terms of preaching, week to week, in the church, have them be with us seeing us experience partaking of the sacraments, but ultimately, this is something only God can do.
It becomes an incredible matter of prayer for us rather than presume upon God to save our children, we begin to pray, even beg, God to save our children.
Emily: I really appreciate that overview of what it’s looked like for you to trust God even when you can't see the outcome. I think we live in a social media, instant gratification, microwave society and when we discipline one time, we wonder where’s the change?
God really has the long game in mind, and we get that from the metanarrative of scripture seeing how God took a long time and is taking a long time to play out this redemptive story. And it's not finished yet; it’s still coming. We have to remember that's the character of the God when we're parenting our kids. It is hard to keep that in mind.
Nancy: Absolutely. It's hard to wait on him.
Laura: Speaking of trusting in God with our children, can you give us a closer look at what it's looked like in your life to trust God with your children?
Nancy: First of all, isn't trusting God like Christianity 101? [laughter] It's the very foundation. I think, as we spend our lives in this world, that the essence of the Christian life is that God keeps giving us new opportunities to trust him in new ways, but that's not one of those things we get down like, ”Yes, I’ve trusted God.” I wish it was. I wish it was like, “I trusted God with this hard thing,” because you know what, I did trust God with a really hard thing. Two times. Trusting him with the deaths of two of my children.
I can remember right when Hope was born, I was still in the hospital and I called a good friend of mine. She said something to me, over the phone, that kind of set the course for me to begin to see what it was going to mean to trust God with Hope’s life. She said to me that God's purpose would be completely accomplished in Hope’s life in the number of days that he gave to her. During the 199 days of Hope's life, part of trusting God in that situation was trusting that that was true.
I remember a couple of weeks later I was rocking her, in what was intended to be our nursery, and things had finally settled down a little bit and I thought to myself, “Okay, I'm going to pray and I'm going to ask God to extend Hope’s life as long as possible.” I thought to myself, “I've been so generous to God to be able to accept that she's not going to grow old with us but I am going to just ask him to extend her life as long as possible.” I took a breath to begin to pray that and I thought to myself, “But wait a minute, maybe a longer life isn't better for her, or for me.” I thought to myself, “Maybe, what's more significant is that I will be willing to trust God to give her exactly the number of days that are right for her and right for me.” So my prayer changed.
I just asked God, “Would you give me the grace I need to accept the number of days that you give us with Hope?” I was trusting God with her life. My husband David and I, we took surgical steps to prevent another pregnancy and evidently it didn't work, and then I discovered that I was pregnant again with a son. This time, our son Gabriel would also have Zellweger Syndrome. I'd been asking God why during Hope’s life. The second time was why again? Is there something I didn’t learn the first time? I remember going away by myself; I just needed some time to think and pray and cry.
I think that's what trusting God looked like there, but I think in more recent years, through some struggles in our son's life, I remember sensing one day that God was saying to me, “Okay, you trusted me with the deaths of two of your children, are you willing to trust me with the life of your living child?” I got to admit to you, often times for me, that's been a lot harder—a lot of waking up in the middle of the night worrying and strategizing and all of those things.
I was really helped by something I read on a blog post. I was feeling so guilty for my sinning inability to trust God with my child's life, and I read this blog post where he was talking about what trust really looks like. He said trust doesn't look like you never have anxiety about it. Trusting God is every time that anxiety rises up in you, you go to God with it. That really helped me because I think it's unrealistic for us as moms to think we're just going to live a totally worry-free, anxiety-free life, in regard to our children, so the real issue of trusting God is not that we never feel anxiety, it’s what we do with it. Do we simmer in it?
It's so easy to become very self-focused with what we want to see and how we assume our life will go, and in those moments where you realize, “Hey, this isn't the way it's supposed to be first of all but also that it isn't what you expected.” That is the question: is the gospel true? Is God who he says he is, and can he work through this, and do I believe that? I love and appreciate you giving an understanding of the ping pong game, that it is trusting God. If I believe, help my unbelief.
Nancy: Do I believe that he's for me?
Nancy: Or do I think he’s against me? Do I believe that he really does know what is best and is committed to what is best? We just have to keep asking and answering those questions, in our own hearts and minds, and that's what builds our ability to trust.
Emily: I’m still processing right here. It is so helpful to think about, yes, the gospel meets us—like you're saying—at the grave. It definitely meets us at the kitchen table, and it meets us when our child isn't speaking, when they're supposed to be speaking. It just meets us at every level.
Emily: We’re so thankful for that.
Laura: This is hitting a chord for Emily and me, especially as we walk through our children’s needs, so thank you, Nancy.
Nancy: We share knowing what it's like to go sit in the waiting room in that geneticist’s office.
Emily: Deep breath processing through that. This is a good indication of how we feel as moms. We’re just looking at motherhood and feel like there's a formula to this, there's an expectation of what I think my life should look like, my friends life should look like, my kids life should look like. So we’ll see families that turned out well and feel like, “I want to know what their secret is so that I can copy that and then maybe my kids will turn out fine too.” Or we see families where there are kids who are struggling and walking away from the faith and we want to find out, “What was the weird thing they did in their families?” so that we won’t do that. What would you say to those assumptions that we bring to the table?
That's just false. All we have to do is look around. We all know where there are numerous children who are raised in the same home and they take very different paths, make very different promises. I think the bottom line is to know there are no formulas. Does this mean we're not responsible as parents for what we do? I don't mean that at all, but I think it means, first of all, that if we think it's a formula, then we're ignoring the reality of grace.
Grace gives us even better than we deserve as parents; grace goes to work in our child's life. When we want a formula, we're ignoring mercy—the mercy that we all need, that we don't get what we really deserve for the way we are as parents.
What's perhaps most significant is to know that as you seek to love your child and make the best choices possible for your child, the day may come when you're looking at your child and you're just thinking, “What did we do wrong? Where did we go wrong?” You're filled with a sense of regret, and if I'm speaking to a mom who's feeling that way today, what I would want to say to her is, don't make the assumption that the direction of your child's life, the bad choices, perhaps that your child is making, is completely up to you.
If you have taken hold of Christ, you’ve done the best you can to live before your child a godly life, and you’ve put your child in places where he can hear God's word, then understand that perhaps the problem is, as much as you did to set it out there for him or her, your child just simply didn't take hold of it. And that's not your fault.
So, stop beating yourself up over it. Instead, take hold of the grace that is yours in Christ Jesus and let it saturate your soul and sooth that sense of regret.
Nancy: It’s not in our hands.
Emily: I have to remind myself of that over and over and over again. I want to have the power, but I don't.
Laura: Nancy, as we close here, as I mentioned in the beginning, you're someone who speaks often to the metanarrative of scripture, and we know you have a deep love for biblical theology. Can you speak to the moms? Something we have a passion for here at Risen Motherhood, as well, is biblical literacy and understanding that everyone is a theologian, and it's very important to have a biblical theology. Can you walk us through why it's important to have that, as we think about the challenges of being a mom?
Nancy: I'm so glad you asked that because there's probably nothing more than seeing a story in the Bible that has helped me with some of those struggles I’ve had in parenting, and perhaps nothing more significant than this one central truth which is, there is only ever been one perfect parent.
God himself is the only perfect parent, and he's had rebellious children. I mean, that's a stunning truth, is it not? You think about it. God put his first children, Adam and Eve, in this perfect environment, this pristine environment of Eden and they rebelled. How many of us as parents sometimes think, “Well, if I can just create the right environment in my home, my kids will turn out well”?
It didn't work that way for them, and as we think about Adam and Eve, they were actually the first parents who had the potential to be perfect parents but because of sin, they were not perfect parents. Because of sin, we read something that explains all of our angst and struggle in the parenting department: this curse that came upon Eve in the midst of the curse given to the serpent. The impact of the curse on the serpent on Eve was going to be that she was going to have pain in childbearing.
Now, when we read that, we think immediately about the pain of labor and delivery but it means so much more than that. This is the pain of giving birth to children with birth defects, this is the pain of miscarriage and infertility, this is the pain of being a sinful mom raising a sinful child in a sin-cursed world—all of that brings pain.
So, rather than thinking that something's wrong, if we feel pain as a mother, we should recognize that this is inherent in living in a world under a curse. Imagine that God was the only perfect parent. Think about him. He had these first children, Adam and Eve, they rebelled and as we trace the story of the Bible, God’s next son—as God called him—was actually a nation; the nation of Israel. You remember that he sent Moses to Pharaoh and he said Israel is my first-born son. He brings them out of Egypt and he leads them once again into what's meant to be a beautiful environment; this land of milk and honey, and he's really clear with them what they need to do.
He's given them his law and he's been clear that if you obey, you will live, and if you do not obey, then here's all the terrible things that will happen to you. Likewise, we tend to think of parents like, “Maybe I wasn't clear, maybe I didn't say a certain thing enough, if I'd just told my child this,” right? But here's God, the perfect parent, making his law really clear to his people. And what happened with his people? They’re in the Promised Land and they rebel. They disobeyed, so that they got kicked out of the house. Basically, they were exiled.
It becomes clear in the Bible story that there’s a need for that perfect son, that obedient son, and that's who Jesus was. Jesus was the second Adam who, when tempted, obeyed. Jesus was the true Israel who obeyed rather than rebelled. Jesus embodied everything Israel was meant to be. He was everything God ever wanted in a son. We realize there is only one perfect child and the hope for sinful moms like me, is that I take hold of the perfect obedience of Christ and it is merited to my account and in that I find forgiveness. For all of my failures, all of my failures to live before my children in obedience to God, all the failures in my hypocrisy for saying one thing and doing another, all of my failures to talk a lot about the gospel and then not think that I actually need the gospel, all of those are found in that one perfect son, Jesus Christ. I need him and as I take hold of him, I find hope.
Laura: We are really grateful for you being on the show Nancy. Again, where you can find those resources at risenmotherhood.com and then there'll be a link. Of course, we’re on social media at @risenmotherhood. Thank you, Nancy, we really appreciate you taking time out to talk with us.
Nancy: Thank you so much, it’s been such a joy to talk about such meaningful things with you guys.
This episode of Risen Motherhood is funded by our generous donors. If you like this podcast please consider joining them at risenmotherhood.com/give. | 2019-04-19T21:08:33Z | https://risenmotherhood.squarespace.com/transcriptions/ep-113-trusting-god-with-our-children-an-interview-on-faithful-motherhood-with-nancy-guthrie-transcript |
Medals of the pilots of the A.V.G.
A number of documents survive which describe the awarding of medals by the Chinese Government to the American Volunteer Group to China (A.V.G.) in 1941 and 1942. These documents are divided into two sets. One set on the west coast at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University in Palo Alto, California as part of the General Chennault archives. The other resides with the General's widow, Mrs. Chennault, in Washington D.C. These documents are undated, unsigned, and with no effective dates for the periods covered. They are wonderful clues for the search of who was credited for what and why they were or were not awarded military medals.
The `Flying Tiger' A.V.G. pilot's medals consist primarily of two Chinese military medals: the Order of the Cloud and Banner and the Wing Star Medals. The Order of the Cloud and Banner medal is referred to in various A.V.G. documents as the ____ grade Yun-mo order, and the ___ grade Cloud Banner Decoration. The Wing Star Medals in A.V.G. documents were referred to a Air Force __-star Medal, __-star Medal, or __-Star Wing Medal, Chinese Air Force.
The original Wing Star Medals are a limited edition medal of the Chinese Government. The reason for the limited edition characterization lies with the period of issue. This medal was authorized May 5 , 1928 by the Chinese Government and was replaced after the creation of the Republic of China (ROC) in Taiwan by a new and different medal to be issued for the same purpose. The new medal's ribbons are different and the medal itself has been redesigned. The new one through four medals are rather diminutive compared to those for five through ten. A significant difference from the original medal.
The Wing Star medals have Chinese characters on the reverse describing the individual medals. The characters on the reverse of George Burgard's Ten Star Wing medal were translated as follows: right side: `Air Force Ten Stars', left side: `Star Medal'. The bottom is a name difficult to translate and a marker indicating 20% gold content. It is doubtful that the new medals have a gold content.
Both the Cloud and Banner and the Wing Star medals were issued in various grades to the A.V.G. Mark Chao's fine article "The Republic of China Order of the Cloud and Banner" in the July-August 2002 issue of The Journal of the Orders and Medals Society of America details the various grades of the Order of the Cloud and Banner. The A.V.G. received decorations from the Seventh Grade through the Third Grade. The A.V.G. members received Wing Star Medals from 1 through 10.
Medals were only issued to those pilots who fully honored their Central Aircraft Manufacturing Company (CAMCO) contracts and who survived their tour of duty. Gen. Bond in his A Flying Tiger's Diary on January 13, 1943 wrote: "Chennault is classifying each resignation and discharge as dishonorable.". This should give you Chennault's feelings regarding those pilots and ground crew who quit. Red Foster Petach relates in the film documentation The Real Flying Tigers that before she was permitted to leave Kunming, the Chinese authorities went through her baggage and removed her deceased husband's medals. This story should give you the Chinese Government's feelings regarding the medals of deceased pilots. Of the 106 pilots hired by CAMCO for the First American Volunteer Group (F.A.V.G.) `Flying Tigers' only 59 survived and complete their contracts to receive honorable discharges. Of that total only 42 pilots received Wing Star and Cloud and Banner medals.
There appears to be a reasonable correlation between the Wing Star medals and the Order of the Cloud and Banner medals which evolved from the first medals issue to what appears to be the final issue of medals by letter on January 22, 1943. Squadron leaders were issued the 5th Class Order of the Cloud and Banner medals as a result of their position in the group. Other pilots with 5+ air victories received 5th Class Order of the Cloud and Banner medals as well as those pilots who had a combination of 5+ air and ground credits. The 4th Class Order of the Cloud and Banner was ultimately awarded to those pilots with 9+ air victories. Initially it appeared that the Fourth Class Order of the Cloud and Banner medal would be issued only to those who had 10+ victories. (In the document "A Complete Name-List of Decorations" Bob Neale is listed for a Ten Star Wing medal and a Fourth Class Order of the Cloud and Banner whereas Bob Little is listed for a Nine Star Wing medal and a Fifth Class Order of the Cloud and Banner.) The 7th Class Order of the Cloud and Banner was awarded to the pilots with one air victory, and the 6th Order was awarded to those pilots with 2- 4 air victories.
The highest order medal issued to the A.V.G. was to Col. Chennault. He received the Third Class Order of the Cloud and Banner medal number 115. The highest order of the Wing Star medals were issued to Bob Neale and George Burgard: the Ten Star Wing medals numbers 2 and 1 respectively. The total number of medals issued to A.V.G. pilots was 42 Wing Star medals and 42 Cloud and Banner medals. Col. Chennault's Cloud and Banner medal brought that category total to 43.
Ten Star Wing Medals: Confusion exists as to the official number of double aces of the `Flying Tigers'. Those who have researched this area of `Flying Tigers' history many times find David Lee `Tex' Hill, Robert L. Little, and Charles Older included with Robert Neale and George Burgard as double aces. Two others, Charles R. Bond, in his book A Flying Tiger's Diary, and Kenneth Jernstedt through his submission to American Fighter Aces Album, have included themselves in this group. If these five were official double aces of the A.V.G. campaign they would be holders of the Chinese Ten Star Wing medals in addition to Robert Neale and George Burgard. What follows should clarify the record.
Charles Older: Mr. Older received a January 22, 1943 letter from then Gen. Chennault awarding him a "9-star Wing medal, Chinese Air Force, No. 2". These January 22, 1943 letters were the final awards of A.V.G. Wing Star and Cloud Banner medals.
David Lee `Tex' Hill: Mr. Hill has displayed in his medals and decorations case on his library wall a Nine Star Wing Medal with his Fourth Order of the Cloud and Banner medal.
Robert Little: Mr. Little did not survive the A.V.G. campaign, and he, along with all other pilots killed in action, missing in action, and prisoners of war received no medals from the Chinese Government. Mr. Little was listed by the A.V.G. to receive a Ten Star Wing Medal (#4) in two separate A.V.G. documents. Mr. Little was also scheduled to receive the Nine Star Wing medal and the Fifth Class Order of the Cloud and Banner awarded to him at the official ceremonies of June 6th, 1942. Unfortunately Mr. Little was killed in action May 22, 1942, 15 days before the awards were conferred. Mr. Little does not appear on the final upgrade of Cloud and Banner recipients, entitled simply "Name list of A.V.G. members Conferred", where Burgard, Hill, Older and R.T. Smith were each upgraded from the 5th Class to the 4th Class Cloud and Banner medals. Had Bob Little's next of kin been scheduled to receive his medals he should have been on this list for an upgrade to a 4th Class Order of the Cloud and Banner. He is not.
Kenneth Jernstedt: Mr. Jernstedt appears on page #113 of the American Fighter Aces Album with a credited total of 10 1/2 victories. This would make him a double ace. The A.V.G. undated document entitled "A CHART OF THE RECORDS OF THE PILOTS FORMERLY AND NOW RECOMMENDED" lists Mr. Jernstedt with 3 `AIR RECORDS' and 7 `GROUND RECORDS'. Mr. Jernstedt apparently combined his air and ground credits for his submission to the American Fighter Aces Album. In the A.V.G. records Mr. Jernstedt was issued a Fifth Grade Cloud and Banner Decoration No. 297 and upgraded from Air Force 2-star medal (No.66) to Three-star medal No. 39.
Mr. Jernstedt does not appear on the "Name list of A.V.G. members Conferred" for being upgraded to a Fourth Class Order of the Cloud and Banner. No A.V.G. records support Mr. Jernstedt's claim that he is a double ace as he presented in the American Fighter Aces Album.
Charles R. Bond: Gen. Bond writes in his 1984 book A Flying Tiger's Diary on pages 184-185: "The first decoration was the Fifth Order of the Cloud Banner, one of China's highest decorations. The other was the Chinese Ten Star Wing Medal, which is a lesser honor and is in recognition of the number of enemy aircraft I have shot down. I have not reached ten yet, but they gave it to me anyway." Gen. Bond's statement that he received a Ten Star Wing medal on June 6th, 1942 is contrary to all the evidence on the matter. The A.V.G. document prepared for the June 6th, 1942 awards ceremony shows Mr. Bond is to receive the Six Star Wing Medal (No. 12) and the Fifth Class Order of the Cloud Banner (No. 298).
The only Ten Star medal on that list was to Robert Neale (No. 2) along with the Fourth Class Order of the Cloud Banner (No. 458). Gen. Bond acknowledges receiving a Fifth Class Order of the Cloud Banner but not a Fourth Class which would normally accompany a Ten Star Wing Medal. It has been confirmed that George Burgard received an Eight Star Wing medal (No. 1) and a Fifth Class Order of the Cloud Banner that same day as was shown on the A.V.G. document `A Complete Name-List of Decorations'.
These specific awards are further supported by a document entitled "A TABLE OF THE NUMBERS OF THE DECORATIONS AND MEDALS AND THEIR CERTIFICATES TO BE RETURNED". In that document Gen. Bond is to return a Six Star medal and George Burgard is to return an Eight Star medal. It would be difficult for Gen. Bond to return a Six Star medal if, as he states in his book, he had received a Ten Star medal at that time.
There is no documented evidence that General Bond received a Ten Star Wing medal. The A.V.G. document entitled `A CHART OF THE RECORDS OF THE PILOTS FORMERLY AND NOW RECOMMENDED' shows Gen. Bond with 7 `AIR RECORDS' and 2 1/2 `GROUND RECORDS'. In Gen. Bond's submission to the American Fighter Aces Album in 1978 he states the following: "...was awarded two Chinese medals, Fifth Order of the Cloud Banner and Seven Star Wing Medal." This statement is certainly different from the one in his book A Flying Tiger's Dairy of approximately six years earlier.
POW - KIA - MIA: One of the unique things regarding the awarding of Chinese medals, to the A.V.G., is the manner by which POW's., KIA's and MIA's are handled regarding medals. No document has been found which absolutely states that these pilots will not receive Cloud and Banner nor Wing Star medals. However, the documents available regarding military awards do tell a story and provide enough clues regarding the treatment of this group and their non issue of medals.
The first A.V.G. document regarding medals seems to be a single page undated, untitled document for the Third Squadron action during their Christmas 1941 defense of Rangoon. Included in that document are four First Squadron pilots. The notable anomaly of this medals list regards Robert `Sandy' Sandell, who died February 7, 1942. Sandell is listed for a Fifth Class Order of the Cloud and Banner medal but no Wing Star medal. Sandell had a total of five air victories on January 28 and 29, 1941. Bob Little is on the list for a Sixth Class Order of the Cloud Banner medal and a Three Star Wing medal for his victories of January 29, 1941 and February 6, 1942. It appears at this point a Cloud and Banner will be awarded to the deceased but not a Wing Star medal. This is the first indication of an Chinese Government/A.V.G. medals policy.
The second A.V.G. document regarding medals "A Complete Name-List of Decorations" supports the absence of a Wing Medal for `Sandy' Sandell . His Fifth Grade Cloud Banner still appears on this document. But here the treatment in this category becomes contradictory and uneven. On page three the final four entries are all pilots who were killed in action: John Blackburn, KIA 4-26-42; Louis Hoffman, KIA 1-26-42; Kenneth Merritt, KIA 1-7-42 and Thomas Cole, KIA 1-23-42. Blackburn is listed for Sixth Grade Cloud Banner and Two Star Wing medals. Merritt and Cole who have one victory apiece are listed for no medals only `Certificates for combat merit'.
This document shows one deceased pilot for a Cloud Banner, one deceased pilot for Cloud Banner and Wing Star medals, and two deceased pilots for neither. A consistent policy for A.V.G. medals is not indicated at this time.
The fifth A.V.G. document, title unknown, adds more credence to the separate treatment for KIA, MIA and POW pilots. T. A. Jones, KIA 5-16-42 and W. D. McGarry, POW 3-24-42 are both listed for a Distinguished Certificate, but no other medals. R. L. Little, KIA 5-22-42 is listed for the #4 Ten Star Wing Medal, but is not upgraded to the Fourth Class Order of the Cloud and Banner. Chuck Older and R. T. Smith are upgraded to the Fourth Class Cloud Banner for their nine air victories. This is certainly inconsistent and the reverse of the earlier Sandell treatment.
The sixth A.V.G. document entitled; `A list of A.V.G. members conferred includes all the final Cloud and Banner upgrades and all the first issues of Cloud and Banner medals. This list excludes all pilots of KIA, MIA, POW status. The following names do not appear: Little, Sandell, Newkirk, Blackburn, Hoffman, Cole, Donovan, Jones, Merritt, Mott, and McGarry. There is one notable exception: J. E. Petach, Jr. However, his widow was shown earlier to give testimony regarding the confiscation of his medals before she was permitted to leave China. Another list, not perfect, but highly indicative of a policy. Each document by itself would not be conclusive, however, I believe, taken as a whole they present a clear picture that pilots of the status KIA, MIA or POW did not receive Cloud and Banner nor Wing Star medals.
On January 22, 1943 a final set of A.V.G. documents were sent to all pilots who were awarded medal upgrades, or who were to receive first time issues of medals. This final set of medals documents were letters from then General Chennault to the individual recipients of upgrades or first time medals to their individual U. S. residences. No copies of these letters have been found in either archive, however many individual pilots have these original letters with their medals.
The following pilots resigned from the A.V.G. prior to July 4, 1942. Following their names are the victories according to A.V.G. records (both air and ground). You will not find any of their names on any of the medals lists of the A.V.G. Noel Bacon (3.5), Percy Bartlett (7), Donald Bernsdorf (-), Morris Bohman (-), Greg Boyington (3.5), Elmer Cook (-), Albert Criz (-), Henry Fuller (-), Ralph Gunvordahl (1), Ramond Hastey (1), Leo Houle (-), John Kelleher (-), Donald Knapp (-), Maurice McGuire (-), Edwin Rushton (-), Gail Stubbs (-), Estes Swindle (-), Stanley Wallace (-), Robert Walroth (-), Eugene Watson (-), and Richard White (-).
Five of these pilots had official A.V.G. victories and would have been in line for Seventh or Sixth Class Order of the Cloud and Banner medals and possible Wing Star medals. Because they failed to complete their contracts, they received no medals. Their names cannot be found on any A.V.G. medals lists.
There is also some evidence that not all the medals sent by General Chennault on January 22, 1943 reached their intended recipients. Richard Rossi in his submission to the American Fighter Aces Album acknowledges his receipt of a Five Star Wing medal. The A.V.G. records show he was upgraded to the Six Star Wing medal #5. Bob Prescott in his submission to the American Fighter Aces Album acknowledges a Three Star Wing medal while the A.V.G. records upgrade him to 5.5 air victories. In January 1943 the war was in full swing and its reasonable to believe that lost mail could account for these discrepancies.
A quick review of the list of Wing Star medals can serve to give an approximate number of all these medals issued through July 1942, including both Chinese and A.V.G. pilots. A look at the highest number of each group can tell us approximately how many medals of each group were issued. A total of the ten groups should then give a total of all Wing Star medals issued by the Chinese Government through July 1942. The following are the highest numbers for each group: 10-star (#2), 9-star (#3), 8-star (#1 returned), 7-star (#5), 6-star (#5+), 5-star (#6+), 4-star (#5+), 3-star (#47), 2-star (#35+), and 1-star (#36). Adding these highest numbers gives us an approximate total of 144+ Wing Star medals. The (+) is for the possibility that the unknown numbers of the later issued medals may be a higher number than the ones listed. The other side of the coin would be lower numbers turned in for upgrades and for which there is no accounting.
A review of the Order of the Cloud and Banner medal numbers also infers an interesting story. It would seem that the senior field officers received most of the medals for their service to China because the highest numbers on the medals received by the A.V.G. are in the fourth and fifth class medals, 467 and 321 respectively. These two groups would also include the highest awards to junior field officers. The most infrequently issued Cloud and Banner, according to the numbers on the reverse of A.V.G. medals, was the seventh class medal. The highest number for this group is 29.
The total population of all A.V.G. medals is infinitesimally small in the world of medals, for the A.V.G. was a extraordinarily small, albeit an extremely significant group of World War II. | 2019-04-23T08:49:57Z | http://flying-tiger-ace.tripod.com/id56.htm |
Wait – it’s the author of this article in the Global Times that draws the comparison of an outrageous show for kids at the Summer Palace with Quentin Tarantino’s film. And the analogy is spot-on. This is wild and crazy stuff.
The lotus flowers are in bloom at the Old Summer Palace, a magnificent royal compound destroyed twice by foreigners, in 1860 and 1900.
This catastrophic loss to the world’s cultural heritage occurred more than a century ago, but the ruins loom large as a central symbol of China’s humiliation at the hands of Westerners.
I saw first-hand an example of how this sense of indignity and outrage is kept alive during a stroll on a summer evening, when I stopped and watched the shadow puppet show The Legend of Yuanmingyuan.
….Watching the show, I was confused by what was happening before me. In battle after battle, Chinese soldiers and villagers used martial arts and tricks to defeat the buffoonish French and British invaders.
The foreigners got hatchets in the face, spears in the eye, and bayoneted repeatedly while lying helpless on the ground. Wily Chinese fighters jumped into the air, causing foreign troops to accidentally kill each other… I was wondering if I had stumbled upon China’s answer to Inglourious Basterds, the Quentin Tarantino revenge fantasy in which a group of Jews scalp dozens of Nazis and then kill Hitler.
The delightful show has an obvious intent: to generate in impressionable children as much rage against foreigners as possible.
To the laughter of the children and adults in the audience, the solders mispronounce the names of their own countries, for example, saying they are from the country of “Epilepsy” rather than the near-homonym Great Britain.
During one comical scene, soldiers fight over the loot from the Old Summer Palace, staggering like drunkards with their heavy load. The soldiers, played by real pint-sized actors on stage, are so venal that they reach off the stage into the crowd to find even more things to steal, grabbing at audience member’s mobile phones. One foolish soldier, intent on stealing everything that isn’t screwed down, burns his hands trying to steal one of the stage’s footlights….
One of the most disturbing things about watching this spectacle was seeing little people teaching little people how to hate. At the end of the show, the children in the audience were invited onstage to pose with the actors. To my surprise, it was announced that the performers were not children at all, but adults suffering from dwarfism, with an average age of 22 and an average height of 1.26 meters (4 feet). Their particular form of dwarfism makes them resemble children.
Kudos to the Global Times for running a piece that makes this look like the cheapest, most vulgar and nauseating propaganda. As the writer points out, the park’s Chinese and English web sites have very different copy. The hysteria and anti-foreign sentiments somehow got airburshed out of the English translation.
Hatred, like forgiveness, can be taught, and hanging on to hurt and outrage is the central message of this show.
To be sure, a clear-eyed look at the history surrounding the Old Summer Palace and the collapse of the Qing Dynasty offers many lessons in arrogance, barbarism, and how regimes rise and fall from power. These lessons are valuable today.
But these lessons were far from the caricatures of history I witnessed in this show. Beyond the looting and destruction of the palace by foreigners amid war as the Qing emperor fled, there was little in the way of history. This puppet show, of course, is hardly unique, but instead a very normal example of the methods by which past hurts are nurtured for purposes that have nothing to do with understanding the past and everything to do with fueling nationalism.
The looting of the Summer Palace is one of those third-rail topics that I learned long ago to avoid at all costs. It’s one where I’m tempted to use the “b” word (it rhymes with “train quash”), and this show confirms it’s justified. The looting was a shameful thing. But to carry that much anger in their breasts nearly a century and a half after the fact is bizarre. But it’s not bizarre – it’s cultivated at a young age when kids are at their most impressionable, and it perpetuates the stereotype of victimhood and keeps it fresh and raw. A friend of mine once talked about it to me with tears in her eyes, as if it happened last week. I just listened, knowing there was nothing I could say except that I understand and sympathize.
A great post by one of my favorite bloggers on why Popup Chinese is one of the best ways to study Mandarin. And I agree with him.
The China blog is officially dead, moribund, cadaverous, extinct, buried, bereft of life, defunct and totally-and-utterly-inert. It could even be said to be resting in peace, save for the fact that Will Moss drove a silver stake through its heart before recording this podcast. “We single-handedly made the China blog obsolete,” he joked in our studio after further sawing off its head. But he has a point. Because who reads blogs these days?
Does anyone even remember the China blogs of days past? Back then there were greats like Peking Duck, ImageThief, Sinosplice and Danwei, and you could even indulge in a little China-bashing at Talk Talk China. Then came Sinocism and EastSouthWestNorth, and then the mainstream media blogs from magazines like Time and journalists like Malcolm Moore, Peter Foster and Tom Lasseter. And then the explosion of blogs like the Shanghaiist, China Geeks, China Hearsay, ChinaSmack, ChinaHush and CNReviews, not to mention the more eclectic and academic writings of China Youren, Jottings from the Granite Studio, In the Footsteps of Joseph Rock and The China Beat?
Well… we’re sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but all of these blogs are dead. Or that’s the opinion of the curmugeons in our studio this week: Kaiser Kuo, Will Moss and Jeremy Goldkorn, veteran bloggers in China who’ve seen the ups and downs of social media and are prepared to tell it like it is. So join us this week on Sinica for a dissection of the Chinese blog scene. And then get the hell off our lawn. What is it with kids these days anyway?
Obviously this is something that’s been on my mind as I try to keep my own blog going. Twitter has obliterated what I used to use the blog for, namely sharing links and offering some commentary. And the China blogosphere is so fragmented it’s much harder to be heard above the din.The fact that I’m caught up in my own issues (I’m planning to launch my own small business soon; I’ll keep you posted) hasn’t helped make this blog more productive. But even if I were as productive as in 2003, the site would be in decline. China blogs are too many. and blogging in general is becoming increasingly antique.
I do miss the “golden age,” from 2003-2005, when I could open a thread before bedtime and wake up to 300 comments. But that required full-time posting and, at its peak, the help of three or four other bloggers all putting up copy throughout the day. At least I’m not alone. Danwei, Imagethief, Fool’s Mountain – nearly all the blogs have seen some decline, according to the podcast, even the journalists’ blogs.
My posts are now appearing on a very neat new site. Please be sure to check it out.
Richard McGregor’s book The Party: The Secret World of China’s Communist Rulers, is yet another must-read book on contemporary China and probably the single best book on the CCP you can find.
I can’t say there was anything truly shocking to be found in its pages, but maybe that’s because there’s nothing the CCP can do that would shock me anymore. What McGregor does beautifully is demystify the CCP and its “relevant organs” through a masterful combination of anecdote and analysis that keeps the book taut, even exciting. His now-famous description of the “red phones” that sit atop the desks of 50 or so ueber-elite Chinese executives, and all that the phones represent – secrecy, privilege, control – is a great example of why this book is so entertaining, even when it’s scary.
I love the way McGregor writes.
China under Mao Zedong had much in common with other totalitarian systems. To borrow the oft-used phrase, terror was the system for extended periods of Mao’s rule. In the last three decades, the Communist Party has turned that formula around. Terror is just a side effect these days, used relatively sparingly and, in large part, reluctantly. In modern China, the system runs on seduction rather than suppression. It aims to co-opt, not coerce, the population. But even so, terror remains essential to the system’s survival and is deployed without embarrassment when required….[This resorting to terror] is evidence that behind the Party’s boisterous, boasting exterior lies a regime with a profound appreciation of its limited legitimacy and fragile mandate.
The book is rich in examples and clear-headed analysis of an array of (relatively) recent phenomena – the San Lu cover-up, the institutionalized corruption, SARS, the harassment of lawyers, the hyper-paranoia over public perception of the party. And it is remarkably balanced. McGregor never portrays the Party as evil, though it is certainly something to fear.
I’m not formally reviewing this book because there are many excellent reviews out there and I can’t add much to them. I did want to focus briefly, however, on one chapter that captivated me, titled Tombstone, about a book of that name written by a former Xinhua journalist, and one who was particularly high up, Yang Jisheng. For me, this was by far the most intense chapter in this whole intense book.
One of the most popular fenqing arguments, and one I’ve heard from Western friends as well, is that the estimated 30-40 million Chinese who died in the famine during the Great Leap Forward was a number pulled out of thin air by CCP-hating Westerners, and that the number bears little correlation to the facts. Sometimes I wondered myself; I had read that the estimate of 35 million dead was from Chinese sources, but it wasn’t until I read this chapter that I fully understood where the number came from and how it was arrived at.
On events such as the Great Leap Forward, the Cultural Revolution, the suppression pf the Tibet uprising in 1959, the pro-democracy protests in 1989 and so on, the Party simply announced it verdict after intense deliberations. Party officials are bound by these pronouncements on history, whatever they think as individuals…You either support the decision wholeheartedly or you are out. The Party’s verdict then, in theory, becomes the collective opinion of the entire country and its 1.3 billion people. Chinese who wish to agitate publicly for an alternative view do so at their own risk.
And yet Yang wrote and published Tombstone (in Hong Kong – two volumes, more than 1,000 pages) and he was not punished. Needless to say you won’t find many copies of it for sale in the Mainland, but Yang was never arrested or even harassed. China simply doesn’t do that anymore, McGregor explains. If you aren’t directly threatening today’s CCP with threats,real or perceived, that might undermine its power, you can pretty much say what you want (and I know, there are some egregious exceptions).
The descriptions of what the peasants endured during the GLF, familiar as they are, are still heartbreaking. And forget about the line that it was simply another naturally occurring famine. No, not at all. It was a man-made event, and had it not been for Mao and his ego and his dogma it wouldn’t have happened.
I wrote in the margins of every page in this chapter. It was a scene of mayhem and death and cannibalism the likes of which we can never imagine. I had read about Tombstone last year, but never knew the full story behind it. Its publication highlights the Party’s increasing toleration. But always, of course, within limits.
I meant for this to be a very short post and seem to have wandered all over the place. Bottom line: Buy the book if you want to really understand how the Party manages to keep on going, and how its mind works, complex and secretive, yet almost always predictable.
China has long known something that many in developed countries are only now beginning to grasp, that the Chinese Communist Party and its leaders have never wanted to be the west when they grow up. For the foreseeable future, it looks as though their wish, to bestride the world as a colossus on their own implacable terms, will come true.
That should get each of us thinking. Like it or not, China continues more than ever to shake the world.
If you attended the Peking Duck dinners I used to organize in Beijing you most likely were left with a strong impression of one attendee, Joseph Bosco, the mustachioed professor who wore the big white hat and talked with a debonair Southern accent; the one who could effortlessly spin yarns and entertain, and who always seemed to have an interesting perspective on any issue that arose.
The last time I saw him was nearly a year ago to the day, at my farewell party in Beijing. He was looking frail but in his usual good spirits. I spoke with him on the phone just a few days ago, and I was not surprised to learn tonight that he’s gone.
Joe’s blog used to be one of my favorite reads. He was an old-school liberal and a man of the people. When I contacted him in 2003 and asked if he could do me the huge favor of meeting for one hour a week with a good friend of mine from the countryside to help him improve his English, Joe didn’t hesitate. I can never forget his generosity. He changed that young man’s life and gave him a strong sense of pride and dignity.
Joe was a character; no one I know had so much “personality,” and I mean that in a good way. He wasn’t perfect (who is?), and watching things get worse for him over the past few years was a sad thing. I encouraged him to write some columns for the Global Times, which he did very well, but then his health issues made that impossible.
More than anything else, this blog ushered into my life an entire cast of characters so remarkable and so wonderful I have to consider myself blessed. Some disappointed me, some exceeded my wildest expectations in terms of generosity and kindness. Joseph was at the very top of that list of extraordinary people. I’ve never met anyone like him, and never will again.
Even with his issues, Joe was always one of the good guys. He changed my outlook on the world and he inspired me. I’m sorry he is no longer with us, and I hope that after years of sickness and pain he is finally at peace.
Finally going to NYC for the first time in years. Posts will be few and far between. I’d suggest an open thread, but without our resident trolls comments have been sparse. If anyone wants to guest blog….
On August 6, the 2009 thriller Formosa Betrayed will be seen for the first time in Taiwan, about two weeks after it becomes available here on DVD. You should all see it, and remember that Chiang Kai Shek had nearly as much blood on his hands as Mao, and not very long ago Taiwan was a brutal police state capable of unspeakable crimes against humanity.
I watched the movie last night. It stars Dawson Creek’s James Van Der Beek, and despite its obviously low budget – it lacks the slick veneer of a Hollywood blockbuster, and has none of the dazzling effects of, say Silence of the Lambs – it still sizzles.
Inspired by two actual events, one surrounding the death of Professor Chen Wen-Chen (陳文成) of Carnegie Mellon University in 1981, and the other the 1984 assassination of journalist Henry Liu in California, Formosa Betrayed is the story of FBI Agent Jake Kelly’s (James Van Der Beek) investigation of the murder of Henry Wen (Joseph Forunda), a Taiwanese professor in Chicago. With the help of his partner Tom Braxton (John Heard) and a sharp Chicago police detective (Leslie Hope), Agent Kelly discovers that the murderers have fled to Taipei, capital of the Republic of China.
Agent Kelly is sent overseas to assist the Republic of China government’s search for the killers. Initially guided by an American diplomat (Wendy Crewson) and a KMT official (Tzi Ma), he soon realizes that not only is he an unwelcome guest in a foreign land, but that something more treacherous is happening beneath the surface.
With the help of Ming (Will Tiao), a Taiwanese activist, Agent Kelly discovers the unsettling truth about the island, once described as “Ilha Formosa” (“beautiful island”) by the Portuguese, leading to dangerous and painful consequences. Agent Kelly finds himself on a collision course with the U.S. State Department, the Chinese Mafia, and ultimately the highest levels of the Kuomintang, where this FBI agent discovers how a complex web of politics, identity, and power affects the lives and destinies of all the citizens.
I had to smile when, early on in the film, Agent Kelly checks into a Taiwan hotel and is handed the keys to Room No. 228. It’s a shame that just about no one knows what 228 is, about how on that day, February 28, 1947, an incident took place that would unleash the full savagery of the Chiang Kai Shek regime, resulting in the wanton slaughter of as many as 30,000 innocent Taiwanese citizens. It was a tragedy that makes Tiananmen look trivial. It is shocking that it remains unknown. But to Taiwan’s credit, it is a great weight on the nation’s conscience, and everyone there knows about it. It took decades before the government opened up about it, but now there is an Er Er Ba park and museum with photos of the victims and all the sordid details, and it is a source of shame and grief to this day. This is heartening, though of course it doesn’t excuse or lessen the crimes committed by Chiang’s willing executioners.
Formosa Betrayed is based on an all too true story, and your blood pressure has no choice but to rise as you see how the US State Department in effect allowed the Taiwanese government in 1981 to murder a US citizen critical of its regime, and to then cover it up by murdering its own assassins. Along the way, those trying to help bring the truth to light are murdered, and one of them, in the film’s most disturbing scene, is tortured with a blowtorch.
There is a propaganda element to this movie, which is clearly an advocate for Taiwanese independence. It makes the point that Taiwan has been exploited for centuries, ruled by the Japanese and then by Chiang (at first welcomed as a hero), and that the fate of the island was then put into jeopardy by the US’s recognition of the PRC. Shouldn’t this country, the film shouts at you, be allowed to be independent?
That, of course, is a thorny question and there’s no way for me to discuss it without feeling depressed, because I sadly do not believe it’s going to happen.
But no matter what our viewpoint on that subject, you should know the Taiwan that has somehow been airbrushed from modern memory. You should know with what casualness and cruelty Chiang’s army murdered the people of Taiwan. And you should know that, once again, in the name of “pragmatism” the US in 1981 allowed them to get away with murder. It’s a taut, well-made movie that will leave you furious. Van Der Beek is actually quite excellent as the hero who will not compromise in the name of realpolitik, and the man who fought to make this film possible, Will Tiao, is absolutely superb as the poor fellow who tries to help Agent Kelly find the assassins, and who ends up facing a gleefully sadistic torture crew. He is also the film’s writer and producer.
If you’re in Taiwan, please spread the word that the film is coming and must be seen. If you’re not in Taiwan, rent the DVD and see a side of Taiwan we all want to forget.
Today, Taiwan is simply my favorite country on earth, civilized, urbane, wonderful in just about every way (politics aside). It is so hard to believe that only three decades ago people advocating independence were being shot openly on the streets. You can’t know contemporary Taiwan if you don’t know the Taiwan of the nost-so-distant past.
US and China heading for an ugly trade war?
If you’ve been watching the financial news over the past few months I think you’ve probably picked up on a powerful new message that’s being broadcast by Corporate America: things aren’t going well for US companies in China, who are just about fed up with government restrictions and shenanigans that make it impossible for them to compete with their Chinese counterparts.
This has always been an issue. In the past, however, Corporate America kept its unhappiness to itself and held big media events to show how happy happy happy they are to be doing business in China and how committed they are to the Chinese market and how thrilled they are at the opportunity to pour billions of investment dollars into China’s coffers. American companies simply loved to do this.
Of course, those who listened behind the scenes always knew this love was – how shall we put it? – insincere. The companies were simply fuming at the hurdles and land mines strewn in their path, nonsense that made competing with home-grown Chinese companies next to impossible. The foreign firms built research parks and came up with cool programs for the kids in their neighborhoods, science fairs and contests and tree-planting and other love-ins. They appeared at elaborate press conferences with local officials, and somehow they’d usually get someone from the MII to attend and validate their event. There were photo opportunities, long handshakes, lots of smiles and applause.
But the winds that are blowing now indicate trouble in paradise. More and more stories have emerged in the past few months about growing frustration on the part of Western companies, and increased arrogance on the part of the Chinese officials. This is not entirely surprising. After all, it’s the US that, more than any other party, brought us the economic catastrophe, and the irony has been noted again and again that after being asked by Chinese banks to help them modernize and get organized, it’s now the US banks coming hat in hand to China. This turn of events has given the Chinese a lot to gloat about. So you have two opponents in the corners of the ring, frustrated US companies at wits end over getting nowhere in China, and a haughty, super-charged China feeling stronger and mightier than ever before.
THIS week’s plain-speaking prize goes to Jeff Immelt, the boss of General Electric.
He argued that China is increasingly hostile to foreign multinationals; he also gave warning that his company, the world’s biggest manufacturer, is actively looking for better prospects in other emerging markets. “They don’t all want to be colonised by the Chinese”, he said, going rather further than was prudent. “They want to develop themselves”.
Mr Immelt’s broadside was undoubtedly significant. It reflects a growing mood of disillusionment with China among big Western companies. It came from the mouth of one of China’s biggest boosters, a man who praised the Chinese leadership, only last December, for doing exactly what they say they will.
This is important. Immelt IS (or was?) a breathless “China booster.” For him to suddenly bare his teeth and say what’s on his mind like this tells us – well, it’s no accident that he did this. That same blog post goes on to question Immelt’s stand and points out some Western companies have successfully “cracked the China code” and are making money there. But I think a lot more are struggling there. I can’t prove it, but I certainly know of some very big businesses that are as fed up as GE.
And that brings me to this article, which predicts a total trade war. The author contends we are heading toard an “imminent showdown,” and I don’t doubt it.
A significant part of China’s rapid growth has been driven by its ability to export its goods to countries such as the United States. In turn, the U.S.’s ability to continue to finance its massive $13 trillion federal deficit has been substantially underwritten by China’s ongoing purchase of U.S. Treasury debt.
While each side has gained from this relationship it is charting an unsustainable trajectory that could lead to severe problems. This is particularly troubling because Chimerica tension is rising over China’s currency policy just as many countries — including the U.S. with its high unemployment and China with its property bubble and inflation concerns — appear to be struggling to emerge from the ‘Great Recession’…..
Chinese have been driving a very hard bargain with the rest of the world with their managed currency policy. China has benefitted tremendously from joining the open world economy. However, free trade is not an inalienable sovereign right.
China’s growing economic power comes with the role of being a responsible global actor by playing by the same rules as its trading partners. The U.S. has grown weary of waiting for the Chinese government to come around at a time when it is also economically weakened. In short, the time has come for the renminbi to be revalued upward or U.S. action will occur.
China’s leadership, emboldened for example by the failure of the U.S. to navigate the world away from a near financial collapse and Google’s recent blink, is growing more confident. It is reasonable to assume that China will increasingly flex its economic muscles and may reject the U.S.’s request for a change in its currency policy.
The Chinese government stubbornly detests public pressure from foreign government officials. Yet the Chinese leadership appears to only move when they are forced to do so. And often when they do finally make a change, as with the most recent renminbi move, they barely budge.
At the same time, it is highly unlikely the U.S. will quietly surrender its role as the world’s dominant superpower. And the pressure is growing to take swift, assertive action on the renminbi as calls to “do something” grow louder in the face of a deteriorating domestic economy.
China — similar to Japan in the 1980s — is directly in the U.S.’s economic crosshairs. The inescapable conclusion is that an escalating U.S.-China economic war is not only underestimated in terms of its likelihood, but probable.
Sorry for the long clip, but I think this is an important story. Maybe it’s just another example of pack journalism, with everyone making a lot out of some circumstantial evidence and all of them pointing in the same direction and shouting the same accusation: “China’s pushing the envelope and pretty soon there’s going to be a rupture; something’s got to give.” It will be interesting to see what happens next, after watching the tension build up for so many months. I can'[t make any predictions, except to say that China seems to have the upper hand, fair or not. | 2019-04-18T14:27:18Z | http://www.pekingduck.org/2010/07/ |
After you file a FAFSA, the Financial Aid Office draws up your projected budget to determine what your need for funds will be and for what kind of aid you qualify.
If you qualify as a "student in financial need", you will be eligible for various types of aid. Based on your need, the Financial Aid Office compiles a list of grants and loans for which you qualify.
Their recommendations will be sent to you in an Award Letter.
The Award Package will include loans as well as other kinds of state and federal aid.
All students are eligible to apply for an Unsubsidized Loan. Interest on these loans will be charged during your college years; and during the six-month grace period after you graduate, withdraw, or drop below six credits; and also during periods of loan deferment.
You choose whether to pay interest during college years as it is being charged or to delay payment and simply include it with the rest of the borrowed money to be repaid after leaving school.
Students with financial need are eligible for a Subsidized Loan. Interest on a Subsidized Loan will not be charged until the student graduates, withdraws, or drops below six credits.
If necessary, a student getting a Subsidized Loan may supplement their loan with an Unsubsidized Loan.
Another type of loan available is the Consolidation Loan with which a student can combine several student loans (even at different colleges) into one loan, repayable with one monthly payment.
As of July 2010, student loans will be made, not with banks, but with the Federal Government.
There are yearly maximums on both subsidized and unsubsidized loans which limit the amount you can borrow each year.
Your budget -- estimated living expenses plus the cost of college minus your family’s expected contribution and any other income you may receive-- will determine the amount you are eligible for (not necessarily the maximum).
These limits apply to dependent students whose parents are unable to borrow a PLUS loan.
$31,000 for dependent undergraduate students excluding those whose parents are unable to borrow a PLUS Loan -- no more than $23,000 may be subsidized.
$57,500 for independent undergraduate students and dependent undergraduates whose parents are unable to borrow a PLUS Loan-- no more than $23,000 may be subsidized.
You should evaluate the award package carefully. Remember: loans must be paid back.
Be sure to check whether or not your living expenses will be as high as the estimated allowance projected by your school; if they aren’t, you may not need to borrow as much money as the amount in the award package.
To get an idea of your monthly loan payments after you graduate, see the Repayment Calculator on the government web site.
You have the right to decline the loan or to request a smaller loan than the amount given in the award letter.Remember that loan money must be paid back with interest.You should only borrow as a last resort.
Students must be completely free of influence by the college as they select a lender for their private education loan.
SUNY Orange will not participate in revenue-sharing arrangements with lenders.
SUNY Orange does not request or accept from any lender any assistance with call center staffing or financial aid office staffing.
No officer, employee or agent of SUNY Orange who is employed in the financial aid office or who otherwise has responsibilities with respect to education loans, will solicit or accept any gift or other thing of value from a lender, guarantor, or servicer of education loans. You should be aware that certain items provided or contributed by lenders are not considered gifts, such as training materials, philanthropic contributions unrelated to education loans, and entrance and exit counseling services.
No officer, employee or agent of SUNY Orange who is employed in the financial aid office or who otherwise has responsibilities with respect to education loans, will accept from any lender or affiliate of any lender, any fee, payment, or other financial benefit (including the opportunity to purchase stock) as compensation for any type of consulting arrangement or other contract to provide services to a lender or on behalf of a lender relating to education loans.
SUNY Orange will not, for any first-time borrower, assign, through award packaging or other methods, the borrower's loan to a particular lender or refuse to certify, or delay certification of, any loan based on the borrower's selection of a particular lender or guaranty agency.
SUNY Orange will not request or accept from any lender, any offer of funds to be used for private education loans, including funds for an opportunity pool loan, to students in exchange for the campus providing concessions or promises regarding providing the lender with a specified number of loans made, insured, or guaranteed, a specified loan volume, or a preferred lender arrangement for such loans.
No employee of SUNY Orange who is employed in the financial aid office or who otherwise has responsibilities with respect to education loans or other student financial aid and who serves on an advisory board, commission, or group established by a lender, guarantor, or group of lenders or guarantors, will receive anything of value from the lender, guarantor, or group of lenders or guarantors for such service.
Accept the award package on Banner.
You must undergo Entrance Counseling online to clarify your responsibilities regarding the loan.
You must complete a Master Promissory Note (MPN). After you file your MPN, you will receive a disclosure statement, noting the amount of the loan, fees for loan origination, and the expected disbursement dates and amounts. Additional loans can be made with this one MPN for a period of ten years.
There are two kinds of loans: unsubsidized and subsidized. Link to Student Loan Website for current interest rates.
After the student submits financial information on the FAFSA, the Financial Aid Department determines whether a student is eligible for a subsidized or unsubsidized loan.
The government subsidizes the interest on your subsidized loan while you are in school. You are responsible to pay the interest only on your unsubsidized money while in school.
The length of the repayment period varies with the plans.
If you don’t select any particular repayment plan, you will automatically be put in the standard plan with fixed monthly payments for up to 10 years.This plan saves you the most money over time because it doesn’t have interest added during an extended repayment period.
Another plan starts with low repayment amounts and slowly increases the amount over time. No matter what plan you are in, you can change your plan at any time. Click on ‘Your Account" ’Link to Student Loan Website.
The Financial Awareness Counseling Tool provides students with five interactive tutorials covering topics ranging from managing a budget to avoiding default.
Students are able to access their individual loan history and receive personalized feedback that can help them better understand their financial obligations.
You are free to change your plan at any time during the loan process.
Instead of mailing in a check every month, carefully timed to meet the due date, you can opt for an electronic debit account in which your bank automatically make your monthly payments directly out of your checking or savings account.
Your first repayment bill will explain how to sign up for this option.
A big advantage of making automatic repayments is that there may be a reduction in your interest rate. Check with your servicer for current offers.
Even if you have taken out student loans at other colleges, they can all be consolidated, along with your current loan, into one loan with one monthly payment. Consolidation will usually extend the loan-repayment period, but note that such an extension results in additional interest costs. For additional information on loan consolidation Link to Student Loan Consolidation, or call 1-800-557-7394.
Generally, your loan will cover costs for one year, and the school will make two disbursements, one half in the Fall semester, the other half in the Spring semester. You will be notified of each disbursement.
Usually, the school will disburse the loan money by crediting it to your school account to pay for tuition and fees.
If there is money remaining, the school will pay the money directly to you.
If the loan disbursement is more than you need, the school will tell you how to cancel all or part of the disbursement.
If you drop to less than half-time enrollment (minimum 6 applicable credits) or completely withdraw from college before your loan money is disbursed, it will be returned to the federal government.
Be sure to carefully keep all correspondence regarding your loan.
Student loans are to be used only for “education expenses” which include tuition, fees, books, supplies and equipment, living expenses, cost of care for a dependent child, transportation, and the cost to rent or buy a computer.
At the time you graduate, withdraw, or drop below half-time enrollment, you will begin the six-month grace period for your subsidized and/or unsubsidized loans. Immediately after the grace period ends, you must begin to repay your loan.
You can choose whether to make interest payments while you are in school or to defer these payments by adding them to the rest of the loan to be repaid later. You can determine how much more it will cost to defer interest payments with the loan calculator at Link to Student Loan Website.
Before you leave school or drop below half-time, you must complete an online exit Interview .
Whether you are graduating, withdrawing, or dropping below half-time enrollment, you will begin a six-month grace period, after which your repayment period will begin.
Be sure to notify the Financial Aid Office and as well as the Direct Loan Service Center when you are no longer enrolled.
Your grace period begins the day after you graduate, withdraw, or drop below half-time enrollment. If you re-enroll in school at least half-time before the end of your grace period, you will receive the full 6-month grace period when you graduate or withdraw from school. During the grace period, you are not required to make loan repayments.
NOTE: You must begin repayment at the end of the grace period.However if your loan repayment has already been deferred and you have used up one grace period, there will be no additional grace period and repayment must begin as soon as your leave school.If you do not begin making payments when required, there is a possibility you will lose repayment incentives you have received or even go into default.
If you are called up for military service for more than 30 days, notify by Link to Student Loan Website of your status, so loan accommodations can be made.
Your loan becomes ‘delinquent’ when your payment is not received by the due date. The Service Center will send you a reminder if your payment is late, and, if your payment is still not received, warning notices will be sent to you.
Student is enrolled at least half-time in college, or student is unemployed and/or is eligible for ‘economic hardship’, or student is in military service.
In the case of a Subsidized Loan, interest does not accrue during deferment.
Forbearance is for those who do not qualify for deferment, yet are temporarily unable to make loan repayments.
NOTE: If you are delinquent, contact the Direct Loan Service Center immediately to learn how to bring your account current. Late fees may be added and your account reported to one or more credit bureaus but this is better than going into default.
You will be required to immediately repay the entire balance owed on your loan.
The government may sue you, appropriate all your federal and state tax refunds, and/or garnish your wages so your employer will be required to send the government part of your salary to pay off the loan. If sued, you will have to pay attorney fees and court costs.
You will lose eligibility for federal student aid, state aid and loan deferments. Your default will be reported to credit bureaus.
Your school closed down before you completed your program.
Your school forged your signature and falsely certified you were eligible to get the loan.
Your loan was falsely certified because of identity theft.
You withdrew from school but the school didn’t pay you the refund it owed you.
In general, however, you must repay your loan even if you don’t graduate, can’t find work in your field of study, or are dissatisfied with the education program.
Your loan may be cancelled if you are certified totally and permanently disabled, and in addition if you meet certain conditions.
Your loan may be cancelled if it is discharged by a bankruptcy court.
Your loan will be cancelled if you die and if the Direct Loan Service Center is given a certified copy of the death certificate.
Direct Loans are especially designed to meet the student needs with features like low interest rates which are capped, no requirement for a cosigner or other security, choice of repayment plan, and other accommodations.
This is a credit based loan requiring a cosigner.
A matriculated and non-matriculated student would qualify for an alternative loan.
Matriculated students must be enrolled in a degree credit bearing program and must file the FAFSA.
A non-matriculated student who is enrolled in a non-degree certificate program through the Continuing Education Department does not need to file a FAFSA to qualify for an alternative loan.
The Financial Aid administrator does the certification for all alternative loan requests. The certified amount may not exceed the student's cost of attendance.
For more information contact the financial aid office @ 845-341-4190.
NOTE: The identity of the student and cosigner are done through the issuing agency not through the College. If the student is a non-matriculated student, the financial aid administrator checks with Continuing Education to see if the student is enrolled in a certificate program through CE and/or with the Student Accounts Office or by reviewing the registration screen in Banner.
The lender is the U.S. Department of Education Link to Student Loan PLUS Loan Website. The interest rate is somewhat lower than it was under the earlier program, known as the "FFEL program".
Parent and student must be US citizens or eligible non-citizensParent and student must not be in default on any federal education loans or owe an overpayment on a federal education grant.
Parent must have a favorable credit history,ormust be able to explain circumstances that created their credit problems,ormust have a credit-worthy cosigner who will pay off the loan, if necessary.
The maximum amount of a Parent PLUS loan is 'the cost of attendance' minus any other financial aid received (such as Direct Subsidized or Unsubsidized Loans).
The 'cost of attendance' is the total amount of tuition and fees paid directly to the college, books and supplies, transportation, and personal expenses--including the cost of a computer.
The Financial Aid Office will determine the actual amount that can be borrowed, based on 'the cost of attendance'.
The interest rate for Parent PLUS loans is a fixed rate. Link to Student Loan PLUS Loan Website for the current rate.
In addition, there is also a loan origination and default fee, check Studentloans.gov for the current fee, deducted proportionally each time a disbursement is made.
Interest will begin to accrue as soon as the first disbursement is made.
First, apply for a Parent Plus loan with the lender of your choice. You will then wait for a credit approval or denial from that lender. The lender will notify the school if you have been approved or denied your Parent Plus loan.
Parent Plus loans are credit based. Those who have never before taken out a Parent Plus loan for the student will need to sign a Master Promissory Note (MPN) for parents, (there are two tabs, be sure you go down to the bottom of the page and click on Parentto fill out the proper MPN). A MPN is a legal document in which the borrower promises to repay the loan, plus any accrued interest and fees to the US Government's Education Department. The MPN will explain the terms and conditions of the loan.
Parents who are borrowing for more than one student will need to complete a separate MPN for each student (unless they already have an MPN for the second student).
Once MPNs have been submitted and accepted, each MPN will stay in effect for up to ten years for additional loan activity.
If students' parents applied for but were denied a PLUS Loan, the students are then eligible receive additional Direct Unsubsidized Loan funds themselves.
The US Department of Education sends the money directly to the school.
Generally each loan will cover a full academic year, and the school will make two disbursements, one at the beginning of each semester.
The school will credit the money against the student's costs for tuition and fees, and any excess money will be sent to the student in the form of a check.
The parent will receive a disclosure statement specifying the loan amount, the loan fees, expected disbursement and disbursement dates, and information about the loan servicer to whom repayments will be made.
The loan servicer will issue regular updates on the status of the loan.
Once the loan has been fully disbursed, the repayment period will begin 60 days after final disbursement, although the parent may defer repayment if the student continues to be enrolled at least half time and for an additional six months after the student ceases to be enrolled at least half time.At that time, the parent begins repayment on the loan.
The Direct Parent PLUS Loan Program offers three repayment plans--standard, extended, and graduated--that are designed to meet the varying needs of borrowers.The terms will differ, but in general, borrowers will have between 10 and 25 years to repay the loan.
After parents have begun repayment in one kind of repayment plan, they are free to switch to another, more manageable plan, by arrangement with the loan servicer.
If parents do not qualify for deferment, they can request 'forbearance'--a temporary postponement or reduction in the amount of the payment, due to hardship.However, interest continues to accrue during forbearance.
The funds disbursed in the Parent Plus Loan program cannot be used for any other purpose than the student's costs of education.
Parents should pay particular attention to the very high penalties they will have to pay if they should default on their loan.
Congress passed a bill "Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act" which has established time limitations on Direct Stafford Subsidized Loans. This new law will be effective for first time borrowers or borrowers who have paid off their loans and are borrowing again as of July 1, 2013.
This law allows you to receive Direct Stafford Subsidized Loans only within 150% of the length of your program of study.
Once you have reached the end of this limit you are no longer able to receive Direct Stafford Subsidized Loans. For example: if you are enrolled in a two-year associate degree program, the maximum period for which you can receive Direct Stafford Subsidized Loans is three years (2 x 150% = 3 years).
I transferred into a shorter program and lost eligibility for Direct Stafford Subsidized Loans because I have received Direct Stafford Subsidized Loans for a period that equals or exceed my new, lower maximum eligibility period, which is based on the length of the new program.
Keep on track with your academic program of study. If you are unsure that you are taking the appropriate classes you can talk with your Academic Counselor or Advisor in the Counseling Office to ensure that your program of student is accurate with your college.
Transfer students will need to be careful no to change majors from you previous college for meeting the new Subsidized loan rule.
This is available to you online so you can access your account day and night for information and for making payments. | 2019-04-19T22:40:42Z | http://sunyorange.edu/financialaid/fedaid/fed_loans.html |
Potatoe, the Common, or Solamum Tuberosum, L. a valuable root, originally a native of America, whence it was introduced into Ireland ; and subsequently into Britain, about the commencement of the 17th century.
There are numerous varieties of the potatoe, which are cultivated both for culinary purposes, and for the feeding of cattle. The most remarkable of these are: the Common Kidney ; the Red American Kidney ; the Aylesbury White ; and the Altringham Early White ; which are chiefly reared for the table; as the Ox-noble (for the most part in Nottinghamshire) ; Surinam ; Irish Purple ; Howard or Clustered ; and Red Potatoes, are for fodder.
The common mode of planting potatoes is, by setting the small roots entire ; or, by cutting the larger ones to pieces, and reserving one eye or bud to each : it appears, however, that the rind may be employed with equal advantage; as crops have thus been produced, which fully equalled those obtained from seeds, sets, shoots, or by any other method.
These plants will fourish in any tolerable soil 5 but they thrive most luxuriantly in light sandy loams, that are neither too moist nor too dry. Such lands ought to be deeply ploughed, two or three times ; and, shortly, before the ground is stirred for the last time in the spring, it will be necessary to spread a considerable quantity of rotten dung on the surface, which should be ploughed early in March, provided the weather be open ; but, if it be frosty, this operation must be delayed till the end of that month, or the beginning of April. After the last ploughing, the ground ought to be levelled the furrows drawn at the distance of three feet apart; and at the depth of about seven or eight inches. In the centre of this furrow are to be set the rind, eyes, cuttings, etc.; and then covered in with the earth. A short time before the young plants appear, it will be advisable to pass a harrow oyer the whole, in order to eradicate weeds, to break the clods, and to remove every obstacle to their vegetation.
Farther, as the potatoes increase, it will be proper to mould, or earth them up twice; a process, by which their growth will be greatly promoted. Mr. Turner's plough is eminently adapted to this purpose ; but, having already described the implement under the article Plough, we refer the reader to p. 407, and foil, of the present volume, where the manner of employing it is concisely stated.
Beside the depredations of worms, grubs, and various other insects, to which potatoes are subject in common with other vegetables, there is a disease termed the curl, that peculiarly affects these roots ; and for which ingenious agriculturists have endeavoured to account by various conjectures.—By some it is considered as a species of blight, but it is more generally attributed to one or more of the following causes — \. Frost, either before, or after the sets, Sec. have been planted. 2. The planting of such sets, from large or unripe potatoes. 3. From not placing them at a sufficient depth, or from putting them in exhausted lands. 4. By the first shoots of the sets having been broken off" previously to planting in consequence of which, the seminal plant is incapacitated from sending forth other shoots sufficiently vigorous to expand. 5. To a white grub, that preys upon the roots. 6. To the propagation of shoots, sets,. eyes, etc. constantly from the same variety, and on the same land; so that the" potatoes degenerate, and at length yield very indifferent crops; In the 8th volume of the Trans-actions of the Society for the Encouragement of Arts, etc. we meet with an interesting communication on the curl, by Mr. W. Hollins, who divides the disease into three different stages, viz.
1. The Half Curl, in which the leaves of the plants are somewhat long, and slightly curled : they produce, however, tolerable crops, if the summer be not too dry; otherwise the potatoes will be small and watery.
2. The Full Curl: in this stage the plants seldom exceed the height of six or seven inches; speedily attain to maturity, and decay. The potatoes are, in general, less than a nutmeg ; of a dusky-red colour ; and are extremely unwholesome as an article of food.
3. Corrupted Potatoes, the vegetative power of which is almost destroyed, never appear above the surface of the ground. The seed will be found at Michaelmas in a state, apparently as fresh as when it was first set; a few small potatoes perhaps, growing from the parent root.
This accurate observer attributes the curl first, to late setting in rich soil, succeeded by a hot, dry summer ; in consequence of which the flower of ,the plant falls off; the seed is exhausted in feeding the plant; and few potatoes appear. Should moist weather occur in autumn, the plants, after being earthed, will blow a second time, and a plentiful crop of potatoes will be produced. These are, in his Opinion, perfectly wholesome as food; but. being generated from the stalk of the plant after the seed had been exhausted, their vegetative power is defective, and the plants that proceed from them, will necessarily be curled.
The second cause of this disease, Mr. Hollins attributes to the forcing of potatoes, by setting them in too rich a soil. His preventive method consists in planting them early, in ridges about one yard apart, having previously spread a little manure in the trench.— They are to be set in a triangular form, five or six inches distant, and covered with soil to an equal depth : thus they will be protected from the heat of the sun, in case the weather be too dry, while they remain sufficiently apart for receiving the full benefit of the air. When the plants have attained the height of six or seven inches, he directs them not to be earthed up, but to be occasionally weeded.— By this simple method, roots will be formed in due season, and grow gradually ; and, as the stalk will decay at the. proper time, the sap will be left in the potatoe, and bhe-come a seed, possessing a perfect power of vegetation ; so that the plants raised from it will be wholly exempt from the curl.
There prevails another opinion respecting this disease, namely, that It is contagious ; but such motion has been ably combated in the 2d vol. of Communications to the Board of Agriculture ; where it is observed, that whatever tends to render a crop poor and weakly, is very apt to produce the curl: hence, the disease probably originates entirely, or in a great measure, from the following causes : 1. Land, altogether unfit for potatoes. 2. Imperfect culture. 3. Small roots; or too small a proportion of strong roots. 4. Sets, taken from roots that have sprouted early, and the germs of which have been rubbed off. 5. Too small, as well as too large a quantity of dung. 6. Too deep, or too shallow planting. 7- Every external impediment that may injure new plants. 8. Too stiff ground, or such as has been pressed down too closely on the sets. 9. An unfavourable state of the weather, while the crop is young.—The result of the writer's inquiries briefly is, that, if the curl be not a disease, but merely an incidental debility, it may be prevented by diligent attention to all those circumstances ; which, according to experience, are essential to the prosperous cultivation of potatoes.
It is difficult to decide, amid this difference of opinion among practical agriculturists; but, as these roots materially contribute to the comfort of mankind, we have discussed the subject at some length ; and shall now concisely state those remedies which have been successfully adopted. These are, steeping the sets for two hours, in a brine made of Whisters' ashes; changing the seed, raising new kinds from the seed, or apple of the plant; or renewing the game sorts again from the same seed: and, lastly, salt is said to be an excellent preventive against the depredations of the grub.
Beside the curl, potatoes are liable to two other disorders, viz. the scab, which consists of excrescences that arise in very dry seasons ; and the canker, which is occasioned by small cavities, that ar in wet weather. These defects have been conjectured to be in some measure the cause of the curl; and they increase, according to the length of time the potatoes remain in the earth, after the roots have attained to maturity.
The proper time for digging up potatoes, is in the dry weather of autumn, when the leaves and stems begin to decay. If they are cultivated on a small scale, this work is performed by means of a three-pronged fork, furnished with flat tines: but, when raised in fields, the roots are turned up by a plough, the coulter of which is taken out, to prevent them from being cut. After those, which appear on the surface, are- collected, a pair of drags is passed over the whole in order to separate and expose such as may adhere to the clods.
The potatoe is one of the most valuable roots for culinary uses: when boiled, it forms a principal article of food, and serves partly as a substitute for bread. Mixed with wheaten flour, fermented with yeast, and properly baked, it ma a wholesome and nutritious loaf:— the most economical method of preparing these roots We have already stated, vol. i. p. 330.
M. Baume's Mill for grinding Potatoes, of which we have given an engraving, from the Memoirs of the Academy of Sciences at Paris.
Fig. 1. Represents a grater made in a cylindrical shape, of plate-iron, which is about 7 inches in diameter, and 8 inches in height. The burs, formed by stamping the holes, are on the inside.
A, A, A, are three feet, made of flat iron bars, 7 inches in height, for supporting the grater, to which they are strongly rivetted. The bottom of each foot is bent horizontally, and furnished with a hole for the reception of a screw, delineated at A, Fig. 3.—At a little distance from the upper extremity of these feet, is fastened a cross piece, B, (Fig. 1 and 3), which is divided into three blanches, and rivetted to them. This transverse piece not only serves to strengthen and keep such feet steady, but its centre being perforated with a hole, also supports an iron spindle (Fig. 2), the use of which will be presently described.
The upper part of this cylindrical grater is furnished with a diverging border of iron, marked With (be letter C, (Fig. 1 and 3), and which is about 10 inches in diameter at the top, and 5 inches high. Farther, within such machine is fixed a second grater of a conical form (see F;g. 3); which is constructed or thick plate-iron, fastened with the broad end at the bottom. The litis of the holes are on the outside : to the upper end of the cone, there Is rivetted a small cross piece of iron, consisting of three branches ; and in the middle pi which a square hole is made tor the reception of the spindle. This part of the cone is likewise strengthened with an iron cap rivetted to the grater and perforated with a square hole, for the admission of the spindle.
Fig. 2. Represents such spindle, which is a square iron bar, about 16 inches in length, and somewhat more than half an inch in thickness. Both extremities, which are round, fit into the cross pieces B, (Fig. 1 and 3) and D, (Fig. 3), in the centre of which the spindle turns, and by means of which it is retained in its place. The upper end of such spindle ought farther to be square, in order that a handle (E, Fig. 3), may be affixed to it, which is about nine inches in length, and turns round the conical grater.
G, a small hole made through the spindle, in order to receive the pin H, that serves to keep the conical grater at a proper height within its cylindrical counterpart.
Fig. 3. Is a bird's-eye view, representing the mill placed within one end of an oval tub, resembling those employed for bathing. D, is the triangular iron cross above-mentioned, which is screwed to the side of the tub; and in the centre there is a round hole, in which the spindle of the mill moves when at work. In this figure, part of the conical vessel is delineated as being cut off; in order that the internal structure of the machine may be more distinctly seen :—to prevent the bottom of the tub from being worn by the screws passing through the feet of the mill, a deal board about an inch in thickness, is placed beneath the latter.
In order to employ this machine, its feet must first be secured, as already described, and likewise the top, by means of the cross-piece D, (Fig. 3). The tub is next filled about two-thirds of the whole with water ; and the top of the vessel with potatoes, that have previously been washed and sliced. The handle E, (Fiq. 3), is then turned round, and the roots, after being ground between the two graters, are dis -charged gradually at the lower extremity ; their egress being facilitated by the agitation produced in the water, in consequence of the operation of the mill.
When all the potatoes are, ground, the pulp must be mixed up in a tub with a large quantity of pure water. A second vessel ought farther to be provided, on the brim of which two wooden rails should be fixed for the support of a hair-sieve: the liquid pulp is next to be poured through it; the flour, or starch, passing together with the fluid, and at length subsiding. In the course of five or six hours, the liquor may be poured off, and fresh water successively added (the pulp being occasionally stirred), till the fluid is-discharged perfectly transparent.— When the flour is sufficiently washed, it must be taken out, placed on wicker-frames, and dried ; care being taken to shelter it from the dust: as soon as all moisture is evaporated, it should be passed through a fine sieve, and preserved in glass vessels, covered with paper.
Such is the object of M. Baume's useful contrivance, which deserves general attention ; for, if wheat should at any future time again rise to an exorbitant price, potatoes may thus be readily converted into wholesome and nutritious flour.
It is said, will support six horses per day with such effect, that the animals will be enabled to perform constant labour, without the allowance of either hay or oats. Farther, bullocks fatten more speedily on potatoes, than on cabbages or turnips, especially if a double portion of chopped hay or straw be mixed with the former. Cows also thrive well on these roots ; so that with one bushel per day, together with a little hay, they will yield as large a quantity of sweet milk, or butter, as they usually produce, when fed on the finest grasses.
Potatoes are likewise serviceable in fattening sheep, and especially hogs ; but, if the latter be designed for bacon or hams, it will be advisable to mix gradually four bushels of ground pease, with an equal quantity of the boiled roots ; which portion will, it is affirmed, fatten an animal of twelve stone.— In a boiled state, they may also be given to poultry with similar effect.
Formerly, a kind of brandy was distilled from these roots; but the Legislature has wisely prohibited such practices.—Besides, a fine size may be prepared from potatoes, which will answer all the purposes of that in common use, particularly for whitening ceilings and walls. With this intention, any quantity of newly-made po-tatoe-starch should be boiled into a paste ; a sufficient portion of which ought to be mixed with the whiting, after the latter has been diluted with water. The coat thus prepared is much clearer; retains its whiteness longer, and is less liable to crack or scale, than such as is mixed with animal glue.— There is another economical way of employing the water expressed from potatoes in the processes of making starch or size. This liquor is useful for washing linen, whether plain or coloured, silk hand-kerchiefs, stockings, etc. without the aid of any ley or soap : it is said to improve rather than to diminish the tint, while it restores their original brightness, and imparts a degree of stiffness to silk stuffs, which cannot be obtained by the common method of cleaning them. It deserves, however, to be remarked, that no discoloured or otherwise damaged roots must be used for this purpose.—Bakers in Germany, farther, convert the pulp of potatoes into yeast, by adding a small proportion (about the 8th or 10th part) of the latter, together with two drams of calcined and pulverized crab's-claws or oyster-shells, and a similar quantity of burnt hartshorn, to every pailful of the preparation. This compound is asserted to increase the bulk of the paste, and consequently of the bread ; but double the measure of it is required to serve as a complete substitute for barm. — See also Cheese, vol. i. p. 501.
F placed for six or eight hours in a colander to drain, when they ought" to be boiled in good vinegar, with the addition of some spice, till they acquire a certain degree of transparency, without becoming too soft. Thus prepared, they will afford a more palatable and less hurtful pickle than either olives or cucumbers.
Potatoes being of such extensive utility, various expedients have been contrived, with a view to preserve them. The most common method is, that of piling them up after they have become dry, in heaps resembling the roof of a barn; covering them closely with straw, in such a manner as to meet in a point at the top ; and then slightly spreading them over with mould, which is beaten down with a spade. Some husbandmen make holts in the sides and top of the earth, in order that the air, arising from the natural heat of the roots, may evaporate and, as soon as the steam ceases, the cavities are filled up, to prevent the effects of frost or rain. Another mode consists in depositing them in pits, and covering them with dry straw, or with the haulm of the roots ; by which management, if their surface be perfectly dry at the time they are put in, potatoes may long be preserved in a sound state.
A continental writer of doubtful authority informs us, that such roots may be easily preserved from the effects of the severest frost, by placing a vessel filled with cold water immediately over them: the fluid should be in proportion to the quantity of the vegetables ; and, if frozen, it ought to be removed every morning and evening ; When a new supply must be instantly procured.—The same author observes, that frost-bitten potatoes may be rendered equally, nay, more useful than those in a fresh state. This paradoxical proposition he supports by the following directions :-Se-lect all the roots thus injured ; place them in a dry and warm place till the frost be expelled ; then remove the-peels, cut them in slices., and place them on wicker frames thel they are perfectly dry. Thus they acquire a dark hue, lose three-fourths of their bulk, and retain only the inspissated sap, which becomes very bard and incorruptible, so that it may advantageouly be used on long voyages. When reduced to powder, and boiled with broth, milk, or water, with the addition of vinegar and a few aromatic herbs, those frozen fruits are said to afford a very palatable and nutritive food.
Comforts, etc. of the Poor, we shall extract an interesting paper on the preservation of potatoes, by Mr. MIillington.—According to his statement, three pounds of potatoes were peeled, rasped, and put in a coarse cloth between two boards, in a napkin-press, till they were compressed into a very thin cake, that was placed on a shelf to dry. The roots yielded, on expression, about one quart of juice; which, being mixed with an equal quantity of cold water, deposited in the course of an hour, upwards of one dram of white flour or starch, in every respect fit for making line pastry.—Mr. M. presented in 1799, to the above-mentioned Society, a Cake, which had been thus prepared in the year 1797. in bulk, it occupied only one-sixth part of the original roots . and lost about two-thirds in weight by the process but he observes, that such.cake, when dressed by steam, or otherwise, will afford nearly the same quantity and weight, as three pounds and a half' of potatoes, properly boiled.—Some roots, that had been thoroughly frozen, have been managed in a similar manner ; and the cake was perfectly sweet; whereas others of the same parcel, that were left impressed, in a few days became rotten.
Mr. Millington's second method of preserving these roots, is as follows : Five pounds of potatoes were properly cleaned and pounded in a mortar, without being previously peeled; and then pressed in a small wine-press, into a thick cake; the whole being completed in the manner above described. This cake also was sweet and wholesome, but did not possess the clear whiteness of the former ; nor does it appear that such as were prepared according to the last process, will remain sweet for the same length of time as those consisting of peeled potatoes.—At all events, this contrivance deserves to be farther pursued and improved ; for, independently of the immediate advantages that will result from supplying mariners with vegetables, it is an object of the greatest importance, when considered as a mean of preserving so useful, though perishable, an article for years ; and of laying up a store in plentiful seasons, against the time of scarcity.
Another mode of keeping potatoes, was lately and successfully tried, by the patriotic Bath and West of England Society; and which certainly is less complex than that before described. It consists simply in slicing potatoes, without taking off the rind or skin, and afterwards drying them in an oven or kiln. The roots thus prepared will remain sweet for almost any length of time : the Society sent some to Jamaica in a barrel; which had been four years from Britain, and, on their return, were found not to be in the least degree affected. | 2019-04-26T09:50:52Z | https://chestofbooks.com/reference/The-Domestic-Encyclopaedia-Vol3/Potatoe.html |
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We are a manufacturer of packaging machinery and conveyor solutions. Our palletizing equipment includes automatic case palletizers and robotic case palletizers, and we also offer pallet conveyors. We have helped customers in the electronics, pharmaceutical, food and beverage and more industries.
FANUC Robotics has a full range of picking, packing and palletizing robots for a complete solution. Designed to maximize your flexibility with built-in machine vision - iRVision. FANUC Robots are the perfect fit for your part assembly operation. View the first in a series of FANUC robot application specific web sites.
Fischbein® is a designer and manufacturer of bagging machines and systems and a tape over sew system. We also have bag sealers, bag stackers, bag hangers and many other pieces of bag packaging equipment. We serve agriculture, chemical, build material, food, medical and other industries.
Flexicell designs and builds palletizing cells for a variety of products and applications. Our systems handle very simple palletizing needs (1 in/1 out) to more complex system requirements (4 in/4 out). Our 25 years of experience provides expertize over a wide range of industries from food to consumer goods.
If you are in need of a bag palletizer then you have come to the right place. Here at Frain Industries, Inc. we offer a number of stock bag palletizers that can be tailored for your exact facility. Just let us know your application and we can handle the rest. If you would like more information about our bag palletizers then please give us a call today!
Hamer-Fischbein, where innovation and excellent customers are key, has a thorough and responsive staff and support team. We have been providing superior packaging equipment and customer service since 1927. You'll find a range of industries and specialties our talents range in.
After working in the industry for 15 years, Ben and Jim Heinrich formed Heinrich Brothers in 2000. Their McMurray, PA business is just south of Pittsburgh. The business quickly grew to become a popular source for pre-engineered and custom conveyor systems, pallet rack, shelving systems and in-plant buildings and speed-space installation.
HEISLER Industries is a manufacturer of state-of-the-art packaging machines, automation and system integration services for the paint, petroleum, chemical, food, gypsum and other industries. HEISLER compact palletizers are designed to automatically palletize containers of various sizes, including: cases, crates, shipping containers, kegs, pails, totes, bread trays, and drums.
Honeywell Intelligrated is a manufacturer of material handling systems. IntelliQ™ is our zero pressure accumulation belt conveyor. IntelliSort™ handles product sorting from 6"-48" long up to 200 lbs. Roller belted conveyor systems, line shaft roller conveyors and spiral conveyors are some of our other items.
Since 1972, we have been designing, manufacturing, installing and servicing Palletizing, Packaging, and Handling Systems. With over 400 systems installed throughout the world, our experience and industry knowledge is unmatched.Please contact us and we will review your application details and quickly turnaround a concept drawing and proposal.
Iman Pack Sigma System is a custom manufacturer of robotic palletizers, drum palletizers, case palletizers, depalletizers and pallet handling equipment. Provides a variety of solutions in order to best suit the needs of your application.
Supplying material handling equipment such as palletizers to the graphic arts industry, is the focus here at IMC America. Our fully automatic palletizers can handle compressed and strapped bundles and feature empty pallet feeding, full pallet ejection, bundle rotation and 2 axis of movement. Other services include installation, reconditioned stackers, servicing experience & custom design systems.
IMI Precision Engineering provides innovative products and engineering services for your automation needs. Our performance is unmatched, by providing full engineering services and custom "one-off" design capabilities.
ICC offers everything for your pallet handling equipment requirements. We sell & install pallet conveyors, robotic palletizers & de-palletizers, pallet upenders, washers, dryers, stackers & de-stackers, positioners, transfer carts, shrink wrappers, turntables, lifts, sizing & weighing stations, etc. Our company is focused on customer service & supplying the right product to fit your application.
Inpak Systems Inc provides comprehensive packaging solutions, equipment, parts, service, and advice—internationally known and trusted since 1986. Call today for all your industrial packaging solution designs, installations, parts and services.
JR Automation Technologies thrive on innovation, by designing and building solution that are apart of your overall strategy. JR Automation is growing to meet our customer demands and remains at the forefront of automation technologies.
Kaufman has been around for 60 years, making our superior products and services a more stable promise. Whether you’re looking for robotic palletizing systems, automatic stretch wrappers, conveyors or material handling equipment, one thing you are sure to find is convenience, responsive service, and unmatched equipment performance. The choice is simple. Contact Kaufman Engineered Systems today!
Our goal at Kinesys Automation is to provide engineered solutions that meet the customer's expectations, whether the solution is simple or complex, rudimentary or precision-engineered, fragile or robust, large or small, trivial or mission-critical, long-lasting or ephemeral.
Since 1972, Lantech® has been serving the world with quality packaging solutions. Our palletizers both palletize and stretch wrap and offer exceptional load stability. We have customers around the globe who look to us when they need creative solutions. Contact us today!
Here at Liebherr we manufacture a full range of automation systems which are ideal for making your facility highly effective. Our pallet handling systems are designed for loads ranging from 500 to 1,500 kg. If you would like more information then please give us a call today!
Magnum Systems - Adding robotics to a bagging process is only as good as the human element that designs, engineers, builds and integrates the system. Manual, semi-automatic, fully automatic and robotics each have their place in packaging. Trust Magnum to help you fit the right solution into your plant. Palletizing, slip sheet and pallet handling, along with full packaging line automation.
Mayer & Oswald distributes quality palletizing and bag filling equipment & parts from big names like Chantland & Fuji Robotics. We also manufacture material handling & process equipment with complete system design & installation for pneumatic & screw conveying systems, bag filling & palletizers, slide gates, rotary valve, bucket elevators, dust collection, vibratory conveyors & storage silos.
Midwest Engineering Systems Inc is a leader in innovation and a leading supplier of fully automated systems. Our technical expertise ranges from powerful design to robust engineering. MWES has a strong reputation for high quality, reliable solutions. Customer service is our priority and we provide support to our customers 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Montclair Company assists customers in building convey systems that are robust, effective and very well priced to meet their needs. We’ve serviced customers handling materials that range from Foods to Chemicals, Plastics and Minerals. Contact us today to discuss our experiences and help you arrive to a solution.
New Vista specializes in manufacturing palletizers for volume production industries. Our palletizers are completely automatic and can operate at a rate of 600 parts per minute. We also provide development services and parts assemblies. Call us today for all of your palletizing equipment needs.
We have been a world leader in designing and manufacturing material handling equipment since 1962. Here at Newcastle Company, Inc. our product line includes automatic drum, bag and case palletizers, pallet dispensers and stacker, slip sheet and slave board dispensers, load stacking and transferring systems, and a full line of conveyors. Call us today or visit our website for more information about our products!
Nova Packaging LLC has over 175 years of combined packaging and material handling experience which enables us to identify and find solutions to weak areas of package handling and palletizing systems. All of our systems are specifically designed and engineered to fit the application. Such flexibility in our systems allows for future modifications with electronically adjustable mechanisms.
As a global source for custom palletizers and packaging equipment, Nuspark specializes in cartoning, case packing, palletizing, and custom engineered solutions. We serve the pharmaceutical, food, automotive industries and more. We welcome challenges and can create a custom complete designed solution for your manufacturing needs. With over 50 years of engineering experience and over 30 patents, you can trust Nuspark to deliver deluxe high-powered equipment.
Packaging Automation Corporation has over 30 years experience designing and building packaging automation systems for many of the nation’s leading companies. We focus on the development and integration of automated palletizing, case and tray packing, carton loading and conveyor systems to optimize plant productivity.
Parker Hannifin is the world's leading diversified manufacturer of motion and control technologies and systems, providing solutions for a wide variety of mobile, industrial and aerospace markets. Our products are vital to everything that moves or requires control, including the manufacture and processing of raw materials, durable goods, infrastructure development and all forms of transport.
PASCO manufactures automatic drum and pail palletizers, bag and case palletizers. We offer cost-effective solutions to your palletizing equipment needs. Whether you need single-purpose palletizers or depalletizers, custom-designed and manufactured, you can count on us.
Pentalift Equipment is a manufacturer of lift tables that act as pallet handling equipment in palletizing and depalletizing operations. Pentalift supplies sophisticated, reliable products and excellent service.
Founded in 1920 by Willaim J. Powell as Powell Pressed Steel in Hubbard Ohio, we have been manufacturing material handling equipment for four generations. Our newest product line, Automatic Palletizers, fits in at the end of the packaging line and stacks the filled containers onto a pallet for shipping. Our palletizers are very reasonably priced!
We specialize in manual and semiautomatic palletizers. Our staff demonstrates their experience in the design, manufacture and assembly of pallet handling equipment—designed to manage different pallet styles, weights and sizes. We strive to give you a low-cost product that will have minimum downtime.
Bag packaging equipment is PROBEC’s strong suit. Since 1993, our clients have been enjoying our selection of equipment, project management skills, our service and repair capabilities. May we serve you with a bale and bag palletizer, semiautomatic bag palletizer, or a robotic palletizer cell?
Our palletizers are built using Rockwell Automation's newest series of Servo CIP motion controls. No third party software integration is required. The control's logic is easy to learn and simple to demonstrate when training plant personnel. PAI's Gantry Palletizers can be programmed from the user friendly HMI.
Your packaging needs are solved by us! QComp Technologies, Inc., works to make sure that you have the highest quality products first. We devote extra attention to our customers and clients to ensure that they have the best experience possible. Our palletizing systems work in a variety of different ways, including bag palletizers! For more information on how our bag palletizers can be your solution, visit our website today!
Recon Systems offers a wide range of used, rebuilt, and refurbished packaging equipment. In addition to our used equipment inventory, we offer customized solutions tailored to your project's specific needs. We have helped many companies maximize their productivity and accelerate return on investment. Contact us today to see how we can put our experience to work in your facility.
RLS Enterprises is a leading manufacturer of palletizers, can, case, drum and pail palletizers, depalletizers and pallet handling equipment. Serves a variety of industries including plastics, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, metals and more.
We distribute pallet strapping machines with compression, pallet turners, pallet handling equipment, and palletizing equipment. Since 1972, Rusco has been your pallet and bundle handling systems solution for can and bottle applications. Preventative maintenance and rebuilds available.
Schneider designs and manufactures a complete line of bag palletizers, tray packers, specialty cartoning systems and more that were crafted by experienced engineers with the latest technology. Schneider is committed to increasing its customers’ levels of productivity and efficiency by supplying the best products and services as possible. Please call Schneider’s today.
For nearly 40 years Serapid has specialized in the vertical and horizontal movement of loads.Solutions range from individual components to complete turnkey systems, and encompass a wide variety of applications, such as quick die change, nuclear applications, industrial automation and manufacturing. We aim at increasing press related up-time and helping reach lean manufacturing goals.
Serpa Packaging Solutions has partnered with Fanuc Robotics to provide the most advanced palletizing solutions in the market. They are engineered for precision high-speed/high-payload operation, user-friendly setup and maximum reliability. Our robotic palletizers are based on a simple and reliable design that provides sophisticated motion control, consistent performance, and high productivity.
Sigma Supply brings you complete palletizing solutions with economy and heavy duty machines perfect for consumer product and food and beverage handling. Choose from robotic palletizers, floor level and high level palletizers, or complete load transfer stations. Our systems are fully upgradeable and provide maximum workflow flexibility.
Specialty Equipment® is a manufacturer of fillers, palletizers, robots and conveyor systems for heavy-duty industrial applications. Our palletizer products include automatic bag, box, pail and drum palletizers.
Stäubli Group has transferred its mechanical engineering know-how and its technological innovativeness to robotics. Since 1982, the development of the robotics business within the group has taken shape in the deployment of competence and the development of new solutions including those of palletizing. We are a cutting-edge player in robotics around the world.
Stelluti Kerr provides packaging systems including robotic palletizers and bag palletizers. Our systems can handle different bag sizes. The HF Series is built for harsh conditions, and our robotic systems can work in small areas. Our pallet handling equipment comes as a turnkey solution to meet budgets.
StrongPoint Automation is a market leader in the design, development and manufacture of world-class robotic solutions, conveyor systems and palletizers. We combine years of industry experience, passion and ingenuity to provide reliable, innovative and cost effective solutions. StrongPoint offers the highest quality system engineering, programming and on-site services in the automation industry.
We, at TopTier, work to manufacture affordably priced automated palletizers. We produce case palletizers with a variety of options. Our innovations have introduced a smaller and simpler palletizer into the industry. Our products are compact and easy to use, while still providing a low price.
Toshiba Machine is a global designer, manufacturer and supplier of an extensive range of industrial machinery. A sampling of our products includes boring and milling machines, plastic injection molding machines, multi-stage injection die cast machines, palletizing machines and system robotics in addition to many others. We also offer custom designed machines and excellent customer support.
The experts from Uhlmann USA are responsible for support in all aspects concerning the pharmaceutical packaging process in the regions North America, Puerto Rico and Canada. Uhlmann Packaging Systems L.P. has firmly established a strong commitment to the North American market over a period of more than 30 years. Whether the project planning of new machines, the supply of tools and spare parts or support services - we are at your disposal.
Mechanical systems produced by UMD Automated Systems are used in the material handling industry. We offer standard conveyors, transportation and trailer conveyor systems, structural and bulk handling systems, and pallet handling conveyor systems. Our goal is to be the leader in the manufacture and installation of conveyor systems.
If you are in need of bag palletizers then your search is over because you have found the right company that can supply all of your needs. We are not only here to assist you but also to provide the most advanced machines on the market. Our friendly customer service team is highly knowledgeable in all of our systems so if there is ever a problem we will be able to help you right away.
Viastore Systems is a leading global supplier of turn-key material handling systems for trade and industry. Our modular designs enable us to suit the needs of clients in over 20 countries. These include palletizers, case picking systems and other automated storage and retrieval systems. Competitive pricing and quality components make Viastore an international powerhouse in material handling.
Visser NA handles the unique automation needs of the Horticultural Industry in North America. Visser NA supplies conveyors for every application. Whether you are handling individual pots, boxes, trays, plug trays, crates or pallets we can supply and design a conveyor system from one to many conveyors. If you have a unique automation problem give us a call or send us an email today!
Whallon Machinery is a manufacturer of can palletizers and depalletizers; case palletizers; pail palletizers; bulk and continuous-flow palletizers; retort crate loader/unloader plus a transfer machine for pallets, slaveboards and slipsheets. Some industries served: automotive, beverage, chemical.
Since it's founding in Stockholm, Sweden in 1994 Windak has been providing intelligent material handling and packaging solutions for the Wire and Cable, Tube and Hose, as well as Automotive Industries including Pay-offs, Take-ups, rewind lines, palletizing and pallet handling systems.
Yarbrough Industries invented a line of pallet-handling appliances, including the Pal-O-Matic, that save companies around the world time and money. The Pal-O-Matic accomodates wood or plastic pallets and is completely customizable. We will show you significant bottom line increases that will pay for the Pal-O-Matic in no time.
Yaskawa - Motoman Robotics delivers innovative robotic automation solutions for virtually every industry and robotic application. A broad product line includes over 175 models including palletizers, dispensers and more. Our experience with palletizing equipment and proven track record of delivering industry leading quality, innovation and customer service can help you exceed your robotic automation goals.
Since 2000, Zecchetti USA has been a manufacturer of palletizing, depalletizing and automated warehouse systems. We offer a wide range of products from: air conveyors, column palletizers to automatic stretch wrapping machines and strappers. At Zecchetti USA we provide customer service from installation, to parts and sales support. Whatever your company’s palletizing needs are, call Zecchetti USA! | 2019-04-18T10:41:43Z | https://www.iqsdirectory.com/bag-palletizers/bag-palletizers-2/ |
Pork-raising has come to be one of the great industries of this country; and since the supply is wholly regulated by the demand, it may be taken as a proper index of the prodigious quantities of swines flesh which are daily required to satisfy the gustatory demands of the American people. No other kind of animal food is so largely used as pork in its various forms of preparation. The Yankee makes his Sunday breakfast of pork and beans, while the same article is a prominent constituent of at least two meals each day during the remainder of the week. Pork and hominy is almost the sole element of the Texan farmer; while in the Western States pork and potatoes constitute the most substantial portion of the farmers bill of fare. The accompanying dish may be hominy, beans, or potatoes, but the main reliance is pork in each case.
In the case of no other animal is so large a portion of the dead carcass utilized as food. It seems to be considered that pork is such a delicacy that not a particle should be wasted. The fat and lean portions are eaten fresh, or carefully preserved by salting or smoking, or both. The tail is roasted; the snout, ears, and feet are pickled and eaten as souse; the intestine and lungs are eaten as tripe or made into sausages; black pudding is made of the blood; the liver, spleen, and kidneys are also prized; the pancreas and other glands are considered great delicacies; while even the skin is made into jelly. In fact, nothing is left of the beast, not even the bristles, which the shoemaker claims. Surely it must be quite an important matter, and one well deserving attention, if it can be shown that an animal which is thus literally devoured, and that in such immense quantities, is not only unfit for food, but one of the prime causes of many loathsome and painful maladies. Let us examine the hog a little, and see what can be determined respecting his real nature, and his office in the economy of nature, if he has any.
Look at that object in a filthy mud hole by the roadside. At first, you distinguish nothing but a pile of black, slimy mud. The dirty mass moves! You think of a reptile, a turtle, some uncouth monster, reveling his Stygian filth. A grunt! The mystery is solved. The sound betrays a hog. You avert your face and hasten by, sickened with disgust. Stop, friend, admire your savory ham, your souse, your tripe, your toothsome sausage in its native element. A dainty beast, isnt he!
Gaze over into that sty, our pork-eating friend. Have you done so before? And would you prefer to be excused? Quite likely; but we will show you a dozen things you did not observe before. See the contented brute quietly reposing in the augmented filth of his own ordure! He seems to feel quite at home, doesnt he? Look a little sharper, and scrutinize his skin. Is it smooth and healthy? Not exactly so. So obscured is it by tetter, and scurf, and mange, that you almost expect to see the rotten mass drop off as the grunting creature rubs it against any projecting corner which may furnish him a convenient scratching-place. As you glance around the pen, you observe that all such conveniences have been utilized until they are worn so smooth as to be almost inefficient.
Rouse the beast, and make him show his gait. See how he rolls along, a mountain of fat. If he were human, he would be advised to chew tobacco for his obesity, and would be expected to drop off any day of heart disease. And so he will do, unless the butcher forestalls nature by a few days. Indeed, not long ago a stout neighbor of his was quietly taking his breakfast from his trough, grunting his infinite satisfaction, when, without a moments warning or a single premonitory symptom, his heart ceased to beat, and he instantly expired without finishing his meal, much to the disappointment of his owner, who was anticipating the pleasure of quietly executing him a few hours later, and serving him up to his pork-loving patrons. Suppose his death had been delayed a few hours, or rather, suppose the butcher had got the start of nature a little, as he generally contrives to do!
But we have not yet finished the examination of our hog. If you can possibly prevail upon yourself to sacrifice your taste in the cause of science, pork-loving friend, just clamber over into the reeking sty, and take a nearer view of the animal that is destined to delight the palates of some of your friends, perhaps your own. Make him straighten out his fore legs. Now observe closely. Do you see the open sore or issue, a few inches above his foot on the inner side? Do you say it is a mere accidental abrasion? Find the same on the other leg; it is rather a wise and wonderful provision of nature. Grasp the leg high up and press downward. Now you see its utility, as a mass of corruption pours out. That opening is the outlet of a sewer. Yes, a scrofulous sewer; and hence the offensive, ichorous matter which discharges from it. Should you fill a syringe with mercury or some colored injecting fluid, and drive the contents into this same opening, you would be able to trace all through the body of the animal little pipes communicating with it.
What must be the condition of the body of an animal so foul as to require a regular system of drainage to convey away its teeming filth? Sometimes the outlet gets closed by the accumulation of external filth. Then the ichorous stream ceases to flow, and the animal quickly sickens and dies unless the owner cleanses the parts, and so opens anew the feculent fountain, and allows the festering poison to escape.
What dainty morsels those same feet and legs make! What a delicate flavor they have, as every epicure asserts! Do you suppose the corruption with which they are saturated has any influence upon their taste and healthfulness?
Perhaps you are thoroughly disgusted now, and would like to leave the scene. Pause a moment. Now let us look at the inside of this wonderfully delicious beast!
Do you imagine that the repulsiveness of this loathsome creature is only on the outside? That within everything is pure and wholesome? Vain delusion! Sickening, disgusting, as is the exterior, it is, in comparison with what it covers, a fair cloak, hiding a mass of disease and rottenness which grows more superlatively filthy as we penetrate deeper and deeper beneath the skin.
Just under the foul and putrid skin we find a mass of fat from two to six inches in thickness, covering a large portion of the body. Now what is this? Lard, says one; animal oil; an excellent thing for consumptives; a very necessary kind of food in cold weather. Lard, animal oil, very truly; and, we will add a synonym for disease, scrofula, torpid liver. Where did all that fat come from, or how happened it to be so heaped up around that poor hog? Surely it is not natural; for fat is only deposited in large quantities for the purpose of keeping the body warm in winter. This fat is much more than is necessary for such a purpose, and is much greater in amount than ever exists upon the animal in a state of nature. It is evidently the result of disease. So gross have been the habits of the animal, so great has been the foulness of its body, that its excretory organs--its liver, lungs, kidneys, skin, and intestines--have been entirely unable to carry away the impurities which the animal has been all its life accumulating. And even the extensive system of sewerage with its constant stream, which we have already described, was insufficient to the task of purging so vile a body of the debris which abounded in every organ and saturated every tissue. Consequently this great flood of disease, which made its way through the veins and arteries into the tissues, and there accumulated as fat! Delectable morsel, a slice of fat pork, isnt it? Concentrated, consolidated filth!
Then the fatter the hog, the more diseased he is? Certainly. A few years ago, there were on exhibition at the great cattle show in England a couple of hogs which had been stuffed with oil cake until they were the greatest monsters of obesity ever exhibited. Of course they took the first premium; and if a premium had been awarded to the animals which were capable of producing the most disease, it is quite probable that they would have headed the list still.
Lard, then, obtained from the flesh of the hog by heating, is nothing more than extract of a diseased carcass! Who that knows its character would dare to defile himself with this "broth of abominable things?"
Now let us take a little deeper look, prepared to find disease and corruption more abundant the deeper we go. Observe the glands which lie about the neck. Instead of being of their ordinary size, and composed of ordinary gland structure, we find them surrounded by large masses of scrofulous tissue. Perhaps tuberculosis degeneration had already taken place. If so, the soft, cheesy, infectious mass is ready to sow broadcast the seeds of consumption and premature death. For, according to some excellent authorities, tuberculosis disease is capable of communication by means of tubercles. If the animal is of sufficient age, the further process of ulceration will have occurred.
Now take a deeper look still, and examine the lungs of this much-prized animal. If he is more than a few months old, you will be likely to find large numbers of tubercles. If he is much more than a year old, you will be more likely than not to find a portion of the lung completely consolidated. Yet all of this filthy, diseased mass is cooked as a delicious morsel, and served up to satisfy fastidious tastes. If the animal had escaped the butchers knife a few years, he would have died of tuberculosis consumption.
But what kind of a liver would you expect such an animal to have? Is not excessive fatness one of the surest evidences of a diseased and inactive liver? infallible! Then a fat hog must have a dreadfully diseased bile manufactory. Make a cut into its substance. In seventy-five cases out of a hundred you will find it filled with abscesses. In a larger percentage still will be found the same diseased products which seem to infest every organ, every tissue, every structure of the animal. Yet these same rotten, diseased, scrofulous livers are eaten and relished by thousands of people who cannot express their contempt for the Frenchman who eats a horse or the China man who dines upon fricasseed puppy.
Now just glance at the remaining contents of the abdomen. In every part you notice evidences, unmistakable, of scrofula, fatty degeneration, and tuberculosis masses.
The word scrofula is derived from the Latin scrofu, which means a sow. The ancient Romans evidently believed that scrofula originated with the hog, and hence they attached the name of the beast to the disease. Saying that a man has scrofula, then, is equivalent to saying that he has the hog disease. After we have seen that the hog is the very embodiment of scrofulous disease, can any one doubt the accuracy of the conclusion of the Romans who named the disease?
We shall attempt to trace the history of this horrid parasite only so far as concerns its introduction into the human system.
With this end in view, let us glance again at the diseased liver. It will be no uncommon thing if we discover numberless little sacs, or cysts, about the size of a hemp seed. These do not present a very formidable appearance, certainly; but as soon as they are taken into the human stomach, the gastric juice dissolves off the membranous sac, and liberates a minute animal, which had been lurking there for months, perhaps, awaiting this very opportunity. This creature, although very small, is furnished with a head and four suckers, attach themselves firmly to the wall of the intestine, and the parasite begins to grow. In a short time an addition to its body is produced posteriorly, attached like a joint. Soon a duplicate of this appears, and then another, and another, until the body attains a length of several yards. Not infrequently tapeworms measuring thirty to one hundred feet in length are found in the intestines of human beings.
Under some circumstances the eggs of the tapeworm find entrance into the body, when the disease is developed in another form. The embryonic worms consist of a pair of hooklets so shaped that a twisting motion will cause them to penetrate the tissues after the fashion of a corkscrew. Countless numbers of these may be taken into the system, since a single tapeworm has been found to produce more than two million eggs. By the boring motion referred to, which seems to be spontaneous in the young worm, the parasites penetrate into every part of the body. Penetrating the walls of the blood vessels, they are swept along in the life-current, thus finding their way even to the most delicate structures of the human system. They have been found in all the organs of the body, even the brain and the delicate organs of vision not escaping the depredations of this destructive parasite.
When this lively migrating germ gets fully settled in the tissues, it becomes enveloped in a little cell, and remains quiet until taken into the stomach of some other animal, when it is liberated, and speedily develops into a full-grown tapeworm, as already described. But although quiet, the imprisoned parasite is by no means harmless. The cysts formed often attain such a size as to endanger life. When developed in the eye, they occasion blindness; in the lungs or other organs, they interfere with the proper functions of the organs; in the liver, which is the frequent rendezvous of these destructive creatures, a most serious and fatal disease known as hydatids is occasioned by the extraordinary development of the cysts, which are originally not larger than a pea, but by excessive growth assume enormous proportions. The same disease may occur in any other part of the body in which the germs undergo development.
The germs of these dreadful animals are found not only in the liver, but in other organs as well. Pork containing them is said to be "measly." Sometimes the condition is discovered; but that such is not always the case is evidenced by the fact that tapeworm is every year becoming more frequent. It has long been common in Germany. In Iceland it has become extremely common. In Abyssinia the occurrence of the worm has become so frequent, owing to the bad dietetic habits of the people, that it has been said that every Abyssinian has a tapeworm. In this country the parasite is most common among butchers and cooks.
Some time since, we received from a friend in the South a specimen of pork which was so densely peopled with the germs of this dreadful parasite that every cubic inch of flesh contained more than a score of them. The writer has in his microscopical cabinet specimens of the embryonic worms taken from hydatid tumors of the liver of a patient who died of the disease in Bellevue Hospital, New York.
The poor victim who is forced to entertain this unwelcome guest suffers untold agonies, and finally dies, if he cannot succeed in dislodging the parasite.
Now, my friend, assist your eyesight by a good microscope, and you will be convinced that you have only just caught a glimpse of the enormous filthiness, the inherent badness, and the intrinsic ugliness of this loathsome animal. Take a thin slice of lean flesh; place it upon the stage of your microscope, adjust the eyepiece, and look. You will see displayed before your eyes hundreds of voracious little animals, each coiled up in its little cell, waiting for an opportunity to escape from its prison walls and begin its destined work of devastation.
An eminent gentleman in Louisville has made very extensive researches upon the subject, and asserts that in at least one hog out of every ten these creatures may be found. A committee appointed by the Chicago Academy of Medicine to investigate this subject reported that they found in their examinations at the various packing-houses in the city, one hog in fifty infested with trichina. Other investigations have shown a still greater frequency of the disease.
A few years ago I obtained a small portion of the flesh of a person who had died from trichina poisoning. Upon subjecting it to a careful microscopical examination with a good instrument, I discovered multitudes of little worms. Each individual presented the appearance shown in the accompanying accurate engraving. The animal is there seen enclosed in a little cyst, or sac, which is dissolved by the gastric juice when taken into the stomach. The parasite, being thus set at liberty, immediately penetrates the thin muscular walls of the stomach, and gradually works its way through the whole muscular system. It possesses the power of propagating its species with wonderful rapidity; and a person once infected is almost certain to die a lingering death of excruciating agony.
In Helmstadt, Prussia, one hundred and three persons were poisoned in this way, and twenty of them died within a month.
It is doubtless not known how many deaths are really due to this cause; for many persons die of strange, unknown diseases, which baffle the doctors skill both as to cure and diagnosis. Trichinosis very much resembles various other diseases in some of its stages, and is likely to be attributed to other than its true cause. It is thought by prominent medical men that hundreds of people die of the disease without suspecting its true nature.
Have we not seen that a hog is nothing better than an animated mass of physical defilement? Few who have seen the animal will dispute that his filthiness is a most patent fact. How wise and sanitary, then, was the command of God to the ancient Jews: "It is unclean unto you. Ye shall not eat of their flesh nor touch their dead carcass."
Although it may not be said that this law still exists, and is binding as a moral obligation, it is quite plain that the physical basis upon which the law is founded is as good today as at any previous period. Could it be proved that the hog had kept pace with advancing civilization, and had improved his habits, we might possibly feel more tolerance for him; but he is evidently just as unclean as ever, and just as unfit for food.
Adam Clarke, when once requested to give thanks at a repast of which pork constituted a conspicuous part, used the following words: "Lord, bless this bread, these vegetables, and this fruit; and if thou canst bless under the gospel what thou didst curse under the law, bless this swines flesh."
The Mohammedans, as well as the Jews, abstain entirely from the use of pork. Such is also the case with some of the other tribes of Asia and Africa.
At the head of the list we place scrofula. How almost universally it abounds. How few are entirely untainted by it. How do chronic sore eyes, glandular enlargements, obstinate ulcers, disfigured countenances, unsightly eruptions, including the long list of skin diseases, all proclaim the defilement of the blood with this vile humor. So, too, do the vast army of dwarfed, strumose, precocious children tell the same story.
Erysipelas, too, a dreadful scourge, owes more to pork than to any other predisposing cause.
Leprosy, that terrible disease, so common in Eastern countries, and now beginning to show itself upon our own shores, is thought by many to be largely attributable to pork-eating.
"Biliousness," a name which covers nearly every bad condition for which no appropriate name can be found, is notoriously the result of pork-eating. This is the main reason why so many people complain of biliousness in the spring, after gorging themselves with fat pork all winter. The liver is overworked in attempting to remove from the system such a mass of impurity as is received in the eating of pork. It consequently becomes clogged, congested, torpid. Then follow all the ills consequent upon the irritating effects of the accumulation of biliary matters in the blood. The skin becomes tawny and jaundiced. The kidneys are overworked. Perhaps fever results. A partial clearing out then occurs, which enables the individual to pass along for a time again until some epidemic or contagious disease claims him as its lawful victim.
Consumption is another disease which is not easily separable from pork-eating. In fact, scrofula is its great predisposing cause. The narrow chests, projecting shoulders, thin features, and lank limbs of so many young boys and girls are evidence of a consumptive tendency, of which a scrofulous diathesis is the predisposing cause.
Dispepsia, that malady of many forms, frequently results from the use of pork, especially when fat and salted or smoked pork, one of the most indigestible of foods, is used. Pork requires between five and six hours for its digestion, while wholesome food will digest in half that time. This is the reason for the notion that salt pork is an excellent thing to "stick by the rib."
Tapeworm, we have already mentioned as the result of eating measly pork. It is a very difficult disease to cure, and often baffles the best medical skill for many years. Few ever detect the cysts in the flesh of the hog unless their attention has been directed to the matter.
Trichinae produce in man an incurable disease. No remedy can stay the ravages of the parasite. All pork-eaters are in constant danger; for the worm is too small to be seen without the aid of the microscope. However, this disease is not nearly so formidable as the others named; for it is not so common, neither does it entail any weight of suffering upon posterity.
On every hand we are met by all sorts of excuses for continuing to make swines flesh an article of diet in spite of the striking evidences of its dangerous character. Let us examine a few of the most common of these apologies, and test their value.
Pork is Necessary as a Heat-forming Food in Winter Are there not plenty of more healthful animals than hogs to supply all the animal fat necessary? Certainly there are; and, better still, we have the various grains and farinaceaous vegetables, which are abundantly sufficient to furnish all the heat required by man in any latitude.
Our Fathers and Grandfathers Ate Pork, and yet Lived to very Old Age Ah! yes, my good friend, and you are suffering the penalty of their transgressions. You may not be aware of it yet; but more than likely your old age will not be so free from ills as was theirs. And quite as probably you may even now see in your children the results of your own, as well as your fathers, disregard of the dictates of sound sense in feasting upon the hog. Their frequent sore eyes, sore mouths, tetter, crysipelas, and other eruptions, are all evidences of the scrofula which they have inherited.
Neither can you urge the plea, "Pork does not hurt me." No man ever became a drunkard who did not make the same excuse for liquor. You may not feel it now; but the future will expose your delusion.
The Hog is Cleanly if You Give Him a Chance to Be so It is surprising to us that any one who knows anything of the real nature of a hog can make such an assertion. Who has not seen hogs wallowing in the foulest mire right in the middle of a green, fragrant clover pasture? The dirty creature will turn away from the nicest bed of straw to revel in a stagnant, seething mud hole. If one of his companions dies in the lot or pen, he will wait until putrefaction occurs, and then greedily devour the stinking carcass. The filthy brute will even devour his own excrement, and that when not unusually pressed by hunger.
The hog is by nature a scavenger, and is especially adapted for that purpose. Let him pursue his natural hunger.
Sufficient Heat Will Kill the Trichinae and Incipient Tapeworms Surely, dead worms cannot kill any one; but it must be delightful for the pork-eater to contemplate his ham or sausage with the reflection that he is partaking of a diet of worms. The Frenchman sometimes eats earthworms; the African relishes lizards; and one philosopher so far overcame his natural prejudices as to eat spiders. "How disgusting!" you say, and you shut your eyes and swallow a million monsters at a meal, because they are cooked and so cannot bite. The louse-eating Patagonian cannot equal that. But it should be remembered that in order that the parasite should be killed, every part of the meat must be subjected to a heat of at least 2l2� which is quite difficult to do, and is seldom accomplished. A whole family was poisoned by eating pork-chops, which were well cooked upon the outside.
What Shall We Do With the Hog?
Stop raising him. Turn him loose. He will soon find his place, like the five thousand which ran down into the sea in the days of Christ. If he must be raised, use him for illuminating our halls and houses. Lubricate our car and wagon with his abundant fat. Do anything with him but eat him. It would be dangerous to adopt the principle that we must devour everything which is in the way, or which cannot be otherwise utilized. Adam Clarke thought of one appropriate use to make of the hog. He said that if he was going to make an offering to the devil, he would employ a hog stuffed with tobacco.
Reader, what will you do? Can you continue to use as food such an abominable article as pork, and in so doing run so many risks as you must do? And if you decide that the animal is unfit to claim a place upon your own table, can you conscientiously raise and sell him to your neighbors injury?
The reported cases of death from this terrible cause have become so frequent that we are no longer startled by them. Ten years ago the description of the death of a person literally infested with worms, and tortured to death by their inroads upon the system, would have excited feelings of the deepest horror; but these accounts have now become so common that little interest is shown in them, and death from this cause is one of the regular causes of additions to the mortuary list. Nevertheless, the disease is divested of none of its real horrors by its common occurrence. No one is safe; any one who uses swines flesh as food in any form is liable to the disease. Salting, smoking, and the other ordinary means of curing pork do not destroy the parasite.
A few years ago, Dr. Germer, health officer of Erie, Pa., was sent for in haste to see a patient who was supposed to be suffering from the cholera. He hastened to the bedside, and found a whole family sick with the symptoms much resembling those of cholera, though the season was then midwinter. Suspecting the possible cause, he secured a specimen from the pork barrel, and hastened to his office. Upon making a careful microscopic examination, he found myriads of the loathsome parasites in every part of the flesh examined. The writer prepared numerous microscopic specimens of the worm in various aspects from a portion of the infected meat kindly furnished by the doctor. These have been shown to hundreds of persons who were skeptical respecting the existence of such a pest.
In this case the hog had been fattened on the premises, having been purchased when quite young by the owner, a German, from a drove of hogs which passed through the city. It was known that, previous to the purchase of the hog, two of the drove had died on the road, and had been devoured by their scavenger companions. No doubt the deaths were the result of trichinosis; and by devouring the victims the whole herd became infected. It would be difficult to estimate what an amount of suffering and death was entailed by the consumption of this great herd of trichinous hogs. Several members of the German family died, together with several of the neighbors. Those who survived the acute stages of the disease escaped only to linger out a painful existence in the chronic and incurable state of the malady.
Some three years later the writer received a specimen of pork from a gentleman in Wisconsin who requested an examination of the same, stating that he procured it from the pork barrel of a neighbor whose family were suffering from a disease which the doctors called cholera infantum. Several of the children had died, and other members of the family were still dangerously ill. The pork had been suspected and examined, but no trichinae were found by the observers, though several physicians had inspected it. Upon making a careful microscopical inspection of the specimen, it was found to be alive with young trichinae.
1Information and quotes from The Seventh-day Adventist Encyclopedia, Revised Edition, Vol. 10, 1976, pp. 722-724. Dr. Kellogg was also an inventor, chiefly of medical machinery and instruments. Many of his inventions are still in use in hospitals around the world.
2ibid. By agreement, Dr. Kelloggs brother, Will Keith, took over the manufacturing of Kelloggs Corn Flakes and became known as the "Cornflake King." Becoming tremendously successful, Will Kellogg made the name Kelloggs Corn Flakes a household word, literally, around the world.
3Dr. Kellogg remained a Sabbath-keeper all his life, but left the Seventh-day Adventist Church in 1907. He died in Battle Creek, Michigan, on Dec. 14, 1943. | 2019-04-22T00:47:29Z | http://healthysecrets.com/health_news/topics/originals/dangerpork.html |
Welcome to this year’s Bike Virginia Routes! We are so excited to share with you the wondrous beauty of the area, it is really a spectacular part of the state. In fact, some of the routes we will be riding along are the same as the Bike Route 76 Transamerica Route that stretches from Oregon to Virginia!
One of the things that makes the Bike Virginia Tour so fun is that you get to ride in different areas of our wonderful state. Virginia offers a wide variety of terrain from the coast to the mountains and this year we will be traveling through some of the mountainous areas in the New River Valley. While the area is very beautiful it can also be a challenging place to ride if you are not ready for the hills. While the majority of the routes are in the valleys there are still hills. Please be prepared to do a fair amount of climbing and remember that what goes up must also come down, so… no matter how difficult the climb you will be rewarded with a downhill, and in most cases a majestic view of the surrounding area!
With the exception of the Green Circulator route, all of your routes are signed each morning. The Green circulator route is a short route that sticks close to HQ and we leave those signs up until we move locations, this way if you want to just cruise around for a mile or two you can do that without getting on the daily routes.
Bike Virginia’s Tour events accommodate both recreational and advanced riders. The difficulty rating will be determined closer to the event as routes are finalized. We anticipate a difficulty rating of 6 to 9 on a scale of 1-10 for the 2018 routes. Difficulty will vary daily based on which route option you choose.
Routes are finalized at the Preview Ride in late April. We will assign a difficulty rating to each day of the tour. Route difficulty is rated on a 1-10 scale and is determined by elevation gain (climbing), distance of route, and experience. We will be publishing individual route difficulty for each day in May 2018. Those ratings will be printed in the tour guide that you will receive at registration check-in.
Any bike is ok for the tour as long as you are comfortable riding it. Most riders choose a “road bike” but we have a lot of folks riding hybrid or mountain bikes (with road tires) and even recumbent’s. The main thing is that you are comfortable and the bike is ready to roll. Below are a few suggestions for this year’s tour with regards to tire selection, gearing and brakes.
In June 2018 our annual Bike Tour will feature bike routes in the New River Valley of Virginia. Our headquarters will be located at Bissett Park in Radford (June 22,23,24) and Claytor Lake State Park in Dublin, Virginia (June 25,26,27). If you’re looking for a fun, fully-supported bike tour—a true adventure by bicycle—mark your calendar now for June 22–27, 2018. We’ll host you for 6 DAYS of exploration, relaxation, and camaraderie.
Our riders loved the 6 day format. We kick off the next annual event on Friday, June 22, 2018 in Radford, Virginia . We wrap up on Wednesday, June 27, 2018 in Claytor Lake State Park in Dublin, Virginia. We offer 6 DAYS of unique bike routes with only two camp locations. You’ll have more time to relax and enjoy leisurely evenings and mornings without having to pack up your camp. Some bike tours like Ride the Rockies, Cycle Oregon, Bike Florida, and GOBA move up to 5 times in a week. Our riders said they enjoyed more time at each camp and wanted to have their car with them; we listened and have built our event around this concept. Two host town locations and 6 DAYS of route choices gives lots of great riding without the hassle of everyday moves.
Returning for 2018, our Double Vision format gives you more riding options and NO ONE-WAY routes! Be sure to read about all the exciting changes that come with the Double Vision format.
Friday will be a wonderful ride out of our HQ location starting at Bisset Park in Radford, VA. Once you get to the tour on Friday (Camping and Registration starts on Friday) and pick up your registration you will enjoy a 25 mile ride as we meander through the some of the New River Valley. This ride will offer a taste of the riding you can expect for the remainder of the tour.
Get ready for Saturday! Saturday will be a great way to get out and see the New River Valley and all its splendor. There are 4 route options to choose from all of which will leave you smiling.
RED Route Shortcut: You will follow the Pink Route to start out of HQ as you flow along with all the riders to the 1st rest stop. Upon exiting the rest stop you will want to catch the Red Route Begins Sign and begin riding back towards HQ.
BLUE Route Shortcut: This is a great ride if you are looking for just a bit more miles than the Red Route but just don’t feel like making the trek all the way out to Floyd VA. Look for the Blue Route Begins sign.
PINK Route (Main Route): Those wishing to keep rolling will stay on the Pink Route for the entire day. Staying on the Pink route will lead you out to the cool town of Floyd VA. Floyd is a great little town well known for its Bluegrass Music Scene and will be the location of our 2nd rest stop. From here you will have a choice to stay on the route or to roll onto the Orange extension. Either route offers plenty of challenges and lots of wonderful views! The last portion of all the routes follows a meandering bike path through the woods and back to HQ.
ORANGE Route Extension: The Orange Route is a great way to see more of the mountains that make up the eastern side of the valley. From the 2nd rest stop follow the Orange Route Begins sign. This route will take you up into the mountains crossing the Blue Ridge Parkway above Floyd and return you back to the 2nd rest stop in Floyd where you will grab the Pink Route back to HQ.
Sunday is well…like a great Sunday ride. You will enjoy the beginning of the ride out of camp as you pedal along the New River and make your way towards Blacksburg VA, home of the Virginia Tech Hokies. There will be four options on Sunday.
RED Route Shortcut: Starting on the Pink from HQ your route option will begin around mile 12, look for the Red Route Option Begins Sign. From there you will make your way towards our rest stop in Christiansburg, VA. Once leaving the rest stop you will head back to HQ as you complete your 26.2-mile ride.
PINK Route (Main): Riding the Pink Route will take you along the a beautiful bike path called the Huckelberry trail where you will pedal in and around Blacksburg and the Virginia Tech Campus eventually making your way back to HQ with your last rest stop in Christiansburg.
ORANGE Route Extension: For those looking to extend the fun and really get into the backcountry of the area you will follow the Pink Route to the 2nd rest stop where you will pick up the Orange Route Begins sign. You will then ride on quiet roads as you explore the Catawba Mountain area. You will cross the Appalachian Trail at the McAfee Knob trailhead. Riding your way back to civilization you will merge back with the Pink Route as you make your way back to the final rest stop and HQ.
BLUE Route Extension: This little extension adds a few miles to the Orange Route and may be one of the most scenic of the entire ride as you ride along the valley looking up at McAfee’s Knob. To access this route follow the Orange Route signs until you see the Blue Route Begins sign at the Catawba Community Center Rest Stop. Once completing the Blue extension simply jump back on the Orange route and work your way back to HQ making this ride the longest of the 6 days at 108 miles.
Monday – This is move day! Once you’ve moved your gear and vehicle to Claytor Lake State Park get ready for some more great riding as you head out on one of the three options for today.
RED Route Shortcut: As will all routes you will begin your journey on the Pink Route and follow that all the way to the 1st rest stop at the train depot in Pulaski, VA. Upon exiting the rest stop make sure to follow the Red Route Begins sign for a relaxing trip back to HQ.
PINK Route (Main): Those looking for a bit longer ride will stay on the Pink Route and meander through the town of Pulaski (make sure to look for the VW Vans, a lot of them around the 15 mile mark). You’ll then ride your way to the 2nd rest stop in Dublin, VA. From there you will have the option to extend your ride on the Orange route or head back to HQ.
ORANGE Route Extension: If you’re looking to maximize your ride make sure to take the Orange Route Extension. Look for the Orange Route Begins sign upon exiting the 2nd rest stop. This route will take you into the beautiful countryside of the area and provide a great meander along the New River as you head back to HQ.
With only two days left of the tour you’ll want to make sure to get the most out of the routes for Tuesday. As you roll out of camp you will begin your journey on the Pink Route and quickly find your way back down to the New River. With three options today you will surely find some riding that will leave you saying pedal-smile-repeat! Additionally, you will find maps of the New River Trail in your welcome packet. All the routes will cross the New River Trail several times, however, only the Red Route is signed onto the trail. If you’d like to make your own route please use the map as guidance and keep in mind that if you get on the trail you may not have a rest stop until the Draper Mercantile trailhead and remember that the New River Trail is a hardpacked gravel surface that can be ridden by most bicycles.
RED Route Shortcut: Riding the Red Route for today is going to be awesome! You’ll roll with the Pink Route Riders all the way to the 1st rest stop at the Hiawassee Volunteer Fire Department; some may remember this stop from our 2011 tour. Upon exiting the rest stop follow the Red Route Option Begins sign, use caution on the downhill as you will turn onto the New River Trail near the bottom of the hill. Once on the trail you will enjoy a great ride back to the Draper Mercantile rest stop, this is where you’ll catch back up with the Pink Route and follow it back to HQ.
PINK Route (Main) – What a wonderful way to see the valley and the New River. Upon leaving the 1st rest stop you will meander along the New River for a while and if you look closely across the water you will see your next rest stop as you make your way around to the other side of the river and roll your way back to camp. Speaking of camp, make sure to enjoy the final 2-mile downhill ride back to Claytor Lake and HQ.
ORANGE Route Extension – This ride will be awesome and will take you to see the Shot Tower (your 2nd rest stop). A historic tower built more than 200 years ago to make ammunition for the firearms of the early settlers! From here you will continue onto Austinville, birthplace of Stephen F. Austin and the location of the lead mine used to make the ammunition at the shot tower. Your journey will then lead you to a little town called Max Meadows; this will be your 3rd rest stop for the day and is also where the Transamerica Bike Route 76 traverses. Your route will then lead you to a relaxing rest stop along the River where you will join back up with the Pink Route and roll your way back to HQ.
Well the tour has to end someday; luckily for you it is a great day for riding! You will have your choice of four route options to get you rolling on the last day of Bike VA.
RED Route Shortcut: The Red option is a mellow 11 miles that will take you out and back to the Ruritan National HQ rest stop. This is a great route if you’re anxious to get on the road and just want a little ride to cap off a great week of riding.
BLUE Route Shortcut: This is a great option if you’re looking to get back a little sooner than riding the full Pink Route. You’ll grab this as you leave the 1st rest stop, look for the Blue Route Option Begins sign.
PINK Route (Main): The Pink Route will take you a bit further into the valley where you will come to the 1st rest stop at the Little River Bluegrass Barn (very cool rest stop). From here you can choose to grab the Orange Route Extension, Blue Shortcut or stay on the Pink Route and continue on to the 2nd rest stop at Harry De Haven Park. Getting to the Park is a bit challenging but it’s worth every mile as this stop puts you on the other side of the lake from HQ…pretty neat to think about riding all the way around Claytor Lake! From there you’ll ride your way back to the 3rd rest stop at the Ruritan National HQ and then enjoy the gentle ride back to HQ.
ORANGE Route Extension: This will be a great route to get in a few extra miles before making the trip back. The extension is a lollipop of sorts that starts and finishes at the 1st rest stop and is a great way to explore more of the valley. Look for the Orange Route Begins sign.
Planning for Bike Virginia’s event includes assessing many factors that affect your riding experience. Several things come together such as our rest stops, permits and various other elements that go into planning roughly 400 miles of riding. We get great local support and advice that help us create a truly memorable riding experience. Location planning takes place over 14 months in advance of the event. During that time we narrow in on the best route options. As spring approaches we work with a large team of volunteers and staff to assess final riding options. Draft routes are published in early 2018 and final routes are published in the month before the event, due to changing road conditions and service agreements with rest stop locations.
Planning for Bike Virginia’s event includes assessing many factors that affect your riding experience. Several things come together such as our rest stops, permits and various other elements that go into planning roughly 400 miles of riding. We get great local support and advice that help us create a truly memorable riding experience. Location planning take place over 14 months in advance of the event. During that time we narrow in on the best route options. As spring approaches we work with a large team of volunteers and staff to assess final riding options. Draft routes are published in early 2018 and final routes are published in the month before the event. Routes cannot be finalized earlier due to changing road conditions and service agreements with rest stop locations which can impact riding. We promise to provide route details as soon as possible.
DAY ONE Welcome to Bike Virginia! Friday is registration day and offers you a chance to kick off your vacation right. Once you’ve checked in you can enjoy our Welcome Ride. As you pedal out you will embark on a journey that was 31 years in the making. Friday’s ride will depart from our headquarters in Bissett Park in Radford and take you along pleasant roads that introduce you to the region’s charm. The distance of Friday’s ride will be just enough to get the blood flowing but not so much to wear you out. When you get back to camp you can enjoy the camaraderie of friends and fellow cyclists, settle in to grab a bite from one of our food trucks, and listen to the live music as you rest up for what will be one of the best Bike Virginias in 31 Years!
DAY TWO Grab some coffee at headquarters and make your preparations for an epic ride. Hop on the bike between 7am and 9am and truly let the journey begin with one of our famous loop ride options. Our team will treat you to rider’s choice of 3 options that day ranging from a short 20 mile distance ride to a metric century or more that carries you out for some spectacular sights. Any route you choose will be a treat and one that only the wonderful roads of Virginia can provide. After a perfect day of riding, pamper yourself with yoga, massage, or meditation followed by good food, drink, and fun music.
DAY THREE will take you farther into the beautiful Blue Ridge valleys and mountains. The shorter route for the day will have 20 or so miles of riding, the mid-length route will have a nice 40-60 mile distance for your pleasure. For the longest route distance riders, Sunday will offer the first of our two century routes. Any route you choose will have you smiling the whole way and wanting to stay on the bike for just one more mile. Weekend participants will wrap up their ride this day; they can camp over that night, or head on home with fun memories to carry them through the work days ahead. Sunday marks mid-point for our six-day participants; they will crawl into bed that night with dreams of the great riding left to come.
DAY FOUR will be event move day. On move day, the entire event packs up early in the morning and relocates to headquarters 2, located in Claytor Lake State Park, (about 9 miles south on I-81). From there you will kick off the second half of the event and enjoy riding from another beautiful region of the New River Valley. Routes will include 15 to 60 mile options. For those who rode on our 2011 Roll Through Time tour you will rekindle some of the fond memories. There will be several length options to choose from on Monday so you can ride as much or as little as you want, depending on what you wish to see or how you are feeling from the previous three days of riding. One of the beauties of Bike Virginia’s format is that you can take a rest day any day you wish. Monday night offers a great chance to head into to enjoy the historic downtown of Pulaski or a local winery.
DAY FIVE, get ready! We will have several distance options to choose from that will take you on a beautiful ride along the New River. Pick a route between 15 and 100 miles with elevation changes ranging from 1,200-7,500 feet. Rest stops will be perfectly spaced for your food and drink needs approximately every 20 miles. Whether you choose the short, medium, or century route you will undoubtedly have a smile when you get back to camp.
DAY SIX it is! This day is the last day of the tour will be one to remember! We will have 3 options that day so you can choose if you want to get a short ride in before hitting the road home or settle in for another long day in the saddle as you pedal the metric century. Choose from 25 to 60 miles. Because we finish at this second location you can wait to pack up camp until after you ride, your car will be conveniently there for your departure. That’s another uniquely Bike Virginia trait. Day six brings a close to the 31st annual Bike Virginia Tour, a time for hugs, smiles, and dreams of the 2019 Bike Virginia Tour.
Each button below corresponds to a route option available on the day. Click the button to view the route map and elevation profile. You may also export a GPS-compatible file.
Please note that all routes are subject to change and approval by local and state authorities. Route maps are hosted offsite by a 3rd party not affiliated with Bike Virginia. | 2019-04-18T14:45:32Z | https://bikevirginia.org/2018-tour/routes/ |
If not for the grace of God, we would not spend the time we do answering some of the patent nonsense you will find in this series of letters from the followers of Branham. It seems the height of foolishness to know better and yet to answer such foolishness as comes from the mouths of idolaters. But, dear reader, we have all been in darkness, and you are too, to whatever degree you have not come into the Light. God has determined that all things be brought to Light, that He might judge the foolish and rebellious that vex Him by the lies and deluded ways they attribute to Him by falsely taking His Name upon themselves while causing others to blaspheme on account of the evil report they bring of Him. That is what He is doing here, through us, that you might also repent of every false way and come to know the Lord as He is in Truth, in all patient rebuke and demonstration of His righteousness.
Then will come that glorious day when the saying shall be fulfilled: “And they shall teach no more every man his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD; for they shall all know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them, says the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin will I remember no more” (Jeremiah 31:34 HNV).
Thanks for your email. I came across your article yesterday as I was browsing through your homepage. There is so much that you have brought out that is so close to the message of Bro. William Marrion Branham which I have been listening to since I was a young seventeen year old lad since 1972…. about Godhead, women preachers, organized religion, God’s sovereignty and ‘predestination’, the truth about salvation, etc… I was quite amazed and almost thought could it be you may have even heard of him… ? I could very much relate with your expose of “The Purpose driven Life” book, as it is just what I been trying to share with others on similar subject lines. In my postings, I use various quotes of Brother Branham’s to help everyone I know realize how ‘blinded’ this age is, because he brought these things out very powerfully during his ministry on earth when he was alive. His sermon recordings are from 1948 right through to 1965, and to me, are nothing but the TRUTH. God powerfully vindicated his ministry, and I believe, today stands as a “writing on the wall” to this generation. Your views and exposes are not far from his, on these vital subject lines so relevant today.
The list of addresses in the “undisclosed recipients” are mostly my own contacts – of about 450 addresses of family, friends, and interested believers who have chosen to remain on my mailing list from around the world, and who regularly receive from me, poignant quotes and any interesting articles that I come across.
Anyway, Paul, I do apologize if perhaps I should have asked your permission to do so first..? I felt the liberty to do so because I believe the truth is for everyone to know far and wide as you said, and if it was myself writing it, that would not be an issue. I could identify with so much of all that you and Victor Hafichuk have written, that I had already thought of contacting you. Well now you have contacted me, which is just as well.
I will actually copy below just a few of my previous postings (of Bro. Branham’s quotes) to my family and friends, which are saying what you are saying too.
No problem at all with sending out our writings as you did here. We appreciate your doing so, and also that you included our website and addresses. As I wrote in my first letter, we welcome anyone sharing the truth the Lord has given us, even when it is our enemies trying to defame us. The Word of God goes out all the same. That is cause for rejoicing.
We are familiar with William Branham. Victor went to a meeting of Branhamites in 1981, and more recently we have had involvement with a couple that attended a Branhamite church. They were quite messed up, and their minister was not helping them at all. In fact, he was exacerbating their strife and problems. He also took advantage of them financially. It was a terrible mess, and while they were greatly responsible for their own woes, they were not finding the answer in a Branhamite church or doctrine.
That is the problem, or issue, Joseph. Doctrines, even true ones, are not enough to save anyone, or to deliver from sins, problems, or darkness. Consider: If they were then all peoples professing to believe the Bible as the Word of God and Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior would be in agreement, having peace and prosperity of soul. But we see the opposite: strife, contention, unrest, and confusion. Babylon.
“For false christs and false prophets will be raised up, and they will show great signs and wonders so as to deceive, if possible, even the elect” (Matthew 24:24 EMTV).
The Lord has shown us that Branham was a false prophet. More appropriately said, He has opened our eyes so that we recognize the difference between true and false. Without this miraculous work of grace, we are certainly deceived, or at least in the dark.
The false may have many true doctrines, as Branham (though he also had many false), but there is one great dividing factor between the sheep and the goats, those that are the Lord’s and those that talk about Him but do their own works, and that factor is the cross. Branham did not preach the cross. He could not, because he had not experienced it. He was doing his own thing, religious, and possibly with miraculous powers, but not of God.
The cross is not hardship, opposition, persecution, nor is it identifiable by any external marker, though those who take up the cross will experience all of those things. The cross is an internal event arranged by the Lord, entered into by faith, and suffered unto death of our hopes, aspirations, gods, and everything we have and are or think to be. It is the end of us, and the beginning of Jesus Christ, the second Adam. Thereafter, we are crucified with Christ, and it is no longer we, but He that lives in us. The life we now live is by the faith of the Son of God.
“In most solemn truth I tell you that unless the grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains what it was–a single grain; but that if it dies, it yields a rich harvest. He who holds his life dear, is destroying it; and he who makes his life of no account in this world shall keep it to the Life of the Ages. If a man wishes to be My servant, let him follow Me; and where I am, there too shall My servant be” (John 12:24-26 WNT).
Christ is only lifted up by and in those that die in Him. He is not lifted up by men’s preaching using His Name, or by any amount of Bible teaching, meetings, singing, or religious works. Only those that go into the ground with Him, baptized into His death, can join Him where He is now, being lifted up by His resurrection power, presently, and not just after physical death. The grain of wheat is planted alive, not dead. It goes into the ground to die. Then the Lord, being lifted up in these earthen vessels yielded to Him, will draw all men to Himself.
“And if anyone serves Me, the Father will honor him” (John 12:26 LITV).
“And no man takes this honor to himself, but he who is called of God, as Aaron was” (Hebrews 5:4 MKJV).
Jesus said that we should confess ourselves unprofitable after we have done His will, but Branham declares himself profitable before he does it. In a single statement, that is the difference between true and false religion.
We are, all of us – those who know and serve God, unprofitable servants, doing only what He has given us to do. If He does not give it, we are all toast, goners, with nothing whatsoever to recommend us to Him, or to others.
What we hear from Branham are the ramblings of an incoherent, boastful fool. That does not say much for where you are at, Joseph. But we hope better things for you, which is why we speak the truth to you, as we must with every person, not seeking the favor of men, but of God, Who is for all.
You said he didn’t personally know God and the message of the cross….??
He also sent Gene Shaparenko‘s site of false accusations to his recipient list.
Although I had misjudged you at first, it is absolutely certain now to me that you both have unashamedly blasphemed against God.
Whether you accept it or not – it needs to be declared unto you, if someone else hasn’t already done so by now.
Deception is always so close to the truth, but some of your comments are a blatant and outright refute to God’s own Word.
I would rather not go into too much detail, but generally you do not even trust the BIBLE as God’s Word, which is a true Christian’s ONLY ABSOLUTE and protection against Satan!
“The only answer and effectual Word of God is the living Word made flesh, the Lord Jesus Christ, not the Bible…” !!!
– An absolute contradiction to the SPIRIT OF TRUTH – WHO HIMSELF WAS THE WORD MADE FLESH, and WHO HIMSELF MADE THOSE STATEMENTS – LOCKED INTO HIS WORD, FOR ALL MANKIND OF ALL AGES TO KNOW AND TAKE REFUGE BEHIND!
Even a novice ought to be able to discern that with no hesitation.
No matter what or how you try to get out of the BIBLE as God’s absolute infallible Word, it will fall back on you, even as in the Garden of Eden.
Satan deceived Eve through the serpent using God’s Word, with an element of error added.
She and Adam fell BECAUSE they failed to rightly discern this, and went out from the PROTECTION of GOD’S COMPLETE WORD, being the cause of all SIN… which is UNBELIEF IN HIS WORD.
As such, I will not, and do not wish to go into any further dialogue with you.
It is also now clear to me that an evil religious spirit has anointed you and upon those who actually sympathize with you.
As another fellow human being, I can only pray for your souls – if they are redeemable. ”Claiming” yourselves to be exceptional in what you do is just fulfilling the scripture for YOUR OWN PART and destiny. Enough said.
In parting here are just some responses I have received from my friends about your diatribe against God’s Word-prophet.
You don’t need to respond please. Thanks.
You use images, Joseph, breaking the Second Commandment.
You point to an historical Christ and an historical cross, neither of which will save you, any more than it saves Catholics.
You accuse us of denying that the Bible is the Word of God. You lie. We do no such thing. What we do is point to the Present, Living Christ, Who dwells in us, the Author and Substance of the Bible, and Whom we love and serve by the cross.
“Search the scriptures; for in them you think you have eternal life: and they are they which testify of Me. And you will not come to Me, that you might have life. I receive not honour from men. But I know you, that you have not the love of God in you” (John 5:39-42).
You and your people have jumped to all sorts of false conclusions about us and made false accusations, being without knowledge. You do not clarify or seek to understand; you only attack and revile. And now you slink away with tails between your hind legs, as fearful cowards. How is it we are of Satan, yet unafraid to stand up to you and your great “jesus”? We are not afraid of you, for fear is not of God. You are the ones who are afraid.
You people have religion and idolize a man, which would do you no good even if he were a true man of God. You have nothing but vain religion, foolish doctrine, manifest emptiness and confusion. It is you who blaspheme and not we. You are the ones in danger of Hellfire and unforgiveness, and not we who speak to you by and in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Why would you use this information, being a false testimony against us, spread it to your group, even though the source of this information would also deny Branham to be a man of God? Does that make sense?
There are “countless” sites on the Internet that put out false, damning, and inaccurate articles against Bro. Branham, this one by ‘Aqua Technology’ included, which has sadly “bagged” him along with you chaps!
Yes, although it was more dedicated to “exposing” you and Paul, it also invariably dumped Bro. Branham in as of the same false light..!
Yes, in spite of that, I sent it out to some of my friends in confidence, simply because I know them well and who are all true believers who’ve had a genuine experience with God.
I thus had NO fear in me to let them read and judge these things for themselves, without my cencorship, to draw their own conclusions.
In these last days, the worldwide body of the SPIRIT OF TRUTH within the Bride of Christ HAS sharp spiritual discernment (sharper than a two-edged sword), and she is able to decipher any false witness/es.
Her filter is GOD’S REVEALED WORD OF THE HOUR – the Lord Jesus Christ Himself, with her, Who is her protection – according to HIS WORD.
We know for ourselves that Bro. Branham was totally 100% surrendered to the WORD, whilst you are the exact opposite to him, who do not trust the Bible as your absolute.
To place the two together under the same “group” only goes to clearly show us the false prejudices and ignorance of all such writers. However, it at least offered us a secondary view of your works, from which to draw our own conclusions, or even make further searches if necessary.
At the very start, it was I who had forwarded your article (on ‘the purpose driven life’ book and it’s author Rick Warren), to all my 470-over contacts.
At that time it happened to interest me, as it had ‘appeared’ to have ‘elements’ of truth, which I wanted to check out with my friends.
So I sent it out for their study and further information in order to receive their feedback.
It was with the SAME motive by which I sent out this particular article (by ‘Aqua Technology’) which you’ve questioned.
It was actually forwarded to me by someone first.
We can now all quite clearly see the utter falsity of BOTH camps, and have drawn our own conclusions.
The cards are now opened on the deck and we know nothing is ever hid from God.
You are false accusers, who, to maintain your darkness and sins, speak lies. I did not say the Bible was not God’s Word. I said it was not the effectual and Living Word of God – the One made flesh. That is the Lord Jesus Christ. There is a big difference between Him and the Bible, but you do not see it. That is because you are Bibliolaters, idolaters of the Bible.
It is not we, but you, who blaspheme the Holy Spirit.
How can you see anything in your darkness? That is why you stumble while fleeing, slobbering gibberish and slashing yourselves on the altar of your idol, which will not save you. Nevertheless, you will know that we have spoken the Word of God to you.
Go for it, Satan; do your very worst, which is nothing to us. We have nothing to fear. You are finished.
What did Jesus say about signs and sign seekers and those who bid others to believe any signs but the Resurrected Christ, Whom none of you know?
“ A wicked and adulterous generation seeks after a sign; and there shall no sign be given unto it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas. And he left them, and departed” (Matthew 16:4).
You simply do not deceive us, Satan. And even if William Branham were a true prophet of God, it did you no good; you certainly have nothing of God.
“For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect” (Matthew 24:24 KJV).
Yes, Victor, I know what Jesus said about sign-seekers. At the same time He pointed them to a great sign – the sign of the prophet Jonah – pointing to the death, burial and resurrection of our Lord Jesus. Jesus also rebuked the Pharisees for NOT being able to discern the “signs of the times”. I am NOT a sign-seeker, but when I see a sign I look to what the sign is pointing to. I get nowhere by hanging around the sign post.
Unfortunately, during the Healing Revival of the 40’s and 50’s most professing Evangelicals started leaning on the sign post, instead of moving in the direction which the sign was pointing – the Coming of the Lord Jesus. William Branham rebuked the preachers for putting too much emphasis on “signs and wonders” and not enough on “Salvation”. They wanted William Branham’s signs, but they didn’t want the Word he preached – it was the same with Jesus ministry. Jesus told us that the “works” (signs) He did testified of who He was and if the people couldn’t believe Him – His Words, He told them to believe the “works” He had done among them. They choose to believe neither Him nor His works (signs).
Gerald, it is to that very sign, the one and only one given, as Jesus plainly declared, that we point you. We are that sign, raised from the dead in Him. Your sign is that light over Branham’s head, to which you have appealed, you or whoever had the “Believe the Sign” site. That is idolatry of the rankest order. Signs and wonders are not only from God, as you should know, but that does not matter to a mesmerized idolater with glazed eyes.
We are not making Branham the issue here, as much as your companions have evidently, yes, dramatically made him so. We have indeed touched the apple, not of His eye, but of your eye. We have simply exposed the corruption and death that is there, and the vicious reaction says it all, a reaction of which you are aware if you red the letters of those sent to Joseph, along with his letters.
“For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist…. If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed” (2 John 1:7-10 KJV).
I wish you peace through our Lord Jesus Christ.
You signed your e-mail “Contending for the faith”. But, judging from some of the things I read at your site and/or links from it to other sites, I see people who are “bringing reproach on the Word instead of bearing reproach for it”. Many anti-Branham; anti-this preacher and anti-that preacher are no more than “religious tabloids”, spreading religious gossip. I certainly don’t see much Agape Love. I don’t see many, if any articles encouraging the people to keep a right spirit and attitude. It’s more like the same spirit that caused the Roman Catholic church to kill 68 million Christians during the Dark Ages. Our Lord Jesus rebuked His disciples for “loving only those that loved them”. That’s the same spirit the Pharisees had.
Abraham (because he lied), David because of his adultery and murder, Moses, because of his stuttering and temper, Hosea, because he married a prostitute, John, the baptist, because he dressed & acted like a wild man, etc., etc. – they would in this day be thrown in with Brother Branham and all the other preachers that many web sites condemn and crucify.
I assure you sir, I do not idolize a man. I respect Brother Branham as a Servant of God. He is now history, but I continue to move on with the Lord in His Word. I Thank God for the many blessings I’ve received and continue to receive through Bro. Branham’s ministry. I love the Lord Jesus more than ever and I love his children.
It’s unfortunate that sometimes people focus on the fanatics “around” the message brought by William Branham, rather than on those who hold a “balanced revelation” in their hearts. It’s like Balak, taking Baalim around the Camp of the Hebrews – hoping to get Baalim to see them from a different angle and condemn them – but he could only say what God put in his mouth.
I assure you that my e-mail is not meant to antagonize anyone – just to express what I feel and what I see.
Gerald, I don’t know if you genuinely wish me peace through our Lord Jesus Christ or not, but I can tell you, in all joy and thankfulness, with a full knowledge of undeservedness, that we have His peace.
I would also say that it is impossible for you to have that peace of Him you say you wish us, if you cannot perceive who and where we are in Him, His sons and anointed brethren.
Your judgment of our site and our writings is after the flesh. Your religiosity, the works of men, darkens your understanding. You have no discernment. We bear much reproach for our stand in the True Lord Jesus Christ, Creator and Savior of all, being one with and in Him. This altercation with Joseph and his foolish companions is but a snippet of what we suffer and bear patiently, with joy.
You are those who say you have God for your Father and Abraham for your father, yet you do not hear or receive us, misinterpreting what we say and accusing us of things for which we are not guilty. You have no objectivity, no love for the Truth. If you did, you would hold your tongue, pray, study, examine what we say – in context – and then speak, unless you realize you have nothing to say because wrong.
Your “agape” love is of man and not of God. You have never known His love. You don’t have it in you. If you did, we would know it and receive it from you. You would love us. You don’t. Why? Because we have touched your god.
Joseph scatters Scripture at us as one crazed, not even seeing that the very Scriptures he uses apply to him. He thinks that he wields the sword of the Spirit and that it will have its impact on us. For his sake we write, but no, he thrashes on the ground in his foolishness, foaming at the mouth, as though a demon has thrown him down. We come to deliver, not to condemn. Paul’s original letter to him displays that plainly, truthfully, we knowing fairly well the reaction would come as it did. We have simply disturbed a den of vipers, a partisan religious group centered on a man and on religion, thinking that in so doing it centers on Jesus Christ. There is nothing further from the truth.
Do we condemn you when we say these things? God forbid. We simply speak the truth about you as given (unpalatable to you as it is and must be) and leave the judgment to Him Who judges.
But you don’t see it as “encouraging the people to keep a right spirit and attitude.” You see it as condemnation. That is because you are already condemned, not believing. The only way we can speak the way we do is because we truly love. Your love is of man, phony, pleasing to the flesh, but disgusting to God, I truly and solemnly tell you. You are deceived, Gerald, you and your companions. That is why, out of true love, you are now exposed to God’s rebuke by us.
We do not judge you by others, fanatical or not. We judge you by the Spirit of Truth, judging righteous judgment, even as He has commanded us.
While in your letter I recognize a hint of restraint, patience and tolerance, unlike most if not all the other letters from your associates, there is nevertheless great darkness. The examples you cite as you apply them to us are unfair and without knowledge because, in fact, you are not free of idolatry as you say. Your eye is far from single. If it were single, you would see us.
If you truly desire to “move on with the Lord in His Word,” then you had better reconsider, examine yourself and take a prayerful second look at what we have to say; prayerful, I say, because without the grace of God, you can see and hear nothing. And you do not now see and hear as you think. Fasting and sackcloth are in order, Gerald.
Your politeness, yet apparent direct honesty, though in pride and ignorance, gives me hope that you will listen and be moved to repent in dust and ashes. Perhaps you will consider there is more here than you bargained for, something very different from those with whom you lump us. However we have seen far too much to count on that, at least in the immediate future.
I believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, receiving that He was crucified, buried and raised up from the dead for me that I might have His Life, which can only be had by Him. I had not heard of William Branham and did not need to hear of him. I am very thankful that I did not, especially if what happened to you all were to happen to me. God forbid. Again, read the testimonies and then tell me we err, as you do.
Your letter and tone come across as somewhat reasonable. The same cannot be said for Joseph. At least you are talking to us and we do hear what you are saying, and understand where you are coming from. You have opened the door for dialogue. Good. So let us talk about your observations.
You say you see people bringing reproach on the Word. Be specific. How do you see this? How are we bringing shame to Christ? Let’s deal with a real and authentic measure of His teaching, example, and doctrine. Read The True Marks of a Cult and then tell us specifically how we are in error, in spirit and deed, according to the ways and teachings of the Lord. “Specific” means giving Scriptural backing and examples as applied to our precise words and deeds.
You talk about encouraging people to keep a right spirit and attitude. Just who are you proposing has a right spirit and attitude? Joseph? It is obvious he does not. All he can do is sputter and produce massive amounts of Branham quotes that say nothing apropos, and Scripture quotes that are taken out of context and misapplied. You call that “Agape Love”? Our letters are encouraging him to repent of his idolatry and to get a right spirit and attitude. What do you propose for him? What does your “Agape Love” tell you to do with him?
How about your attitude? You accuse us of having the same spirit as the Roman Catholic Church. How do you see us having that? While they committed crimes against humanity, which you cite (whether accurate or not), where are our crimes that prove the same spirit? If you have no evidence of any, then how can it be the same spirit? Where is the fruit? Did not the Lord say to judge by the fruits?
Where do you see the Roman Catholic Church speaking out against hypocritical and false religious leaders and their doctrines, as we do? You say we are “anti-this preacher and anti-that preacher,” implying that we are gossipers. Prove it. You show us where we are wrong in what we preach or what we have said about anyone.
According to my dictionary, making accusations without evidence or proof, as you do, is the spirit of the most pernicious and evil kind of gossip. You are in the company of those who wag their tongues without truth or any care to ascertain it.
By your standards, John the Baptist, Jesus, Paul, and all the myriads of saints that appear with the Lord Jesus Christ to contend for the faith “and to convict all the ungodly of all the ungodly deeds which in their ungodliness they have committed, and of all the hard words which they, ungodly sinners as they are, have spoken against Him” (Jude 1:15) are out of line. You condemn us all. You, sir, blaspheme the Holy Spirit, just like your fathers did, who also practiced their form of “Agape Love,” worshipping at the altar of Ashtoreth, the goddess of the kind of love you talk about, a love of feelings rather than of Truth, of darkness, not of Light, which darkness hates and strikes at in fear, as evidenced by the reaction of your clan to my letter.
You are a hypocrite, Gerald. Your love is a lie and full of dung. You condemn us for rebuking false professors of Christ, as though rebuking is wrong, yet cite an example of the Lord rebuking His disciples, as though you do not judge Him for doing the same. How was He not wrong for not encouraging them? Are you not condemning God? If the Lord is not wrong in rebuking His own, and we know He is not, then how are we wrong for rebuking the wicked? If we are wrong, the Lord is even more so. That is your wicked stance and accusation, Satan. We are aware of your devices, as you know.
But we know that as many as the Lord loves, He rebukes and chastens. He scourges every son He receives. It is Satan who coddles men in their sins and encourages them in their foolish deceptions about their relationship with God. “Yea, your eyes shall be opened to be as God.” And so they think themselves to be. That is where you are at.
Joseph was in agreement with us at first. We were thankful for his sending out of the writing, and told him so. My letter to him, which has stirred up the “hornet’s nest,” was not written to one expressing enmity, but to one that “loved” us. What you think to use against us backfires on you big-time. It proves the opposite of what you are trying to prove. Instead of us loving only those that love us, we are seen to love all, including those that falsely love us, not suffering them to live in darkness and lies by denying them the Presence of the Lord.
When Simon the Pharisee invited the Lord to his house for a meal, did the Lord withhold Himself from pointing out Simon’s self-righteousness? This is the love of God, forsaking the favor of man to speak the Truth, which you condemn in us.
It appears you are also saying that we would harshly judge the saints of the past if they were here today. Basically you are accusing us of judging after the appearance. As I have been pointing out, that is what you are doing. It is not whether one speaks harsh words or not, but why they speak them. The same goes for apparently loving words. You are not judging righteously yourself, according to the heart and motive, but after the appearance, according to how you see things from your carnal viewpoint. If you think we would condemn the saints for their sins and faults, then you have not red our testimonies.
You say you do not idolize a man, referring to Branham. To which we say, “When we see a bird that walks like a duck and swims like a duck and quacks like a duck, we call that bird a duck.” You have set up a shrine to your idol, and worship at his altar. You are right, though, when you say he is “history.” He is dead, as are his works, and they are not yet speaking to us as are Abel’s. If Branham gets the credit for your faith, then his was surely counterfeit, because you do not recognize or know the Lord Jesus or His children and brethren, whom you say you love. If you did, you would hear and love us, because we are surely His. Read the links I have sent you. Prove otherwise, or hold your peace.
It is another “Jesus” that you serve, made in the image of corrupt man, Baal, and another love, the deceitful love of Ashtoreth.
The sins of men will be forgiven them, but not blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. You are blaspheming the Spirit of God, which is why you find no quarter in our sight, or in the sight of God, which is one and the same.
“And then will come the revelation of that evil one, whom the Lord Jesus will put to death with the breath of His mouth, and give to destruction by the revelation of His coming” (2 Thessalonians 2:8 BBE).
Thank you for your e-mail and the admonition re “false Christs” and “false Prophets”.
I agree – there are 100’s of 1000’s of false Christs (anointed ones) and prophets all over the earth. Every Sunday the pulpits are filled with such – teaching for doctrines the commandments of men or some church creed – making the True Word of God of none effect to the people.
The people swallow it hook, line and sinker and, in the words of Evangelist Jack Coe, they’re going to hell at 10 or 20 miles an hour, setting in a church; whereas the drunkard and harlot is travelling at a 100 miles an hour.
One time Peter came under such an anointing, and Jesus rebuked him saying that he didn’t know what spirit he was under. Yet Peter (in the natural mind) had Jesus’ best interest at heart. He was trying to stop Jesus from going up to Jerusalem, because Jesus had said that it was there He would be betrayed and put to death. There was a wrong anointing on Peter trying to hinder the fulfillment of the Scriptures. Jesus stayed with the Word, even though it meant that ALL men would forsake Him and eventually kill Him.
Thank God for a few ministers like Wigglesworth, Freeman, Coe, William Branham and others, who in spite of rejection by the majority of the clergy and people – they stayed with the True Word.
Re “false prophets” the Lord, in His Word gave us guidelines for distinguishing a “true” prophet from a “false” prophet.
(Here we have Jeremiah, the TRUE prophet saying AMEN to the words of another Hebrew prophet Hananiah, from the school of prophets. 400 Hebrew prophets were all saying the same thing as Hananiah; and he was right in that the ‘land’ belonged to Israel, etc. But it would be restored to Israel in God’s way, not Ahab’s way).
The re-action of the majority to Jesus is the re-action of the majority to all True servants of God: “We will not have this man rule over us”. Remember, even in the New Testament, God always deals WITH man THROUGH man. Ephesians 4:11 tells us that God has sit a five-fold ministry in the Church – FOR THE PERFECTING OF THE SAINTS. The Holy SPirit teaches through the teacher, preaches through the preachers, Evangelises through the Evangelist, etc.. Sad to say that we have come to that time in history when “Every man does that which is right in their own eyes”.
Your letter is quite unclear.
“Which of them did the will of his father? They said unto Him, The first. Jesus said unto them, Truly I say unto you, That the publicans and the harlots go into the Kingdom of God before you. For John came unto you in the way of righteousness, and you believed him not: but the publicans and the harlots believed him: and you, when you had seen it, repented not afterward, that you might believe him” (Matthew 21:32).
“For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you shall in no case enter into the Kingdom of Heaven” (Matthew 5:20).
“But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for you shut up the Kingdom of Heaven against men: for you neither go in yourselves, neither suffer you them that are entering to go in” (Matthew 23:13).
Regarding the Scriptures I gave: So what if others, who do not want to submit to those whom the Lord has sent, would use the same Scriptures? The question is: Do the Scriptures apply, or do they not? Are you going to discard the Scriptures because people have done things they ought not with them? Also, you are following signs (such as those demonstrated in the link given by Joseph Saigal), so people may justifiably quote those Scriptures to you, as I did.
Concerning following true men of God, Paul and Victor were sent to minister to me in the Lord. You can read my testimony: Sara Schmidt.
Again, allow me to say that the “Light” over Brother Branham’s head is not the ‘sign’ which I reference when I speak of “the Sign” which accompanied William Branham’s ministry. I am not responsible for the “believethesign.Com” site. Thusfar, my only contribution to that site is an article on the “Journey To Salvation” in our Lord Jesus Christ. There were many “signs” in Brother Branham’s ministry. I focus on the “Messiah Sign” of Hebrews 4:12, the Word discerning the “thoughts” AND “intents” of the heart, etc.
The theme of William Branham’s ministry was “Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, and today and forever”. In my 42 years as a Christian, and 30 years as a Minister of the Gospel – I can honestly say, from my heart, that, he, more than any other preacher I ever heard exalted Jesus Christ in Word and Deed. He took no credit unto himself – he would remind the people, “Now, you know that’s not me. A man can’t do these things. That’s none other than our Lovely Lord Jesus, showing His Presence with us”.
I ‘listened’ to what the man had to say, and PERSONALLY, I found it to be Scriptural Voice behind these signs. And God forbid that I should hold anything in my heart against anyone who may differ with me. It’s so easy to fall under that wrong anointing – like Peter (good intentions but little discernment) when Jesus said, “But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men.” Then there was James and John – when a certain village of the Samaritans refused to allow Jesus entry for an overnight rest stop on His way to Calvary; they said to Jesus “shall we (like Elijah) call fire down from God and destroy them?”. But the Lord Jesus, pressing toward His destiny said, “Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of.” (Luke 9).
They never lacked “zeal”, but it was a “zeal that lacked Spiritual wisdom”. We ought to be able to look into the Word and learn, and experience in a New Birth the attitude of our Lord Jesus. He was “tough yet tender; courageous, yet compassionate; strong, yet sensitive; exalted, yet humble; wise, yet always learning”. Of Him the Bible says that “He (His flesh) learned obedience, by the things which He suffered”.
I cannot answer for all that “profess” to follow the Word-Based Message of William Branham; and without a doubt there are many fanatics among them. But, such has followed every Message God ever sent to the earth. Satan does a good job of putting up smoke screens in an attempt to discredit what God does – it’s a trial of our faith. The Apostles in the early church had their hands full, trying to keep the people in line and under a right spirit.
In Christ, the Prince of Peace to the Children of God.
As to the argument that Branham did not take credit, saying no man could do the things he was doing, that it was only the Lord Jesus, I have heard Benny Hinn say the selfsame thing, and Kuhlman, and others. That is no proof of anything.
But you are right in this: A man ought not necessarily to be held responsible for followers in error claiming to follow him; otherwise, Jesus Christ would be responsible for much evil. Even so, like I said, this is not about Branham. This is about Jesus Christ and you.
We are still in the same position of addressing you, the one and only sign being the death and Resurrection of Christ within. You have the doctrine of the Risen Christ, as most Branhamites do, but you do not have the reality, His Spirit within. Is that not so?
Let me ask you a question: Do you yourself have those signs, those you point to with Branham?
It’s amazing isn’t it – What you said below to me could very easily be turned around and applied to your attitude. It would appear that, no matter HOW I approach you, you will not believe me. In your mind, it is signed sealed and delivered – YOU are the good and WE are the Bad. Therefore, in the Love of Christ, I commit you into His hands. And when you stand before the Judgement Seat of Christ, then shall you know that, from my heart, as a Son of God, I have loved you with the Love of God. I regret your apparent unbelief and hardness of heart concerning my attitude, motive and objective.
Gerald, I understand. We have had very similar situations with persons of other groups as well – SDAs, Pentecostals, Baptists…. It is as though we are each looking in the mirror and thinking to see someone else, right? But we are holding a mirror up to you (as you might say of us). Nevertheless, I must say that “we are the good and you are the bad.” If I did not say it, I would be a liar like you.
You have said, “I assure you that my e-mail is not meant to antagonize anyone – just to express what I feel and what I see,” and, “It’s not my desire to ‘provoke’ anyone to anger, just to express my faith.” Do you accuse us of meaning to antagonize or provoke to anger? It seems so. Are we accusing you of that? No.
We are telling you that you do not have the love of God. You are in your own righteousness. It is the man of sin, Gerald. You are on your own throne in His Name, thinking it is right, but we are here to tell you that you are wrong.
I do hope you will read our testimonies, but that is the Lord’s work.
Gerald, as Victor has said, this is not about Branham, but about you and your state of rebellion against God.
Nevertheless, we can point out to you, as I have done so already in my letter to Joseph, the true marks of a false prophet manifested in Branham, which you do not see because you have the same marks yourself. You are blinded by your sin, which is why the Lord has delivered you over to strong delusion that you should believe a lie, Branham’s demonic testimony and teachings. Insisting that you are righteous and that you can see has brought on your head the one sin the Lord will not forgive. Your sin, as He said, remains.
IF YOU WILL BE SINCERE AND GET THE PEOPLE TO BELIEVE YOU – “Good for you, Simon son of John! answered Jesus. For this truth did not come to you from any human being, but it was given to you directly by My Father in Heaven. And so I tell you, Peter: you are a rock, and on this rock foundation I will build My church…” (Matthew 16:17-18 GNB).
IF YOU WILL BE SINCERE AND GET THE PEOPLE TO BELIEVE YOU – “GOD answered Samuel, Go ahead and do what they’re asking. They are not rejecting you. They’ve rejected Me as their King” (1 Samuel 8:7 MSG).
IF YOU WILL BE SINCERE AND GET THE PEOPLE TO BELIEVE YOU – “He has blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts, lest they should see with their eyes, lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them” (John 12:40 EMTV).
IF YOU WILL BE SINCERE AND GET THE PEOPLE TO BELIEVE YOU – “And He did not do many miracles there because of their unbelief” (Matthew 13:58 EMTV).
I suppose Jesus was not sincere enough. That is what Branham’s angel is suggesting. Satan comes as an angel of light!
“But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed” (Galatians 1:8 KJV).
Even so, amen. Thank You, Lord Jesus, for Your Word and power that destroys the enemy.
Joseph, how you do expose your falsehood in those few giant words. We could write volumes about it to prove you are a child of darkness, not to condemn you, but to bring you to Jesus Christ. Let me explain, that you might easily know, though we know full well that these things can only be received by the grace of God, no matter how simple they are to the learned of the Spirit of God.
One, why shout, as though your printed or vocal volume has any power with Satan? It does not. Only Satan and man think so, because there is no light in them.
Two, “Please”? You say “please” to Satan? We don’t, and neither would Jesus or any true disciple of His.
Three, would Jesus ask us to remove Him from our mailing list with shouts, reacting in anger or fear or passionate plea? We don’t think so; in fact, we know He would not do so. You do so because you are on the defensive. You are defeated and afraid, with no substance to counter us. Is that not so? Pretend all you will; put the greatest face on it, but you do not fool us and especially, you do not fool God, Whom you profess and presume to serve. Heaven knows.
Joseph, if you truly desire for Satan to get behind you, repent of your sin, forsake all, take up the cross, stop worshipping idols, and he will have no choice but to get behind you. Until then, he has you completely in his power.
I have decided to write you this once and hope never to, ever again.
You speak of “another Jesus” – NOT the LORD JESUS CHRIST of the BIBLE.
Mr. Hafichuk, I am not insecure as you are. Your writings and taunts only expose you and your deep-set insecurities evermore so, whether you are aware of it or not… they emanate of your gloom and sadness, that stems from the unfortunate path you’ve chosen. However ‘religious’ and ‘right’ you may be made to feel by the enemy, you have been completely engulfed by his lies…. until your senses of right or wrong have become so crossed that you no longer can decipher one from the other. I have literally seen this phenomena far too often, and it is a truly sad state to be in.
Your “path of truth” is as deceiving as the father of all lies, because it comes from him. Satan is very very religious, more than you or I even know. We are not ignorant of his tactics. That is why I do not wish to communicate with you at all. Was Jesus ever “afraid” of Satan?? … absolutely not! He also NEVER clowned for him either! But he spoke to him with AUTHORITY, and ordered him to “get thee behind !”…. without mincing His words. No explanations, no yakity-yak… just plain and simple recognition of who he was and projected His authority.
I read Sara’s testimony and truly truly felt very very sorry for that dear young lady. I have a daughter who I think is just about her same age, and I absolutely feel so very grieved for her poor mum and dad. I shared her testimony with my wife and she felt exactly the same.
Go and make your dear mum your best friend again, and reconcile with your daddy in repentance. You will be so much more blessed that way. These men may “appear” to be ever so righteous, but they have foul religious spirits, which they may or may not even be aware of themselves.
I know who I am, what I’ve believed, and don’t need to prove anything to or debate them. Jesus NEVER EVER ‘clowned’ for Satan. Their name-calling is typical of Satan’s traits, and reflects upon their allegiance to him. This trait is rampant in the world, especially in these deceptive days. All their taunts are not the least bit different from the man in the street simply wanting to pick a fight. I have not picked to fight or debate with them. I do no such things with outright deceivers. My discernment comes from within me. I will only discuss or reason with someone who hasn’t yet blasphemed God, and who has manifested an upright spirit. Their follies WILL be made manifest to all – already has for me. They have idolized YOUR THEIR OWN SELVES, and are drawing innocent souls to THEMSELVES as carriers of “their version of their truth”! How pathetic. And claiming to have ‘extraordinary’ revelations of the ‘truth’. The ultimate tragedy is they have blasphemed and it’s unforgiveable. For your soul’s sake do not partake of their sins, and FLEE!
Goodbye, and no more mails !!
Can you not see your religiosity? Can you not see your emptiness? What authority do you think you have? You accuse and condemn us with all kinds of opinions but give absolutely nothing to back them up. You do not specify where we are wrong and how we are wrong. You toss out random Scriptures, as a painter splashes paint on walls, windows and carpet, thinking he is doing a beautiful job. We have been specific with you and your companions. All you have is religion – vain, empty, foolish religion.
No, Joseph, you are the one who blasphemes, and your take on Sara is revealing too, not that we need further revelation of you. If you could only know the difference in her life before and after. If you could only know a fraction of what went on, but you don’t, and, with your words, you would put her back in Hell if you could because you do not know the Lord or the cross, as we have said.
The cross is anathema to you and to all Branhamites. We have met others and they are no different. They have doctrine, they quote Scripture, but they are never able to understand or divide the Word of Truth rightly. They have no reasoning power at all, so deceived are they in their righteousnesses. Fools are they all, stumbling and bumbling, and all in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ, yet serving the angelic counterfeit.
You stubbornly refuse to hear, lest you should be healed and delivered. How miserable are your ways, full of pain and sorrow, loss, defeat, disease, losing children, health, finances and all God-given things. Had you been willing to forsake these for His sake, they would have been returned to you manifold. Instead, you cling to your stale, moldy bread and stagnant water in your slums. How awful! How grievous to the Lord God, Creator of Heaven and earth and all that is!
What choice do we have but to let you count His blood as nothing, destroying yourselves?
Why am I replying? … because of my concern for Sara….
Answer: I am a part of God. His Blood runs through my veins!
She is already there if she doesn’t get out IMMEDIATELY! Others have gone through extremely hard trials, but if she is the child of God, she will come through ALL of them as GOLD, as through a fiery furnace! Sara, get to learn that the trials of THIS life are to be born with joy, as they are but ‘growing pains’ of His grace. Don’t look for a “heaven on this earth”. A Christian lives in the realm of God constantly, and is literally DEAD to the conditions concerning this flesh. His or her only requirement is to RECOGNIZE HIS OR HER DAY OF RECKONING, and know who he or she is – a SON or a DAUGHTER of GOD. Old things are passed away, behold all things have already become NEW for him or her.
Don’t fear trials and testings. God is IN FULL CONTROL of the lives of ALL HIS CHILDREN.
Answer: …Prosperity gospel? We lack nothing both spiritually and physically, for your info.
I was contemplating this very subject this morning (what the Lord has done with me and given me as a result of my life here – being involved with, and believing, His servants and having a resultant walk with Him), before reading your original letter of me. The Lord called to mind the many things that He has done for me since my coming out here, and believing Him through those He sent to me.
One thing that was brought to mind was my deliverance from demons and my sins. The circumstances and deliverance took place in this way: When I came out (after the events related in my testimony), I was fearful and hiding my sins, but also unbelieving when the Lord said I needed to repent. When the Lord showed me that it was “do or die,” that I needed to get real and confess my sins, He gave me the grace to do so. I confessed that I was holding onto imaginary characters, from which I gained companionship and comfort, instead of walking in truth and reality. This led to deliverance from the demons that had plagued me my whole life (despite my sin nature, it was also revealed that the demons came from my mother – that she gave them to me; I only say this because of your spiritual approval of her and assertion that I should return to her).
I also confessed the sin of masturbation. This confession led to deliverance from this sin for good, which I knew was beyond my power – I had tried to quit for years, unsuccessfully. So you can see that Victor was not speaking poetically when he said, “…you would put her back in Hell if you could….” I was a wretched, wicked woman, and a tormented sinner. I was also religious and self-righteous on top of it all, of which I needed to repent, realizing that I was nothing but scum, and grateful for the Lord’s having anything to do with me whatsoever.
I am not here to bad-mouth my mother. Just for the record, the Lord gave me a vision of her, at a time when I was struggling – wanting to hold onto our relationship, but also not wanting to deny Him. In my vision, I saw my mother’s face, and it was attached to the body of a large snake. She was coiled in front of me, at the mouth of a dark cave (her home), and her body, coiled, was three times my height and twice my thickness (circumference). I was standing on higher ground than her, a bit above her, and I was unafraid. I was rebuking her evil ways. The vision was a demonstration of victory in Him. I have been given that victory (it was incomplete at the time of the vision). Now you come along, and you would want me to dwell in the cave with her, instead of confronting her on her dark ways.
About a week ago (last Friday), Paul and I spoke to Aunt Sally, my mother’s sister. She had been out to visit me a couple of times since my moving. In the first visit, only a couple of months after my arriving here, she asked me if I had been brain-washed (she had heard only my mother’s side of things). I answered that I had, in that I saw things in a different light than I ever had before, and shared a recent experience with her to demonstrate what I was saying. She answered that, by my answer, she knew that I had not been brain-washed in the way that she had feared. She said that she was glad to see what was happening with me.
A far cry, and a very different reaction, from what my mother has said and done towards me, and towards Paul and Victor. She has done nothing but curse and condemn them, and has denied all the good things that have happened with me. Why do you choose to stand with evil, Joseph? Why are you quick to condemn me and Paul and Victor? Is that not evil? Do you know what (or Whom) you are condemning?
If anything has been clearly stated in our letters to you, it is that you are not part of God, as you falsely claim to be. You stand in opposition to Him, and to all that He does. That is why you tell Sara to go back to Hell. That is why you cannot answer us with substance, though we give you Scripture and the testimony of Jesus Christ, but tell us to go to Hell. You speak of your own, as a child of Hell.
You are a damned fool. The fool denies God in his heart, but the damned fool claims to be with Him while contradicting and opposing Him.
At every turn your mouth betrays you, crying out, “I am a fool, the son of a jackass; take the whip to me!” You ask if the taking up of the cross, and forsaking of the things of this world, which the Lord Jesus solemnly declared was the only way one could be His disciple (Luke 14:33), is the “prosperity gospel.” How darkened are the minds of idolaters and those that are wise in their own sight!
“Leave them alone. They are blind guides of the blind. And if the blind guides the blind, both will fall into a ditch” (Matthew 15:14 EMTV).
Preferring your pit, you keep that which you insist on having, with more on the way.
22 …. but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.
As if you haven’t already, with your last note you have thoroughly manifested your spiritual inclinations…. as the blind leading the blind …they all fall into the ditch.
Sara, if you think I had ‘misdirected’ you in my advice then keep going on this road to find out for yourself where it ends up. It’s ultimately your life and only you have to make or already have made your own decisions. I cannot comment on your personal life which you have so openly shared… some things are better left as secrets, if they have been repented off. You do not bring them out if you truly believe they have been erased and you’ve been truly cleansed by the Blood. You were young and impressionable (still are), and were/are still in need of help which you think you have found in these two individuals. You have placed your trust not in God, but in them. Sadly though, they are thoroughly unstable and vile individuals. Quick to damn anyone to “hell” – if that anyone dared to stand up against them. It also goes to explain why you have also so unashamedly condemned your very own mother to ‘hell’… using their twisted and patchy interpretations of your “vision” and God’s Word, according to their own understandings. Unaware, they are playing religious games with people’s lives. But then again, every one on this earth has a part to play in God’s plan. You are all doing exactly what you are supposed to do. The Romans and the ‘religious’ Jews who crucified the Lord, sincerely THOUGHT they were doing God a service! … yet they were, in their own way… in the fulfilling of scripture – for THEIR part. Someone had to play those parts. It applies through all ages of humankind…. the same in this, our day.
34 Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do….
As this is getting us nowhere and simply wasting our time and efforts, it’s best we simply go our individual way which we have chosen for our own destinies, and we shall reap what we sow. As I said before, I have no ‘axe to grind’ with you guys. Thanks for not replying.
Joseph, you are speaking for yourself when you say “we” are getting nowhere. Because you do not know the Scriptures, or the power of God, and stubbornly refuse to listen to those who do, it is only true that you are getting nowhere. Yet the Word we speak is not in vain, and will perform all of God’s will as He expresses it.
It is not calling a man a fool that is the problem. What is the problem is speaking out of the wrong diagnosis and motive.
“Answer a fool according to his foolishness, so that he may not be wise in his own eyes” (Proverbs 26:5 MKJV).
“But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be liable to the judgment. And whoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be liable to the Sanhedrin; but whoever shall say, Fool! shall be liable to be thrown into the fire of hell” (Matthew 5:22 MKJV).
One, those born of God are our brothers, and not those who are simply indoctrinated, idolatrous, confused and incoherent fools, babbling Scripture they know nothing about.
Two, even if you and your Branhamite whoremongers (you are pimping your gods, deceiving) were brethren in Christ, it is not without cause that we speak, calling you fools.
We follow His precepts, and speak to you accordingly.
“And I give thanks to the One Who empowers me, Christ Jesus our Lord, because He considered me faithful, putting me into the ministry, I, who was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an insolent man; but I was shown mercy because, being ignorant, I did it in unbelief, and the grace of our Lord superabounded with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. Faithful is this word, and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am first” (1 Timothy 1:12-15 EMTV).
“Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor covetous, nor thieves, nor drunkards, nor abusive people, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you! But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God” (1 Corinthians 6:9-11 EMTV).
“When David returned to bless his family, Saul’s daughter Michal came out to meet him. ‘How dignified Israel’s king was today! He was exposing himself before the eyes of the slave girls of his palace staff-like a mindless fool might expose himself!’ David answered Michal, ‘I didn’t dance in front of the slave girls but in front of the LORD. He chose me rather than your father or anyone in your father’s house, and He appointed me leader of Israel, the LORD’S people. I will celebrate in the LORD’S presence, and I will degrade myself even more than this. Even if I am humiliated in your eyes, I will be honored by these slave girls you speak about.’ So Saul’s daughter Michal was childless her entire life” (2 Samuel 6:20-23 GW).
It is clear that you are the one who does not know what he is doing, but we know full well what you are doing, and what we are doing in what we say about what you are doing. We know Jesus Christ by Whom we see these things to speak His righteous judgment.
You lie without knowing what you are doing when you say you have no “axe to grind.” You certainly have been vigorously trying to find fault with us, taking plenty of swings in the process. The problem is you have no axe or sharp instrument to fight the Truth, so you must give up and retreat to save face. Fine, retreat, we are not stopping you. If you are not getting anywhere, why do you keep writing?
Will you now let your readership judge our correspondence with you (not that they are able to judge anything, being of your mindset)? If they can read lies about us and judge for themselves, can they now read the truth you call lies about you and judge for themselves?
Let us make this clear: We do not care for ourselves that you sent lies out about us. We know it comes with the territory of being the Lord’s disciples. We are merely wondering if you would be as willing to spread the truth you call lies about yourself.
It is written: “A hoary head is a crown of glory, if it be found in the way of righteousness.” Your head grows hoary but it is not at all in the way of righteousness, is it, Joseph? Now it becomes a shame, evident to those learned in the Lord Jesus Christ, those redeemed by His blood through His resurrection from the dead.
Oh my! You certainly have made yourselves a career out of this! Shameless brutebeasts. If Sara and any of your associates cannot discern you both by now and run from you for their lives, they have been truly brainwashed beyond redemption, I must say.
I will absolutely warn all whom I know about what I have seen for myself, behind your so called ‘path of truth’ masks. Even that will be a waste of my time, but may need to be done. This expose has been an eyeopening experience, perhaps needful for me to go through for my own spiritual growth. I’m too busy in my personal life to go on wasting precious time with souls who have clearly sealed their destinies with Satan. So with this rebuke, I sign off and will be blocking you both from accessing my mailbox. Like I said before, the Lord NEVER clowned for Satan. Enough rope was given to you, but you have only used it to hang yourselves.
I refer to an article: “The Purpose Driven Life: Promoting Christianity Without Christ” which you may have received from me recently.
Shortly after sending it out for general comment and discussion, I was personally contacted by its two writers Paul Cohen, Victor Hafichuk (and one of their lady associates). I had been in correspondence with them since. Without going into much detail, I have discovered some very disconcerting traits in these writers through these correspondences, and finally had to resort to blocking them due to the language they had begun using. Having said that, I want to absolutely distance myself from their twisted perceptions of Rick Warren’s book, and Christianity on the whole. Therefore, if you have received that article from me or anyone else, please ignore, delete and trash it, as in my honest personal opinion, it was not written by men of God. This has served as an eyeopener.
My sincere apologies to Rick Warren.
How about giving them all the correspondence to let them judge for themselves, Joseph? | 2019-04-25T10:19:45Z | https://www.thepathoftruth.com/false-teachers/william-branham-deceived-by-signs.htm |
February 2018 - Patent my French!
Dear readers, this is just a brief follow-up post on two topics previously addressed on this blog: partial priority at the EPO and vaccine SPCs.
First, partial priority at the EPO. This was already addressed in the past here and especially there, where I talked about the decision of the Enlarged Board of Appeal G 1/15.
Since then, another decision T 282/12 has been issued and has swiftly been presented on all good blogs (here, here and there).
In this decision, it was ruled that the priority of a claim was partially invalid because the alleged priority document was partially not the first application for the invention at stake.
As I have previously observed, although G 1/15 was almost unanimously welcome by the patent profession as a cure to the toxic divisional plague, the relatively flexible and generous approach of partial priority adopted in this ruling can also turn against patent proprietors when they file successive similar applications.
In this respect, T 282/12 is not really groundbreaking. The same already happened in T 1222/11, the decision which was the first one to theorize the “generous approach” later endorsed by G 1/15. In this earlier decision, the refusal of the patent application at stake was confirmed by the Board due to the invalidity of a priority claim in view of an earlier application (by the same applicant) which contained the same examples as the alleged priority document. I always thought that it was somewhat paradoxical that this decision considered as life-saving by many in fact killed the patent application at stake.
There is one remaining issue which may give rise to additional discussions, though.
T 282/12 states that the priority is only partially, and not fully, invalid if part of the claimed subject-matter was disclosed by the same applicant in an earlier application than the priority document. T 1222/11 was in my opinion not so clear in this respect. However, is it really certain that this is consistent with the Paris convention and the EPC? After all, these treaties do not expressly contain the notion of a “partial first application“.
So, it remains to be seen whether future decisions will be fully in line with this aspect of T 282/12 or not. It also remains to be seen what national courts will make of all this, as they are not bound by the Enlarged Board’s findings – least of all French courts if I may say so.
In the meantime, extreme caution should be exerted when filing successive applications on similar subject-matter, especially when the supporting examples are the same.
Second topic, totally unrelated to the first one: vaccine SPCs.
Almost two years ago, Lionel Vial reported on this blog on the refusal of an SPC application filed by GlaxoSmithKline Biologicals (GSK) for the Cervarix vaccine by the INPI, and on the confirmation of this refusal by the Paris Cour d’appel.
Interestingly, another French SPC application was filed by a different applicant, namely the Loyola University of Chicago, still for the Cervarix vaccine, and based on the same marketing authorization as the GSK application.
The same causes often produce the same effects. Thus, this second SPC application was also refused by the INPI, and the appeal filed by Loyola was dismissed by the Paris Cour d’appel.
As explained by Lionel in the earlier post, the Cour d’appel considered that the active substance in the Cervarix vaccine was in fact the same product as the active substance in the earlier Gardasil vaccine, for which an SPC had already been granted to GSK.
The Cour d’appel did not change its mind in the Loyola case and reminded that only one SPC can be granted per product. The fact that the patent mentioned in the SPC application as well as the applicant were different did not change anything.
To Loyola’s credit, whether both active substances are actually the same is not straightforward here. This is because one critical protein in the Cervarix vaccine is obtained differently (via insect cells rather than yeast cells), and is truncated, relative to the same protein in the Gardasil vaccine. Therefore, it was probably worth giving it another try despite the previous negative decision.
An interesting variation of the insect pictured in the earlier Cervarix post.
Loyola made ample reference to its own patent and to a later scientific publication as evidence that the difference in protein structure had an impact on biological properties.
[…] The INPI rightly states that this change is minor […]. Even though the appellant claims a different structure and different properties, they do not show that these modifications are anything but minor, as the active substance remains the same and the preventive purpose remains the same. The INPI rightly states that an increase in the capacity to form VLPs, a higher yield, a higher purity level, a more regular shape, a reduction in the risk of cellular DNA encapsidation or even a better stability, are changes which do not alter the nature of the active substance or its preventive purpose; they do not make it possible to conclude that the products are different.
So, once again, insects and yeast – same difference.
CASE REFERENCE: T 282/12, (Coated tablets / JOHNSON & JOHNSON), Board of Appeal 3.3.07, November 9, 2017, Pfizer Inc. v. Johnson & Johnson Consumer Inc.
CASE REFERENCE: Cour d’appel de Paris, pôle 5 chambre 1, December 19, 2017, Loyola University of Chicago v. Directeur Général de l’INPI, RG No. 2016/17848.
Today, it is back again to one of the topics regularly addressed on this blog, namely the statute of limitations for patent nullity actions in France (but not only!).
Matthieu Dhenne was kind enough to send me a brand new decision from the Paris Tribunal de grande instance (TGI) which, once more, sheds new light on this thorny issue.
The patent at stake is the French part of EP 1455756, to Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp. (MSD). The patent was granted on July 9, 2008. It was opposed by two generic drug manufacturers. At first instance, the patent was maintained in amended form, according to a decision dated December 3, 2010. The opponents appealed, and their appeals were dismissed by the Board of appeal in a decision dated July 17, 2014. The publication of the amended patent took place on September 23, 2015.
Soon thereafter, on December 2, 2015, Ethypharm filed a nullity action with the Paris TGI, requesting that the French part of the patent should be revoked.
Quite predictably, MSD argued that the nullity action was time-barred.
If one directly applied the recent case law of the Paris Cour d’appel (discussed here), this should be a winning argument. Indeed, the Cour d’appel has proposed that the five year-limitation period be computed from the date of grant of the patent. With this in mind, in this case, the limitation period would have ended on July 9, 2013.
But you and I know that things are not that straightforward, as the Paris TGI does not follow the case law of the upper court, and generally favors an in concreto determination of the starting point for the limitation period (see a recent example here).
[…] It is only on [July, 7, 2014, i.e. the date of the Board of appeal’s decision] that the drafting of the patent which is sought to be revoked was stabilized and that Ethypharm was able to precisely know the content of the claims of said patent as well as all the facts making it possible for them to act, so that the action is not time-barred and is admissible.
I must say I have mixed feelings about this.
My initial reaction was, oh no, you must be kidding me, there is now yet another way of determining the starting point for the limitation period? This is not legal uncertainty anymore, this is legal chaos.
A few seconds later, I thought, well yes, it does make sense after all, you can’t possibly be expected to shoot at a moving target. When a patent is modified during opposition proceedings, any appeal filed at the EPO has a suspensive effect, and thus it is only once the appeal proceedings are terminated that the content of the patent is final.
A party must act within five years from the date at which they knew or should have known that the patent at stake is a possible impediment for their current or future business activities, or else be time-barred (this is more or less what I understand to be the TGI’s usual position). And how can a party know this before the patent is even its final form?
However, this ruling raises more questions than it provides answers.
What if an opposition is rejected by the opposition division and the patent thus maintained as granted instead of as amended? Should the reasoning be the same? What if an opposition is filed by a straw man (which is allowable at the EPO) and there is thus an unverifiable suspicion that the nullity claimant itself may be the true opponent, in an attempt to artificially extend the limitation period by several years?
In his message to me, Matthieu Dhenne also noted that the court’s reasoning could be applicable to other situations: limitation proceedings, but also a prior nullity suit brought forward by a third party. Taking this one step further, he observed that a patent right can in fact be modified at any time and is therefore theoretically never “stabilized” until it expires (sometimes, it can even be retroactively “stabilized” only after its expiry). He thus suggested that the full consequence of the court’s reasoning should be that the limitation period can only start running at the expiry of the patent, so that the well-identified drawbacks of this limitation period should in practice never occur.
Matthieu added that there would thus be a complete parallelism between the limitation period for infringement actions and nullity actions. Accordingly, invalid patents would not be able to unduly hinder free competition.
Definitely an interesting suggestion, but is it really what the TGI had in mind? I am quite sure we can expect more surprises in future decisions.
Apart from this, the decision is worth the read beyond the admissibility part.
First, it turns out that the nullity claim was held ill-founded on the merits and thus dismissed. As the patent in suit is a pharma patent, this is already quite remarkable. A majority of pharma patents which are litigated in this country are revoked one way or another.
Second, the decision tackles the very interesting issue of plausibility.
There has been a significant trend in France for patents to be revoked when they are held to be of a speculative nature. See for instance previous posts here, here and there.
In the present case, Ethypharm argued that the patent was of the speculative kind, which resulted in insufficiency of disclosure and lack of inventive step.
A nanoparticulate composition comprising the compound 2-(R)-(1-(R)-(3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl)phenyl)ethoxy)-3-(S)-(4-fluoro)phenyl-4-(3-(5-oxo-1H,4H-1,2,4-triazolo)methylmorpholine, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, the compound having adsorbed on the surface thereof at least one surface stabilizer in an amount sufficient to maintain an effective average particle size of less than about 1000 nm; where “effective average particle size of less than about 1000 nm” means that at least 95% of the particles, by weight, have a particle size of less than about 1000 nm.
This drug composition is useful in the treatment of nausea and vomiting, especially those induced by a chemotherapeutic treatment. The short name of the active compound is aprepitant. According to the patent, the technical problem at stake was to improve the bioavailability of aprepitant. This is stated in the patent but no experimental test results are present, which led Ethypharm to consider that there was no evidence in the patent that the technical problem was properly solved.
Ethypharm also tried to use some of MSD’s posterior testing against them, by claiming that they proved that there were features missing in the patent which were essential for successfully implementing the invention.
The court was not convinced that there were indeed such essential features missing. The court also noted that there was a reference in the patent in suit to a prior U.S. patent disclosing the so-called “Nanocrystal” method, for making nanoparticles with a surface modifier adsorbed thereon, having an average size of less than 400 nm. This Nanocrystal patent also taught that such nanoparticles improve the bioavailability of poorly water-soluble actives.
Thus, said the court, the improvement in bioavailability provided by the nanoparticle form of aprepitant was plausible.
In such a case, the court continued, evidence which is external to the patent can indeed be taken into consideration for demonstrating that the technical problem is solved. The court then reviewed a number of articles and reports and was satisfied that the technical effect of improving bioavailability was well achieved.
In summary, this is an important decision for the fine-tuning of the appraisal of a speculative patent-type objection.
To me, the take-away message is that a reference in a patent to a prior art document disclosing a technical effect provides some plausibility that the technical effect is indeed achieved.
From drug crystals to crystal balls: could they possibly help us decipher future case law?
The patent survived other attacks of insufficiency of disclosure, extension of subject-matter and lack of inventive step. Quite remarkably, the main claim was in particular found to be non-obvious over the “Nanocrystal ” European patent of the same family as the U.S. patent mentioned above, which was used for supporting the plausibility of the technical effect.
[The “Nanocrystal” prior art] does not disclose chemical structures or features of drugs intended to be used by this process. It only mentions that it can be implemented with a large variety of medicinal substances, the substance having to be poorly soluble, that is less than 10 mg/mL, so that the skilled person does not know which actives […] can be tested with a reasonable expectation of success. He was all the less incited to do so that in December 2001, i.e. almost ten years after the priority date of [the Nanocrystal patent], the nanonization process, which has a number of constraints (in particular the heat released during milling may change the structure of the active substance and reduction to a very small size may create a problem of chemical and physical stability), was used on only four active substances (danazol, steroid A, compound WIN 63,394 and naproxene) with a verified effect on bioavailability […].
I have the uneasy feeling that there may be a contradiction here between the sufficiency and inventive step prongs of the court’s reasoning.
If the teaching of the Nanocrystal patent cannot be applied in an obvious manner to aprepitant, and if there are many technical uncertainties, why is it then not necessary for the MSD patent to contain evidence in the form of experimental tests showing that the process can in fact be effectively applied to this particular drug?
CASE REFERENCE: Tribunal de grande instance de Paris, 3ème chambre 2ème section, January 26, 2018, Ethypharm SAS v. Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp., RG No. 16/01225.
Posted on February 12, 2018 February 11, 2018 Categories French case law, Inventive step, Limitation period, Sufficiency of disclosure1 Comment on Will case law crystallize?
In the case reported on today, two of the plaintiffs, namely one Korean company and its French subsidiary, are called I Do It. This a great name, which immediately suggested a title to me but also a guideline for this post: today’s question is indeed, if they do it, should you do it too?
European patent No. EP 1930982, relating to a “Horn array antenna for dual linear polarization“, was granted in 2010 to two individuals, Mr. Joon Im and Mr. Wan Ryu. In December, 2015, the patent was assigned to their company, I Do It (the Korean one).
Before the assignment, in October 2013, the French I Do It company commissioned a bailiff’s report in an exhibition. In June 2015, both the French and Korean companies filed a patent infringement lawsuit against Alden, a company based in Alsace, in front of the Paris Tribunal de grande instance (TGI).
The first interesting issue in the decision issued by the TGI relates to the admissibility of the infringement complaint. When the complaint was filed, in June 2015, I Do It did not yet hold any rights on the patent at stake.
The assignment was only executed in December 2015, and published at the French patent register in February 2016. What is more, the 2015 assignment did not contain any provision authorizing the assignee to sue for infringement acts performed before the assignment.
I assume that this point was raised by Alden during the written proceedings, which led the original patent owners and I Do It to execute an addendum to the assignment in February 2017, granting I Do It the missing authorization to sue for past infringement acts.
In view of article 126 of the Code de procédure civile, the court held that the complaint was admissible, since this legal provision makes it possible for an initially inadmissible complaint to be regularized up to the day the judgment is issued.
So, should yo do it too? Well I would certainly advise against initiating patent infringement proceedings on behalf of a company not holding any current or past right on the relevant IP. But, for once, French law appears to be quite flexible and little demanding in this respect.
For those who like to do it themselves: here is a patent application directed to an item comprising a piece of coal and an instruction manual. I quote: the benefit to the purchaser is the fun in reading the manual, and imagining that they can turn the coal into a diamond like one of the pictured ideas presented in the manual.
Second interesting issue, the bailiff’s report of October 2013. The important point here is that we are talking about a standard bailiff’s report, and not about a seizure (saisie-contrefaçon), which is the usual measure taken at the onset of patent litigation in this country.
The French company I Do It filed a request in front of the Bobigny Tribunal de commerce and obtained an order from this court authorizing a bailiff to go to an exhibition, verify whether an allegedly infringing antenna was presented by Alden there, inquire about the pricing and origin of the product, etc. The order was granted and the report drawn up by the bailiff accordingly.
The legal basis for the request and order was article 145 of the Code de procédure civile, which is a very general provision per which “if there is a legitimate reason, prior to any litigation, for preserving or establishing the evidence of facts on which the outcome of litigation could depend, legally admissible measures of taking evidence may be ordered upon request of any interested party, ex parte or in urgency proceedings“.
Alden argued that the inspection of the exhibition by the bailiff was in fact a saisie-contrefaçon and should thus have been requested under the special provisions of article L. 615-5 of the Code de la propriété intellectuelle. They thus requested the cancellation of the bailiff’s report.
The court held that “the mission [of the bailiff] did not comprise any measure relating to a saisie-contrefaçon, and besides the bailiff did not accomplish any investigations exceeding the scope of a report“. Therefore, the 2013 bailiff’s report was not canceled.
I must say that I am quite surprised by this part of the decision. Going to an exhibition, checking whether an allegedly infringing product is present, inquiring about the price and origin of the product… These are very typical steps taken during a saisie-contrefaçon.
Had the judges seen things this way, then it seems highly doubtful that they would have found that resorting to a bailiff’s report under the general provision of article 145 is a possible alternative to a true saisie-contrefaçon.
If I Do It had gone for a saisie-contrefaçon, they would have needed to place their request with a specialized IP judge in the Paris TGI, instead of a suburban court fully inexperienced in patent matters.
A request for saisie-contrefaçon would certainly have been denied by the specialized IP judge based on the facts at hand, as I Do It apparently did not hold any rights to the patent back in 2013.
Assuming that a saisie-contrefaçon had been performed, I Do It would then have had approximately 1 month to file a patent infringement lawsuit, or else the seizure (including the bailiff’s report) would have been automatically void. In contrast, by resorting to an article 145 investigation, I Do It was able to wait for almost 2 years before filing suit.
In summary, although the saisie-contrefaçon is often viewed as a powerful tool for patent rights holders to collect evidence, it also offers a number of guarantees to the defendant, which are not all necessarily present in an article 145 investigation.
So, should you do it too, i.e. should you consider an article 145 investigation as a creative alternative to the usual saisie-contrefaçon when faced with suspected patent infringement?
Well, this option is certainly worth considering. But I would certainly recommend extreme caution, as today’s decision is somewhat surprising and does not necessarily set a strong precedent.
Third and last interesting point: the assessment of infringement. Here, again, the case was unusual.
The plaintiffs’ argument was that Alden bought antennas from an Austrian distributor of I Do It’s products, made minor modifications and then marketed the antennas under their brand name. “Therefore“, I Do It argued, Alden’s antennas exactly corresponded to the product protected by EP’982; and exhaustion of rights did not apply as the products marketed by the defendant no longer exactly corresponded to those put on the market with the consent of I Do It.
Unsurprisingly, the TGI dismissed the infringement claim, as there was no demonstration of the implementation of the claimed subject-matter by the allegedly infringing antennas.
It is certainly not sufficient for a patent proprietor to assert that its own products are covered by a patent. Even this assertion, assuming it is relevant in a particular case, needs to be precisely demonstrated, claimed feature by claimed feature.
So here the conclusion is pretty clear: no you should not do it, i.e. you should never consider as a patent owner that you can do without a thorough, detailed, technical demonstration that the products at stake fall within the scope of a patent.
Before, concluding this post, I would like to say a few words about an exciting upcoming conference regarding the French statute of limitations for nullity actions in IP law.
Frequent readers of this blog know of course that this is a very hot topic these days.
The date is March 15, 2018, the time is 1:30 pm to 6 pm, and the venue is Paris, Assemblée nationale – no less. Here is a link to the program of the conference as well as the necessary information for signing up.
Should you do it, i.e. attend this event? Yes indeed, and as I will unfortunately be unable to be present, I would be most grateful if any attendee could provide us with the highlights of this afternoon.
CASE REFERENCE: Tribunal de grande instance de Paris, 3ème chambre 3ème section, November 10, 2017, Seung Joon Im, SARL I Do It & I Do It Company Ltd v. SAS Alden, RG No. 15/10320.
Posted on February 5, 2018 February 4, 2018 Categories French case law, Saisie-contrefaçonLeave a comment on Should you do it? | 2019-04-23T12:33:48Z | http://patentmyfrench.com/2018/02/ |
Christine Pembroke, appointed by the court, argued the cause and filed the briefs for appellant Dawayne Brown.
Mary E. Davis, appointed by the court, argued the cause for appellant Marquette Boston. With her on the briefs was Pleasant S. Brodnax III, appointed by the court.
Barbara E. Kittay, appointed by the court, argued the cause and filed the briefs for appellant Ira Adona.
Jonathan Zucker, appointed by the court, argued the cause and filed the briefs for appellant Keith Matthews.
James A. Ewing, Assistant U.S. Attorney, argued the cause for appellee. With him on the brief were Elizabeth Trosman, Elizabeth H. Danello, and George P. Eliopoulos, Assistant U.S. Attorneys.
Before: Garland, Chief Judge, and Kavanaugh and Millett, Circuit Judges.
A jury convicted Dawayne Brown, Marquette Boston, and Keith Matthews of crimes associated with unlawful distribution of PCP. A fourth defendant, Ira Adona, pled guilty before trial. The district court sentenced Brown to 14 years in prison; Boston to eight years; Matthews to nine years; and Adona to nine years. Adona's sentence was to be served consecutively to a prison sentence of two years and four months imposed by the D.C. Superior Court for Adona's attempted assault with a dangerous weapon.
Defendants challenge their convictions and sentences. Brown argues that: (i) the district court's jury instructions were erroneous in certain respects; and (ii) the district court based Brown's sentence on an erroneous factual finding. Boston contends that the evidence was insufficient to support his conviction for possession with intent to distribute PCP. Adona argues that: (i) the district court double counted a D.C. Superior Court conviction in determining his sentence; and (ii) his federal and D.C. sentences should run concurrently, not consecutively. Matthews argues that the district court erred in sentencing because: (i) the court enhanced Matthews' sentence based on attempted assault with a dangerous weapon even though, according to Matthews, attempted assault with a dangerous weapon is not a crime of violence; and (ii) the district court failed to adequately explain Matthews' above-Guidelines sentence.
We affirm the judgments of the district court with respect to Brown and Boston. We vacate the sentences of Adona and Matthews, and we remand the case to the district court for resentencing of those two defendants.
Louis Clifton lived in the Woodberry Village apartment complex in Washington, D.C. On January 12, 2013, Clifton walked into the Metropolitan Police Department's 7th District station and told the officers an extraordinary story: Armed men had taken over his apartment and were using the apartment to manufacture and sell PCP - all while Clifton continued to live there.
According to Clifton, at the end of December 2012, Dawayne Brown and Keith Matthews attacked Clifton in the foyer of his building and demanded access to his apartment. Clifton refused. He managed to break free and fled to the safety of his apartment. Clifton thought that was the end of it. He was wrong.
One week later, Dawayne Brown again approached Clifton - this time, with a gun. Brown forced Clifton into a local Dollar Store at gunpoint and had Clifton make a copy of Clifton's house key. Clifton complied, and Brown immediately took the key. From then on, Brown and Matthews used Clifton's apartment as they pleased. They came and went when they wanted, without permission. And they used the apartment to prepare "dippers" - cigarettes dipped in PCP - and to store the money earned from selling those dippers.
Clifton endured Brown and Matthews in his apartment for several weeks before going to the police. He claimed to have sought help discreetly at first, including from family members. But that proved ineffective. Finally, he turned to the police for help evicting his unwelcome, PCP-dealing home invaders.
The police traveled to Woodberry Village and entered Clifton's apartment, using the key that Clifton had provided them. A surprised Brown was inside the apartment. Police placed Brown on a sofa and handcuffed him. When they lifted him from the sofa, they found a loaded handgun. The police continued their search of Clifton's apartment and discovered an Uzi nine-millimeter semi-automatic rifle and a .38-caliber revolver under the love seat. They also discovered evidence of PCP, including glass vials with various amounts of PCP. In total, 44.4 grams of PCP were recovered.
The police searched Brown's cell phone. Text messages on Brown's phone led police to pursue Keith Matthews.
On March 7, 2013, police arrested Matthews inside another Woodberry Village apartment. A search of Matthews' phone led police to discover that the takeover of Clifton's apartment was not an isolated event. Brown, Matthews, and some friends had formed a drug-dealing operation that they called "Little Mexico." Little Mexico's method of operation involved using Woodberry Village apartments to stash guns and sell PCP.
Matthews' cell phone led police to Tiffany Williams' apartment. When police executed a search warrant at Williams' home, they found Williams, Ira Adona, Breal Hicks, and Williams' six-year-old daughter. Police arrested the three adults and searched the apartment. The search yielded evidence similar to that found in Clifton's apartment: partially filled PCP vials, three handguns, and Everclear grain alcohol, a known cutting agent for PCP.
Tiffany Williams cooperated with the police and led them to the apartment of Conovia Eddie, another member of Little Mexico. After obtaining a search warrant, the police raided Eddie's apartment. They used a battering ram to enter after their demands to open the door had been ignored. Inside, they found Marquette Boston. Boston was standing near the bathroom, and the odor of PCP was coming from a running toilet. Police arrested Boston. Police found vials partially filled with PCP or containing PCP residue, empty vials, and rubber gloves, in addition to a bulletproof vest and a loaded .22-caliber pistol with an effaced serial number.
On September 10, 2013, the government obtained a 39-count grand jury indictment against Brown, Boston, Matthews, Adona, Hicks, and Eddie for conspiracy to distribute and to possess with the intent to distribute PCP and related offenses.
On November 5, 2014, Adona pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess PCP. Under the plea agreement, Adona agreed that he had conspired with others to distribute PCP in Woodberry Village. He also admitted that he had shot a man named Karl Carrington in the back on April 30, 2012, during a marijuana transaction. The two crimes were to be sentenced separately. In the D.C. Superior Court, Adona would be sentenced for the shooting offense. In the U.S. District Court, Adona would be sentenced for the drug conspiracy. The D.C. Superior Court sentenced Adona to two years and four months in prison. The district court sentenced Adona to nine years in prison, to be served consecutively to the sentence of imprisonment imposed by the D.C. Superior Court.
On March 24, 2015, the jury found Brown, Boston, and Matthews guilty. Brown was found guilty of second-degree burglary while armed; possession with intent to distribute PCP; and possession of an unregistered firearm. Boston was found guilty of possession with intent to distribute PCP. Matthews was found guilty of unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition.
The district court sentenced Brown to 14 years in prison; Boston to eight years in prison; and Matthews to nine years in prison.
Brown, Boston, Adona, and Matthews now appeal.
Brown challenges the district court's jury instructions and his sentence.
Brown challenges three aspects of the jury instructions.
First, in its instructions to the jury, the district court stated that Brown had previously been convicted in the D.C. Superior Court for possession of an unregistered firearm. Brown argues on appeal that the district court erred when it informed the jury of Brown's prior firearm conviction. The problem for Brown is that he not only did not object to this instruction at trial, but he affirmatively invited this instruction. Brown's counsel insisted that the jury be informed of the prior conviction, presumably because of a strategic judgment in the context of all of the evidence and instructions in the case. A defendant may not complain about invited error. See, e.g., United States v. Ginyard, 215 F.3d 83, 88 (D.C. Cir. 2000). Because Brown invited the error, he may not now complain of the error on appeal.
Second, Brown contends that the district court failed to give a special unanimity instruction with respect to the possession with intent to distribute PCP charge. Brown contends that jurors may have relied on different testimonial and physical evidence to conclude that he was guilty on that count. He claims that the jurors' reliance on different facts to support his conviction violates the Sixth Amendment. Brown did not raise this argument in the district court. Therefore, our review is for plain error. We need not dally on this argument. Because there is no precedent of the Supreme Court or this court requiring a district court to give a special unanimity instruction sua sponte in circumstances like those in this case, the district court's failure to do so cannot constitute plain error. See United States v. Hurt, 527 F.3d 1347, 1356 (D.C. Cir. 2008). Indeed, in Hurt, this court held that "the trial court's failure to give a special unanimity instruction sua sponte was not plain error, " and Brown makes no argument that would distinguish his case from Hurt's. Id. at 1352. As a result, Brown's argument is unavailing.
Third, Brown contends that the burglary instruction was inadequate. The crime of burglary requires proof that the accused person entered the dwelling of another with the intent to commit an identified offense. See D.C. Code § 22-801(a). The district court instructed the jury that it must find that "the defendant intended to use Mr. Clifton's apartment as a place to possess and store narcotics." Trial Tr. 31 (Mar. 17, 2015). The district court further explained that Brown must have "intended to commit a crime" on the premises. Id. Brown contends that instruction was insufficient because it did not identify the narcotics as unlawful narcotics. We disagree. In context, the burglary instruction plainly referred to illegal drugs. Any rational juror would have easily understood that the burglary charge related to Brown's allegedly entering Clifton's apartment with the intent to store illegal drugs.
Brown argues that the district court, in sentencing Brown, incorrectly attributed 100 to 400 grams of PCP to him. But Brown is simply mistaken about the district court's factual finding. Brown was not sentenced for possessing more than 100 grams of PCP. He was sentenced for possessing 76.6 grams. The probation office determined that "Mr. Brown is accountable for 76.6 grams of PCP resulting in a base offense level of 20." At sentencing, the district court said that it was adopting the probation office's finding of 76.6 grams. We further know that the district court adopted the probation office's finding because a finding that Brown possessed 100 or more grams would have resulted in a base offense level of 24. A finding that he possessed 76.6 grams would mean a base offense level of 20. The district court calculated Brown's base offense level to be 20.
Marquette Boston argues that there was insufficient evidence to convict him of possession with intent to distribute PCP.
When reviewing sufficiency claims, we "accept the jury's guilty verdict" if "any rational trier of fact could have found the essential elements of the crime beyond a reasonable doubt." United States v. Andrews, 532 F.3d 900, 903 n.1 (D.C. Cir. 2008) (quoting Jackson v. Virginia, 443 U.S. 307, 319 (1979)) (internal quotation marks omitted). We view the evidence in the light most favorable to the government. See id. at 904 n.1.
Boston was not found with PCP on his person, but rather near illegal drugs inside of Conovia Eddie's apartment. But the evidence tying Boston to the PCP was substantial. First, a key to Eddie's apartment was found on Boston, although he did not live there. Possession "of a key" may be "sufficient to establish constructive possession." United States v. Dingle, 114 F.3d 307, 311 (D.C. Cir. 1997). Second, Boston's presence inside the apartment was consistent with Little Mexico's method of operation of using others' apartments as trap houses. Third, the officers had to use a battering ram for roughly a minute to gain access to the apartment when they were not admitted after their knock and announce. See Trial Tr. 107 (Mar. 3, 2015 a.m.). A reasonable jury could have considered that to be evasive conduct on Boston's part indicating constructive possession of the contraband found inside the apartment. See United States v. Dorman, 860 F.3d 675, 680 (D.C. Cir. 2017). Fourth, the officers testified at trial that they smelled PCP coming from the bathroom. Boston was standing near the bathroom at the moment that the police entered, and the toilet had been recently flushed. Fifth, a vial containing PCP residue was found in the apartment and had Boston's left palm print on it. Sixth, a woman named Monique Mathis testified at trial that Boston sold PCP in Woodberry Village.
Viewing all of the evidence in the light most favorable to the government, a rational jury could conclude that Boston possessed PCP and, using Eddie's apartment as a base of operations, intended to distribute PCP.
We next turn to Ira Adona's appeal. The only defendant-appellant to plead guilty, Adona raises a single challenge to his 108-month federal prison sentence. In his view, the district court should have sentenced him concurrently with, rather than consecutively to, a D.C. Superior Court sentence that stemmed from his federal guilty plea. To reach that argument, we first must determine whether Adona waived his right to this appeal. We conclude that the appeal is not barred and that the district court plainly erred in its consecutive-sentencing analysis. We therefore vacate Adona's sentence and remand for resentencing.
Your client agrees to waive the right to appeal the sentence in this case, . . . and the manner in which the sentence was determined, except to the extent the Court sentences your client above the statutory maximum or guidelines range determined by the Court, in which case your client would have the right to appeal the illegal sentence or above-guidelines sentence, but not to raise on appeal other issues regarding the sentencing.
Plea Agreement 7. Adona's sentence did not qualify under either of the specified exceptions: it was not above either the statutory maximum or the Guidelines range determined by the court. Accordingly, were we to look only at the written plea agreement, that would end the matter, and the appeal would be barred. See United States v. Hunt, 843 F.3d 1022, 1027 (D.C. Cir. 2016) (noting that we "ordinarily dismiss an appeal falling within the scope of [an appeal] waiver").
But although we start with the text of the plea agreement, we cannot end there: our duty to ensure that an appeal waiver is knowing, intelligent, and voluntary requires us to examine also the colloquy with the judge during which Adona entered his guilty plea. See, e.g., Hunt, 843 F.3d at 1028-29; United States v. Kaufman, 791 F.3d 86, 88 (D.C. Cir. 2015); United States v. Godoy, 706 F.3d 493, 495 (D.C. Cir. 2013). Such plea colloquies are required by Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 11(b), and aim "to dispel any misconceptions that the defendant may have about his likely sentence" and to correct or clarify any "erroneous information given by the defendant's attorney." United States v. Horne, 987 F.2d 833, 838 (D.C. Cir. 1993) (internal quotation marks omitted). The Supreme Court has admonished that Rule 11's "procedural safeguards serve important constitutional interests in guarding against inadvertent and ignorant waivers of constitutional rights." United States v. Vonn, 535 U.S. 55, 67 (2002). Accordingly, we have instructed that "courts conducting plea colloquies must scrupulously adhere to the obligations of Rule 11." United States v. Shemirani, 802 F.3d 1, 3 (D.C. Cir. 2015).
As relevant to this appeal, Rule 11(b) instructs a trial court to "inform the defendant of, and determine that the defendant understands, . . . the terms of any plea-agreement provision waiving the right to appeal or to collaterally attack the sentence" before accepting a guilty plea. Fed. R. Crim. P. 11(b)(1)(N). In prior cases, we have assiduously assured compliance with this rule. Noting that "[c]riminal defendants need to be able to trust the oral pronouncements of district court judges, " we have scrutinized Rule 11 colloquies to ensure that district courts accurately explain the scope of defendants' appeal waivers. Godoy, 706 F.3d at 495 (quoting United States v. Wood, 378 F.3d 342, 349 (4th Cir. 2004) (internal quotation marks omitted)). Specifically, we have examined whether "the district court mischaracterized the meaning of the waiver in a fundamental way." Id. If so, "the district court's oral pronouncement controls, " and the "appeal is not barred." Id. at 496; see Hunt, 843 F.3d at 1028-29; Kaufman, 791 F.3d at 88; United States v. Fareri, 712 F.3d 593, 594-95 (D.C. Cir. 2013).
Now, with regard to certain circumstances, you may even have an opportunity, the right to appeal the sentence of this court on the grounds of reasonableness. Do you understand that?
Adona Plea Hearing Tr. 10 (Nov. 5, 2014). Adona answered in the affirmative. Id.
The court's statement described a different right to appeal than that contained in the written appeal waiver. "Taken for its plain meaning - which is how criminal defendants should be entitled to take the statements of district court judges, " Godoy, 706 F.3d at 495 - the district court's statement suggested to Adona that he could appeal a sentence he thought unreasonable. Because "the district court mischaracterized the meaning of the waiver in a fundamental way, " "the district court's oral pronouncement controls, " and the "appeal is not barred." Id. at 495-96.
The district court's statement is not saved by its conditional nature. The court's use of "may" was hardly clarifying because "may" can mean "can" as well as "might." See Black's Law Dictionary 1127 (10th ed. 2014). Nor is the statement saved by the "with regard to certain circumstances" language, which was unaccompanied by any description of what those "certain circumstances" were or were not. See Kaufman, 791 F.3d at 88 (vitiating plea waiver where the court initially told the defendant that he "would still have the right to appeal the sentence if [he] believe[d] the sentence is illegal, " and later told him that he "might have the right to appeal, under some circumstances, if he did not 'like' the sentence"); cf. Fareri, 712 F.3d at 594 (vitiating appeal waiver where the district court declared, without further explanation, that the defendant "probably retain[ed] the right" to appeal certain sentences). By leaving those circumstances unexplained, the district court failed to "inform the defendant of . . . the terms of any plea-agreement provision waiving the right to appeal, " as Rule 11(b) requires.
We also cannot uphold the waiver on the grounds that "reasonableness" is a "legal term of art" in the Sentencing Guidelines context. See United States v. Ingram, 721 F.3d 35, 43 (2d Cir. 2013) (Calabresi, J., concurring). In assessing the adequacy of plea colloquies, we do not assume familiarity with criminal-law argot. Rather, we ask how a defendant like Adona (who left school after completing eleventh grade, Adona Plea Hearing Tr. 6) would understand the district court's pronouncement. See Godoy, 706 F.3d at 495. That is why, in Godoy, we found that the mention of a right to appeal an "illegal" sentence was misleading, even though the court's statement was technically accurate considering that "illegal sentence" is a lawyerly term of art. Here, likewise, we do not pause to parse the precise legal meaning of "reasonableness." Rather, we note that Adona surely thinks his sentence unreasonable, and that his belief is not outside the common meaning of that word.
And I've advised Mr. Adona of what Your Honor said to him in open court prior to this, that Your Honor . . . would consider the advisory guidelines, but your inclination was that that - the court would probably depart upward and would state the reasons for that. I've explained to Mr. Adona, and I think Your Honor just went over briefly with him earlier, that under the plea agreement he retains the right to appeal that decision and - if Your Honor does do that.
Adona Plea Hearing Tr. 14.
We need not decide whether or under what circumstances a statement by defense counsel may cure a district court's mischaracterization of a plea waiver because counsel's statement did not do so in this case. Contrary to the government's contention, Adona's counsel did not state "that Adona would retain the right to appeal only if the district court sentenced him to an above-guidelines sentence." U.S. Br. 65 n.27 (emphasis added). Instead, Adona's counsel merely told him that he retained the right to appeal an above-Guidelines sentence, without suggesting that was the only category of sentence he could appeal. Indeed, that was not the only category of sentence he could appeal, even under the written plea agreement - which permitted him also to appeal a sentence "above the statutory maximum." Plea Agreement 7. Accordingly, because counsel's statement made no effort to mark the metes and bounds of appealable sentences, it did nothing to inform Adona of the true scope of his appeal waiver.
Nor did the government say anything to clarify or correct the record - despite our recent admonition that "the United States Attorney's Office would be well advised to develop instructions and training for its attorneys to make it part of their routine practice to help ensure that district courts fulfill each of the requirements of Rule 11 . . . when a defendant enters a plea." Shemirani, 802 F.3d at 3. Had the government immediately corrected the record, it could have preserved its appeal waiver and obviated the need for the past several pages of this opinion. Because it did not, we now proceed to addressing the merits of Adona's appeal.
Adona raises a number of arguments about the district court's decision to sentence him consecutively to, rather than concurrently with, his Superior Court sentence. Only one of them, which concerns the district court's failure to take into account Section 5G1.3(b) of the United States Sentencing Guidelines, has merit. Because Adona failed to assert this argument in the district court, we review it for plain error only. United States v. Andrews, 532 F.3d 900, 908 (D.C. Cir. 2008). Under that standard, "[t]here must be (1) error, (2) that is plain, and (3) that affect[s] substantial rights. If all three conditions are met, an appellate court may then exercise its discretion to notice a forfeited error, but only if (4) the error seriously affect[s] the fairness, integrity, or public reputation of judicial proceedings." Id. (quoting Johnson v. United States, 520 U.S. 461, 467 (1997)); see United States v. Olano, 507 U.S. 725, 731-36 (1993).
The district court accepted Adona's plea agreement in November 2014. As part of his guilty plea, Adona admitted to conspiring to distribute and possess PCP, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 841, 846. He proffered that he "knowingly and intentionally distributed PCP in vials and cigarette 'dippers, '" that he "kept, stored, shared, and maintained firearms" within Woodberry Village, and that he undertook these activities in conspiracy with his five co-defendants. Plea Agreement 14. | 2019-04-20T06:38:35Z | http://ks.findacase.com/research/wfrmDocViewer.aspx/xq/fac.20180615_0000081.CDC.htm/qx |
In Dark Mages, you play one of 8 powerful magicians who compete in a merciless battle on the plains of Thärin. Using your power and Magic Item, Hex, Scroll, or Spell cards, you must defeat your enemies on the battlefield. Alone or in teams, the goal is to defeat all opponents to become the legendary magician of the continent of Northland.
Dark Mages is a card game mixing role-playing, luck, and strategy turn-based aspects. The game includes 7 polyhedral dice1 and 120 cards, including 8 Character cards with unique attributes and 112 playing cards.
One after the other, clockwise, each player performs the phases of their turn.
The goal is to defeat all your opponents by reducing their number of hit points to 0.
To begin, each player draws a random character card and places it on the table in front of them. Each magician starts with 60 hit points, an arcane caster level of 1, and an armor class of 10.
Shuffle the stack deck, and distribute 5 cards per player.
Each player rolls die with 20 faces, and the one with the highest score will go first.
This phase is designed to prepare you for the battle. You may place on the table or replace Magic Item cards, play a Healing card, and a Potion card. You can also place a Companion by your side or replace the one you already have.
If you replace a Magic Item or Companion card, discard the one you removed in the discard pile.
Once a turn, you can attack an opponent of your choice using either a Spell, Hex, Scroll card, or your cantrip.
Some cards require that you first make an attack roll using 1d20 to confirm that your attack will hit the target and inflict damages.
If you have a companion in attack mode, it can attack once per turn after you. First make an attack roll to confirm your companion will hit the target and inflict damages.
You can discard 1 card from your hand and draw the number of cards you need to have a total of 5 cards in hand.
A player is considered defeated when their number of hit points is reduced to 0.
That player must discard his hand but leave his character and his equipped magical items on the table.
The player who defeated an opponent can choose a magic item on the fallen character, but the victorious player should immediately equip this item on their character or use it to replace an object they already carry. The item replaced is discarded.
If a companion deals the fatal blow, the victorious player cannot take a magic item.
The winner is the player or team that manages to defeat all other players by reducing their number of hit points to 0.
The basic Dark Mages game includes several types of cards.
The Character cards represent your magician throughout the game. Each corner has a symbol and its own color and serves as an attachment point to equip magical items with the same symbol so that your character’s attributes can be increased.
They show the magic sphere for which your character receives a bonus. In addition, they indicate what cantrip serves as your basic attack when you don’t have any attack cards.
They also show the attributes of your character, including its number of hit points, armor class, and arcane caster level.
Spell cards allow your magician to attack an opponent. First you have to complete an attack roll to determine if the spell will hit your target. Each spell has a magic sphere with the number 1, 2, or 3. This number represents the minimum arcane caster level required to cast the spell.
Discard the Spell cards after they have been used.
Hex cards allow your magician to curse an opponent. No attack roll is required to play this card, as the opponent is entitled to a saving throw, giving that player the chance to avoid the curse.
Discard the Hex cards after they have been used.
Scroll cards allow your magician to throw a spell with no attack roll1 necessary. The opponent is entitled to a saving throw, giving that player the chance to avoid the spell.
Discard the Scroll cards after they have been used.
Defender: Place your companion horizontally. It becomes a natural shield for your magician. Whenever your magician is attacked, the companion takes the damage on his behalf and defends him for as long as it has hit points remaining. Once the companion’s number of hit points is re duced to 0, discard the Companion card.
Attacker: Place the companion vertically. Once per turn, after your attack, the companion can attack an opponent of your choice using an attack roll first, but opponents can also attack your companion. Once the companion’s number of hit points is reduced to 0, discard the companion card.
The mode of the companion must be specified when the card is placed on the table and may not be changed. You can have only 1 companion at a time, but you can replace it during your turn by discarding it.
Skill cards allow your magician to use a special ability that grants him benefits. You can play only 1 Skill card per turn.
Discard the Skill cards after they have been used.
When your magician is attacked, place the Defense card on the table before the opponent’s attack roll.
In some cases, a Defense card can be deflected by another Defense card.
Discard the Defense cards after they have been used.
Magic Item cards can increase the power of your character, either his attack or defense, depending on their effects. Equip your character with a magic item by placing the symbol of the Magic Item card over its corresponding symbol on your Character card. You can place or replace a maximum of 4 Magic Items during your turn but can only attach 1 card per symbol.
Discard the replaced Magic Item cards after they have been used.
Potion cards represent potions that provide different bonuses. They have various duration and effects, but only 1 Potion card can be used per turn.
Discard the Potion cards after they have been used.
Healing cards allow the magician to recover the number of hit points indicated on the card. The maximum number of hit points, which is 60, can never be exceeded.
Discard the Healing cards after they have been used.
Artifact cards can be found in various categories and represent legendary relics that give your magician extremely powerful attributes.
Discard the Artifact cards after they have been used (except for the Magic Items).
Enemy cards can be drawn throughout the game by any player. They must all be immediately placed on the table as soon as they are drawn. No action may be taken against other players as long as the enemy is on the table.
Encounter: Encounters attack all players once at the same time before leaving. Only a saving throw or Dodge card can counter their attack.
Discard the Encounter cards after the attack of the enemy is over.
Tenacious Enemy: Tenacious enemies have hit points, attack damages, and an armor class indicated on their card. They absolutely must be defeated for the game to resume normally. They start by attacking all the magicians at the same time (only a saving throw or Dodge card can counter their attack) who then unite against the enemy and take their turns. After every magician has their turn, the enemy attacks again, and turns alternate as such until the tenacious enemy is defeated.
Discard Tenacious Enemy cards after the enemy is defeated.
Black cards are very rare and can be found in all categories. Marked with the letters BC (black card), they are added randomly in the game boxes or expansion packs in very limited quantities.
Each character has its own attributes, but it is possible to improve them in various ways during the game.
Each character starts with 60 hit points. This number decreases or increases throughout the game but can never exceed 60.
The armor class is the resistance of the character, which indicates the number that the opponent must have or exceed to complete a successful attack roll. Each character starts with an armor class of 10, and it may vary during the game.
This symbol represents your magician’s arcane caster level, which starts at 1.
Magic spells are divided into categories called “magic spheres.” Characters can cast magic spells from different spheres, but each of them specializes in 1 sphere that grants them additional bonuses identified in the reference table.
Each character has a sphere bonus. When you play a Spell card that is the same color as your magician’s own magic sphere during the attack phase, you get an additional +1 arcane caster level, and you can add +1 to your attack roll. If an opponent plays a Spell card that is the same color as your magic sphere, your magician’s armor class is increased by 3.
Cantrips are basic magic spells specific to your magician that you can use as an attack if you have no attack cards (Spell, Hex, or Scroll). Cantrips cannot be combined or added to another attack.
The arcane caster level of your character determines the power of his attacks. It varies throughout the game based on the arcane bonus associated with your equipped magic items. Initially, your character has an arcane caster level of 1, allowing him to cast all spells having the same number. If he reaches the arcane caster level 2, the magician can cast level 2 spells and so on.
During an attack, the arcane caster level is directly related to the number of dice that you can use to inflict damage. It influences the first digit of the polyhedral dice designations. If your character has an arcane caster level of 1, you can roll “1d6.” If he reaches the arcane caster level 2, you can roll “2d6” and so on.
* If an opponent uses an attack of the same type as your magic sphere on you, your armor class increases by 3.
The armor class is the resistance of your character and determines the difficulty the enemies will have to hit your character. It indicates the result that the opponent must roll with the dice to have a chance to inflict damage. The basic armor class for every character is 10, and it can go up or down during the game.
The attack roll represents the attempt of a magician to hit an opponent during the attack phase. To make an attack roll, roll 1d20 and add your bonus if you have any. If the final result is equal to or greater than the opponent’s armor class, you can proceed and roll the dice as per the attack card and deal the damage indicated.
Critical Hit: If you get 20 making your attack roll, the result is a critical hit. The damage dealt to your opponent is doubled.
Fumble: If you get 1 making your attack roll, the result is an automatic miss, and you will receive the damage of the attack.
Any successful attack deals damage equal to the number of dice indicated on the card, for example, “1d6.” In addition, bonus damage applies in the form of extra dice equal to your arcane level. For example, if your magician has an arcane caster level of 2, “1d6” becomes “2d6.” The same applies for the following levels.
The discard pile is where players throw away their cards during the game.
Each player starts with 60 hit points. This number decreases or increases throughout the game but can never exceed 60. The character is considered dead if it is left with no (0) hit points.
The game uses 7 different polyhedral dice (d4, d6, d8, d10, d12, d20, and d00). The number of faces on the die often determines its name.
In “1d6,” the first digit indicates the required number of die rolls, the letter means “dice,” and the second digit is the type of dice to use. In the case of a “2d10” attack, you must roll the 10-sided die twice and add your results to know the amount of damage points dealt.
To simulate “1d100,” a die with 100 faces (percentile dice), roll the 10-sided die twice. The first result stands for the tens and the second for the units. Two zeros make 100.
The stack is the shuffled, not distributed deck of cards placed face down that players can draw from during the game. Once no more cards are left in the stack, shuffle the discard pile to create a new stack.
Northland: A vast continent with lush forests bordered by mighty hills and mountains. On the plains of Thärin, eight magicians battle for power. Only one will emerge victorious and become ruler of the land.
You must survive! Only one magician can prevail. The player that can reduce their opponents’ hit points to zero (0) wins.
Solo Mode: The last magician alive wins the game!
Alliance Mode: Team up with other magicians and the last team alive wins the game!
You will notice each that character card has four colored corners, including a letter. Each of the colors and letters is connected to the name of an item that increases the attributes of your magician.
The red corner (letter S) is for wielding a staff.
The blue corner (letter R) is for wearing a robe.
The green corner (letter R) is for wearing a ring.
The purple corner (letter A) is for putting on an amulet.
Only one specific item per corner may be placed at any given time. See the Magic Items and Artifacts cards sections for more details.
Each character has strengths determined by their magical sphere. These strengths increase the scope of the attack, arcane levels, and damage points as well as the armor class when the attack is from a card of its own magical sphere (see: Magic).
Spells are cast during the magician’s attack phase.
Each card is represented by a magical sphere and has a number on the inside (1, 2, or 3). This number represents the character’s arcane level and can be modified based on the magical sphere (see: Arcane Level).
You cannot play a spell card once your turn is over. The damage done by spells depends on the arcane level of the magician and their specialty.
Companions are animals or monsters that become an ally for your magician. Your companion’s attributes are described on its card. A player may have only one companion at any given time. You may replace a companion if you find a more suitable one.
Two play options are possible for companions, and players must pick which version will be used.
Shield option: The companion shields you from attacks. If your character is hit, deduct the damage from your companion’s hit points first until it dies. The companion cannot attack.
Ally option: The companion attacks either enemy magicians or their companions. Players decide the target, which may vary from one round to the next. The companion cannot be used as a shield.
Animals and monsters cannot use magic items.
Skills cards allow players to use special powers that will give them an advantage, such as stealing magic objects from adversaries, and more. Depending on their descriptions, they can be added to your attack or played during your attack.
If you’re being attacked, Defense cards have the power to defend you and/or counterattack. They can be directly put down when you’re being attacked. Depending on their attributes, they can evade or block an attack, send a magic spell back to adversaries, and more.
Magic Items cards (staffs, robes, rings, and amulets) increase the attack or defense attributes of your character.
They have only one colored corner and letter. Magic objects are placed in a precise order around your character card.
For example, the red corner accompanied by the letter S of a staff card joins the red corner also with the letter S of the character card.
Please note that only one specific object can be placed per colored corner for a maximum of four, but new ones may replace them during a battle. Unused items are removed and placed in the discard pile.
The Potions cards represent magic concoctions that kick in when they’re consumed and have the power to increase the magician’s strength for attack or defense depending on the description. The effects they produce are fleeting and depend on the type of potion. The player can attack after using a Potion card.
The Healing cards are represented as potions. A Healing card allows the player to win back the number of hit points listed on the card. You cannot exceed a player’s maximum number of hit points (60). Only one Healing card can be played per round. The player can attack following the use of a Healing card.
Artifacts are legendary relics that increase the magician’s attributes in a spectacular way. When discovered, artifacts highly influence the outcome of a battle.
Some of these play cards also have only one corner with a color and letter. They may replace a magic object by occupying its space around the character card. A maximum of four artifacts may be used at all times.
If an enemy card is picked, it must be immediately placed in the play pile. Players cannot act and must make a saving throw.
If the save fails, players take full damage of the enemy’s attack. If the save succeeds, only half damage is applied.
Magicians that are invisible when an enemy arrives are immune from any effects.
Hexes cards allow you to curse another player. By putting this card down in front of an adversary during the attack phase, that person can make a saving throw but if unsuccessful, the player is hit with the effects of the curse listed on the card. Playing a Hex card is considered an attack.
Scroll cards are considered spells written down on paper. Each scroll card can be used only once according to its description. Playing a Scroll card is considered an attack.
Black cards are extremely rare. Found randomly in certain packages, you might be the lucky player to have one! Black cards can be characters, spells, magic items, scrolls, potions, healings, hexes, defenses, skills, enemies, companions or artifacts.
1. To begin, each player draws a random character card and places it on the table in front of them.
3. To determine who starts the game, each player rolls one d20 for the initiative test, and the one with the highest score gets to go first. Players who have the same highest result must reroll the die between them until a victor emerges.
4. The starting player shuffles the main deck and distributes 5 cards per player. They may now begin. After completing their battle round, going clockwise, the next player gets their turn.
A player can put down or replace a maximum of four magic objects during the deposit phase.
A player can use only one Healing card to increase their number of hit points during the deposit phase.
A player can put down or replace one companion.
A player can play only one Attack card per round except for certain cards that require additional cards. When your magician casts a spell, you roll 1d20, and if that exceeds your adversary’s armor class, the hit goes through and inflicts damage.
A companion, in ally option, can attack a target player once per turn. When your companion attacks, you roll 1d20, and if that exceeds your adversary’s armor class, the hit goes through and inflicts damage.
One card from your remaining hand may be discarded. Take up to 5 new cards from the play deck. Your turn ends.
Note: If an enemy card is picked during this phase, it must be immediately placed in the play pile. You cannot pick an extra card.
The rules use many abbreviations in reference to the dice, for example, “1d6 plus the arcane level” (which means “the sum of a 6-sided die plus the arcane level”). The first letter refers to the number of dice to roll. The second (right after the “d”) refers to the type of dice to use.
Percentile dice: Generate a number between 1 and 100 by rolling the d00 for the tens digit and a d10 for the ones digit. For example, if you roll a 50 and a 9, the number is 59.
Hit points are related to a magician’s life. When attacked, a certain number of hit points are lost. When healed, hit points are added back on. Hit points will vary during a game. Each magician starts with 60 points, and this total cannot be exceeded for the duration of the game. A character is dead when hit points are reduced to zero (0).
All successful attacks inflict damage corresponding to the die listed on the card, for example, “1d6 plus the arcane caster level.” Bonus damage points can be added by rolling additional dice depending on the arcane level.
Damage is subtracted from their current hit points.
Sometimes, damages have to be multiplied by a given number, for example, when a hit is automatically successful (or a critical hit). In that case, the total is calculated by rolling the damage points die and multiplying it by a factor of 2.
Before starting the round, every player undergoes an initiative test to determine who goes first. To do that, every player rolls 1d20, and the one with the highest score starts the game.
If there’s a tie during the initiative test, the two tied players roll 1d20 again, and the one with the highest score starts the game. If there’s still a tie, the two players should do heads or tails for the initiative test.
The players go clockwise until there’s a victory.
An attack roll is when a character tries to hit their adversary on their turn. To complete an attack roll, you roll 1d20 and add the character’s attack bonus (staff) and/or based on the magical sphere (specialty). If the total exceeds your adversary’s armor class, the hit goes through and inflicts damage.
A natural 20 on an attack roll is a critical hit. You automatically hit your opponent regardless of their armor class. Your damage is multiplied by a factor of 2.
Vice versa, a natural 1 on an attack roll is a fumble. Your attack automatically fails regardless of your attack bonus. Damage from your attack is applied to your character.
An attack roll is modified by the staff and/or the magical sphere. The game has two possible staffs (staff +1 and staff +2).
Example 1: If you have the staff +1, your attack will be calculated as follows: 1d20 + staff modifier. You roll 1d20 and if your adversary has an armor class of 10, you have to have rolled a 10 + the staff modifier, which gives you 11.
Example 2: You cast a spell within your magical sphere. Your attack will be calculated as follows: 1d20 + magical sphere modifier (+1). You roll 1d20 and if your adversary has an armor class of 10, you have to have rolled a 10 + the magical sphere modifier, which gives you 11.
The armor class represents how much difficulty adversaries will have inflicting damage on your character. It represents the final number your enemy has to achieve to inflict damage. The base armor class is 10 and is calculated as follows: 10 + bonus from a defense cloak and/or magical sphere (specialty).
Some cards can alter a magician’s armor class (spells, scrolls, and others). These factors can temporarily increase or decrease the armor’s effectiveness depending on their descriptions.
In certain cases, damage made by attacks may be evaded or reduced if a saving throw is made.
The player must throw a d20 and add their staff bonus. If the score is equal to or lower than their armor class, they succeed. If the score is higher, the save fails, and the character must suffer the consequences.
Magic spells are categorized into groups called magical spheres. All magicians are able to cast magic spells from the different magical spheres, but every magician has a specialty magical sphere that gives them extra bonuses.
For example: A fire elementalist with an arcane level of two (2) is a specialist in magic spells from the fire sphere. They decide to throw a fireball at their adversary. The total number of damage points is 3d6 (2d6 from their arcane level and one additional d6 because of their specialty).
A specialty magician also has an attack roll bonus of +1 with the magic spells from their magical sphere and an armor class bonus of +3 if an adversary casts a spell from their own magical sphere.
The strength of a spell often depends on the arcane level of the player casting it, which is generally modified by their magical sphere and their characteristic modifier (ring). All spell cards correspond to a sphere and include a number in the top left-hand corner. This number represents the minimum arcane level needed to cast this spell.
All players have a base arcane level of one (1), which allows them to cast all sorts of magic spells with the number one (1). To increase your arcane level, you have to possess a ring of arcane. The game has two available rings of arcane (ring of arcane +1 and ring of arcane +2).
With the ring of arcane +1, your character will have an arcane level of two (2), which allows them to cast all sorts of magic spells with the number two (2). With the ring of arcane +2, your character will have an arcane level of three (3), which allows them to cast all sorts of magic spells with the number three (3).
Example: An Enchanter without a ring has a base level of one (1). They cast a spell, freeze arrow (1), and the damage points inflicted on their adversary will be 1d6.
This same Enchanter, now in possession of a ring of arcane +1, will have an arcane level of 2. Besides being able to cast all sorts of magic spells with the number two (2), their damage points will now be increased by +1d. In the freeze arrow example, the player will now inflict 2d6 damage points on their adversary.
No additional damage die may be applied regardless of your class.
The battle sphere is the Enchanter’s specialty. This sphere endows them with an additional arcane level, a +1 bonus on their attack roll, and a +3 protection on their armor class when they’re being attacked by their own sphere.
The life sphere is the Cleric’s specialty. This sphere endows them with an additional arcane level, a +1 bonus on their attack roll, and a +3 protection on their armor class when they’re being attacked by their own sphere.
The death sphere is the Necromancer’s specialty. This sphere endows them with an additional arcane level, a +1 bonus on their attack roll, and a +3 protection on their armor class when they’re being attacked by their own sphere.
The nature sphere is the Druid’s specialty. This sphere endows them with an additional arcane level, a +1 bonus on their attack roll, and a +3 protection on their armor class when they’re being attacked by their own sphere.
The fire sphere is the Fire Conjurer’s specialty. This sphere endows them with an additional arcane level, a +1 bonus on their attack roll, and a +3 protection on their armor class when they’re being attacked by their own sphere.
The air sphere is the Air Conjurer’s specialty. This sphere endows them with an additional arcane level, a +1 bonus on their attack roll, and a +3 protection on their armor class when they’re being attacked by their own sphere.
The water sphere is the Water Conjurer’s specialty. This sphere endows them with an additional arcane level, a +1 bonus on their attack roll, and a +3 protection on their armor class when they’re being attacked by their own sphere.
The earth sphere is the Earth Conjurer’s specialty. This sphere endows them with an additional arcane level, a +1 bonus on their attack roll, and a +3 protection on their armor class when they’re being attacked by their own sphere.
The winner is the magician or team that manages to defeat all the other players by reducing their number of hit points to zero (0).
When a player is defeated, they have to discard their magic cards but leave their character and magic objects in front of them except for players defeated with magic spells that say the opposite. | 2019-04-23T10:11:59Z | https://darkmages.com/gameplay-v15/ |
A total of ten marine yeast strains isolated from Bohai Sea, Northern China were identified to be members of three genera Rhodosporidium, Rhodotorula, and Cryptococcus. Two representative strains Rhodosporidium TJUWZ4 and Cryptococcus TJUWZA11 with high lipid content based on Nile red staining method were further characterized. A wide range of culture conditions (C and N sources, pH, temperature, salinity and C/N ratio) were tested to characterize the biomass and lipid production (yield and productivity) of these strains. Results indicated that Rhodosporidium TJUWZ4 was capable of achieving lipid yield up to 44% and 0.09 g/l–h productivity on glucose and peptone medium at pH 4, 20 °C, 30% salinity, and C/N 80. Three fatty acids, namely oleic acid (18:1), palmitic acid (C16:0) and linoleic acid (18:2) were the major intracellular fatty acids, which accounted for 90% of total lipids. With promising features for intracellular lipid accumulation, Rhodosporidium TJUWZ4 is a robust strain with great potentials for application in biodiesel production from renewable feedstocks.
Over last several decades, terrestrial yeasts have been widely studied for various applications in food, pharmaceutical, cosmetic and chemical industries (Kutty and Philip 2008). However, investigations on marine yeasts are comparatively few. Recent research revealed that marine yeasts own unique and promising features over their terrestrial counterparts, for example, higher osmosis tolerance, higher special chemical productivity and production of industrial enzymes (Zaky et al. 2014). Besides, oleaginous yeast have numerous advantages which make them promising sources of oil for biodiesel production (Ageitos et al. 2011). The wide features of oleaginous yeast make them a potent source of oil for sustainable development of bioenergy technology especially in the coastal regions around the globe.
Unlike other oil-producing microorganisms, such as microalgae, oleaginous yeast do not require long fermentation period and their resulting lipid profiles could be simply manipulated by varying the fermentation conditions (Dias et al. 2015; Sitepu et al. 2014). In addition, oleaginous yeast can grow on various substrates, even inexpensive materials such as organic wastes, thus making the lipid production more efficient from low-cost raw materials (Deeba et al. 2016; Ghanavati et al. 2015; Polburee et al. 2015; Slininger et al. 2016; Xiong et al. 2015; Zhang et al. 2016). The lipids accumulated by oleaginous yeast are mainly composed of long-chain fatty acids, including oleic acid (C18:1), palmitic acid (C16:0), linoleic acid (C18:2) and stearic acid (C18:0), which are similar to the composition of plant oils and can be converted into biodiesel by enzymatic or inorganic catalysis (Ghanavati et al. 2014; Spier et al. 2015; Tanimura et al. 2014a; Wang and Ren 2014). Thus, much attention have been paid to various oleaginous yeasts for biodiesel production (Areesirisuk et al. 2015; Deeba et al. 2016; Poli et al. 2014; Seo et al. 2014; Sitepu et al. 2014; Spier et al. 2015; Tanimura et al. 2014a, b; Yang et al. 2014).
Both yeast strains and culture conditions have great impacts on lipid accumulation and fatty acid profiles (Rakicka et al. 2015; Sitepu et al. 2013). Total lipids and fatty acid profiles vary significantly between species, to some extent among strains of the same species, also for the same strain grown under different culture conditions such as carbon source, nitrogen source, temperature, pH, salt concentration and C/N ratio (Béligon et al. 2015; Braunwald et al. 2013; Cescut et al. 2014). Sugar-based media such as glucose, xylose, fructose, lactose, starch, and lignocellulosic hydrolyzates have been studied for lipid production, but glucose was found to be more easily metabolized compared to other substrates (Papanikolaou and Aggelis 2011). Glucose and glucose containing substrates are thus the most common carbon sources used for growth and lipid production by oleaginous yeast.
For lipid accumulation, the crucial factor is the change of intracellular concentration of certain metabolites due to nitrogen limitation in culture medium. The influence of carbon-to-nitrogen (C/N) ratio on lipid accumulation by Rhodotorula glutinis was investigated, and showed increased lipid production at higher C/N ratios (Braunwald et al. 2013). Another study with Lipomyces starkeyi cultivated in a medium based on sewage sludge supplemented with glucose showed 68% lipid accumulation at C/N ratio of 150, and a lipid content of 40% at C/N ratio of 60 (Angerbauer et al. 2008). These reports signify nitrogen limitation as an important criterion for higher lipid accumulation. Besides C/N ratio, pH also strongly influences lipid accumulation. In Rhodotorula glutinis, notable difference in lipid yield (%) was observed at pH 3 (12%), pH 5 (48%) and pH 6 (44%) (Johnson et al. 1992).
From above studies it is evident that lipid yields are influenced to a great extent by the media composition (carbon source, nitrogen source, minerals etc.), pH and temperature. In this study, marine yeast strains were isolated from the coastal water of North China, and the representative strains characterized for their ability to produce lipids under different fermentation conditions including carbon source, nitrogen source, temperature, pH, salt concentration and C/N ratio.
Seawater samples were collected from coastal waters of Bohai Bay in North China and were then plated on M4 solid medium (glucose·H2O 10 g/l, peptone 1.5 g/l, yeast extract 0.1 g/l, and agar 20 g/l) at room temperature for 3–5 days with regular observation for yeast growth. The obtained cell colonies were then inoculated in M4 solid medium containing 0.05% ampicillin for axenic cultures. Pure isolates were maintained at 28 °C on YEPD medium (glucose·H2O 20 g/l, peptone 10 g/l, yeast extract 10 g/l, and agar 15 g/l) (Shen et al. 2013) and sub-cultured every 20–30 days.
Yeast isolates were identified by sequence analysis of 18S rRNA gene. Total genomic DNA of yeast cells was extracted using DNA extraction kit (Generay, China), following the manufacturer’s instruction. The 18S rRNA gene fragment was amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in the S1000™ Thermal cycler (Bio-Rad, USA) with the fungi universal primers, EF4 (5′-GGAAGGG (G/A) TGTATTTATTAG-3′) and EF3 (5′-TCCT (A/C) TAAATGACCAAGTTTG-3′) (Smit et al. 1999). The PCR reaction was carried out under the initial denaturation at 94 °C for 5 min, followed by 30 cycles of 30 s at 94 °C, 30 s at 51 °C and 90 s at 72 °C, and a final extension at 72 °C for 10 min. The PCR products were purified using Gel DNA extraction kit (Generay, China). The resulting PCR products were sequenced at Beijing Genomics Institute (China) and the final sequences were edited using BioEdit and then compared with the National Center for Biotechnology Information database. Phylogenetic analyses were carried out using distance setting (Maximum likelihood) in MEGA 6 software with 1000 bootstrap replicates (Tamura et al. 2013). The 18S rRNA gene sequences obtained for this study were submitted to GenBank under the access number of KU317620-317626 and KT281890-281892.
The marine yeast strains were screened for lipid production using the Nile red staining method (Li et al. 2014). Yeast cells were pre-cultured in 100 ml flasks containing 50 ml basic broth medium-A on an incubator shaker at 200 rpm and 30 °C for 5 days. One liter of the medium-A contained: glucose 120 g, CaCl2 0.1 g, NH4Cl 0.5 g, yeast extract 1.5 g, KH2PO4 7.0 g, Na2HPO4·2H2O 2.5 g, MgSO4·7H2O 1.5 g, FeCl3·6H2O 0.08 g, ZnSO4·7H2O 10.0 mg, MnSO4·H2O 0.07 mg, CuSO4 0.1 mg, Co(NO3)2 0.063 mg (Sitepu et al. 2013). At 24 h intervals, an aliquot of the culture was sampled and centrifuged at 4000 rpm for 10 min. The resulting cell pellet was washed twice with sterile seawater and then stained with 0.01% (w/v) Nile Red in acetone. The intracellular lipids were examined by using an Epifluorescence Microscope (Nikon DS-Ri1) at the wavelength of 540 nm. Strains with high lipid accumulation exhibit high intensity of fluorescence. Based on this characteristic, lipid-producing strains were selected for further investigation of lipid production and fermentation optimization. The promising strain Rhodosporidium sp. TJUWZ4 has been deposited in China General Microbiological Culture Collection Center (CGMCC # 2.5689).
Six different parameters were investigated for their individual effect on cellular growth and lipid production of the representative strains screened by Nile red method. These variables included carbon source (glucose, sucrose, fructose, lactose and starch), nitrogen source (yeast extract, peptone, NH4Cl, (NH4)2SO4 and mixture of both of them), C/N ratio (20C, 20 N, 80, 120C, 120 N), initial pH of the medium (3.0, 4.0, 5.0, 6.0, and 7.0), temperature (15, 20, 25, 30 and 35 °C) and salinity strength (30, 50, 80 and 100%, v/v). The six sets of single-factor experiments were designed by varying the broth medium-A and each subsequent experiment was based on previous optimal results obtained. The experimental design and conditions are shown in Additional file 1: Table S1. The first set experiment was to determine the optimal carbon source (sugar). Individual sugar was added to a concentration of 120 g/l for each treatment to determine the best sugar as the sole carbon source. Then optimal nitrogen source and concentrations were evaluated with the best carbon source. The best carbon and nitrogen source obtained were applied to investigate the optimum pH value. The pH was adjusted by using sulfuric acid and sodium hydroxide solutions. Accordingly, the temperature, salinity strength and C/N ratio were tested at the optimal pH value. Salinity strength was defined by seawater concentration adjusted by artificial sea salt in this study.
For all sets of experiment, the yeast isolates were cultured in 100 ml Erlenmeyer flasks containing 50 ml broth medium-A for 60 h at room temperature with shaking at 200 rpm. All experiments were conducted in triplicates, and the results were expressed as means of the replicates along with standard deviation (±SD).
At the end of the experiment, yeast cells were harvested by centrifugation at 4000 rpm for 10 min from 15 ml culture broth, washed twice with sterile distilled water and lyophilized for 48 h using a freeze-drying system (Christ, USA). The biomass concentration was expressed as dry cell weight per liter. Lipid yield was calculated as g lipid per g biomass, and productivity (g/l–h) as lipid production (g/l) over time of incubation (60 h).
Total lipids of yeast strains were extracted using the direct transesterification method described elsewhere (Lepage and Roy 1984). Freeze-dried cells (50–100 mg) and 100 μl of 1.0 mg/ml internal standard (TAG 17:0 (glyceryl trihepta-decanoate), catalogue no. T2151, Sigma-Aldrich Co. LLC., USA) solution were dissolved directly in two ml of 4% sulfuric acid in methanol, vortexed for 30 s, and were then methyl-esterified at 80 °C for 1 h. To extract the FAMEs, one ml each of water and hexane were added to the mixtures at room temperature. After vortexing and centrifuging at 4000 rpm for 5 min, the fatty acids converted into fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs) in the hexane layer was analyzed using GC–MS (Agilent 7890A-5975C, USA) equipped with a HP-5 ms capillary column (30 m × 250 μm × 0.25 μm). Helium was used as the carrier gas with a flow of 0.8 ml/min. A volume of 1.0 μl sample was injected into GC–MS, using a 10.0 μl syringe in splitless injection mode. The injection port temperature was set to 240 °C. The initial column temperature was maintained at 150 °C for 2 min followed by programming at 4 °C/min to 230 °C and held for 5 min.
Ten marine yeast strains were isolated from coastal water of northern China. Colonies of all strains were observed to be red except TJUWZA11 with white appearance. Microscopy showed spherical to ovoid cells with the size ranging from 2 to 8 μm. For molecular identification and phylogenetic analyses, their 18S rRNA gene fragments were amplified from the total genomic DNA using the universal primers and subjected to sequencing analysis. Maximum likelihood tree was built based on the evolutionary distance of ten yeast strains with Candida albicans and Thraustochytrium sp. as outgroups (Fig. 1). Phylogenetic analyses indicated that these 10 yeast strains belonged to three genera of yeasts i.e., Rhodotorula, Rhodosporidium and Cryptococcus.
Nile red is a lipid-soluble dye and has been widely employed to determine the cellular lipid content in qualitative analysis (Kimura et al. 2004). Among all the strains tested, Rhodosporidium TJUWZ4 and Cryptococcus TJUWZA11 showed a significant amount of lipid accumulation in shake flasks by exhibiting positive Nile red staining. The intensity of fluorescence for stained intracellular lipids increased with the ages of cultivation, reaching maximum on the 2nd day of cultures with golden yellow fluorescence as shown in Fig. 2. Since both strains exhibited highest fluorescence on the second day of cultivation, the subsequent optimization of cultivation conditions for lipid production and analysis were done at 60 h. The specific growth rates determined from the growth curves of Rhodosporidium TJUWZ4 and Cryptococcus TJUWZA11 were 0.026 and 0.035 h−1, repectively.
Two monosaccharides (glucose and fructose), two disaccharides (sucrose and lactose) and one polysaccharide (starch) were used to investigate the influence of carbon source on cellular growth and lipid production in flasks. As shown in Table 1, for a given initial sugar concentration of 120 g/l, lipid accumulation was found in almost all carbon sources except for the very low lipid content (0.039 g/l) in Rhodosporidium TJUWZ4 grown on starch. Glucose was shown to be the best substrate with maximum lipid concentration of 0.73 and 0.62 g/l for Rhodosporidium TJUWZ4 and Cryptococcus TJUWZA11, respectively. The biomass was slightly higher on sucrose as compared to other carbon sources for both strains. The maximum lipid yield (0.17 g/g and 0.09 g/g for TJUWZ4 and TJUWZA11, respectively) and productivity (0.012 g/l–h and 0.01 g/l–h for TJUWZ4 and TJUWZA11, respectively) were found on glucose (Fig. 3a, b).
The experimental results indicated that Cryptococcus TJUWZA11 could utilize all carbon sources while Rhodosporidium TJUWZ4 could not accumulate lipids in the starchy medium. Previous report on Cryptococcus terricola also showed accumulation of high lipid content up to 61.96% on medium with 5% starch after a 10-day growth period (Tanimura et al. 2014a). To grow on starchy medium, Cryptococcus terricola could degrade starch to oligosaccharides by using their own extracellular amylases. It was therefore suggested that starch was not assimilated directly by most yeast and required extracellular enzymes. In the present study the biomass content of the two strains grown on starch could not be determined owing to the infeasibility of removing the residual starch in the culture after fermentation.
The influence of four different nitrogen sources, namely yeast extract, peptone, NH4Cl and (NH4)2SO4, on biomass and lipid production is shown in Table 1. Results indicated that all nitrogen sources were able to support growth but the biomass and lipid concentration showed great differences. When organic nitrogen (peptone or yeast extract) was used as the sole nitrogen source for yeast growth, the lipid concentration was 1.37 and 0.75 g/l in peptone, or 1.19 and 0.66 g/l in yeast extract, for stain TJUWZ4 and TJUWZA11 respectively, which were much higher than the values obtained in inorganic sources. The biomass concentration was highest (7.65 g/l) on yeast extract for TJUWZ4, but for TJUWZA11 a combination of (NH4)2SO4 and yeast extract was required to achieve the maximum value of 7.45 g/l. Among all nitrogen sources used, peptone alone showed maximum lipid yield (0.254 and 0.117 g/g) and productivity (0.023 and 0.013 g/l–h) for TJUWZ4 and TJUWZA11 respectively (Figs. 3a, 4b). In cases of organic source mixed with inorganic nitrogen source (NH4Cl + yeast extract, NH4Cl + peptone, (NH4)2SO4 + yeast extract, (NH4)2SO4 + peptone), the lipid yield and productivity were lower than in sole organic source, but higher than in sole inorganic source. A previous study suggested that the vitamins and amino acids contained in organic sources could facilitate the growth of yeast cells thus increasing the lipid yield (Kitcha and Cheirsilp 2013). These results indicate that organic nitrogen sources are more beneficial for lipid production by marine yeast when compared with inorganic sources.
While the effects of carbon source, nitrogen source and their ratios on lipid production have been extensively examined, other factors such as pH, temperature and salinity have not been well studied to optimize the process parameters. In our study, both strains were capable of accumulating lipid in the broths with the initial pH range of 3–7 (Table 2), exhibiting acid tolerance property. The lipid concentration ranged from 0.84 to 1.02 g/l for TJUWZ4, and from 0.42 to 0.66 g/l for TJUWZA11 within the experimental pH range. At pH 4 the lipid yield and productivity reached maximum level (Fig. 5). The highest lipid yield for TJUWZ4 and TJUWZA11 strains were 0.155 and 0.127 g/g with productivity of 0.017 and 0.011 g/l–h, respectively (Fig. 5). The ability of these two strains to accumulate high lipids at low pH makes them ideal candidates for continuous and semi-continuous pilot scale operations, as low pH discourages growth of contaminating bacteria.
The effect of temperature on biomass and lipid production of the two newly isolated oleaginous yeast strains is shown in Table 2. An increase in temperature from 30 to 35 °C led to a drop in biomass and lipid production for both strains. At 35 °C, there was a sharp decrease in the growth of Cryptococcus TJUWZA11 unlike Rhodosporidium TJUWZ4. Similarly there was a decline in biomass and lipid production when strains were grown at temperature below 20 °C. However, the drop in biomass and lipid production in Cryptococcus TJUWZA11 was of greater magnitude than Rhodosporidium TJUWZ4. The lipid productivity were maximum at temperature range of 20–25 °C with 0.025 and 0.013 g/l–h for Rhodosporidium TJUWZ4 and Cryptococcus TJUWZA11, respectively (Fig. 5). The lipid yield was highest at 30 °C for Rhodosporidium TJUWZ4 (0.19 g/g) and 20 °C for Cryptococcus TJUWZA11 (0.12 g/g) (Fig. 5). Rhodosporidium TJUWZ4 exhibited wide range of temperature (20–30 °C) tolerance with high lipid yield (0.185–0.189 g/g) whereas Cryptococcus TJUWZA11 was found to be temperature sensitive and gave highest lipid yield (0.121 g/g) at 20 °C.
As shown in Table 2, both strains were able to grow and produce lipids at all levels of tested salinity (ranging from 30 to 100% of natural seawater). For Cryptococcus TJUWZA11, the optimal seawater concentration was 80%, under which the obtained lipid concentration and yield were 1.2 g/l and 0.17 g/g respectively. It was also found that the salinity strength had little effect on the biomass and lipid production (Table 2) and also on the lipid yield (Fig. 5) of Rhodosporidium TJUWZ4.
It is well known that in a medium with high C/N ratio oleaginous yeast exhibit high yield since after the exhaustion of nitrogen present in the medium the excess carbon is converted to lipid droplets and stored within the yeast cell. In this study, the best carbon and nitrogen sources for high lipid yield and productivity were glucose and peptone respectively for both strains. The C/N ratios used in the experiments were obtained by varying the concentration of added carbon source (glucose) and nitrogen source (peptone and yeast extract) in the medium as listed in Table 3. For the calculation of C/N ratios of 20 C and 120 C, the amount of nitrogen source was kept constant and the carbon source was varied and vice versa for C/N ratios of 20 N and 120 N. At different levels of initial glucose (Fig. 6a, c), yeast cells accumulated more lipid when the C/N ratio was raised from 20 C to 80. However, a further increase to C/N 120 C did not lead to higher lipid yields for both strains. On the other hand when C/N ratio was increased through nitrogen limitation (Fig. 6b, d), the isolates behaved differently. In Rhodosporidium TJUWZ4 the lipid production increased up to 5.4 g/l at C/N of 80 and with further increase in C/N to 120 the lipid yield dropped to 3.86 g/l. However, Cryptococcus TJUWZA11 showed increase in lipid production (1.54 g/l) with higher nitrogen limitation up to C/N 120 N. The maximum lipid yield and productivity were achieved at C/N 80 for Rhodosporidium TJUWZ4 whereas for Cryptococcus TJUWZA11 it was 120 N (Table 3). Among the two strains the highest lipid yield achieved was 0.44 g/g (44%) with productivity of 0.09 g/l–h by Rhodosporidium TJUWZ4.
The fatty acid compositions of the lipid accumulated by both strains cultivated with different C/N ratios were similar with only minor variations in concentration (Table 4; Fig. 6). The main fatty acids were oleic acid (C18:1), which ranged from 59.9 to 76.5% of the total fatty acids, followed by palmitic acid (C16:0), stearic acid (18:0) and linoleic acid (18:2). Myristic acid (14:0) and palmitoleic acid (16:1) were only detected in trace amounts. Fatty acids with 16 and 18 carbon atoms comprised over 90% of the total fatty acids. The obtained fatty acid profiles were quite similar to previously published reports (Meesters et al. 1996) and also to those of plant oils, for instance, sunflower and canola oils (Ageitos et al. 2011). Sixty-nine strains representing 17 genera and 50 species were surveyed and it was found that the dominant fatty acids of the tested yeast strains were oleic (18:1), palmitic (16:0), stearic (18:0), and linoleic (18:2) acids (Sitepu et al. 2013). Minor fatty acids were lignoceric acid (24:0), palmitoleic acid (16:1), behenic acid (22:0), myristic acid (14:0), linolenic acid (18:3) and arachidic acid (22:0). In another work, twelve different yeast strains were evaluated for their lipid content and fatty acid profiles, and the data demonstrated that the predominant fatty acids are long chain fatty acids with 16–18 carbon atoms, including palmitic acid, oleic acid, linoleic acid and linolenic acid (Spier et al. 2015).
Oleaginous yeast are known to accumulate lipids up to 20% of their biomass (Ageitos et al. 2011), thus both strains isolated in our study are oleaginous by this definition. Only 3–10% of the 1600 known yeast species are oleaginous, and the identified genera include Yarrowia, Candida, Rhodotorula, Rhodosporidium, Cryptococcus, Trichosporon and Lipomyces (Sitepu et al. 2014). Based on the 18S rRNA analysis, the isolated strains TJUWZ4 and TJUWZA11 belonged to Rhodosporidium and Cryptococcus genera, respectively, and their ability for lipid accumulation has been demonstrated to be consistent with previous published results (Meesters et al. 1996; Sitepu et al. 2013, 2014).
Oleaginous yeast capable of producing high lipid titers and yield is crucial to the bioprocess for conversion of lignocellulosic waste to lipids, which can further be converted to biodiesel (Slininger et al. 2016). A robust strain exhibiting a wide range of adaptability and tolerance to the growth conditions would be an ideal candidate for development of such bioprocess. In the present study one of the isolates Rhodosporidium TJUWZ4 was found to exhibit such desired properties. It exhibited acid, temperature and salinity tolerance and gave highest lipid yield up to 44% (0.4 g/g) of cellular dry weight at C/N 80. It is noteworthy that only 5% of reported oleaginous yeasts can accumulate more than 25% of lipids (Ageitos et al. 2011), and our results of Rhodosporidium TJUWZ4 has shown much higher than 25% placing it among the highest lipid accumulating oleaginous yeast.
While lipid content and yield can vary greatly among species, overall fatty acid profiles have been shown to be quite consistent under all conditions. As shown in Table 4, the major fatty acids of two tested strains were oleic acid (ca. 60% in TJUWZ4 and ca. 42% in TJUWZA11), palmitic acid (24.3% in TJUWZ4 and 30.4% in TJUWZA11), and linoleic acid (ca. 11% in TJUWZ4 and 23% in TJUWZA11). Minor fatty acids were stearic acid (18:0), myristic acid (14:0) and palmitoleic acid (16:1). These are consistent with the range of lipids generally found in other oleaginous yeast species (Dias et al. 2015; Sitepu et al. 2013).
Fatty acid composition has significant impacts on performance of biodiesel. Major properties of any biodiesel that are directly influenced by the FAME composition include: cetane number (CN), melting point, oxidative stability, kinematic viscosity and heat of combustion, which should be modified to comply with official standards ASTM D6751 and EN 14214 (Kaneko et al. 1976). Based on the fatty acid profiles observed in our study, it can be suggested that lipids from either yeast could be ideal candidates for biodiesel production purposes. However, owing to the robust nature of Rhodsporidium TJUWZ4, to changes in culture conditions, it could be a potential oleaginous yeast strain for biodiesel production in pilot scale oil production under batch as well as semi-continuous mode.
Lipid accumulation normally takes places when nitrogen source is depleted from the medium while carbon source is still present in high amounts (Gao et al. 2014; Granger et al. 1993). Under this condition, the excess carbon source is channeled into lipid bodies to form triglycerides (TAGs). From this, it can be deduced that a high C/N ratio of the media would be favorable for lipid accumulation. Accordingly, the lipid yield was increased through the nitrogen limitation. Our results also implied that at a certain level of nitrogen source, an increase of carbon loadings (glucose in the case) from 48 g/l (C/N 80) to 72.3 g/l (C/N 120C) was not beneficial for the lipid production. There existed an optimum initial C/N ratio, and when the value of C/N ratio was higher or lower than the optimal one, lipid accumulation decreased. Therefore, utilization of carbon sources should be controlled in the batch fermentation since carbon accounts for a large amount of the total production cost, and any potential saving in carbon utilization will help to reduce the processing cost and realize the economic industrial application.
In conclusion, ten marine yeast strains were isolated from Bohai Sea of northern China. Sequence analyses indicated that they belonged to three genera: Rhodosporidium, Rhodotorula, and Cryptococcus. Lipid production analyses identified two high lipid-producing strains, namely Rhodosporidium TJUWZ4 and Cryptococcus TJUWZA11. Further characterization of these two strains for their ability to accumulate lipid under various culture conditions revealed that Rhodosporidium TJUWZ4 (44% yield on glucose and peptone with C/N 80) is among the 5% reported oleaginous yeast able to accumulate above 25% lipid. Moreover, Rhodosporidium TJUWZ4 showed tolerance to a wide range of pH, temperature and salinity. The predominant fatty acid profiles were oleic acid (18:1), palmitic acid (C16:0) and linoleic acid (18:2) accounting to 90% of total fatty acids, highly desirable for better biodiesel properties. Thus, Rhodosporidium TJUWZ4 has great potentials for application in microbial based biodiesel production, and is an important step towards the development of a cost-effective and high-yielding process for biodiesel production from lignocellulosic waste.
This work was partially supported by NSFC Grants (31170109, 31670044) and National Public Science and Technology Research Funds Projects of Ocean (201305022). The views expressed herein are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the funding agencies or any of its subagencies.
The 18S rRNA gene sequences are available in GenBank under the Access Number of KU317620-317626 and KT281890-281892.
13568_2017_329_MOESM1_ESM.docx Additional file 1: Table S1. One-factor-at-a-time experimental design for optimization of lipid yield in newly isolated marine oleaginous yeasts. | 2019-04-22T06:05:45Z | https://amb-express.springeropen.com/articles/10.1186/s13568-017-0329-x |
Tsetse flies are the primary vector for African trypanosomiasis, a disease that affects both humans and livestock across the continent of Africa. In 1973 tsetse flies were estimated to inhabit 22% of Kenya; by 1996 that number had risen to roughly 34%. Efforts to control the disease were hampered by a lack of information and costs associated with the identification of infested areas. Given changing spatial and demographic factors, a model that can predict suitable tsetse fly habitat based on land cover and climate change is critical to efforts aimed at controlling the disease. In this paper we present a generalizable method, using a modified Mapcurves goodness of fit test, to evaluate the existing publicly available land cover products to determine which products perform the best at identifying suitable tsetse fly land cover.
For single date applications, Africover was determined to be the best land use land cover (LULC) product for tsetse modeling. However, for changing habitats, whether climatically or anthropogenically forced, the IGBP DISCover and MODIS type 1 products where determined to be most practical.
The method can be used to differentiate between various LULC products and be applied to any such research when there is a known relationship between a species and land cover.
African trypanosomiasis is a parasitic disease transmitted by the tsetse fly (genus Glossina) to animals and humans. It is a neglected tropical disease [1, 2] and considered one of the most important economically debilitating diseases in Sub-Saharan Africa [Oloo F: Literature survey on unpublished records on environmental and socio-economic impacts assessment on tsetse and trypanosomiasis interventions in Kenya. 2006. unpublished]. Three major epidemics have occurred in the past hundred years, one between 1896 and 1906, and the other two in 1920 and 1970 . In 1986, approximately 70 million people were estimated to be at risk of exposure to tsetse . A decade later, it was estimated that at least 300,000 cases of Human African Trypanosomiasis (HAT), commonly known as sleeping sickness, were underreported due to lack of surveillance capabilities, diagnostic expertise, and health care access [3, 4]. In 2001 as a response to these limitations, the World Health Organization (WHO), with public and private partnerships, initiated a new surveillance and elimination program , during which approximately 25,000 new cases were reported annually . Furthermore, in some areas, HAT symptoms were misdiagnosed as malaria, and therefore masked the overall number of new HAT cases [4, 6]. Animal African trypanosomiasis (AAT), commonly known as nagana, also indirectly affects the lives of people in Sub-Saharan Africa because it can decimate livestock thus impacting nutrition and livelihoods. It is estimated that livestock productivity decreases by 20% to 40% in tsetse infested areas [7, 8]. In Kenya where livestock production accounts for approximately 12% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) [9, 10], the economic burden of sleeping sickness is felt at both local and national scales .
The geographic distribution of the tsetse fly varies throughout Sub-Saharan Africa and is closely linked to land cover . Tsetse flies require land covers that contain vegetation greater than 3 cm in diameter and 1 to 4 meters in height, hereafter referred to as woody vegetation . Habitats with suitable land cover range from the tropical rain forest to semi-arid grass savannah and wet mangrove, but in East Africa are specifically found in riparian and woody savannah ecosystems . This study focuses on Kenya (Figure 1), where in 1973 tsetse flies were estimated to inhabit 22% of the country . By 1996 the amount of Kenya estimated to be infested with tsetse flies had risen to roughly 34% .
Location and topography of Kenya.
Efforts to control the disease have been hampered by a lack of information and the substantial costs associated with the identification of infested areas, control traps, or broad eradication activities. Given changing LULC and climate factors, a model that can predict changes in suitable tsetse fly habitat is critical to efforts aimed at controlling the disease. Before constructing such a model the existing publicly available land cover products must be evaluated to determine which products perform the best at identifying suitable tsetse fly land cover. Rather than relying on reported accuracy assessments, not always available for each LULC product and expensive or impossible to perform post-production, we developed a generalizable method using a modified Mapcurves goodness of fit (GOF) test to identify the optimum land cover products. The method can be applied to any vector borne disease-modeling endeavor where a known environmental relationship between a given species and specific land covers exists.
Tsetse flies are divided into three sub-genus groups, all of which are found in Kenya. The sub-genus Austenina, also referred to as the fusca group, are commonly considered forest tsetse species, with the notable exception of G. longipennis, which lives in sparsely vegetated arid regions . Three species within the fusca group are found in Kenya: G. brevipalpis, G. fuscipleuris, and G. longipennis . The sub-genus Nemorhina or palpalis group, a riverine species group, with only one species, G. Fuscipes, is also present in Kenya . The third sub-genus Glossina or morsitans group is considered a woody savannah tsetse species. Four species of the morsitans group are found within Kenya: G. austeni, G. morsitans, G. swynnertoni, and G. pallidipes.
Although the eight species of tsetse fly in Kenya exist and live in diverse habitats, their populations are concentrated in six distinct zones: North and South Rift Valley, Arid and Semiarid Lands (ASALs) North of Mt. Kenya, Central Kenya, Coastal, Transmara-Narok-Kajiado, and the Western Kenya & Lake Victoria belts (Figure 2) [16, 19]. The zones, commonly called fly belts, are infested with one or more tsetse species with boundaries set by a variety of physical, biological and anthropogenic barriers. G. pallidipes and G. fuscipes are the two most important tsetse species in Kenya because they are considered "efficient transmitters" of AAT and HAT. The tsetse fly vector carries the parasites to different animal hosts, allowing cyclical transmission, but the primary animal reservoirs are wild and domestic ungulates. Humans may also contribute to the reservoir pool , and both animals and humans contribute to trypanosoma genetic exchange . In 2001 infection rates of cattle in select provinces of Kenya were as follows: Coastal, 15.6%, Rift Valley, 12.9%, and Western, 8.3% .
The 1996 KETRI fly belts map.
Population density models characterized most early tsetse fly modeling endeavors and were primarily based on climate variables highly correlated with tsetse fly survival. These early models provided little in the form of predicted distributions. For example Nash and later Bursell identified humidity and temperature as key climatic variables influencing tsetse fly mortality, and both used linear regression to predict tsetse fly population densities. However, these models assumed that suitable habitat and tsetse flies were present at the modeled locations, and thus, in effect, only predicted tsetse fly population densities in known locations.
In 1971, Ford published what some consider the definitive book describing the ecology, history, control, and a variety of other topics concerning the tsetse fly across the African continent. Six years later Ford and Katondo created the first widely accepted tsetse fly distribution maps based on field work and knowledge of the African landscape. Building on the work of Nash , Bursell , and Ford , the Trypanosomaiasis and Land-use in Africa (TALA) Research Group and the Environmental Research Group Oxford (ERGO), constructed several models dealing with tsetse flies starting in 1979 [23–27]. Initially the models were population density models , but later coarse resolution climate maps of temperature and vapor pressure were used to identify areas with suitable tsetse fly climate regimes .
Starting in the early 1990's remotely sensed land cover and climate data were employed to aid in identifying suitable tsetse fly habitat [28–30]. The Oxford group and the Programme against African Trypanosomiasis (PAAT) collaborated to create PAAT – Information System (PAATIS), a spatially explicit model that predicted tsetse fly distributions at a 5 km resolution using discriminant analysis and maximum likelihood statistics on remotely sensed environmental variables, socioeconomic data, and the Ford & Katondo distribution maps . The PAATIS model was later refined by ERGO, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), and International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) employing logistic regression and produced 1 km spatial resolution predicted percent probability of particular tsetse fly species in various regions .
Vector borne diseases in much of the world occupy places difficult to access for in situ collection or operate across spaces too large to easily or effectively sample. Satellite based sensors allow for synoptic coverage and the routine collection of data over these sites and situations. Curran et al. outline three underlying premises to justify the use of remotely sensed data in the modeling of vector borne diseases: 1) remotely sensed data can be used to provide information on land cover and by association the habitat of species , 2) the spatial distributions of vector-borne diseases are related to the habitat of the vector , and 3) if these are true, then remotely sensed data can be used to provide information on the spatial distribution of vector-borne diseases . For this reason, remotely sensed data have been used as descriptors in multiple vector-borne disease modeling research studies (see e.g. [25–27, 35–41]). In this study, fifteen publicly available LULC products derived from satellite borne remote sensing instruments were examined to identify which could be used to construct a tsetse fly habitat model.
Fifteen public LULC products (Table 1) available from sources including NASA, International Geosphere-Biosphere Programme (IGBP), The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), The Global Environment Monitoring Unit at the University of Maryland (UMd), and the Climate Land Interaction Project (CLIP) located within the Center for Global Change and Earth Observations at Michigan State University were examined. All of the LULC products used in this analysis were originally in or converted to a raster format with a spatial resolution of 1 km or 500 m, and cover the entire country of Kenya. Each LULC data set is unique based on its production methods, classification scheme, temporal acquisition date, and intended use.
The land use land cover data sets that are publicly available for Kenya.
Each type MODIS of product is sub divided into 500 m and 1 km data sets.
The IGBP DISCover land cover product produced by the United States Geological Survey (USGS) Land Cover Working Group in 1995 was created using the Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) 10 day composites from April 1992 to May 1993 . The land cover classes were determined using unsupervised classification on the AVHRR NDVI data on a continental scale . The accuracy of the IGBP DISCover land cover product has been estimated at 66.9 percent for overall area weighted accuracy, and an accuracy range of 40 to 100 percent for individual classes .
The Global Land Cover Facility at the UMd produced the UMd Global Land Cover Classification (GLCC) LULC data set utilized the same underlying remotely sensed AVHRR NDVI data as the IGBP DISCover land cover product, but employed a decision tree classification method resulting in a different classification scheme . As explained in Hansen and Reed the major difference between the IGBP DISCover and the UMd GLCC classification schemes is the exclusion of permanent wetlands, cropland/natural vegetation mosaic, and ice/snow by the UMd GLCC product. No formal accuracy assessment has been performed on the UMd GLCC product, though the reported agreement between the UMd GLCC product and the IGBP DISCover is 74 percent .
This study also used all 5 types of Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) Global Land Cover products in both 500 m and 1 km spatial resolutions (MCD12Q1 & MOD12Q1), which are publicly available from NASA. Although both spatial resolutions of each type of MODIS Global Land Cover product are produced using the same classification method and scheme, the resulting 500 m and 1 km data sets are quite different in the patterns of land cover classes that they display (Figure 3). For this reason, each resolution of each type of MODIS LULC product is considered a separate data set in our analysis.
2001 MODIS Type 1 Global Land Cover 500 m (A) and 1 km (B) spatial resolution. The classification scheme is simplified to highlight the differences between the two data sets despite the same classification methods. The "Woody Vegetation" class is comprised of mixed forest, shrubland, and savannah land cover, which are considered suitable tsetse fly habitat.
The MODIS Global Land Cover products were produced annually from 2001 to 2004 for the 1 km data, and 2001 to 2005 for the 500 m data. Only the 2001 data are analyzed here as they are the closest match to the production dates of the validation data. MODIS Type 1 is produced using MODIS NDVI data and the same IGBP global vegetation classification scheme as the IGBP DISCover land cover product . MODIS Type 2 uses the UMd modified IGBP scheme and methodology and the same MODIS NDVI data used to create the MODIS Type 1 land cover product . MODIS Type 3 land cover product is derived from known relationships between estimated leaf area index (LAI) and fraction of photosynthetically active radiation (FPAR) . MODIS Type 4 land cover product is derived from the net primary production (NPP) MODIS products, which measure the growth of the terrestrial vegetation. The MODIS Type 4 classification scheme is primarily geared towards the identification of forest types, such as deciduous broadleaf vegetation and evergreen broadleaf vegetation. MODIS Type 5 land cover product was designed to be used in the Community Land Model for the purposes of climate modeling, and focuses on classifying land cover type based on the plant functional type or plant biome.
Global Land Cover 2000 (GLC2000) was produced by the Joint Research Centre Global Vegetation Monitoring Unit and created over a 14 month period between November of 1999 and December of 2000 using the VEGETATION sensor on the SPOT-4 satellite . The classification scheme of GLC2000 used the Land Cover Classification System (LCCS) designed by the FAO . Mayaux et al. have estimated that the overall global accuracy of the GLC2000 product at 68.5 ± 5%. In this study a 26 class African version of GLC2000 was used; 22 of those classes are found within Kenya.
The LCCS was originally developed to aid in the production of the Africover product . Africover was created by combining both computer based unsupervised classification and an expert system supervised classification performed by visual interpretation of mid-1990's era Landsat images by local experts . Several Africover products exist; for this study the spatially aggregated Kenya specific product was used. The original Kenya specific Africover product is in vector format, with 105 LULC classes, and has a nominal spatial scale of 1:200,000. The 105 class Africover vector data set was then converted into a raster data structure with a 1 km spatial resolution, using the highest maximum combined area of all LULC classes found within a grid cell to determine the final raster cell class. To deal with the mixed LULC classes frequently found within the Africover product, the LCCS Code 1 class (i.e. the predominate LULC class in each polygon) was assigned as the overall polygon class. This method reduced the number of LULC classes found in Kenya from 105 to 95, eliminating particular classes not often found or with small surface areas (e.g. snow).
The final LULC data set examined in this study is CLIP Cover produced by the CLIP project at Michigan State University. The CLIP Cover LULC product is a hybrid of GLC2000 and Africover land cover products and essentially uses Africover agricultural data where available and GLC2000 non agricultural land cover data . CLIP Cover was only produced for East Africa.
Tsetse flies require specific types of land cover generally referred to as woody vegetation [9, 13, 14, 54–56]. However, each subspecies of tsetse fly inhabits distinctive ecosystems with different types of woody land cover. For the purposes of this study the morsitans group was selected as the primary focus. The moristans group has the greatest spatial distribution in Kenya; with palpalis only located along the shore of Lake Victoria and the Ugandan, and fusca, whose distributions tend to overlap that of moristans, found in isolated pockets of forest and along the Tanzanian border [18, 25]. Also, in Kenya, four of the eight tsetse fly species belong to the moristans group. Finally, one of the four species within the moristans group is G. pallidipes, which is considered the tsetse fly species most responsible for transmitting trypanosomiasis in Kenya.
The determination of whether or not a class in a LULC data set contained both the correct type and quantity of woody vegetation suitable for a moristans fly was based on the methods outlined in Cecchi et al. , which entails examining class descriptions found in the LULC product's metadata or user manuals and comparing it to published habitat requirements (e.g. Table 2). Once land cover classes that contained suitable tsetse fly habitat were identified, the LULC data sets were classified into binary suitable land cover maps.
MODIS Type 1 LULC classes and their tsetse fly suitability classification.
Tsetse flies are also limited by environmental variables such as temperature, humidity, and soil moisture. No in situ country wide humidity or soil moisture data are available, so following Leak , we used 500 mm as a proxy for the minimum level of precipitation for tsetse survival and the 1 km resolution annual precipitation data set from WorldClim for the year 2000 (Figure 4). Moristans prefer temperatures in the mid 20ºC range ; however, tsetse flies will take advantage of micro habitats created by woody vegetation in order to survive temperatures above 32ºC . Thus, maximum temperature was not considered a major limiting variable as long as the proper moisture regimes and land cover were present. Tsetse fly pupa do require a minimum temperature of roughly 16ºC for survival ; as in previous research (e.g. Leak ), this study used a maximum elevation of 2200 m as a surrogate for minimum temperature. The resulting binary suitability maps based on land cover, elevation, and precipitation suitability were then combined to create an overall suitability map for each of the fifteen LULC data sets (Figure 5).
Map A is a 1 km resolution annual precipitation data set from WorldClim for the year 2000 . The WorldClim precipitation data set was classified to create Map B, a binary precipitation suitability map.
The binary suitability maps created when the Africover and MODIS 1 km type 1 LULC products were combined with elevation and precipitation data.
The lack of publicly available country wide tsetse fly census data meant that an alternative ground truth data set had to be identified. The first source of ground truth data used in this study was a 1996 tsetse fly belts map produced by the former Kenyan Trypanosomiasis Research Institute (KETRI), now known as Kenya Agricultural Research Institute Trypanosomiasis Research Centre (KARI-TRC) [16, 19]. This map represents the most recent field data on tsetse distributions and shows the general location of tsetse fly belts across Kenya (Figure 2).
A previous study performed by Cecchi et al. [17, 60] used the 5 km PAATIS maps as best available tsetse fly distributions data at the continental level. As our study focused on only one country, we chose to use the higher spatial resolution 1 km FAO/IAEA distribution maps as a second source of ground truth data. The FAO/IAEA tsetse fly species distributions maps were produced using logistic regression models, with variables such as NDVI, land surface temperature, infrared reflectance, vapor pressure deficit, air temperature, surface rainfall, elevation, slope, and potential evapotranspiration . The classification scheme of each map displays the predicted percent probability of a particular tsetse fly species being found at any given time. Here, the distribution maps of the four Glossina sub-genus species (austeni, morsitans, pallidipes, and swynnertoni) were combined to create a morsitans group distribution map for all of Kenya. The combined FAO/IAEA morsitans distribution map was produced using the mosaic tool in ArcGIS, with maximum mosaic method to ensure the species with the greatest probability would be reported as the pixel probability (Figure 6).
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations/International Atomic Energy Agency combined moristans tsetse fly species group distribution map.
The use of the combined FAO/IAEA morsitans distribution map as validation data did pose the problem of using a classification scheme dissimilar to the fifteen LULC binary suitability maps (i.e. percent probability versus binary habitat suitability). Although the classification schemes appear to be different, the variables used to produce the FAO/IAEA distribution maps were ecological suitability variables, and therefore the probability of presence is based on habitat and a direct comparison is possible. In order to account for the differences posed by the percent classification scheme of the combined FAO/IAEA distribution map and the binary LULC suitability maps, an extension of Mapcurves Goodness of Fit (GOF) method of comparison was developed (see Hargrove et al. ).
The Mapcurves GOF score is a measure of the degree of spatial autocorrelation between classes of categorical maps with higher Mapcurves GOF scores indicating higher relative positive autocorrelation between classes. The calculation of a Mapcurves GOF score is not limited by differences in resolution, number of classes, or data format, but rather that Map 1 and Map 2 overlap spatially and that the amount of spatial overlap can be measured . One method for calculating the amount of spatial overlap between the classes of two data sets is through the creation of a cross tabulation matrix . The tabulation matrix displays the classes of one data set as rows in the table, and the classes of the other data set as columns , and therefore the matrix is comprised of the degree of spatial overlap between the individual classes of the two data sets being compared. Figure 7 shows two example categorical data sets and the cross tabulation matrix that was constructed in the first step of the Mapcurves GOF analysis.
Example I and II are example categorical data sets to be compared using the Mapcurves GOF approach. Example III is a visual representation of the cross tabulation matrix created within the GIS environment. The table displayed is a representation of the cross tabulation matrix that would be calculated in the first step of the Mapcurves GOF analysis.
The resulting cross tabulation matrix table is used to create a weighted ratio comparison matrix. The weighted ratio comparison matrix is constructed by taking the area of two intersecting categories divided by the total area of the Map 1 category, which is then multiplied and weighted by the intersecting area divided by the total area of the Map 2 category. By weighting the proportion of spatial overlap for Map 1 by the proportion of spatial overlap of Map 2, distortion caused by the presence of large, but minimally intersecting categories, is prevented . Each cell within the matrix displays the GOF ratio for the intersecting Map 1 and 2 categories in the associated rows and columns, this information can later be used to determine the best reclassification scheme depending on which map is identified as the reference map. The summing of the rows and columns of the weighted ratio comparison matrix will yield the GOF score of each class category contained in both Map 1 and Map 2 (Figure 8). This information can be used to determine the degree of concordance between categories of the two maps, and is used to create a cumulative ratio frequency distribution.
An example of a weighted ratio comparison matrix for the calculation of a Mapcurves GOF score.
The overall Mapcurves GOF score is the integration of a cumulative ratio frequency distribution (Figure 9). Hargrove et al. used 0.02 as the threshold for the cumulative ratio frequency distribution, and 0.02 was used here as well. The cumulative ratio frequency distribution shows the declining ratio of map categories on the y-axis that still satisfy a GOF Mapcurves score on the x-axis. Once the cumulative ratio frequency distribution has been created, a simple integration will yield the Mapcurves GOF score. This process is then completed for both directions in order to determine which direction has the higher Mapcurves GOF score and therefore the correct direction for reclassification if the reference map has yet to be determined. The direction that yields the highest Mapcurves GOF score is considered to be the best mathematical fit and is considered the reference map. A Mapcurves GOF score of 1.00 represents 100% agreement between the two maps being analyzed (i.e. they are the same map); a low Mapcurves GOF score (e.g. 0.10) is indicative of a high degree of disagreement between the maps.
An example of a cumulative ratio frequency distribution and integration table for the calculation of a Mapcurves GOF score.
Once Mapcurves GOF scores have been calculated for both directions, and the reference map has been determined, then the weighted ratio comparison matrix (Figure 8) is used to determine the GOF between individual classes and how to best reclassify the target map based on the classification scheme of the reference map. The reclassification of the target map is implemented by first identifying the highest Mapcurves GOF score in each category's associated row or column in the weighted ratio comparison matrix, then that category is reclassified based on the corresponding class in the reference map.
For this study, the fifteen LULC binary suitability maps were compared to the combined FAO/IAEA distribution map and the 1996 fly belts map using the Mapcurves method. To facilitate the comparison between the FAO/IAEA distribution map and the binary suitability maps, the percent classification scheme of the FAO/IAEA map was classified into a categorical map. A bin value of 0.02 was selected, reclassifying the FAO/IAEA distribution map into a 50 class categorical map (i.e. 2% percent probability per class). A one tail t-test, with a significance level of 0.1, was used to detect if any of the LULC data sets had significant levels of agreement with the two ground truth maps.
In an effort to create the best possible LULC data set for modeling tsetse fly in Kenya, we created a hybrid suitability map. This hybrid map was constructed by combining the suitability maps of the five LULC data sets that had the highest level of agreement into a single categorical map. Each class represented the number of LULC data sets that predicted the presence of suitability tsetse fly habitat at that location; for example class 3 means that three LULC data sets predicted suitable tsetse fly habitat.
The combined FAO/IAEA distribution map was then classified to match the same number of classes of our combined suitability map. The classifying of the combined FAO/IAEA distribution map to match our combined suitability map allowed us to run a traditional kappa coefficient and a Mapcurves GOF to test the level of agreement between the two maps. A kappa coefficient is a rescaled proportion of agreement between two data sets, and can be calculated by taking the observed accuracy minus the chance accuracy divided by one minus the chance accuracy as shown below [65, 66].
A kappa coefficient of 1.00 indicates perfect agreement between the two maps. The kappa coefficient and the Mapcurves GOF not only test the agreement between the combined FAO/IAEA distribution map and the new combined suitability map, but also explored the level of agreement between the different statistical methods.
The fifteen LULC data sets vary widely in the amount of woody vegetation predicted to be in Kenya from roughly 45,000 km2 to 523,000 km2 (Table 3). With the addition of environmental variables and the creation of the binary suitability maps the amount of suitable tsetse fly habitat decreases for each data set and ranges from roughly 31,000 km2 to 205,000 km2, still a wide range. The overall decrease in suitable habitat range is primarily caused by low precipitation in the northern parts of Kenya, which creates inhospitable moisture regimes for both tsetse fly adults and pupae.
The amount of woody vegetation and suitable tsetse fly habitat (when combined with environmental variables) predicted by the LULC binary maps.
The Mapcruves GOF between the 1996 fly belts map and the combined FAO/IAEA distribution map to the LULC binary suitability maps resulted in similar levels of agreement between the fifteen data sets, with a range between 0.52 – 0.59 and 0.53 – 0.65 respectively. When the weighted ratio comparison matrix between each of the binary maps unsuitable class and the 1996 fly belts map and the FAO/IAEA distribution map was examined, high levels of agreement were observed with a range between 0.70 – 0.95 and 0.75 – 0.95 respectively. These observations lead to the conclusion that the high level of agreement between one of the two classes inflated the overall GOF score for each LULC data set, creating a false confidence in the results. For this reason only the GOF between the suitable class of the binary suitability maps and the two maps used as ground truth were examined to determine which data set had the highest level of agreement of tsetse fly presence.
The comparison of the binary suitability maps to the 1996 fly belts resulted in Africover, CLIPcover, IGBP DISCover, and MODIS 1 km Type 1, 2, and 3 products having significant levels of agreement. The comparison of the binary suitability maps to the FAO/IAEA combined distribution map resulted in Africover, IGBP DISCover, UMd GLCC, and MODIS 1 km type 1, 2, and 3 products having significant levels of agreement (Table 4 and Figure 10).
Results of the Mapcurves GOF analysis between the LULC binary suitable tsetse habitat maps and the combined FAO/IAEA distribution map and the 1996 fly belt map.
Significant levels of agreement in bold.
Mapcurves GOF scores for each LULC data set when compared to the FAO/IAEA combined distribution map. Data sets are sorted in order from highest to lowest GOF with the FAO/IAEA combined distribution map.
Based on the results of Mapcurves GOF analysis of the binary suitability maps the five LULC data sets used to create the combined suitability map were: Africover, IGBP DISCover, MODIS type 1, UMd Global Land Cover, and CLIPcover. MODIS types 2 & 3 were excluded despite their high GOF scores to avoid redundancy given their similarity to MODIS type 1, and alternatively CLIPcover and UMd GLCC were included due to their significant level of agreement with at least one of the two ground truth maps. GLC2000, MODIS 1 km type 4 & 5, and all of the MODIS 500 m LULC data sets were excluded due to their low GOF scores. The resulting suitability map is a categorical map with six classes; 0 representing an area where none of the five LULC data sets predicted suitable tsetse habitat, 5 representing an area where all five of the LULC data sets predicted suitable habitat (Figure 11). The combined FAO/IAEA distribution map was then reclassified into a six class categorical map, from 0 – 100% in ~16.6% increments, to mirror the classification scheme of the newly created combined suitability map.
The suitability map produced when the binary suitability maps for Africover, IGBP DISCover, MODIS t1, UMd Global Land Cover, and GLC2000 were combined.
Examination of the areas of each of the six classes in the FAO/IAEA reclassified and combined LULC maps showed that the largest difference occurred in class 1 where the combined LULC map predicts 14,049 km2, and the FAO/IAEA reclassified map predicts 69,147 km2, a difference of 55,098 km2 (Table 5). The largest similarity occurs in class 2 with a difference of 5,196 km2 between the two maps.
The Area of suitable tsetse fly habitat predicted by the combined suitability map and the FAO/IAEA reclassified map.
The Mapcurves GOF analysis produced a score of 0.23 (i.e. 23% agreement) between the combined suitability map and the six class FAO/IAEA combined distribution map. The kappa GOF analysis resulted in an observed agreement of 0.55, an expected of 0.39, with a kappa coefficient of 0.26 (Table 6). Both the Mapcurves GOF analysis and the kappa coefficient show that the level of agreement between the two maps is very low.
The confusion matrix used to calculate kappa coefficient.
Class agreement between the two data sets is highlighted in bold.
Based on the results of the Mapcurves GOF analysis the top LULC product for use in predicting suitable tsetse fly land cover was Africover. Possible reasons for the Africover product out performing the other LULC products include the higher spatial resolution data used in the creation of the product, local knowledge in the initial classification, and country specific classes. Africover coincidently predicted the largest area of suitable tsetse habitat out of the fifteen LULC products examined. The possibility that this contributed to Africover out performing the other products was explored; however, the apparent relationship between high amount of predicted suitable tsetse fly habitat and high GOF scores does not display a proportional change between percent suitable and GOF scores. If one examines the percent difference of predicted suitability (Table 3) between Africover and IGBP DISCover, a 2% difference is observed, compared to fly belt GOF score difference of 0.05 and FAO/IAEA GOF score difference of 0.04. Similar comparisons between the other LULC data sets GOF scores and percent predicted suitability show no direct proportional relationship, and the general relationship between predicted suitability and GOF scores was considered a negligible result of examining the suitability GOF rather than the overall GOF of each data set.
Although Africover was identified as the top performer, one goal of our analysis was to identify multiple LULC products that can be used to model tsetse fly in Kenya. To that end IGBP DISCover and MODIS type 1, 2, and 3 Global Land Cover at 1 km resolution products were also determined to be strong performers at predicting suitable tsetse fly land cover. The decision on which of the five LULC products to use in the construction of a tsetse fly model can now be made using other factors not directly examined in this study (e.g. accuracy assessments, temporal resolution, data availability). With regards to constructing a model that can predict future tsetse fly distributions based on land use, land cover, climate, and socio economic change, the ability to perform an analysis of LULC change is beneficial. Since currently no plans exist to produce another LULC product similar to Africover, based on the need to model tsetse over time, this product is not considered by us to be the best choice.
An examination of the three MODIS products shows that the GOF scores were nearly identical. To tease out the most favorable product type we examined the results of other LULC data sets that employed the same classification methods and schemes as the MODIS type 1, 2 and 3 products. MODIS type 1 was determined to be the optimal MODIS product since it is based off of the IGBP DISCover classification scheme and method, which had the second highest GOF of all fifteen data sets examined. The similarity between IGBP DISCover and MODIS type 1 allows for a LULC change analysis to be performed since in theory they are directly comparable. In addition to the 2001 data, MODIS produced the 1 km Global Land Cover products annually for 2002, 2003, and 2004. In total, use of the IGBP DISCover and MODIS type 1 products provide five years to construct LULC change trajectories, making them the optimal land cover products to use in modeling tsetse fly.
The results of the combined suitability map constructed from Africover, IGBP DISCover, MODIS t1, UMd Global Land Cover, and CLIPcover showed a notable decrease in the level of agreement compared to the FAO/IAEA map. However, the combined suitability map did allow for a comparison of Mapcurves and Kappa GOF scores, which displayed only a small difference between the two calculated levels of agreement. The similar GOF score calculated by the kappa coefficient and the Mapcurves GOF methods shows that Mapcurves is a viable method of assessing agreement between two maps. Unfortunately the level of agreement produced by both methods is so low that it is clear that that combined suitability map is not an improvement upon the individual binary suitability maps used to create it.
An unexpected result of the GOF analysis was that of the 500 m MODIS LULC products when compared to the 1 km MODIS LULC products. Although the 500 m data has four times the spatial resolution of the 1 km MODIS products, all five of the products were calculated to have insignificant GOF scores. It is our belief that the lower GOF scores are due in part to the over estimation of grassland in southern Kenya. For example, the 500 m type 1 product contains roughly 6% more grassland than the 1 km type 1 product (Figure 3).
The low level of agreement between our maps and the available ground truth data may be partly attributable to the way the ground truth data was constructed. When considering the existing FAO/IAEA products it is important to note that they have not been through peer review, nor do they have a published accuracy statement, thus the low level of agreement may simply be an artifact of accumulative uncertainty. The 1996 fly belts may also have a high degree of uncertainty due to their apparent generalized locations when compared to the more detailed 1973 fly belts produced by Ford & Katondo .
Despite the low level of agreement between the binary suitability maps and the combined suitability map when compared to the FAO/IAEA map and the 1996 fly belts, the method we have developed does identify the LULC products that best predict land cover required by tsetse flies. The method we have developed can be used to differentiate between various LULC products and be applied to any such research when there is a known relationship between a species and land cover. The importance of performing this type of analysis can be observed in the results of the GOF scores produced by GLC2000 when compared to Africover. A previous comparison of GLC2000 and Africover performed by Torbick et al. concluded that GLC2000 out performed Africover for predicting natural land cover such as grassland, savannah, and forest. However, in our study we found that the Africover out performs GLC2000 for identifying suitable tsetse fly land cover classes. This discrepancy epitomizes the importance of evaluating the available LULC products and not relying on simple accuracy assessments as each LULC product is different and often has a distinct production method, classification scheme, and intended use.
This research was supported by The National Institutes of Health, Office of the Director, Roadmap Initiative, and NIGMS: award # RGM084704A.
The authors contributed equally to the production and approve of the final manuscript. | 2019-04-23T11:55:07Z | https://ij-healthgeographics.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1476-072X-8-39 |
Why would most people like to have a boyfriend or a girlfriend?
It is because he or she lacks the Yin (feminine aspect) or Yang (masculine aspect).
We are born with the desire to find God.
Before we succeed, we take whatever is most convenient. Therefore, we seek boyfriends or girlfriends, or get married, etc.
When in love, each person gives the other either Yin or Yang. So, the two of them are very happy, very much at ease and contented.
Therefore, when you are really in love, wow! You are so happy, because you give naturally, and then you have the Yin and Yang naturally.
God arranges them to flow between you.
However, people tend to forget later, and become unnatural. When in love longer, they expect from each other!
They have been so happy in love because the Yin and Yang energies have been replenishing each other naturally.
Suddenly, one day, they will get used to this kind of feeling, thinking it is because of the other person that they are so happy, not realizing that God is charging them naturally.
When you are not thinking, God flows this energy to the two of you simultaneously and naturally supplements you. This is being given naturally when you are not thinking.
So the two of you are happy.
As you start to think, then we say "missing", missing the other person. We think we are happy because of that person. Then, we begin to have attachment, and want to bind him to our sides, wishing to retain this happiness forever, just like when freshly in love.
As we start thinking in this way, the energy is transformed into a limited one. We think it is from the other person instead of from God.
So the energy is suddenly severed, understand?
The power of our thoughts is so strong that anything would come true accordingly. So, as your thought emerges, the system is disconnected.
The two persons then rely on each other, because they feel they are lacking something!
Unable to get contentment, they would capture, bind and cling to each other, and sink deeper in agony together.
Originally, they were two persons, now they stick together as if they have transformed into one, but still with two egos. Do you understand?
The energies stick together, but not the egos!
(Master and everyone laugh.) And then the problem starts right here.
Each of us originally have our own energy and ego, controlling our own life, and being our own master.
Before knowing the other person, we were always our own master! Today, I will watch TV, eat a certain vegetarian dish and I myself want to eat it, without caring about anyone.
As the two get together and become one later, they supplement each other, and are happy together.
However, their egos have not become one.
Both of them are not accustomed to having two egos, and would only follow their individual ego. She wants to go swimming, while he prefers watching TV.
The two heads simply won't coordinate, and it could be very troublesome. Both of them want to be the boss, though not deliberately.
They have forgotten that all their capital is now in the same investment, but with two bosses. (Master and everyone laugh.) Then, the two bosses start quarrelling, as both want to take charge.
So, this is where marriage failures start.
The quarrels carry on, not contented with the love, the two egos try to become the only boss, destroying or suppressing the other one. As both of them are doing the same, there are struggles and agonies.
Love vanishes, followed by the energy also vanishing.
Their vitality is limited, so they feel it is diminishing.
They start blaming one another: "You don't love me anymore!" Then, they would pick faults with each other. "Why are you becoming like this?"
They never saw any faults before, when they were abundant in vitality and bliss. Even when his hair turned white, it would not be noticed, not even when the floor is covered with fallen hair. (Master and everyone laugh.) They simply sweep the floor while singing, "La-la-la..." The hair is beautiful, I love you..."
Now, they can't stand seeing one single hair on the pillow.
They are picking faults, here, there and everywhere. It is because they are no longer happy, not contented, also because of the two egos.
The two bosses are fighting for control.
Since both of them want to take charge, surely one of them has to be eliminated!
As a new spiritual practitioner, our greatest fear is being attracted to some heretical paths.
Heretical paths, meaning side tracks, not necessarily those inscribing mantras, or reciting hu-la-hop. This is not definite. Heretical path simply means not the path that we want to walk on.
New practitioners are not steady enough to resist the allure of lust and passion. Then we will become weaker, and forget to get the vitality from God.
We are finished when we depend on the other feeble person to render us happiness. Once overpowered, our spiritual practice would stop dead, not an inch of further progress.
That was why ancient people advised practitioners to become monks. Having become a monk, you better don't look at girls anymore.
There is an Indian saying: Even the girl is seventy years old, teeth all gone, hair all gone, dying on her bed, still don't look at her.
They were frightened to such extent, understand?
It is because, they fear that the new practitioners cannot steady their mind. Once abducted, their affinity with God is severed.
Without the connection, he would think the other person can give him happiness. Therefore, their vitality is getting less, because they rely on each other.
Observing that you are relying on someone else, God would say, "Okay! You don't need me anymore! Good bye!"
This is a natural and automatic system.
You get what you asked for.
If you pray to God, and find your Kingdom of God within, all will be added unto you.
If all you asked for is that tiny petty drop, then it is all you will get.
This is the way with the automatic system.
This is why people in the world cannot find God.
They recite so many scriptures each day, but they can see no one. Whatever they prayed for is not answered, understand? They are either relying on people, or on those inscribed or typewritten words.
When we are in love with someone, our vitality would be united with that of the other party, not detachable.
Not detachable but with two heads.
Both of them want to be the boss.
Sometimes, it is not intentional, not deliberate, just a habit. We were used to being single. From our birth until now, twenty or thirty years old, we always walk alone, making our own decisions, deciding when we will eat, and when to go to the toilet. (Laughters) Oh! That is still negotiable!
But, negotiation won't work in most cases.
Each one sternly maintains their self-righteousness.
Sometimes, this may not be deliberate, only a habit, not realizing that they should also consider the other party. Therefore, most marriage and love would be broken at a certain stage.
They simply do not understand the mental state and this kind of system.
When two persons are in love, they replenish each other. One providing the Yin energy, the other providing the Yang. Sigh!
It is so healing, so delightful, and so you get addicted.
It's because humans also represent God, they are equipped with a power generator similar to that of God!
Therefore, when that person loves you, it resembles God loving you, so you are very happy. If the two of you love each other, both of you are fully charged, right?
The most painful moment is when they are forsaken, or when the love has just been cut off. It is as if the vitality is lost, the electric current is abruptly disconnected, so it is very painful.
This is why people love to be in love, because of the happiness. Actually, the happiness is not due to that person, but due to fact that the vitalizing energy was replenished.
We won't be disappointed if we go for the most mighty power generator in the very beginning, which is everlasting for our use.
It is all right for us to fall in love after we have steadied our pace! It is all right to have a mate. I am just afraid that we might not want any at that time.
It is all right to have one or have none.
It is only more troublesome if you have one more ego. Otherwise, you have only one ego, save the trouble of two egos.
Sleeping at night, one of you want to leave the windows open, the other wants them closed. One prefers to have the light on, the other wants them switched off.
Even trifles could cause a quarrel, right?
It will be even worse after you have a baby. One wishes the child would behave this way, the other one wants the other way. One teaches the child this, the other teaches another thing.
Actually, the other half of our soul is not to be found in this world. Only when we have found our true self, then we have truly found the other half of our soul.
Therefore, even when we were successful in marriage, wealthy, abundant in anything in this world, we still feel like we are lacking something!
It is because one person could not have sufficient energy to revitalize another person, unless we understand where the vitalities of both parties really come from.
Then, we don't have to worry about our supply being cut off.
It might be simple to say, but difficult to understand. At least, you should have an idea about this, and then do your best to practice diligently each day.
Our willpower will get stronger, and anything we wish for will come true. That is the time when we possess the almighty, invisible miracle power. Then, there is no need to recite any mantra.
Simply think about it and you will have everything.
Tại sao nhiều người lại thích tìm bạn trai, hay bạn gái?
Bởi vì họ thiếu âm hoặc thiếu dương.
Chúng ta khi sinh ra đã có ước muốn tìm kiếm Thượng Đế.
Trong lúc thương yêu nhau, hai người đều ban phát cho nhau, một người cho âm, một người cho dương, cho nên hai người đều rất sung sướng, tự nhiên, cảm thấy rất thoải mái và mãn nguyện.
Cho nên quý vị thấy khi quý vị đang yêu, ôi chao, thật là hạnh phúc. Bởi vì quý vị cho nhau một cách tự nhiên, sau đó quý vị tự nhiên có âm và dương.
Thượng Đế an bài sự lưu thông như vậy.
Tuy nhiên sau đó người ta có khuynh hướng quên đi, và trở thành mất tự nhiên. Khi yêu nhau một thời gian, hai bên đều chờ đợi nhau!
Bởi vì trong lúc yêu thương chúng ta cảm thấy rất sung sướng ban tặng nguyên khí âm dương một cách tự nhiên, cho nên hai người đều rất sung sướng.
Bỗng nhiên một ngày nọ, chúng ta quen với cảm giác đó, nghĩ rằng vì có người đó nên ta mới sung sướng, không biết rằng chính Thượng Đế truyền điện cho chúng ta một cách tự nhiên!
Khi quý vị không suy nghĩ, Thượng Đế truyền nguyên khí này cho hai người một cách tự nhiên, để họ cùng nhận được sự hỗ trợ. Điều này được ban tặng một cách tự nhiên khi quý vị không suy nghĩ.
Cho nên cả hai người đều rất sung sướng.
Khi quý vị bắt đầu nghĩ ngợi, lúc đó gọi là "tưởng nhớ", tưởng nhớ đến người đó, cho rằng vì có người đó nên chúng ta mới sung sướng như vậy.
Thế là, chúng ta bắt đầu có sự ràng buộc, và muốn trói người đó lại bên mình để được sung sướng mãi như thuở ban đầu mới yêu.
Khi chúng ta bắt đầu nghĩ như vậy, chúng ta đã biến nguyên khí đó thành hữu hạn, cho rằng đó là sự ban tặng của người đó, chứ không phải từ Thượng Đế.
Cho nên nguyên khí đó bỗng nhiên bị gián đoạn.
Bởi vì ý niệm của chúng ta rất mạnh, muốn gì được nấy. Cho nên vừa mới suy nghĩ như vậy thì hệ thống đó lập tức bị gián đoạn.
Từ đó, hai người nương tựa vào nhau, vì họ cảm thấy thiếu thốn điều gì đó!
Họ cứ tìm kiếm mãi.
Không cảm thấy mãn nguyện, họ sẽ túm lấy, trói buộc và nắm giữ nhau, và cùng chìm sâu trong đau khổ.
Vốn là hai người, sau khi sống chung hòa hợp với nhau đã biến thành tựa như là một người, nhưng vẫn còn hai cái ngã chấp. Hiểu không?
Nguyên khí dính với nhau, nhưng ngã chấp thì không dính!
(Sư Phụ và mọi người cười). Sau đó bắt đầu có chuyện.
Bởi vì mỗi chúng ta vốn đã có sẵn nguyên khí và ngã chấp của chính mình, tự kiểm soát đời sống của chính chúng ta, tự làm chủ chính chúng ta.
Khi chưa quen biết người đó, chúng ta đều tự chủ cả! Hôm nay tôi muốn coi TV, tôi muốn ăn món chay đó là tôi sẽ ăn, không cần để ý đến người khác.
Sau khi hai người sống bên nhau, họ trở thành một, hỗ trợ lẫn nhau, và vui vẻ bên nhau.
Tuy nhiên, ngã chấp của họ không trở thành một.
Hai người đều không quen với hai cái ngã chấp, mà đều đi theo ngả chấp của mình. Hôm nay một người muốn coi TV, còn người kia muốn đi bơi.
Hai cái đầu không hoà hợp với nhau, lúc đó mới sinh ra phiền não; hai người đều muốn làm chủ, mặc dầu không phải là cố ý.
Họ quên rằng bây giờ tất cả mọi vốn liếng của họ đều đã đầu tư vào một nơi, nhưng có hai ông (bà) chủ. (Sư Phụ và mọi người cười). Lúc đó hai ông (bà) chủ bắt đầu cãi nhau vì ai cũng muốn làm chủ.
Cho nên hôn nhân đổ vỡ từ điểm này.
Rồi cứ cãi nhau mãi, không hài lòng với tình yêu, hai cái ngã chấp cố gắng trở thành người chủ duy nhất, muốn thủ tiêu hãy đè bẹp đối phương. Vì cả hai người đều làm vậy, cho nên mới có sự giằng co và đau khổ.
Tình yêu bắt đầu tan biến, nguyên khí cũng tiêu tan.
Sự kết nối với nguồn nguyên khí lớn nhất từ Thượng Đế bị đứt đoạn. Bây giờ chỉ còn lại hai người nương tựa lẫn nhau.
Nguyên khí của con người có hạn, cho nên mới càng ngày càng cảm thấy thiếu thốn.
Họ bắt đầu trách cứ người kia: "Bây giờ anh (em) không yêu tôi nữa." Rồi cứ ở đó kiếm lỗi: "Hồi xưa anh (em) đâu có như thế!"
Hồi xưa không nhìn thấy gì cả, lúc đó nguyên khí còn rất sung mãn, rất sung sướng. Cho dù tóc họ có bạc trắng cũng không nhìn thấy. Tóc rụng đầy đất cũng không thấy. Còn vừa quét nhà vừa hát nghêu ngao là là là la... Mái tóc em đẹp quá, anh yêu em..."
Giờ đây, một sợi rớt trên gối thôi cũng chịu không nỗi.
Họ bắt đầu kiếm chuyện, bên này đào một chút, bên kia khơi ra một chút khuyết điểm, bởi vì không còn vui vẻ, không được mãn nguyện, và cũng bởi vì có hai cái ngã chấp.
Hai ông chủ tranh quyền nhau.
Bởi vì cả hai đều muốn làm chủ, dĩ nhiên một người phải bị loại ra.
Khi chúng ta mới bắt đầu tu hành, điều đáng sợ nhất là bị người ta lôi kéo vào bàng môn tả đạo.
Tả đạo, nghĩa là đường bên cạnh, không nhất thiết là những thứ vẻ bùa, niệm chú hu la hấp nầy kia kia nọ, không nhất định là như vậy. Tả đạo chỉ có nghĩa là con đường mà chúng ta không nên đi.
Những người mới tu, tâm còn chưa vững, điều đáng sợ nhất là bị nữ sắc hay tình yêu thu hút, sau đó chúng ta sẽ bị yếu đi, quên đi việc lấy nguyên khí từ Thượng Đế.
Khi chúng ta nương tựa vào một người yếu ớt để cho chúng ta sự khoái lạc, thì chúng ta tàn đời. Một khi chúng ta bị chi phối quá nhiều, sự tu hành của chúng ta sẽ ngưng ở đó, không tiến bộ nữa.
Cho nên người thời xưa mới khuyên người tu hành nên xuất gia. Sau khi xuất gia tốt nhất đừng nên nhìn phái nữ.
Người Ấn Độ có câu: "Cho dù người nữ đó đã bảy mươi tuổi, răng đã rụng hết, tóc không còn một cọng, bệnh sắp chết, nằm trên giường cũng không nên ngó."
Họ sợ đến như thế đó, hiểu không?
Bởi vì sợ những người mới tu không đủ biện pháp kiềm chế, nếu một khi bị kéo đi, thì duyên với Thượng Đế sẽ bị đứt đoạn.
Sau khi đứt đoạn với Thượng Đế, thì nghĩ rằng người kia mang đến cho mình hạnh phúc. Cho nên cả hai càng lúc càng mất dần nguyên khí, bởi vì cả hai nương tựa vào nhau.
Một khi Thượng Đế thấy quý vị nương tựa vào người khác, Ngài sẽ nói: "Được! Ngươi không cần ta nữa! Chào!"
Đây là một hệ thống tự động rất tự nhiên.
Quý vị muốn gì sẽ được nấy.
"Nếu quý vị cầu nguyện với Thượng Đế, quý vị tìm được Thiên quốc bên trong, và rồi mọi thứ sẽ được thêm vào cho quý vị.
Nếu như quý vị chỉ cầu mong những điều nhỏ nhặt, thì quý vị chỉ được những điều nhỏ nhặt ấy mà thôi."
Hệ thống tự nhiên là như thế.
Đó là vì sao nhân loại trên thế giới tìm không ra Thượng Đế.
Mỗi ngày đọc bao nhiêu kinh điển, nhưng cũng không thấy được ai. Cầu điều gì cũng không linh. Nếu họ không dựa vào người khác, thì họ dựa vào những dòng chữ đã viết hoặc đã đánh máy.
Cho nên Thượng Đế cũng không có cách nào hơn.
Khi chúng ta yêu thương người nào, nguyên khí của chúng ta sẽ hợp cùng một khối với người ấy, sau đó sẽ dứt không ra.
Không dứt ra được, nhưng lại có hai cái đầu.
Nếu hai cái đầu này hướng về hai phía khác nhau, thì sẽ có vấn đề lớn, sinh ra cãi vã và bất hòa. Bây giờ quý vị hiểu tại sao có cải vã chưa?
Bởi vì cả hai đều muốn làm chủ.
Nhiều khi chỉ là vô tình, không có cố ý, nhưng thói quen là như thế. Chúng ta đã quen sống một mình. Từ lúc sinh ra cho đến hai mươi, ba mươi tuổi đều làm việc một mình, tự mình làm chủ, quyết định lúc nào muốn ăn cơm, lúc nào muốn đi cầu. (Mọi người cười). Ồ!. Điều này cũng dễ thương lượng!
Nhưng rất nhiều chuyện không thể thương lượng được.
Ai cũng cứng rắn cho rằng mình là đúng.
Có những lúc không phải họ cố ý, mà chỉ là thói quen. Họ không quen nghĩ đến người khác. Cho nên rất nhiều cuộc hôn nhân, ái tình bị đổ vỡ.
Chúng ta cũng không thể trách cứ người khác, vì sao hôm nay đang yêu, ngày mai lại bỏ nhau, hôm nay kết hôn, năm sau lại ly hôn.
Bởi vì họ không hiểu tâm lý và hệ thống tự nhiên này.
Lúc hai người yêu nhau, họ sẽ hổ tương cho nhau, một người bổ sung âm, một người bổ sung dương. Chao ôi!
Thật là đầy đủ, thật là sung sướng, rồi họ say mê.
Bởi vì con người cũng là đại biểu của Thượng Đế, họ có cơ xưởng phát điện giống như Thượng Đế!
Cho nên nếu một người nào yêu thương quý vị, thì cũng giống như Thượng Đế yêu thương quý vị. Vì vậy quý vị cảm thấy rất sung sướng. Khi cả hai thương nhau, cả hai cảm thấy thật đầy đủ, phải không?
Quý vị biết khi những người đang yêu nhau, trông họ ngây ngô, không còn quan tâm đến điều chi. (Sư Phụ cùng mọi người cười).
Sau đó nếu họ bị bỏ rơi hoặc là tình yêu bị phân ly, thì họ đau khổ vô cùng, giống như bị mất đi nguyên khí, như điện đột nhiên bị gián đoạn, cho nên rất đau khổ.
Vì vậy mà người ta mới thích yêu thương, bởi vì rất sung sướng. Thật ra, sự sung sướng không phải là do người kia mang lại, mà là do nguyên khí được bổ sung nên mới sung sướng.
Chúng ta sẽ không bị thất vọng, nếu từ ban đầu chúng ta tìm đến xưởng phát điện lớn nhất, thì sẽ không bị thất vọng, vả lại còn có thể dùng được vĩnh viễn.
Sau khi chúng ta đã cứng cáp, chúng ta muốn yêu thương cũng không trễ! Muốn tìm một người bạn cũng không hề gì. Sợ rằng lúc đó chúng ta không còn muốn điều gì nữa. Có cũng được, không có cũng xong.
Có thêm một cái ngã nữa chỉ phiền phức thêm mà thôi. Nếu chỉ có một cái ngã chấp thôi, sẽ tránh được sự phiền phức của hai cái ngã chấp.
Tối đi ngủ, một người muốn mở cửa sổ, còn người kia thì muốn đóng cửa sổ; một người muốn mở đèn, con người kia thì muốn tắt đèn.
Ngay cả những chuyện nhỏ cũng sinh cãi vã, đúng không?
Rồi khi sinh con lại càng dễ cãi nhau hơn. Một người muốn em bé như thế này, người kia muốn em bé thế nọ. Người muốn dạy con thế này, còn người thì muốn dạy con thế kia, cho rằng làm thế mới tốt.
Thật ra, nửa linh hồn kia của chúng ta không thể tìm được ở thế giới này. Chỉ khi tìm thấy được con người thật của mình, lúc đó chúng ta mới thật sự tìm thấy một nửa linh hồn kia của mình.
Cho nên, ngay cả khi hôn nhân của chúng ta rất mỹ mãn, tiền bạc đầy đủ, chúng ta vẫn cảm thấy thiếu một điều gì.
Bởi vì giữa người và người không đủ nguyên khí để bổ sung cho nhau, trừ khi chúng ta thật sự hiểu rõ nguyên khí của chúng ta và nguyên khí của đối phương từ đâu mà có.
Rồi chúng ta không phải lo sợ nguồn cung cấp của mình bị đứt đoạn.
Nhưng nói thì dễ, hiểu được mới là điều khó. Tuy nhiên ít nhất chúng ta cần phải có khái niệm này, và rồi chúng ta cố gắng mỗi ngày tu hành.
Ý chí của chúng ta sẽ ngày càng mạnh mẽ, sau đó chúng ta muốn điều gì thì có điều đó. Lúc đó chúng ta sẽ có thần thông lớn nhất, thứ thần thông vô hình, không cần phải niệm phù chú nữa.
Chỉ cần nghĩ tới và quý vị sẽ có tất cả. | 2019-04-25T04:02:14Z | http://www.thepeaceseekers.org/book-lifestyle/the-enigma-of-yin-and-yang |
Bluebell the motorhome is parked up on the banks of the Moselle River on the outskirts of Trier. It’s not the nicest campsite we’ve been on, but it is serving a purpose.
On the exit road there was a sign for a campsite so we pulled in and luckily they had space, Keith wanted to see the Roman remains here and I could tell he was disappointed the aire was shut. They probably could have included a note in the Camperstop Book as I’m sure it would have been known about.
After a quick lunch we walked along the banks of the Mosel River to the old town. We saw the Roman bridge, the lower columns were 2000 years old!
We crossed the Roman bridge and went into town, the outskirts of town are awful, seedy and filthy, I was crossing everything that the historic centre would be nicer. Once we got into the Market Square, we relaxed, it was very pretty indeed and had a lovely character- high wooden building etc, lovely.
A short walk from the Market Square and we reached the most impressive of the sights in Trier, the Porto Nigra, which is the worlds largest preserved a Roman City Gate. What an amazing sight. Keith went inside whilst I had a cheeky wine, payment for dog sitting!
We then did a walking trail which included other Roman remains, including the amphitheatre, Roman baths and Basilica. My favourite was the amphitheatre, it was surrounded by banks of vineyards and was a bargain to go in, only €4 each. You could go underneath the arena and right around the top of it. It was very easy to reinact Russell Crowe’s Gladiator!
Roman sights visited, we headed back to the market square for some beverages, Keith was happy he found somewhere selling Kristellweissen (spelling!) I settled on the local wine. We moved onto a pop up wine stall also in the market square, I tried the local fizz which was delicious, and Keith had a pino noir white.
We then had a meal, only our second meal out of the trip- opting for a local restaurant also on the market square, we both had pork schnitzel and frites, which was delicious.
Bluebell the motorhome is almost back where she began 3.5 weeks ago! We left Trier bright and early and did a full service fill/empty before checking out of our campsite.
We were on the road for 9am, and as a result we were filling up with ridiculously cheap fuel an hour later in Luxembourg- €0.92 per litre! After squeezing as much as possible in we were back on the road and soon in Belgium. Our toll free route took us through Belgium, round Brussels and back up to Calais. It was an easy journey and we were pulling into Gravelines aire at 2pm. Sadly the fair was in town opposite the aire, and we didn’t fancy a noisy night, especially at €7 for the night, no services, so we carried on to where we spent our first night on Oye Plage beach aire. You can imagine our shock when we arrived and there was a great big height barrier blocking the carpark- considering we had stayed there literally 3.5 weeks ago! Oh well, we trundled down the road to the municipal aire in the village and found a space alongside another Brit, shortly followed by several others!
We had a good chill, watching a couple of movies, and had an early night after prawn egg fried rice for tea.
Bluebell the motorhome is sat having a well earned rest having carted us and our mad dog around 2900 miles Europe for the last 28 days, with barely a problem -other than the tyre incident in Brugges and lack of power on hills!
We started this morning having had a lovely quiet night at Oye Plage, and having bit of a lay in. Once up, we decided to give ourselves a head start on packing up, stripping the sheets and loading up the washing bags- 2 huge Ikea bags full of dirty washing- oh joy!
It was only €5.50 to go in, and you got to explore right through the under ground tunnels, 600m of them. It was so eery in there, but so fascinating. Thank goodness for the French resistance who along with the RAF aerial surveillance noticed the site being built and therefore bombed it heavily so it never got completed.
After a very enjoyable visit (feels not quite the right word but I’m sure you understand!) we headed to Cite Europe, right next to the Eurotunnel Departure, for a chill, shop, and to give Bluebell a thorough clean – one less job to do when we get back. I had a good hour exploring the French supermarket- I’ve really missed the choice, sorry Germany but your supermarkets weren’t (in my opinion) as good as the French, before whipping us up an early tea. Keith got on with some bits of maintenance- we’d lost a few screws here and there. At 6pm we moved round to begin check in- a longer than normal process, not entirely sure why as the actual passport check was minimal, again! 8pm and we were on the train and by 11pm we were home and ready for bed!
We have had a brilliant tour- seen some absolutely amazing sights, eaten and drank some cracking food and drink. Our general opinion of Germany is we loved what we saw, but not sure we would rush back. We found some parts of it hard work- all outweighed in the end by the good stuff obviously, but we came back feeling satisfied but ready for home!
Thoughts now turn to our next adventure- lined up for October Half Term, and my birthday! We are thinking about visiting South Wales- but as ever, who knows till nearer the time!
Bluebell the motorhome is parked up by the sea alongside several other vans from across the continent and we are waving to the big ferries traveling between Dover and Dunkirk.
We set off from a wet and miserable Norfolk late morning giving us plenty of time to reach our 6pm Eurotunnel crossing from Folkstone in light of recent reports over the weekend of hours and hours of delays. Of course, we had a remarkably quick journey, reaching Folkstone in around 3 hours, making us 4 hours early, and predictably, due to the summer holidays we were unable to travel on an early train! Oh well, we parked up and operation chill began with an immediate afternoon nap and a cheeky Burger King for good measure -Keith was suffering with a migrane hangover (we’d had a boozy night with friends in the village last night!) and before we knew it we were gliding through passport control at an alarming rate considering the extra high security alert at the moment and on our train waving Au Revoir Angleterre!
We initially thought we would drive straight to Belgium but on the train had the realisation that we are over here for 4 weeks, longer than ever before (and boy doesn’t Bluebell know it, her cupboards are filled to bursting!) so decided to pick an aire (French Overnight Parking spot for motorhomes) from our Bible (aka Camperstop Europe) ten miles E of Calais. Twenty minutes later and we rolled onto Oye-Plage, conveniently located a stones throw from a nice little locals bar, 5 minutes after that we were propping the bar up enjoying our first continental beer of the trip, a nice refreshing Pelforth each, thoughts turning to where next?! We’ve been slightly less organised this time round, with only a loose plan of a route, we have chosen to embrace this and so tomorrow we will be sampling a few Belgium beers/chocolates in Brugges.
After a great sleep we woke feeling refreshed and eager to explore so we wasted no time and set off around 09:00, stopping at the municipal aire in the village to do our services (fill water/empty loo and waste water etc).
An hour or so later we were saying Au Revoir France! Bonjour Belgium! and 30 mins later, thanks to our trusty CoPilot and Camperstop app we were pulling into our secure aire on the edge of Brugge and ready to explore! What a perfect day!
More pics of Brugges next time. Tomorrow we are heading towards Waterloo to visit the battle of Waterloo battlefield.
We woke up on Wednesday feeling massively satisfied that we’d managed to fit in so many attractions already. We decided to head over to Montmarte on the metro. At 130m high, Montmarte is Paris’ highest point, and is often referred to as The Artists District. The journey from George V to Blanche on the metro was very straightforward and we both found the metro very good value- we basically got a single ticket which was €1.80 each and meant we could travel anywhere as long as the journey time didn’t exceed 1.5 hours. Excellent value.
Our first sight after getting off the metro at Blanche was the iconic Moulin Rouge.
Obviously I couldn’t resist having a little go at the can can outside – given that Moulin Rouge is where the can can originated from. Jacques Offenbach, composer of The Can Can is buried nearby.
Using our trusty Lonely Planet and Eye Witness city books, I navigated us on a great walk around the Montmarte area, passing some fabulous sights along the way.
^The passer through Walls- Le Passe-Muraille is the title of a story by Marcel Aymé about a man named Dutilleul who discovers that he can (you guessed it) walk through walls. The statue is situated in a place named after Marcel Aymé in beautiful Montmartre.
^ This small city centre vineyard produces thousands of litres of wine per year!
Lapin Agile- Pablo Picasso’s 1905 oil painting, “At the Lapin Agile” helped to make this cabaret world famous.
We hadn’t realised it but we’d actually climbed very high, and down all the little streets there was a view of Paris.
We were now right up as high as the Sacre Coeur – and wandered round to the terrace over looking Paris below. We could see the Montparsse Tower, and Gare De Nord station, but the Eifell Tower was just round the corner so wasn’t on the skyline.
After a quick visit inside we decided it was definately lunch time. Today was going to be our traditional French meal, and we had spotted a lovely looking bistro right on the market square so worked our way back to it, picking up several souvenirs en route!
I opted for the menu of the day- Escargot (snails!) to start, Chicken with mushroom sauce with potato daulphinaise , and a cheese board to finish. Keith went for French onion soup to start and fillet of pork for main. It was absolutely delicious and the service was brilliant. We had wine and beer and the whole thing came to £60. Amazing.
We’d walked for miles, and feeling happy, fed and watered, we decided an afternoon nap was definately in order so we made our way to the hotel and snoozed, wanting to feel refreshed for our river trip on the Seine that night.
We woke feeling refreshed and headed back towards the Eifell Tower to pick up a river boat for our evening cruise. We hadn’t pre booked, but it didn’t matter- we went to the first kiosk under the Eifell Tower and paid our €13.50 and booked onto the 21:30 cruise with Vedette Du Pont Neuf. It was handily located next to a nice looking bar and snack bar, and was a great spot for people watching for a couple of hours.
The hubby (haha) did good and got me some champers to celebrate the end of a lovely break, and before we knew it, it was time to board our lovely boat. Unlike a lot of the other companies, our boat was a lovely open topped wooden boat and the journey was a highlight of our trip. Seeing Paris turn from dusk into night, and all the twinkling lights was wonderful.
We got off the boat deliriously happy, it was wonderful sailing down the Seine at night, you can understand why it’s called the city of light.
We bought crepes and a small bottle of wine and went into the Trocadero gardens, for a mini picnic. We’d been told the Eifell Tower would start twinkling on the hour, and at 23:00 we saw it, crepe and red wine in hand. It was gorgeous!!
All that remained for our last night in Paris was a stroll hand in hand, back to the hotel, via the Arc De Trumph.
We had the most amazing break- we saw all the sights that we wanted to see, ate and drank some amazing food and drink and fell in love with Paris, particularly at night!
We were fairly impressed with Eurostar, it was nicer than flying, and fairly stress free and easy. We didn’t think much to the hotel, our room was dated and had lots of loose wiring, no access to drinking water or tea and coffee making facilities and the lack of shower curtain meant every time we took a shower the entire bathroom flooded. But location wise was good, although if we go again we will go for a hotel in the Latin quarter.
Our main honeymoon is in America in August, we fly to New York and travel on Amtrak trains for 3.5 weeks through Washington, Chicago, Denver, Monument Valley, Grand Canyon, Flagstaff National Park, Hollywood, San Fransisco and Yosemite National Park.
Now the wedding has happened we can grab a few motorhome breaks in the meantime- in fact we’ve just booked tickets for Jimmy’s Sausage and Beer festival at Jimmy’s Farm in Ipswich which has got Chas and Dave and Topload performing, so we’ve booked a caravan club CL down the road.
We’ve had a fab 3 days and crammed so much in, our feet have barely touched the ground! We departed London St Pancras on Monday morning and enjoyed a stress free journey, starting as we meant to go on, with some vin rouge and saucisson!
Bags dropped, we hit the streets- our first port of call, the most famous landmark in Paris- The Eiffel Tower.
It was really good to ‘get it out of the way’ in the nicest possible way, as often when you arrive somewhere on holiday, the first day can be a write off. If we had waited to one of our 2 full days we would have had to sacrifice another attraction.
Tuesday dawned and we were up and about early. We’d got lots to do- it started with a hours walk to the Musee D’Orsay- we could have made it easier by getting the metro however we like to walk round new cities! Plus, we were after a coffee! We arrived at the Musee D’Orsay and another long (but at least moving) queue. I got our place, whilst Keith set about sorting some caffeine out, and actually the queue didn’t seem too bad. I think we waited for about 40 mins in the end.
I really enjoyed visiting this gallery, and would highly recommend it. Keith’s done the Louve before (I haven’t) and he said he enjoyed Musee D’Orsay far more.
From here we walked along the Seine to Il De la Cite- home to Notre Dame cathedral, our next stop.
After a quick refuel at Cafe Esmarelda opposite the cathedral, we joined the shorter queue and avoided the Quasimodo con men- trying to crash our selfies and then get us to pay them! Notre Dame Cathedral is wonderful. It’s a very special place for our family- Keith’s stepdad, Steve, and his (Keith’s) best friend, Andy, wrote a musical called Quasimodo- based on the story of the Hunchback of Notre Dame, which of course is set within The cathedral. Sadly Keith’s stepdad passed away 2.5 years ago, and Andy’s father passed away only a couple of weeks ago- it was an incredibly moving visit. The rose windows in the cathedral were stunning and we lit a candle for both right beneath.
Next stop was Sainte Chapelle– with the most impressive stained glass windows we’ve ever seen! It’s nestled right in the heart of the Palais de la citie, and although with it, came another hour and a half queue, it was well worth the wait, and probably one of our favourite places we visited.
By now, it was most certainly beer o clock – all this sightseeing was thirsty work! We crossed the bridge back over into the Latin Quarter, and soon found ourselves in the hustle and bustle of the lively area packed with bars and restaurants.
The Latin quarter is home to restaurants from every part of the world- we opted for dinner in an Italian restaurant, and it was delicious and very reasonable on price. We fancied a last drink before we returned back to the hotel- we’d been out since 09:30 and walked over 10 miles! We popped into The Piano Bar for a swift cocktail whilst Happy Hour was on- 3 hours/ €70 later we emerged having had the most wonderful evening we’ve ever had on holiday. There was a live pianist and singer cabaret act, and we absolutely loved watching them- they were top class performers – Dominque, the singer, worked the room, had an amazing voice and a warm personality. They were fab.
By now we’d been out for 14 hours in the same clothes, were midly tipsy, had blisters on both feet but ever so happy! We walked across Il De la Cite, past Notre Dame, and admired her all lit up, before getting on the metro back to our hotel. We couldn’t believe how much we’d fitted into our first day and a half in Paris!!
Bluebell the motorhome is parked up in the free aire at Arromanches Les Bains. We’re parked up alongside over 20 hired motorhomes that seem to belong to the BBC however they are unoccupied, infact – nosey pants here had a good look through the window of one (or five!!) earlier and the beds aren’t even made up? We’ve been told by the tourist office that the aire is closed until 10th June, but bearing in mind we’d already driven onto it, parked, had lunch and a wander by the time we found this out, plus there are 3 other non BBC vans here, we’ve decided to be brave and stick it out here. The security van has just done a round and seems happy for us to be here so that’s good enough for us!
There’s not much breathing room in the spaces here, but it is free!
Our neighbours- 20 odd hired motorhomes belonging to the BBC – although no one seems to be staying in them!!
Today we had a contemplative but pleasant drive along the Normandy coast, passing the pretty Courseuilles sur Mer, Deuville and Trouville. We’ve done this tour before ( read here ) but never made it Site Hillman, so that was our first stop today.
Site Hillman was given the code name HILLMAN by the Allies, and consisted of 18 concrete bunkers buried 4m deep and linked by tunnels. It was surrounded by minefields and barbed wire, and was defended by guns, machine guns, and armoured gun posts. On 6th June, the 1st Battalion of the Suffolk Regiment captured Hillman and the bunkers seem to have been untouched since.
After our Hillman visit, we carried on to Arromanches as we were concerned that there are only 19 spaces on the aire there and didn’t want to not get a space! As it happened, we bagged the last space, so celebrated with lunch and a stubby. By this time, I’d noticed all the other motorhomes had BBC signs on the dashboard, and were infact hire vans, but we put it down to prep for all the coverage from here next week. Still not sure why they are in motorhomes and not hotels though!!
We got soaked on our initial walk into town, and had to retreat back to Bluebell for our waterproofs. It was then that we noticed the no access sign blocking the aire. This definitely wasn’t there when we drove in as we wouldn’t have been able to get by it. Still undetered, and suitably dressed in waterproofs, of course the sun came out as we returned into town. Nosey Norris aka me, went I to ask about the aire at the tourist office, where I was told it was closed til 10th June! I decided to keep quiet that we were infact parked in the aire and we carried on up to Port Winston via the free shuttle train!
After a good look around and soak up of the very busy atmosphere, plus a purchase of a couple of new stickers, we opted for crepes and a vin rouge which was delicious and then headed back to Bluebell. We’ve got an excellent internet Fon signal here thanks to motorhome wifi. After dinner we enjoyed an evening stroll into the town, which was more enjoyable as it was far less busy than earlier today. As much as we’ve enjoyed revisiting, the huge crowds were off putting- but seeing as this is one of the key sites of the Landing beaches, a week before D Day it’s hardly surprising.
Next week, we’ve heard there is lots planned for the D Day anniversary itself- Chris Evans brings his Breakfast show here on Friday morning, there is a big concert and even a Prince William and Kate will be here. So no doubt they are already beginning the preparations and tightening security.
Once the anniversary celebrations are over, be sure to visit Arromanches if you haven’t already- seeing the remains of the landing platforms in the sea is really a humbling sight.
Bluebell the motorhome feels like the poor country cousin! She’s parked up in the official motorhome aire at our beloved Honfleur, along with over 240 other motorhomes. It’s like the forecourt of Brownhills!! There are motorhomes in all different shapes and sizes here, occupying the 240 official spaces, and seeping out into the surrounding lane and squashed into corners. We’re fairly confident that we could leave our door wide open and not get burgled (although don’t think we will try!) there are some SERIOUSLY swish vans here, including my personal favourite- a very fancy looking RV with 4 pop out sides, smart car garage and the front looks like an articulated lorry front, rather than a bus! Seriously cool, and worth a fortune I would guess!!
So there we have our day, money saving but soaking up the atmosphere none the less and having a really great time. Tomorrow we’re continuing south or is it west?! towards the WW2 landing beaches.
If you’ve never travelled to Honfleur before, be it in a motorhome or not, we would seriously seriously recommend coming here. It’s a beautiful place, and if you worked your ferry/tunnel crossings wisely, we think you could make it here on a long weekend trip easy peasy. It’s 3.5 hours from Calais on the payage. What are you waiting for?
Bluebell the motorhome is parked up on the port side on the aire at Dieppe, along with around 20 or so other vans, all shapes and sizes, including a couple of other British vans. There are two aires here, both €7 for 24 hrs parking- one with services and one without. We naughtily filled and emptied at Dieppe 1, and on going to get our ticket saw Dieppe 2 across the other side of the port, so drove round and decided we preferred that location.
The weathers been rubbish today, drizzling all day, but we still enjoyed our wander round Dieppe, taking in the history and the chocolate shops… ahem, along with the grand architecture. We both learnt about the first attempt of liberation of France by mainly Canadiens back in Sept 1942, and found the town a nice place to spend a rainy afternoon.
We had a good chat with another British couple on their way back from 6 wks in Portugal- lucky things, it’s always nice to swap stories with fellow motorhomer’s. Our spot on the port was brill- we watched the passenger ferry leave and also a beautiful wooden sailing boat, along with a large barge carrying what we think was wind turbine sails. a real mix of old and new.
Bluebell the motorhome is parked up on her 1st France Passion site of this tour- we’re on a dairy farm near Etretat, which specialises in butter and goats cheese. Nom nom. We arrived around lunchtime, went to say hello, check we could stay tonight and to find out what time the shop open/closes. The France Passion scheme works in the same way Brit Stops does- your host welcomes you to stay for free, but you’re expected to take an interest in their produce etc. There is never any obligation to buy, however we usually do as we’re local food and drink junkies!!
After a hearty lunch (Camembert, saucisson, baguette of course!!) we unloaded the bikes with the intention of cycling to nearby Etretat- a town we’ve seen signed when on the payage, but never managed to get too. Etretat is on the map due to its amazing 3 sea arches, and what a sight they were! Even if by the time we’d got there we could barely stand due to picking a particularly hilly cycle route! Of course once there we couldn’t NOT take the cliff path to the view point at the top, so by the time we were back at our bikes we were cream crackered. Oh well, we’d cycled pretty much the whole 7 kilometres up hill there, so we were quietly confident that the laws of physics meant that we would return downhill. I’m not sure how, but it seems physics weren’t on our sides today as somehow, we managed to pick an equally up hill journey back!
we enjoyed finally visiting Etretat having passed the signs for years!
the larger of the three arches, that is only visible from sea or a hike up the side of a cliff!
Once back at Bluebell, we swiftly went up to the shop to have a chat with the owner of the farm (so impressed I managed a whole conversation in French!!) we’d discovered they made yogurts, butter and goats cheese, the butter is made on site but the goats cheese isn’t because she doesn’t keep goats, and that she thought we were crazy for cycling to Etretat. Oh how we laughed! We came away with some salted butter and goats cheese, both of which we’ve devoured as a pre dinner snack- well it’s been a tough day!! They were absolutely delicious!
We enjoyed visiting Etretat, the sea arches were better than I’d hoped and the town is also very pretty – there are some lovely wooden buildings to enjoy housing restaurants and creperies, lots of souvenir shops, a nice stretch of pebbly beach (no dogs though on the beach, although they are allowed on the promenade) and a really buzzing atmosphere. If you’re not a member of France Passion (you should be, it’s fab!) then there is a conveniently located motorhome aire just on the outskirts of Etretat that you can park at for €8, or day parking on the Le Havre road.
Bluebell the motorhome is parked up on the free aire at Le Hourdel which is just south of St Valery Sur Somme on the Baie of the Somme.
We arrived 45 mins later, bagged the last space on the aire and enjoyed a cuppa in the sun before giving Jazz a little walk down to the beach. The beach here is stoney rather than the expanses of sand found further north or is it East, I’m confused!, but it’s equally pleasant to wander down, and there are lots of birds to watch if that’s your sort of thing. Across the bay you can see Le Crotoy and St. Valerie is to the right.
On the beach there is a ruin of what we thought may be a WW2 Pill box, but there wasn’t any info about it so we aren’t sure; whatever it used to be on closer inspection it’s rather big, probably not in the same position as it used to be and now seems to be home to various wildlife.
We picked up our bikes from the van and cycled the easy 1.5Km to the village of Le Hourdel, where there were two restaurants, a small harbour and a not particularly pretty lighthouse. We then cycled back on ourselves and carried on beyond the aire on a special off road cycle/pedestrian track for 5km to the seaside resort of Cayeux Sur Mer. The weather by now was a mix of clouds and sunshine, and we enjoyed an hour or so looking round the souvenir shops, walking on the beach and eyeing up the pretty beach hits. The cycle ride was lovely and just the sort of thing we fancied doing today.
Think we may have took a wrong turn here?!
Once back at Bluebell, it was chill time, so we’ve literally sat outside reading, listening to music, dozing and watching people come and go. The rain came about 6pm but it’s not dampened our spirits- we’ve been luckier than we could ever have dreamt of with the weather so far, considering that we are on the north coast of France and are both agreed if it changes from now, we won’t mind at all.
Bluebell the motorhome is parked up on a large aire at Fort Mahons Plage, along with around 40 other European vans (and one other Brit!). We paid €9 Euro to stay here tonight, which includes unlimited water and disposals and whilst at first I thought this was slightly pricey, Keith seemed happy enough to stay here and make full use of the water tonight and before we leave tomorrow. Long showers all around!
I have to say, I’m pleased we did stay as we’ve had a great time here! But before I tell you about that, let’s skip back to this morning’s adventure! We awoke to sunshine peaking through the roof vents again, and although there were definitely more clouds on the scene, it didn’t dampen our spirits after such a great day yesterday. After breakfast we drove the 20 mins inland to Montreuil Sur Mer, described as “an incredibly pretty fortified town” in my “What to do and see within 90 mins of Calais” book that I got a few years ago off Amazon for about a quid! We soon found the motorhome aire, conveniently located 2 mins walk from the town centre, and even better- free! We soon found the market square, which was a hive of activity seeing as the market was in full swing, and naturally our priority was to find the saucisson stall. 5 mins later and €10 euros lighter we emerged happy as Larry that we’d got 6 new flavours of saucisson to get stuck into at lunchtime!
The next two hours were spent exploring the town ramparts and the beautiful and oh so typically French streets thanks to the free town map from the Tourist Office. It really is a gorgeous place to visit- the town walls are well kept, enjoyable to walk round (free) and offer lovely views of the surrounding countryside; the cobbled streets are so enchanting that they inspired Victor Hugo to make the town the setting for a major part of Les Miserables after only half a day here back in 1837. We absolutely loved exploring Montreuil, in fact it’s made it’s way onto our favourite/most pretty French town list. Happily, the weather behaved during our time here too!
After lunch (fresh warm baguette, Camembert and saucisson!) we headed back to the seaside on a 20 min journey to Fort Mahon Plage. During our journey it tipped itself down, but luck seemed to be on our side as by the time we pulled up/topped up water/emptied etc, plus delved into the saucisson once more (rude not to, no?!) and cracked open and finished the €1.20 bottle of red we bought earlier as an experiment, the storm had passed and ever since the sun has been out!
After finishing off my wine sized bottle of cider we picked up for €1.80 (flipping love this country!!) I set to the Moules, and it was (even if I do say so myself!) AMAZING! Will definitely do this again- to think it cost less than €5 for a hearty and tasty main meal for us is extraordinary!
Oh and by the way- the €1.20 bottled of red experiment…. It’s no Pape but it’s certainly drinkable and dare I say…… Tasty! It complimented our mid afternoon cheese and saucisson feast admirably and we will definitely be picking up more!!
Friday: Bluebell the Motorhome is parked up on the coast behind a large sand dune on a free aire in France. But the question is, what coast are we on?! When we booked this trip, back in February, we booked with the intention of driving to the Mediterranean for a few beach days in the sun. But, given the fact the weather forcast was grim for pretty much the whole of France, and we are currently saving for our wedding day (exactly one year today to go!) we made the decision on our drive down to The Tunnel not to venture the 700 odd miles each way to the Med! This would save us at least £500 quid in fuel for the wedding fund, and with it being the 70th anniversary year of D Day, we thought Normandy would be a good place (and significantly cheaper!!) to head for, without feeling like we’ve compromised.
So, back to my opening statement: Bluebell the Motorhome is parked up in the blazing sunshine (not forecasted!!) on the Free aire at Stella Plage; just south of Le Touquet.
We arrived in France smoothly, quickly, (thanks Eurotunnel) and less stressed at the promise of saving some dosh, late last night and made the 2 minutes drive from train to Cite Europe aire, along with 10 or so other motorhomes for some serious shut eye. We must have needed it as we didn’t wake up til gone 10am!! Feeling heaps more positive, less knackered, and encouraged by the bright blue sky perking through our roof vents, we doned our shorts and picked a beach aire in our “All The Aires France” that was an hours drive away.
Our mission this week is to travel this stretch of coast without using toll roads, and we enjoyed our journey leaving the motorway at Bologne on the Route Nationale road towards Stella Plage. When we arrived, we were pleased to see there were plenty of spaces free, and enjoyed a walk over the sand dune and on to the beach. We narrowly averted a storm with a lunch break in Bluebell before off loading the bikes and cycling the 30 mins journey to ale Touquet. Most of the journey was on a special cycle path resulting in an enjoyable 10kms or so round trip.
We enjoyed visiting Le Touquet, it’s got lots of character, and has some interesting Art Deco buildings, some tasty looking fancy chocolatiers, designer clothing shops and a lovely stretch of sandy beach and promenade. The town of Stella Plage, where we are staying is also really nice- it’s got a handful of bars, cafés, patisseries, shops and a small supermarket where we stocked up on Camembert, wine, cider, and sausisson- which we then consumed whilst happily sat outside the van in the sun, reading, chilling and marvelling at how something as simple as wine, cheese and fresh bread can taste so damn fine!!!
Who needs the Med anyway?! | 2019-04-23T06:53:30Z | https://adventuresinamotorhome.com/category/france/ |
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The faculty member is expected to be in sympathy with the aims of the College which should be stated clearly in writing at the time of appointment. The faculty member is entitled to freedom in the classroom and should be supported by the College administration and colleagues in its exercise. Academic freedom, however, carries with it duties correlative with rights. In exercising freedom in discussion of the subject matter, the faculty member should be careful not to introduce controversial matter which has no relation to the subject. This should not be narrowly construed, but the faculty member has a responsibility to the entire College community to refrain from habitually substituting extraneous materials for the proper subject matter of the course.
This freedom is fundamental to the advancement of truth. The faculty member is entitled to full freedom in ordering and recommending library materials, presenting a variety of perspectives, and in research and in the publication of the results. Such research and publications should not detract from the adequate performance of one’s other academic duties. Research for pecuniary return should be based on a written agreement with the administrative authority of the College.
The faculty member is a citizen, a member of a learned profession, and a member of an educational institution. He or she enjoys the Constitutional rights which belong equally to all citizens. When the faculty member speaks or writes as a citizen, he or she should be free from institutional censorship or discipline. But professional membership in the community imposes special obligations. As a person of learning and as a member of a college faculty, one should remember that the public may judge the institution by one’s utterance. Hence the faculty member should at all times seek accuracy, exercise appropriate restraint, show respect for others, and indicate that he or she is not an institutional spokesperson.
Academic freedom, as described above, applies to all teaching faculty, whether they are tenured, on probationary appointment, or under special agreement.
The student is entitled to academic freedom in learning. Faculty members should recognize the student’s right to free speech in the classroom and the right to disagree.
Berea operates on a 4-4 calendar for the academic year. This provides for a fall term beginning in late August or early September and lasting for about 15 weeks, and a spring term of similar length. The academic year for students ends with Commencement exercises. Four-week and six-week summer sessions are offered. The specific calendar for each year is developed by the Enrollment Policies Committee and approved by the Executive Council.
Several features of the fall and spring terms are worthy of special note. Toward the end of each term a three-day Reading Period is scheduled. This time, which includes either a Friday or a Monday and the adjacent weekend, is set aside for students to review course materials in preparation for final examinations. No classes or other course meetings are held during this time. Reading Period is followed by four days of examinations. The schedule is developed so that most students will have no more than two examinations each day. To protect that situation for students, scheduled examination dates may be changed only in rare circumstances; approval of the Director of Academic Services is required well in advance.
There are several vacation, holiday periods, and special events during the year. During one week in October classes are not scheduled for two days to provide a Mid-Term Reading Period. The observance of Thanksgiving begins on Wednesday and extends through Sunday. The break between the fall and spring terms lasts two weeks or somewhat longer. Spring Break occupies one week in mid-March. The College also observes other special days of celebration when no classes are held. On Mountain Day, in October, faculty, students, and staff join to enjoy outdoor activities and the heritage of the Appalachian region. On Martin Luther King, Jr., Day, recognized on the date of the national holiday in January, faculty, students, and staff join in various activities to celebrate and learn about those who sacrificed for Civil Rights. The College reserves a day in the spring term for the purpose of exploring labor, academic, and co-curricular opportunities (known as Labor Day).
Using a course-credit system, Berea does not count credit-hours. Graduation requirements are expressed in terms of 32 course credits for all major fields except nursing, which requires 34. (One credit is equivalent to four semester credit-hours.) Due to the eight-term limit at Berea, the normal student load is four credits each term. A student must enroll and remain in at least three credits each term to qualify for full-time status. Degree-seeking students must have prior formal approval from the Office of Academic Services to enroll in less than three credits during a regular term.
Classes are scheduled Monday through Friday, with the majority of one-credit courses meeting three times a week for a seventy-minute period. Classes meeting two days per week meet for one hour and fifty minutes for each class period. A class scheduling grid is published each year, and classes are expected to meet within established meeting times as published. Courses carrying less than one-course credit usually meet less often. Some one-credit courses—notably those with laboratories, studios, or seminar formats—vary from the common pattern. Classes are not scheduled between 2:50 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. on Tuesdays to accommodate Labor meetings and General Faculty Assembly meetings; classes are not scheduled Thursdays between 2:50 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. as Convocations occur on most Thursdays from 3:00 p.m. to 4:15 p.m. Labor meetings are held on most Tuesdays at 4:00 p.m. The Convocation and Labor meeting times are to be kept free of private lessons, tutorial sessions, required labor, and student conferences.
It will facilitate the scheduling of all one-credit courses to meet for a minimum of 200 minutes per week.
It will seek to preserve time for meetings that facilitate the business of the College and facilitate student, faculty, and staff interaction.
In order to enhance student learning and meet students’ diverse interests, it will seek to minimize undesirable course overlaps and be published with corresponding guidelines as necessary.
It will seek to ensure that a full slate of classes is scheduled across the full day and the full week.
It will facilitate late afternoon extra and co-curricular experiences by requiring that single-section required courses meet between the hours of 8:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m. Monday, Wednesdays, and Fridays and 8:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays.
It will facilitate the meeting of Labor Program goals.
Requests for exemptions to scheduling classes according to the published grid for an upcoming term must be submitted to the Dean of Curriculum and Student Learning. Requests for formal modifications to the published grid must be submitted to the Division Council.
Requests to meet for less than the expected 200 minutes per week for a full-credit course must be submitted by the Department Chair to the Division Chair, who will then forward the request to the Dean of Curriculum and Student Learning for consideration. The following guidelines for requesting a waiver are based on similar guidelines developed at Georgetown University.
the rationale for the requirements stated above is included in the course syllabus and clearly shown to be relevant to the course’s learning goals. Such courses will typically be research-intensive (where students are undertaking an independent course of research over and above assigned reading) or have an experiential or service-learning component or be designed with a significant tutorial experience; in any case, such courses will require close monitoring of the nature, quality, and quantity of the work done outside scheduled classroom hours.
One credit courses meeting less than 200 minutes per week and which have a waiver from the 200-minute requirement would still meet within a standard block as published on grid.
The planning and process of registration for each term is the responsibility of the Registrar, who is assisted by various other offices, Department Chairs, Division Chairs, and faculty advisors. For continuing students, registration for the fall term is held in April each year; spring registration takes place in November; and summer registration is in the spring term. At these times, students plan a program of study with their advisors and, after the advisor approves and gives the student an alternate PIN, the student registers on-line. Overloads require the signature of the advisor and the approval of the Director of Academic Services and are added to the student’s schedule at the beginning of the term by the Office of the Registrar.
Incoming students are registered for their first term classes through a centralized process, managed by the Dean of Curriculum and Student Learning, based on course preferences gathered through an on-line orientation portal in May and June. Transfer students primarily complete registration during the June Transfer Orientation Workshops.
Courses can be dropped and added during any official registration period without charge. After the first week of classes, or the equivalent during summer term, no course may be added to a student’s schedule. All other changes require the approval of the advisor and the Director of Academic Services.
In order to drop a course, students must have the permission of their advisor. All courses for which the student is registered after the first week of classes appear on the student’s academic record. If the student withdraws from a course before the end of the term, the student receives a grade, which depends on the time and circumstances of withdrawal. If withdrawal occurs during the second through fifth weeks of classes in a regular term, the grade of “W” (Withdrawn) is given. If withdrawal occurs during the sixth through the tenth week of classes the grade will be “WP” (Withdrawn Passing), or “WF” (Withdrawn Failing), depending on the student’s standing in the course. Withdrawal from a course is not permitted during the last four weeks of classes. Withdrawal from a course during a summer term involves the same grading pattern but shorter time frames, reflecting the compressed nature of those terms.
The Office of the Registrar provides each instructor with on-line access to official class lists shortly after registration. Instructors are expected to check these lists against the students actually attending the class, and to report any discrepancies via the on-line process or to the Registrar. Grades are entered on-line by instructors at mid-term and at the end of the term.
The name of any student who has been excessively absent, or who seems to not be functioning in class, should be reported to the Office of Academic Services via email to “Performance Checks.” The student’s attendance and performance in other courses and labor positions will be checked, the instructor and the student’s advisor will be informed of the circumstances, and an appropriate intervention strategy will be developed. If a student is confined by illness or called away for family emergency, the Student Life Office informs the student's teachers and labor supervisor.
If a student is going to miss class due to participation in a College-sponsored trip, it is the student’s responsibility to confer with each instructor about the impending absence and, within the instructor’s attendance policy, to arrange to complete any course work missed. If the absence is likely to have a significantly adverse effect on course performance, the instructor is free to decide if the student should not be released from class.
Instructors may request that students who do not attend the first class session are dropped from the course.1 Students who add a course after the first day of class must attend the next class session after their enrollment or they may be dropped. Instructors should submit the request through the roster check system in the Faculty Feedback link in myBerea.
As always, the student's course schedule is the student's responsibility. Therefore, students must not assume that they will automatically be dropped from a course if they are absent for a class period. Students who do not attend a class in which they are registered will receive a failing grade for that class if they do not withdraw following College policies and procedures.
Students should contact their instructors directly if they are going to miss a class session to request that they not be dropped from the course. How any absence is handled is at the discretion of the individual instructor and it is the student's responsibility to be aware of each course's attendance policy as outlined in the course syllabus.
1Instructors are encouraged to exercise discretion with the use of this policy and primarily for courses that are full and have a waiting list. If this policy is going to be invoked, it is preferred that it be used immediately following the first day of class. This allows dropped students the possibility of finding an alternative course during the add/drop period.
Except for general education core courses in which common evaluation measures have been adopted, the individual faculty member is free to decide what means are most appropriate for assessing student achievement in a course—quizzes scheduled whenever useful, term papers, oral and/or written reports, discussion assignments, course projects, examinations, etc. The instructor may also weight these elements in any fashion that is fair.
The last week of each regular term is an examination period. During this period, the usual daily schedule is not followed. Instead, each course meets once at a designated time for end-of-term examinations. These times are set by the Office of the Registrar, with an attempt to minimize conflicts and testing overloads for students. If a final examination is to be given, it is to be administered at the time specified. Since the Reading Period is intended to allow students to concentrate on preparing for exams, it may not be used for taking exams. In the event highly unusual circumstances seem to justify a change in time, an instructor may ask the Director of Academic Services for permission to reschedule an examination. If the final examination time will not be used for exam administration, then the two-hour period can be used for other course activities.
Students who have more than three exams in a given day or have other extraordinary circumstances may request to have one or more of their exams rescheduled by gaining signatures from the instructors impacted and final approval from the Director of Academic Services.
Raises serious concern about the readiness of a student to continue in related course work.
Given in developmental mathematics courses and in other non-credit courses and projects. These grades are not used in determining the GPA.
Given for courses which do not affect GPA, but for which credit is earned.
Given when a student is enrolled in a class that continues into the next term.
Assigned only when some portion of a course has not been completed for good and sufficient reason. Courses in which I grades are assigned must be completed no later than the end of the next regular term in which the student is enrolled or the grade will be recorded as “F” on the permanent record. Note that instructors may set an earlier deadline for completion of incomplete work than that set by the College.
A temporarily assigned grade when extenuating circumstances prevent an instructor from submitting grades at the time said instructor is required due to travel abroad or other challenges deemed permitted by the Academic Dean. A change of grade is required no later than 10 days following the assignment of the N.
In addition, the course grades of A, B, C, and D may be modified by a plus (+) or minus (-) suffix, indicating achievement which is respectively at the higher or lower segment of each of these grade ranges.
* Please note that a C- does not count for sequenced courses requiring a C or higher in a previous course (e.g., FRN 102 requires a C or higher in FRN 101).
Grade Point Average: For purposes of computing the Grade Point Average (GPA), the following weights are used: A+/A/CA-=4.0; A-=3.7; B+=3.3; B=3.0; B-=2.7; C+=2.3; C=2.0; C-=1.7; D+=1.3; D=1.0; D-= 0.7, and F=0.0. S, SC, I, and U grades are not used in calculating GPA.
Faculty members may elect to use, or not to use, plus or minus grades. Whichever system an individual faculty member elects to use for a given course should be made clear to the students. Faculty members are urged to reflect on the definitions in the context of individual courses and incorporate the definitions into grading policies and course syllabi to be shared with students at the beginning of the term in a manner that seems appropriate to each instructor.
Some courses are designed to use an alternative grading system. For example, in developmental mathematics and non-credit courses, “S” (Satisfactory) and “U” (Unsatisfactory) grades are given. The “I” (Incomplete) is a temporary grade, given only when a student is unable to complete a course for reasons beyond the student’s control. Work in a course in which an “I” was received must be completed no later than the end of the next regular term in which the student is enrolled. Instructors may set an earlier deadline, but not a later one, for course completion; the deadline should be clearly understood by the student. Failure to complete course work by the prescribed time results in the grade being changed to “F”, or if appropriate, “U”. Faculty who will be on leave of absence or sabbatical leave in the term or year following the term in which an “I” grade would be assigned; faculty who hold single year or term appointments; faculty who do not plan to return as an employee of the College at the conclusion of a term or academic year in which an “I” grade would be assigned; or faculty who have received notification that their employment with the College will be terminated (for reasons of tenure review decisions, probationary term non-renewal, etc.), may not assign “I” grades.
Course grades are submitted on-line by instructors. Grades for each course are expected within two working days after the time designated for the final examination in the course. Grades for all members of the class should be submitted at that time. If an individual student has permission to complete course work after the end of the term, the instructor should submit a grade of “I” at the proper time, and then change the grade when course requirements have been satisfied. After grades have been recorded, any request for a change of a grade by a faculty member must be made in writing to the Student Admissions and Academic Standing Committee through the Office of Academic Services following the policy outlined in the Berea College Catalog.
As a means of identifying students having academic difficulty, a system of mid-term grading is used. Toward the middle of each term instructors receive notification that the on-line grading system is ready for them to post mid-term grades using the regular grading scale. These grades are not included in the student’s GPA or transcript record. This information enables the Director of Academic Services to contact advisors and arrange for timely intervention to help students when necessary.
Within 30 days of the start of the next regular term after assignment of the grade, the student must make a formal written appeal to the instructor involved explaining why the student believes the grade should be changed. If the instructor finds an error has been made, the instructor will request that the SAAS Committee approve a grade change and notify the student in writing of the request. If the instructor finds the grade to be correct, the instructor will notify the student in writing of the decision not to change the grade, specifically addressing the student’s stated reason for the appeal. The instructor’s response must take place within 30 days of receipt of the appeal, or—for reasons of college-related travel, sabbatical, or other extenuating circumstances such as sick leave—within 30 days of the start of the next regular term when the faculty member returns.
If either the student or the faculty member does not agree with the decision of the designated division committee, either may appeal to the SAAS Committee. Within 30 days of the date of the division committee's written decision on the appeal, the student/faculty member must submit a letter contesting the division committee's decision to the Chairperson of the SAAS Committee. The SAAS Committee will base its decision on the following materials forwarded by the division: the original appeal by the student to the instructor, the instructor's written response, the student's written appeal to the division and all supporting materials, the designated division committee's responses to the student and the instructor, a written summary of the designated division committee's decision (if any), and any paperwork or materials considered by the designated division committee. Both the student and the faculty member may be present when the appeal is heard. The decision of the Committee will be final.
Student submits written appeal to faculty member.
Within 30 days after start of the next regular term.
Instructor finds error was made, requests that SAAS Committee approve a grade change, and notifies student in writing of request for grade change.
Instructor finds the grade to be correct, notifies student in writing, specifically addressing the student's stated reason for the appeal. Within 30 days of receipt of written appeal OR--for reasons of travel, sabbatical, or other extenuating circumstances, such as sick leave--within 30 days of the start of the regular term when the instructor returns.
Student is not satisfied with the written response of the instructor and submits written appeal to Division Chair (or the Dean of Curriculum and Student Learning for GST and GSTR courses). Within 30 days of date of instructor's written response.
Division subcommittee holds appeal meeting. Within 30 days of student's written appeal.
Division committee's decision communicated in writing to the student, instructor, and the Director of Academic Services. Within 14 days of the division committee's decision.
Either the student or instructor does not agree with the decision of the division's committee and appeals to the SAAS Committee. Within 30 days of the date of the division committee's written notification of its decision.
Students are expected to be scrupulous in their observance of high standards of honesty in regard to tests, assignments, term papers, and all other procedures relating to class work. Academic dishonesty as used here includes, but is not limited to, plagiarism, cheating on examinations, theft of examinations or other materials from an instructor’s files or office or from a room in which these are being copied, copying of an instructor’s test material without the permission of the instructor, theft of computer files from another person, or attributing to one’s self the work of others, with or without the others’ permission. Falsification of an academic record with intent to improve one’s academic standing also shall be construed to be academic dishonesty.
The staff of Hutchins Library has prepared an informative online summary of plagiarism, which is the act of presenting someone else’s work as one’s own.
In the event a student is suspected of being guilty of academic dishonesty, the faculty member in whose course the offense allegedly occurred is responsible for pursuing the matter, making an initial determination, and deciding upon an appropriate course-related sanction up to and including failure of the course. When an instructor is convinced that academic dishonesty has occurred, the instructor will counsel with the student involved in an effort to determine an appropriate course of action. The minimal action is to reject the work in question. The instructor then must report the finding in writing to the Director of Academic Services, appending any documentary evidence of the dishonesty, and furnish the student with a copy of the written report. The Director of Academic Services then will record the report in a confidential file.* If multiple charges in the student’s confidential file are observed, the Director will report this student to the Student Admissions and Academic Standing (SAAS) Committee for adjudication and possible further sanctions, including suspension. While deliberating to determine appropriate consequences, the SAAS Committee may ask for information from the student’s previous disciplinary or labor records. The student shall be informed of the names of those consulted by the Committee.
An instructor has the option of referring any single case of alleged academic dishonesty to the SAAS Committee for adjudication and/or disciplinary action, even in the absence of multiple charges. Also, in any case involving alleged dishonesty, the student has the right to appeal an action taken by the instructor to that Committee. Upon receipt of the written report, the Director of Academic Services will inform the student that there is one week in which to initiate an appeal of any part of the instructor’s report. Such appeals are to be sent to the Director of Academic Services.
While functioning as a judicial body to determine guilt or innocence, the SAAS Committee will observe the judicial procedures defined in the Community Judicial Code contained in the Berea College Student Handbook. Cases involving false testimony before the SAAS Committee while that committee is functioning as a judicial body will be heard by the Student Life Council. Students who appear in a hearing before the SAAS Committee shall determine whether student members of the Committee shall participate in the adjudication.
*The principles of this policy and procedure were approved by the College Faculty in 1973.
**The purpose of keeping the confidential file separate from the student’s regular permanent student record is to make it possible for one person, the Director of Academic Services, to be aware of multiple violations. Besides calling such occurrences to the attention of the SAAS Committee, the Director will furnish information from the file concerning the violations of a particular student upon request by the Campus Conduct Hearing Board, the Student Life Council, the individuals reviewing applications for readmissions, or the Labor Program Council. The purpose of furnishing such information to these bodies is to assist them in their effort to obtain perspective on the student as a whole while deliberating to determine appropriate consequences in a particular case. Except as noted above, no group or other individual will have access to the file.
Course goals are expected to center on desired student outcomes. Requirements should be clearly expressed. Material to be covered during the term should be summarized, though a class period-by-period outline need not be provided. The syllabus should make clear the instructor’s expectations regarding class attendance, describe any consequences for excessive absences, and specify any instances in which absences may be excused.
An electronic copy of the syllabus for each course taught that term is to be submitted to the appropriate Department Chair(s) by the end of the first week of the term. In the case of cross-listed courses, syllabi will be sent to all Department Chairs as appropriate. The Department Chair is responsible for collecting syllabi and insuring that they provide essential information. He or she will keep one copy on file, and forward an electronic copy to the Office of the Registrar. Faculty without a departmental appointment should submit their syllabi to their Division Chair. Syllabi will be retained for at least three years, and used for assessment and planning purposes.
Rooms for classes, along with class periods, are assigned by the Registrar. If a classroom seems inappropriate for some reason, the instructor should ask the Registrar to determine if alternative space is available. To avoid difficulties over space that might not be immediately obvious, the Registrar alone is authorized to make such changes. | 2019-04-25T18:33:01Z | http://catalog.berea.edu/en/Current/Faculty-Manual/Academic-Policies-and-Practices |
Today, almost all establishments use Wi-Fi for their Internet connection and rely on wireless routers to offer this access. True to its name, a wireless router performs the functions of both a router and a wireless access point. Some models can also operate in wired LAN’s and mixed networks. For systems with high-speed internet connections, a wireless router can act as a firewall too. Linux is the most widely chosen operating system for a wireless router. However, some of them also operate on VxWorks. These routers are ideal for home and small office networks. The following is a list of the best wireless routers that you can consider investing in, for both your personal and professional needs.
The TP-Link wireless router has a maximum speed of 1750 Mbps with minimised buffering. The dual-band router offers 40 Mbps speed for 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi and 1300 Mbps speed for 5 GHz. The gigabit unit has three external antennas to support long-range Wi-Fi and four gigabit LAN ports for speedy access to various connected wired devices.
The device comes with a powerful CPU for high-speed processing, strong amplifiers and solid hardware. The gadget also features parental control, guest access, bandwidth prioritization and advanced WPA/WPA2 wireless encryption. It is compatible with IFTTT and Alexa. The TP-Link Tether app allows you to easily set up the router, manage Wi-Fi usage at home, and monitor remotely through the cloud. The wireless router can be used with systems operating on Microsoft Windows 98SE/2000/NT/XP/Vista/7/8/8.1/10, Linux, UNIX, NetWare or MAC.
The D-Link wireless router offers fast HD/3D streaming speeds of a maximum of 1,200 Mbps that encompasses 300 Mbps for 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi and 867 Mbps for 5 GHz Wi-Fi. The dual-band support allows you to use the router to browse the web using one band and stream media with the other. The four high-gain antennas help in having a wide coverage area. The four-gigabit ports support the connection of four wired devices that feature 802.11 ac wireless specification.
The black unit incorporates the Multi-User Multiple Input Multiple Output (MU-MIMO) technology, parental controls, secure wireless encryption connection with WPA and WPA2 security, as well as Intelligent QoS for traffic prioritization. It comes with an intuitive user interface and features an easy to setup process. The wireless router works with systems loaded with Windows 7/8/8.1/10 and Mac OS X operating systems.
The Netgear wireless router has a maximum speed of 1750 Mbps (450 Mbps and 1350 Mbps). The wireless router comes with a dual-core 1 GHz processor for the performance boost, high powered amplifiers, a USB 3.0 port for speedy access to USB HDD and three external antennas. The black unit also offers a lag-free Wi-Fi experience for surfing, video streaming and gaming. Its advanced features ensure that you experience reliable Wi-Fi connectivity and minimal interference. The gadget also supports beam-forming, parental controls and airtime fairness functionalities.
The router offers high-security levels and assures you of your privacy when you are online. It can also limit the Internet access time for guests and kids, as well as prevent you from being subject to spyware and phishing. The Nighthawk allows you to set up the router with ease, perform a speed test and manage your Internet connection through a mobile device. The wireless router works well with Mac OS, Linux, UNIX and Windows 2000/XP/Vista/7/8/10 systems, and is compatible with select Alexa devices.
The Medialink wireless router has a maximum speed of 1000 Mbps. The wireless router features eight Gigabit ports (four LAN and four Ethernet), a Broad com ARM Cortex-A7CPU and two high-powered beam-forming antennas. The device has a wireless security system and a robust firewall that allows you to prevent unwanted or unauthorised people from accessing your internet connection. You can put off the lights of the router when the gadget is in use without turning it off. The router also supports range extender and full control functionalities.
The black gadget offers a lag-free experience for 4K streaming and Ultra-HD gaming. It is compatible with any Internet Service Provider and modem. The unit comes with user-friendly instructions for a simple and easy setup. The wireless router works with any system that operates on Android, iOS, Windows and MAC and supports 802.11 ac Wi-Fi wireless connectivity.
The Linksys wireless router offers a maximum combined speed of 2.2 Gbps for one 2.4 GHz band and two 5 GHz bands, as well as the best coverage and performance for both the bands. The router supports three types of wireless encryption – WPA2 Personal, WPA2 Enterprise and 64/128-bit WEP. The black device is equipped with a 716 MHz quad-core CPU, three bands, six high-power amplifiers and four adjustable external antennas. It also includes four gigabit Ethernet ports, an ultra-fast USB 3.0 port and three offload processors.
The easy to setup DFS certified router supports Smart Connect, advanced beam-forming, MU-MIMO + airtime fairness, seamless roaming, LAN link aggregation and auto firmware update functionalities. The Linksys app helps you to have control over your home Wi-Fi from anywhere and anytime you wish by giving you real-time information about your connection, allowing you to set parental controls, sending guests the Wi-Fi password and prioritizing the connected devices. The router is compatible with Amazon Alexa.
The Linksys wireless router is the best bet for people who want no interruption at all to their internet connection when they engage in their favourite online activity such as playing games and streaming 4K content.
The Wise Tiger wireless router renders a combined speed of 1200 Mbps with 300 Mbps speed at 2.4 GHz and 866 Mbps speed at 5 GHz. The long-range Wi-Fi router has three guest Wi-Fi access points without any passwords, two bands, five Ethernet ports and four external adjustable antennas. The secure white device offers multiple wireless devices such as WEP security, firewall, WPA security and WPA2 security. The wide compatibility allows HD streaming for next-generation Wi-Fi devices. The gadget is also backward compatible with 802.11 a/b/g/n devices.
The router has a WISP mode that allows you to use it as a Wi-Fi router. It supports IEEE 802.11a, IEEE 802.11n and IEEE 802.11 ac wireless standards. The gadget functions with devices that operate on Mac, Mac OS X, or Windows 2000/Vista/XP and 7 operating systems. It comes with an AC power adapter, an Ethernet cable, a quick start guide and a two-year warranty period. The wireless router can be set up very easily following the instructions in the user manual.
The Tenda wireless router offers a cumulative speed of 1167 Mbps with 867 Mbps speed at 5 GHz and 300 Mbps speed at 2.4 GHz. The black router supports Wi-Fi 802.11 ac standards. The device comes with four 5 dBi external antennas, high-powered inbuilt signal amplifiers, three primary LED indicators and a Broadcom 900 MHz processor to ensure coverage for the whole house. It comprises a fast WAN port and three fast LAN ports. The concurrent dual-band router also incorporates beam-forming and MU-MIMO technologies, as well as Wi-Fi schedule, parental control, blacklist, guest network, and security check functionalities. The Wi-Fi schedule function helps in automatically turning the router on and off. The security check function helps in detecting your network environment and diagnosing and troubleshooting security issues to keep the network safe. The blacklist function assists in disconnecting unknown devices from your network and adding them to the blacklist log so that they cannot access your network.
The Tenda app helps in easy network management. The clear-cut antennas along with the design of the wireless router give it an artistic look. The router comes along with a power adapter, an Ethernet cable and an installation guide.
The WAVLINK wireless router supports a total speed of 1200 Mbps with 867 Mbps speed at 5 GHz and 300 Mbps at 2.4 GHz. The router incorporates Touchlink, Turbo and beam-forming technologies. The Touchlink technology allows you to access the internet by just touching the router and without having to know the password. The Turbo technology helps you to optimize your network for better Wi-Fi performance with just the touch of a button. The beam-forming technology eliminates interference to deliver maximum wireless speed, enhanced coverage and reliable connections. The device also offers unlimited streaming for all its assigned devices and automatically assigns them to the best channel available to avoid interruption during streaming of online games and 4K content.
The Smart App helps you get real-time information about your home Wi-Fi connection through remote access. The app allows you to keep a check on which devices are connected to the network at a specific point of time so that you can prioritize and assign bandwidth for the devices that need Wi-Fi the most. It lets you ‘pause’ the Internet connection for a while, give guests access for a maximum of 50 people, while ensuring the safety of your network files and keeping a tab on the internet download and upload speeds. The black wireless router comes with an RJ-45 networking cable, a DC 5 V adapter, a WAN port, four LAN ports, a USB 3.0 port, four external 5 dBi high-gain omnidirectional antennas and a quick installation guide.
The Symantec wireless router offers superior Wi-Fi connectivity with its MU-MIMO technology and 4×4 antennas. The router allows you to play online games, download files and stream 4K content at a fast rate at the same time. The dual-band device supports 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac Wi-Fi and simultaneous transmission at 5 GHz and 2.4 GHz so that your devices are connected to the best band available. It provides parental controls for you to manage your kids’ online activities by limiting the internet access time, block sites and even setting age-appropriate filters. The unit also allows you to create guest networks with different passwords and even set time limits for them. Once the time is over, the guest network gets deactivated automatically.
The router comes with a 1.7 GHz dual-core processor, 1 GB RAM, 4 GB flash memory, two USB 3.0 ports and four Gigabit Ethernet ports comprising a WAN port and three LAN ports. The gadget renders multi-layer security with the Norton Core Security Plus software pre-installed to safeguard your Wi-Fi network against unwarranted threats with its auto-update feature and keep it up-to-date with new enhancements. The Norton Core app allows you to set up the router by following the simple instructions using your smartphone. The wireless router is compatible with Amazon Alexa. It is available in two color options of granite gray and titanium gold.
The Cudy wireless router offers speeds up to 1.2 Gbps and supports both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz Wi-Fi bands at the same time. The router renders long range and high-speed Wi-Fi with its high gain antennas. The device features a concurrent dual band that allows you to do simple tasks such as browsing and bandwidth intensive tasks like HD video streaming or online gaming simultaneously using the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands separately. The inbuilt firewall ensures that you have high security across the network. The parental control functionality assists in limiting access time for kids and avoiding phishing. The router also supports setting up guest networks. The range extender functionality allows you to extend your Wi-Fi coverage so that you can use the internet across a bigger area.
The white gadget encompasses two 5dBi high gain antennas, three 10/100 Mbps RJ-45 ports, a reset button, a WPS button and seven LED indicators. The WPS buttons enable wireless security encryption with a single push. The wireless router comes along with an Ethernet cable, a power adapter, a quick installation guide and a warranty period of three years.
One of the best wireless routers to mention in our list. This wireless router is just perfect for you in case you live in a big house and have several members to use the Wi-fi connection together. 12 or more devices can be connected to the internet through this router and all kind of devices such as a smartphone, tablets, gaming consoles and TVs can be connected through this wi-fi router. This is featured with the high-end MU-MIMO technology which ensures all the devices can enjoy a very fast internet connection at the same time. The data transfer is also fast here as the USB 3.0 ports, 2.0 ports and the gigabit Ethernet ports are able to manage the data transfer an excellent way.
Another great Wi-Fi router to include that is bit expensive no doubt but will let you enjoy the great connection. The speed is excellent and multiple people can be connected at the same time. Also, the speed is not affected at all by the number of people. You can easily roam around the house and enjoy the Wi-Fi connection. It is designed to cover up to 5000 sqft distance. This Neatgear Orbi comes with two devices, a router and a satellite that is aimed at boosting the signal just like the mobile devices. The setup process is very simple and you’ll be all done in a minute.
This is an excellent set from Asus that has come wrapped with all the exciting features to allow users to enjoy very stable Wi-Fi connectivity. This is the first home Wi-Fi router that comes with 8 Gigabit LAN ports along with additional support for the Dual-WAN and ports aggregations. Other features include added MU-MIMO, built-in VPN server, fun-based web interface, ability to protect the devices from malware and a great network monitoring features. All these features altogether help users to enjoy a very safe, easy and fast wi-fi connection. If you are aimed at enjoying a speedy internet connection, we will suggest you go for that.
If you have a tight budget, then look for this excellent wireless router that is available under $150. Netgear’s this dual-band Wireless router comes with so many exciting features and those all together contribute to great wi-fi connectivity. The 450+1300 Mbps speeds along with high power antennas ensure you will be able to enjoy a great connection. Also, the dual band is aimed at reducing all the interference during the connectivity and allows you to experience a seamless connection over all the devices. The Advanced Qos, Beamforming+ technology are integrated for smooth gaming and the HD content streaming perfectly.
This is a great product from Google which is added to the list of best Wireless routers due to its all the excited features. Google Wi-Fi comes with a set of three and while a single set covers 1500 sqft area, the added routers will cover 4500 sqft. And in case you intend to cover more area, just go ahead to add more. It comes with a network assist technology which ensures you will always be able to enjoy the fast and clear connectivity by selecting the clearest channel. The buffering and dead zone is eliminated here. The setup process is much simpler, just follow the instruction and you will be good to go.
If you are looking for one of the best and fastest home network this can be considered as a great option. It is packed with many exciting features so that users can get the best out of this device. It covers a long area while the fast and seedy network will allow downloading everything hassle free. More than one broadband connection can be hosted through this router and the interesting fact is when this router is coupled with an external hard drive, it act as a great network storage server. It also packs many more advanced features which altogether allow you creating a very speedy and customizable home network.
One of the most powerful and feature-rich wireless routers currently available in the market. This router is featured with high-end stuff such as easy and simple web interface, built-in VPN server, powerful network monitoring features etc. It allows you to connect multiple devices at a time and the speed of the internet connection will not be affected at all. This powerful wireless router is designed to keep the malware at bay. So, not to worry anymore while browsing as your device will remain safe.
Are you looking for one of the very basic wireless routers under $50? If so, then this TP-Link AC1200 is a great option to look for. This is the cheapest wireless router to mention in our list which comes to offer all the needed features but in bit slow format. If your job primarily involves checking emails, browsing the internet or checking the Twitter or Facebook account, it will serve all those purposes greatly. This is a great choice for all those who need to have a wireless router connected to complete their office tasks rather than enjoying the high-end movies and games.
You must consider a few important factors when you have decided to invest in a wireless router. Firstly, analyze the area that you want the network to cover. Next, determine what tasks you would perform with an internet connection. This will help you to choose the speed of your router. Yet, another important factor to be taken into account is the number of devices that will use the Wi-Fi network. Last but not least, you must check to see if the router supports the functions that you want. For example, if you want to monitor your child’s online activities, you might want to consider a device that supports this functionality. Similarly, if you want to control your router with voice commands, it is advisable to buy an Alexa compatible wireless router. | 2019-04-24T03:55:18Z | https://www.technobezz.com/best/best-wireless-routers-2018/ |
The "History of Soviet Russia and the Soviet Union" reflects a period of change for both Russia and the world. Though the terms "Soviet Russia" and "Soviet Union" are synonymous in everyday vocabulary, when we talk about the foundations of the Soviet Union, "Soviet Russia" refers to the few years after the abdication of the crown of the Russian Empire by Tsar Nicholas II (in 1917), but before the creation of the Soviet Union in 1922. Early in its conception, the Soviet Union strived to achieve harmony among all peoples of all countries. The original ideology of the state was primarily based on the works of Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels. In its essence, Marx's theory stated that economic and political systems went through an inevitable evolution in form, by which the current capitalist system would be replaced by a socialist state before achieving international cooperation and peace in a "Workers' Paradise," creating a system directed by what Marx called "Pure Communism."
Displeased by the relatively few changes made by the Tsar after the Revolution of 1905, Russia became a hotbed of anarchism, socialism and other radical political systems. The dominant socialist party, the Russian Social Democratic Labour Party (RSDLP), subscribed to Marxist ideology. Starting in 1903, a series of splits in the party between two main leaders was escalating: the Bolsheviks (meaning "majority") led by Vladimir Lenin, and the Mensheviks (meaning "minority") led by Julius Martov. Up until 1912, both groups continued to stay united under the name "RSDLP," but significant and irreconcilable differences between Lenin and Martov led the party to eventually split. A struggle for political dominance subsequently began between the Mensheviks and the Bolsheviks. Not only did these groups fight with each other, but they also had common enemies, notably, those trying to bring the Tsar back to power. Following the February Revolution in 1917, the Mensheviks gained control of Russia and established a provisional government, but this lasted only until the Bolsheviks took power in the October Revolution (also called the Bolshevik Revolution) later in the year. To distinguish themselves from other socialist parties, the Bolshevik party was renamed the Russian Communist Party (RCP).
Under the control of the party, all politics and attitudes that were not strictly RCP were suppressed, under the premise that the RCP represented the proletariat and all activities contrary to the party's beliefs were "counterrevolutionary" or "anti-socialist." During the years between 1917 to 1923, the Soviet Union achieved peace with the Central Powers, their enemies in World War I, but also fought the Russian Civil War against the White Army and foreign armies from the United States, the United Kingdom, and France, among others. This resulted in large territorial changes, albeit temporarily for some of these. Eventually crushing all opponents, the RCP spread Soviet style rule quickly and established itself through all of Russia. Following Lenin's death in 1924, Joseph Stalin, General Secretary of the RCP, became Lenin's successor and continued as leader of the Soviet Union until the 1950s.
Left to right: Leon Trotsky, Vladimir Lenin, and Lev Kamenev.
During World War I, Tsarist Russia experienced famine and economic collapse. The demoralized Russian Army suffered severe military setbacks, and many soldiers deserted the front lines. Dissatisfaction with the monarchy and its policy of continuing the war grew among the Russian people. Tsar Nicholas II abdicated the throne following the February Revolution of 1917 (N.S. March. See: Soviet calendar.), causing widespread rioting in Petrograd and other major Russian cities. The Russian Provisional Government was installed immediately following the fall of the Tsar by the Provisional Committee of the State Duma in early March 1917 and received conditional support of the Mensheviks. Led first by Prince Georgy Lvov, then Alexander Kerensky the Provisional Government consisted mainly of the parliamentarians most recently elected to the State Duma of the Russian Empire, which had been overthrown alongside Tsar Nicholas II. The new Provisional Government maintained its commitment to the war, joining the Triple Entente which the Bolsheviks opposed. The Provisional Government also postponed the land reforms demanded by the Bolsheviks.
Lenin, embodying the Bolshevik ideology, viewed alliance with the capitalist countries of Western Europe and the United States as involuntary servitude of the proletariat, who was forced to fight the imperialists' war. As seen by Lenin, Russia was reverting to the rule of the Tsar, and it was the job of Marxist revolutionaries, who truly represented socialism and the proletariat, to oppose such counter-socialistic ideas and support socialist revolutions in other countries. Within the military, mutiny and desertion were pervasive among conscripts, though being AWOL (Absent Without Leave) was not uncommon throughout all ranks. The intelligentsia was dissatisfied over the slow pace of social reforms; poverty was worsening, income disparities and inequality were becoming out of control while the Provisional Government grew increasingly autocratic and inefficient. The government appeared to be on the verge of succumbing to a military junta. Deserting soldiers returned to the cities and gave their weapons to angry, and extremely hostile, socialist factory workers. The deplorable and inhumane poverty and starvation of major Russian centers produced optimum conditions for revolutionaries.
During the months between February and October 1917, the power of the Provisional Government was consistently questioned by nearly all political parties. A system of 'dual power' emerged, in which the Provisional Government held nominal power, though increasingly opposed by the Petrograd Soviet, their chief adversary, controlled by the Mensheviks and Socialist Revolutionaries (both democratic socialist parties politically to the right of the Bolsheviks). The Soviet chose not to force further changes in government due to the belief that the February Revolution was Russia's "crowing" overthrow of the bourgeois. The Soviet also believed that the new Provisional Government would be tasked with implementing democratic reforms and pave the way for a proletarian revolution. Though the creation of a government not based on the dictatorship of the proletariat in any form, was viewed as a "retrograde step" in Vladmir Lenin's April Theses. However, the Provisional Government still remained an overwhelmingly powerful governing body.
Failed military offensives in summer 1917 and large scale protesting and riots in major Russian cities (as advocated by Lenin in his Theses, known as the July Days) led to the deployment of troops in late August to restore order. The July Days were suppressed and blamed on the Bolsheviks, forcing Lenin into hiding. Still, rather than use force, many of the deployed soldiers and military personnel joined the rioters, disgracing the government and military at-large. It was during this time that support for the Bolsheviks grew and another of its leading figures, Leon Trotsky, was elected chair of the Petrograd Soviet, which had complete control over the defenses of the city, mainly, the city's military force. On October 24, in early days of the October Revolution, the Provisional Government moved against the Bolsheviks, arresting activists and destroying pro-Communist propaganda. The Bolsheviks were able to portray this as an attack against the People's Soviet and garnered support for the Red Guard of Petrograd to take over the Provisional Government. The adminstative offices and government buildings were taken with little opposition or bloodshed. The generally accepted end of this transitional revolutionary period, which will lead to the creation of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) lies with the assault and capture of the poorly defended Winter Palace (the traditional home and symbol of power of the Tsar) on the evening of October 26, 1917.
The Mensheviks and the right-wing of the Socialist Revolutionaries, outraged by the abusive and coercive acts carried out by the Red Guard and Bolsheviks, fled Petrograd, leaving control in the hands of the Bolsheviks and remaining Left Socialist Revolutionaries. On October 25, 1917, the Sovnarkom was established by the Russian Constitution of 1918 as the administrative arm of the All-Russian Congress of Soviets. By January 6, 1918, the VTsIK, supported by the Bolsheviks, ratified the dissolution of the Russian Constituent Assembly, which intended to establish the non-Bolshevik Russian Democratic Federative Republic as the permanent form of government established at its Petrograd session held January 5 and January 6, 1918.
Arguing that the revolution needed not a mere parliamentary organization but a party of action which would function as a scientific body of direction, a vanguard of activists, and a central control organ, the Tenth Party Congress banned factions within the party, initially intending it only to be a temporary measure after the shock of the Kronstadt rebellion. It was also argued that the party should be an elite body of professional revolutionaries dedicating their lives to the cause and carrying out their decisions with iron discipline, thus moving toward putting loyal party activists in charge of new and old political institutions, army units, factories, hospitals, universities, and food suppliers. Against this backdrop, the nomenklatura system would evolve and become standard practice.
In theory, this system was to be democratic since all leading party organs would be elected from below, but also centralized since lower bodies would be accountable to higher organizations. In practice, "democratic centralism" was centralist, with decisions of higher organs binding on lower ones, and the composition of lower bodies largely determined by the members of higher ones. Over time, party cadres would grow increasingly careerist and professional. Party membership required exams, special courses, special camps, schools, and nominations by three existing members.
In December 1917, the Cheka was founded as the Bolshevik's first internal security force following the failed assassination attempt on Lenin's life. Later it changed names to GPU, OGPU, MVD, NKVD and finally KGB.
The frontiers between Poland, which had established an unstable independent government following World War I, and the former Tsarist empire, were rendered chaotic by the repercussions of the Russian revolutions, the civil war and the winding down World War I. Poland's Józef Piłsudski envisioned a new federation (Międzymorze), forming a Polish-led East European bloc to form a bulwark against Russia and Germany, while the Russian SFSR considered carrying the revolution westward by force. When Piłsudski carried out a military thrust into Ukraine in 1920, he was met by a Red Army offensive that drove into Polish territory almost to Warsaw. However, Piłsudski halted the Soviet advance at the Battle of Warsaw and resumed the offensive. The "Peace of Riga" signed in early 1921 split the territory of Belarus and Ukraine between Poland and Soviet Russia.
On December 29, 1922 a conference of plenipotentiary delegations from the Russian SFSR, the Transcaucasian SFSR, the Ukrainian SSR and the Byelorussian SSR approved the Treaty on the Creation of the USSR and the Declaration of the Creation of the USSR, forming the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. These two documents were confirmed by the 1st Congress of Soviets of the USSR and signed by heads of delegations - Mikhail Kalinin, Mikhail Tskhakaya, Mikhail Frunze and Grigory Petrovsky, Alexander Chervyakov respectively on December 30, 1922.
During the Civil War (1917–21), the Bolsheviks adopted War communism, which entailed the breakup of the landed estates and the forcible seizure of agricultural surpluses. In the cities there were intense food shortages and a breakdown in the money system (at the time many Bolsheviks argued that ending money's role as a transmitter of "value" was a sign of the rapidly approaching communist epoch). Many city dwellers fled to the countryside - often to tend the land that the Bolshevik breakup of the landed estates had transferred to the peasants. Even small scale "capitalist" production was suppressed.
The Kronstadt rebellion signaled the growing unpopularity of War Communism in the countryside: in March 1921, at the end of the civil war, disillusioned sailors, primarily peasants who initially had been stalwart supporters of the Bolsheviks under the provisional government, revolted against the new regime. Although the Red Army, commanded by Trotsky, crossed the ice over the frozen Baltic Sea to quickly crush the rebellion, this sign of growing discontent forced the party to foster a broad alliance of the working class and peasantry (80% of the population), despite left factions of the party which favored a regime solely representative of the interests of the revolutionary proletariat. At the Tenth Party Congress, it was decided to end War Communism and institute the New Economic Policy (NEP), in which the state allowed a limited market to exist. Small private businesses were allowed and restrictions on political activity were somewhat eased.
However, the key shift involved the status of agricultural surpluses. Rather than simply requisitioning agricultural surpluses in order to feed the urban population (the hallmark of War Communism), the NEP allowed peasants to sell their surplus yields on the open market. Meanwhile, the state still maintained state ownership of what Lenin deemed the "commanding heights" of the economy: heavy industry such as the coal, iron, and metallurgical sectors along with the banking and financial components of the economy. The "commanding heights" employed the majority of the workers in the urban areas. Under the NEP, such state industries would be largely free to make their own economic decisions.
In the cities and between the cities and the countryside, the NEP period saw a huge expansion of trade in the hands of full-time merchants - who were typically denounced as "speculators" by the leftists and also often resented by the public. The growth in trade, though, did generally coincide with rising living standards in both the city and the countryside (around 80% of Soviet citizens were in the countryside at this point).
The Soviet NEP (1921–29) was essentially a period of "market socialism" similar to the economic reform in China in 1978 in that both foresaw a role for private entrepreneurs and limited markets based on trade and pricing rather than fully centralized planning. As an interesting aside, during the first meeting in the early 1980s between Deng Xiaoping and Armand Hammer, a U.S. industrialist and prominent investor in Lenin's Soviet Union, Deng pressed Hammer for as much information on the NEP as possible.
During the NEP period, agricultural yields not only recovered to the levels attained before the Bolshevik Revolution, but greatly improved. The break-up of the quasi-feudal landed estates of the Tsarist-era countryside gave peasants their greatest incentives ever to maximize production. Now able to sell their surpluses on the open market, peasant spending gave a boost to the manufacturing sectors in the urban areas. As a result of the NEP, and the break-up of the landed estates while the Communist Party was strengthening power between 1917–1921, the Soviet Union became the world's greatest producer of grain.
Agriculture, however, would recover from civil war more rapidly than heavy industry. Factories, badly damaged by civil war and capital depreciation, were far less productive. In addition, the organization of enterprises into trusts or syndicates representing one particular sector of the economy would contribute to imbalances between supply and demand associated with monopolies. Due to the lack of incentives brought by market competition, and with little or no state controls on their internal policies, trusts were likely to sell their products at higher prices.
The slower recovery of industry would pose some problems for the peasantry, who accounted for 80% of the population. Since agriculture was relatively more productive, relative price indexes for industrial goods were higher than those of agricultural products. The outcome of this was what Trotsky deemed the "Scissors Crisis" because of the scissors-like shape of the graph representing shifts in relative price indexes. Simply put, peasants would have to produce more grain to purchase consumer goods from the urban areas. As a result, some peasants withheld agricultural surpluses in anticipation of higher prices, thus contributing to mild shortages in the cities. This, of course, is speculative market behavior, which was frowned upon by many Communist Party cadres, who considered it to be exploitative of urban consumers.
In the meantime, the party took constructive steps to offset the crisis, attempting to bring down prices for manufactured goods and stabilize inflation, by imposing price controls on essential industrial goods and breaking-up the trusts in order to increase economic efficiency.
Following Lenin's third stroke, a troika made up of Stalin, Zinoviev and Kamenev emerged to take day to day leadership of the party and the country and try to block Trotsky from taking power. Lenin, however, had become increasingly anxious about Stalin and, following his December 1922 stroke, dictated a letter (known as Lenin's Testament) to the party criticizing him and urging his removal as general secretary, a position which was starting to arise as the most powerful in the party. Stalin was aware of Lenin's Testament and acted to keep Lenin in isolation for health reasons and increase his control over the party apparatus.
Zinoviev and Bukharin became concerned about Stalin's increasing power and proposed that the Orgburo which Stalin headed be abolished and that Zinoviev and Trotsky be added to the party secretariat thus diminishing Stalin's role as general secretary. Stalin reacted furiously and the Orgburo was retained but Bukharin, Trotsky and Zinoviev were added to the body.
Meanwhile, the campaign against Trotsky intensified and he was removed from the position of People's Commissar of War before the end of the year. In 1925, Trotsky was denounced for his essay Lessons of October, which criticized Zinoviev and Kamenev for initially opposing Lenin's plans for an insurrection in 1917. Trotsky was also denounced for his theory of permanent revolution which contradicted Stalin's position that socialism could be built in one country, Russia, without a worldwide revolution. As the prospects for a revolution in Europe, particularly Germany, became increasingly dim through the 1920s, Trotsky's theoretical position began to look increasingly pessimistic as far as the success of Russian socialism was concerned.
With the resignation of Trotsky as War Commissar, the unity of the troika began to unravel. Zinoviev and Kamenev again began to fear Stalin's power and felt that their positions were threatened. Stalin moved to form an alliance with Bukharin and his allies on the right of the party who supported the New Economic Policy and encouraged a slowdown in industrialization efforts and a move towards encouraging the peasants to increase production via market incentives. Zinoviev and Kamenev criticized this policy as a return to capitalism. The conflict erupted at the Fourteenth Party Congress held in December 1925 with Zinoviev and Kamenev now protesting against the dictatorial policies of Stalin and trying to revive the issue of Lenin's Testament which they had previously buried. Stalin now used Trotsky's previous criticisms of Zinoviev and Kamenev to defeat and demote them and bring in allies like Vyacheslav Molotov, Kliment Voroshilov and Mikhail Kalinin. Trotsky was dropped from the politburo entirely in 1926. The Fourteenth Congress also saw the first developments of the Stalin's cult of personality with him being referred to as "leader" for the first time and becoming the subject of effusive praise from delegates.
Trotsky, Zinoviev and Kamenev formed a United Opposition against the policies of Stalin and Bukharin, but they had lost influence as a result of the inner party disputes and in October 1927, Trotsky, Zinoviev and Kamenev were expelled from the Central Committee. In November, prior to the Fifteenth Party Congress, Trotsky and Zinoviev were expelled from the Communist Party itself as Stalin sought to deny the Opposition any opportunity to make their struggle public. By the time, the Congress finally convened in December 1927. Zinoviev had capitulated to Stalin and denounced his previous adherence to the opposition as "anti-Leninist" and the few remaining members still loyal to the opposition were subjected to insults and humiliations. By early 1928, Trotsky and other leading members of the Left Opposition had been sentenced to internal exile.
Stalin now moved against Bukharin by appropriating Trotsky's criticisms of his right wing policies and he promoted a new general line of the party favoring collectivization of the peasantry and rapid industrialization of industry, forcing Bukharin and his supporters into a Right Opposition.
At the Central Committee meeting held in July 1928, Bukharin and his supporters argued that Stalin's new policies would cause a breach with the peasantry. Bukharin also alluded to Lenin's Testament. While he had support from the party organization in Moscow and the leadership of several commissariats, Stalin's control of the secretariat was decisive in that it allowed Stalin to manipulate elections to party posts throughout the country, giving him control over a large section of the Central Committee. The Right Opposition was defeated and Bukharin attempted to form an alliance with Kamenev and Zinoviev but it was too late.
This page was last modified on 16 November 2015, at 05:44. | 2019-04-19T14:27:02Z | https://infogalactic.com/info/History_of_Soviet_Russia_and_the_Soviet_Union_(1917%E2%80%9327) |
The Nazi invasion of France and the rapid capitulation of the French resulted in the division of France into an occupied zone in the north and west with an unoccupied Vichy controlled collaborationist zone in the south. The Vichy period lasted from 17th June 1940 - 24 August 1944.
Map of France showing the arministrative set up after the occupation by the Nazis. The Vichy part of France was administered by Marshal Petain. The main parts of France were under direct Nazi control.
After the fall of France approximately 1,500 artists and intellectuals escaped into exile helped by the Emergency Rescue Committee (ERC) a privately funded American organisation. Many within the film industry including Jean Renoir, Rene Clair and Max Ophuls benefitted from this. Many important figures in the French film industry stayed in France and worked relatively smoothly under the new regime, suggests Vincendeau (1). There were political differences about whether it was better to stay. The Communist run Resistance paper L’Universite libre argued that France’s culture shouldn’t be left to the Nazis. It must, of course, be remembered that at this time the Soviet / Nazi pact was still operational seriously distorting the political field.
The complexity of the situation is epitomised by nationalists supportive of Petain such as the Catholic playwright Paul Claudel. Claudel was nevertheless highly critical of outright collaboration and castigated the open support of the Nazi anti-Semitic programme, only allowing a play of his to be performed providing the music of the Jewish Darius Milhaud could be performed (2). Claudel became increasingly critical of Petain.
Whilst many argued that no work should be published under the Nazis even Sartre had a play performed in Paris. There were also different attitudes dependent upon which zone people were in. Louis Aragon had developed a notion of ‘contraband literature’ which argued for creative work to be coded with messages of resistance.
The Nazi attitude to cultural production emanated from the basic positions that no anti-German sentiments were allowed and that any Jewish presence should be eliminated. French cinema prospered but few of the films were direct propaganda. This is consonant with the argument that the Nazi use of popular narrative features were deliberately kept away from real issues.
To gain a fuller understanding of the times the whole context of viewing needed to be taken into account (3) . Vincendeau comments on the emergence of the rare appearance of the ‘fantastic’ trend in French cinema which in fact accords with the content of Nazi feature films made in Germany especially as the war progressed and the general construction of narratives needs to be seen within this Nazi context.
The complicity between the Nazis and the French film industry can be read either as a survival strategy for the industry or opportunism, for French cinema did well under the temporary hegemony of Nazi cinema in mainland Europe in terms of producing films and generating audiences. The French industry was clearly not unaware of the likely industrial outcomes of any invasion.
Many French directors had been working in Germany since 1933. The fact that there was significant collaboration on co-productions is evidence that many in the French film industry were strongly aware of the sort of conditions which pertained in Nazi Germany and that would ensue in France with the onset of occupation. Yet it appears that relatively few members of the French cinema industry chose to flee to America rather than collaborate with Nazi cinema. The fact that some did flee especially Jewish personnel focuses on the need to study the motivations and opportunities for those who remained.
The Vichy government under Petain created a new ruling body for the cinema, the Committee for the Organisation of the Cinematographic Industries (COIC) based in Paris. Vincendeau maintains that this was part of an endeavour to limit German control over the industry however it did impose the elimination of all Jews from the cinema, as well as overhaul the industrial organisation of French cinema making it far more efficient.
Very few films were produced in Vichy France the vast majority were produced in Paris. This was partly because initially no French films were allowed to cross the demarcation line. When the ban was lifted in 1941 films passed by the German censors could be distributed in the South without any restriction. But this created a difficulty for films initially produced in the South and only 35 were produced there. The Germans also established Continental films in Paris, which made 30 features out of the total of 220 made in the course of the war. By comparison only 22 were produced by the Pathe and Gaumont companies which were still the largest indigenous French companies.
American and British films were banned and French movies dominated the screens, so, although output was lower, there was increased profitability. German film distribution grew from 5% of the market during the previous decade to 56% in 1941, settling to 22% by 1943. Attendance was very high as cinemas were warm and relatively safe places to be. In 1938 attendances were 220 million rising to over 300 million in 1943.
The strategic film policy established a sounder financial framework, control of the box-office and a boost for short film production were amongst the measures introduced. How far this was shaped by the Nazi exhibitionary policy of newsreel and documentary shorts as an accompaniment to feature films is something else which needs greater research. Armes comments that these were so unpopular that to deter disruptions the lights were left dimmed so that troublemakers could be spotted.
Regulations requiring professional accreditation were part of the legislation designed by the Vichy government to exclude Jews. Other measures included censorship to protect under 16s, the double-billing of features was eliminated and fostered short and documentary production. A grand prize for artistic film was established as was the national film school IDHEC initially under director Marcel L’Herbier.
The content of the films produced during this period is best understood as ambiguous and paradoxical. In common with much of the German cinema of the period Jews were not represented whilst hostile representations of Jews were common during the 1930s. In Germany anti-Semitic sentiments were projected onto particular characters who were developed in a very unpleasant way such as intellectuals and small businessmen.
Detailed comparative research with cinematic output of France and Germany during this period might reveal homologies between the projections and structured absences regarding Jewish people in both countries. General antagonism towards foreigners was considerably reduced. Many films can be read as representing Vichy conservative values.
The shift to the genres of the fantastic was important utilising magical and legendary subjects such as Carne’s Les Visiteurs du soir and Cocteau’s L’Eternal Retour (1943) directed by Jean Delannoy which was a reworking of Tristan and Isolde while the former was about the devil visiting a mediaeval court . The positions taken in regard to this generic outpouring range from Bazin’s notion of a Cinema of Evasion, to allegory, to approval from collaborationist critics such as Rebatet who supported this trend as a return to a ‘pure’ French cinema free of foreign influences such as Jews and Hollywood.
A new genre was the rise of the ‘woman’s film’. These were melodramas from well established directors such as Gance’s La Fille du Venus aveugle (The Blind Venus, 1940), Jean Gremillon’s Le Ciel est a vous (The Sky is Yours, 1943), Pagnol’s La fille du puisatier (The Well-digger’s Daughter, 1942). Readings of these films vary: some see these films as reactionary representations of women as they represent the Vichy ideology of domesticity, sacrificial motherhood and patriotism a new form of oppressed role.
Other readings argue that they are positive films because they featured strong women which wasn’t the case pre-war. Perhaps the reason for this, ventures Vincendeau, is because of the larger numbers of women in the audience. Women tended to become the centre of the narratives of the comedies produced at the time for example.
In the case of the Vichy style melodramas strong women would have been necessary to the plot, and their roles require further analysis than merely evaluating the position of women in this way. These could be seen as mirroring the changing status of women in Nazi genre cinema After the war the representation of women slipped back to a pre-war mode.
Conscious of the greater popularity of French over German films the Propaganda Ministry authorised the export of French films to other Axis-controlled countries: France would play the role of entertainer in a Europe where power lay with Germany.
This suggestion needs to be evaluated in the context of long-term industrial links between the German and French film industries going back to the days of UFA in the Weimar during the 1920s including attempts to establish ‘Cinema Europe’ to determine the exact strategy being developed to oust the power of Hollywood. Jackson sees the Continental film company under Greven as a strategic player in this ambitious strategy.
Laissez Passer Bertrand Tavernier (France 2001) provides an excellent introduction to the role of the German run Continental Films in occupied France. As such this film is a metacinematic one.
Continental films was established under the leadership of Dr. Alfred Greven in 1940 once the occupation was established, Greven remained there for three years. Greven established himself as the central producer allocating groups of films to directorial teams based upon year long contracts. (Crisp p 280). Crisp argues that Continental clearly moved towards the central production concept with the main directors Henri Decoin (3 Films), Maurice Tourneur (4 films), Andre Cayette (four films ), and Richard Pottier (5 films). Greven would read all production reports and scenarios.
Continental was better resourced and ironically was less censored than the French companies. More liberal sexual attitudes were allowed and films such as La Symphonie fantastique had French patriotic overtones. There was a complex battle to develop the dominant discourse. Jean Gremillon’s Le Ciel est a vous for example was very warmly received by both Vichyites and the Resistance press with the conjunction of approval being distinguished upon lines of French identity.
By comparison Le Corbeau was based on real events in the conservative provincial Tulle in 1922. At this time poison-pen denunciatory letters were being circulated about the inhabitants. The Vichy authorities saw this as an unhealthy representation of Frenchness furthermore the Vichy was dependent upon these denunciatory letters to help maintian control through fear. Louis Malle's representation of this aspect of Vichy life can be seen in Lacombe Lucien (1974), a film which touched raw nerves when it was released. In Germany it was considered as a critique of delation - an essential aspect of Nazi control - and remained unreleased. It may well be that the Vichy response was underpinned by this although it was left unstated. The resistance press were also highly critical on the grounds of representing 'Frenchness' unfavourably.
Armes argues that there were a considerable number of ambiguities contained within the films produced in the Vichy period and that it is important to avoid over-simplistic evaluations. Some directors, like Daquin, were working but were also members of the resistance within the industry. In the post-war period Daquin became a militant trade-unionist. Daquin’s fourth film of the period Premier de cordee ( 1944 ), involved making a mountain film, a tale of courage against diversity. It can be seen as an expression of French resistance but it also contains elements of Petain ideology, with return to the land and a struggle against nature.
Armes argues that the output can’t be usefully taken on a film by film basis but is better evaluated over the range of films produced by any one film maker. Delonnay for example produced one film hailed as a fine resistance film Pontcarral (1942), while L’Eternal Retour (1943) was received as an apologia for Aryanism.
What place should the documentaries have in film history of the period?
... they remain the hidden face of the Occupation cinema. The available evidence suggests they were fairly anodyne, but not without ideological significance.
A fuller picture of developments within French cinema of this period requires considerably more audience research whilst those of the period are still alive to provide ethnographically based accounts.
The place of production, the content, and the importance of the surrounding political and social context, particularly in matters of an ideological nature are all factors which can influence the reception of a film and the construction of its dominant readings. These factors played an important role in the critical reception of Le Corbeau ( The Raven, 1943 ) directed by Henri-Georges Clouzot. On release it became popular amongst the occupation French film-goers. It was immediately banned after the liberation. More controversially there were punishments meted out to most of the people involved in the film’s production. Amongst the most vituperative critics there were calls for execution of the most important people involved. The recent release of the film on DVD with an English commentary by Ginette Vincendeau brings in a range of possible readings which are not raised in the main general histories of French cinema. At the time of writing a forthcoming monograph on Le Corbeau in the new but excellent Cinefiles: French Film Guides series should prove very interesting.
These attacks were the result of two major political forces playing for the hearts and minds of the French people. They had little to do with the content of the film which can be read as the most strongly anti-facist film of occupied France. The film is also opposed to the authoritarian moral and political values of the French Right. It does not offer any solutions to the corrupt society it depicts - it was after all, produced under conditions of occupation. Fictional films and other art forms are not political programmes and do not have to be prescriptive, arguably they can be more powerful when they are not prescriptive but raise issues to be worked through. People who can reach their own conclusions about subsequent proceedings.
Le Corbeau’s content was anti the authoritarian right. It also struck a sour note with the voices of the French resistance which had a very strong core element belonging to the Stalinist communist party and the aesthetic of socialist realism. For both Communists and Gaullists the immediate post-war aims were to excise the shame of occupation. Anything which could be deemed to have been an aspect of collaboration was seen as anti-French. The Stalinist left considered the film as ‘decadent’ and ‘demoralizing’.
As a result of this criticism Clouzot was banned from film making for two years after the war. He made a successful return making popular suspense thrillers which owed much to the style of Le Corbeau which Williams (1992) describes as a ‘masterpiece’.
The initial reception of the film and the continued popularity of Clouzot after his exile show that a significant membership of the French public was voting favourably with its feet. They were making readings of the film which fitted neither Nazi, Stalinist nor traditional French authoritarianism. Artistic considerations of life do not always fit easily into ideological schemas and a wide range of readings of a cultural object can be produced. The conditions of reception influence the creation of a dominant reading.
The film was produced by Continental Films, the German run production company established in the early months of the war. Films produced by this company received constant criticism from the underground press organised by the resistance.
The film itself consistently denounced bourgeois values by mocking the leading citizens of a small town in France. The scriptwriter Louis Chavance had worked with Jean Vigo the anarchist filmmaker on L’Atlante as the film’s editor. The script had first been drafted by Chavance in 1933. The production designer was In 1943 André Andrejew. It was based upon a true story of a woman in a small town who had deluged it with poison-pen letters. It was continuously rejected as too risky on commercial and political grounds. Ironically if it was not for the existence of Continental films and its policy of creating and supporting a strong French film industry the film would never have been made. Filmmakers working with Continental suffered less censorship and had better budgets than the Vichy controlled production companies.
The contents of the film would have been unlikely to pass French film censors as the film was anti-authoritarian, anti-Vichy as well as anti-Nazi in a number of ways. The plot features a doctor who was an abortionist as its leading actor, this in itself could only offend the Catholic right. The doctor’s lover who was rather promiscuous had a minor deformity of the foot. These meant that the film offended both Vichy moralism and Nazi eugenics theories and practices. The plot is about a person in the village who writes anonymous letters which eventually lead to suspicion, a suicide and ultimately a murder.
The perpetrator of the letters -a seemingly respectable citizen- is finally revealed as a mad intelligence in the form of the psychiatrist. The film openly asks a question which many in France may have found difficult to stomach at that time. Questioning the easy division of life into issues of good and evil a lamp is swung which creates differing patterns of shadow and light. The commentary asks where the borders between good and evil are, asking whether people know which side they are on ?
Any film at the time would be seen as having an allegorical reference to the occupation. It could be seen as avoiding crucial issues which combined with the gloomy mise en scene and the atmospherics of violence present within the film were interpreted as very pessimistic by many left film critics. Perhaps its popularity at the time of release struck a chord with the French viewing publics who had to adjust to the realities and difficulties of occupation, which threw up in real life a continuous series of unwelcome situations requiring decisions to be made about the depth and breadth of compliance necessary.
The film certainly touched upon the reality of the Occupation. Many millions of letters of denunciation were sent to the Vichy and Nazi authorities. The issue was to remain a highly sensitive one for decades. In the early 1970s a representation of this in Louis Malle’s film Lacombe Lucien raised a storm of protest not least from critics such as Foucault who dubbed the film as a right-wing plot. Foucault’s libertarian politics has always been suspect and showed just how difficult it was for the French to work through the realities of the occupation years.
Film Noir is renowned for its occluded mise en scene many shots taken with blinds, through fencing which distances the subject of the camera adding to the chiascuro effects, making all not seem quite as it is.
Le Corbeau can be read as a film noir style thriller . What is interesting about the concept of Film Noir is that the original term was invented by French film critics who viewed the backlog of American thrillers such as Double Indemnity and Laura immediately the war was over. They considered it as an American ‘genre’ with antecedents in German expressionist cinema. This ignored the development of the French poetic realist pre-war films and also ignored the fact that many German film makers spent some time in France before going to Germany. Europe can be said to have made a strong contribution to the development of film noir during the war through Clouzot’s Le Corbeau and also Visconti’s Ossessione. Arguably the French critics of the time were in denial of the French wartime experience and with Clouzot in the dog house they preferred to ignore these strands to the genre. The existence of this European strand of noir in Europe itself and the ways in which it developed allow us the opportunity to develop a reading of the noir thriller as being not a so much a critique of modernity and the city as an allegory for the shadow of fascism and Nazism which fell over the whole of Europe.
Vincendeau’s 2005 comments on the DVD develop an interesting range of comments on how the film can be read as a crisis of masculinity for the French male. Neither the Doctor played by the important star Pierre Fresnay nor the psychiatrist come across as powerful men in control of their work, destiny or the situation. The psychiatrists betrayal of the town and his wife could easily be linked to Vichydom whilst Dr. Germain could be seen as a failed example of French leadership. The character of the town playgirl played by another French star Ginette Leclerc is a spirited one and far from being a typical femme fatale who is ultimately punished for her ways it is she who realises who the Raven actually must be. Her sexuality, intelligence and honesty about herself shine through in the film against the weaknesses and dishonesty of the male characters. | 2019-04-19T02:53:06Z | https://blogs.warwick.ac.uk/michaelwalford/tag/laissez_passer/ |
On page 41 of the Daily Mail of Friday 27th April 2007 their lead article by Simon Caldwell stated the following – ‘The BBC is to relay a “gay Mass” from San Francisco this Sunday, the first time such a service has been broadcast. The 50-minute Mass at the Most Holy Redeemer Catholic Church in the predominantly gay Castro district of the city will feature prayers and readings tailored for the gay community…Its parish priest, Father Stephen Meriweather blesses participants in the San Francisco’s annual gay pride march…Last night a media watchdog said Sunday’s radio broadcast was “bound to cause offence” to mainstream Christians…However Father Donal Godfrey, the U.S. Jesuit priest celebrating the Mass said he was delighted the BBC was “exploring how gay people fit into the perspective of the Christian narrative”. “Being gay is not special,” he said. “It’s simply another gift from God who created us as rainbow people”…The preacher will be James Allison, a homosexual British Catholic theologian and author of “Is it ethical to be Catholic? – Queer perspectives”.
What particularly caught my attention in this Daily Mail article was the reference to Jesuit priest, Donal Godfrey as Mr Godfrey had been based for a number of years here in Northern Ireland.
‘I was born in Liverpool in 1959…I was brought up as a Catholic in a neighbourhood where faith did not seem to be very important for most people. In fact we were considered rather odd because we actually went to church each week!…My parents sent me to a boarding school called Stonyhurst College. It was run by Jesuit priests. ..I met a visiting American who was an evangelical Christian. Doug helped me to see that being [note – not ‘becoming’] a Christian was not about working at pleasing God by my own efforts, but rather about surrendering to Jesus as my personal Lord and Saviour. I thought about it and decided that I would trust in Jesus as my personal Saviour and see if He would help me…I had found a new beginning and a new life. In Jesus I now knew that I was loved and accepted exactly as I was…I had discovered a personal relationship with Jesus…I now experienced this NEW BIRTH which is always God’s work…Now many years later I am an ordained priest. I am also a member of the Jesuit order which was founded by St Ignatius of Loyola…As part of my Jesuit training I did the ‘SPIRITUAL EXERCISES’ of St Ignatius…Although I was born and raised a Catholic I know I cannot be a Christian by birth, by custom or by tradition. I can only be [note – not ‘become’] a Christian by deciding to choose Christ and accept Him into my heart…Being reborn in [note – not ‘into’] Jesus is about surrendering to the power of the Spirit and allowing Jesus to take over’.
This is truly ‘Jesuitical spin’ designed to convince the unlearned that Mr Godfrey shares evangelical convictions on spiritual ‘new birth’ and on ‘being a Christian’. On reading these excerpts one might think that Mr Godfrey was ‘born again’ after his encounter with an ‘evangelical Christian’ called ‘Doug’. The question must be asked – how many times can an unregenerate sinner be ‘born again’. By reading the Lord’s conversation with Nicodemus as recorded in John 3 it is clear that such a spiritual regeneration takes place only once.
Mr Godfrey would have us think that his ‘new birth’ or his being ‘reborn in [note – not ‘into’] Jesus’ took place when he was an adult but yet he also informed us that he was ‘brought up as a Catholic’ and that his family ‘actually went to church each week’. I can only assume [and if wrong I will readily retract] that his parents would have brought Mr Godfrey as an infant to the Catholic Church for the Catholic Sacrament of Baptism and that, as they subsequently faithfully attended the Catholic Church, that they would all have witnessed many other infants being baptised by their priest.
Mr Godfrey has informed us that he himself is ‘an ordained’ priest’ and I would be most surprised if he has not himself baptised many children of Roman Catholic parents. ‘The administration of Baptism’ is one of ‘The functions especially entrusted to the parish priest’ [Code of Canon Law: 530]. What are the claimed effects of Roman Catholic baptism by a parish priest – ‘Baptism, the gateway to the sacraments, is necessary for salvation, either by actual reception or at least by desire. By it people are freed from sins, ARE BORN AGAIN as children of God and made like to Christ by an indelible character, are incorporated into the Church. It is validly conferred only by a washing in real water with the proper form of words’. If Mr Godfrey was baptised in the Catholic Church as an infant and then in his capacity as a priest he has likewise baptised many babies, is he by his ‘testimony’ inferring that through the Sacrament of Baptism babies are not ‘BORN AGAIN’ as Roman Catholicism teaches but that an experience, later in life, such as he related in his ‘testimony’ must be sought in order to be ‘reborn in [note – not ‘into’] Jesus’.
There are serious consequences for Roman Catholics who reject the claims made by Rome for the Sacrament of Baptism – ‘If anyone saith, that in the Roman Church, which is the mother and mistress of all churches, there is not the true doctrine concerning the sacrament of baptism; let him be anathema’: ‘If any one saith, that baptism is free, that is, not necessary unto salvation; let him be anathema’. [Council of Trent; Session 7: Canons III & V].
Mr Godfrey is a Jesuit priest and I think we can safely assume that he would not continue in this position if he did in any way reject the claims of the Roman Catholic Sacrament of Baptism, as otherwise he would be under the ‘anathema’ [curse] of the Roman Catholic Church.
Certainly ‘being [not ‘becoming’] a Christian’ involves ‘surrendering to Jesus as…personal Lord and Saviour’ but becoming a Christian through ‘new birth’ happens only and sovereignly through the “quickening” work of the Holy Spirit. ‘New birth’ only happens as He, the Holy Spirit, sovereignly chooses and moves and not automatically [as defined in Roman Catholicism as ex opere operato (which means ‘from the work performed’)] through any Roman Catholic Sacrament of Baptism.
This ‘testimony’ of Donal Godfrey is full of theological ‘double-speak’. In the ‘Collins English Dictionary & Thesaurus – 21st Century Edition’ the following entry is found under the definition of ‘Jesuit’ – ‘a person given to subtle and equivocating [ambiguous] arguments’. Someone who ‘equivocates’ is as this dictionary also states ‘deliberately misleading or vague; avoiding speaking directly or honestly; of doubtful character or sincerity’. These definitions lie at the heart of ‘Jesuitry’.
Mr Godfrey confirmed that in his training he ‘did the ‘SPIRITUAL EXERCISES’ of St Ignatius’. In these ‘Exercises’ there is a section entitled ‘RULES FOR THINKING WITH THE CHURCH – The following rules should be observed to foster the true attitude of mind we ought to have in the church militant’ and one of those ‘Spiritual Exercises’ 365:13 teaches – ‘If we wish to proceed securely in all things, we must hold fast to the following principle: What seems to me white, I will believe black if the hierarchical Church so defines…For it is by the same Spirit and Lord who gave the Ten Commandments that our holy Mother Church is ruled and governed’ [‘The Spiritual Exercises of St Ignatius by Louis J Puhl SJ: Loyola University Press – Chicago: pages 157 & 160].
Having seen from my analysis of what Mr Godfrey wrote that he is more than capable of misrepresenting biblical terminology it will come then as no surprise to learn that he did likewise during the course of the broadcast service.
1. The ‘gay pride’ lobby have adopted ‘the rainbow’ as the symbol/emblem on their community’s flag and so when their people see it they know exactly what it stands for – it identifies and flies over a community of those who engage in lifestyles and behaviour similar to many who lived in Sodom and Gomorrah.
2. The rainbow apparently was a sign that the flood was over and that creation could now rest secure.
3. The rainbow apparently teaches that for God there is no ‘us’ [presumably those who are God’s children] and ‘them’ [presumably those who are not God’s children] but ultimately only God’s children – we are all the rainbow people of God.
I want now to comment upon these ‘teachings and I want to begin with point 2. From Genesis 9 we learn God’s purpose in placing ‘the rainbow’ in the sky. It was not so much a symbol that ‘the flood was over’ but rather that never again would God use a universal flood as his instrument of judgment upon mankind’s sin. Then what about Mr Godfrey’s ‘teaching’ that ‘creation could now rest secure’. With Mr Godfrey being a Jesuit we have to try extra hard to figure out what exactly he meant when he asserted this. I think there could be 2 possible options when trying to decide what he meant.
Option 1 could mean that Mr Godfrey believed that as a physical reality the ‘natural world’ could ‘rest secure’ from any future cataclysmic upheavals. Well, if that’s what Mr Godfrey meant, history, the words of Paul in Romans 8:22 [“the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain”] and the words of the Lord Himself in Matthew 24:7 [“earthquakes”] show that the ‘natural world’ is far from being ‘secure’ when it comes to experiencing ‘natural disasters’. If Mr Godfrey meant that ‘creation could now rest secure’ from ever again experiencing a destructive global flood [the only true certainty because God specifically promised this in Genesis 9:11] then he should have stated that clearly and specifically.
Option 2 could mean that Mr Godfrey believed that the world would never again be subject to God’s universal judgment because of mankind’s sin. Well, if that’s what Mr Godfrey meant, the words of the Apostle Peter in 2 Peter 3 refute that possible interpretation of what Mr Godfrey said. In response to the views of “scoffers, walking after their own lusts” [verse 3] Peter assures his readers that “the heavens and the earth which are now…are…reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men”.
The words of Jude also refute such a notion for we read in his epistle of “angels…he hath reserved…unto the judgment of the great day. Even as Sodom and Gomorrah…giving themselves over to fornication and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire” [verses 6-7]. If Mr Godfrey meant that ‘creation could now rest secure’ from ever again experiencing God’s universal judgment because of mankind’s sin then he was ‘flying in the face of’ what God’s Word teaches.
The Biblical reality is that neither the ‘natural world’ nor ‘unrepentant sinners’ can ‘rest secure’ in the light of the certainty of the coming fiery judgment of God.
Then moving on to the’ teachings’ of point 3 I would comment as follows. There is absolutely no Biblical basis for Mr Godfrey to assert that ‘the rainbow’ signifies that everyone in the world, without exception [no ‘us’ and ‘them’] is now part of the only ultimate reality, namely that of all being ‘God’s children’, or as he colourfully phrased it, ‘we are all the rainbow people of God’.
No less a person than the Lord Jesus Christ Himself puts paid to such an unbiblical, fanciful notion. In John 8:44 He stated clearly to the unbelieving Pharisees that they were “of your father, the devil”. When writing to the Christians in Ephesus, in Ephesians chapter 2, the Apostle Paul reminded them how that prior to their conversion to Christ they had [verse 2] “walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air [the devil]” and how they had been [verse 3] “by nature the children of wrath, even as others”.
The biblical reality is that everyone born since ‘the fall’ of Adam is [according to Psalm 58:3] “estranged [from God as their Father] from the womb” for “they go astray as soon as they are born”.
When someone is ‘born again’ of the Spirit of God, through Holy Spirit conviction of sin and conversion to Christ, one of the great spiritual privileges that they are blessed with is that of “adoption” as a son or daughter into God’s family. Paul wrote to believers in Rome [Romans 8:15] “Ye have received the Spirit of adoption whereby we cry, Abba, Father”. Paul explained to the believers in Galatia that the saving mission of Christ was [Galatians 4:5] “so that we might receive the adoption of sons”. It was in the light of this need for repentant sinners to be truly ‘born again’ that the apostle John wrote of the joy of being a child of God in these terms [1 John 3:1-2] “Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us that we should be called the children of God…Beloved NOW are we the children of God”.
John then goes on to state [verse 3] how “every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself even as he [God] is pure” and that brings me to what I want to say about point 1.
‘The rainbow’ should remind all who see it of God’s judgment upon sin. It should remind all who see it of God’s absolute purity and holiness and how mankind’s sin was such an offence to these that God had no option but to move in universal judgment by means of the flood.
The truth that ‘the rainbow’ is inextricably linked to God’s purity and holiness is demonstrated by John’s vision of heaven where we read in Revelation 4:2-3 of how John “was in the Spirit and behold a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne. And…there was a rainbow round about the throne”. The gracious reality of “NOW” being “the children of [a pure and holy] God” should spur all such to ‘purify themselves’ by repenting of all known and habitual sin so that they shall increase in “sanctification” which according to Paul in 1st Thessalonians 4:3 is “the will of God…that ye should abstain from fornication”.
Under the banner of a ‘rainbow’ flag do the ‘gay pride’ community “abstain from fornication”. Anyone, Christian and non-Christian alike, who has ever viewed the behaviour of those taking part in ‘gay pride’ parades under ‘rainbow’ flags will know the answer to that without me having to spell it out. The use by the ‘gay’ community of a ‘rainbow’ flag at such events is the outworking of those who [Isaiah 5:20] “call evil good…who put darkness for light…who put bitter for sweet” and who [Romans 1:32] “knowing the judgment of God, that they who commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same but have pleasure in them that do them”.
There are 260 chapters in the New Testament, 260. There are 300 references to the Second Coming. The New Testament is replete with warnings about judgment, information about the Lord coming to gather His own, teaching about the fact that He will judge the wicked, establish His Kingdom and bring in eternal righteousness….
Look at verse 7; I have to give you this. The present heavens and earth, that’s different than the long-ago ones, “The present heaven and earth are by His Word reserved for”…what?…fire, not water. Remember the rainbow. What did the rainbow signify? God will never destroy the world again by water. So this time it’s being reserved to be destroyed by…what?…fire, “Kept for the judgment, the day of judgment, and the destruction of ungodly men.” The present world system then is reserved for future judgment and that future judgment will come by the Word of God just as the past judgment came and just as the creation came.
1. Mr Godfrey speaks of ‘the struggle’ of ‘being gay and spiritual’ and declares his belief that ‘it is God who calls and loves all of us whatever our sexual orientation…it is God who calls us to be fully human and fully alive’.
3. Commenting further on point 2 Mr Godfrey taught ‘It may come slowly or quite unexpectedly and suddenly this realisation that you are entombed but need not be, this realisation that what you thought was evil, corrupting, life-denying is in fact good, liberating and life-giving’.
I want now to comment upon these ‘teachings and once more I want to begin with point 2. Being a Jesuit there is perhaps unwittingly an aspect of ‘truth’ in what Mr Godfrey says but that is really only there to ‘mask’ the deadly poison of the main point that he wants to teach. He is Biblically correct when he says that ‘Coming out is for everyone’ – however he would probably not acknowledge and believe the biblical reality of his statement as his later comments show.
The Biblical truth of his statement is that all people according to Ephesians 2 [verse 1] are “dead in trespasses and sins” – spiritually-speaking all people are by nature entombed and cut off from the presence and blessing of God because of their “trespasses and sins”. The need for all to ‘come out’ of such a spiritual tomb is enshrined in the command of Christ in Mark 1:15 of “Repent [of sin] and believe the gospel” and in Paul’s preaching on Mars Hill when he told those listening in Acts 17:30 that “God…now commandeth all men everywhere to repent [of sin]”.
It is very clear that Mr Godfrey does not have this repentant spiritual ‘coming out’ in mind – his idea for people is to ‘come out’ by revealing ‘who [in our present lifestyle] we really are’ rather than repenting of ‘who [in our present lifestyle] we really are’. He sees no need after ‘coming out’ to remove the shrouds that were in fact our sins, that had us in our ‘spiritual tomb’ – according to him we must remove the shrouds of secrecy that have stopped us from revealing both to God and to each other the type of life-style that we pursue and indulge in.
Mr Godfrey is teaching that this miracle of the raising of Lazarus shows that everyone has the ability to raise themselves out of ‘the tombs of our own making in this life’ so that, by our own ability, we can then take off our own ‘shrouds’ in order to reveal and to follow our own natural desires and instincts in full-view of God and man. He is basically telling all people to ‘come out’ just as they are, don’t change and don’t worry about what others think or say about you [the ‘shroud’ of fear of man] and stop covering up what you do and stop hiding the way you want to live.
Come, ye dead, Christless, unconverted sinners, come and see the place where they laid the body of the deceased Lazarus; behold him laid out, bound hand and foot with grave-clothes, locked up and stinking in a dark cave, with a great stone placed on the top of it! View him again and again; go nearer to him; be not afraid; smell him, ah! How he stinketh. Stop there now, pause a while; and whilst thou art gazing upon the corpse of Lazarus, give me leave to tell thee with great plainness, but greater love, that this dead, bound, entombed, stinking carcass, is but a faint representation of thy poor soul in its natural state: for, whether thou believest it or not, thy spirit which thou bearest about with thee, sepulchered in flesh and blood, is as literally dead to God, and as truly dead in trespasses and sins, as the body of Lazarus was in the cave. Was he bound hand and foot with grave-clothes? So art thou bound hand and foot with thy corruptions: and as a stone was laid on the sepulcher, so is there a stone of unbelief upon thy stupid heart. Perhaps thou hast lain in this state, not only four days, but many years, stinking in God’s nostrils. And; what is still more affecting, thou art as unable to raise thyself out of this loathsome, dead state, to a life of righteousness and true holiness, as ever Lazarus was to raise himself from the cave in which he lay so long. Thou mayest try the power of thy own boasted free-will, and the force and energy of moral persuasion and rational arguments (which, without all doubt, have their proper place in religion); but all thy efforts, exerted with never so much vigor, will prove quite fruitless and abortive, till that same Jesus, who said, “Take away the stone,” and cried, “Lazarus, come forth,” comes by his mighty power, removes the stone of unbelief, speaks life to thy dead soul, looses thee from the fetters of thy sins and corruptions, and by the influences of his blessed Spirit, enables thee to arise, and to walk in the way of his holy commandments.
When the Lord Jesus deals graciously with a sinner and grants them forgiveness, He expects to see the fruits of holiness and righteousness, through obedience to His commandments, blossoming forth in the new life that He has given to them. We see that in John 8 when He tells the sinful, adulterous woman, that He had just forgiven, [verse 11] “Go and sin no more”. He certainly didn’t tell her that she had licence to pursue her former sinful lifestyle ‘before God and each other’ – yet that is basically what Mr Godfrey was teaching his listeners in point 2.
Moving on now to the’ teachings’ of point 3 I would comment as follows. In what he said here Mr Godfrey sheds more light on what he means by being ‘entombed’. He is clearly alluding to the lifestyles that many of his listeners have been told are ‘evil, corrupting, life-denying’ but in Mr Godfrey’s opinion they are in fact ‘good, liberating and life-giving’.
Earlier in the service Mr Godfrey listed many of these lifestyles – homosexual, lesbian, trans-gender etc. These lifestyles are not ‘foreign’ to the Word of God. Paul writes in Romans 1 [verses 26-32] of God ‘giving people up unto vile affections…even their women did exchange that natural use for that which is against nature; And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another, men with men, working that which is unseemly…Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness…inventors of evil things…without natural affection…knowing the judgment of God that they who commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same but have pleasure in them that do them”.
In God’s sight such lifestyles are ‘evil, corrupting, life-denying’. But with echoes of Genesis 3:4 and the serpent’s declaration “Ye shall not surely die” we find Mr Godfrey assuring many of his listeners that their lifestyles, that are clearly referred to in Romans 1:26-32 are in his view ‘good, liberating and life-giving’.
Mr Godfrey wants to convict his listeners through his preaching that their present lifestyles do not constitute ‘sin’, that their lifestyles represent acceptable [to God] ‘righteousness’ and that their lifestyles will not result in ‘judgement’ by God. This is another ‘spirit’ at work through Mr Godfrey and not the Holy Spirit whose mission, according to John 16:8, where unconverted sinners are concerned, is to “reprove [convict by convincing] the world of sin, and of righteousness and of judgment”.
Commenting in his Study Bible, Pastor John MacArthur notes ‘The world can’t make righteous judgments but the Spirit of Christ does. All Satan’s adjudications are lies…The Spirit will lead sinners to true judgment’. To Mr Godfrey God’s Word says in Isaiah 5:20 “Woe unto you who calls evil good”.
Let me deal now with point 1. Here Mr Godfrey teaches that ‘it is God who calls and loves all of us whatever our sexual orientation…it is God who calls us to be fully human and fully alive’. The call of the Gospel of Jesus Christ certainly does go out to all, ‘whatever our sexual orientation’, but if that ‘sexual orientation’ manifests itself in sexual practice that falls outside the confines of God’s boundaries for sexual intimacy as detailed in Hebrews 13:4 “Marriage [one man and one woman – Genesis 2:24] is honourable in all, and the [marriage] bed undefiled” then until by the gracious enabling of the Holy Spirit we repent of that sinful lifestyle and turn to and trust in Christ alone for salvation, God most certainly does not love us in our sin. In fact, in stark contrast, the Psalmist wrote in Psalm 7:11 “God is angry with the wicked every day”.
In our unrepentant, unregenerate, sinful state are we as Mr Godfrey put it ‘fully human and fully alive’. The Lord Jesus said in John 5:24 “Verily, verily, I say unto you. He that heareth my word [‘Repent and believe the gospel’] and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into judgement, but is passed from [spiritual] death unto [eternal] life”. Until a sinner is converted to Christ he/she is not ‘fully human and fully alive’. Far from God’s ‘love resting on them we find from John 3:36 that “the wrath of God abideth on him/her”.
“Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind…shall inherit the kingdom of God. And such WERE some of you; but ye are WASHED, but ye are SANCTIFIED, but ye are JUSTIFIED, in the name of the Lord Jesus AND BY the Spirit of our God”.
This article is certainly not intended as a ‘witch-hunt’ against ‘gay’ people for as Pastor John MacArthur in his Study Bible comments on 1st Corinthians 6:9-11 ‘Though not all Christians have been guilty of those particular sins, every Christian is equally an ex-sinner, since Christ came to save sinners’.
Paul used the law of God to alert sinners to the reality of their sin and to their need of the Saviour – he wrote in Galatians 3:24 “The law [by convincing people of the reality of their sin] was our schoolmaster [taught what sin was] to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith”.
Unlike Paul in Acts 19:27, Mr Godfrey has failed to “declare unto his listeners all the counsel of God” and for that and the resulting consequences he and they must according to Acts 17:31 give an account to God when one day “He [God] will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; concerning which he hath given assurance unto all men in that he hath raised him [Christ] from the dead”.
One final, ‘final thought’ – earlier in this article I wrote that ‘a book was produced by the so-called ‘Evangelical Catholic Initiative’ called ‘Adventures in Reconciliation – 29 Catholic Testimonies’ and of how… ‘The ‘Foreword’ was written by the [then] current Presbyterian Moderator, Ken Newell and one of the ‘Protestant’ ‘Commendations’ was by former Presbyterian Moderator Trevor Morrow’.
This was part of what Ken Newell wrote – ‘The book you are holding is a miracle. I’ve lived in Ireland for fifty-five years and can’t ever recall coming across anything quite like it …never have I opened a volume of Catholic testimonies commended with such warmth and respect by Protestants…I feel greatly honoured to write this Foreword because many of the contributors are my personal friends. We have worked together for years on projects of an evangelical, charismatic and ecumenical nature. We know each other well. But the miracle is deeper than friendship. We have discovered each other as brothers and sisters in Christ. We feel that we belong to each other…the Holy Spirit has only one temple and we are all stones in its structure’.
This was part of what Trevor Morrow wrote – ‘For Presbyterians like myself who still hold to the principle of the Reformation – of justification by faith alone, the implications are straightforward. If these testimonies are evidence of real faith in Christ, then whatever our theological differences, these Roman Catholic believers are justified by faith alone and so are our brothers and sisters in Christ…It is therefore, on the material principle [Cecil – this ‘material principle’ includes Christ’s righteousness being “imputed” to a true believer and in our website article on ‘Father’ Paul Symonds, referred to below, you can see and hear ‘Father’ Symonds publicly rejecting this glorious aspect of the ‘material principle’] of the Reformation, that a person is justified by faith alone, [Cecil – also something that Rome officially denies – see Dr James Butler’s Catechism: Lesson X: Q&A 7 on page 26] that I, as a Presbyterian, unequivocally accept and affirm with joy and enthusiasm these Roman Catholic believers as my brothers and sisters in Christ’.
that concerns [former?] Jesuit, Paul Symonds whose ‘testimony’ also appeared in this book.
I think it would be profitable for Ken Newell and Trevor Morrow to take time to revisit and perhaps reconsider their affirmations of these men as being their ‘brothers in Christ’ in the light of what we have published in our articles, but in truth, I do not expect that to happen and I fully expect Mr Newell and Mr Morrow to continue on the paths they tread and are leading others along and I fear that they and their followers will end up in a ditch similar to those of Matthew 15:14 and Luke 6:39.
This entry was posted in Assorted Articles, BBC, Roman Catholicism, Take Heed Ministries and tagged Gay, Jesuit, Mass on May 4, 2007 by takeheed. | 2019-04-18T14:49:32Z | http://www.takeheed.info/sunday-worship-bbc-radio-4-29th-april-2007/ |
Welcome to the second installment of the executive perspectives series.
This is the second in a series where we take an individual topic and cut together a lot of my interviews with executives across the direct selling industry. When we were talking about that specific topic kind of weave it all together into one podcast for you so you can get the perspectives of many different world-class executives and direct selling around one specific topic in one podcast.
This one is about data intelligence. There’s so much you can do to take advantage of that data and to learn from that data. There is a never-ending well of tips, ideas and new practices that you could use to greater affect the efficiency of the way you run your business, your comp plan, your sales force, and your customers.
Michel Bayan: We are welcoming the CEO of Rodin infields Lori Bush. Lori, how important is data to you and your company?
Lori Bush: We invest heavily in business intelligence. I’m really starting to appreciate more and more what big data means. Our Head of Digital has advised me that we have a beginners approach to big data. Because of the number of data records that we have as a result of the commerce transactions, we can take the data of our customers: consultants and customers and overlay that Onyx channel databases and get a lot of texture and even some level of granularity in terms of who our customers are, what are sort of the crossover practices and products that they use, what they expect from premium e-commerce companies. The real opportunity starts to come when you start applying data sciences. You can customize the experience on an individual level whether it’s the business platform offerings or it’s the product portfolio. A more intelligent and compelling and engaging way.
Michel Bayan: That’s great. One of the things that are making e-commerce become bigger is not just the selling platform or telesales. It’s the kind of data collection that enable these companies to serve their customers better. Companies started capturing data to predict intent to be able to catch a consumer at the exact moment of conversion.
Lori Bush: We do talk about that zero moments of truth and what used to be the Zero Moment of Truth was somebody standing at a store shelf and making the decision – really understanding the customer journey and what are the various points of influence. The more you understand that path the easier it is to analyze where the zero moment of truth is where you could get them to complete an initiative: purchase, clickthrough, subscription, enrollment get easier And most importantly for us to help our consultants capture that moment.
Michel Bayan: I agree absolutely. Lori Busch It’s been an absolute pleasure hanging out with you today. Thank you so much for welcoming me to your office and for sharing candidly so many of your thoughts about our space and the future of it and how it’s moving forward looking forward to what you and the team at are going to do with the annual meeting next year and to a lot of interesting changes that are being guided by you and other visionaries in this space. Thanks so much.
Lori Bush: Thanks. It’s been a real privilege having another channel to share some of this thinking and it’s really a joy to be able to work with the other companies in the direct selling channel as we reimagine what our future could be. So it seems very bright to me.
James Rosseau: We have a certain level of data that we look at. Who are those new folks who enter our company as new associates, what is their success track look like, who perform certain activities within this period of time, do they hit levels at the expected rate. If not what’s going on and so on. We have ways we look at both from a lineage perspective across different platinums, and from a new associate interest perspective. We absolutely look at all those things to try to get more folks into success.
Michel Bayan: That’s great. Most companies will find that the first 90 days of what happens in the life of an associate does spell the destiny of where they’re going to end up.
Michel Bayan: I know the last few years you’ve been getting more and more sophisticated with data. You’ve been introducing tools that are providing more data and more insights. Can you share maybe one or two? What kind of interesting lessons has looking at data taught you?
James: We started to take a hard look at member retention and how do we get members to stay longer. we could say over the last three years we have improved member retention by at least 20 percent. Right in terms of duration of stay. And that was all dated data driven. Looking at some of the reasons people stay whether it’s one piece’s usage, we highly promote usage right. You’re coming into a company that provides access to the legal system. And what we want to make sure you do is take advantage of that access. There’s a big difference and member attention from those who do and those who don’t. And even with those who do, what type of users are they. And so we train on usage to make sure the members are paying hopefully fee to use the service our models built on the capitate model built on people having a subscription with us. And so we have by usage. As we have interactions with attorneys, there’s a direct correlation to how long they stay with us and so that was one major data point. And looking at now, how we segment usage when members call us, we divide things into what we call 70 unique areas of law. So we understand what they do and without violating attorney-client privilege to do that is categoric categorically done and then we look at those things and over time can watch which behaviors drive both satisfaction and uses necessary. Second thing I would talk about. So one is again getting two more uses the second one is satisfaction we implemented net promoter score about two years ago and I believe it was and the promoter score is a commonly used metric and across a number of industries to understand what your customers say about your service. And we’ve been able to grow that score your year quarter for the last at least eight months and so we pretty proud of that.
Michel Bayan: That’s amazing. Yeah and it sounds like there are so many insights that you guys can get and wow I never even thought that there could be 70 different categories of law. So that’s kind of some stuff that’s exciting or scary.
Michel Bayan: Well thanks a lot. It is really really great to get to know you more. And thank you for sharing some of the experiences of your life and some of the stuff you guys are learning and doing and you guys are really driving a progressive business there are LegalShield and I’m sure our audiences of executives is going to get a lot of value from getting to know you and I know we’ll stay in touch and maybe we’ll do an update sometime soon.
James: Absolutely. Thank you so much for having me.
Michel Bayan: Jennifer Byrne Welcome to DirecTech. So good to have you.
Jennifer: Thanks, Michel. Glad to be with you today.
Jennifer: We are using data to not only track new customers but to retain existing customers is incredibly powerful and that’s a great example. Yeah, it’s an excellent example.
Michel Bayan: Yeah that’s exactly what they did to me. And if they wouldn’t have done that. I’m telling you I wouldn’t have gone back to flying them but they gave me something that I needed. And whatever that you know analytics engine was or that probably some kind of predictive model was it knows about me it knows all my buying history what I buy what I like what I don’t like where I go how much I spend when I’m going there and is probably predicting hey what is the offer that this guy’s going to want. That’s going to get him flying again.
Jennifer: And I think the common thread in any conversation we have with any customer or a startup on any product or service is about data and understanding or customer and being able to test new products and take that data mine it in a way that you can then have insights and turn those insights into a positive experience for your customer and whether that is serving a more appropriate ad or is delivering more personalized services or offering that upsell that bonus as a loyal customer data. What we’re seeing is the ability to extract more interpret and then take action is top at every mind at every corporation that we know. And it cuts across consumer as well as business. It’s becoming even more critical because as more and more devices become connected you have more and more data points to extract and ways to understand customer needs and behavior and that can be B2C or B2B. And I think some companies for example like G.E. have really put a lot of I guess capital and effort into their innovation labs and they, for example, are using data and their predictive analytics to do to really improve business for their customers and this is kind of a B2B example but because of the amount of sensors that are now attached to every locomotive or every vehicle by tracking the data on those sensors they’re able to create for one of their customers like a locomotive company. They can basically use big data and analytics to improve the velocity of their locomotives. Again that means includes better scheduling lowering downtime improving maintenance so really leveraging the connections and devices taking that data and then turning that into a positive and it can be effective it can be a revenue play but it’s a better experience and it’s a more efficient model for their customer. So I mean there’s an endless amount of examples but I think that cuts to the core the more devices we have connected in any business the more data we have and we’ve got to figure out how to interpret it. And also with proper privacy controls and protections leverages that data to provide better service. I mean I think that’s what the core of every business now.
Michel Bayan: Yes specially if you’ve got a lot of data on any one thing I think you know for our audience here which is mostly made of direct selling executives you know they’ve got so much data about their sales process that is really an amazing blessing that really no other industry that has salespeople really gets to enjoy. There are very very few companies that are not direct selling companies that have salespeople in the thousands let alone hundreds of thousands were millions of direct selling companies do. So there’s so much data in there to be looked at and gotten value out of that it’s really a hidden gold mine.
Jennifer: Absolutely and they are uniquely positioned in that industry to the fact that this is individual data that can be captured and that you can create a more I guess efficient and thoughtful and targeted sales approach both from an end customer as well as a way to I think motivate entice and reward individual salespeople to generate that loyalty. So you could take your American Airlines example and translate that to a direct sales rep and say Let’s surprise and delight a loyal sales rep who has achieved a certain milestone Send an offer to send a bonus. And that notion of loyalty but even in a sales force is invaluable.
Michel Bayan: That’s right. I mean imagine what it could be like if that communications and engagement strategy wasn’t just based on hey everyone in one single market is going to get the same message. But understanding the different people in the style of how they do business and what makes them tick more so that instead of sending one message to everybody maybe you’re sending six different messages to the people that are more likely to resonate with that message which results in them feeling better affinity and closeness and loyalty to the brand. Taking more actions that they wouldn’t have taken before maybe even being willing to give you even more data because they’re feeling better served than they’re trusting you more. I mean it just goes on and on and on.
Jennifer: Yeah. And there are some parallels to some other industries as well. So even within a tech world, I think creating even visual representations of data is not as complicated as it is even if you take basic data and present it in a way that a sales rep or I let’s say as you know a financial investor the easier you make it for me to understand my performance. Again that could be sales performance or my investment portfolio. The more engaged I am the more I want to learn the more I want that personalized message back saying hey did you know this is a moment to sell a particular stock or take action because there’s the ability to. This is a tax harvesting example that I think the ability to present data and indigestible form for the sales rep is going to be very empowering because there may be opportunities to Upsilon cross-sell even outside perhaps the existing brand that they might be responsible for. And not knowing how to do that or why anyone would even think about it. I think to be able to present data to say well if you’re a good selling x you’ll be great at selling Y. So there are some very simple tools I think so long as you capture that data. if you Present it in a simple fashion it can be very empowering.
Michel Bayan: My guests today is Kris Shenk the CEO of CAbi clothing.
Kris: Nice to be here. Thank you for inviting me.
Michel Bayan: You started getting into this idea of you know data and automation. So this is something that I know interests you a lot.
Kris: Yeah and I think that’s one of the things that direct selling industry really can take advantage of. They have three really important aspects of what can make their technology more modern and that big data are you know loosely called big data. But the amount of information that we have at our fingertips as a direct selling company is incredible. Now you got to use it for something to really have it provide that value. A lot of people I know they’ve got the data but they have no idea what to do with this enormous asset. Totally. But if you take that asset. And then you apply some concepts again. My favorite obsession automation with it. And then you think about how do you personalize that experience for your constituent. And when I say a constituent it could be your stylist your consultant your distributor whatever you want to call that. Or it could be that the end customer. Oh because there are things you can do for both of them. So tying those three concepts together that big data that automation and you the experience I know some people kind of call that A.I. or artificial intelligence and I’m always real careful within my organization not to use terminology like that because it’s so vague. Not well not vague but it’s it’s scary to them and so they apply that definition to it. That maybe isn’t quite accurate. So I keep talking about our data automation and personalized experiences and tying those things together so but there’s just I can’t get over how many great opportunities we have to get those three things tied together in a way that personalizes the experience to what the consumer wants or what the consultant wants. It doesn’t take much to get out of the Internet and go look at some of those personalized experiences that you can just see and with a retailer or just online.
Michel Bayan: For that matter I mean you probably don’t have enough to go that far right. It’s probably being done to you right now. I mean I know it’s being done to me. I mean I’ve had airlines do it to me, Amazon Netflix, does it to me every night. You know I mean it’s all it’s all around us already.
Kris: That’s so true and so that’s one of the things I find so fascinating about the direct selling industry too is it’s all around us. But there hasn’t been somebody who’s really embraced it and taken that into the direct selling model. But there are so many different opportunities to do that with this personalization in advanced merchandising even. The concept of a recommendations engine for your product. And that even that’s been done for a million years. But direct selling is now not really doing a good job of embracing that technology and what it can do for them.
Michel Bayan: I think it’s one of those things that a lot of the mentality of a direct selling organization vis a vis of not just technology but you know we’ve always been known as this very capital efficient business model. And I think that a lot of executives and executive teams take this a little bit too much to heart these days. And you know I hear this from a lot of executives that you know there’s not enough money in the pot to do a lot of the things that they want to do and it’s just about you know spend the absolute minimum amount of money that you can to keep the lights on and keep shipping product and keep paying commission and you know keep your field from revolting and make everything else about how to get them to sell and recruit more. And there are just a lot more elements to running a sophisticated modern business these days. And and I think that you know the companies that are making those kinds of investments and aren’t afraid to spend the few bucks on more automation and better technology and really understanding who their field is and why they want the things they want and who wants what versus the others. So we can more effectively communicate with them and more effectively help them communicate with their customers are seeing that payback in spades.
Kris: Yeah I think it’s interesting too. The other thing that the other roadblock that I I see and hear about is that direct selling companies use the positioning that we’re not a technology company we’re a relationship company and I hate to break it to you. You’re both. And so one of the things that we’ve been doing at CAbi is trying to make sure that the technology never interferes with the relationship but always supports the relationship. And I think that’s important.
Michel Bayan: Awesome. I love it. Kris thank you so much.
Kris: Well thank you I appreciate being here. It’s been a joy to sit here and chat with you. So looking forward to the next. | 2019-04-18T16:29:03Z | http://www.sourceds.com/2018/03/the-power-of-data-for-direct-selling/ |
Browse > Home / Featured / Reading comprehension as a transmedial (sub-medial) trait.
Regardless of whether we are talking about comprehension in novels, articles, sculpture, or dance, comprehension comes from dialogue and interaction, where the learner gathers information and must act upon it in some way—feedback and reflection are essential.
Feedback and interaction were central to the work of Lev Vygotsky, as depicted here in Figure 1. (Tharp & Gallimore, 1988, p. 35).
In this model called the Zone of Proximal Development, the external dialogue created by interaction in stage 1, eventually becomes internalized, and through this internalization individuals go through a process where they learn to self-monitor, learn to observe, learn to practice, learn to receive feedback, and ultimately they learn to refine the process of comprehension through questioning and verifying what they know in what can be called a knowledge act.
Vygotsky (1978) maintained that children imitate what they see adults do, and this gradually develops into the ability to do certain tasks without help or assistance. In teaching something new, we need to start with where the student is at with their ability to solve problems, and then under the guidance of a more experienced problem solver, their ability is extended—this is called the Zone of Proximal Development. The mentor’s role, according to Herb Simon is to align a problem so that the solution can become transparent, and this can then be extended and deepened.
Games can provide this interaction, provide relevant feedback, help to create and align a problem, and demand mastery in the same way a competent instructor can scaffold a learner through the Zone of Proximal Development. In a classroom situation, where a teacher has thirty or more students, and fifty-five minutes to work with them–an interactive game can be quite effective, as it is often unlikely that teacher will be able to work one-on-one with each student in a meaningful way every day. But it is possible that games can provide the kind of accessibility, interaction, and instruction to develop comprehension that young people who struggle to decode might benefit from, but more importantly, games may give incentive to reengage in developing essential reading skills.
What makes the idea of a game so compelling as a method for developing comprehension is the amount of regular feedback and the necessity of mastery of complex situations that might offer a variety of solution sets from combinations and permutations of different tools, rules, cooperation, and knowledge of the narrative goals and character arcs. This complex interaction scaffolds the player through difficulties until they are able to perform the task with knowledge through the developing awareness that failure and recovery from it (learning) are part of developing knowledge, strategy, and competence.
The big idea here is that games are built upon many of the same comprehension elements that are incorporated in reading printed text. There is a tradition of consideration of video games as new narratives; Laurel (1993), Murray (1997), Aarseth (1997), Frasca (2003) and Crawford (2005) agree that there are narrative elements, but that games are also designed to be interactive in the way that they tell stories. As Frasca (2003) describes, the aspects of simulation and problem solving components of the game are also very compelling, and are what he called the ludic aspects of the game: the elements that instigate play—see also Salen & Zimmerman (2004).
These elements create the feedback and demand knowledge acts, where the player must gather information, decide what is useful, and use it to act to get through a puzzle. This process of game play demands that the player acquire and act upon the information they gather. This view of games, play, and learning presents a highly flexible and powerful form of comprehension, and it is generally instinctual, but often needs mentoring, modeling, and practice to develop.
The table above to the right shows a direct and close relation to situation model research– typical literary categories often used in reading comprehension assessments; I am familiar and have worked on the Minnesota MCA2 for four years– and state and national standards. This alignment of the dimensions of a Situation Model from the Event Indexing Model allows for close proximity and correlation between what are often considered traditional and customary literary terms and an empirically validated comprehension models such as from Walter Kintsch (1968) and participants in the Discourse Processing tradition.
Although these connections have not been made yet on the level of the state and nationwide assessments, as I believe they should, this study assumed that connecting empirical comprehension research from the Discourse Processing tradition would be useful in connecting the culturally mediated competencies of the state assessments (that are often only validated through inter-rater reliability: selected teachers sitting around a table rating and compromising about what is what) and language arts standards to an empirically validated theory of reading comprehension. This enables a more regimented look at comprehension, narrative, discourse, and connection to problem solving and decision making as made popular by Kahneman and Tversky (2001).
In addition. this connection makes the case for The Compensation Model (Stanovich, 2000), and also connects to more recent work on the Indexical Hypothesis and Embodiment Theory (Borghi 2005; Glenburg, 1997; Zwann 2003; Barsalou 1999).
With this connection to discourse processing and comprehension, play might be seen as an evolutionary adaptation (Sutton-Smith, 1997) useful in transferring culture, knowledge, and developing proficiency in tool use, as well as the creation of knowledge, culture, and tools, (Mumford, 1945). Above all, play represents an opportunity for exploration and inquiry in a context where the cost of failure is the opportunity to learn from a mistake. In play, knowledge is gathered and acted upon, a very powerful process to develop experience and comprehension. Play is visible evidence of comprehension. It is an expression of and toward comprehension. It is a knowledge act.
Play is one of the building blocks of comprehension, and games are the way that we ground cognition and pass on cultural knowledge and skills sets through off-loading cognitive work into the environment, thus making he environment part of the cognitive system through place-holders and computational devides like toys and tools–Vygotsky (176) called these pivots.
With play, children and adults seek and explore through observation, manipulation, and imitation. When we play, we take our prior knowledge and attempt to create order and demonstrate competence. With toys, children are interacting with a representation of something that adults use.
My own son likes to play with cars. He makes engine sounds and drives them around with screeching tires. He also likes to take on roles and imitate with toys that are representations of the tools we use for productivity. Above we saw him in his own office with the same tools mom and dad use. What he was doing was building a repertoire of how things work and what they are used for in his memory.
From an evolutionary perspective, he is using his imagination to prepare for a time when he will drive and also to share, communicate, and produce culture through knowledge of cultural artifacts like cars and computers. This process of visualization, belief systems and cultural roles are important aspects of learning. Williamson Shaffer (2006) in his description of Epistemic Games provides depth and detail on how these elements work in games (and this is exemplified and contextualized later in Figure 2).
Games are a structured form of play, and what teachers need to understand is that play is learning, and by structuring play, we can create a higher degree of engagement and effort. Games allow for the kind of learning that encourages mastery, builds resilience and tenacity, innovation and creativity, as well as practice solving problems. Play creates comprehension through knowledge acts, whether the learner is performing or investigating.
Games, Play, and Learning are Inseparable.
As children develop and grow, their play becomes more complex, and we begin to see imaginative play, with language and visualization, use of complex ideas, actions, tools, and language, and interaction and shared play with others.
If you look at a game, it generally is composed of a number of elements that are structured to create the interaction and experience that children and adults enact in play (such as imagination, role playing and identities, rules, branching and choice, as well as incorporating the use of probability and chance.
them digital natives. They may just be strangers in a strange land that they want to know more about—we can provide the passport.
We need to consider play as the foundation in an approach to using video games, and we need to recognize that games may represent an activity that is complex and relevant enough to engage students in learning and developing comprehension skills.
But games are not enough. In education, we often talk about the tools, because the tools are often the measure of what we take to be progress in education. Often the tools we use such as tests and software are thought to be capable of definitive assessment. And if the software helps improve test performance, it must be improving learning over all. This is not always the case, and more often than not, it is the way the tool is used that is important.
We are foolish to think we can just give out the tools and easily replicate this (Cuban, 1986),. It is important to understand that tools are only as powerful as the way they are employed. The central role of the tool may be one of the major obstacles educators will need to overcome in the classroom if schools and teachers are going to remain relevant for preparation of young people for the new global labor force. Games should not be seen as a panacea, but they may be used as powerful tools.
Play and the way that we learn to use tools should be the focus. Play changes the discourse around learning. It implies making mistakes, trying new things, and creativity, and innovation— traits necessary for knowledge workers. It also takes the pressure off children who are already under tremendous pressure to perform in school settings that regularly insist on going faster and covering more ground because we are all so far behind.
Play can bring some more humanity into our classroom teaching, and it is also a proven method for learning and developing cultural competency—and games represent more formalized and structured approaches to this cultural learning often found in informal learning environments often known as the wilds away from school.
Play is how we share and transfer physical and intellectual tools to our young and other community members. Johann Huizinga (1938), the author of Homo Ludens, stated that play is the basis of culture. According to Lewis Mumford (1954), it was imitation, role play, the creation of miniature environments and the symbolic fields of play where every function of life was modeled as a game to develop competency and advance what was known and will be known.
Perhaps play and representation are the factory of our conceptual abilities, and if play involves the creation of abstractions and models of the world, then sharing play necessitates complex communication as well as a means for innovation and production. This makes it the perfect method for developing comprehension.
In terms of understanding the elements of comprehension, the tradition of Discourse Processing provides ample opportunity to look at comprehension as transmedial. Kintsch (1988, 1998) in presenting the Construction Integration Model suggested that there were three levels of representation of text.
And the communication level, which involves the reader constructing a representation of the writer of the text.
The Event Indexing Model, which includes all five boxes from Figure 3, provides insight on events, or situations as portrayed in a variety of media, which are the made up of the interrelated elements. This level can be very useful for teachers to know how to develop comprehension in their students and create transfer between different media experiences; and it is the basis for the transmedial nature of comprehension.
If students have struggled to decode, games and film can provide a more accessible entry point at the situation model level, (level 3 experiences), where they can interact with complex texts and narratives without the cognitive load of decoding text and making meaning from it (bottom up processing).
With games, much of the action, the context, and the actors are depicted ( they are shown in pictures), and also described through the action and narrative text in the print and audio of character dialog and narration. This depiction with description allows for clarification for how we should view the context and understand the situation with the directing of our attention (Kress, 2003) and may lessen demand on the propositional level from the text to make a mental image representing what is being described in the text.
This contextualization of images with printed traditional text informs and focuses the player, and offers the experience and information to embody the reading and comprehension experimentally. Thus, the learner makes a more robust model of the situation to develop and build the representation as the narrative evolves. This might allow for the student to draw from prior experience and use top-down processes to make meaning of the events and comprehend without the taxation on processing from decoding, therefore utilizing and further developing comprehension.
But how does this help decoding?
When a reader has well-developed comprehension skills, they can recruit prior knowledge to bootstrap lower level processes (Stanovich, 2000) and this is an important idea for making a case for using more accessible texts that are relevant and interesting to the learner. Once again, the reader can use higher-level process in order to support lower level process (Stanovich, 2000).
What makes teaching with games to develop comprehension meaningful are the second and the third level, called the Propositional and Situation Levels. The Propositional Level is where we decode communications into the Situation Level. The Situation level is where the reader represents many of the elements and descriptions that go into making a mental model of a situation. On this level, the learner constructs a mental representation of the situation experienced, remembered, read, perceived, or described in a real or imaginary world, (Zwann, Langston, & Graesser, 1995; Zwann & Radavansky, 1998).
When working to teach reading with this information, it is important to connect to prior knowledge and build and compare the new information to prior situation models, or prior experience. Consider a story board, or a comic strip where each scene is defined and then the next event is framed. Readers need to learn to create these frames when comprehending text. Each event in a text should then be integrated and developed as an evolution of ideas presented, as each scene builds with new information, the model is updated and expanded.
(Goldman, Graesser, & van den Broek, 1999, p. 94).
Thus, we must build our understanding. The attributes of a situation model can be made much more robust and much more easily accessible when prior knowledge is recruited and connected into what we already know, and less effort will be made of finding the familiar.
· Referent specific knowledge (pan-situational knowledge about specific entities).
structure of stories, they are more likely to have a deeper understanding of the passage.
or an element that was unexpected is presented.
Further, van den Broek et al (2001) reports that readers engage in a different style of reading according to genre expectations, and, that reading purpose will inform the notion that readers differentially allocate their processing resources according to their expectations about the genre of the text—so when readers have familiarity, they generally have a tactic or strategy for engaging with the text. It would be expected that a reader with little or no familiarity would use a button mashing style of trial and error when playing a game just as a reader would cast about for meaning when trying to comprehend a passage in a challenging text.
4. All dimensions are equal.
With this in mind, the Event Indexing Model is an equal opportunity model of comprehension. It works across media to describe the transformation of sensory information and how it is processed to some extent — and it is just as applicable with pictures as it is with text–it is the study of discourse and the conveyance of information. It is transmedial — or perhaps sub-medial: it is the process that turns that pattern to meaning — working as a form of categorical organization to go from high fidelity, fine-tooth detail, to more generalized levels of organization — chunking and schema building.
We create memory based upon pattern recognition, and perhaps print-text is not the only way to develop reading comprehension. In this sense, reading is thinking queued by text, and that the key to being a successful reader is not automaticity with decoding, but the ability to match new information with prior experience. The creation of organizational categories to chunk larger patterns of information and connect to prior experience helps the individual to process faster. So a movie buff who understands story arc and plot may be better at predicting the story and have more cognitive resource to focus on the details and connect new information to existing memory and experience a mental simulation of what is coded in the text–moving back and forth between online (attention to the symbols) and off-line meaning making(memory simulation of dimensions of the situation model).
This is what Daedalus did for Icarus, in helping him to escape the labyrinth– and this use of to-sight may be useful through improving the knowledge of novice narrative comprehenders through teaching with more accessible and high-interest media which offers feedback, interaction, and multi-modal sensory input, as well as inference making, resource management, and strategy generation. In addition, games can provide the social capital that will reinforce engagement and quality time on task. In addition, games provide a much more complex narrative.
If you look at a game, it generally is composed of a number of elements that are structured to create the interaction and experience that children and adults enact in play (Figure 2.) such as imagination, role playing and identities, rules, branching and choice, as well as incorporating the use of probability and chance.
Games are tools for learning, but what is important for educators to know is how to use games that structure and extend play and create reflection. Often tools are useful in helping individuals to learn complex problem solving and pass along cultural knowledge, but what we often fail to account for is that tools are not as powerful until used in an activity with intention. Kids may have grown up in a digital age, but this does not make them digital natives. They may just be strangers in a strange land that they want to know more about—we can provide the passport.
Perhaps play and representation is the factory of our conceptual abilities, and if play involves the creation of abstractions and models of the world, then sharing play necessitates complex communication as well as a means for innovation and production. This makes it the perfect method for developing comprehension.
The effect of video games on children is a topic that has to be studied in detail.
As a professor of Special Education, one of whose areas of interest/expertise is how to teach reading, I am very interested in your theory, Brock. Are you planning to do any quantitative research about this? I look forward to learning what you find.
Over the course of the next few months, i will be posting excerpts from the work that followed this initial investigation. This initial study was not quantitative because the sample size was considerably reduced due to attrition in the reading remediation class we were working with. Later work, which I will share in November, showed medium effect between traditional methods of reading assessment, classroom production, and the importance of new literacies in developing comprehension to accelerate the process– the key was quality time on task and building cognitive categories for recognizing larger pattern segments in narratives related to genre — as in the Event Indexing Model.
I will also be presenting another study at the National Reading Conference in December on games as a framework for literacy instruction and how we made six-percent gains with my eighth-graders on a new, more difficult, standardized assessment.
I also have a few other mixed method studies coming up for submission. | 2019-04-22T04:30:18Z | http://vgalt.com/2009/10/13/reading-comprehension-as-a-transmedial-sub-medial-trait/ |
The Cancer Prevention and Control Research Network is a national network of academic, public health, and community partners who work together to reduce the burden of cancer, especially among those disproportionately affected. Its members conduct community and partner-engaged cancer research across its eight network centers, crossing academic affiliations and geographic boundaries. We at the Cancer Prevention and Control Program host one of these eight centers, the South Carolina Cancer Prevention and Control Research Network (SC-CPCRN). The SC-CPCRN also participated during the previous cycle of the CPCRN (2009-2014).
PI: Dr. Daniela B. Friedman, Co-PI: Dr. James R. Hébert.
Our goal at the South Carolina Cancer Prevention and Control Research Network (SC-CPCRN) is to reduce cancer-related health disparities among disenfranchised and medically underserved populations by advancing dissemination and implementation (D&I) science, increasing the cancer prevention and control evidence base across South Carolina, and translating effective multi-level, community-clinical interventions into practice both in South Carolina and nationally.
We are committed to: (1) disseminating, implementing, and evaluating efficacious, multi-level, and multi-site public health interventions to address cancer-related health disparities; (2) engaging local, regional, and national community partners and stakeholders in research, training, and technical assistance to increase the cancer prevention and control evidence base and translate effective interventions into practice, and; (3) increasing participation in cancer prevention and control behaviors, such as cancer screening, physical activity, and access to and consumption of healthful foods among high-risk and disparate populations.
Dr. Friedman is a Professor and Department Chair in the Department of Health Promotion, Education, and Behavior and core faculty in the Cancer Prevention and Control Program. She is also an affiliate of the Prevention Research Center and Women’s & Gender Studies Program at the University of South Carolina. Dr. Friedman’s graduate degrees are in health studies and gerontology with specialty training in health and cancer communication. She serves as director of USC’s interdisciplinary Certificate of Graduate Study in Health Communication and co-director of the Office for the Study of Aging. Friedman’s community- and stakeholder-engaged research is focused on health and cancer communication with diverse older adults. Specifically, she evaluates how communities access, understand, and use disease risk and prevention information, and examines the use of innovative strategies to promote the dissemination and implementation of evidence-based, language appropriate, and culturally relevant messages and programs. Currently she serves as Principal Investigator of the South Carolina Cancer Prevention and Control Research Network II and served as co-lead of the national CPCRN FQHC workgroup. Dr. Friedman is also a PI on the CDC-funded South Carolina Healthy Brain Initiative Network Collaborating Center and PI of an NIEHS grant focused on how to communicate about the environmental risks of breast cancer.
Dr. Hébert received his masters’ degree in Environmental Health and Epidemiology from the University of Washington and his doctorate in Nutritional Epidemiology from Harvard University. Since coming to the University of South Carolina in 1999, he has received 43 federally funded grants focusing on diet and other risk factors and cancers of various anatomic sites. These include breast, cervical, colorectal, prostate, and those of the upper aerodigestive tract. In September 2003, Dr. Hébert became the Founding Director of the South Carolina Statewide Cancer Prevention and Control Program. Besides being Co-Principal Investigator of the South Carolina Cancer Prevention and Control Research Network II he was Principal Investigator of the NCI-funded South Carolina Cancer Disparities Community Network from 2005 to 2017. Of relevance to networking, as of early June 2018 Dr. Hébert has published over 600 papers in peer-reviewed journals with 1134 different individuals from 309 different institutions (not just different departments within an institution). Relevant to the networking and interdisciplinary research goals of the SC-CPCRN, these efforts have usually involved one or more other individuals from USC, represent work that crosses numerous disciplinary boundaries, and involves the institutions in intellectual and technology transfers to great mutual benefit. Many current and former protégés are part of these collaborations. To illustrate, in the past 10 years, Dr. Hébert has published 355 papers (listed in the National Library of Medicine database as of 6 June 2018) including the names of individuals who are trainees or former trainees 817 times (in many instances these individuals are listed as the first author of the paper).
Dr. Adams has been conducting research in South Carolina for over 20 years. Her research has predominately focused on understanding the determinants of cancer health disparities experienced by African Americans and ways to intervene to improve these inequalities. Dr. Adams has received grant funding from multiple sources including the National Cancer Institute, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the South Carolina Cancer Alliance, and the South Carolina Cancer Center among others. She has also received awards for her work from the Arnold School of Public Health, the Vice President for Research of USC, and the College of Nursing.
Dr. Brandt’s research program in cancer prevention and control is focused on examining, describing, and intervening upon cancer-related health disparities through innovative approaches in partnership with the “community” (defined broadly and diversely). This research emphasizes dissemination and implementation of evidence-based approaches, knowledge-based practice, and co-creating knowledge with stakeholders to address disparities through informed action on multiple levels. Most of her work has been done with churches, non-profit organizations, and health care clinics in rural areas of South Carolina to increase cervical cancer screening, HPV vaccination, and colorectal cancer screening. She previously co-led the community-clinical linkages to support HPV vaccination signature project and is currently a member of the rural health workgroup. She is the recipient of several awards, including the 2017 J. Marion Sims Award for contributions to public health (South Carolina Public Health Association), 2016 Norman J. Arnold Alumni Medal (Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina), 2015 James A. Keith Excellence in Teaching Award (Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina), and 2016 Judith R. Miller Award and 2013 Early Career Award from the Public Health Education and Health Promotion (PHEHP) Section of the American Public Health Association (APHA). She is a member of the American Journal of Public Health Editorial Board, Co-Leader of the 80% by 2018 Evaluation Committee of the National Colorectal Cancer Round Table, and a member of the National HPV Vaccination Round Table in addition to other professional and scientific memberships.
Jan Eberth, MSPH, PhD, FACE is a tenured Associate Professor in the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics at the University of South Carolina and Director of the Rural and Minority Health Research Center. Dr. Eberth received her doctoral degree in epidemiology from the University of Texas School of Public Health and a postdoctoral fellowship in health services research from MD Anderson Cancer Center. The focus of her research over the past decade has been on cancer health disparities, particularly understanding the socioeconomic and structural barriers that impede adequate access and utilization to cancer screening and treatment. Dr. Eberth is a leader within the cancer prevention and control community in South Carolina and nationwide, serving as an invited member of the newly formed National Lung Cancer Roundtable, Chair of the Lung Cancer workgroup of the South Carolina Cancer Alliance, and Co-Chair of the CPCRN Rural Cancer Workgroup. She is also an active member of the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, a grassroots volunteer organization that advocates for the advancement of cancer research and policy. Dr. Eberth is a Fellow of the American College of Epidemiology and has been active in the college since 2007. She served on the ACE Board of Directors as its Associate Member representative from 2008-2010, Vice-Chair of the Communications Committee from 2010-2013, and as Chair of the Communications Committee from 2014-2016. Currently, she serves as an Associate Editor of the Annals of Epidemiology, the official journal publication of ACE.
Venice Haynes is a fourth-year doctoral student at the University of South Carolina, Arnold School of Public Health in the department of Health Promotion, Education and Behavior. She received her Master of Science in Public Health in 2009 from Meharry Medical College and her undergraduate degree in Biology from Tennessee State University in 2003. She has worked on a variety of CDC and NIH funded projects providing technical assistance to community-based organizations in Georgia, North and South Carolina in the areas of evidence-based breast and cervical cancer programming and interventions for African American women. Other projects included research studies to understand HPV vaccine acceptability in African American and Latino boys and girls across Georgia. Additionally, she has worked in collaboration with a community-based organization on the adaptation of a cervical cancer intervention program for African Americans in a faith-based setting. Her current dissertation research looks at the sociocultural impact on cervical cancer prevention and control behaviors on women in Peru with plans to expand this work into other low and middle-income countries. Other research interests include cancer prevention and control with a focus on social determinants of health and health disparities, global women’s health, and health communication.
Dr. Heiney is the Founding Director of the Cancer Survivorship Center for the College of Nursing at USC and the PI of a funded award to explore cancer treatment adherence in African Americans. She has 30 years of experience as a clinician and researcher and has focused on behavioral interventions for cancer patients. Dr. Heiney’s research has included a broad range across the cancer treatment continuum from breast and prostate cancer to interventions for families of pediatric oncology patients. She has applied community based participatory research approaches in many of her projects. Dr. Heiney has also worked extensively with community partners, especially the American College of Surgeons accredited community cancer centers in South Carolina. She has expertise in the recruitment of minorities to behavioral studies which included a recently completed R-01 psychosocial intervention among African American women titled, “STORY- Sisters Tell Others and Revive Yourself.” Dr. Heiney has been involved in studies using therapeutic group approaches, physical activity, diet, and story-telling. Her successful and productive research regarding behavioral interventions also includes the exploration of inflammatory markers, demonstrating her abilities to contribute greatly to the efforts of the national CPCRN, SC-CPCRN, and project partners.
Mr. Hurley is a Senior Biostatistician in the Cancer Prevention and Control Program (CPCP) as well as Director of both the Data Management and Analysis Unit (DMAU) and the Dietary Assessment Research Unit (DARU). His interest is in diet assessment methodology, the role of diet and physical activity in health, and the effectiveness of cancer screening programs to reduce disease.
Dr. Melvin’s career focuses on research synthesis, the translation of research into practice, the development and testing of evidence-based programs, and investigating approaches to promoting program growth and reach. Her local, state, national and international experiences in a variety of topical areas focus directly and indirectly on using evidence-based approaches to improve health care practice and/or change individual and/or group behavior. Dr. Melvin has served as Principal Investigator of the CPCRN site at UNC, the Comprehensive Cancer Control Collaborative of North Carolina (4CNC) and as Co-Investigator of the CPCRN Coordinating Center also located at UNC from 2004 to 2012. She joined the faculty at the Medical University of South Carolina in 2012 and serves as the Team Lead for Dissemination Research at the Hollings Cancer Center and as Associate Director for Community Engagement for SCTR, MUSC’s CTSA. Dr. Melvin’s active projects address topics including physical activity to reduce joint pain during aromatase inhibitor therapy for breast cancer patients; brief, novel smoking cessation in primary care; enhancing quality and access to lifestyle counseling and health behavior change in primary care settings; evaluating the effects of strategies for disseminating and implementing risk education protocols among community-based organizations and residents; and other community engaged research.
Dr. Ureda grew up in California where he received his bachelor degree in biology from the University of California at Riverside and a master’s and doctoral degree from the University of California, Berkeley. He came to South Carolina to Chair the Department of Health Promotion and Education in the USC School of Public Health in 1983 after teaching at the Bowman Gray School of Medicine of Wake Forest University for five years. He and his wife Sue have lived in Columbia since, where they raised their two boys, Cale and Kent. Dr. Ureda is a strong advocate of health for all. He played a key role in starting the Best Chance Network for Woman’s Cancer Screening, the Woman’s Cancer Coalition, the Project Assist Stop Smoking Program, the South Carolina Cancer Research Network, the South Carolina Cancer Alliance and the South Carolina Cancer Disparities Community Network. He also serves on the Cancer Control Advisory Council to the Commissioner of SC DHEC. He currently runs his own consulting business, Insights Consulting, and is a National Cancer Institute funded researcher who works to develop partnerships between Universities and communities to promote health and prevent disease, particularly with regard to the elimination of health disparities. He is an Adjunct Associate Professor in the USC Arnold School of Public Health, Department of Health Promotion, Education and Behavior and a frequent subcontractor on community-based participatory research grants.
Dr. Wandersman is a Retired Professor of Psychology and expert in implementation science and program evaluation. He performs research and program evaluation on citizen participation in community organizations and coalitions. Dr. Wandersman has extensive experience in program evaluation spanning small institutional grants as well as state wide programs funded by NIH, NSF and CDC among others. He is a co‐editor of three books on empowerment evaluation, and a coauthor of several Getting To Outcomes books (how‐to manuals for planning, implementation, and evaluation to achieve results‐based accountability). Along with colleagues, he developed a synthesis of 25 implementation science frameworks called the Quality Implementation Framework that is being applied in research and practice. Dr. Wandersman collaborated with the CDC to develop the Interactive Systems Framework for Dissemination and Implementation which was the subject of two special issues of a peer‐reviewed journal. He also developed translational products used by thousands of practitioners and has written peer-reviewed articles on synthesis and translation. Dr. Wandersman has been awarded publication and career awards from the American Evaluation Association.
Brooks Yelton is a Graduate Assistant for the South Carolina Cancer Prevention and Control Research Network (SC CPCRN), and the Department of Health Promotion, Education, and Behavior. She is currently a student in the Master of Social Work Program, and is specializing in the area of Health and Mental Health. Her primary research interests focus on health disparities, especially regarding psychosocial barriers to health screening and treatment, and psychosocial support in healthcare. Previously, Brooks served as a Research Consultant for the SC-CPCRN.
Dr. Young, PhD, is the Chief Operating Officer of the South Carolina Primary Health Care Association (SCPHCA). She is responsible for overseeing the day-to-day operations of the SCPHCA. As the Chief Operating Officer, Dr. Young is involved with short-term and long-term strategic planning for the SCPHCA. Additional duties include the implementation of monitoring systems to ensure the association’s goals and operating standards are met. Dr. Young has experience with health care research focusing on access to care and health disparities. She has also worked at the community level with the implementation of health education programs and on the academic level as an instructor and assistant dean with the University of South Carolina’s College of Pharmacy. Dr. Young is committed to the improvement of the health status for all by addressing the multiple factors that impact health with emphasis on access to and the provision of quality health care as well as patient level health education and self-management. During the previous CPCRN cycle, the SC-CPCRN in partnership with the SCPHCA, provided a series of trainings to South Carolina federally qualified health centers (FQHCs). The training series was based on findings from the Practice Enhancement Opportunity Assessment (PEOA). The training sessions provided education, skills, and technical assistance in the research process to SC FQHCs in an effort to encourage the use of quality improvement data in developing, implementing, and evaluating evidence-based practice, programs, and services. The sessions were recorded and posted on the SCPHCA website for broader access.
This project is working to extend research to organizations that partner with the National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program and Colorectal Cancer Control Program to promote and deliver cancer screening services locally, with an eye toward developing and pilot-testing interventions to increase and support partner organizations’ evidence-based intervention use in their local communities.
The Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHC) Signature Project collaborates with community health centers and state and national associations representing FQHCs to strengthen and evaluate existing colorectal cancer screening initiatives at the patient, clinic, and community level in order to increase colorectal cancer screening rates among the populations served by FQHCs and primary care associations.
The HPV Signature Project is working to contribute to the science and evidence-base supporting innovative community-clinical linkages to increase HPV vaccination initiation and completion among adolescents and young adults.
Xirasagar, S., Hurley, T.G., Burch, J.B., Mansaray, A., & Hébert, J.R. (2011, Nov. 15). Colonoscopy screening rates among patients of colonoscopy-trained African-American primary care physicians. Cancer, 117(22), 5151-5160. doi: 10.1002/cncr.26142. PMID: 21523762. PMCID: PMC3145827.
Freedman, D.A., Whiteside, Y.O., Brandt, H.M., Young, V., Friedman, D.B., & Hebert, J.R. (2012, February). Assessing readiness for establishing a farmers' market at a community health center. Journal of Community Health, 37(1), 80-88. doi: 10.1007/s10900-011-9419-x. PMCID: PMC3208118.
Friedman, D.B., Young, V.M., Freedman, D.A., Arp Adams, S., Brandt, H.M., Xirasagar, S., Felder, T.M., Ureda, J.R., Hurley, T., Khang, L., Campbell, D., & Hebert, J.R. (2012, March). Reducing cancer disparities through innovative partnerships: A collaboration of the South Carolina Cancer Prevention and Control Research Network and Federally Qualified Health Centers. Journal of Cancer Education, 27(1), 59-61. doi: 10.1007/s13187-011-0272-5. PMID: 21932143. PMCID: PMC3272325.
Freedman, D.A., Choi, S.K., Hurley, T., Anadu, E., & Hébert, J.R. (2013, May). A farmers' market at a federally qualified health center improves fruit and vegetable intake among low-income diabetics. Preventive Medicine, 56(5), 288-92. doi: 10.1016/j.ypmed.2013.01.018. PMID: 23384473. PMCID: PMC3633661.
Freedman, D.A., & Alia, K.A. (2013). Building farmacies: A guide for implementing a farmers' market at a community health center. Columbia, SC: University of South Carolina.
McCracken, J.L., Friedman, D.B., Brandt, H.M., Arp Adams, S., Xirasagar, S., Ureda, J.R., Mayo, R.M., Comer, K., Evans, M., Fedrick, D., Talley, J., Broderick, M., & Hebert, J.R. (2013, September). Findings from the Community Health Intervention Program in South Carolina: Implications for reducing cancer-related health disparities. Journal of Cancer Education, 28(3), 412-419. doi: 10.1007/s13187-013-0479-8. PMID: 23645547. PMCID: PMC3755099.
Koskan, A., Friedman, D.B., Messias, D.K.H., Brandt, H.M., & Walsemann, K. (2013, Sept-Oct). Sustainability of Promotora initiatives: Program planners’ perspectives. Journal of Public Health Management & Practice, 19(5), E1-9. doi: 10.1097/PHH.0b013e318280012a. PMID: 23295409.
Freedman, D.A., Blake, C., & Liese, A. (2013, December). Developing a multicomponent model of nutritious food access and related implications for community and policy practice. Journal of Community Practice, 21(4), 379-409. doi: 10.1080/10705422.2013.842197. PMID: 24563605. PMCID: PMC3930921.
Friedman, D.B., Freedman, D.A., Choi, S.K., Anadu, E., Brandt, H.M., Carvalho, N., Hurley, T.G., Young, V.M., & Hebert, J.R. (2014, March). Provider communication and role modeling related to patients' perceptions and use of a federally qualified health center-based farmers' market. Health Promotion Practice, 15(2), 288-297. doi: 10.1177/1524839913500050. PMID: 23986503. PMCID: PMC3871943.
Ory, M.G., Anderson, L.A., Friedman, D.B., Pulczinski, J.C., Eugene, N., & Satariano, W.A. (2014, March). Cancer prevention among adults aged 45-64 Years: Setting the stage. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 46(3S1), S1-S6. doi: 10.1016/j.amepre.2013.10.027. PMID: 24512925.
Freedman, D.A., Mattison-Faye, A., Alia, K., Guest, M.A., & Hébert, J.R. (2014, May). Comparing farmers’ market revenue trends before and after the implementation of a monetary incentive for recipients of food assistance. Preventing Chronic Disease, 11:130347. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.5888/pcd11.130347.
Alia, K.A., Freedman, D.A., Brandt, H.M. & Browne, T. (2014, June). Identifying emergent social networks at a federally qualified health center-based farmers' market. American Journal of Community Psychology, 53(3-4), 335-345. doi: 10.1007/s10464-013-9616-0. PMID: 24352510.
Xirasagar, S., Li, Y.J., Burch, J.B., Daguise, V., Hurley, T.G.,& Hebert, J.R. (2014, June 23). Reducing colorectal cancer incidence and disparities: Performance and outcomes of a screening colonoscopy program in South Carolina. Advances in Public Health. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2014/787282.
Friedman, D.B., Brandt, H.M., Freedman, D.A., Arp Adams, S., Young, V.M., Ureda, J.R., McCracken, J.L., & Hebert, J.R. (2014, July 24). Innovative and community-driven communication practices of the South Carolina Cancer Prevention and Control Research Network. Preventing Chronic Disease, 11.
Friedman, D.B., Tanner, A., Kim, S-H., Bergeron, C.D., & Foster, C.B. (2014, Oct). Improving our messages about research participation: A community-engaged approach to increasing clinical trial literacy. Clinical Investigation, 4(10), 869-872. doi:10.4155/cli.14.87.
Fernandez, M.E., Melvin, C., Leeman, J., Ribisl, K.M., Allen, J.D., Kegler, M.C., Bastani, R., Ory, M.G., Risendal, B.C., Hannon, P.A., Kreuter, M.W., & Hebert JR. (2014, Nov). The Cancer Prevention and Control Research Network: An interactive systems approach to advancing cancer control implementation research and practice. Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, 23(11), 2512-21. doi: 10.1158/1055-9965.EPI-14-0097. PMID: 25155759.
Jankowski, C.M., Ory, M.G., Friedman, D.B., Dwyer, A., Birken, S.A., & Risendal, B. (2014, Dec). Searching for maintenance in exercise interventions for cancer survivors. Journal of Cancer Survivorship: Research and Practice, 8(4), 697-706. doi: 10.1007/s11764-014-0386-y. PMID: 25103605.
Freedman, D.A., Peña-Purcell, N., Friedman, D.B., Ory, M., Flocke, S., Barni, M.T., & Hébert, J.R. (2014, Dec). Extending cancer prevention to improve fruit and vegetable consumption. Journal of Cancer Education, 29(4), 790-795. doi: 10.1007/s13187-014-0656-4. PMID: 24748060. PMCID: PMC4203701.
Tu, S-P., Young, V., Coombs, L., Williams, R., Kegler, M., Kimura, A., Risendal, B., Friedman, D.B., Glenn, B.A., Pfeiffer, D.J., & Fernandez, M.E. (2014, Dec 18 Epub). Practice Adaptive Reserve and colorectal cancer screening best practices at community health center clinics in 7 states. Cancer. doi: 10.1002/cncr.29176. PMID: 25524651.
Adams, S.A., Choi, S.K., Khang, L., Campbell, D.A., Friedman, D.B., Eberth, J.M., Glasgow, R.E., Tucker-Seeley, R., Xirasagar, S., Yip, M.P., Young, V.M., & Hébert, J.R. (2015, August). Decreased cancer mortality-to-incidence ratios with increased accessibility of federally qualified health centers. Journal of Community Health, 40(4), 633-41. doi: 10.1007/s10900-014-9978-8. PMID: 25634545.
Kegler, M.C., Carvalho, M.L., Ory, M., Kellstedt, D., Friedman, D.B., McCracken, J.L., Dawson, G., & Fernandez, M. (2015, Sept-Oct). Use of mini-grant to disseminate evidence-based interventions for cancer prevention and control. Journal of Public Health Management and Practice. 21(5):487-95. doi: 10.1097/PHH.0000000000000228. PMID: 25734652.
Guest, M.A., Freedman, D., Alia, K.A., Brandt, H.M., & Friedman, D.B. (2015, August 22 Epub). Dissemination of an electronic manual to build capacity for implementing farmers' markets with community health centers. Clinical and Translational Science. doi: 10.1111/cts.12318. PMID: 26296392.
Alia, K.A., Freedman, D.A., Brandt, H.M., Gibson-Haigler, P., & Friedman, D.B. (In press). A participatory model for evaluating a multilevel farmers’ market intervention. Progress in Community Health Partnerships: Research, Education, and Action.
Friedman, D.B., Wilcox, S., & Hebert, J.R. (2015, Apr 18 Epub). Proposing an interdisciplinary, communication focused agenda for cancer and aging researchers. Journal of Cancer Education. doi: 10.1007/s13187-015-0822-3. PMID: 25893924.
Adams, S.A., Choi, S.K., Eberth, J.M., Friedman, D.B., Yip, M.P., Tucker-Seeley, R.D., Wigfall, L.T., & Hébert, J.R. (2015, July 24 Epub). Is availability of mammography services at federally qualified health centers associated with breast cancer mortality-to-incidence ratios? An ecological analysis. Journal of Women's Health. doi:10.1089/jwh.2014.5114. PMID: 26208105.
Brandt, H.M., Young, V.M., Campbell, D.A., Choi, S.K., Seel, J.S., & Friedman, D.B. (2015, August). Federally qualified health centers' capacity and readiness for research collaborations: Implications for clinical-academic-community partnerships. Clinical and Translational Science, 8(4), 391-393. doi: 10.1111/cts.12272. PMID: 25962873.
Choi, S.K., Adams, S.A., Eberth, J.M., Brandt, H.M., Friedman, D.B., Tucker-Seeley, R.D., Yip, M.P., & Hébert, J.R. (2015, Oct 8 Epub). Medicaid coverage expansion and implications for cancer disparities. American Journal of Public Health. doi: 10.2105/AJPH.2015.302876. PMID: 26447909.
Kegler, M.C., Liang, S., Fernandez, M.E., Tu, S.P., Friedman, D.B., Glenn, B., Herrmann, A., Risendal, B., & Weiner, B. (2018 Sept). Measuring constructs of the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research in the context of increasing colorectal screening rates in federally qualified health centers. Health Services Research. doi: 10.1111/1475-6773.13035.
Hébert, J. R., Adams, S. A., Ureda, J. R., Young, V. M., Brandt, H. M., Heiney, S. P., ... & Friedman, D. B. (2018). Accelerating research collaborations between academia and federally qualified health centers: suggestions shaped by history. Public Health Reports, 133(1), 22-28. doi: 10.1177/0033354917742127.
Choi, S.K., Seel, J.S., Yelton, B., Steck, S.E., McCormick, D.P., Payne, J., & Friedman, D.B. (2018, July). Prostate cancer information available in health-care provider offices: an analysis of content readability, and cultural sensitivity. American Journal of Men's Health, 12(4), 1160-1167. doi: 10.1177/1557988318768599.
Arp Adams, S., Rohweder, C.L., Leeman, J., Friedman, D.B., Gizlice, Z., Vanderpool, R.C., Askelson, N., Best, A., Flocke, S.A., Glantz, K., Ko, L.K., & Kegler, M. (2018, May). Use of evidence-based interventions and implementation strategies to increase colorectal cancer screening in federally qualified health centers. Journal of Community Health. doi: 10.1007/s10900-018-0520-2.
Friedman, D. B., Adams, S. A., Brandt, H. M., Heiney, S. P., Hébert, J. R., Ureda, J. R., ... & Dees, R. V. (2018, February). Rise up, get tested, and live: an arts-based colorectal cancer educational program in a faith-based setting. Journal of Cancer Education, 1-6. doi:10.1007/s13187-018-1340-x.
Best, A. L., Vamos, C., Choi, S. K., Thompson, E. L., Daley, E., & Friedman, D. B. (2017, June). Increasing routine cancer screening among underserved populations through effective communication strategies: application of a health literacy framework. Journal of Cancer Education, 32(2), 213-217. doi: 10.1007/s13187-017-1194-7.
Choi, S.K., Seel, J.S., Steck, S.E., Payne, J., McCormick, D., Schrock, C.S., & Friedman, D.B. (2017, March 7). Talking about your prostate: Perspectives from providers and community members. Journal of Cancer Education. doi: 10.1007/s13187-017-1205-8.
Adams, S.A., Choi, S.K., Eberth, J.M., Brandt, H.M., Friedman, D.B., Hebert, J.R. (2016, June). Adams et al. Respond. American Journal of Public Health,106(6), e8-e9. doi: 10.2105/AJPH.2016.303231.
Brandt, H.M., Freedman, D.A., Friedman, D.B., Choi, S.K., Seel, J.S., Guest, M A., & Khang, L. (2016, Oct-Dec). Planting healthy roots: Using documentary film to evaluate and disseminate community-based participatory research. Family & Community Health, 39(4), 242-50. doi: 10.1097/FCH.0000000000000120.
Alia, K.A., Freedman, D.A., Brandt, H.M., Gibson-Haigler, P., Friedman, D.B. (2015, Winter). A participatory model for evaluating a multilevel farmers' market intervention. Progress in Community Health Partnerships: Research, Education, and Action, 9(4), 537-548. doi: 10.1353/cpr.2015.0074.
Adams, S.A., Choi, S.K., Khang, L., Campbell, D.A., Friedman, D.B., Eberth, J.M., Glasgow, R.E., Tucker-Seeley, R., Xirasagar, S., Yip, M.P., Young, V.M., & Hebert, J.R. (2015, August). Decreased cancer mortality-to-incidence ratios with increased accessibility of federally qualified health centers. Journal of Community Health, 40(4), 633-41. doi: 10.1007/s10900-014-9978-8.
View National CPCRN publications list.
Melvin, C. Dissemination and Implementation Opportunities. Presentation at the Cancer Prevention and Control Program, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, November 13, 2014.
Wandersman, A. & Osher, D. Investing in What Works: Scaling Up Evidence Based Interventions with Practical Implementation Science. Presentation at the Cancer Prevention and Control Program, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, November 13, 2014.
Vanderpool, R. & Friedman, D.B. Multi-Level, Community-Clinical Intervention in Partnership with FQHCs. Presentation at the CPCRN Kickoff Meeting, Atlanta, GA, December 12, 2014.
Wandersman, A.H. Use of Theory in Implementation Research: Using the Interactive Systems Framework as a Lens for Readiness in Cancer Control. National Cancer Institute (NCI) Advanced Topics in Implementation Science Research Webinar Series, Division of Cancer Control & Population Sciences, April 30, 2015.
Brandt HM. Partnered- and Engaged-approaches to address Cancer-related Health Disparities. Distinguished Lecture Series at the University of Kentucky College of Public Health, Lexington, Kentucky. (Presented 25 Feb 2016).
Vanderpool, R.C., Brandt, H.M. (South Carolina is co-lead), Seegmiller, L., Stradtman, L.R., Daniel-Ulloa, J., Vu, T., Taylor, V., Farris, P., & Curry, S.J. (August 14-16, 2017). Federally Qualified Health Centers as a key partner in community-clinical linkages to support HPV vaccination. Presented as part of symposium panel at the 2017 CDC National Cancer Conference, Atlanta, GA.
Choi S.K., Seel J.S., Steck S.E., Payne J., McCormick D., Schrock C.S., & Friedman D.B. ( August 14-16, 2017). Talking about your prostate: Perspectives from providers and community members. Poster Presentation at the 2017 CDC National Cancer Conference, Atlanta, GA.
Isenhower, D., New, C., & Friedman, D.B. Health literacy: Developing a uniform assessment tool for statewide use. South Carolina Hospital Association Transforming Health Symposium, Columbia, SC, April 10, 2018 (Invited Panelist).
The SC-CPCRN is jointly funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Cancer Institute as a Cancer Prevention and Control Research Network. | 2019-04-20T13:19:26Z | https://sc.edu/study/colleges_schools/public_health/centers_institutes/cpcp/for_the_community/cper/index.php |
The best way to withdraw from methadone is using tapering protocol under medical supervision. More on what to expect as you withdraw from methadone here.
Methadone is a prescription drug that can be used as a pain reliever and to treat opiate addictions. Like many other opiate substitution drugs, though, methadone can be habit forming. So how can you prepare to withdraw from methadone (whether you’re physically dependent or need help with methadone addiction)? We review here, and invite your questions about methadone withdrawal protocols at the end.
When do you withdraw from methadone?
It can be hard to decide when to withdraw from methadone, especially since this drug is often prescribed legally. If this is the case, withdrawing from methadone should be done either when a person does not need the drug any longer or when a doctor suggests it. If a person is taking the drug illegally or abusing it, they should withdraw from methadone as soon as possible. Continued use of this drug can cause a number of different medical problems, including heart and respiratory problems.
How long to withdraw from methadone?
Methadone stays in your system for at least a few days after last use. Symptoms of methadone withdrawal usually manifest when a methadone dose is cut in half or completely stopped. Symptoms will often be most intense during the first few days of the withdrawal process and can last quite a while. Individuals may experience these symptoms anywhere from a couple of weeks to a month, or two (depending on individual dosing factors).
Withdrawal symptoms can usually be eased at home with no complications. Some over-the-counter medications, for instance, may be used to relieve some symptoms of detox such as runny noses and nausea. Additionally, individuals withdrawing from methadone should drink plenty of water, which can help ease the detoxification process. Staying busy and talking with a trusted friend, family member, or counselor can also help some individuals deal with drug cravings.
Can I withdraw from methadone at home?
It is possible to withdraw from methadone at home, but it isn’t recommended. Instead, most medical professionals recommend that individuals trying to withdraw from methadone do so under the supervision of a doctor. Physicians and addiction specialists can help methadone addicts understand physical and psychological dependence, prevent a relapse, and ease withdrawal symptoms.
Most experts agree that the best way to withdraw from methadone is to do so under the supervision of a qualified medical professional. Your doctor can help you withdraw from methadone, as can mental health professionals. However, medical supervision is not an absolute necessity when withdrawing from methadone. All that’s necessary is persistence, a great support system, and a true desire to quit using this drug.
Are you trying to withdraw from methadone? Are you scared, nervous, or confused? Leave your questions or concerns in the comment section below, and we’ll get back to you as soon as we can. On the other hand, don’t hesitate to leave a comment with advice and experiences of your own.
Hi Kay. I suggest that you consult with your doctor to help you plan a tapering schedule to quit methadone. If this don’t work, call the helpline you see on our website to find out what are your possible treatment options.
Hi Janine. If you experience severe withdrawals, consult with your doctor to lower your tapering schedule.
To Terra, If you have a warrent for your arrest, I’m sure you already know that when you go into a drug detox center the police somehow get notified that you are there at least with the state run detox rehab centers and they will come there and arrest you I’ve seen it happen three different times.
The taper you suggest sounds so fast! The truth is that the clinic doesn’t encourage your leaving! They believe that addiction is a disease just like diabetes. Taking methadone everyday for the rest of your life is acceptable. It is only drug replacement therapy. The ones in my area only take cash or Medicaid. It is a BUSINESS for profit! Withdrawal can take months! I went down sooo slowly after like 10 yrs and still feel like total crap! A lot of people who go to a clinic still use illegal drugs too! Dirty piss tests don’t matter. Only if you can’t pay will you get kicked out. At 5 mg detox a day! Horrible situation.
Me off methadone to Percocet I assume .whst am I in for here as far as sickness etc.
I have been detoxing off of methadone for months, with a slow wean. I am now 19 days clean. I was taking 20mg at HS for 10 years for pain. my worst symptoms have been insomnia, RLS, diarrhea, and feeling cold, antsy feeling. The meds I am using to assist me have been the following: xanax, percocet. ( I was already on percocet as well as methadone, so this wasnt new) clonidine did nothing for me, but the med that works the best for me is Tizanidine. It is a muscle relaxer. It helped with sleep and the RLS. It really has been my life saver. I have not seen any one else mention this, so I am letting everyone know, maybe it will help others. I take 6-8mg at bedtime. My doctor had no problem RXing it for me. Like I said, I am at day 19, feeling about 75 percent better, but it has been hell.
So Ive been off methadone for 2 weeks and for the first 5 days after my last dose I felt amazing. On the sixth day I woke up and my body (bones,joints,musscles) was so weak and hurt so bad I didn’t want to get out of bed, but I couldn’t keep myself down, my legs and arms wouldn’t stop moving and shaking and the worst was my stomach in 7 days I lost 14 pounds I couldn’t eat, sleep, or work and when I got to the sixth day of my withdrawal I knew I had to do something so I called urgent care and got suboxone, because I been on methadone so long when the sub hit my system I felt normal and not just my body my mind was back to normal. I didn’t realize how fucked up the methadone was, I was depressed and extremely unmotivated but as soon as the next day I was up and started getting my life back. METHADONE IS POISIN and kept me in an addicts state of mind!
Hello my name is Terra and I have been seeking methadone detox for quite some time now …. a little about me is im 24 years old and a single mother and that i was a herion addict for 6 years then I got preganant in 2014 and was told i had no choice but to be on methadone (many drs told me this) idk if it is true or not but the fact of the matter is I got on methadone in March of 204 and i am thankful that is was the only thing to keep me off herion in fact i have no desire what so ever to even see herion. But I did end up having my daughter 2 months early she did have to come off methadone in NICU and did so with in 3 days and it was the most hurtful thing to watch. I was on 155 MG per day and I go to the clinic daily. They dont let me detox the way i want to so it has been now 4 years since I have been on methadone daily. I did one time skip 4 days just so i could go down on my dose. I went from 155 to 82 and was on 82 for a year and then the other day i did it again and im on 65 MG so i do have to go to jail soon over some community service and where i live they do not care if u are on methadone at all they do not even give tylenol lol but I am SCARED to death to go to jail and detox from methadone and I am a mom so a single mom at that and my family is not helping me with my daughter so it is just me so i want to detox the most comfortable way possible (im sure we all do) but i have a hard time caring for my kiddo when withdrawling. PLEASEEEEE let me know if you have any idea how to help me get off methadone! I hate it i really do please!
Also, call the helpline you see on the website to get in touch with a trusted treatment consultant who can help you find the best rehab program for you.
I have been using methadone for about 8 months and want to stop using so my professionals reduced it from 50 ml to 45 today for a month will i be fine and still feel the same?
My husband recently got out of rehab for being on many different pills. He has struggled with methadone for a few years now and has tried to get off of it before. I’m not sure that the rehab was the best idea because they just cut him off almost cold turkey. I don’t know what to do to help him through the withdrawal process now or if he is going to be ok to continue to go through this process cold turkey.
I have been taking 40mg split dosage of liquid methadone for four months now. Will it be easy for me to get off of this mess?
I’ve been taking prescribed methadone for 15 years! For restless leg syndrome that was so severe I’d try anything! Well now I’m stopping to take Naltrexone instead. Thrbfirst day of Naltrexone is today so I’m scared about meth withdrawal I did taper off should i go somewhere or just hang at home for few days ?
I was on 55ml. I stopped cold turkey it’s been 4 days closer to 5. Can’t sleep and little energy. It’s the intense feeling in your stomach that is unbearable. I find hot shower subsides it. It’s not a walk in the park but very doable people.
Hi Ashley. Experts claim that slowly reducing the daily dose of the drug in a safer way to quit the drug. I suggest that you consult with your doctor to help you create an individualized tapering schedule.
With all due respect to you and your principles (I commend them!), methadone withdrawals will not start for at least 24 to 72 hours after your last dose. I am speaking from a long experience & years of research. As you noted, it stays in your system for a few days. I have detoxed from methadone cold turkey many times & have also detoxed from methadone under the care of the doctor. Every time I did this, the withdrawals do not start until the 2nd, 3rd, sometimes not until the 4th day. Thank you for what you do.
Hi Cassandra. Thank you for your input. The onset of methadone withdrawal depends from the individual himself/herself. Our information is taken from governmental sources which are generalized.
Hi Ann. Speak with someone who’s superior there. There must be someone who’s in charge of this kind of issues.
After many years of being on methadone, my husband is trying to get off of methadone right away, on his own. Two days ago he took a total of 60 mg. He took 20 yesterday morning, the 20 last night at 9:30. Today he waited till almost 1:30 pm to take 10 mg.
Is this safe? He is using Gabapentin to ease the pain a little. (He was taking both already, before he cut the methadone.) I feel helpless, seeing him lying in bed, suffering.
Also, your husband should consult with his doctor to help him create an individualized tapering schedule.
I went to a methadone clinic to get off a prescribed morphine dose of 600 mg qd following recovery from surgery. I reached this dose over 2 years of pain. I could not seem to reduce the morphine because of the multiple daily doses . Methadone was single does. I titrated to 159 mg of methadone and began the detox the next day. Over several months there were no symptoms at all. When I reached 18 mg symptoms began . I was reducing at a rate of 3mg every 5 days . Mostly I was sick all the time with s day or two break . at 6mg qd I decided I could not stand the up and down . The dr told me at 12 mg I could just stop if I was willing to endure the discomfort. I wasn’t and I continued to 6 mg. Two days after that reduction I went to stsy with my adult child and his wife. Both are RN’s. One has some significant experience with methadone patients garnered from rotations but little experience with the withdrawal. I am a retired RN. I abruptly stopped the Methadone 2 days after getting to 6mg. My RN daughter in law said her hospital methadone program generally stops dosing at 8mg . I take Clonidine .2 mg and Balcofen 10 mg often every 6-8 hrs. Two days after complete cessation of Methadone my symptoms have become very high moderate . I have never experienced even the slightest craving for either methadone . I did when I tried to detox from morphine without suoervision. I don’t care to go to my childrn’s hospital Methadone clinic for more of the same I simply want out of this addiction . My worse symptom being the coughing producing a clear viscous discharge. I worry that I will become short of breath . Please advise of best way to reduce all symptoms . Do you recommend flu medicine .
Hi Keri. Have you tried to replace your counselor? Also, you may enroll into a support group or consider therapy sessions that will give you the support you need.
Ok I’m forced to stop 80mg/day of methadone liquid from client to zero in 7 days due to insurance reasons. I have few 8mg auboxone steips to help with WD of methadone and I’m sick of everything now. Is it better to wait till 7th day and get full 80mg or reduce by 10mg/day until 7th day and than wait until SICK before inducing sub??
Do you know anything about using IV Ketamine to rapidly withdraw from Methadone. My pain specialist doctor – head of anaesthetics for a major hospital in a very large city in Australia wants to admit me to hospital and bring on rapid detox under IV Ketamine. Withdrawal will apparently be over very quickly. Ketamine masks withdrawal symptoms & treats pain during the process. I can’t find much information on this…. any advice, references, information greatly appreciated.
If I go ahead I will let you know I get on.
I am a long term patient of a neurologist, who had me on methadone, Oxycodone as well as Gabapentin. I have severe sciatica in both legs, causing me occasional complete numbness in left leg from the knee down. This has started happening since I started withdrawing from methadone, against my will because my current doctor just retired a month ago and I cannot afford a lot a month for a new doctor, on disability.
I want to know if when withdrawing from methadone, if there is anything that can help with the severe physical pain whether it be over the counter or prescription, I already take ibuprofen 800mg 3 times a day, flexiril 3 times a day, and Gabapentin 600 mg 4 times a day. Yet despite all that I am still in agony, can’t sleep, bend or barely walk. I use a cane, back brace, and I put ice on my pains almost 24/7. What can I do? I have no money and only Medicaid for insurance. There are no neurologists, or pain management doctors within a five hundred mile radius that accept my insurance, a methadone clinic would cost more than a doctor.
Can a regular primary care doctor help me with anything, does anyone think? Even meds just to help ease withdrawal? Are there any home remededies or supplements that can help with easing withdrawal symptoms? Like I heard turmeric helps with pain. Has anyone tried it? Does anything out their help with the freezing cold / burning hot sweats and flashes? Anything that could help with the severely increased neuropathy pains I feel a million times worse without my methadone? Despite the fact I take gabapentin, which I have noticed does help with the hot/cold sweats more when I take it. That horrifying ridiculous excuse for a pain doctor I last saw gave me clonidine. That stuff doesn’t help at all, and is in fact a blood pressure medicine, with a side, off label use to supposedly help some withdrawal symptoms. I see absolutely no benefit. I also wanted to know if Suboxen or Subutex has any benefit for helping with physical pain, like methadone does. I know a lot of people benefit from it to help stay off of opiates, but does it effect pain at all? If anyone would have any suggestions that would help, I would greatly appreciate it.
I am very close to just going ER. The only reason I haven’t is because I don’t want to be trapped at the ER for ten hours with no hope of being able to smoke a cigarette. I’m scared they would admit me, (same smoking complaint, smoke-free campus as they call it. Any help, information, or ideas that I could use would be greatly appreciated. I am at the point, that I think cutting my own leg off would be preferable living in this screaming agony. (That just made me feel like Dr. House, M.D., ha, ha but even he got off the Vicodin). Not to mention my back currently feels like I am a cockroach that was stepped on, but survived.and forced to live in horrible pain. (Only I was hit by a drunk driver in a minivan). Thank you for any suggestions and have a great day.
Doc put me on this at pain management and now I’m terrified. Been on this a week after being on opiates for several years with no problems! HELP!!! IM SCARED!!
Hi I have been on methadone for 20 yrs. dare I say it. I have felt like I’m in shackles it’s terrible. I’ve been stuck on 15mgs to 12.5mgs for 11 yrs due to having children. Am currently on day 8. Day 5 I felt crap an strength or energy an aching but not as bad as thought would. I seemed outpatient help but haven’t gone yet. I know everyone’s different but roughly how long? When do you feel your worst?
I have been prescribed Methadone for pain management for a prolapsed and torn disc in my lower back..I have now been on Methadone for 1 year and my dosage has been at the quantity of 50mgs a day..I am now on a reduction programme which is supervised by my doctor..As I reduce the amount of Methadone my Back Pain increases…I have told my doctor that I want to be clear of Methadone for a few reasons ie. I suffer severe Constipation from it and the Main reason is that Here in New Zealand I am unable to get employment as Employers have a Zero Tolerance to Drugs even if they are a Prescribed medication as in my case.. Over the last few days I have tried to go Cold Turkey but it has been too hard on me..My doctor is decreasing my intake by 1 mg a week. My question is …Do you think I can decrease quicker than 1 mg a week as I am getting frustrated with how slow this Decline in Methadone consumption is going?
Hello Pieter. It is possible to be decreasing larger doses, but I’d follow the doctor’s guidelines. You see, dropping larger faster can cause hash withdrawal symptoms. It may seem very slow, but it’s the safest way too. I hope that soon you will be completely off methadone and will find work without any problem.
Hi Glenn. Thank you for your valuable information and for sharing your own experience as advise for others. I agree that the slower and more gradual the taper – the less risk of withdrawal discomfort. And, yes, having medical advise and support is needed, but also the will and motivation to make it through.
Hello Lous. How is your son doing? Such fast tapering is expected to set off a series of withdrawal symptoms. He may need some time off work, as I hardly believe he will be able to continue working normal days when withdrawal starts. I recommend you take him to the doctor to get advise on how to treat symptoms and manage through this period.
I have severe peripheral neuropathy, which I was told was from monoclonal gammapathy, which I went through IVIG infusion with no results. Was on 80mg methadone in three divided doses a day and seventy five mg oxecodone in divided doses also, from a university hospital pain mgt. clinic for several years. I am sixty nine. My doctor retired and because of shortage of staff they referred me to outside doctor who immediately cut both doses in half, saying that only cancer patients needs doses that high.. It has been three weeks now since then and the pain from the perilpheral neuropatlhy has gotten so bad that I can barely walk now and lie down during the day to avoid the pain of being on my feet. Also have pain in my large muscle groups. Pain is continuous pain and night. Will I eventually get relief from the pain at this present dose of 40mg of methadone and 40 oxecondone?. There Is no speaking to this doctor, his way or the highway. I find getting another doctor to be impossible when I mention my situation. Help.
Hi Lawrence. I’m very sorry that you’ve been put in such a situation. But, I believe that you will be ok, since cutting back half of your usual dose causes withdrawal symptoms to occur. Strangely, withdrawal symptoms tend to mimic the symptoms of the condition that is being treated. You will get used to the lower dose in time, and as withdrawal effects subside you will be able to move and feel better. See if your pharmacist at the local pharmacy can suggest some medication, lotion or cream that can help relieve the pain.
Hello Arcenio. I believe you can make it through, but you will need professional medical help. I suppose you’ve been taking the methadone for quite a while, which makes it unsafe to just quit or stop taking it on your own. Check out this article that explains Treatment Options for Veterans to get a better idea of what your options are. Also, you can call the helpline number displayed on the page. | 2019-04-23T05:18:47Z | https://prescription-drug.addictionblog.org/how-to-withdraw-from-methadone/ |
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The present invention relates to a stent fabricated of or coated with a composition comprising a biodegradable hydrophobic polymer containing water-labile bonds such that a device fabricated of the composition or the surface of a device coated with the requisite mechanical characteristics required of a stent and the polymer erodes from its outer surface inward.
This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/104,772, filed 20 Mar. 2002, which is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 09/548,533 filed on 13 Apr. 2000, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,527,801 B1, issued on 4 Mar. 2003.
This invention relates to the fields of organic chemistry, polymer science, material science and medical devices. In particular, it relates to biodegradable hydrophobic polymers of which stents can be fabricated or with which they can be coated.
In the treatment of vascular disease such as arteriosclerosis, intracoronary stent placement is a common adjunct to balloon angioplasty. Stents can eliminate vasospasm, attach dissections to a vessel wall, reduce negative remodeling, and maintain vessel patency. Stents, however, can also cause undesirable side effects. For example, the continued exposure of a stent to blood can lead to thrombus formation and the presence of a stent in a blood vessel can over time cause the blood vessel wall to weaken creating the potential for arterial rupture or formation of aneurisms. A stent can also become overgrown by tissue after its implantation such that its utility is diminished or eliminated while its continued presence may lead to a variety of complications such as the foregoing.
To ameliorate the above situation, stents can be fabricated from materials that are biodegradable and, if desired, bio-absorbable. The material selected must be not only biocompatible and biodegradable, it must have sufficient mechanical properties required of a stent. Such mechanical properties include, among others, sufficient strength to withstand the stresses to which the device will be subjected such as radial flexibility should the device be expandable as in the case of a balloon expandable stent and longitudinal flexibility to allow it to be advanced through a contorted vasculature and to adapt to a non-linear deployment site.
The above-described properties have been achieved at least in part using polymers such as polylactic acid, poly(lactic acid-co-glycolic acid) and polycaprolactone. These materials, however, typically biodegrade by bulk erosion which can result in large particles breaking away from the degrading stent. These particles, when released into the bloodstream, may cause emboli and/or other complications.
What is needed are biocompatible, biodegradable polymers that have the mechanical properties required of a stent and that biodegrade by surface rather than bulk erosion. Such polymers should also be useful to coat implantable medical devices for use as drug delivery systems since the lack of a bulk erosion propensity should drastically reduce if not eliminate flaking off of large particles of the coating when implanted in a patient. The current invention provides compositions comprising such polymers.
Thus, one aspect of this relates to a stent fabricated from or coated with a composition comprising a bioerodible hydrophobic polymer having a plurality of water-labile bonds wherein the polymer has sufficient mechanical strength to withstand forces present in mammalian vascular systems and also bioerodes from its surface inward.
In an aspect of this invention the water-labile bonds comprise one or more bond type(s) independently selected from the group consisting of ester bonds, orthoester bonds, anhydride bonds, imide bonds and combinations thereof.
In an aspect of this invention the water labile bonds comprise a constitutional unit derived from trimellitylimido-L-tyrosine.
In an aspect of this invention the constitutional unit derived from trimellitylimido-L-tyrosine comprises from about 20 to about 40 wt % of the hydrophobic polymer.
In an aspect of this invention the water labile bonds comprise one or more constitutional unit(s) derived from a compound or compounds independently selected from the group consisting of sebacic acid, di-ortho-carboxyphenyl sebacate, salicylic acid, maleic acid, 1,3-bis-para-carboxyphenoxy-propane, 1,6-bis-para-carboxyphenoxy hexane, trimellitylimido-L-tyrosine, terephthalic acid, L-lactic acid, D-lactic acid, DL-lactic acid, L-aspartic acid and 4-hydroxy-L-proline.
In an aspect of this invention the water-labile bonds further comprise one or more constitutional unit(s) derived from a compound or compounds selected from the group consisting of 1,10-decanediol, ethylene glycol, and 1,2,6-hexanetriol.
In an aspect of this invention the water-labile bond(s) comprise one or more constitutional unit(s) derived from a compound or compounds selected from the group consisting of tri(1C-12C)alkyl ortho(1C-12C)carboxylates.
In an aspect of this invention the water-labile bond(s) further comprise one or more constitutional unit(s) derived from a compound or compounds selected from the group consisting of tri(1C-12C)alkyl ortho(1C-12C)carboxylates.
In an aspect of this invention the hydrophobic polymer comprises constitutional units derived from trimellitylimido-L-tyrosine, sebacic acid and 1,3-bis(para-carboxyphenoxy)propane.
In an aspect of this invention the hydrophobic polymer comprises constitutional units derived from 1,6-bis(para-carboxyphenoxy)hexane and di-ortho-carboxyphenoxy-sebacate acetic anhydride.
In an aspect of this invention the hydrophobic polymer comprises constitutional units derived from maleic acid and sebacic acid.
In an aspect of this invention the hydrophobic polymer comprises constitutional units derived from 1,3-bis(para-carboxyphenoxy)propane, sebacic acid and salicylic acid.
In an aspect of this invention the hydrophobic polymer comprises constitutional units derived from 1,2,6-hexanetriol and trimethylorthoacetate.
In an aspect of this invention the hydrophobic polymer comprises constitutional units derived from poly(ethylene glycol) and poly(butylene terephthalate).
In an aspect of this invention, the stent further comprises one or more therapeutic substance(s).
In an aspect of this invention the therapeutic substance(s) is(are) selected from the group consisting of actinomycin D, paclitaxel, docetaxel, methotrexate, azathioprine, vincristine, vinblastine, fluorouracil, doxorubicin hydrochloride, mitomycin, sodium heparin, low molecular weight heparins, heparinoids, heparin derivatives having hydrophobic counter ions, hirudin, argatroban, forskolin, vapiprost, prostacyclin, dextran, D-phe-pro-arg-chloromethylketone, dipyridamole, glycoprotein IIb/IIa platelet membrane receptor antagonist antibody, recombinant hirudin, and thrombin, angiopeptin, captopril, cilazapril, lisinopril, nifedipine, colchicine, fibroblast growth factor (FGF) antagonists, fish oil (ω-3-fatty acid), histamine antagonists, lovastatin, monoclonal antibodies, nitroprusside, phosphodiesterase inhibitors, prostaglandin inhibitors, suramin, serotonin blockers, steroids, thioprotease inhibitors, triazolopyrimidine, nitric oxide, permirolast potassium, alpha-interferon, genetically engineered epithelial cells, rapamycin, everolimus and dexamethasone.
In an aspect of this invention the biodegradable hydrophobic polymer further comprises one or more constitutional unit(s) derived from one or more therapeutic substance(s).
In an aspect of this invention the therapeutic substance(s) which comprise one or more constitutional units is(are) selected from the group consisting of salicylic acid, nitric oxide, poly(ethylene glycol), heparin, low molecular weight heparin, hepariniods and hyaluronic acid.
In an aspect of this invention the biodegradable hydrophobic polymer comprises a block copolymer of polyethylene glycol and poly(butylene terephthalate).
In an aspect of this invention the stent further comprises an alternative polymer.
The polymers describe herein are useful for the fabrication and/or coating of implantable medical devices, in particular stents, in that they not only have the requisite mechanical properties but they also biodegrade by surface erosion rather than by bulk erosion. They thus would be expected to at least drastically reduce and preferably eliminate large particle formation and release during biodegradation.
As used herein, “alkyl” refers to a straight or branched chain fully saturated (no double or triple bonds) hydrocarbon group. An alkyl group of this invention may comprise from 1 to 20 carbon atoms, more preferably at present 1 to 12 carbon atoms and still more preferably at present 1 to 6 carbon atoms.
with alkyl as defined above. Alkyl1 and alkyl2 may be the same or different.
As used herein, “fabrication” or “fabricating” refers to the construction of, or formation of a device from a composition comprising a polymer of this invention. The fabrication, that is, the construction or formation, may include other materials but the primary material(s) is(are) the polymer(s) described herein that provide the device with the characteristics likewise discussed herein.
As used herein, “biodegradable” and “bierodible” unless otherwise expressly stated are interchangeable and refer to the cleaving of bonds in a polymer chain primarily by aqueous hydrolysis as the result of contact with water in blood and other bodily fluids at physiological pH, i.e., around 7-7.5, resulting in the fragmentation of the polymer and eventual decomposition of a device or coating that is comprised of the polymer(s). The process may be catalyzed by enzymes and other endogenous biological compounds.
As used herein, “hydrophobic” refers to a polymer that lacks an affinity for water. That is, it tends to repel water, to not dissolve in, mix with or be wetted by water or to do so only to a very limited degree and to not absorb water or, again, to do so only to a very limited degree. With regard to polymers, generally hydrophobicity increase with increasing alkyl content in the polymer backbone, that is, the greater the alkyl content in one or more of the constitutional units of the polymer. The hydrophobicity of a polymer may be characterized by determining the static contact angle of droplets of distilled water on a surface of the polymer. The greater the contact angle, the more hydrophobic the polymer. Generally speaking, a contact angle of greater than 90° indicates a hydrophobic polymer. The specifics or such measurements will not be presented here since they are well-known to those skilled in the art.
As used herein, “water-labile bonds” refers to the bonds in chemical functional groups that hydrolyze; that is, break apart to give two separate molecules, by reaction with water, a reaction that may be affected by the catalytic influence of, without limitation, an acid, base, nucleophile or enzyme. Examples of water-labile bonds include, without limitation, the C—O bond of an ester, orthoester or anhydride and the C—N bond of an amide or imide.
In general, a wide variety of monomers may afford the same constitutional unit depending on the polymerization method employed. With regard to the polymers herein, any monomer that results in the formation of the constitutional units shown herein is within the scope of this invention.
As used herein, a therapeutic substance or agent refers to a compound that, when administered to a patient has a beneficial effect relating to the health and well-being of the patient. Therapeutic substances may be, without limitation, small molecule drugs, large molecule drugs, peptides, antibodies, proteins, enzymes, oligonucleotides, DNAs or RNAs.
As used herein, the “vascular system” refers to the arteries and veins that carry blood throughout the body. This includes, without limitation, the cardiovascular system, those arteries and veins that carry blood directly to the heart and the peripheral vascular system, those arteries and veins that carry blood to the peripheral organs such as, without limitation, the arms, legs, kidneys and liver.
As used herein, a “composition” refers to a physical mixture of discrete components brought together to accomplish a particular objective. For example, a stent or a coating for a stent may comprise a composition comprising, without limitation, one or more polymers, one or more therapeutic substances and one or more additives such as plasticizers and the like.
Bulk erosion occurs when hydrolytic forces gain access to water-labile bonds throughout the mass of a polymer at a rate that competes effectively with the rate of hydrolysis of the water-labile bonds. The result is uncontrollable degradation throughout the entire mass of the polymer that can result in the release of large pieces of polymer that can cause thrombi and other problems at sites potentially distant from the original location of the polymer. Water accessibility to the labile bonds is governed largely by the hydrophobicity of the polymer, which in turn depends on the hydrophobicity of the individual monomers and the relative amount of each monomer in the polymer. In addition, the level of reactivity of the water-labile bonds in the polymer will also affect how a polymer degrades; If the bonds are sufficiently labile, i.e., if they hydrolyze at a sufficiently rapid rate, then bonds exposed at the surface of a mass of polymer will naturally hydrolyze sooner than those to which water must first gain access through the bulk of the polymer. Thus a suitable balance of hydrophobicity and bond lability should insure that a biodegradable hydrophobic polymer will erode from an exposed surface of the polymer inward rather than in bulk mode as described above.
The biodegradable hydrophobic polymers herein contain water-labile bonds interconnecting the constitutional units of the polymer. The water-labile bonds include, without limitation, esters, orthoesters, anhydrides and imides. Other bonds such as, without limitation, ethers, amides, urethanes, etc. may also be present in the polymer but the propensity of the polymer to surface erosion rather than bulk erosion relates to the overall hydrophobicity of the polymer and the content and reactivity of the water-labile linkages in the polymer. That is, the overall hydrophobic nature of the polymer precludes or at least inhibits the incursion of water into the polymer's interior while water-labile linkages exposed on the polymer's surface hydrolyze resulting in the degradation of the polymer from the outermost surface of the bulk polymer, be it a device made of the polymer of a coating of the polymer on a device, inward rather than by bulk mode erosion.
When the implantable medical device is a stent, imide and/or ester bonds are presently preferred to confer on the polymer the necessary strength to provide the support that is required of such device. If the polymer is to be used as a coating on an implantable device, imide and/or ester bonds impart sufficient strength to the layer of polymer to prevent the coating from flaking off or otherwise becoming detached as the coated device undergoes distortion caused by radial and longitudinal fluctuations as it is transported to its site of implantation and as it is deployed once at the site.
The number of imide or ester bonds that are incorporated in the polymer material not only affects the ultimate strength and flexibility of the stent and/or the stent coating, but also affects the rate at which the material degrades when subjected to blood flow.
As used herein, the formula [-x-/-y-/-z-/ . . . ] (r, s, t, . . . ), represents a polymer in which x, y, z, etc. are the constitutional units of the polymer. The formula as written, unless expressly stated to be otherwise, refers to any of a regular alternating polymer, a random alternating polymer, a regular block polymer, a random block polymer or a purely random polymer. A regular alternating polymer has the general structure, x-y-z-x-y-z-x-y-z- . . . . A random alternating polymer has the general structure, x-y-x-z-x-y-z-y-z-x-y- . . . , it being understood that the exact juxtaposition of the various constitution units may vary. A regular block polymer, with the same proviso regarding juxtaposition of constitutional units apply equally to the juxtaposition of blocks, to the number of constitutional units in each block and to the number of blocks, has the general structure, x-x-x-y-y-y-z-z-z-x-x-x . . . , while a random block polymer has the general structure, x-x-x-z-z-x-x-y-y-y-y-z-z-z-x-x-z-z-z- . . . .
In the above general polymeric structure, r, s, t, etc., refer to the weight percent (wt %) of each constitutional unit and n refers to the average molecular weight of the polymer. The average molecular weight of a polymer herein may be determined by a number of methods known to those skilled in the art but, at present, size exclusion chromatography is the preferred method. For poly(TMIT-SBA-PCPP) to have sufficient strength as a stent, a content of the imide-containing constitutional unit is presently preferably between about 20% and about 40 wt %.
As above, r and s refer to the wt % of the two constitutional units of the polymer and n refers to the average molecular weight of the polymer.
It should be noted that one of the degradation products of poly(PCPX-co-OCPSA) is salicylic acid (SA), which is an antiplatelet agent in its own right and which may provide additional beneficial effects upon degradation at the site of implantation.
in which, as before, r and s refer to the wt % of each constitutional unit and n is the average molecular weight of the polymer.
Again, r, s, and t represent the wt % of each constitutional unit and n is the average molecular weight of the polymer.
wherein r and s represent the wt % percent of each constitutional unit and n represents the average molecular weight of the polymer.
wherein r and s represent the wt % of each constitutional unit and n is the average molecular weight of the polymer. To achieve the proper balance between hydrophobicity and water-lability, it is present preferred that s be less than about 30 wt %.
Another polyester that can be used to fabricate and/or coat implantable medical devices is a block-copolymer of lactic acid with ethylene glycol (EG). Such block copolymers can be prepared by polymerization of lactic acid and ethylene glycol induced by a poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) macroinitiator.
The above block copolymer will degrade in the presence of water in the body to give lactic acid and PEG. Lactic acid is relatively innocuous biologically while PEG is known to reduce smooth muscle cell proliferation and thus should aid in the inhibition of restenosis when the implantable medical device is a vascular stent.
A further PEG-containing polyester suitable for fabrication or coating of an implantable medical device in accordance with the present invention is a block-copolymer of PEG with polybutyleneterephthalate (PBT). This block-copolymer can be obtained by trans-esterification of the butyl ester end groups of PBT with PEG.
An example of a polyorthoester suitable making a stent and/or a stent coating in accordance with the present invention includes the product of transesterification of trimethylorthoacetate with 1,2,6-hexanetriol.
For any of the polyester-containing polymers described above, a content of ester-derived units of between about 20 wt % and about 40 wt % is presently preferred in order to obtain a medical device having sufficient strength for use as a stent.
With regard to each of the polymers exemplified herein, the value of n is presently preferably greater than 50,000 Da. The upper end of the molecular weights of the polymers herein is limited only by the limits of processability of the polymer. That is, above a certain n, the bulk properties of the polymer are such that the polymer is not processable, i.e., cannot be melted, molded, extruded, coated, etc. under commercially viable conditions. With regard to any particular polymer, that value of n will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art. Likewise, the values of r, s and t, except where presently preferred ranges are expressly set forth herein, will be readily determinable by those skilled in the art without undue experimentation based on the disclosures herein.
Table 1 presents the summary of the above polymers and also shows the monomers used to synthesize them.
Increasing the imide content, i.e., the wt % of imide, of a polymer herein results in higher material strength. In addition, flexibility of polyanhydrides like p(MA-SBA) can be increased by increasing the wt % of maleic acid dimer.
One or more therapeutic agent(s) may be optionally added to the polymers to create a composition useful for localized sustained delivery of the agents to a patient at the site of implantation of a medical device. The therapeutic agent may be incorporated during the polymerization process or it may be blended with the polymer after it is formed. Blending may be accomplished either in solution or in a melt state. Some therapeutic agents can be chemically incorporated into the backbone of a polymer herein, or can be chemically bonded to the polymer backbone as a pendant group. Therapeutic agents that could be incorporated into the backbone of, or as a pendent group to, a polymer herein include, without limitation, salicylic acid, nitric oxide, PEG, heparin, low molecular weight heparins, heparinoids and hyaluronic acid.
Examples, without limitation, of therapeutic agents that may be used with the polymers of this invention include, without limitation, antiproliferative substances such as actinomycin D, or derivatives and analogs thereof. Synonyms of actinomycin D include dactinomycin, actinomycin IV, actinomycin I1 actinomycin X1, and actinomycin C1. The Therapeutic agent may be an antineoplastic, anti-inflammatory, antiplatelet, anticoagulant, antifibrin, antithrombin, antimitotic, antibiotic, antiallergic or antioxidant substances. Examples of antineoplastics and/or antimitotics include paclitaxel, docetaxel, methotrexate, azathioprine, vincristine, vinblastine, fluorouracil, doxorubicin hydrochloride, and mitomycin. Examples of antiplatelets, anticoagulants, antifibrin, and antithrombins include sodium heparin, low molecular weight heparins, heparinoids, heparin derivatives having hydrophobic counter ions, hirudin, argatroban, forskolin, vapiprost, prostacyclin and prostacyclin analogues, dextran, D-phe-pro-arg-chloromethylketone (synthetic antithrombin), dipyridamole, glycoprotein IIb/IIa platelet membrane receptor antagonist antibody, recombinant hirudin, and thrombin. Examples of cytostatic or antiproliferative agents include angiopeptin, angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors such as captopril, cilazapril or lisinopril, calcium channel blockers (such as nifedipine), colchicine, fibroblast growth factor (FGF) antagonists, fish oil (ω-3-fatty acid), histamine antagonists, lovastatin (an inhibitor of HMG-COA reductase, a cholesterol lowering drug), monoclonal antibodies (such as those specific for Platelet-Derived Growth Factor (PDGF) receptors), nitroprusside, phosphodiesterase inhibitors, prostaglandin inhibitors, suramin, serotonin blockers, steroids, thioprotease inhibitors, triazolopyrimidine (a PDGF antagonist), and nitric oxide. An example of an antiallergic agent is permirolast potassium. Other therapeutic substances or agents which may be appropriate include alpha-interferon, genetically engineered epithelial cells, rapamycin and its derivatives (one example of which is everolimus available from Novartis Corp.), and dexamethasone.
As used herein, “low molecular weight heparins” refers to fragments of unfractionated heparin. Whereas unfractionated heparin is a heterogeneous mixture of highly sulfated polysaccharide chains ranging in molecular weight from about 3,000 to about 30,000 DA, low molecular weight heparins have a molecular weight between about 4,000 and about 6,000 DA. The term “low molecular weight heparins” and the molecules to which the term refers are well-known to those skilled in the medical arts.
As used herein, “heparinoids” refers to naturally-occurring and synthetic highly sulfated polysaccharides that are structurally similar to heparin. Examples, without limitation, of heparinoids are danaparoid sodium, fondaparinux and idraparinux. As with low molecular weight heparins, heparinoids are well-known to those skilled in the medical arts.
Examples of the implantable medical device include stents, stent-grafts, grafts (e.g., aortic grafts), artificial heart valves, cerebrospinal fluid shunts, pacemaker electrodes, coronary shunts and endocardial leads (e.g., FINELINE and ENDOTAK, available from Guidant Corporation). The underlying structure of the device can be of virtually any design. A presently preferred implantable medical device is a vascular stent.
A vascular stent may be formed by any of a number of well-known methods including the extrusion of the polymer into the shape of a tube. Pre-selected patterns of voids can then be formed into the tube in order to define a plurality of spines or struts that impart a degree of flexibility and expandability to the tube. Alternatively, the drug loaded polymer may be applied to the selected surfaces of a stent made of, for example, stainless steel. The stent can be, for example, immersed in the molten polymer or sprayed with a liquid form of the polymer. Or a polymer may be extruded in the form of a tube which is then co-drawn with a tube of stainless steel, or other suitable metallic materials or alloys. By co-drawing two tubes of the polymer with the metal tube, one positioned about the exterior of the metal tube and another positioned within the metal tube, a tube having multi-layered walls is formed. Subsequent perforation of the tube walls to define a pre-selected pattern of spines or struts imparts the desired flexibility and expandability to the tube to create a stent.
The polymer listed in Table 1 can be blended or coated with one or more additional polymers, referred to herein as “alternative polymers.” One example of an alternative polymer is poly(ethylene-co-vinyl alcohol), also known under the trade name EVAL and distributed commercially by Aldrich Chemical Company of Milwaukee, Wis. EVAL is also manufactured by EVAL Company of America, Lisle, Ill. EVAL is a product of hydrolysis of ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymers. EVAL may also be a terpolymer and may include up to 5% (molar) of units derived from styrene, propylene and other suitable unsaturated monomers.
Other examples of alternative polymers include poly(hydroxyvalerate), polycaprolactone, poly(lactide-co-glycolide), poly(hydroxybutyrate), poly(hydroxybutyrate-co-valerate), polydioxanone, poly(glycolic acid), polyphosphoester, polyphosphoester urethane, poly(amino acids), cyanoacrylates, poly(iminocarbonate), copoly(ether-esters) (e.g. PEO/PLA), polyalkylene oxalates, polyphosphazenes, polyurethanes, silicones, polyolefins,, polyisobutylene and ethylene-alphaolefin copolymers, acrylic polymers and copolymers, vinyl halide polymers and copolymers, such as polyvinyl chloride, polyvinyl ethers, such as polyvinyl methyl ether, polyvinylidene halides, such as polyvinylidene fluoride and polyvinylidene chloride, polyacrylonitrile, polyvinyl ketones, polyvinyl aromatics, such as polystyrene, polyvinyl esters, such as polyvinyl acetate, copolymers of vinyl monomers with each other and olefins, such as ethylene-methyl methacrylate copolymers, acrylonitrile-styrene copolymers, ABS resins, and ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymers, polyamides, such as Nylon 66 and polycaprolactam, alkyd resins, polycarbonates, polyoxymethylenes, polyimides, polyethers, epoxy resins, polyurethanes, rayon, rayon-triacetate, cellulose, cellulose acetate, cellulose butyrate, cellulose acetate butyrate, cellophane, cellulose nitrate, cellulose propionate, cellulose ethers, carboxymethyl cellulose, and biomolecules, such as fibrin, fibrinogen, cellulose, starch, collagen and hyaluronic acid.
The following examples are provided for illustrative purposes only and are not intended nor should they be construed as limiting the scope of this invention in any manner whatsoever.
(d) the balance, dioxane solvent.
The first composition is applied onto the stent and dried to form a drug-polymer layer. The composition is applied onto the stent by any conventional method, for example, by spraying or dipping. A primer layer (e.g., the above formulation without the therapeutically active substance) can be optionally applied on the surface of the bare stent prior to the application of the drug-polymer layer.
For a stent having a length of 13 mm and diameter of 3 mm, the total amount of solids of the matrix layer can be about 300 micrograms (corresponding to the thickness of between about 15 and 20 microns). “Solids” means the amount of the dry residue deposited on the stent after all volatile organic compounds (e.g., the solvent) have been removed.
(c) the balance, dioxane solvent.
The second composition is applied onto the dried drug-polymer layer and dried, to form an optional topcoat layer. The topcoat layer can be applied by any conventional method and can have, for example, a total solids weight of about 200 μg.
The third composition is applied onto the topcoat layer and dried, to form an optional finishing coat layer. The finishing coat layer can be applied by any conventional method and can have, for example, a total solids weight of about 150 μg.
The first composition is applied onto a stent to form a drug-polymer layer with about 300 μg of total solids.
The second composition is applied onto the dried drug-polymer layer and dried to form an optional topcoat layer. The topcoat layer can have, for example, a total solids weight of about 200 μg.
The third composition is applied onto the topcoat layer and dried, to form the optional finishing coat layer. The finishing coat layer can have, for example, a total solids weight of about 150 μg.
(c) the balance, a solvent mixture containing about equal mass amounts of dimethylacetamide (DMAC) and tethrahydrofurane (THF).
(b) the balance, a solvent mixture containing about equal mass amounts of DMAC and THF.
The second composition is applied onto the dried drug-polymer layer to form an optional topcoat layer. The topcoat layer can have, for example, a total solids weight of about 200 μg.
The three examples of the formulations above can be summarized as shown in Table 2.
While certain embodiments of the present invention are described above, it is understood that changes and modifications will become apparent to those skilled in the art based on the disclosures herein; all such changes and disclosures are within the scope of this invention.
1. A stent fabricated from or coated with a composition comprising a bioerodible hydrophobic polymer having a plurality of water-labile bonds wherein the polymer has sufficient mechanical strength to withstand forces present in mammalian vascular systems and also bioerodes from its surface inward.
2. The stent of claim 1, wherein the water-labile bonds comprise one or more bond type(s) independently selected from the group consisting of ester bonds, orthoester bonds, anhydride bonds, imide bonds and combinations thereof.
3. The stent of claim 2, wherein the water labile bonds comprise a constitutional unit derived from trimellitylimido-L-tyrosine.
4. The stent of claim 3, wherein the constitutional unit derived from trimellitylimido-L-tyrosine comprises from about 20 to about 40 wt % of the hydrophobic polymer.
5. The stent of claim 2, wherein the water labile bonds comprise one or more constitutional unit(s) derived from a compound or compounds independently selected from the group consisting of sebacic acid, di-ortho-carboxyphenyl sebacate, salicylic acid, maleic acid, 1,3-bis-para-carboxyphenoxy-propane, 1,6-bis-para-carboxyphenoxy hexane, trimellitylimido-L-tyrosine, terephthalic acid, L-lactic acid, D-lactic acid, DL-lactic acid, L-aspartic acid and 4-hydroxy-L-proline.
6. The stent of claim 5, wherein the water-labile bonds further comprise one or more constitutional unit(s) derived from a compound or compounds selected from the group consisting of 1,10-decanediol, ethylene glycol, and 1,2,6-hexanetriol.
7. The stent of claim 2, wherein the water-labile bond(s) comprise one or more constitutional unit(s) derived from a compound or compounds selected from the group consisting of tri(1C-12C)alkyl ortho(1C-12C)carboxylates.
8. The stent of claim 6, wherein the water-labile bond(s) further comprise one or more constitutional unit(s) derived from a compound or compounds selected from the group consisting of tri(1C-12C)alkyl ortho(1C-12C)carboxylates.
9. The stent of claim 1, wherein the hydrophobic polymer comprises constitutional units derived from trimellitylimido-L-tyrosine, sebacic acid and 1,3-bis(para-carboxyphenoxy)propane.
10. The stent of claim 1, wherein the hydrophobic polymer comprises constitutional units derived from 1,6-bis(para-carboxyphenoxy)hexane and di-ortho-carboxyphenoxysebacate acetic anhydride.
11. The stent of claim 1, wherein the hydrophobic polymer comprises constitutional units derived from maleic acid and sebacic acid.
12. The stent of claim 1, wherein the hydrophobic polymer comprises constitutional units derived from 1,3-bis(para-carboxyphenoxy)propane, sebacic acid and salicylic acid.
13. The stent of claim 1, wherein the hydrophobic polymer comprises constitutional units derived from 1,2,6-hexanetriol and trimethylorthoacetate.
14. The stent of claim 1, wherein the hydrophobic polymer comprises constitutional units derived from poly(ethylene glycol) and poly(butylene terephthalate).
15. The stent of claim 1, further comprising one or more therapeutic substance(s).
16. The stent of claim 15, wherein the therapeutic substance(s) is(are) selected from the group consisting of actinomycin D, paclitaxel, docetaxel, methotrexate, azathioprine, vincristine, vinblastine, fluorouracil, doxorubicin hydrochloride, mitomycin, sodium heparin, low molecular weight heparins, heparinoids, heparin derivatives having hydrophobic counter ions, hirudin, argatroban, forskolin, vapiprost, prostacyclin, dextran, D-phe-pro-arg-chloromethylketone, dipyridamole, glycoprotein IIb/IIIa platelet membrane receptor antagonist antibody, recombinant hirudin, and thrombin, angiopeptin, captopril, cilazapril, lisinopril, nifedipine, colchicine, fibroblast growth factor (FGF) antagonists, fish oil (ω-3-fatty acid), histamine antagonists, lovastatin, monoclonal antibodies, nitroprusside, phosphodiesterase inhibitors, prostaglandin inhibitors, suramin, serotonin blockers, steroids, thioprotease inhibitors, triazolopyrimidine, nitric oxide, permirolast potassium, alpha-interferon, genetically engineered epithelial cells, rapamycin, everolimus and dexamethasone.
17. The stent of claim 1, wherein the biodegradable hydrophobic polymer further comprises one or more constitutional unit(s) derived from one or more therapeutic substance(s).
18. The stent of claim 17, wherein the therapeutic substance(s) is(are) selected from the group consisting of salicylic acid, nitric oxide, poly(ethylene glycol), heparin, low molecular weight heparin, hepariniods and hyaluronic acid.
19. The stent of claim 1, wherein the biodegradable hydrophobic polymer comprises a block copolymer of polyethylene glycol and poly(butylene terephthalate).
20. The stent of claim 1, further comprising an alternative polymer. | 2019-04-22T03:32:11Z | https://patents.google.com/patent/US20050232971A1/en |
Frank, even MY high school had more cool kids than that, percentagewise.
1,400 submissions (at one submission per member) out of approximately 70,000 BMW CCA members.
You do realize that's only two percent of the entire membership? In fact it's probably less, since that 70,000 is likely not the exact figure.
Frank if high schools did that poorly selling THEIR yearbooks, you can bet it would either be discontinued, or they'd find a new plan for the yearbooks STAT. Two percent wouldn't even pay for the raw material, let alone the labor and printing costs. In fact, somebody would probably get kicked off the yearbook committee.
With all due respect, it sounds to me like 98 percent of the membership knows something you don't. I'm happy to be on the larger side of those numbers.
This is profoundly sad that the club "bought" the semi-scam and allowed this company access to the CCA mailing list of members and now hard sell them on this "directory". No telling where all those addresses will end up now (yeah, I know, they promise not to use them). However, that is a moot point as we all have had to put up with the yellow warning cards that imply that if you don't call to "update your information" your entry might be wrong. Initially they didn't want to clearly state you had to opt in to be included.
I've been a club member for almost 30 years now, and I don't recall anything like this ever been done in the past. It reminds me of all the charities that hire these firms to raise money for them, and then those firms pocket as much as 85% of the money raised. A local charity was interviewed about this a while back, and the reply was that they raise more money that way even if they only get 15%.
I don't know, maybe that's a harsh comparison, but count me out too.
Even if Frank is correct (and, for the purposes of argument, I will assume he is), this entire industry is little more than sleazy opportunists. It's kind of like having the 'best' rattlesnake for a bedtime pet.
Let's be careful not to fault Frank for trying different things. It's his job to make this club as good as it can be, which means cautious experimentation with new ideas not just stewardship of historic traditions. I am sure he too can smell rats, when rats are around.
Yeah some things may work out better than others, but it's the trying that counts. This club is a big club and needs professionals to manage and administrate the Organization. Us saying, "I tole ya so" is not constructive and not supportive of people who need to stick their neck out a little and try a few risky things.
Despite the whinging that occurred in this Forum last year regarding Membership fees, I feel impressed by the earnest efforts of The Board to run the Club well. What Bruce Hazard writes in "President's Page" in Roundel is interesting and inspiring. His topics always are about planning "the big picture" for the Club, reaching out, organizing, and planning. I always feel impressed (and in awe, since I sometimes can't even get my shirt on right side forward).
It is good to doubt, but it is important too to recognize just how lucky we are to already have a good (I did not say "perfect") club administration.
I don't fault Frank for trying different things.
If I fault him for anything, it's the impression that I don't feel he's taking membership concerns about this yearbook seriously. My concern is I don't see Frank defending the rest of us with respect to the missteps this company has taken.
If the BMW CCA is really in charge of this project, then the BMW CCA management, which WE the membership elect, have the last word in the conversation regarding how the yearbook project is handled. On the other hand, if it's been "sold" to this company without any say from the membership, then it's a fair question to ask what this company received in the bargain, especially when it's OUR personal information at stake.
It's one thing to make a "mea culpa" and admit making a mistake. After all, "to err is human, and to forgive is divine." Yet to continue defending this company amid its questionable and controversial practices, is to say "everything is fine" when everyone else is smelling smoke and failing to evacuate the building. I am having a tough time seeing Frank putting membership concerns ahead of putting out this marketing product. It's much too cozy a relationship with this outside company that doesn't seem accountable at all to the people it is ultimately supposed to be working for -- us, the BMW CCA membership.
I don't know about you people, but the stance Frank is taking doesn't fill me with confidence that my personal information is being handled appropriately. Especially since I did not give this company any consent to use my personal information for any purpose whatsoever.
Only 2 percent of the entire membership taking part in this project, Frank? That's abject failure, not resounding success. Please come clean about this.
(and in awe, since I sometimes can't even get my shirt on right side forward).
Whew!! I thought I was the only one! Thanks Brian A, good points.
This project came about as an offshoot of the history that was put together during the 40th anniversary of the club. Many members requested an opportunity to be able to submit photos and personal accounts of their experiences in the Club and with their cars.
With 70,000+ members it is impossible for us to accomplish that thru Roundel alone and we cannot absorb the cost of printing and distributing a special publication. Harris Connect is one of the oldest and most respected producers of alumni and association publications. I have personally worked with them on projects for other association that I have worked for. Their reputation, like ours, is their stock in trade. Your personal information is protected by contractual obligation and by their excellent track record.
It seems that it is being posited that this project was initiated by the board randomly, out of the blue, for no reason whatsoever, or only to make some money for the club, or for Harris, or from a solicitation from Harris.
Frank explains in his response that this project was initiated due to requests from many club members - is there some reason to begrudge the desire of other club members for such a product? Sounds to me like Frank, and presumably, the board, was simply responding in the best way they knew how to offer something desired by enough members to make the project worth offering by whatever means was feasible.
I see this as a win-win for the club; the club doesn't have to bear the costs, and offers a unique product that a portion of the membership definitely wants. I doubt there was any pre-supposition about or definition of "success" - whatever books Harris could/can sell, they can sell, and that's all there is to it. If they could sell more, I imagine, great for them, and if they sold one or none, then so be it. Presumably Harris is offering the books profitably at their price points; the club can't afford to do it for free (ie, not charging members), and I imagine if the club thought they could accomplish the project profitably and sell the books for less, they would have. In all likelihood, the books would have had to be priced higher if the club attempted to do this project in-house - how would that be better for anyone, particularly the members who want the books and whose requests initiated the project? It certainly wouldn't be fair, as Frank mentions, for the whole of the membership to bear the cost for a project that only a portion of the membership wants.
And, if Harris is contractually obligated to protect the membership contact information, why the skepticism over Harris fulfilling their contractual obligations? Harris wouldn't be in business for long if they consistently disregarded their business responsibilities to their clients - who would patronize them?
As far as I can tell, the main mistake made through this whole process was one of notification and timing. The notifications could have been better and more clearly explained, and the mailing went out before the email blast. As for how Harris conducts their response when one calls in, is there a 'perfect' way to sell something? Seemed to work just fine for some 1400 members... but, that doesn't mean there isn't room for improvement - that's up to Harris however, I suspect.
If there is one thing to take away from it all, it would appear the club perhaps might consider offering the option for members to opt-out from the club providing a member's contact information to anyone for any purpose, including 3rd parties specifically contracted by the club to communicate with members, or offer members products the club feels might be of interest to members. Then, anyone concerned enough about it, can simply opt-out, and fugedabowdit.
Opt OUT? Are you freaking kidding me?
"Hello member. This is BMW CCA. We've just sold your personal information to approximately 700 marketing companies to make an extra buck. If you DON'T want to receive unsolicited marketing offers, you're going to have to write each and every one of them individually to tell them you do not want to receive unsolicited marketing offers.
Have a good one, and thank you for your membership in the BMW CCA."
No - not the impractical approach. The CLUB offers an option for you to opt-out. Once. Then, a member is opted-out from anything the club might solicit on a member's behalf from 3rd parties.
The BMW CCA community must be just one great big candy store to you, right?
Brian, Brian, Brian. . .
Now now. Calm down. Take a deep breath. Time to adjust the dosage. . .
Unfortunately, some people in here could stand to start a pharmaceutical regimen.
Along with that, regarding my remark, if the horns and pointed tail fit, wear 'em.
Hardly. I trust the national office to safeguard the membership database and use our contact information responsibly. I don't think I can pinpoint it, but I recall there being an explanation someplace that the BMWCCA reserves the right to allow companies or non-BMWCCA parties to contact members (via access to the membership database contact info), IF the BMWCCA feels the products or services offered are, or may be, of general interest to the membership at-large. Thus, I was neither surprised nor alarmed by a small yellow card arriving in the mailbox offering the book. If there were members out there who did not understand this, I could see how the mailing could come across as a surprise, and with negative connotations, particularly if a member is negatively predisposed towards marketing efforts of any kind.
The BMWCCA has proven itself in that regard, as over the last 25 years of being a member, I haven't seen the national office release our mailing info for 3rd parties to contact us even occasionally - more like rarely, at most.
If companies feel the BMWCCA members are their target market, undoubtedly it's both more efficient and less expensive to advertise in the Roundel than to beg the club for access to it's member's address list and assume the expense of printing and mailing anything to club members.
As countless companies offer various privacy options, I don't see any reason why the BMWCCA can't offer a similar privacy/use-of-contact-info option, whereby members specify whether they want to be contacted by BMWCCA-authorized/endorsed organizations, or not. You check a box on your BMWCCA membership form (or wherever), and voila, don't get the mailing from some organization offering this or that or whatever, once ever, or once a decade, or whenever. Simple, & problem solved - for anyone that's concerned about it. I'm not too concerned about the club allowing telemarketers access to us; Since the board and the national office is not, oh, the Federal Government, I suspect that they are loaded with common sense, dislike telemarketers as much as the rest of BMWCCA members, and are intelligent enough to know that there would be a protest outcry of epic proportions were they to have the members bombarded by phone in some telemarketing campaign. That much ain't rocket science, besides which the Nat'l Office folks and board are waaaay smarter than to allow something like that.
If I had a product or service that I thought all BMWCCA members would purchase, were I ever so fortunate enough to profitably offer something with that broad of an appeal, even though it _might_ be tempting to look upon such an economic opportunity or those potential purchasers as a so-called 'candy store', I don't think I, or any profit-oriented capitalist who values their customers and potential for repeat business, would so shallowly disregard the potential customer base.
Yikes! After doing a quick search, looking to see how to submit some information for the yearbook, I wind up at this thread! Unfortuantely, there were no other results from my search.
After reading the five plus (5+) pages of whining and consoling, I found absolutely nothing that relates to the submission content.
To the Executive Director, and MGarrison, thank you for your sensible posts. To most of the rest, you are too paranoid! If anyone wants it, there's waaay more of your personal information on the www that's free for the taking, and a lot easier to access than buying it through this club.
Why do you think they call them Public Records?
I suppose that defends on how loose your definition of "personal information" is.
While not speaking for anyone else but myself, I responded to an insert in an issue of Roundel inviting me to call a toll free number for the purpose of submitting stories about my car for the personal yearbook. Nothing on the insert said anything about being subjected to a moderate to high pressure (level of pressure being defined as how many times I declined) "sale" for the selfsame yearbook. Had the generally agreed upon definition of "full disclosure" been put into practice, the insert would have informed users in advance that calling the toll free number meant also submitting to a sales opportunity for such a year book. I would have agreed to sharing information about my vehicle (it's locked, in a private storage facility, and I have the only key, being 36 miles away from the vehicle), but I would have not made the call if I had known I would be subjected to a moderate to high pressure sale.
Suppose I put an insert on your car's windshield inviting you to take advantage of a free detailing. You decide to take me up on the offer, and you provide me with your car key for the purpose of having access to the vehicle, purportedly so that I could clean and detail the interior. Instead, without your knowledge and consent, in addition to detailing the vehicle, I TAKE it on a cross country trip and keep it for a month before returning it to you.
Would the above example be considered "fair use" of your property? You gave me permission to detail the vehicle, not to drive it anywhere, and certainly not to keep it in my possession for a month. The claim that you didn't explicitly "opt out" of giving me permission to basically steal your car for a month would not be a realistic defense in any court of law in this country. By the same taken, I don't consider the defense that I didn't "opt out" first to be a valid excuse to subject me to an unsolicited, moderate to high pressure sales call for the same product I was led to believe I was contributing to.
I realize that your laissez-faire approach to the concept of "private information" would probably abhor the idea of the extra labor involved in shredding unwanted mail containing your social security number. But at the same time, it's pretty over the top to call those who ARE conscientious of how PRIVATE information is used (I don't know about you, but I still consider MY personal information MY property) paranoid "whiners and consolers."
While you're at it, since you're so open about how your personal property is used, please leave the address for your unlocked vehicle with the key in the ignition so that the rest of us can give your vehicle a "cross country" detailing. Also leave a valid credit card in the vehicle so we can refuel it at your expense as well.
I'm more convinced than ever now.
You should write fiction; the way you transend from a postcard in a magazine to a cross-country trip, via a vehicle detailing, is just fascinating.
How about signing the outside of the envelope too, just to make it easier for the identity thief?
Somehow I don't think you'd mind.
... and I AM PI$$ED!
Besides buying the damn thing, I purchased a feature page, and spend a lot of time to compose a couple paragraphs to describe my BMW experience.
Not only was the text completely omitted, the editor(s) did not even include my wife's name.
What a total F*&%ing waste of time and money.
Thoroughly disgusted with the way this was handled, including the fact that I submitted my entry to two (2) people that I had wrongly been convinced that they knew what they were doing.
The way I feel right now, I seriously doubt I will renew my membership.
Why don't you give me a calll with the details, or send me an e mail if that's easier ([email protected]) and I will find out what happened to your feature page. I am sorry that it did not make it into the book and I am sure we can get a refund of your money. | 2019-04-24T02:42:26Z | https://www.bmwcca.org/forum/index.php?threads/membership-directory.6697/page-3 |
Chief Minister Andrew Barr says his Government has provided unprecedented access to representatives of the Oaks Estate community and has taken action to address some specific issues of concern to residents.
Every independent and minor party in Mr Barr’s electorate of Kurrajong, which takes in the suburb of Oaks Estate, has today pledged a series of commitments for the suburb given what they describe as government neglect.
Mr Barr this morning acknowledged that Oaks Estate was a unique community that did need a level of government attention.
“There are challenges in terms of service delivery given the size of the population, so some issues were able to easily be resolved and have been, others, you know, the system of prioritising upgrades to intersections or to pedestrian crossing or the like, there will be a hundred other intersections that have more people, more demand, more risk, but, nonetheless, we were able to address some specific issues at Oaks estate,” he said.
The ACT Government had worked with the Federal Government on some initiatives, he added.
“I think it’s unfair to say there’s been no attention paid to the area, we have had a number of meetings with residents and the Oaks Estate Progress Association over the last two years, in fact the entire cabinet met them, which I think would be unprecedented for any area of Canberra, for one suburb, to have the entire cabinet meet to discuss their various issues,” Mr Barr said.
“You also have to look at the needs of 400,000 people, and so we balance those things, but there have been initiatives in Oaks Estate, there will continue to be into the future, there’s been heritage work, planning work, police and road safety work, transport work, local government amenity, toilet facilities, playground upgrades, those sorts of things have all occurred.
Mr Barr’s office provided the following list of ACT Government actions in relation to Oaks Estate since an April 2015 meeting between stakeholders and government.
· Members of the ACT Policing Crime Reduction Unit (CRU) met with the OEPA on 9 July 2015 to discuss crime and safety. CRU provided information about personal safety, Crime Stoppers, and provided fridge magnets with contact numbers for ACT Policing.
· CRU spoke with Mr Michael Starling, President, OEPA on 12 August 2015 about concerns of suspected criminal behaviour in Oaks Estate.
· ACT Policing continue to liaise with the OEPA and have agreed to attend future OEPA meetings if invited.
· ACT Policing conducted an audit on its activities within Oaks Estate, which, based on year-to-date averages, showed a similar level of traffic infringement notices issued in 2015 and 2016, and a small increase in traffic targeting and crime targeting activities.
· ACT Policing will continue patrols of Oaks Estate, including patrols to address speeding and anti-social driving.
· The Justice and Community Safety Directorate is working with Access Canberra to have new sites for mobile speed cameras in Oaks Estate up and running shortly (once baseline speed surveys are conducted).
· Minister Berry provided a contact and information on the services the St Vincent de Paul Society provides under the Samaritan Services Program in Oaks Estate.
· QCity confirmed it does run a normal timetable into Canberra during NSW school holidays.
· Railway Street in Oaks Estate has moved up in the warrant system since 2013 by 104 places and it currently ranks 98 in priority for detailed investigation in relation to local area traffic management.
· Roads ACT has completed an investigation of Railway Street looking at traffic volume and speed data, crash history and percentage of heavy vehicles, as well as surrounding land use such as the presence of shops or schools. The assessment indicated that Railway Street carries approximately 4,100 vehicles per day travelling at an average speed of around 54 km/h.
· In 2015 Roads ACT completed an investigation at the intersection of McEwen Avenue and Railway Street intersection, with no indication that a pedestrian crossing is needed. Roads ACT will undertake a new survey at this location after school holidays to assess any changes to the pedestrian requirements.
· The Environment and Planning Directorate is reviewing Draft Variation to the Territory Plan No. 328 (DV328) for the Oaks Estate Precinct Map and Code in light of the submissions received through public consultation in early 2015. DV328 aims to protect the existing character of Oaks Estate by limiting building heights in the residential area, limiting the area that can be taken up by buildings and introducing setbacks to protect the heritage character of Robertson House.
· The draft variation has interim effect, which means development will have to comply with the provisions of the current Territory Plan and the provisions of DV328, with the more onerous provision taking precedence.
· There are no plans to release new blocks in Oaks Estate before the Queanbeyan sewerage works are upgraded, still several years away.
· The Heritage Council is currently considering if the Oaks Estate Precinct meets the threshold for heritage registration under the Heritage Act 2004. If the Council decides to register the Oaks Estate Precinct, heritage guidelines will be developed to protect the identified heritage values of the precinct.
· The Planning and Land Authority has received a development application for 30 units on block 25 section 3 Oaks Estate. This application is being assessed in accordance with the requirements of the Planning and Development Act 2007.
· The Heritage Council has endorsed a Conservation Management Plan (CMP) for Robertson House. This includes guidance on opportunities for public access, and presents further opportunity to build on the Oaks Estate community’s involvement in the Canberra and Region Heritage Festival, held in April each year.
· The Government has decided not to move the Railway Museum in Kingston to Oaks Estate because it would require significant funding to relocate and accommodate the collection of locomotives, carriages and other railway related memorabilia, additional railway tracks and associated infrastructure such as sheds, workshops and parking areas. In addition, the operational heavy rail facilities adjacent to Railway Street are on the NSW side of the border and the ACT has no jurisdiction over this land, preventing a direct land grant.
Thanks for making my point for me. ACTION has $96m in Community Service Obligation funding, that they pour down the drain for 49 FREE City Loop buses each weekday in the city, that carry 6 passengers each to swan across the city and see their mates for lunch. But the poorest and most disadvantaged suburb gets ZERO ACTION buses.
It does however get money to pay for them to get QCity buses, which run more frequently and to more destinations in Canberra than most Canberra suburbs get. So your point?
And other areas and people of disadvantage in the ACT get taxi subsidies if they cannot get buses.
…As pointed out, there are public transport services at their doorstep, just not as many. Maybe this is because there just isn’t the demand required to make it feasible or cost effective. Running another ten buses out there, with a couple of passengers if any at all is just a dumb idea.
55% public housing… and you attack their “life choices” – without knowing about the really important mental health and support program Vinnies run here. Got it.
Do you really think that public transport arrangements should be the SAME, or WORSE, for the poorest and most disadvantaged suburb in the ACT?
Or, do you think the ACT Govt should do more than zero for a suburb of 55% public housing and functional unemployment close to 50%, and whose rates have tripled in the last decade?
ACTION get $96m in Community Service Obligation funding from the ‘gubmint and I cannot think of a community they are more obliged to service.
How about Uriarra, Tidbinbilla and Tharwa? I guess these folks pay rates too and they don’t even get a bus service.
As for your gripe about the rates, I don’t think the 55% that live in public housing pay any rates and over 60% are renters, so how can you argue about them being cheated on this? Have not their land values also much improved, which reflects as increased rates the same way it does for all home owners in the A.C.T?
I can’t understand why these “disadvantaged” need to have all the requested services at their doorstep. They can access them the same way all Canberrans do by simply walking, albeit just a few hundred meters further than us. As pointed out, there are public transport services at their doorstep, just not as many. Maybe this is because there just isn’t the demand required to make it feasible or cost effective. Running another ten buses out there, with a couple of passengers if any at all is just a dumb idea.
Living out there is a choice, or in the case of many, a result of poor choices made earlier in their lives. Perhaps the relative isolation of Oaks Estate is an incentive to change the way they live and if they want to be in the city, do something about it instead of whinging for more, more, more.
I live in suburban ACT and the walk to my closest bus stop is 900m. Now yes the government, and not Action wants people to be within a 500m walk, but you quote the figure of 95% which means there are 5% that are not. I am one, clearly parts of Oaks Estate are too. As for the fare, a cash ticket on Action is $4.70 though yes with transfer, so that means Oaks Estate it is actually cheaper than what other Canberra residents pay. Though with a myway 30c more.
Why would someone pay cash on a bus when My Way fares are much cheaper? Nearly everyone on buses swipes the My Way card these days and it’s rare for someone to pay cash. For those over 60 yrs, they can get a seniors card which is even cheaper. My last peak fare was $1.41 and off-peak fare 78cents. Those fares are transferable within 1.5hrs.
End of the day not relevant anyway. The cash fare from Oaks Estate is much the same as a single on MyWay.
I don’t think public housing should be at Oak Estate or anywhere that is so ‘isolated’ from the rest of the territory. Living in Oaks Estate should be a choice.
As for the government and Community Service Obligation funding, I am willing to bet my left one that the ACT government is paying QCity transit for every trip made by an Oaks Estate resident. Just look at the fares, they essentially match the fares in the rest of the ACT, whereas if you are a non Oak Estate resident you are paying significantly more for the same trip from the same stop. So to me the ACT government is fulfilling their obligation to provide public transport at the same cost as elsewhere, it is however ‘contracted’ out to Qcity rather than on Action buses, where I think you will agree the numbers for a service to Oaks Estate wouldn’t add up. Or do numbers only need to add up for light rail?
The territory government should compulsory acquire all the properties in Oaks Estate, relocate the residents to other parts of the territory and level the suburb. I believe the suburbs geographical location was an intentional political decision which was wrong. We think we are progressive but let stuff like this continue.
Oaks Estate is older than Canberra and has plenty of natural advantages.
If light rail eventually goes to Queanbeyan (which it does it many plans), using the existing railways would be a good option for the alignment. Oaks Estate could be enhanced by integrated transit oriented development on the ACT side of the border.
In the mean time there needs to be better integration with Queanbeyan (although I’m not sure what that would look like). If the ACT can negotiate a good outcome with Yass Valley council for the part of the West Belconnen development that will be in NSW, surely they can do the same for Oaks Estate.
………………………. I believe the suburbs geographical location was an intentional political decision which was wrong. We think we are progressive but let stuff like this continue.
I said “Give it back” because it was part of Queanbeyan originally until the ACT border was drawn up.
…That is incorrect. Oaks Estate residents can get a bus to Civic over 40 times a day, they just need to walk a short distance to the nearest stop… All Canberrans also have to walk a distance to catch a bus unless they have a stop directly outside their home, this is not a unique hurdle to that area.
Sorry wildturkey, but you’re off-mark. (1) It’s not a “short” distance. Residents have to walk 1 km to the Q-city stop at Uriarra Rd. (2) “All Canberrans have to walk…” – ACTION has a rule that 95% of residents are 500m from a bus stop. Why should a community with so much disadvantage and disability be forced to walk double that distance to catch a private NSW bus, but everyone else is gifted ACT-funded buses to their doorstep? (3) There’s not 40 Q-city buses a day, there’s 20. (4) the prices are now $2.60 for Q-city, which is near the same for ACTION.
And yeah not 40 services a day to Civic, but about 40 a day to the ACT, half to Woden and half to Civic. Which is a better service than most of the ACT actually.
These are services by Q City and according to their transit fare page, there appears to be no return journey available from anywhere in the ACT to Oaks Estate.
Maybe there is an assumption that the travellers will be detained in Civic so they won’t need a return trip.
Half right, there is no return fare, there are return services. Just means Oaks Estate residents need to pay two fares, just like what would happen in the ACT.
So seems they don’t have it too bad afterall.
Why not return Oakes Estate to NSW ? ACT has no interest in it or anyone who lives there.
There is a Q-city loop that goes through Oaks Estate twice a day for those who can’t handle the distance. So they have to walk a whole kilometre, big deal! To get particular Action services that would take me where I needed to go at the time I wished, I’d need to walk well over a kilometre and a half. If they can’t walk to Queanbeyan to catch a bus or to buy food, then they really need to be living with a carer or organize an electric scooter.
The town I grew up in I had to walk or ride my bike almost 2 km to get to the shops and there were no local buses to get around in, except for the school bus for those lived far away enough from their school of choice. I can’t believe how hard things must be for the poor people who have to be so far isolated from society that ten minutes is too far to access basic services.
Say the government did intervene and agreed to help. How often would they want the bus to go past? Four times a day? Ten, twenty? To what end and at whose cost, considering that the whole township could be evacuated with only five vehicles? I would wager the buses ran at a total loss and empty 90% of the time.
It’s hard for those with disability, but most other people can walk one km. On wet days when I used to catch the bus to work, I needed to walk two kms to and from the bus at my work end. That’s four kms a day. It was easy and gave me some pleasant exercise. Another alternative is to get an old bike and ride it to the bus stop and chain it up there.
Exactly. Our crime has doubled in recent years, but policing declined 92% and then the cops hand out fridge magnets. Stop laughing, I’m serious.
All Barr’s other twaddle is exactly what he said on Chief Minister Talk Back on 22 July 2016. It was garbage then, and it’s still garbage now.
As for the ACTION bus, and Barr’s claim of 300 people vs 400,000, try this: announced in June 2016, the City Loop bus service is a FREE loop service 49 TIMES PER DAY for roughly 500 passengers per day to swan around the city and meet mates for lunch. It is funded from the $96 million in Community Service Obligation funding that ACTION gets from the ACT Govt.
But Barr cannot give an ACTION bus to the poorest suburb in Canberra, which includes 54% public housing and 50% unemployment.
Canberrans can catch flights to foreign countries, but we can’t even catch a bus to the city.
That is incorrect. Oaks Estate residents can get a bus to Civic over 40 times a day, they just need to walk a short distance to the nearest stop. The concession fare is only $1.20, full fare $2.60 and applied as follows “*** When Oaks Estate residents board in QBN to travel to Civic and show proof of residence”. Canberrans pay double for the privilege.
All Canberrans also have to walk a distance to catch a bus unless they have a stop directly outside their home, this is not a unique hurdle to that area.
Given its distance from major ACT infrastructure, could the government move the public housing tenants to other areas in Canberra where they’re closer to the needed services and then sell off the properties for redevelopment?
ignores the root of the problem: if you’re a recently released prisoner, put into public housing in Oaks Estate, how are you supposed to get about, buy food and entertain yourself, if you can’t physically access 99% of the territory’s infrastructure?
To give a specific, unrelated example, if you have a baby in Oaks Estate and have no access to transport, how are you supposed to attend maternal and child health clinics given that you can’t access New South Wales clinics with an ACT address? You end up missing the ACT-based clinics, missing vaccinations and missing opportunities for Early Intervention.
“get about” – How about like the rest of the world? Firstly, you have two feet, so you can either walk or ride a pushbike. There is a bus service going through Oaks Estate, which rarely gets a mention in this one sided argument, which can take you firstly to Queanbeyan and then onward to Canberra. It isn’t just Oaks Estate that has poor public transport, there are some journeys in Canberra that can take you up to two hours to reach your desired destination using Action services.
If you can save up and have a license, perhaps you can buy a motorcycle or car like most ordinary folks. The only thing stopping these people is their own lack of initiative.
“buy food” – There is a shopping center a mere 2km away, reachable by either foot, public transport or vehicle. This is the same distance as the local shops are from my Canberra suburban house. Why do they need something closer than people in Canberra have?
“entertain yourself” – Seriously? It is now the government’s responsibility to keep us entertained? The Oaks Estate area has nothing less than most Canberra suburbs in terms of things to do. Only a short distance away is the entire city of Queanbeyan, with all of its entertainment on offer. There is a river only a stone’s throw away and a local park. What exactly do they want, an indoor cricket center, a cinema, ice skating arena or perhaps a brothel?
Why do the residents of Oaks Estate seem to think the A.C.T/N.S.W border is a razor wire fence guarded by alsatians being led by armed soldiers? It is effectively just another suburb of Queanbeyan that happens to be on the other side of the border. When the West Macgregor project gets underway and they expand into N.S.W, do you think the Yass Shire Council is going to provide the same things that the Oaks Estate residents want, or will the New South Welshmen residents simply accept the fact that they need to go into the Kippax Center for their daily needs?
Now, the whole baby thing is really a desperate plea for attention. There are probably tens of thousands of parents in Australia who live remotely, or even in cities, that have to travel a certain distance to get health services. How difficult is it to organize a day out with baby, on a public bus, to go into the city and attend a scheduled appointment? If you haven’t got enough money for a concessional bus fare, with the additional family benefits available today, then there are deeper concerns than just meeting regular appointments, but nothing that is exclusively the fault of living in Oaks Estate.
People are making out that this is a derelict shanty town, void of any forms of civilization. But they have a bottle shop! Obviously the demand was there, showing what the Oaks Estate residents felt was the most important need.
Look at Collector, up on the road to Sydney. It has a population just larger than Oaks Estate but they don’t even have a local store. They get two buses a day to take them to the nearest shopping complex. You can get from Oaks Estate to Canberra City in roughly an hour and there are well over forty services a day! All they have to do is get off their backsides and walk to the bus stop.
Please, it isn’t that hard to live in a place that has all this going for it. If you don’t like it, then move. If you are stuck there because of circumstance, I’d put money on it being a decision made previously in life that led to that happening. You reap what you sow. | 2019-04-21T20:43:08Z | https://the-riotact.com/barr-responds-on-oaks-estate/186184 |
Wuchereria bancrofti (Wb) and Mansonella perstans (Mp) are blood-borne filarial parasites that are endemic in many countries of Africa, including Mali. The geographic distribution of Wb and Mp overlaps considerably with that of malaria, and coinfection is common. Although chronic filarial infection has been shown to alter immune responses to malaria parasites, its effect on clinical and immunologic responses in acute malaria is unknown.
To address this question, 31 filaria-positive (FIL+) and 31 filaria-negative (FIL−) children and young adults, matched for age, gender and hemoglobin type, were followed prospectively through a malaria transmission season. Filarial infection was defined by the presence of Wb or Mp microfilariae on calibrated thick smears performed between 10 pm and 2 am and/or by the presence of circulating filarial antigen in serum. Clinical malaria was defined as axillary temperature ≥37.5°C or another symptom or sign compatible with malaria infection plus the presence of asexual malaria parasites on a thick blood smear. Although the incidence of clinical malaria, time to first episode, clinical signs and symptoms, and malaria parasitemia were comparable between the two groups, geometric mean hemoglobin levels were significantly decreased in FIL− subjects at the height of the transmission season compared to FIL+ subjects (11.4 g/dL vs. 12.5 g/dL, p<0.01). Plasma levels of IL-1ra, IP-10 and IL-8 were significantly decreased in FIL+ subjects at the time of presentation with clinical malaria (99, 2145 and 49 pg/ml, respectively as compared to 474, 5522 and 247 pg/ml in FIL− subjects).
These data suggest that pre-existent filarial infection attenuates immune responses associated with severe malaria and protects against anemia, but has little effect on susceptibility to or severity of acute malaria infection. The apparent protective effect of filarial infection against anemia is intriguing and warrants further study in a larger cohort.
In many regions of the world, including sub-Saharan Africa, concomitant infection with multiple parasites is common. In order to examine the effects of filariasis, a chronic helminth infection, on immune responses and clinical manifestations of acute malaria infection, the authors followed 31 filaria-infected (FIL+) and 31 filaria-uninfected (FIL–) individuals living in a malaria-endemic area of Mali through an entire malaria transmission season for the development of clinical malaria (fever or other symptoms of malaria in the setting of detectable blood parasites). Serum levels of inflammatory cytokines previously associated with severe malaria were decreased in FIL+ subjects at the time of acute clinical malaria. Although there were no differences between FIL+ and FIL– subjects with respect to the time of first episode of malaria or the number or severity of malaria episodes, filarial infection appeared to protect against the development of anemia during the malaria transmission season. These findings demonstrate that chronic filarial infection modulates the immune response to acute malaria. The apparent effect on anemia is intriguing and deserves further study.
Funding: This work was funded by the Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.
Filarial infections and malaria are coendemic in many areas of the world, including sub-Saharan Africa, where human coinfection with malaria and filarial parasites is common , , . Chronic filarial (helminth) infection is associated with skewing of parasite-specific immune responses towards a Th2/Treg cytokine pattern . Furthermore, studies have demonstrated extension of this skewing of the immune response in helminth-infected individuals to bystander antigens with clinically relevant effects on responses to immunization with tetanus toxoid , and oral cholera vaccine . In contrast to tissue invasive helminth infection, malaria is characterized by an acute inflammatory response with increases in serum proinflammatory cytokine and chemokine levels, including IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8, TNFα, IP-10, IL-1ra and IL-12p70 , , , , , , . Although several of these mediators have been implicated in control of the infection , , they are also associated with increased severity of clinical disease , , , . Consequently, with the implementation of worldwide programs to eliminate filariasis and other helminth infections, questions have arisen regarding the impact of antifilarial chemotherapy (and de-worming) on immune responses to acute malaria infection and the potential effect of this immune modulation on malaria morbidity and mortality .
A number of studies have demonstrated that chronic filarial infection can suppress human immune responses to malarial antigens in vitro, including a recent study that showed an association of patent filarial infection with decreased malaria antigen-specific IL-12p70/IFNγ production . This effect was reversed by the addition of neutralizing antibodies to IL-10. Furthermore, filaria-infected individuals with asymptomatic malaria parasitemia have been shown to have lower frequencies of malaria-specific Th1 and Th17 cells . Despite clear evidence for chronic modulation of malaria-specific immune responses in vitro, few studies have addressed the effects of chronic filarial infection on immune responses and clinical outcomes in the setting of acute malaria in human populations.
The current study was designed to determine if pre-existent filarial infection alters the frequency and/or severity of clinical malaria in children and young adults in a coendemic area in Mali where malaria transmission follows a seasonal pattern. Cytokine profiles at the time of presentation with acute malaria were also compared between subjects with and without concomitant filarial infection.
The study was designed as a matched prospective study of the effects of filarial infection on the incidence, severity and immune responses to malaria infection.
The study was conducted in the villages of Tieneguebougou and Bougoudiana in the district of Kolokani, approximately 105 km northwest of Bamako, Mali, between June 2007 and December 2007. Prior studies in these villages had demonstrated a high prevalence of Wuchereria bancrofti (Wb) and Mansonella perstans (Mp) microfilaremia in the population, but no evidence of onchocerciasis. A single round of mass drug administration (MDA) with ivermectin and albendazole was conducted by the National Program to Eliminate Lymphatic Filariasis prior to the study in May 2006, and study subjects participated in a second round of MDA during the study in August 2007. Malaria transmission in this region is seasonal (June–December) with a cumulative EIR of 19.2 infective bites/person in a neighboring village in 2000 .
The study flowchart and selection of study participants is shown in Figure 1. Non-pregnant volunteers (n = 539) of both genders, aged from 1 to 20 years, were screened with a brief medical history and physical examination. Subjects with evidence of severe or chronic illness, a history of allergy to anthelmintic or antimalarial agents or plans to relocate out of the village during the study were excluded, as were subjects who refused venipuncture or had difficult venous access. The remaining subjects underwent laboratory testing, including pregnancy testing (if appropriate), hemoglobin (Hgb) measurement using a portable analyzer (Hemocue, Lake Forest, CA), Hgb typing by HPLC (D-10 instrument; Bio-Rad, http://www.bio-rad.com), daytime thick smear for detection of malaria and/or Mp infection, and circulating antigen (CAg) ELISA for Wb (TropBio, Townsville, Australia). Based on these results, potential participants were divided into two groups: 1) FIL+: individuals with confirmed active filarial infection with Wb and/or Mp, as defined by the presence of CAg and/or microfilaremia (mf) and 2) FIL−: individuals without evidence of active filarial infection (negative for CAg and mf). Thirty-one FIL+ subjects were identified and matched to FIL− subjects on the basis of gender, age (within 4 years), and Hgb type. Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency was assessed by restriction enzyme analysis in all 62 subjects. Filarial infection status was confirmed at the time of enrollment in the prospective study, and reassessed after 3 and 6 months by Nuclepore™ filtration of 1 ml of blood drawn between 10 pm and 2 am and CAg ELISA (TropBio).
All participants were evaluated weekly throughout the malaria transmission season. At each visit, symptoms and signs of clinical malaria were assessed, and if present, blood was obtained from a finger stick for preparation of Giemsa-stained thick and thin blood smears for detection and speciation of malaria parasites and Hgb measurement. In addition, subjects were encouraged to present to the study physician for evaluation if they felt ill. Blood smears and Hgb determinations were also performed at the start of the study and monthly thereafter, regardless of the presence of clinical signs or symptoms. Reading of these monthly blood smears was deferred until the end of the study unless the subject was symptomatic at the time of the blood draw. To minimize the potential effects of concomitant helminth infection, all subjects were treated with single dose praziquantel (40 mg/kg) and albendazole (400 mg) at the start of the study. Albendazole treatment was repeated every two months during the study period.
Clinical malaria was defined as the presence of fever (axillary temperature ≥37.5°C) or another symptom or sign compatible with malaria infection plus the presence of asexual malaria parasites on a thick blood smear. Malaria parasitemia was determined by counting the number of asexual P. falciparum parasites on Giemsa stained thick blood films until 300 leukocytes were observed. All slides were read by two independent microscopists, and differences of >10% were resolved by an expert microscopist. Parasite densities were calculated by multiplying the mean value for the two readers by 25 to give parasites/microliter.
Cases of uncomplicated malaria were treated with standard recommended doses of artesunate-amodiaquine (4 mg/kg artesunate and 10 mg/kg amodiaquine per day for 3 days). Cases of therapeutic failure were treated with quinine (10 mg/kg/day for 3 days). On days 1, 2, 3, 7 and 14 following treatment, subjects were evaluated for clinical signs and symptoms, and malaria smears and Hgb measurements were performed. Plasma levels of interferon (IFN)γ, interleukin (IL)-1α, IL-1β, IL-1ra, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, IL-12p70, IP-10, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)α were measured in plasma samples obtained prior to treatment by suspension array in multiplex (Millipore Corp, St. Charles, MO), according to the manufacturer's instructions. The limits of detection of the assay are 0.5 pg/ml for IFNγ, 0.63 pg/ml for IL-1α, 0.19 pg/ml for IL-1β, 10.97 pg/ml for IL-1ra, 0.79 pg/ml for IL-6, 0.32 pg/ml for IL-8, 0.41 pg/ml for IL-10, 0.23 pg/ml for IL-12p70, 1.14 pg/ml for IP-10, and 0.22 pg/ml for TNFα.
The study (NCT00471666) was approved by the ethical review committees of the Faculty of Medicine, Pharmacy, and Dentistry at the University of Bamako (Mali) and of the National Institutes of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (Bethesda, Maryland). Community permission for the study was obtained from village elders, and individual oral or written informed consent (for subjects ≥18 years of age) or parental informed consent and assent (for subjects <18 years of age) was obtained from all participants in French or Bambara, the local language. Oral consent was obtained for illiterate participants and parents of participants as approved by the ethical review committees and was documented by the signatures of a member of the study team and a witness.
The ratio of the rates of clinical malaria events was calculated by Poisson regression adjusting for the time at risk . Person-season was defined as the sum of the days at risk for all subjects during the first season divided by 168 days (24 weeks). The time to first episode of clinical malaria analysis used the Kaplan-Meier estimates and Cox proportional hazards . Differences between the two groups were tested using the Mann-Whitney test (continuous responses) or Fisher's exact test (binary responses). Confidence intervals (CI) on the ratio of geometric means (GM) were calculated using a t-test on the log-transformed values and CIs on the difference in arithmetic means (for temperature) used t-tests on untransformed values. Wilcoxon signed rank test was used to test for changes over time and Spearman rank for assessment of correlation. Analyses were done in R or GraphPad Prism (V5.0).
Baseline characteristics for the two groups are shown in Table 1. Overall, the subjects had a median age of 13 years, 65% were male, and the majority had normal Hgb (HgbAA). G6PD deficiency was present in 6/62 (14%) subjects and was equally common in the two groups. Baseline GM Hgb was similar between subjects with and without filariasis (12 g/dL in both groups). Malaria parasites were detected in a high proportion of subjects at baseline in both groups (58.1% and 64.5% in FIL+ and FIL−, respectively), but among those with detectable malaria parasites, parasitemia was low (GM 233 parasites/µl in FIL+ and 147/µl in FIL−, respectively; p = 0.06), with a level >1000 malaria parasites/µl in only one subject in the FIL− group. No intestinal helminth infections were detected in any of the subjects by stool examination, although intestinal protozoa (Giardia and Entamoeba) were found in 4 and 11 subjects, respectively.
Filarial status was assessed at baseline and at 3 and 6 months. Among the 31 FIL+ subjects, 11 (35.5%) were infected with Wb and 20 (64.5%) with Mp. Two subjects had detectable Wb microfilariae in the peripheral blood. During the course of the study, 3 FIL+ subjects, all of whom were Mp-infected, became FIL− (Table 2). As expected, the two subjects with Wb microfilaremia cleared their circulating mf at 3 months (after participating in the mass drug administration of ivermectin and albendazole in their village). Eleven FIL− subjects acquired filarial infection during the study: 7 became positive for CAg, 3 for Mp mf and 1 for both CAg and Mp mf.
Table 2. Changes in filarial status over the course of the study.
Although not all subjects were followed for the full 24 weeks season, 51.3 person-seasons of data were available for analysis. During the malaria transmission season, 38 (61%) subjects developed clinical malaria. There was no significant difference in the rates of clinical malaria between the FIL+ and FIL− groups (Rate ratio [FIL+/FIL−] = 0.85; 95% CI 0.49, 1.46; p = 0.56; Figure 2). Similarly, the time to first episode of clinical malaria was comparable with a median time to first episode of 17 weeks in the FIL+ groups and 15 weeks in the FIL− group (Hazard Ratio = 0.77; 95% CI 0.41, 1.45; p = 0.42; Figure 3). GM parasitemia at the time of the first episode of clinical malaria was also comparable between FIL+ and FIL− subjects (584 parasites/µl and 1216 parasites/µl, respectively; p = 0.18; GM ratio = 0.48; 95% CI 0.16, 1.40; Figure 4).
Figure 2. Incidence of clinical malaria.
The bars represent the number of FIL+ (black bars) and FIL− (gray bars) subjects who experienced 0, 1, 2 or 3 episodes of clinical malaria during the first transmission season.
Figure 3. Time to first episode of clinical malaria.
The cumulative % of FIL+ (black line) and FIL− (gray line) subjects who had experienced at least one episode of malaria is shown for each week of the first transmission season (estimated by Kaplan-Meier method to account for subjects who withdrew from the study).
Figure 4. Parasitemia at the time of the first episode of clinical malaria.
The symbols represent individual values for FIL+ (black circles) and FIL− (gray circles) subjects. The horizontal lines represent the GM values for the groups.
Clinical signs and symptoms were similar between the two groups at the time of diagnosis of the first episode of clinical malaria (Table 3), and no subjects met WHO criteria for severe malaria during the study. Fever, as defined by temperature >37.8 degrees was documented in 7/18 FIL+ and 5/20 FIL− subjects during their first episode of clinical malaria (p = 0.49). Mean temperatures were also comparable between the two groups (37.7 vs. 37.4 degrees Celsius in FIL+ and FIL−, respectively; p = 0.15; difference in means = 0.34; 95% CI 0.13, 0.81).
Table 3. Clinical signs and symptoms during first episode of clinical malaria.
Hgb levels were measured monthly throughout the malaria transmission season to provide an indirect measure of chronic malaria morbidity (Figure 5). Values obtained during monthly visits at which clinical malaria was diagnosed were excluded from the analysis. GM Hgb levels were similar between the FIL+ and FIL− subjects at baseline (11.5 g/dL vs. 11.3 g/dL, respectively) and rose significantly in both groups at month 1 (11.5 to 12.2 g/dL in FIL+ and 11.3 to 12.1 g/dL in FIL−; p<0.01, Wilcoxon signed rank test). GM Hgb levels continued to slowly rise over the course of the transmission season in the FIL+ group, but decreased in the FIL− subjects during months 3 and 4 at the height of the malaria transmission season (from 12.1 to 11.4 g/dL; Figure 5) and were significantly lower than the GM Hgb values for the FIL+ group. Of note, the prevalence of asymptomatic malaria parasitemia was similar between the two groups at baseline (Table 1) and remained comparable throughout the transmission season (data not shown).
Figure 5. Hgb levels during monthly asymptomatic visits.
GM Hgb with 95% confidence intervals are show for FIL+ (black) and FIL− (gray) subjects over time. *p<0.05, Mann-Whitney.
Plasma levels of cytokines and chemokines previously reported to be associated with the severity of acute malaria were measured at the time of presentation with clinical malaria in FIL+ (n = 10) and FIL− (n = 14) subjects. Among the analytes measured, GM levels of IL-1ra, IP-10 and IL-8 were all significantly decreased in FIL+ subjects (99, 2145 and 49 pg/ml, respectively) as compared to FIL− subjects (474, 5522 and 247 pg/ml, respectively; Figure 6). In contrast, GM plasma levels of IL-10 were increased in FIL+ subjects (172 pg/ml) as compared to FIL− subjects (62 pg/ml), although this difference did not reach statistical significance (p = 0.08). Plasma levels of IFNγ, IL-1α, IL-1β, IL-6, IL-12p70 and TNFα were comparable between the two groups.
Figure 6. Plasma cytokine and chemokine levels at the time of acute malaria.
In keeping with prior reports of an association between plasma levels of IP-10 and malarial anemia, plasma IP-10 levels measured at the time of acute clinical malaria were inversely correlated with Hgb levels at the peak of malaria transmission (r = −0.54, 95% CI −0,79, −0.11; p = 0.01; Figure 7). A negative correlation was also observed with the next measured Hgb level after the episode of acute malaria (r = −0.62, 95% CI −0.86, −0.16; p = 0.01; data not shown).
Figure 7. Negative correlation between serum levels of IP-10 during acute malaria and Hgb levels at the peak of malaria transmission.
The symbols represent the values for individual study subjects.
Despite considerable data supporting an effect of chronic helminth infection on immune responses to malaria parasites, longitudinal studies examining the incidence and severity of clinical malaria in helminth-infected and –uninfected individuals have been few. In the present study, 62 children and young adults with (FIL+) and without (FIL−) chronic filarial infection were matched for age, gender and hemoglobin type and followed longitudinally through a malaria transmission season. No significant differences were detected between FIL+ and FIL− subjects with respect to the incidence of clinical malaria, time to first episode of clinical malaria, number of episodes of clinical malaria during the transmission season, parasitemia at first episode, or clinical signs and symptoms at first episode. A prospective study of similar design that examined the effects of coinfection with schistosomiasis on clinical malaria in 338 Malian children aged 4–14 years of age demonstrated a significant increase in the time to first episode of clinical malaria by 10–14 days in coinfected children (p = 0.04), but only in the 4–8 year old age group . Coinfected children, aged 4–8 years, also experienced slightly fewer episodes of clinical malaria (1.55 vs. 1.81 episodes, p = 0.03) during the transmission season. No differences were observed in the incidence of clinical malaria, number of episodes during the transmission season or parasitemia during an episode. Taken together, these two studies suggest that the effect of chronic helminth infection on the incidence and severity of acute clinical malaria is likely small and limited to younger age groups.
Despite the lack of an observable effect on the frequency or severity of clinical malaria, chronic filarial infection appeared to protect against the development of anemia during the height of the malaria transmission season (Figure 5). This is the exact opposite of what has been reported in the setting of hookworm infection , where hemoglobin levels were found to be significantly decreased in coinfected subjects compared to those with either hookworm or malaria infection alone. In the latter study, a protective effect of helminth infection on hemoglobin levels may have been outweighed by gastrointestinal blood loss in the hookworm-infected subjects. Although the mechanism by which chronic helminth infection might protect against anemia remains to be elucidated, there is evidence to suggest that pro-inflammatory cytokines play an important role in mediating malarial anemia .
Prior studies from our group and others have demonstrated increased plasma levels of IL-10, as well as increases in regulatory T cell frequency and function, in children and young adults with helminth infection , , , . More importantly, most studies to date have demonstrated increased production of IL-10 and/or decreased production of inflammatory cytokines in helminth-infected individuals in response to malarial antigen stimulation in vitro , , . In the present study, we examined serum cytokines at the time of acute malaria and found a similar pattern in vivo with a decrease in cytokines/chemokines associated with severe malaria (IL-1ra, IP-10 and IL-8) and an increase, albeit not statistically significant, in IL-10. Interestingly, these results are the opposite of what has been reported in similarly conducted studies of coinfection with schistosomiasis and malaria in Mali, in which coinfected children (4–14 years of age) had increased plasma IL-10 levels at baseline but a blunted response in the setting of malaria infection as compared to children without schistosomiasis . The explanation for this discordance is unclear, but may relate to differences in the age groups of the subjects or characteristics of the infecting helminths studied.
The association between high plasma IP-10 levels and more severe malarial anemia has been reported previously , , and was confirmed in the present study (Figure 7). Of note, in a recent study conducted in Mali, the Fulani, an ethnic group known to be less susceptible to clinical malaria than other ethnic groups, were shown to have significantly higher plasma levels of IP-10 at baseline than Dogon children living in the same area, but no significant change in IP-10 levels in the setting of malaria infection , suggesting that the change in IP-10 levels may be a more important determinant of malarial anemia than baseline levels. In the present study, FIL+ subjects were found to have decreased plasma levels of IP-10 compared to FIL− subjects at the time of acute clinical malaria. Although plasma levels of IP-10 prior to the malaria transmission season were not available for the present study cohort, data from a cross-sectional study of 38 FIL+ and FIL− subjects in the same village suggest that the magnitude of the increase in plasma IP-10 levels in the setting of acute malaria infection was likely to have been greater in the FIL− cohort . Furthermore, as demonstrated in the prior study, this blunting of the inflammatory response to malarial antigen in FIL+ subjects was most likely due to increased IL-10 .
A major anticipated limitation of the present study was the relatively small sample size due to the difficulty in recruiting FIL+ subjects in the younger age groups. Consequently, in order to maximize the possibility of detecting significant differences between the FIL+ and FIL− groups, a matched design was selected. Potential confounding variables, such as baseline malaria parasitemia, intestinal helminth infection, G6PD deficiency, bednet use and location of residence, were also similar between the two groups. Although subjects were not tested for HIV infection, the prevalence of HIV is extremely low in rural Mali and no subjects with clinical evidence of immunodeficiency were identified in the screening. Additional factors that may have diminished differences between the FIL+ and FIL− groups include lasting effects of intestinal helminth infection following treatment, decreased severity of malaria infection due to earlier intervention as a result of the presence of health care personnel in the village (as has been seen in other studies) and the possibility that some FIL− subjects may have had occult (microfilaria-negative) Mp infection or have acquired filariasis during the course of the study. In fact, 8 FIL− subjects became CAg-positive during the study and 4 became microfilaria-positive for Mp. Although these subjects were likely infected at the start of the study, they were considered FIL− for the purposes of the study (intent-to-treat analysis). In view of these considerations, it is likely that small (clinically insignificant) differences in responses between the FIL+ and FIL− groups were missed.
In summary, although pre-existent filarial infection attenuates cytokine/chemokine responses known to be associated with severe malaria, it appears to have little effect on susceptibility to or severity of acute malaria infection in children and young adults living in a malaria-endemic area with seasonal transmission. The apparent protective effect of filarial infection on decreased hemoglobin levels at the height of malaria transmission is intriguing and warrants further study in a larger cohort.
The authors would like to thank the local health care staff of Kolokani for their cooperation and facilitation of the field studies.
Conceived and designed the experiments: HD YIC BD SASD AG MPF SM TBN ADK. Performed the experiments: HD BD SK SYC SSD AAD LS MEC SASD SM ADK. Analyzed the data: HD YIC SASD AG MPF SM TBN ADK. Contributed reagents/materials/analysis tools: AG MPF TBN ADK. Wrote the paper: HD YIC MPF TBN ADK.
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The Age of Light is a world governed by just one law, the fundamental design principle of the Universe, called the Principle of Unity: Wholeness is the union of all opposites. This primordial, natural law, known to Heraclitus as the ‘Hidden Harmony’ and to Lao Tzu as Tao ‘the Way’, is an irrefutable truth, applicable in all situations.
For any attempt to deny the truth of the Principle of Unity with egoic, either-or thinking is the opposite of its affirmation with holistic, both-and thinking, confirming its universal truth. This is the closest we can come in words to the Absolute Truth, which actually is nameless, like the Essence of the Tao.
The Principle of Unity is also called the Cosmic Equation, the simple, elegant equation that can explain everthing in the much sought-for Theory of Everything. The Hidden Harmony is thus the master key that unlocks all the innermost secrets of the Universe, such as what it is, who we are, where we have come from, and where we are all heading in the most frantic rush.
To reveal the Hidden Harmony, all we need to do is return to the Origin of the Universe, as the Divine Source of Life, penetrating to the utmost depth of the Cosmic Psyche, free of the sense of a separate self, as mystics have taught through the ages.
When we live our lives ignorant of the Law, we live in darkness or at best half light as this universal truth is partially revealed to us. For as Carl Gustav Jung commented, either-or thinking is “a mark of barbarism”. In contrast, Jung recognized that unifying opposites is the key to mental health, leading to a harmonious, cooperative both-and system of thought and way of life.
As a consequence of our ignorance, Western civilization, in particular, is a culture built on shifting sands—from logic, mathematics, and philosophy, through science, medicine, and psychology, to religion, politics, and economics. For education, business, and law all deny the irrefutable truth of the basic law of the Universe.
As such an inherently unstable society is unsustainable, the Alliance for Mystical Pragmatics is being set up as a safe haven for all those who wish to heal their split minds, living in harmony with the Hidden Harmony, realizing their fullest potential as superintelligent, superconscious beings before the inevitable extinction of our species.
Specifically, the Alliance acts as a network of networking networks, harmonizing and accelerating evolutionary convergence by helping to integrate the global social movements of Spiritual Renaissance, Scientific Revolution, and Sharing Economy into a coherent whole, necessary if evolution is to lead us into World Peace.
By realizing our True Nature in this delightful way, we could collectively transform today’s Information and Knowledge Society into the Wisdom Society, and thence into the eschatological Mystical Society, where people would live egolessly and peacefully at the end of time, free of the existential fear of death and God, and hence Love and Freedom.
Do please join us in this great adventure in whatever capacity you can offer. My name is Paul Hague, and you are most welcome to contact me at paul at mysticalpragmatics.net.
We are a species that has lost its way. … A new species is arising on the planet. It is arising now, and you are it!
The Alliance for Mystical Pragmatics can best be seen as a social experiment for all those seeking to live in union with the Divine. Grounded in Love, the Divine Essence we all share, we explore radically new ways of learning and communicating, intelligently and consciously governed by the Principle of Unity, the hitherto hidden fundamental law of the Universe, which enlightens our lives.
In the Age of Light, we allies act as mirrors for each other, reflecting what we are learning, rather like jewels in Indra’s Net in Huayan Buddhism. As unique beings, no one has the moral authority to tell another what or how to learn. The Alliance is thus a school for autodidacts, seeking to understand themselves through self-inquiry, free of the mechanistic collective, cultural, and personal conditioning that prevents us from understanding humanity’s place in the overall scheme of things.
All we can collectively know with Absolute Certainty is that the Coherent Light of Consciousness provides the Cosmic Context and Gnostic foundation for all our lives. Self-reflective Intelligence—the Divine quality that distinguishes humans from the other animals and machines, like computers—is the eyesight of Consciousness, able to see both sides of any situation.
From the mystical perspective, the Alliance is similar to a Buddhist sangha, a community of seekers of the Truth through a dying process of involution, as the world of form egolessly dissolves into the Immortal, Formless Ground of Being. For, as Thich Nhat Hanh has foreseen, the next Buddha—as Maitreya, the ‘Loving one’—can only be a global community practising mindful living rather than an individual. As Bodhisattvas in Mahayana Buddhism well know, no one can be fully awakened until everyone is; there is no personal enlightenment.
This is especially the case when a community seeks to live in harmony with the Hidden Harmony, practising an intelligent, both-and way of life in a creative, evolutionary manner. For those who are ignorant of this primordial law often seek to pull people away from Stillness, Truth, and the Presence of the Divine with anthropocentric, either-or thinking, erroneously believing that we are separate, autonomous beings who have the free will to take responsibility for our lives.
Of course, this is not a black-and-white situation. As the Nondual Absolute is ever present, many oscillate between both-and and either-or thinking, not fully aware of the primary-secondary relationship between the Divine and human perspectives. In Reality, we are Divine beings having a human experience, rather than the other way round. So when we live constantly in union with Nonduality, all conflicts that we witness in the dual and dualistic world of form disappear.
There is then no longer a global crisis outside us to be dealt with. As our minds create our reality, any existential fears that arise from the existential threat of machines with artificial intelligence, climate change, or the imminent collapse of the global economy, for instance, lie within us. The Alliance for Mystical Pragmatics is thus not on an anthropocentric crusade to change the world, for any such activity takes us away from the Truth, from Love and Peace.
Nevertheless, in practical terms, there is much that we can do to help our children and grandchildren to awaken to Total Freedom, liberated from the schizoid delusions that have been blindly passed from generation to generation for hundreds and thousands of years.
As evolution passes through the most momentous turning point in its fourteen billion-year history, no one can predict how events will unfold in the coming days, weeks, months, years, and decades. Following the invention of the stored-program computer in the middle of the last century, all we can know is that nothing—absolutely nothing—can remain as it has done for the past several thousand years of human history.
In a time when the survival of the human race is in question, continuing with the status quo is to cooperate with insanity, to contribute to chaos. … Do we have the vitality to go beyond the narrow, one-sided views of human life and to open ourselves to totality, wholeness? The call of the hour is to move beyond the fragmentary, to awaken to total revolution.
The essence of the Spiritual Renaissance taking place in the West today is that an increasing number of spiritual seekers are realizing that they live in union with the Divine. This is in contrast to what the Abrahamic religions of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam teach, for they all assert that there is a great gulf between the Creator and created that can never be bridged.
Specifically, these monotheistic religions distance humanity from the Transcendent Absolute, whose existence they acknowledge, providing the Cosmic Context for all our lives. Accordingly, it is a cultural taboo to affirm, “I am Love,” which is our Authentic Self, the Immanent Divine Essence that we all share.
In contrast, the Rishis who wrote the Upanishads realized that Brahman and Atman—as the Absolute and Self, respectively—are One, declaring Tat tvam asi ‘You are That.’ It is not surprising therefore that many are turning to the East to find spiritual fulfilment, realizing that none of us is separate from the Divine for an instant.
Most significantly, we cannot understand God from an anthropocentric perspective. We can only truly understand what it means to be a human being from a Divine perspective, looking at our lives through the eyes of God.
This is of the utmost practical importance, for when we feel separate from our Immortal Ground of Being, existential fear of death can arise, grievously affecting our behaviour patterns. For instance, all the holy wars—wars about the Whole—which are still ravaging society, are a direct result of this deep split between humanity and the Divine.
A 22-page introductory article ‘Recapitulating the Cosmogonic Cycle: Understanding Ourselves’ provides some background to today’s Spiritual Renaissance in the context of the entire history of evolution since the most recent big bang some fourteen billion years ago.
I laugh when I hear that the fish in the water is thirsty.
The essence of today’s revolution in science is twofold. First, scientists are beginning to realize that fundamental problems in astrophysics and quantum physics can only be resolved by recognizing that Consciousness provides the Contextual Foundation for all our lives. Secondly, many can see and feel, as evolution accelerates inexorably towards Wholeness, that no beings in the Universe are ever separate from any other, including the Supreme Being.
To establish these fundamental facts of existence as sound science, we turn what is called ‘science’ today outside in and upside down, focusing attention on inner rather than outer space. For our minds create our reality, and hence our behaviour, not the other way round. First, to put Western civilization back on its feet—for today it is standing on its head—we map the Cosmic Psyche through self-inquiry. Secondly, we are engaged in a contextual inversion, rather than a paradigm change or shift, returning Western science to Reality and the Truth.
This is similar to the Copernican revolution, when Johannes Kepler proved mathematically that the planets ‘circle’ the Sun in ellipses, as they had been doing for four and a half billion years, contrary to the beliefs of the Aristotelians and Christians in the Middle Ages. In today’s heliocentric revolution, we recognize that the Coherent Light of Consciousness exists in Eternity as Ultimate Reality. This is not a new discovery, for mystics have well known this Truth through the ages, calling it, for instance, Satchidananda in Sanskrit, ‘Bliss of Absolute Truth and Consciousness’.
One consequence of the widespread belief that we humans are separate from Divinity, Nature, and each other is that the vast majority of people are living in delusion, to some extent or other. This is not new, for these delusions have been blindly passed from one generation to another for thousands of years, ever since the dawn of human history. In particular, Western civilization is based on seven pillars of unwisdom, misconceptions of God, Universe, Life, humanity, money, justice, and reason. So one of the Alliance’s major activities will be to rebuild the last 5,000 years of learning on the seven pillars of wisdom.
We shall then be able to answer a host of unanswered questions in science, for some are saying that while scientists know much about the physical universe and genetics, they don’t yet understand what they know. By far the most critical of these unanswered questions is “What is causing scientists and technologists, aided and abetted by computer technology, to drive the pace of scientific discovery and technological invention at unprecedented exponential rates of acceleration?” For understanding ourselves through self-inquiry is absolutely essential if we are to intelligently manage our business affairs with full awareness of the creative evolutionary energies that cause us to behave as we do.
A 22-page introductory article ‘Integral Relational Logic: The Art and Science of Consciousness’ and a 250-page treatise titled The Theory of Everything: Unifying Polarizing Opposites in Nondual Wholeness are also available for download, with lots more information on this website.
The way out for the world, … the entry into the superhuman, will … yield only to the thrust of all together in the direction where all can rejoin and complete one another in a spiritual renewal of the Earth.
Having realized that none of us is separate from the Divine, Nature, or anyone else for an instant, we can invoke the social movements of Spiritual Renaissance and Scientific Revolution to cocreate the life-enhancing Sharing Economy, giving everyone on Earth the opportunity to realize their fullest potential as human beings.
The Sharing Economy is so-named because we all share the same Genuine Identity as the Cosmic Divine. For identity derives from Latin idem ‘same’. Furthermore, information in today’s Information Society has properties that are quite different from commodities. When a teacher gives information to her pupils, nothing is exchanged; they share knowledge, unlike goods we exchange for money in supermarkets, for instance. So in the eschatological Age of Light, we realize that in Reality there is no doership, or indeed ownership, as Advaita sages, like Ramesh S. Balsekar, former president of the Bank of India, teach.
However, this realization is not easy while people are preoccupied with their livelihoods within the economic machine, believing that money is a commodity with value. To effectively deal with humanity’s challenges, we urgently need to establish a work ethic where spiritual awakening and psychological development have top priority, enabling us to recognize that the biggest threats to our health, well-being, and survival as a species are our fear and ignorance, rather than economic collapse, peak oil, rapid climate change, global water crisis, population growth, and species extinction, for instance. A society based on fear rather than Love is not sustainable.
As well as changing the way we work, we also need a radically new system of governance, which the ecophilosopher Henryk Skolimowski appropriately calls Lumenarchy ‘rule through Divine Light’. We can see the increasing ungovernability of society in the polarization of political conservatism and liberalism, from Latin liber ‘free’. Yet, while conservatism is a natural state, called homeostasis ‘same state’ in systems theory, it is not a viable option at these times of accelerating rates of change. As the world of learning is much fragmented and deluded, even democracies are not viable, for they are as tyrannous as the despots they seek to replace.
To demonstrate what the Sharing Economy means in practice, the activities of the Alliance will be consciously governed by the Principle of Unity. Heraclitus called this universal, irrefutable truth the ‘Hidden Harmony’, which Aristotle denied, sending Western thought into the evolutionary cul-de-sac that it finds itself in today.
A 50-page introductory article ‘The Sharing Economy: Transcending the Divisiveness of Money’ explores in some detail the history of money and how we could extricate ourselves from the financial crisis we all face today.
World Peace arises from Inner Peace, which we realize when we implicitly or explicitly live in harmony with the Principle of Unity, the principal purpose of Carl Gustav Jung’s healing process of individuation. For being able to see both sides of any situation is a clear sign of Self-reflective Intelligence in action.
The basic reason for our global predicament is that the egoic mind tends to identify itself with one of a pair of opposites, rejecting the other, losing touch with our Authentic Self, which is Formless, Nondual Wholeness. As a consequence, virtually every field of human endeavour is grievously compromised, from mathematics, through religion, to politics, most obvious in people’s belief that God is on their side when nations go to war.
Extricating ourselves from what William Blake aptly called our ‘mind-forged manacles’ is a two-step process. First, we realize that there is a primary-secondary relationship between Nonduality and the dual world of form, living in union with the Divine, in the Eternal Now, the essence of today’s Spiritual Renaissance.
Secondly, recognizing that conflicts are bound to arise in the relativistic world of duality, when they do, we use our Self-reflective Intelligence to come back to Nondual Peace as soon as possible, looking at both sides of any dispute, free of egoic attachment to the outcome. There are thus no moral imperatives in a world that is at Peace with itself.
So, as Bodhisattvas in Mahayana Buddhism well know, no one can be fully awakened until everyone is; there is no individual enlightenment. As Thich Nhat Hanh has foreseen, the next Buddha—as Maitreya, the ‘Loving one’—can only be a community or global sangha, practising mindful living rather than an individual.
Of course, there is actually no ‘how’ for World Peace, which is Timeless, beyond past and future. Nevertheless, the activities of the Alliance will be coordinated through Project Heraclitus, with the motto ‘Revealing the Hidden Harmony’. Project Heraclitus will be organized into three subprojects, Project Agape, Project Aditi, and Project Arjuna, matching the three global movements of Spiritual Renaissance, Scientific Revolution, and Sharing Economy. These will be driven by the three fundamental energies of Divine Love, Cosmic Consciousness, and Self-reflective Intelligence, emanating, like Life, itself, from the Origin of the Universe.
Project Agape reflects the Greek word agape, used by Christian writers in the New Testament to mean ‘Divine Love’. Aditi is the Divine Matrix, a symbol for Consciousness, as the mother of the Universe in the Rig Veda. In turn, Arjuna was the spiritual warrior in the Hindu classic Bhagavad Gita, invoking time-honoured, both-and spiritual practices to deal intelligently with conflict-ridden, either-or politics.
Love is the sea of not-being and there intellect drowns.
My friend Pär, who designed this website, died suddenly on 15th October 2014, before he could finish programming this footer. He was one of the most intelligent people I have ever met, feeling passionately about the aims of the Alliance.
This website is now being developed in his memory, trusting that we could help others who are seeking to consummate the sacred marriage of science and mysticism, the greatest challenge of our times.
My deepest sympathy to his family and friends. May he now truly rest in peace. | 2019-04-21T22:09:33Z | http://mysticalpragmatics.net/ |
Follow Term of Agreement clause.
Term of Agreement. This Agreement and the Security Interest shall terminate on the date on which all payments under the Notes have been made in full and all other Obligations have been paid or discharged. Upon such termination, the Secured Party, at the request and at the expense of the Company, will join in executing any termination statement with respect to any financing statement executed and filed pursuant to this Agreement.
Term of Agreement. This Agreement and the Security Interest Interests shall terminate on the date on which all payments under the Notes Debentures have been made indefeasibly paid in full and all other Obligations have been paid or discharged. Upon such termination; provided, the Secured Partyhowever, at the request and at the expense that all indemnities of the CompanyDebtors contained in this Agreement (including, will join without limitation, Annex B hereto) shall survive and remain operative and in executing any full force and effect regardless of the termination statement with respect to any financing statement executed and filed pursuant to of this Agreement.
Term of Agreement. This Agreement and the Security Interest shall terminate upon the date that all obligations of the parties hereto under this Agreement have been satisfied or, if earlier, on the date on which all payments under the Notes have been made in full and all other Obligations have been paid or discharged. Upon such terminationdate, the Secured Partyprior to a Change of Control, at the request and at the expense of Employee is no longer employed by the Company, will join in executing any termination statement with respect to any financing statement executed and filed pursuant to this Agreement.
Term of Agreement. This Agreement and the Security Interest Interests shall terminate on the date on which all payments under the Notes have been made indefeasibly paid in full and all other Obligations have been paid or discharged. Upon such termination; provided, the Secured Partyhowever, at the request and at the expense that all indemnities of the CompanyDebtors contained in this Agreement (including, will join without limitation, Annex B hereto) shall survive and remain operative and in executing any full force and effect regardless of the termination statement with respect to any financing statement executed and filed pursuant to of this Agreement.
Term of Agreement. This Agreement and the Security Interest shall terminate on the date on which all payments under the Notes have been made indefeasibly paid in full and all other Obligations have been paid or discharged. Upon such termination; provided, the Secured Partyhowever, at the request and at the expense that all indemnities of the CompanyDebtors contained in this Agreement (including, will join without limitation, Annex B hereto) shall survive and remain operative and in executing any full force and effect regardless of the termination statement with respect to any financing statement executed and filed pursuant to of this Agreement.
Term of Agreement. This Agreement and the Security Interest shall terminate on the date on which all payments under the Notes Debentures have been made indefeasibly paid in full and all other Obligations have been paid or discharged. Upon such termination; provided, the Secured Partyhowever, at the request and at the expense that all indemnities of the CompanyDebtors contained in this Agreement (including, will join without limitation, Annex B hereto) shall survive and remain operative and in executing any full force and effect regardless of the termination statement with respect to any financing statement executed and filed pursuant to of this Agreement.
Term of Agreement. This Agreement and the Security Interest shall terminate on the date on which all payments under the Notes Debentures have been made in full and all other Obligations have been paid or discharged. Upon such termination, the Secured Party, at the request and at the expense of the Company, will join in executing any termination statement with respect to any financing statement executed and filed pursuant to this Agreement.
Term of Agreement. This Agreement and the Security Interest Interests shall terminate on the date on which all payments under the Notes Note have been made indefeasibly paid in full and all other Obligations have been paid or discharged. Upon such termination; provided, the Secured Partyhowever, at the request and at the expense that all indemnities of the CompanyDebtors contained in this Agreement (including, will join without limitation, Annex B hereto) shall survive and remain operative and in executing any full force and effect regardless of the termination statement with respect to any financing statement executed and filed pursuant to of this Agreement.
Term of Agreement. This Agreement and the Security Interest shall terminate upon the date that all obligations of the parties hereto under this Agreement have been satisfied or, if earlier, on the date on which all payments under the Notes have been made in full and all other Obligations have been paid or discharged. Upon such terminationdate, prior to a Change of Control Protection Period, the Secured Party, at the request and at the expense of Employee is no longer employed by the Company, will join in executing any termination statement with respect to any financing statement executed and filed pursuant to this Agreement.
Term of Agreement. This Agreement and the Security Interest shall terminate on the date on which all payments amounts outstanding under the Notes have been made in full are no longer outstanding and all other Obligations have been paid or discharged. Upon such termination, the Secured Party, at the request and at the expense of the Company, will join in executing any termination statement with respect to any financing statement executed and filed pursuant to this Agreement.
Term of Agreement. This Agreement and the Security Interest shall terminate on the date on which all payments under the Notes have been made indefeasibly paid in full and all other Obligations have been paid or discharged. Upon such termination; provided, the Secured Partyhowever, at the request and at the expense that all indemnities of the Company, will join Debtors contained in executing any this Agreement shall survive and remain operative and in full force and effect regardless of the termination statement with respect to any financing statement executed and filed pursuant to of this Agreement.
Term of Agreement. This Agreement shall commence on and as of the Effective Date and continue until Executives employment has terminated and the Security Interest shall terminate on obligations of the date on which all payments under the Notes parties hereunder have terminated or expired or have been made satisfied in full and all other Obligations have been paid accordance with their terms, or dischargedif earlier, upon the execution of a new employment agreement by the parties hereto. Notwithstanding anything contained herein to the contrary, the provisions of the Existing Agreement will continue to apply until a filing by the Company for bankruptcy. Upon such termination, the Secured Party, at the request and at the expense of a filing for bankruptcy by the Company, the terms of the Agreement will join apply and supersede the terms of the Existing Agreement in executing any termination statement with respect to any financing statement executed their entirety. As of the Effective Date, the title, responsibilities, salary and filed pursuant to this Agreementbenefits of Executive shall be the same as those that are currently in effect.
Term of Agreement. This Agreement and the Security Interest Interests shall terminate terminate, automatically and without any action on the part of the Agent or Secured Parties, on the date on which all payments under the Notes have been made indefeasibly paid or otherwise discharged in full and all other Obligations have been paid or discharged; provided, however, that all indemnities of the parties hereto contained in this Agreement (including, without limitation, Annex B hereto) shall survive and remain operative and in full force and effect regardless of the termination of this Agreement. Upon such termination, the The Agent and Secured PartyParties shall, at the Debtor's request and at expense, take any and all action required to discharge any and all security interests and release to Debtor any and all Collateral in the expense Agent's or Secured Parties' possession or control. The Secured Parties hereby agree that the Debtor shall have the right, and the Debtor is hereby authorized, to take all necessary action to cause the termination and release of the Company, will join in executing any all security interests granted hereunder upon termination statement with respect to any financing statement executed and filed pursuant to of this Agreement, including the filing of one or more UCC termination statements or amendments relating to the Collateral.
Term of Agreement. This Agreement and the Subordinate Security Interest shall terminate on the date on which all payments under the Notes have been made in full and all other Obligations have been paid or discharged. Upon such termination, the Secured Party, at the request and at the expense of the Company, will join in executing any termination statement with respect to any financing statement executed and filed pursuant to this Agreement.
Term of Agreement. This Agreement and the Security Interest shall terminate on the date on which all payments under the Notes have been indefeasibly made in full and all other Obligations have been paid or discharged. Upon such termination, the Secured Party, at the request and at the expense of the Company, will join in executing any termination statement with respect to any financing statement executed and filed pursuant to this Agreementindefeasibly paid.
Term of Agreement. This Agreement shall be in full force and effect commencing upon the Security Interest date hereof. This Agreement shall terminate on upon the date on which all payments under the Notes have been made in Consultant's full and all other Obligations have been paid or discharged. Upon such termination, the Secured Party, at the request and at the expense completion of the CompanyConsulting Services. Either Party hereto shall have the right to terminate this Agreement without notice in the event of the death, will join in executing any termination statement bankruptcy, insolvency, or assignment for the benefit of creditors of the other Party. Consultant shall have the right to terminate this Agreement if Company fails to comply with respect to any financing statement executed and filed pursuant to the terms of this Agreement, including without limitation its responsibilities for compensation as set forth in this Agreement, and such failure continues unremedied for a period of 30 days after written notice to the Company by Consultant. The Company shall have the right to terminate this Agreement upon delivery to Consultant of notice setting forth with specificity facts comprising a material breach of this Agreement by Consultant if such breach shall remain uncured for more than 30 days.
Term of Agreement. This Agreement and the Security Interest shall terminate on the date on which all payments under the Notes Note have been made in full and all other Obligations have been paid or discharged. Upon such termination, the Secured Party, at the request and at the expense of the Company, will join in executing any termination statement with respect to any financing statement executed and filed pursuant to this Agreement.
Term of Agreement. This Agreement and the Security Interest shall terminate on the date on which all payments under the Notes Debentures have been made in full and all other Obligations of the Company have been paid or discharged. Upon such termination, the Secured Party, at the request and at the expense of the Company, will join in executing any termination statement with respect to any financing statement executed and filed pursuant to this Agreement.
Term of Agreement. This Agreement and the Security Interest shall terminate on the date on which all payments under the Notes have been made indefeasibly paid in full and all other Obligations have been paid or discharged. Upon such termination; provided, the Secured Partyhowever, at the request that all indemnities contained in this Agreement shall survive and at the expense remain operative and in full force and effect regardless of the Company, will join in executing any termination statement with respect to any financing statement executed and filed pursuant to of this Agreement.
Term of Agreement. This Agreement and the Security Interest Interests shall terminate on the date on which all payments under the Notes Debentures have been made indefeasibly paid in full or otherwise satisfied in full and all other Obligations have been paid paid, discharged or dischargedsatisfied in full; provided, however, that all indemnities of the Debtors contained in this Agreement (including, without limitation, Annex B hereto) shall survive and remain operative and in full force and effect regardless of the termination of this Agreement. Upon such terminationthe termination of this Agreement, the Secured Party, at Agent shall immediately return to the request and at Company any Collateral that has been delivered to the expense of the Company, will join in executing any termination statement with respect to any financing statement executed and filed Agent pursuant to this Agreement.
Term of Agreement. This Agreement and the Security Interest shall terminate on the date on which all payments under the Notes Amended Note have been made in full and all other Obligations have been paid or discharged. Upon such termination, the Secured Party, at the request and at the expense of the CompanyDebtors, will join in executing any termination statement with respect to any financing statement executed and filed pursuant to this Agreement.
Term of Agreement. This Agreement and the Security Interest Interests shall terminate on the date on which all payments under the Notes Note have been made indefeasibly paid in full and all other Obligations have been paid or discharged. Upon such termination; provided, the Secured Partyhowever, at the request and at the expense that all indemnities of the Company, will join Debtor contained in executing any this Agreement shall survive and remain operative and in full force and effect regardless of the termination statement with respect to any financing statement executed and filed pursuant to of this Agreement.
Term of Agreement. This Agreement and the Security Interest shall terminate on the date on which all payments under the Notes Debentures have been made in full or have been satisfied and all other Obligations have been paid or discharged. Upon such termination, the each Secured Party, at the request and at the expense of the CompanyDebtors, will join in executing any termination statement or similar statement with respect to any financing statement or other security instrument executed and filed pursuant to this Agreement.
Term of Agreement. This Agreement and the Security Interest shall terminate on the date on which all payments under the Notes Note have been made in full and all other Obligations have been paid or discharged. Upon such termination, the Secured Party, at the request and at the expense of the Company, will join in executing any termination statement with respect to any financing statement executed and filed pursuant to this AgreementAgreement and taking any and all other actions reasonably requested by the Company to terminate the Secured Partys Security Interest and release any and all Collateral.
Term of Agreement. This Agreement and the Security Interest shall terminate on the date on which all payments under the Notes have been made in full or at such time as the Secured Party fully converts the Notes and all other Obligations have been paid or discharged. Upon such termination, the Secured Party, at the request and at the expense of the Company, will join in executing any termination statement with respect to any financing statement executed and filed pursuant to this Agreement.
Term of Agreement. This Agreement and the Security Interest Interests shall terminate on the date on which all payments under the Notes have been made indefeasibly paid in full and all other Obligations have been paid or discharged. Upon such termination; provided, the Secured Partyhowever, at the request and at the expense that all indemnities of the Company, will join Company contained in executing any this Agreement shall survive and remain operative and in full force and effect regardless of the termination statement with respect to any financing statement executed and filed pursuant to of this AgreementAgreement or the resignation or removal of the Agent.
Term of Agreement. This Agreement and the Security Interest shall terminate on the date on which all payments under the Notes Note have been made in full or have been satisfied and all other Obligations have been paid or discharged. Upon such termination, the each Secured Party, at the request and at the expense of the CompanyPledgor, will join in executing any termination statement with respect to any financing statement executed and filed pursuant to this AgreementAgreement and promptly deliver to Pledgor any collateral in such Secured Partys possession.
Term of Agreement. This Agreement and the Security Interest Interests shall terminate terminate, automatically and without any action on the part of the Agent or Secured Parties, on the date on which all payments under the Notes have been made indefeasibly paid or otherwise discharged in full and all other Obligations have been paid or discharged; provided, however, that all indemnities of the parties hereto contained in this Agreement (including without limitation Annex B hereto) shall survive and remain operative and in full force and effect regardless of the termination of this Agreement. Upon such termination, the The Agent and Secured PartyParties shall, at the Debtor's request and at expense, take any and all action required to discharge any and all security interests and release to Debtor any and all Collateral in the expense Agent's or Secured Parties' possession or control. The Secured Parties hereby agree that the Debtor shall have the right, and the Debtor is hereby authorized, to take all necessary action to cause the termination and release of the Company, will join in executing any all security interests granted hereunder upon termination statement with respect to any financing statement executed and filed pursuant to of this Agreement, including the filing of one or more UCC termination statements or amendments relating to the Collateral.
Term of Agreement. This Agreement and the Security Interest shall terminate on the date on which all payments under the Notes have been made in full and all other Obligations have been paid or discharged. Upon such termination, the Secured PartyParties, at the request and at the expense of the CompanyObligors, will join in executing any termination statement with respect to any financing statement executed and filed pursuant to this Agreement.
Term of Agreement. This Agreement and the Security Interest shall terminate on the date on which all payments under the Notes Note have been made in full and all other Obligations have been paid or discharged. Upon such termination, the Secured Party, at the request and at the expense of the CompanyDebtors, will join in executing any termination statement with respect to any financing statement executed and filed pursuant to this Agreement.
Term of Agreement. This Agreement and the Security Interest shall terminate on the date on which that of all payments amounts due the Secured Party under the Notes have Secured Note has been made in full indefeasibly paid and all other Obligations obligations have been indefeasibly paid or dischargedsatisfied. Upon such termination, the Secured Party, at the request and at the expense of the Company, will join in executing any termination statement with respect to any financing statement executed and filed pursuant to this Agreement.
Term of Agreement. This Agreement and the Security Interest Interests shall terminate terminate, automatically and without any action on the part of the Agent or Secured Parties, on the date on which all payments under the Notes have been made indefeasibly paid in full and all other Obligations have been paid or discharged; provided, however, that all indemnities of the parties hereto contained in this Agreement (including without limitation Annex B hereto) shall survive and remain operative and in full force and effect regardless of the termination of this Agreement. Upon such termination, the The Agent and Secured PartyParties shall, at the Debtor's request and at expense, take any and all action required to discharge any and all security interests and release to Debtor any and all Collateral in the expense Agent's or Secured Parties' possession or control. The Secured Parties hereby agree that the Debtor shall have the right to take all necessary action to cause the termination and release of the Company, will join in executing any all security interests granted hereunder upon termination statement with respect to any financing statement executed and filed pursuant to of this Agreement.
Term of Agreement. This Agreement and the Security Interest security interest in the Collateral granted by the Company to the Purchasers hereunder shall terminate on the date on which all payments under the Notes have been made in full or otherwise converted pursuant to the terms thereof and all other Obligations have been paid or dischargeddischarged in full. Upon Promptly following such termination, the Secured Party, at the request and at the expense of the Company, Purchasers will join in executing any termination statement and other filings with respect to any financing statement executed and filed pursuant to this AgreementAgreement or required for evidencing termination of this Agreement or the Purchasers' security interest in the Collateral and file any such termination statements or other filings with the appropriate agencies.
Term of Agreement. This Agreement and the Security Interest shall terminate on the date on which all payments under the Notes Note and the Purchase Agreement have been made in full and all other Obligations have been paid or discharged. Upon such termination, the Secured Party, at the request and at the expense of the Company, will join in executing any termination statement with respect to any financing statement executed and filed pursuant to this Agreement.
Term of Agreement. This Agreement and the Security Interest shall terminate on the date on which all payments under the Notes Debentures have been made indefeasibly paid in full full, the Secured Party ceases to hold any Securities, and all other Obligations have been paid or discharged. Upon such termination; provided, the Secured Partyhowever, at the request and at the expense that all indemnities of the Company, will join Debtor contained in executing any this Agreement shall survive and remain operative and in full force and effect regardless of the termination statement with respect to any financing statement executed and filed pursuant to of this Agreement.
Term of Agreement. This Agreement and the Security Interest Interests shall terminate on the date on which all payments under the Notes have been made indefeasibly paid in full and all other Obligations have been paid or discharged; provided, however, that all indemnities of the Company contained in this Agreement (including, without limitation, Annex B hereto) shall survive and remain operative and in full force and effect regardless of the termination of this Agreement. Upon such terminationFollowing termination of this Agreement, the Secured Party, at the request Agent shall take all action and execute all documents at the expense of the Company, will join in executing Company required to ensure the termination of the Security Interest and the prompt return of any termination statement with respect to any financing statement executed and filed pursuant to this AgreementPledged Securities.
Term of Agreement. This Agreement and the Security Interest Interests shall terminate on the date on which all payments under the Notes Debentures have been made indefeasibly paid in full or all Debentures have been converted in accordance with their terms, and all other Obligations have been paid or discharged; provided, however, that all indemnities of the Debtor contained in this Agreement (including, without limitation, Annex B hereto) shall survive and remain operative and in full force and effect regardless of the termination of this Agreement. Upon such terminationtermination of this Agreement, the Secured Party, at the request Agent agrees to execute any and at the expense all documents on behalf of the CompanySecured Parties reasonably requested by the Debtor for the release of the Security Interest on the Collateral, will join in executing any including, without limitation, UCC-3 termination statement with respect to any financing statement executed and filed pursuant to this Agreementstatements.
Term of Agreement. This Agreement and the Security Interest shall terminate on the date on which all payments under the Notes have been made in full and all other Obligations have been paid or discharged. Upon such termination, the Secured Party, at the request and at the expense of Execution Copy the Company, will join in executing any termination statement with respect to any financing statement executed and filed pursuant to this Agreement.
Term of Agreement. This Agreement and the Security Interest shall terminate on the date on which all payments under the Notes have been made in full and all other Obligations of the Company have been paid or discharged. Upon such termination, the Secured Party, at the request and at the expense of the Company, will join in executing any termination statement with respect to any financing statement executed and filed pursuant to this Agreement.
Term of Agreement. This Agreement and the Security Interest shall terminate on the date on which all payments under the Notes have been made in full and all other Obligations have been paid or discharged. Upon such termination, the Secured PartyParties, at the request and at the expense of the CompanyObligor, will join in executing any termination statement with respect to any financing statement executed and filed pursuant to this Agreement.
Term of Agreement. This Agreement and the Security Interest Interests shall terminate terminate, automatically and without any action on the part of the Agent or Secured Parties, on the date on which all payments under the Notes Debentures have been made indefeasibly paid in full and all other Obligations have been paid or discharged; provided, however, that all indemnities of the Debtors contained in this Agreement (including, without limitation, Annex B hereto) shall survive and remain operative and in full force and effect regardless of the termination of this Agreement. Upon Agent and Secured Parties shall, at Debtors request, take any and all action required to discharge any and all security interests and release to Debtor any and all Collateral in Agents or Secured Parties possession or control. The Secured Parties hereby agree that the Debtor shall have the right to take all necessary action to cause the termination and release of all security interests granted hereunder upon termination of this Agreement and do hereby make, constitute and appoint the Debtor their true and lawful attorney-in-fact, with power, in the name of the Agent and Secured Parties to, after the termination of this Agreement, take any and all such terminationaction on behalf of, and in the name of, the Agent and Secured Party, at the request and at the expense of the Company, will join in executing any termination statement with respect to any financing statement executed and filed pursuant to this AgreementParties.
Term of Agreement. This Agreement and the Security Interest shall terminate on the date on which all payments under the Notes have been made in full or have been satisfied and all other Obligations have been paid or discharged. Upon such termination, the Secured Party, at the request and at the expense of the Company, Party will join in executing any termination statement with respect to any financing statement executed and filed pursuant to this Agreement.
Term of Agreement. This Agreement and the Security Interest Interests shall terminate on the date on which all payments under the Notes Debentures have been made indefeasibly paid in full or otherwise satisfied in full and all other Obligations have been paid paid, discharged or dischargedsatisfied in full; provided, however, that all indemnities of the Debtors contained in this Agreement (including, without limitation, Annex B hereto) shall survive and remain operative and in full force and effect regardless of the termination of this Agreement. Upon such terminationthe termination of this Agreement, the Secured Party, at Parties shall immediately return to the request and at Company any Collateral that has been delivered to the expense of the Company, will join in executing any termination statement with respect to any financing statement executed and filed Secured Parties pursuant to this Agreement.
Term of Agreement. This Agreement and the Security Interest security interests granted hereunder shall terminate on remain in full force and effect until the date on which all payments Secured Obligations under the Notes Credit Agreement have been made satisfied in full and all other Obligations the Commitments have been paid or dischargedterminated, at which time the Administrative Agent shall release and terminate the security interests granted to it hereunder. Upon such release and termination, (a) the Secured PartyPledgors shall be entitled to the return, at the request Pledgors expense, of any and all funds in the Collateral Account and such of the Collateral held by the Administrative Agent as shall not have been sold or otherwise applied pursuant to the terms hereof and (b) the Administrative Agent shall, at the expense of Pledgors expense, execute and deliver to the Company, will join in executing any Borrowers such UCC termination statement with respect statements and other documents as the Borrower shall reasonably request to any financing statement executed evidence such release and filed pursuant to this Agreementtermination.
Term of Agreement. This Agreement and the Security Interest shall terminate on the date on which all payments under the Notes Debentures have been made indefeasibly paid in full and all other Obligations have been paid or discharged. Upon such termination; provided, the Secured Partyhowever, at the request and at the expense that all indemnities of the Company, will join Debtors contained in executing any this Agreement shall survive and remain operative and in full force and effect regardless of the termination statement with respect to any financing statement executed and filed pursuant to of this Agreement.
Term of Agreement. This Agreement and the Security Interest security interests granted hereunder shall terminate on remain in full force and effect until the date on which all payments under the Notes Secured Obligations have been made satisfied in full and all other Obligations the Commitments have been paid or dischargedterminated, at which time the Administrative Agent shall release and terminate the security interests granted to it hereunder. Upon such release and termination, (i) the Secured PartyPledgors shall be entitled to the return, at the request Pledgors expense, of any and all funds in the Collateral Account and such of the Collateral held by the Administrative Agent as shall not have been sold or otherwise applied pursuant to the terms hereof and (ii) the Administrative Agent shall, at the expense of Pledgors expense, execute and deliver to the Company, will join in executing any Borrowers such UCC termination statement with respect statements and other documents as the Borrower shall reasonably request to any financing statement executed evidence such release and filed pursuant to this Agreementtermination.
Term of Agreement. This Agreement and the Security Interest shall terminate on the date on which all payments under the Senior Notes have been made indefeasibly paid in full and all other Obligations have been paid or discharged. Upon such termination; provided, the Secured Partyhowever, at the request and at the expense that all indemnities of the Company, will join Debtors contained in executing any this Agreement shall survive and remain operative and in full force and effect regardless of the termination statement with respect to any financing statement executed and filed pursuant to of this Agreement.
Term of Agreement. This Agreement and the Security Interest Interests shall terminate on the date on which all payments under the Notes have been made indefeasibly paid in full and all other Obligations have been paid or discharged. Upon such termination; provided, the Secured Partyhowever, at the request and at the expense that all indemnities of the Company, will join Debtors contained in executing any this Agreement shall survive and remain operative and in full force and effect regardless of the termination statement with respect to any financing statement executed and filed pursuant to of this Agreement.
Term of Agreement. This Agreement and the Security Interest shall terminate on the date on which all payments under the Notes have been made in full and all other Obligations have been paid or discharged. Upon such termination, the Secured PartyParties, at the request and at the expense of the Company, will join in executing any termination statement with respect to any financing statement executed and filed pursuant to this Agreement.
Term of Agreement. This Agreement and the Security Interest shall terminate on the date on which all payments under the Notes have Secured Obligation has been made in full and all other Obligations or otherwise have been paid discharged, expired, or dischargedterminated. Upon such termination, the Secured Party, at the request and at the expense of the Company, will join in executing any termination statement with respect to any financing statement executed and filed pursuant to this Agreement.
Term of Agreement. This Agreement and the Security Interest shall terminate on the date on which all payments under the Notes have Secured Note has been made in full and all other Obligations have been paid or discharged. Upon such termination, the Secured Party, at the request and at the expense of the Company, will join in executing any termination statement with respect to any financing statement executed and filed pursuant to this Agreement.
Term of Agreement. This Agreement and the Security Interest shall terminate on the date on which all payments under the Secured Notes have has been made in full and all other Obligations have been paid or discharged. Upon such termination, the Secured PartyParties, at the request and at the expense of the Company, will join in executing any termination statement with respect to any financing statement executed and filed pursuant to this Agreement.
Term of Agreement. This Agreement and the Security Interest Interests shall terminate terminate, automatically and without any action on the part of the Agent or Secured Parties, on the date on which all payments under the Notes Note have been made indefeasibly paid in full and all other Obligations have been paid or discharged; provided, however, that all indemnities of the parties hereto contained in this Agreement (including without limitation Annex B hereto) shall survive and remain operative and in full force and effect regardless of the termination of this Agreement. Upon such termination, the The Agent and Secured PartyParties shall, at the Debtor's request and at expense, take any and all action required to discharge any and all security interests and release to Debtor any and all Collateral in the expense Agent's or Secured Parties' possession or control. The Secured Parties hereby agree that the Debtor shall have the right to take all necessary action to cause the termination and release of the Company, will join in executing any all security interests granted hereunder upon termination statement with respect to any financing statement executed and filed pursuant to of this Agreement.
Term of Agreement. This Agreement and the Security Interest shall terminate on the date on which repayment of all payments amounts due the Secured Parties under the Notes have been made in full Loan Agreement and all other Obligations have been paid or dischargedthe Notes. Upon such termination, the Secured PartyParties, at the request and at the expense of the CompanyObligor, will join in executing any termination statement with respect to any financing statement executed and filed pursuant to this Agreement.
Term of Agreement. This Agreement and the Security Interest Liens granted hereby shall terminate on the date on which all payments under the Notes have been made indefeasibly paid in full and all other Obligations have been paid or discharged; provided, however, that all indemnities of the Company contained in this Agreement shall survive and remain operative and in full force and effect regardless of the repayment of the Obligations, the termination of this Agreement or the resignation or removal of the Agent. Upon such termination, the Secured PartyAgent, at the written request and at the expense of the Company, will join promptly execute and deliver to the Company a proper instrument or instruments (including UCC termination statements on form UCC-3) acknowledging the satisfaction and termination of this Agreement, and will duly assign, transfer and deliver to the Company (without recourse and without any representation or warranty) such of the Pledged Collateral as may be in executing any termination statement with respect to any financing statement executed the possession of the Agent and filed as has not theretofore been sold or otherwise applied or released pursuant to this Agreement.
Term of Agreement. This Agreement and the Security Interest shall terminate on the date on which all payments under the Notes Note and Management Agreement have been made in full and all other Obligations have been paid or discharged. Upon such termination, the Secured Party, at the request and at the expense of the Company, will join in executing any termination statement with respect to any financing statement executed and filed pursuant to this Agreement.
Term of Agreement. This Agreement and the Security Interest Interests shall terminate on the date on which all payments under the Notes Debentures have been made indefeasibly paid in full and all other Obligations have been paid or discharged. Upon At such terminationtime, this Agreement, marked "Cancelled" shall be returned to the Debtors, and the Secured Party, at the request Parties shall further execute and at the expense of the Company, will join in executing any file a termination statement with respect in regard to any financing statement executed and filed pursuant that is solely related to this Agreementthe Collateral.
Term of Agreement. This Agreement and the Security Interest shall terminate on the date on which all payments under the Notes have been made in full and all other Obligations have been paid or discharged. Upon such termination, the Secured PartyLender, at the request and at the expense of the CompanyBorrower, will join in executing any termination statement with respect to any financing statement executed and filed pursuant to this Agreement.
Term of Agreement. This Agreement and the Security Interest shall terminate on the date on which all payments under the Notes Note have been made in full and all other Obligations have been paid or discharged. Upon such termination, the Secured Party, at the request and at the expense of the CompanyIssuers, will join in executing any termination statement with respect to any financing statement executed and filed pursuant to this Agreement.
Term of Agreement. This Agreement and the Security Interest shall terminate on the date on which earlier of: (i) the repayment of all payments amounts due the Secured Party under the Notes have been made in full and all other Obligations have been paid or dischargedPromissory Note. Upon such termination, the Secured Party, at the request and at the expense of the CompanyObligor, will join in executing any termination statement with respect to any financing statement executed and filed pursuant to this Agreement.
Term of Agreement. This Agreement and the Security Interest shall terminate on the date on which all payments under the Notes Loan have been made in full and all other Obligations have been paid or dischargedfull, including as a result of such Loans converting into Borrower Securities. Upon such termination, the Secured PartyLender will promptly file, at the request Lender's sole cost and at the expense of the Companyexpense, will join in executing any all termination statement statements with respect to any financing or similar statement executed and filed pursuant to this Agreement.
Term of Agreement. This Agreement and the Security Interest shall terminate on the date on which all payments under the Notes Debentures have been made in full or have been satisfied and all other Obligations have been paid or discharged. Upon such termination, the Secured PartyParties, at the request and at the expense of the CompanyDebtors, will join in executing any termination statement with w ith respect to any financing statement executed and filed pursuant to this Agreement.
Term of Agreement. This Agreement and the Security Interest shall terminate on the date on which all payments under the Notes have been made in full and all other Obligations have been paid or discharged. Upon such termination, the Secured Party, at the request and at the expense of the Company, will promptly join in executing any termination statement with respect to any financing statement executed and filed pursuant to this Agreement.
Term of Agreement. This Agreement and the Security Interest shall terminate on the date on which all payments under the Notes Debentures have been made in full or have been satisfied and all other Obligations costs, expenses, fees or other obligations of Debtor under the Debenture have been paid or discharged. Upon such termination, the Secured PartyParties, at the request and at the expense of the CompanyPledgor, will join in executing any termination statement with respect to any financing statement executed and filed pursuant to this Agreement.
Term of Agreement. This Agreement and the Security Interest Interests shall terminate on the date on which all payments under the Notes have been made indefeasibly paid in full or otherwise satisfied in full and all other Obligations have been paid paid, discharged or dischargedsatisfied in full; provided, however, that all indemnities of the Debtors contained in this Agreement (including, without limitation, Annex B hereto) shall survive and remain operative and in full force and effect regardless of the termination of this Agreement. Upon such terminationthe termination of this Agreement, the Secured Party, at Agent shall immediately return to the request and at Company any Collateral that has been delivered to the expense of the Company, will join in executing any termination statement with respect to any financing statement executed and filed Agent pursuant to this Agreement.
Term of Agreement. This Unless terminated earlier as provided in Section 7.2.2, this Agreement and shall continue in force until terminated by either party giving the Security Interest shall terminate on other one hundred eighty (180) days written notice. Notwithstanding the date on which all payments under the Notes have been made in full and all other Obligations have been paid or discharged. Upon such terminationforegoing, the Secured Party, at the request and at the expense obligations of the Company, will join in executing any termination statement parties shall continue with respect to all Program Loans funded or purchased under this Agreement prior to such termination. Upon the termination of this Agreement for any financing statement executed reason, the Pittsburgh Bank agrees to use its best efforts to promptly return to the MPF Provider all marketing and filed pursuant operational materials previously provided by the MPF Provider, and no longer needed by the Pittsburgh Bank to this Agreementfulfill its remaining obligations hereunder, unless other mutually acceptable arrangements have been made.
Term of Agreement. This Agreement and the Security Interest shall terminate on the date on which all payments of principal, accrued and unpaid interest and any other amounts due under the Notes have been made indefeasibly paid in full; provided, however, that all indemnities of the Debtor contained in this Agreement (including, without limitation, Annex A hereto) shall survive and remain operative and in full force and effect regardless of the termination of this Agreement. Upon payment in full of all of the outstanding principal amount of the Notes, together with all accrued and unpaid interest, and any other amounts due under the Notes, the Agent shall prepare and file such Uniform Commercial Code financing statement amendments, and shall prepare, execute and file such other documents or instruments, as may be necessary to terminate of record and in fact any security interest in or lien on the Collateral under this Agreement. Each Secured Party irrevocably agrees that the Agents termination and release of any lien or security interest in the Collateral as provided in this Section 14 shall constitute a full and complete termination and release or any and all other Obligations right, title and interest (including any lien or security interest) that such Secured Party may have been paid or discharged. Upon such termination, claim in the Collateral and that any actions taken by Agent under this Section 14 shall be binding on each Secured Party. The Secured Parties hereby irrevocably authorize and direct the Agent to perform the Agents obligations under this Section 14 without any requirement or notice to, at the request and at the expense of the Companyor consent or authorization from, will join in executing any termination statement with respect to any financing statement executed and filed pursuant to this AgreementSecured Party.
Term of Agreement. This Agreement and the Security Interest shall terminate on the date on which all payments under the Secured Notes have been made in full and all other Obligations have been paid or discharged. Upon such termination, the Secured Party, at the request and at the expense of the Company, will join in executing any termination statement with respect to any financing statement executed and filed pursuant to this Agreement.
Term of Agreement. This Agreement and the Security Interest shall terminate on the date on which all payments under the Notes have Note has been made in full and all other Obligations have been paid or discharged. Upon such termination, the Secured Party, at the request and at the expense of the CompanyIssuers, will join in executing any termination statement with respect to any financing statement executed and filed pursuant to this Agreement.
Term of Agreement. This Agreement and the Security Interest shall terminate on the date on which all payments under the Notes July 2007 Debentures have been made in full or have been satisfied and all other Obligations have been paid or discharged. Upon such termination, the each Secured Party, at the request and at the expense of the CompanyDebtor, will join in executing any 10 termination statement with respect to any financing statement executed and filed pursuant to this Agreement.
Term of Agreement. This Agreement and the Security Interest shall terminate on the date on which all payments under the Notes have been made in full and all other Obligations have been paid or discharged. Upon such termination, Company shall have the Secured Party, at the request and at the expense of the Company, will join in executing authority to file any termination statement with respect to any financing statement executed and filed pursuant to this Agreement.
Term of Agreement. This Agreement and the Security Interest shall terminate on the date on which all payments under the Notes have been made in full and all other Obligations have been paid or discharged. Upon such termination, the Secured Party, at the request and at the expense of the Company, will join in executing any termination statement with respect to any financing statement st atement executed and filed pursuant to this Agreement.
Term of Agreement. This Agreement and the Security Interest Interests shall terminate terminate, automatically and without any action on the part of the Secured Party or Secured Party, on the date on which all payments under the Notes Note have been made indefeasibly paid or otherwise discharged in full and all other Obligations have been paid or discharged. Upon such terminationThe Secured Party shall, at Debtor's request and expense, take any and all action required to discharge any and all security interests and release to Debtor any and all Collateral in the Secured Party's possession or control. The Secured Party hereby agrees that the Debtors shall have the right, at and the request Debtors are hereby authorized, to take all necessary action to cause the termination and at the expense release of the Company, will join in executing any all security interests granted hereunder upon termination statement with respect to any financing statement executed and filed pursuant to of this Agreement, including the filing of one or more UCC termination statements or amendments relating to the Collateral.
Term of Agreement. This Agreement and the Security Interest shall terminate on the date on which all payments under the Notes have been made in full and all other Obligations have been paid or discharged. Upon such termination, the Secured Party, at the request and at the expense of the Company, will join in executing any termination statement with respect to t o any financing statement executed and filed pursuant to this Agreement.
Term of Agreement. This Agreement and the Security Interest Interests shall terminate terminate, automatically and without any action on the part of the Agent or Secured Parties, on the date on which all payments under the Notes Note have been made indefeasibly paid in full (or exchanged in full for securities issued in connection with a Reverse Merger Financing (as defined in the Purchase Agreement) pursuant to Section 4.7 of the Purchase Agreement) and all other Obligations have been paid or discharged; provided, however, that all indemnities of the parties hereto contained in this Agreement (including without limitation Annex B hereto) shall survive and remain operative and in full force and effect regardless of the termination of this Agreement. Upon such termination, the The Agent and Secured PartyParties shall, at the Debtors' request and at expense, take any and all action required to discharge any and all security interests and release to the expense Debtors any and all Collateral in the Agent's or Secured Parties' possession or control. The Secured Parties hereby agree that the Debtors shall have the right to take all necessary action to cause the termination and release of the Company, will join in executing any all security interests granted hereunder upon termination statement with respect to any financing statement executed and filed pursuant to of this Agreement.
Term of Agreement. This Agreement and the Security Interest shall terminate on the date on which all payments under the Notes Note have been made in full and all other Obligations of the Company have been paid or discharged. Upon such termination, the Secured Party, at the request and at the expense of the Company, will join in executing any termination statement with respect to any financing statement executed and filed pursuant to this Agreement.
Term of Agreement. This Agreement and the Security Interest shall terminate on the date on which all payments under the Notes have been made in full and all other Obligations have been paid in full or dischargedhave been satisfied or discharged in full (except for Unasserted Contingent Obligations) without any further action on the part of any party hereto. Upon such termination, the Secured PartyCollateral Agent, at the request and at the expense of the CompanyObligors, will join in executing any termination statement with respect to any financing statement or other security document executed and filed pursuant to this Agreement.
Term of Agreement. This The term of this Security Agreement and the Security Interest shall terminate commence on the date on which hereof and this Security Agreement shall continue in full force and effect, and be binding upon Company, until all payments under of the Obligations have been fully paid or the Notes have been made converted into equity securities of Company in full and all other Obligations have been paid or dischargedaccordance with Section 2 of the Notes, whereupon this Security Agreement shall terminate. Upon such termination, the Secured PartyCollateral Agent agrees that it will, at the Companys expense, execute such documents as Company may request and at the expense of the Company, will join in executing any termination statement with respect as are reasonably necessary to any financing statement executed and filed pursuant to this Agreementevidence or effectuate such termination.
Term of Agreement. This Agreement and the Security Interest shall terminate on the date on which all payments under the Notes have been made continue in full force and effect until such time as all other Obligations shall have been paid or dischargedand satisfied in full. Upon At such terminationtime, the Secured PartyLender shall, at the upon request and at the expense of the CompanyBorrower, will join in executing any termination statement with respect take all action necessary or appropriate to any financing statement executed and filed release the security interests granted to the Lender pursuant to this AgreementAgreement or any other Loan Document.
Term of Agreement. This Agreement and the Security Interest shall terminate on the date on which all payments under the Promissory Notes have been made paid in full or have been satisfied and all other Obligations have been paid or discharged. Upon such termination, the Secured Party, at the request and at the expense of the CompanyDebtors, will join in executing any termination statement or similar statement with respect to any financing statement or other security instrument executed and filed pursuant to this Agreement.
Term of Agreement. This Agreement and the Security Interest shall terminate on the date on which all payments under the Notes Loan have been made in full and all other Obligations have been paid or dischargedfull, including as a result of such Loans converting into Borrower Securities. Upon such termination, the Secured PartyLender will promptly file, at the request Lenders sole cost and at the expense of the Companyexpense, will join in executing any all termination statement statements with respect to any financing or similar statement executed and filed pursuant to this Agreement.
Term of Agreement. This Pledge Agreement and the Security Interest security interests granted hereunder shall terminate on remain in full force and effect until the date on which all payments Secured Obligations under the Notes Credit Agreement have been made satisfied in full and all other Obligations the Commitments have been paid or dischargedterminated, at which time the Administrative Agent shall release and terminate the security interests granted to it hereunder. Upon such release and termination, (a) the Secured PartyPledgors shall be entitled to the return, at the request Pledgors' expense, of any and all funds in the Collateral Account and such of the Collateral held by the Administrative Agent as shall not have been sold or otherwise applied pursuant to the terms hereof and (b) the Administrative Agent shall, at the expense of Pledgors' expense, execute and deliver to the Company, will join in executing any Borrowers such UCC termination statement with respect statements and other documents as the Borrower shall reasonably request to any financing statement executed evidence such release and filed pursuant to this Agreementtermination.
Term of Agreement. This Agreement and the Security Interest shall terminate on the date on which all payments under the Notes Note have been made in full and all other Obligations under the Note have been paid or discharged. Upon such termination, the Secured Party, at the request and at the expense of the Company, will join in executing any termination statement with respect to any financing statement executed and filed pursuant to this Agreement.
Term of Agreement. This Security Agreement and the Security Interest shall terminate on the date on which when all payments under the Notes Note have been made in full and all other Obligations have been paid or dischargeddischarged and/or terminated in accordance with the terms of this Security Agreement, the Note or otherwise. Upon such termination, the Secured Party, at the request and at the expense of the CompanyC&M, will join in executing any termination statement with respect to any financing statement executed and filed pursuant to this Security Agreement.
Term of Agreement. This Agreement and the Security Interest shall terminate on the date on which all payments under the Notes have been made indefeasibly paid in full and all other Obligations have been paid or discharged. Upon Further Assurances. On a continuing basis, Debtor will make, execute, acknowledge, deliver, file and record, as the case may be, with the proper filing and recording agencies in any jurisdiction, all such terminationinstruments, and take all such action as may reasonably be deemed necessary or advisable, or as reasonably requested by the Secured PartyCollateral Agent, at to perfect the request Security Interest granted hereunder and at otherwise to carry out the expense intent and purposes of the Company, will join in executing any termination statement with respect to any financing statement executed and filed pursuant to this Agreement, or for assuring and confirming to the Collateral Agent the grant or perfection of a perfected security interest in all the Collateral under the UCC.
Term of Agreement. This Agreement and the Security Interest shall terminate on the date on which all payments under the Financing Agreement and the Notes have been made in full or have been satisfied and all other Obligations (except for Unasserted Contingent Obligations) have been paid paid, performed or dischargeddischarged in full. Upon such termination, the Secured PartyCollateral Agent, at the request and at the expense of the CompanyObligors, will join in executing any termination statement with respect to any financing statement executed and filed pursuant to this Agreement.
Term of Agreement. This Agreement and the Security Interest shall terminate on the date on which all payments under the Notes Note have been made in full and all other Obligations have been paid or discharged. Upon such termination, the Secured Party, at the request and at the expense of the CompanyDebtor, will join in executing any termination statement with respect to any financing statement executed and filed pursuant to this Agreement.
Term of Agreement. This Agreement and the Security Interest shall terminate on the date on which all payments under the Notes Debentures have been made in full or have been satisfied and all other Obligations costs, expenses, fees or other obligations of Debtor under the Debenture and this Agreement have been paid or discharged. Upon such termination, the Secured PartyParties, at the request and at the expense of the CompanyDebtor, will join in executing any termination statement with respect to any financing statement executed and filed pursuant to this Agreement.
Term of Agreement. This Agreement and the Security Interest shall terminate on the date on which all payments under the Notes and any other Obligations held by or in respect of a Secured Party have been made in full or otherwise converted pursuant to the terms thereof and all other Obligations have been indefeasibly paid or dischargeddischarged in full. Upon such termination, the Agent and Secured PartyParties, at the request and at the expense of the CompanyGrantor, will join in executing and/or filing any termination statement and other filings with respect to any financing statement or other filing executed and filed pursuant to this Agreement or required for evidencing termination of the Security Interest or this Agreement.
Term of Agreement. This Agreement and the Security Interest shall terminate on the date on which all payments under the Notes have been made in full or have been satisfied and all other Obligations have been paid or discharged. Upon such termination, the Secured PartyParties, at the request and at the expense of the CompanyDebtor, will join in executing any termination statement with respect to any financing statement executed and filed pursuant to this Agreement.
Term of Agreement. This Agreement and the Security Interest shall terminate on the date on which all payments under the Notes have been made in full and all other Obligations have been paid or dischargeddischarged in full. Upon such termination, the Secured PartyParties, at the request and at the expense of the CompanyObligor, will join in executing any termination statement with respect to any financing statement executed and filed pursuant to this Agreement. The obligations of the Obligor under this Agreement shall continue to be effective or automatically be reinstated, as the case may be, if at any time payment of any of the Obligations is rescinded or otherwise must be restored or returned by the Secured Parties upon the insolvency, bankruptcy, dissolution, liquidation or reorganization of the Obligor or any other obligor or otherwise, all as though such payment had not been made.
Term of Agreement. This Agreement and the Security Interest shall terminate on the date on which all payments under the Notes have been made in full and all other Obligations have been paid or discharged. Upon such termination, the Secured Party, at the request and at the expense of the Company, will join in executing any termination statement with respect to any financing statement executed and a nd filed pursuant to this Agreement.
Term of Agreement. This Agreement and the Security Interest shall terminate on the date on which all payments under the Notes Debentures have been made in full or have been satisfied and all other Obligations have been paid or dischargeddischarged (excluding inchoate indemnity obligations and obligations under the Warrants and Registration Rights Agreement). Upon such termination, the each Secured Party, at the request and at the expense of the CompanyDebtors, will join in executing file or authorize the filing of any termination statement or similar statement with respect to any financing statement or other security instrument executed and filed pursuant to this Agreement.
Term of Agreement. This Agreement and the Security Interest shall terminate on the date on which all payments under the Notes have been made in full and all other Obligations have been paid or discharged. Upon such termination, the Secured Party, at the request and at the expense of the Company, will join in executing any termination statement with respect to any financing statement executed authorized and filed pursuant to this Agreement.
Term of Agreement. This On the date of the full, final, and complete satisfaction of the Obligations (other than indemnity and other obligations which by their terms survive termination of the Credit Agreement and any contingent Obligations for which the Security Interest shall terminate on contingency has not occurred at the date on which all payments under time the Notes have been made in full and all other Obligations have been paid repaid) and the termination of all Commitments of the Lenders under the Credit D-4 Agreement, this Pledge shall terminate and be of no further force or discharged. Upon effect (such terminationdate, the "Termination Date"). Thereafter, upon request, the Administrative Agent, on behalf of the Secured PartyParties, shall promptly provide the Pledgor, at the request and at the expense its sole expense, a written release of the CompanyPledgor's Obligations hereunder and a written release of the Account Collateral and, will join so long as the Pledgor has written confirmation from the Administrative Agent that this Pledge has been terminated as provided above, the Pledgor shall be authorized to prepare and file UCC termination statements terminating all UCC financing statements filed of record in executing any termination statement connection with respect to any financing statement executed and filed pursuant to this AgreementPledge.
Term of Agreement. This Agreement and the Security Interest shall terminate on the date on which all payments under the Notes have been made in full and all other Obligations have been paid or dischargedfull. Upon such termination, the Secured Party, at the request and at the expense of the Company, Collateral Agent will join in executing any promptly file all termination statement statements with respect to any financing statement executed and filed pursuant to this Agreement.
Term of Agreement. This Security Agreement and the Security Interest shall terminate on the date on which repayment of all payments amounts due the Secured Party under the Notes have been made in full Letter Agreement and all other Obligations have been paid or dischargedthe Note. Upon such termination, the Secured Party, at the request and at the expense of the CompanyObligor, will join in executing any termination statement with respect to any financing statement executed and filed pursuant to this Security Agreement.
Term of Agreement. This Agreement and the Security Interest shall terminate on the date on which repayment of all payments amounts due the Secured Parties under the Notes have been made in full and all other Obligations have been paid or dischargedLoan Agreement. Upon such termination, the Secured PartyParties, at the request and at the expense of the CompanyObligor, will join in executing any termination statement with respect to any financing statement executed and filed pursuant to this Agreement. | 2019-04-20T22:39:31Z | https://www.lawinsider.com/clause/term-of-agreement/_3 |
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IEC), pl (cf. This may turn out to be crucial for information gathering on the basis of user preferences. By contrast, Welch and Donaldson (530) found that 25 of the patients died of only local dis- ease, 25 of distant disease, and 50 of combined regional and distant metastases. We get b0 1. Pocock SJ, Geller NL, Tsiatis AA (1987) The analysis of multiple endpoints in clinical trials [see comments].
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For CLL, monoclonal antibodies are prednisone next day a prednisone mainstay of mono treatment, often combined with chemotherapy. Digestive Problems: Lupus symptoms mono of the mono digestive tract can mono include loss of appetite, heartburn, acid indigestion or other gastrointestinal problems. Unlike some of the prednisone reviews that found the mono opposite correlation, the subject pool of this prednisone one was massive they prednisone examined data on 189, 290 men with autoimmune diseases (not prednisone online canada all of which were lupus). "Antiviral prednisone agents for infectious mononucleosis (glandular fever. Altschuler, EL (1 September 1999). Most people with lupus mono are diagnosed in their 20s or 30s, sometimes after years of not feeling right and visiting many different practitioners for tests. You mono may find it useful to zero mono in on the type you have been diagnosed with, then jump ahead to the in-depth descriptions of each option. To help prevent jawbone problems, have regular dental exams and learn how to keep your teeth and gums healthy. Fulminant disease course prednisone 50 mg of immunocompromised patients is mono rare. People prednisone with lupus mono should make it a priority to eat a well-rounded, unprocessed diet in order to maintain a healthy body weight, keep blood pressure levels within a healthy range, control cholesterol and prevent fatigue. Insomnia : Many people have trouble sleeping normally, sometimes caused by sleeping too much prednisone during the daytime due to fatigue. 24 The main symptoms may be preceded by 12 weeks of fatigue, feeling unwell and body aches. Therefore, these tests are useful for diagnosing infectious mononucleosis in people with highly suggestive symptoms and a negative heterophile antibody prednisone test. Retrieved prednisone tional Center for Emergency Medicine Informatics - Mononucleosis "Mononucleosis (Glandular Fever. These drugs target a protein (CD20) found on the surface of B cells. It can be given prednisone by injection (either subcutaneously or intramuscularly) or intravenously, and is mono given for a long period of time. The link with infectious mononucleosis was uncovered in 1967 by Werner and Gertrude Henle at mono the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, after a laboratory technician mono handling the virus contracted the disease: comparison of serum samples collected from mono the technician before. For those who have Philadelphia chromosome-positive ALL, the targeted therapy asparaginase may also be used. Consolidation and Intensification Chemotherapy With acute leukemias, options after induction chemotherapy and remission include either further chemotherapy (consolidation chemotherapy) or high-dose chemotherapy plus stem cell transplantation. De Paor, M; O'Brien, K; Fahey, T; Smith, SM (8 December 2016). ( 16 ) Lupus Facts Numbers The Lupus Foundation prednisone of America reports that at least.5 million Americans have lupus (and more than 5 million people throughout the world have it). 65 The Paul-Bunnell Test or PBT was later replaced by the heterophile antibody test. Health Reference Series Detroit : Omnigraphics, Inc., 2009. Schonbeck, John and Frey, Rebecca. Mouth sores: prednisone Mouth sores are common, though dietary changes, as mono well mono as mouth rinses, can improve comfort. Anemia : Many people with lupus develop anemia (a lack of either red blood cells or total blood volume). This product may contain inactive ingredients, which can cause allergic reactions or other problems. Indigenismos, definicin : Trminos, palabras y expresiones incorporados al idioma espaol provenientes de idiomas indgenas. "Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-associated lymphoid proliferations, a 2018 update". Prednisone, a corticosteroid, while used to try to reduce throat pain or enlarged tonsils, remains controversial due to the lack of evidence that it is effective and the potential for side effects. A b c d e f g h "About Infectious Mononucleosis". Women are most likely to develop lupus, especially young prednisone to middle-aged women of childbearing age mono (between the ages of about 1544). 12 Almost all people given amoxicillin or ampicillin eventually develop a generalized, itchy maculopapular rash, which however does not imply get prednisone online that the person will have adverse reactions to penicillins again in the future. New England Journal of Medicine. Click here to learn more about the webinar. A condition commonly confused with lupus is psoriatic arthritis. The goal of this treatment is to reduce the level of leukemia cells in the blood to undetectable levels. Richardson, M; Elliman, D; Maguire, H; Simpson, mono J; Nicoll, A (April 2001). After consolidation therapy, maintenance chemotherapy is given (usually mono a lower dose) to further reduce the risk mono of relapse, with the goal being long-term survival. A hematopoietic cell transplant may be used after induction chemotherapy with both AML and ALL, especially for high-risk disease. 5 Nearly 95 of people have had an EBV infection by the time they are adults. Some people also experience brittle hair that breaks easily and wont grow back. ( 23 ) Sleeping for at least eight to nine hours daily and reducing stress through meditation, healing prayer, therapy, exercise, yoga or tai chi, creative projects and time spent outdoors can also help manage lupus symptoms. Approximately 90 of the human population has been infected with cytomegalovirus by the time they reach adulthood, but most are unaware of the infection. Peripheral neuropathy: Numbness, tingling, and pain in a "stocking and glove" distribution (both the feet and the hands) may occur, especially with drugs such as Oncovin. GI problems tend to get worse with stress and sometimes cause a loss of appetite and weight loss.. Adolescent Medicine: State of the Art Reviews. Lupus is considered a chronic autoimmune disorder because symptoms tend to last longer than six weeks and often for many years, unlike other autoimmune disorders that might go away more easily with lifestyle changes, such. View or print the information you need mono when you need. 21 (3 146, 23, 278. Alendronate may stay in your body for many years. 59 In 1885, the renowned Russian pediatrician Nil Filatov reported an infectious process he called "idiopathic denitis" exhibiting symptoms that correspond to infectious mononucleosis, and in 1889 a German balneologist and pediatrician, Emil Pfeiffer, independently reported similar cases (some of lesser severity) that tended to cluster in families, for which he coined prednisone the term Drüsenfieber glandular fever. Unfortunately, children who have a heart block cant be entirely cured and will probably require prednisone a pacemaker at some point in their lives. Infectious mononucleosis iM, mono also known as glandular fever, is an infection usually caused by the. With AML, a common prednisone induction therapy is called the 37 protocol. Natural products should also be used on the skin that wont worsen inflammation and irritation, instead of beauty products with synthetic ingredients and chemicals. Stem cells are harvested from prednisone the blood of a donor (in a procedure similar to dialysis) and collected. ( 20 ) You can get DHA from consuming wild-caught salmon, sardines, herring and mackerel or by taking an omega-3 fish oil supplement. Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia, with chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML tyrosinase kinase inhibitors (TKIs, a type of targeted therapy) have revolutionized the treatment of the disease and resulted in a dramatic mono improvement in survival over the past two decades. Your doctor should be able to determine which, if either, condition you may have. Ya era hablado ampliamente en el centro de Los Andes mucho antes del tiempo de los Incas, quienes establecieron este idioma como el lenguaje oficial para la administracin de su imperio, y todava es hablado en varias formas (dialectos). 20 Heterophile antibody test edit Main article: Heterophile antibody test The heterophile antibody test works by agglutination of red blood cells from guinea prednisone pig, sheep and horse. The chemotherapy drugs chosen and the way in which they are used differs depending on the type of leukemia being treated. Miller, George (December 21, 2006). Maedica Journal of Clinical Medicine, because lupus symptoms are similar to many other illnesses including thyroid disorders, fibromyalgia, adrenal fatigue, Lyme disease and other autoimmune disorders it can be hard for patients to receive a proper diagnosis of lupus. These infections prednisone by mail are associated with drug-induced lupus caused by TNF-inhibitor drugs. While these do mono not reach the high temperatures usually accepted as severe fever (at least 101 degrees these low-grade fevers often signal oncoming lupus flares, although they may also be indicative of infection or illness. It is one of the most commonly found viruses throughout the world. In fact, a third of lupus patients are diagnosed with clinical depression. While induction therapy often achieves a complete remission, further therapy is needed so that the leukemia does not recur. For this reason, they may have fewer side effects than chemotherapy (but not always). 66 67 Yale School of Public Health epidemiologist Alfred. The New England Journal of Medicine. EBV-targeting antibodies can also be classified according to which part of the virus they bind to: Viral capsid antigen (VCA Anti-VCA IgM appear early after infection, and usually disappear within 4 to 6 weeks. Mayo Clinic Internal Medicine Concise Textbook. Harrison's principles of internal medicine (17th.). Increase Your Vitamin D Intake Recently, researchers have discovered an interesting connection between vitamin D deficiency and lupus. Upper airway purchasing prednisone obstruction from tonsillar hypertrophy is rare. Nausea and vomiting: While a feared side effect, medications to both treat and prevent chemotherapy-associated vomiting prednisone have reduced this significantly. Carson-DeWitt and Teresa. In Mandell, GL; Bennett, JE; Dolin,. This test is specific but not particularly sensitive (with a false-negative rate of as high as 25 in the first week, 510 in the second, and 5 in the third). Mini-transplants work by something called "graft versus malignancy" in which the donor cells help fight off the cancer mono cells, rather than by replacing the cells in the bone marrow. Usually with lupus nephritis is a complication associated only with drug-induced lupus as a result of TNF-inhibiting drugs. In a healthy human body, these autoantibodies are tolerated by normal cells but activated when the body recognizes foreign cells and designed to attack the unknown cells. This does not mean that the cancer is cured, but only that it can't be detected when looking at a blood sample. However, in pregnant women, differentiation of mononucleosis from toxoplasmosis is important, mono since it is associated with significant consequences for the fetus. 43 44 Intravenous corticosteroids, usually hydrocortisone or dexamethasone, are not recommended for routine use but may be useful if there is a risk of airway obstruction, a very low platelet count, or hemolytic anemia. Archived from the original on 24 February 2014. This virus is often "silent" because the signs and symptoms cannot be felt mono by the person infected. Bravender, T (August 2010). Skin Rashes: This includes a rash on the face that covers the cheeks and bridge of the nose. Lyme Disease: How Are They Related and Different? Tumor lysis syndrome: The rapid breakdown of leukemia cells can result in a condition known as tumor lysis syndrome. 20 People over 40 years of age are more likely to develop serious illness. Phases of Stem Cell Transplants Stem cell transplants have three distinct phases: Induction: The induction phase is similar to that noted under chemotherapy for acute leukemias above and consists of using chemotherapy to reduce the white blood cell count and, if possible, induce a remission. 9 In those between 16 and 20 it is the cause of about 8 of sore throats. A fibrin ring granuloma may be present. Side Effects and Complications Stem cell transplants are major procedures and, though they can sometimes bring about a cure, have significant mortality (primarily due to the absence of infection-fighting cells between conditioning and the time it takes. It is most often given as combination chemotherapy (two or more drugs with different drugs working at different places in the cell cycle. This medication may cause vaccines prednisone not to work as well. The exact way that Lyme disease progresses is controversial and still under a lot of debate.. Red urine: Anthracycline medications been coined the "red devils" for this common side effect.
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A headset can include a cable structure connecting non-cable components such as jacks and headphones. The cable structure can include several legs connected at a bifurcation. An extrusion process can be used to manufacture legs of a multi-segment cable structure. As material is processed by an extruder, one or more system factors of the extruder can be dynamically adjusted to change a diameter of the resulting leg (e.g., to provide a smooth leg having a changing size). Once the leg is extruded, portions of the leg can be reformed to create undercuts used to connect the legs at a bifurcation region. In some cases, an extrusion process can be used to construct a jointly formed multi-leg cable structure having an integral bifurcation region and split.
This application claims the benefit of previously filed U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/298,087, filed Jan. 25, 2010, entitled “Small Diameter Cable with Splitter Assembly,” U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/384,103, filed Sep. 17, 2010, entitled “Molded Splitter Structures and Systems and Methods for Making the Same,” U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/319,772, filed Mar. 31, 2010, entitled “Thin Audio Plug and Coaxial Routing of Wires,” U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/384,097, filed Sep. 17, 2010, entitled “Cable Structures and Systems Including Super-Elastic Rods and Methods for Making the Same,” U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/326,102, filed Apr. 20, 2010, entitled “Audio Plug with Core Structural Member and Conductive Rings,” U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/349,768, filed May 28, 2010, entitled “Molding an Electrical Cable Having Centered Electrical Wires,” U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/378,311, filed Aug. 30, 2010, entitled “Molded Cable Structures and Systems and Methods for Making the Same,” and U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/378,314, filed Aug. 30, 2010, entitled “Extruded Cable Structures and Systems and Methods for Making the Same.” Each of these provisional applications is incorporated by reference herein in their entireties.
Extruded cable structures and systems and methods for manufacturing extruded cable structures are disclosed.
A cable structure can interconnect various non-cable components of a headset such as, for example, a plug, headphones, and/or a communications box to provide a headset. The cable structure can include several legs (e.g., a main leg, a left leg, and a right leg) that each connect to a non-cable structure, and each leg may be connected to one another at a bifurcation region (e.g., a region where the main leg appears to split into the left and right legs). Cable structures according to embodiments of this invention provide aesthetically pleasing interface connections between the non-cable components and legs of the cable structure, for example such that the interface connections appear to have been constructed jointly as a single piece, thereby providing a seamless interface.
In addition, because the dimensions of the non-cable components typically have a dimension that is different than the dimensions of a conductor bundle being routed through the legs of the cable structure, one or more legs of the cable structure can have a variable diameter. The change from one dimension to another can exhibit a substantially smooth variation in diameter along the length of the legs of the cable structure.
The interconnection of the three legs at the bifurcation region can vary depending on how the cable structure is manufactured. In one approach, the cable structure can be a single-segment unibody cable structure. In this approach, all three legs are jointly formed, for example using an extrusion process, and no additional processing is required to electrically couple the conductors contained therein. In another approach, the cable structure can be a multi-segment unibody cable structure. In this approach, the legs may be manufactured as discrete segments, but require additional processing to electrically couple conductors contained therein. In some embodiments, the segments can be joined together using a splitter.
FIGS. 13A and 13B are sectional views of a portion of an illustrative extruder for providing a split in a co-extrusion process in accordance with some embodiments of the invention.
Cable structures for use in headsets are disclosed. The cable structure interconnects various non-cable components of a headset such as, for example, a plug, headphones, and/or a communications box to provide a headset. The cable structure can include multiple legs (e.g., a main leg, a left leg, and a right leg) that each connect to a non-cable component, and each leg may be connected to each other at a bifurcation region (e.g., a region where the main leg appears to split into the left and right legs). Cable structures according to embodiments of this invention provide aesthetically pleasing interface connections between the non-cable components and legs of the cable structure. The interface connections between a leg and a non-cable component are such that they appear to have been constructed jointly as a single piece, thereby providing a seamless interface.
In addition, because the dimensions of the non-cable components typically have a dimension that is different than the dimensions of a conductor bundle being routed through the legs of the cable structure, one or more legs of the cable structure can have a variable diameter. The change from one dimension to another is accomplished in a manner that maintains the spirit of the seamless interface connection between a leg and the non-cable component throughout the length of the leg. That is, each leg of the cable structure exhibits a substantially smooth surface, including the portion of the leg having a varying diameter. In some embodiments, the portion of the leg varying in diameter may be represented mathematically by a bump function, which requires all aspects of the variable diameter transition to be smooth. In other words, a cross-section of the variable diameter portion can show a curve or a curve profile.
The interconnection of the three legs at the bifurcation region can vary depending on how the cable structure is manufactured. In one approach, the cable structure can be a single-segment unibody cable structure. In this approach, all three legs are jointly formed and no additional processing is required to electrically couple the conductors contained therein. Construction of the single-segment cable may be such that the bifurcation region does not require any additional support. If additional support is required, an over-mold can be used to add strain relief to the bifurcation region.
In another approach, the cable structure can be a multi-segment unibody cable structure. In this approach, the legs may be manufactured as discrete segments, but require additional processing to electrically couple conductors contained therein. The segments can be joined together using a splitter. Many different splitter configurations can be used, and the use of some splitters may be based on the manufacturing process used to create the segment.
The cable structure can include a conductor bundle that extends through some or all of the legs. The conductor bundle can include conductors that interconnect various non-cable components. The conductor bundle can also include one or more rods constructed from a superelastic material. The superelastic rods can resist deformation to reduce or prevent tangling of the legs.
The cable structure can be constructed using many different manufacturing processes. The processes include injection molding, compression molding, and extrusion. In injection and compression molding processes, a mold is formed around a conductor bundle or a removable rod. The rod is removed after the mold is formed and a conductor bundle is threaded through the cavity. In extrusion processes, an outer shell is formed around a conductor bundle.
FIG. 1A shows an illustrative headset 10 having cable structure 20 that seamlessly integrates with non-cable components 40, 42, 44. For example, non-cable components 40, 42, and 44 can be a male plug, left headphones, and right headphones, respectively. Cable structure 20 has three legs 22, 24, and 26 joined together at bifurcation region 30. Leg 22 may be referred to herein as main leg 22, and includes the portion of cable structure 20 existing between non-cable component 40 and bifurcation region 30. In particular, main leg 22 includes interface region 31, bump region 32, and non-interface region 33. Leg 24 may be referred to herein as left leg 24, and includes the portion of cable structure 20 existing between non-cable component 42 and bifurcation region 30. Leg 26 may be referred to herein as right leg 26, and includes the portion of cable structure 20 existing between non-cable component 44 and bifurcation region 30. Both left and right legs 24 and 26 include respective interface regions 34 and 37, bump regions 35 and 38, and non-interface regions 36 and 39.
Legs 22, 24, and 26 generally exhibit a smooth surface throughout the entirety of their respective lengths. Each of legs 22, 24, and 26 can vary in diameter, yet still retain the smooth surface.
Non-interface regions 33, 36, and 39 can each have a predetermined diameter and length. The diameter of non-interface region 33 (of main leg 22) may be larger than or the same as the diameters of non-interface regions 36 and 39 (of left leg 24 and right leg 26, respectively). For example, leg 22 may contain a conductor bundle for both left and right legs 24 and 26 and may therefore require a greater diameter to accommodate all conductors. In some embodiments, it is desirable to manufacture non-interface regions 33, 36, and 39 to have the smallest diameter possible, for aesthetic reasons. As a result, the diameter of non-interface regions 33, 36, and 39 can be smaller than the diameter of any non-cable component (e.g., non-cable components 40, 42, and 44) physically connected to the interfacing region. Since it is desirable for cable structure 20 to seamlessly integrate with the non-cable components, the legs may vary in diameter from the non-interfacing region to the interfacing region.
Bump regions 32, 35, and 38 provide a diameter changing transition between interfacing regions 31, 34, and 37 and respective non-interfacing regions 33, 36, and 39. The diameter changing transition can take any suitable shape that exhibits a fluid or smooth transition from any interface region to its respective non-interface region. For example, the shape of the bump region can be similar to that of a cone or a neck of a wine bottle. As another example, the shape of the taper region can be stepless (i.e., there is no abrupt or dramatic step change in diameter, or no sharp angle at an end of the bump region). Bump regions 32, 35, and 38 may be mathematically represented by a bump function, which requires the entire diameter changing transition to be stepless and smooth (e.g., the bump function is continuously differentiable).
As shown in FIG. 1E, cable structure 20 can include legs 22, 24 and 26 that interface at bifurcation region 30. Each leg can have a varying diameter or shape to provide a cable structure with a smooth outer surface and appealing cosmetic features.
FIGS. 1C and 1D show illustrative cross-sectional views of a portion of main leg 22 in accordance with embodiments of the invention. Both FIGS. 1C and 1D show main leg 22 with a center axis (as indicated by the dashed line) and symmetric curves 32 c and 32 d. Curves 32 c and 32 d illustrate that any suitable curve profile may be used in bump region 32. Thus the outer surface of bump region 32 can be any surface that deviates from planarity in a smooth, continuous fashion.
Interface regions 21, 34, and 37 can each have a predetermined diameter and length. The diameter of any interface region can be substantially the same as the diameter of the non-cable component it is physically connected to, to provide an aesthetically pleasing seamless integration. For example, the diameter of interface region 21 can be substantially the same as the diameter of non-cable component 40. In some embodiments, the diameter of a non-cable component (e.g., component 40) and its associated interfacing region (e.g., region 31) are greater than the diameter of the non-interface region (e.g., region 33) they are connected to via the bump region (e.g., region 32). Consequently, in this embodiment, the bump region decreases in diameter from the interface region to the non-interface region.
In another embodiment, the diameter of a non-cable component (e.g., component 40) and its associated interfacing region (e.g., region 31) are less than the diameter of the non-interface region (e.g., region 33) they are connected to via the bump region (e.g., region 32). Consequently, in this embodiment, the bump region increases in diameter from the interface region to the non-interface region.
The combination of the interface and bump regions can provide strain relief for those regions of headset 10. In one embodiment, strain relief may be realized because the interface and bump regions have larger dimensions than the non-interface region and thus are more robust. These larger dimensions may also ensure that non-cable portions are securely connected to cable structure 20. Moreover, the extra girth better enables the interface and bump regions to withstand bend stresses.
The interconnection of legs 22, 24, and 26 at bifurcation region 30 can vary depending on how cable structure 20 is manufactured. In one approach, cable structure 20 can be a jointly formed multi-leg or single-segment unibody cable structure. In this approach all three legs are manufactured jointly as one continuous structure and no additional processing is required to electrically couple the conductors contained therein. That is, none of the legs are spliced to interconnect conductors at bifurcation region 30, nor are the legs manufactured separately and then later joined together. Some jointly formed multi-leg cable structures may have a top half and a bottom half, which are molded together and extend throughout the entire cable structure. For example, such jointly formed multi-leg cable structures can be manufactured using injection molding and compression molding manufacturing processes. Thus, although a mold-derived jointly formed multi-leg cable structure has two components (i.e., the top and bottom halves), it is considered a jointly formed multi-leg cable structure for the purposes of this disclosure. Other jointly formed multi-leg cable structures may exhibit a contiguous ring of material that extends throughout the entire cable structure. For example, such a jointly formed multi-leg cable structure can be manufactured using an extrusion process (discussed below in more detail).
In another approach, cable structure 20 can be a multi-segment unibody cable structure in which three discrete or independently formed legs are connected at a bifurcation region. A multi-segment unibody cable structure may have the same appearance of the jointly formed multi-leg cable structure, but the legs are manufactured as discrete components. The legs and any conductors contained therein are interconnected at bifurcation region 30. The legs can be manufactured, for example, using any of the processes used to manufacture the jointly formed multi-leg cable structure.
The cosmetics of bifurcation region 30 can be any suitable shape. In one embodiment, bifurcation region 30 can be an overmold structure that encapsulates a portion of each leg 22, 24, and 26. The overmold structure can be visually and tactically distinct from legs 22, 24, and 26. The overmold structure can be applied to the single or multi-segment unibody cable structure. In another embodiment, bifurcation region 30 can be a two-shot injection molded splitter having the same dimensions as the portion of the legs being joined together. Thus, when the legs are joined together with the splitter mold, cable structure 20 maintains its unibody aesthetics. That is, a multi-segment cable structure has the look and feel of jointly formed multi-leg cable structure even though it has three discretely manufactured legs joined together at bifurcation region 30. Many different splitter configurations can be used, and the use of some splitters may be based on the manufacturing process used to create the segment.
Cable structure 20 can include a conductor bundle that extends through some or all of legs 22, 24, and 26. Cable structure 20 can include conductors for carrying signals from non-cable component 40 to non-cable components 42 and 44. Cable structure 20 can include one or more rods constructed from a superelastic material. The rods can resist deformation to reduce or prevent tangling of the legs. The rods are different than the conductors used to convey signals from non-cable component 40 to non-cable components 42 and 44, but share the same space within cable structure 20. Several different rod arrangements may be included in cable structure 20.
In yet another embodiment, one or more of legs 22, 24, and 26 can vary in diameter in two or more bump regions. For example, the leg 22 can include bump region 32 and another bump region (not shown) that exists at leg/bifurcation region 30. This other bump region may vary the diameter of leg 22 so that it changes in size to match the diameter of cable structure at bifurcation region 30. This other bump region can provide additional strain relief. Each leg can have any suitable diameter including, for example, a diameter in the range of 0.4 mm to 1 mm (e.g., 0.8 mm for leg 20, and 0.6 mm for legs 22 and 24).
In some embodiments, another non-cable component can be incorporated into either left leg 24 or right leg 26. As shown in FIG. 1B, headset 60 shows that non-cable component 46 is integrated within leg 26, and not at an end of a leg like non-cable components 40, 42 and 44. For example, non-cable component 46 can be a communications box that includes a microphone and a user interface (e.g., one or more mechanical or capacitive buttons). Non-cable component 46 can be electrically coupled to non-cable component 40, for example, to transfer signals between communications box 46 and one or more of non-cable components 40, 42 and 44.
Non-cable component 46 can be incorporated in non-interface region 39 of leg 26. In some cases, non-cable component 46 can have a larger size or girth than the non-interface regions of leg 26, which can cause a discontinuity at an interface between non-interface region 39 and communications box 46. To ensure that the cable maintains a seamless unibody appearance, non-interface region 39 can be replaced by first non-interface region 50, first bump region 51, first interface region 52, communications box 46, second interface region 53, second bump region 54, and second non-interface region 55.
Similar to the bump regions described above in connection with the cable structure of FIG. 1A, bump regions 51 and 54 can handle the transition from non-cable component 46 to non-interface regions 50 and 55. The transition in the bump region can take any suitable shape that exhibits a fluid or smooth transition from the interface region to the non-interface regions. For example, the shape of the taper region can be similar to that of a cone or a neck of a wine bottle.
Similar to the interface regions described above in connection with the cable structure of FIG. 1A, interface regions 52 and 53 can have a predetermined diameter and length. The diameter of the interface region is substantially the same as the diameter of non-cable component 46 to provide an aesthetically pleasing seamless integration. In addition, and as described above, the combination of the interface and bump regions can provide strain relief for those regions of headset 10.
In some embodiments, non-cable component 46 may be incorporated into a leg such as leg 26 without having bump regions 51 and 54 or interface regions 52 and 53. Thus, in this embodiment, non-interfacing regions 50 and 55 may be directly connected to non-cable component 46.
Cable structures 20 can be constructed using many different manufacturing processes. The processes discussed herein include those that can be used to manufacture the jointly formed multi-leg cable structure or legs for the multi-segment unibody cable structure. In particular, these processes include injection molding, compression molding, and extrusion. Embodiments of this invention use extrusion to manufacture a jointly formed multi-leg cable structure or multi-segment unibody cable structures.
In some embodiments, cable structure 20 can be constructed by extruding the main, left and right legs separately, and combining the legs at the bifurcation region. The extrusion process used can be selected such that the interface region, taper region, non-interface region, and bifurcation region of each leg can be constructed seamlessly as part of the extrusion process. Because each region of the leg can have a different diameter (e.g., a different cross-section), the particular extrusion process selected may include controllable system factors for adjusting the dimensions of an extruded leg. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of an illustrative extruder in accordance with some embodiments of the invention. Extruder 200 can receive a material to extrude in a first form, such as pellets, and can transform the material to a form corresponding to cable structure 20.
Extruder 200 can extrude any suitable material to create cable structure 20. For example, the extruder can use one or more of polyethylene, polypropylene, acetal, acrylic, polyamide (e.g., nylon), polystyrene, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), and polycarbonate. Material can be provided to extruder 200 in any suitable form including, for example, in liquid or solid form. In one implementation, pellets or chips of material can be provided to hopper 210 for processing. The material can pass through feedthroat 212 and enter barrel 220. Screw 222 can rotate within barrel 220 to direct material from hopper end 224 of the barrel to die end 226 of the barrel. Drive motor 228 can be mechanically connected to screw 222 such that the screw can rotate to direct material received from hopper 210 towards die end 226. The drive motor can drive screw 222 at any suitable rate or speed, including a variable speed based on a manner in which the process is executed.
Barrel 220 can be heated to a desired melt temperature to melt the material provided in hopper 210. For example, barrel 220 can be heated to a temperature in the range of 200° C. to 300° C. (e.g., 250° C.), although the particular temperature can be selected based on the material used. As the material passes through barrel 220, pressure and friction created by screw 222, and heat applied to barrel 220 by a heating component can cause the material to melt and flow. The resulting material can be substantially liquid in a region near die end 226 of barrel 220 so that it may easily flow into die 250. In some cases, different amounts of heat can be applied to different sections of the barrel to create a variable heat profile. In one implementation, the amount of heat provided to barrel 220 can increase from hopper end 224 to die end 226. By gradually increasing the temperature of the barrel, the material deposited in barrel 220 can gradually heat up and melt as it is pushed toward die end 226. This may reduce the risk of overheating, which may cause the material to degrade. In some embodiments, extruder 200 can include cooling components (e.g., a fan) in addition to heating components for controlling a temperature profile of barrel 220.
In some cases, one or more additives can be added to the material within barrel 220 to provide mechanical or finishing attributes to cable structure 20. For example, components for providing UV protection, modifying a coefficient of friction of an outer surface of cable structure 20, refining a color of cable structure 20, or combinations of these can be used. The additives can be provided in hopper 220, or alternatively can be inserted in barrel 220 at another position along the barrel length. The amount of additives added, and the particular position at which additives are added can be selected based on attributes of the material within the barrel. For example, additives can be added when the material reaches a particular fluidity to ensure that the additives can mix with the material.
Screw 222 can have any suitable channel depth and screw angle for directing material towards die 250. In some cases, screw 222 can define several zones each designed to have different effects on the material in barrel 220. For example, screw 222 can include a feed zone adjacent to the hopper and operative to carry solid material pellets to an adjacent melting zone where the solid material melts. The channel depth can progressively increase in the melting zone. Following the melting zone, a metering zone can be used to melt the last particles of material and mix the material to a uniform temperature and composition. Some screws can then include a decompression zone in which the channel depth increases to relieve pressure within the screw and allow trapped gases (e.g., moisture or air) to be drawn out by vacuum. The screw can then include a second metering zone having a lower channel depth to re-pressurize the fluid material and direct it through the die at a constant and predictable rate.
When fluid material reaches die end 226 of barrel 220, the material can be expelled from barrel 220 and can pass through screen 230 having openings sized to allow the material to flow, but preventing contaminants from passing through the screen. The screen can be reinforced by a breaker plate used to resist the pressure of material pushed towards the die by screw 222. In some cases, screen 230, combined with the breaker plate, can serve to provide back pressure to barrel 220 so that the material can melt and mix uniformly within the barrel. The amount of pressure provided can be adjusted by changing the number of screens used, the relative positions of the screens (e.g., mis-aligning openings in stacked screens), or changing the size of openings in a screen.
The material passing through the screen is directed by feedpipe 240 towards die 250. Feedpipe 240 can define an elongated volume through which material can flow. Unlike in barrel 220, in which material rotates through the barrel, material passing through feedpipe 240 can travel along the axis of the feedpipe with little or no rotation. This can ensure that when the material reaches the die, there are no built-in rotational stresses or strains that can adversely affect the resulting cable structure (e.g., stresses that can cause warping upon cooling).
Fluid material passing through feedpipe 240 can reach die 250, where the material is given a profile corresponding to the final conductor structure. Material can pass around pin 252 and through opening 254 of the die. Pin 252 and opening 254 can have any suitable shape including, for example, circular shapes, curved shapes, polygonal shapes, or arbitrary shapes. In some embodiments, pin 252 can be movable within die 250. In some embodiments, elements of die 250 can move such that the size or shape of opening 254 can vary. Once material has passed through the die, the material can be cooled to maintain the extruded shape. The material can be cooled using different approaches including, for example, liquid baths (e.g., a water bath), air cooling, vacuum cooling, or combinations of these.
In some embodiments, the die used for extruder 200 can include movable components for adjusting the diameter of material coming out of the die. FIGS. 3A and 3B are cross-sectional views of an illustrative die for use in an extrusion process in accordance with some embodiments of the invention. Die 300 can include top die element 302 and bottom die element 304. In some embodiments, top and bottom die elements 302 and 304 can represent top and bottom halves of a cylindrical die element. Die elements 302 and 304 can include angled surfaces 303 and 305, respectively, for guiding material towards opening 306. In some cases, the angled surfaces can correspond to surfaces of a cone removed from within die elements 302 and 304.
Die 300 can include pin 310 positioned at least partially within an area enclosed by die elements 302 and 304, such that angled surface 311 corresponds to angled surfaces 303 and 305. Material 301 can flow between surface 311 and surfaces 303 and 305 to form a leg 330 of cable structure 20 (FIG. 1). In some embodiments, pin 310 can include hypodermal path 312 extending through pin 310. For example, hypodermal path 312 can extend through a centerline of pin 310. Conductor bundle 320 can be fed through the hypodermal path into the extrusion path (e.g., into a region between die elements 302 and 304 and pin 310) and through opening 306. As conductor bundle 320 is fed through hypodermal path 312, material 301 flowing through the die surrounds conductor bundle 320 as it exits pin 310. The combination of conductor bundle 320 and material 301 forms extruded leg 330. Material 301 forms a continuous sheath or covering that encapsulates conductor bundle 320 and provides both mechanical and cosmetic attributes to the leg 330.
In some cases, material 301 can instead be extruded around a rod that is fed through hypodermal path 312. The rod can have any suitable dimensions including, for example, a constant or variable cross section. The rod can be coated or treated so that it minimally adheres to the extruded material. The rod can be removed from the resulting leg 330 formed by the extrusion process to form a hollow tube through which a conductor bundle can be fed.
Leg 330 can have any suitable size or shape including, for example, a varying outer diameter. In particular, leg 330 can include interface region 332 having a larger diameter, and taper region 334 having a variable diameter decreasing from the larger diameter of interface region 332. Any suitable approach can be used to adjust the amount of material 301 provided through die 300 to form the different regions of leg 330. In some embodiments, different portions of the die can move relative to one another. For example, pin 310 can move in direction 314 towards opening 306 to reduce the amount of material 301 flowing between die elements 302 and 304, and pin 310. This may reduce the diameter of the extruded leg. Similarly, pin 310 can move in direction 315 away from opening 306 to increase the amount of material 301 flowing between die elements 302 and 304, and pin 310. This may increase the diameter of the extruded leg. In particular, as shown in FIG. 3B, pin 310 has moved closer to opening 306 of die 300, thereby producing non-interface region 335, which has a smaller diameter than interface region 332 of leg 330.
As another example, referring back to FIG. 3A, top die element 302 and bottom die element 304 can move relative to one another to change the size of opening 306. In particular, top and bottom die elements 302 and 304 can move away each other (e.g., in directions 308 a and 308 b, respectively) to increase the size of opening 306. When the opening size increases, more material 301 can flow through the opening, which increases the diameter of extruded leg 330. In another case, top and bottom die elements 302 and 304 can move toward each other (e.g., in directions 309 a and 309 b, respectively) to decrease the size of opening 306. When the opening size decreases, less material 301 can flow through the opening, which decreases the diameter of the leg 330.
Other factors relating to the extrusion process can be adjusted to change characteristics of the die to modify the diameter of extruded leg 330. For example, the speed at which conductor 320 is fed through pin 310 and through opening 306 can be adjusted to change the diameter of leg 330. The faster the line speed of the conductor, the smaller the diameter of the resulting leg.
As another example, the speed at which a screw brings material to the die can be adjusted to control the amount of material passing through the die (e.g., adjust the RPM of the screw). As yet another example, the amount of heat provided to the barrel can control the viscosity of the material, and the pressure of the material within the barrel. As still another example, the melt pressure of the material within the barrel can be adjusted. As still yet another example, a screen and breaker plate used in the extruder can be used to control the amount of material passing from the barrel to the die. As more material passes through the die, the diameter of a resulting leg can increase.
Specific settings for the die position, line speed, heat, screw rotation speed, melt pressure, and air pressure (e.g., from cooling or for controlling the position of a die pin), which collectively can be known as system factors, can be dynamically adjusted during the extrusion process to change the diameter of an extruded leg. In particular, by dynamically adjusting system factors, an extruder can create a leg that includes an interface region, a taper or bump, and a non-interface region such that transition change between the regions is smooth and seamless. The system factors can be adjusted by any suitable component of extruder 200 such as, for example, a control station.
To ensure that an external surface of the leg created using an extrusion process as described above is smooth and the material is uniformly distributed around the conductor bundle, the conductor bundle may be covered with a sheath that maintains a constant fixed “inner” diameter within the extruded leg. Thus, while the “inner” diameter remains constant, the diameter of the extruded leg can vary.
In addition to providing a constant “inner” diameter, the sheath covering the conductor bundle can provide a smooth outer surface over which material is extruded. In the absence of a smooth surface, material extruded over a conductor bundle can mirror or mimic discontinuities of the conductor bundle. For example, if the conductor bundle includes two distinct conductors or rods placed length-wise side by side, the outer surface of the extruded leg can include at least one indentation or discontinuity that reflects the separation between the conductors. FIG. 4A is an illustrative view of a conductor bundle for use in a leg of a cable structure in accordance with some embodiments of the invention. Conductor bundle 400 can include distinct rod 410, and conductors 420, 430 and 440 placed adjacent to each other. Rod 410 can be constructed from a superelastic material to reduce tangling of the cable structure. Conductors 420, 430 and 440 can include co-axial conductors in which several distinct conductive paths or wires are wrapped around a core. Using this approach, three conductors can be sufficient to provide six conductive paths.
Because each rod and conductor in conductor bundle 400 constitutes a separate element, there may be discontinuities between outer surfaces of the elements. FIG. 4B is a cross-sectional view of the conductor bundle of FIG. 4A in accordance with some embodiments of the invention. As shown in FIG. 4B, there may be discontinuity 412 between rod 410 and conductor 420, discontinuity 422 between conductor 420 and conductor 430, discontinuity 432 between conductor 430 and conductor 440, and discontinuity 442 between conductor 440 and rod 410. When material is extruded over conductor bundle 400, the extruded material provides a covering 460 having a constant thickness around the conductor bundle. This means, however, that variations in the outer surfaces of elements in a conductor bundle can be reflected in the outer surface of covering 460. For example, covering 460 can include discontinuity 462 corresponding to discontinuity 412, discontinuity 464 corresponding to discontinuity 422, discontinuity 466 corresponding to discontinuity 432, and discontinuity 468 corresponding to discontinuity 442. The resulting leg may lack a cosmetic appeal, and detract from a user's attraction to the cable structure.
To ensure that the leg has a smooth outer surface, it may therefore be desirable for conductor bundle 400 to have a smooth outer surface. Accordingly, as shown in FIG. 4C, the rod and conductors of conductor bundle 400 can be enclosed within sheath 450. Sheath 450 can be constructed using any suitable approach including, for example, constructed as a tube into which the rod and conductors can be fed. In some embodiments, additional material 452 (e.g., a resin) can be placed between sheet 450 and the rod and conductors to fill in the discontinuities in the conductor bundle. In some cases, sheath 450 may additionally serve as an additional strain relief component within the extruded cable leg.
Material can be extruded over conductor bundle 400 to create a covering that has any suitable diameter. In the example of FIG. 4D, some portions of conductor bundle 400 can be enclosed within covering 460′ having a first diameter (e.g., corresponding to a non-interface region), and other portions of conductor bundle 400 can be enclosed within covering 460″ having a second diameter (e.g., corresponding to an interface region). The diameter of the covering can transition between the first and second diameters in a taper region of the leg. In all regions of the leg, conductor bundle 400 can be centered relative to the covering such that an internal diameter of the covering remains constant and substantially matches sheath 500. This approach can help ensure that the outer surface of the leg remains smooth.
Once each of the cable legs has been extruded, the cable legs can be assembled into a cable structure. FIG. 5 is an exploded view of extruded cable legs in accordance with some embodiments of the invention. Cable structure 520 can include main leg 522, left leg 524, right leg 526, and bifurcation region 530 having some or all of the properties of the corresponding components of cable structure 20 (FIG. 1). To complete the cable, however, one or both ends of each leg may require undercut features, or other features that cannot be constructed as part of an extrusion process. For example, main leg 522 can include undercut features 523 in an interface region. Similarly, left leg 524 can include undercut features 525 in an interface region, and right leg 526 can include undercut features 527 in an interface region. In some embodiments, one or more of the legs can instead or in addition includes undercut features near bifurcation region 530. The undercut features may be used to interface with non-cable components (e.g., an audio plug or headphone).
Any suitable approach can be used to construct undercut features in extruded cable legs. In some embodiments, a cold reform process can be used. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of an illustrative system used to perform a cold reform process in accordance with some embodiments of the invention. System 600 can include left fixture 620 and right fixture 622 operative to secure opposite ends of cable leg 610. Although cable leg 610 is shown as having a constant diameter, it will be understood that cable leg 610 can have a variable diameter (e.g., as described above in connection with the legs of cable structure 20, FIG. 1). Fixtures 620 and 622 can retain leg 610 in tension such that tool 630 can be applied to leg 610 to create undercuts. Fixtures 620 and 622 can be secured to any suitable portion of leg 610. In some embodiments, fixtures 620 and 622 can be coupled to excess extruded material of the leg that will be removed before completing the cable structure such as, for example, strip regions 612. Using this approach, cosmetic damage to the leg caused by fixtures 620 and 622 may be ignored, as strip regions 612 will be removed from the final product.
To create undercut features or other features within leg 610, such as feature 632, tool 630 can be applied to a surface of leg 610. Tool 630 can include any suitable tool having a cutting, grinding, or polishing element, or any other element for removing material from leg 620. In some cases, several tools 630 can be used simultaneously (e.g., two grinders are used simultaneously), or a tool can include several elements for removing material. In some embodiments, tool 630 can move relative to leg 610 to create features. For example, tool 630 can move relative to fixtures 620 and 622 and to leg 610. In particular, tool 630 can include a moving cutting element (e.g., a rotating saw) that can be brought into contact with leg 610. Alternatively, leg 610 can move relative to tool 630. For example, fixtures 620 and 622 can rotate in direction 640, such that when tool 630 is brought into contact with the leg, the rotation of the leg allows tool 630 to create undercut features. Leg 610 can rotate at any suitable speed including, for example, a speed determined from characteristics of tool 630 and from characteristics of the material used for leg 610.
The cold reform process of system 600 can be performed once an extruded cable leg has been cooled. The cable leg may in addition remain cold while tool 630 creates features in the leg. This approach can ensure that material forming leg 610 does not flow and change shape, or does not change in a manner that would adversely affect the cosmetic appearance of the leg. In addition, only the portions of leg 610 that come into contact with fixtures 620 and 622, or with tool 630 may be deformed by the process.
In some embodiments, a hot reform process can be used to obtain a desired undercut. FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of an illustrative system for performing a hot reform process in accordance with some embodiments of the invention. System 700 can be applied to extruded leg 710, which can include some or all of the features of extruded legs described above. In the example of FIG. 7, leg 710 is shown to have a constant diameter, thought it will be understood that leg 710 can have a variable diameter. Leg 710 can be secured to a fixture (not shown) to perform a hot reform process. As discussed above in connection with a cold reform process, the fixture can be placed in contact with regions of the leg that will be removed from the final product so as to avoid damaging cosmetic surfaces of leg 710.
Depending on the material used for constructing leg 710, it may be beneficial to construct undercut features in the leg using a heated tool. The heated tool can reduce the strength of the extruded material, and facilitate the formation of undercut features in the leg. System 700 can include top plate 730 and bottom plate 732 each including cutting features 734 for creating undercut features 712 in leg 710. Region 714 of leg 710, where undercut features 712 are to be provided, can be positioned between plates 730 and 732, and the plates can then be applied to the leg. In particular, top plate 730 can move in direction 731 towards leg 710, and bottom plate 732 can move in direction 733 toward leg 710. When the plates come into contact with leg 710, cutting features 734 can remove material from leg 710 to form undercut features 712.
Top and bottom plates 730 and 732 can be heated to facilitate the application of the plates to leg 710. The plates can be heated at any suitable time. In some embodiments, plates 730 and 732 can be heated before they are applied to leg 710. In other embodiments, plates 730 and 732 can be at least partially applied to leg 710 (e.g., brought into contact with the leg), and subsequently heated to create undercut features 712. Any suitable region of the plates can be heated. In one implementation, the entire plates can be heated. Alternatively, only a region that includes cutting features 734 of each plate can be heated. The plates can be heated using any suitable approach including, for example, using a heating element embedded within or in contact with a plate (e.g., a resistive heating element), or by placing the plates in contact with a heat source when they are not applied to a leg.
Because the plates are heated, heat from the plates can be conducted into regions of the leg other than region 714 where undercut features are desired. In some cases, heat can be transferred to regions of the leg that form part of the final product such as, for example, region 716. When heat is applied to region 716, the material of the leg can deform, or cosmetic properties of the material can change (e.g., the color of the material changes due to the heat). This can adversely affect the cosmetic appearance of the leg. To prevent heat from reaching region 716, system 700 can include top cold plate 720 and bottom cold plate 722 placed in contact with region 716. When heat from a hot plate reaches region 716, cold plates 720 and 722 can remove the heat from the leg before the cosmetic appearance of the leg is adversely affected. Cold plates 720 and 722 can counteract the heat imposed on leg 716 by hot plates 732 and 734. Cold plates 720 and 722 can be placed in close proximity of hot plates 730 and 732, respectively, but do not touch.
Cold plates 720 and 722 can be cooled using any suitable approach. In some embodiments, the cold plates can include an integrated cooling component. Alternatively, the cold plates can be cooled prior to being used as part of the hot reform process. In some cases, several cold plates can be used interchangeably during a hot reform process. For example, a first set of cold plates heated by the hot plates during the process can be replaced by a second set of cold plates when the first set of cold plates become too hot.
FIG. 8 is a flowchart of an illustrative process for extruding a leg of a cable structure in accordance with some embodiments of the invention. Process 800 can begin at step 802. At step 804, material to be extruded can be provided to an extruder. For example, pellets of material can be placed in a hopper of an extruder. The extruder can melt the material, and apply pressure to the melted material so that it may be directed out of the extruder. At step 806, a conductor bundle can be fed through a die. For example, a bundle that includes conductors and a superelastic rod can be placed within a hypodermal path.
At step 808, the material can be extruded through the die to surround the conductor bundle, which is also passing through the die. The combination of the extruded material and conductor bundle form an extruded leg. At step 810, system factors of the extruder can be dynamically adjusted to change dimensions of the extruded leg. In particular, a diameter of the extruded leg can change from a large diameter in an interface region to a variable diameter defining a smooth transition from the large diameter to a small diameter of a non-interface region. Any suitable system factor can be changed including, for example, the position of die components (e.g., the position of the die pin), line speed, heat applied to the extruder, screw rotation speed, melt pressure, and air pressure, or combinations of these. Process 800 can end at step 812.
FIG. 9 is a flowchart of an illustrative process for creating an undercut in an extruded leg using a cold reform process in accordance with some embodiments of the invention. Process 900 can begin at step 902. At step 904, an extruded leg can be secured in tension in a fixture. For example, left and right fixtures can capture opposite ends of an extruded leg, and apply tension to the leg. At step 906, the fixture can be rotated to rotate the captured leg. The leg can be rotated at any suitable speed including, for example, at a speed selected based on the material used to extrude the leg, or on the type of tool to be applied to the leg. At step 908, a tool can be applied to the rotating leg to create an undercut in the extruded material of the leg. For example, one or more grinders can be applied to the leg to create undercuts in the leg. Process 900 can then end at step 910.
FIG. 10 is a flowchart of an illustrative process for creating an undercut in an extruded leg using a hot reform process in accordance with some embodiments of the invention. Process 1000 can begin at step 1002. At step 1004, a leg can be secured in a fixture. At step 1006, cold plates can be applied to the region of the leg adjacent to a region of the leg that will be undercut. At step 1008, hot plates can be applied to the region of the leg that is to be undercut. At step 1010, undercuts are created using the hot plates. Process 1000 can end at step 1012.
It should be understood that processes of FIGS. 8-10 are merely illustrative. Any of the steps may be removed, modified, or combined, and any additional steps may be added, without departing from the scope of the invention.
In some embodiments, the cable structure can instead by constructed as a single component having a seamless, integrated bifurcation. FIG. 11 is a schematic view of a bifurcation of an illustrative jointly formed multi-leg cable structure in accordance with some embodiments of the invention. Cable structure 1120 can include legs 1122, 1124 and 1126 joined at bifurcation 1130.
Each of cable legs 1122, 1124, and 1126 can include conductor bundles 1142, 1144, and 1146, respectively, having different numbers of conductors. For example, as shown in the cross-sections of FIG. 12, conductor bundle 1142 can include 6 conductors, which split into 2 conductors in conductor bundle 1144 and 4 conductors in conductor bundle 1146.
The extruder can include any suitable component for splitting an initial leg into two legs, or for combining two distinct legs into a single leg. FIGS. 13A and 13B are sectional views of a portion of an illustrative extruder for providing a split in a co-extrusion process in accordance with some embodiments of the invention. Die 1300 can include some or all of the features of die 300, described above. For example, die 1300 can include top die element 1302 and bottom die element 1304 corresponding to top and bottom halves of a cylindrical die element. Die elements 1302 and 1304 can include angled surfaces 1303 and 1305, respectively, for guiding material 1301 towards opening 1306 (e.g., when material moves in direction 1314). In some cases, the angled surfaces can correspond to surfaces of a cone removed from within die elements 1302 and 1304.
Die 1300 can include pin 1310 positioned at least partially within an area enclosed by die elements 1302 and 1304, such that angled surface 1311 corresponds to angled surfaces 1303 and 1305. In some embodiments, pin 1310 can include hypodermal path 1312 extending through pin 1310, for example extending through a centerline of pin 1310. Conductor bundle 1320 can be fed through the hypodermal path into the extrusion path (e.g., into a region between die elements 1302 and 1304 and pin 1310) and through opening 1306.
Die 1300 can include splitting member 1325 positioned adjacent to opening 1306 to separate conductor bundle 1320 into several distinct conductor bundles 1322 and 1324, corresponding to legs 1332 and 1334, respectively. As material 1301 passes through opening 1306, splitting member 1325 can redirect portions of the material into each of legs 1332 and 1334. By modifying the position of pin 1310 and splitting member 1325, the amount of material provided to each leg, and therefore the diameter of each leg, can vary. When each of legs 1332 and 1334 have been created, splitting member 1325 can be moved or repositioned to create a single leg 1320 having the conductors of both conductor bundles 1322 and 1324 (e.g., conductor bundle 1320).
In some cases, the die can instead serve to combine several distinct extruded legs into a single leg. As shown in FIG. 13B, die 1350, which can include some or all of the features of die 300, described above, can include top die element 1352, bottom die element 1354, and middle die element 1353 corresponding different surfaces of each of legs 1380 and 1382. Die elements 1352, 1353, and 1354 can include angled surfaces for guiding material 1351 towards opening 1356 (as material moves in direction 1365). In some cases, the angled surfaces can correspond to surfaces of a cone removed from within one or more of die elements 1352, 1353 and 1354.
Conductor bundles 1372 and 1374 can be fed into die 1350 with material 1301 such that initially, conductor bundles 1372 and 1374 combine and form conductor bundle 1370. Material 1351, fed through die 1350, creates leg 1380. Die 1350 can include splitting member 1375 which, when positioned in die 1350, maintains conductor bundles 1372 and 1374 separate to create legs 1382 and 1384. Then, as material is provided in direction 1365, leg 1380 can be initially created, and subsequently split, at a bifurcation created by splitting member 1375, into legs 1382 and 1384. By modifying the position of splitting member 1375, the amount of material provided to each leg, and therefore the diameter of each leg, can vary.
Manufacturing a jointly formed multi-leg cable structure via an extrusion process can provide several advantages. For example, the extrusion process can provide a continuous and smooth structure that is aesthetically pleasing. In addition, the cable structure may have no discontinuities creating areas in which stresses can be concentrated. This may eliminate a need for an overmold or other strain relief component (e.g., an interface with a non-interface component.
dynamically adjusting system factors of the extruder to change an outer diameter of the leg in a bump region of the leg that separates an interface region of the leg from a non-interface region of the leg.
the conductor bundle comprises a rod of superelastic material extending length-wise with at least one conductor.
enclosing the rod and the at least one conductor in a sheath having a smooth outer surface to form the conductor bundle.
the bump region comprises a diameter that varies between the first diameter and the second diameter.
a transition between the non-interface region and the bump region is smooth.
a transition between the interface region and the bump region is smooth.
coupling an end of the leg to a bifurcation region, wherein the bifurcation region is coupled to at least two other legs.
a control station operative to adjust the operation of the system to dynamically change an outer diameter of the sheath.
a hopper operative to receive pellets of a material to extrude, wherein the hopper is coupled to the hopper end of the barrel to direct the pellets from the hopper into the barrel.
the conductor bundle is substantially aligned with a centerline of the sheath.
adjust the operation of the system to create a split in the sheath.
coupling a first portion of the first conductor bundle to the second conductor bundle and a second portion of the first conductor bundle to the third conductor bundle to define a bifurcation region of the cable structure.
defining a splitter at the bifurcation region to secure the first leg to the second leg and to the third leg.
coupling a third non-cable component to the non-interface region of the third leg.
varying a diameter of the bump region between a diameter of the non-interface region and a diameter of the interface region.
a diameter of the non-interface region is smaller than a diameter of the interface region.
jointly co-extruding the second leg and the third leg.
a splitter coupling the main leg to the left leg and to the right leg, wherein a conductor bundle of the main leg is split into a left conductor bundle of the left leg and a right conductor bundle of the right leg.
BE898462A (en) 1984-06-15 Cable Manufacture. | 2019-04-20T03:17:22Z | https://patents.google.com/patent/US20110180321A1/en |
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Can you read the caption on the shirt? Bob made it for Little Elvis. It says, "I'm going to be a big brother and big brothers rock!"
Baby Plum (we discussed Little Presley, but that name was panned by several -- ok, panned very loudly by my father) is due on October 4th. I'm a little over 13 weeks now and we heard the heartbeat for the first time this morning. About 150 beats a minute. Bob and I were thrilled, Little Elvis was not impressed.
I think I mentioned in my post about winning the Wal-Mart gift cards that it wasn't our only big, exciting news. I just wanted to hear Baby Plum's heartbeat before sharing our news.
My blog title finally makes sense again!!
This whole "being two" thing just keeps surprising me.
Little Elvis is usually fearless -- to the point of driving me to at least have high blood pressure, if not a heart attack by the end of this summer.
Other than certain healthy foods and mythical creatures that bring gifts, he's scared of nothing. But that changed on the first leg of our flight back home Saturday.
We have to take a puddle-jumper to get to the bigger airport. Usually, he likes this flight. It's about 25 minutes and he likes to look out of the window at the clouds.
It was very windy, yesterday. Very windy. The flight attendant warned us (all 7 of us) about the upcoming turbulence. That warning did little to prepare any of us.
As soon as our little plane nosed up into the sky, Little Elvis began screaming, "No plane!! No plane!!" I tried to tell him we were going up into the clouds. "No clouds!! No clouds!!!!" He continued to yell these lines throughout the flight.
I unbuckled him and he clung to my neck like a little monkey. I could feel his heart thudding and the tenseness in his muscles. He would hide his head in my neck, and then peek out when the turbulence died a bit, only to cry out and hide again.
All of my platitudes were useless to him, especially when the turbulence truly began. Some of the dips were worse than being on a roller coaster.
Thank goodness for seatbelts, because we came off of the seat several times. One of the passengers said her stomach was up in her throat during one of the bigger dips. Another told me that his heart was beating so hard, that he bet I couldn't even hear Little Elvis' cries.
Since my budding musician seems to hate it when I sing, I've long since stopped singing him lullabyes. Right around the time we began our descent, I started singing Little Elvis' old favorites.
Thankfully, he calmed down. He whimpered whenever I took a breath or stopped to think up another song, but was able to turn around and sit in my lap facing out.
I'm so glad that we arrived safe and sound, and that it was a short flight (seemed pretty long, at the time.) I'm also glad that he was so exhausted by the time we got on the big plane that he passed out in my lap before take-off. That ride was much more pleasant in so many ways.
Little Elvis deserves a medal just for sitting through all of that, don't you think? I realize there's no Elvis Presley in there. My mind was such a jumble that I couldn't think of any.
Little Elvis loves the camera. I don't have it in a hiding place here in Mississippi, and whenever he's quiet and in a certain corner, then I can be assured that he's trying to play with the camera. He hasn't figured out how to turn it on, but he does manage to get sticky finger prints all over the view-finder.
He brought me the camera here because I was reading the paper and not paying 100% attention to him.
"What? Me? Play with the camera? Never!! Look at this innocent little face! I would never, EVER get into something I wasn't supposed to. Never!"
I'm having issues with Little Elvis' hair. On super-humid days his curls are springy and plentiful and bouncy.
They also get springier after a sweaty time spent running outside.
But while they look all cute in these pics, most days they are super frizzy and mostly straight. I hate to cut the curls, but he looks like he has a mullet most days.
When Little Elvis showers with me, I put conditioner in his hair. It makes a huge difference, but that's very, very rare. I also haven't seen any baby conditioners. I did see a detangling spray and was wondering if it might help.
Any advice from people who have experience with curly hair?
We took Little Elvis to have breakfast with the Easter Bunny this weekend.
Bob told me to take the camera and camcorder to capture the fun. While I brought both, neither was charged. The camcorder would have been fully charged had I not left it on during and after the charging process. As for the camera, I knew it was low, but thought I could squeeze one or two pics out of it.
Not that it would have mattered if they were charged.
The bunny was late, so I went to pick up Little Elvis' breakfast -- milk and chicken minis, which look like chicken nugget versions of pigs in a blanket. They looked like meat to my little "vegetarian" though, so he only picked at the bread.
When the Easter Bunny finally made his fashionably late appearance (which was kind of appropriate since several teens were practicing for a runway show during the breakfast) we took Little Elvis over to meet the more than 6 foot tall rabbit.
He said, "No Nunny!!" several times before we even got close to the bunny. My dad stood back to take a cell phone picture for Bob while I took Little Elvis to meet the Easter Bunny. As I inched closer, the screams of, "No Nunny!! No Nunny!! No NUNNY!!!" got louder and louder. He was crying and squealing, so much I asked my dad just to snap a picture of us standing about 5 feet in front of the bunny.
Little Elvis quieted down as we made our way back to the table. And just as I said at Christmas, I muttered, "Maybe we'll have better luck next year."
Thank goodness we have a few more years before the Tooth Fairy starts scaring him.
Bob has had to do without his baby for more than a week now, and I haven't even posted or sent him new pictures. Here are some pictures of Little Elvis' shenanigans in Mississippi.
Little Elvis loves to hide cars, trucks and apparently even buses under pillows. Coachpa is helping him hold the pillows in place.
If Little Elvis naps, it is almost always in his bed (or in a carseat.) He does not nap on or with others.
I guess he doesn't nap on Mommy or Daddy.
Little Elvis tried his first slushy type drink this weekend. He liked it. Since we weren't sure which flavor he would like, my dad and I ordered a grape, cherry and orange slushy -- we would take the ones he didn't like. He sipped the grape (purple) one first and didn't seem too impressed. We handed him the orange next and he would not take the straw out of his mouth! When he needed a breather from the icy beverage, he would just stop sucking on the straw, but kept his lips locked on it.
Little Elvis and I are currently in Mississippi, hanging with my family while Bob lives the life of a bachelor. So far, he's dealt with an extremely leaky faucet and snagged $80 of groceries for $16 and change. AND I had most of the coupons with me. Pretty impressive, no?
While hanging out with my grandparents and aunts and uncles on my dad's side of the family one night, I learned about and remembered some very interesting parallels in my family history.
I told my grandmother about all the hijinx my little sweet boy has been getting into, including the Vaseline while I showered last week. She gave me a look and said, "I remember when a certain little girl put face cream all over my hair."
That would be me. And I should have been old enough to know better (maybe 6?) Little Elvis was only 2, and all he did was get the Vaseline on his hands and sleeper.
I, on the other hand, decided to style my grandmother's hair while she dozed on the couch. My grandmother is the type who gets her hair done once a week. She will pick it and spray it each morning.
She was fine with me picking her hair, and it must have felt so good that she dozed off. She woke up with a Kleenex on her hair and lots of goop on top and under the tissue paper, and all in her hair. She wanted to know what it was, and I remember proudly telling her I "styled" it for her. Poor Granny. I'm not sure if she ever let me near her hair after that.
While reminiscing about 2-year-old little boy shenanigans, my grandmother told us about the time my dad and uncle (twins) got into a 5 pound bag of flour. She said they were being quiet and she knew that wasn't good. By the time she got into the kitchen, the air was completely white, as was everything in the kitchen. The only things not white, were my dad and uncle's eyes. They must have teared up with the flour, because she said they had dough in their eyelashes. She didn't know why she didn't take a picture, because they had a camera. But I can kind of picture that scene and it makes me smile.
My dad isn't the only one in the family with a flour fascination. When I was younger, I loved raw flour. My mom's mom baked fresh biscuits everyday, and had a drawer full of flour. Everytime we went to visit, I would run to the kitchen for a fingerfull of flour, even though I knew I wasn't supposed to -- again, I was old enough to know better.
I remember one time, quietly shoveling in as much flour as I could while my mom and my grandmother were in the other room. They came back to the kitchen, but I managed to slam the drawer shut just in time.
They asked me if I had gotten into the flour, and I said, "No." Little did I know that my face was covered in white powder.
I have nothing to complain about when Little Elvis deliberately does stuff I tell him not to, do I?
Little Elvis and I were shopping at a mall, and he wet his diaper. But I didn't have any clean diapers to put on him.
What do I do? I just carry my son around the mall with a t-shirt on and nothing else -- guess he wet his pants, too?
People kept asking me why I didn't put a diaper on my baby, and I said that I wasn't paying 50 cents per diaper for one of those tiny packs.
Finally, some man gave me a size 3 diaper to put on poor size 4 Little Elvis, and I woke up.
What could this mean? If my baby needed a diaper, I would certainly buy him a diaper, even if it cost 50 cents.
We had absolutely wonderful weather this weekend. And we took full advantage of it. Bob biked Little Elvis over to a local park to play one morning, and we spent lots of time outside in the backyard just enjoying the weather.
We also brought out Little Elvis' tricycle that we bought for him when he was 3 or 4 months old. Yes, we are THOSE parents. I found a great deal on craigslist and was able to respond before anyone else.
At first, Little Elvis wasn't too sure about this new ride. He's never been much of a ride-on toy boy. He prefers to push ride-on toys and will happily push other kids.
But he began to like the feel of the wind... maybe more of a light breeze... through his helmet. He also wasn't so sure about putting his feet on the pedals.
But even got the hang of that by the end of the first block.
Poor Daddy had to tell Mommy this would be the money shot, and still I managed to mess it up. I know the flash was on, but it still turned out fuzzy. You can still see how proud he is.
And he has refused to sit on the trike with his feet on the pedals since that day, preferring instead to push it around with the handle.
Also, for anyone wondering, he got into the Vaseline yesterday while I was showering. He really liked how squishy it felt between his fingers. The tub was in the medicine cabinet over the toilet. Today he just brought down some magnetic letters and numbers that were on a shelf way over his head... at least it used to be.
I'm a big two-year-old now and my Mommy needs to get with the program. Things are a-changing!
First, I have curly hair. The longer it gets, the curlier it gets. Last week, I had a little curl on the top of my head 3 or 4 days out of the week.
Mommy likes this look, but hasn't figured out to recreate it whenever she wants. Instead she chases me around the house with a camera so she can take pictures of it. Enough, Mommy! I understand that you think these things are cute, but I am a very busy boy.
This brings me to my second lesson: Mommy also needs to accept that I'm a growing boy. I'm tall. And I must have grown in the past week or so, because now I can reach lots of things I couldn't before.
Mommy gave me a handful of Teddy Grahams the other day and put the bag on the back of the stove while she swept the kitchen. Once she left the kitchen, I grabbed the bag, opened it and poured all of the remaining crumbs onto the floor.
I'm probably lucky that Mommy thought this was funny and took pictures.
If I'm not quite tall enough to reach what I want, I am determined enough to find a way to get it. I also have a great memory when it comes to stuff I want.
The day after the Teddy Grahams incident, Mommy had her usual can of Coke for lunch. I've never had Coke, but that red can is shiny and I've wanted to try some for a long, long time. When I was finished eating, Mommy pushed her Coke to the back of the table, pushed her chair under the table and took me to the bathroom.
Then we played in Mommy's room for about 40 minutes and Mommy forgot about her mostly full can of Coke. I did not.
While Mommy hung up some clothes, I raced to the living room, pulled out her chair, reached over(possibly crawled on the table), grabbed her can of Coke and tried to drink that forbidden nectar right from the can.
Mommy came down the hall a few minutes later and found me dripping in Coke, the chair overflowing with the brown liquid and two huge Coke spots on the carpet (I had pulled the chair out far enough to make sure it wasn't on the plastic floor protector.) I was holding the can sideways, trying to figure out why the liquid wouldn't stay inside like it does with my sippy cups.
No pictures taken this time. Mommy had to try and mop all the stuff up before it set in I guess.
You would think Mommy would have learned at this point that I am bound and determined to make a mess with something every day. I am tall enough to reach stuff I formerly couldn't, and determined enough to find my way into even the most difficult bottles.
But she didn't. Today I reached the back of the bathroom counter, snagged my beloved shampoo bottle and ran to hide with it in my tent until I could figure out how to unscrew the cap. Mommy didn't even realize I had the bottle with me! She loaded the dishwasher and I guess she thought I was blowing my nose or something.
By the time she finished with the dishwasher, I had managed to unscrew the cap and pour two huge shampoo puddles on my new road map floor mat. And my timing was great, because we were just about to leave.
I have a feeling that it will be a lot harder for me to cause hijinx tomorrow, but I'm sure I'll find another way to outsmart Mommy!
We got six inches of snow here on Sunday evening. On Monday morning, I blew up Little Elvis sled and steeled myself for a morning outside enjoying the white stuff. He tested out his sled before hitting "the slopes," and it met his approval.
Once outside, he clomped through the powder, which was up to his knees in some areas.
I tried to make us snowballs, but it wasn't really the consistency for that. So we sledded over to visit the neighbors. Little Elvis spent a few minutes trying to gain entry into their house and I ended up dragging a screaming boy back home. Snow does not bring out the best in either of us. Maybe he was just cold.
When Bob got home, we headed back out, and although Little Elvis still wasn't too impressed with the snow, he did find something outside that he liked -- icicles! (He even has his own version of this word! The mimicking is really picking up!) Here he is munching on a beloved icicle.
Little Elvis also likes ice, and usually wants a cube or two if we go out to eat. Whenever he demands one, I just smile. Of course my baby would like ice.
Without realizing it the other day, we dressed Little Elvis up in a quasi street dance crew outfit.
I realize that not everyone was hip to Elmo's street cred, but he's got it! Don't mess with the Elmo!
Two dance crews are left this season-- one that's all guys and one that's all girls. I'm pretty sure Little Elvis would prefer to hang out and flirt with with the super cute Beat Freaks. But his gender kind of eliminates him.
Quest Crew's not so bad, though. I think he could add a nice element to their group. He's cute, they're cute. They've all got crazy hairstyles, and when that toboggan comes off, his hair goes in millions of directions.
I bet Lil' Mama would tell him that he did his thing and she respected that.
Host Mario Lopez would just be jealous of the dimples.
Yeah, I have an overactive imagination.
At this moment, sweet Little Elvis is blowing his nose in his crib without a tissue. He is not napping and is very happy to snort out his snot everywhere. This fun new trick began last Monday and although he doesn't have a fever or anything, the snot is not letting up.
This new trick is so very cool that when he's not doing it in his crib, he will run around the house and hide from me as he snorts. He refuses to blow his nose into tissues anymore, but sometimes will pull a few out and dab at his nose to tease me before running to hide in his pop-up tent.
The hiding trick is also fairly new and really cute. He's been doing it for about a month now. He has different hiding places for different misdeeds.
If he wants to slurp some snot or put a crayon in his mouth, he will run and hide in his tent. If Little Elvis does not want to put on shoes or his jacket, he will run and crouch behind a chair in our living room. If he's in our bedroom, playing with the alarm clock, some blank CDs, my jewelry or the humidifier, he will cower behind one side of the bed, just peeking his little eyes over the top to gauge my mood over his indiscretions.
That little peek does a lot to help him. I am a total wimp when it comes to those big brown eyes or that dimpled little grin.
He also likes hiding under his Cars blanket that my aunt made him for Christmas. He ran down the hall like this the other day and it was so funny! He looked like a bright yellow ghost. I couldn't get to the camera fast enough to catch that moment, so you will have to trust me that it was cute.
The number of pictures we take of him has dropped the past few weeks. I've been tired, but he's also a much more difficult subject to catch on camera.
Why pose for the camera when you can sit in Mommy's lap? | 2019-04-25T10:36:18Z | http://www.pregnantlyplump.com/2009/03/ |
David Arnold, who scored five James Bond films, discussed his work with singer Chris Cornell for the title song of 2006’s Casino Royale with the entertainment news website The Wrap.
Cornell died last week. Arnold paid tribute to the performer after Cornell’s death in Detroit.
Here’s an excerpt from the story in The Wrap.
Shortly after signing on…Cornell traveled to the set in Prague to meet with Arnold and the film’s director, Martin Campbell. After reading the script and watching Craig in action via a rough cut of the film, Arnold and Cornell sat down to compare ideas for the song. They agreed that the song couldn’t be called “Casino Royale” and decided that the title “You Know My Name” would fit with Bond’s ego, an element of his character that plays a major factor in the story.
Arnold and Cornell wrote You Know My Name, with Cornell as the singer. Elements of the song were woven into Arnold’s score for the 21st James Bond film. It was the last time (to date) a Bond movie composer collaborated on a 007 title song.
UPDATE III (6:50 p.m.): The Wayne County (Michigan) Medical Examiner said Chris Cornell died from “suicide by hanging” even though a full autopsy report hasn’t been completed according to The Detroit News.
ORIGINAL POST (4:30 a.m.): Chris Cornell, the rock musician who co-wrote and performed Casino Royale’s title song, died Wednesday night at age 52, The Associated Press reported.
The news service quoted a Cornell representative, Brian Bumbery, as saying the musician’s death was “sudden and unexpected.” No cause of death was known early Thursday. Cornell, who had been on tour, died in Detroit, the AP said.
Cornell was the lead singer for Soundgarden and “helped architect the 90’s grunge rock movement,” AP said in its report. He was also lead performer and songwriter for Audioslave.
In 2006, Cornell became the first title song performer for the Daniel Craig era of James Bond films.
Cornell also co-wrote Casino’s title song, “You Know My Name,” with David Arnold, who also scored the movie.
With Casino, Eon Productions opted for a “reboot,” or starting the series over. The Daniel Kleinman-designed main titles were different that previous entries. Graphic elements for the titles included playing card images as well as silhouettes of violent fights as well as images of Craig, who was making his 007 debut.
My friend Chris Cornell has died and I’m just incredibly sad .
UPDATE II (9:30 a.m.): Many tributes have been written about Chris Cornell in the hours after his death became public. Here are tweets by the official James Bond Twitter account and actor Jeffrey Wright, who played Felix Leiter in Casino Royale.
Chris Cornell. Man, what? Wow., wow. Too soon. Great singer. Super nice dude.
This year marks the 20th anniversary of Tomorrow Never Dies, a jigsaw puzzle of a production.
Just when the pieces seemed to be coming together one way, they had to be disassembled and put together another.
That condition certainly applied to the script. Producers Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli initially employed Donald E. Westlake. That effort was dropped.
Next up, Bruce Feirstein, who had penned the later drafts of GoldenEye, started a new story line. Other scribes worked on the project before Feirstein returned, doing rewrites on the fly while filming was underway.
Locations ended up being a puzzle as well. Much of the story was set in Vietnam. But the Asian country abruptly revoked permission to film there. The Eon Productions crew had to quickly go to Thailand as a substitute.
The score from composer David Arnold would also be a jigsaw puzzle. The newcomer scored the movie in thirds. (He explained the process in detail in an audio interview with journalist Jon Burlingame that was released on a later expanded soundtrack release.) There would be next to no time for normal post-production work.
Principal photography didn’t begin until April 1, 1997, and production would extend into early September for a movie slated to open just before Christmas.
It was star Pierce Brosnan’s second turn as 007. In the documentary Everything or Nothing, he said his Bond films other than GoldenEye were all a blur. That blur began with this production.
Also, during the film’s buildup, the publicity machine emphasized how Michelle Yeoh’s Wai Lin, a Chinese agent, was Bond’s equal. This wasn’t exactly a new development. Barbara Bach’s Agent Triple-X in The Spy Who Loved Me was “his equal in every way,” according to that movie’s director, Lewis Gilbert. Nor would Tomorrow Never Dies be the last time “Bond’s equal” would come up in marketing.
In some ways, Tomorrow Never Dies was the end of an era.
It was the last opportunity to have John Barry return to score a Bond film. He declined when told he wouldn’t be permitted to write the title song. That opened up the door for Arnold, who’d score the next four 007 movies.
This would also be the final time a Bond movie was released under the United Artists banner. UA was a division of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer in 1997. Two years later, MGM decided to release The World is Not Enough under its own name.
The movie, directed by Roger Spottiswoode, generated global box office of $339.5 million. That was lower than GoldenEye’s $356.4 million. Still, it was more than ample to keep the series, and its Brosnan era, going.
Thomas Newman became the third composer to do more than one Bond album after John Barry (11 007 scores and David Arnold (five). It happened when Sam Mendes returned for the 007 director chair for SPECTRE, after the success of Skyfall.
With the son of the legendary Alfred Newman being one of Mendes’ favorite musicians, it was almost predictable that Newman would be coming back as well.
By the beginning of October, two tracks from SPECTRE were released through the British radio, disappointing many people as they sounded too similar to Skyfall.
Of course, both Barry and particularly Arnold repeated some of their previous films cues into the Bond film in hand, yet the SPECTRE soundtrack seemed almost a remix of the Skyfall score.
However, when watching the movie, the soundtrack effect grows.
The gunbarrel –back at the beginning for the first time since 2002’s Die Another Day – has a sound reminiscent to Tomorrow Never Dies and The World is not Enough, with the last bars of the James Bond Theme as the blood drips down. It was, unfortunately, discarded from the commercial album, which starts with a track titled “Los Muertos Vivos Están” (The Dead Are Alive).
Track 1 is a pretty cool rendition of the James Bond Theme accompanied by the drums of a Mexican band known as Tambuco.
Something very important to say is that Newman, this time, seems more confident when using the Bond Theme, using it prominently and in full, unlike his previous job where he seemed a bit afraid to repeat his predecessor’s expertise in handling the piece attributed to Monty Norman.
More effective uses of the James Bond Theme are heard during the last seconds of “Detonation” (track 23) and “Westminster Bridge” (track 24, very similar to Skyfall’s “The Moors”). An unreleased Bond fanfare is heard at the end of the helicopter fight during the pre-credits sequence, with a piano orchestration leading us to Smith’s theme.
As Vauxhall Bridge (track 2) reminds us to “New Digs” from Skyfall (funnily enough, Bond points out the CNS building as “C’s new digs” in the scene), the third track is almost a cut and paste version of “Brave New World,” also from Skyfall. Yet, Newman manages to change the epic Hans Zimmer-esque sound for a lyrical chorus to enhance Bond’s arrival to Rome aka “The Eternal City,” which is the title given to the track.
The use of the chorus, also present in “Backfire” (track 6) and the end titles (track 26) were perhaps the best thing Newman did and one of the strongest points of the score.
“Donna Lucia” (track 4), used for 007’s seduction of Monica Bellucci’s character, reminds us a bit to Die Another Day, particularly the scene where Pierce Brosnan’s Bond is visited by Peaceful Fountains of Desire.
Romantic pieces are Newman’s strong point as he proves in “Madeleine” (track 9) and “Secret Room” (track 13). The piano notes and the strings make us fall in love with the leading lady and feel some empathy for the death of her father, as she observes her childhood photos on Mr. White’s hidden room in an African hotel. A choral version of Madeline’s theme is reprised during the end credits.
The North African sounds combined with Hoyte Van Hoytema’s shots of the train through the desert are perhaps one of the best audiovisual moments in the whole franchise.
Track 15 is the only time when we hear a rendition of Sam Smith’s theme song, “Writing’s on the Wall”. Newman made his own instrumental version (the first minute sounds very similar to the original) for Bond’s intimate moment with Madeleine Swann on the train.
As Bond escapes a horrid torture by Oberhauser, a piece titled “Tempus Fugit” (track 19) is heard for the second time. Closely similar to another track from Skyfall titled The Bloody Shot, this track first appears as Bond fights Sciarra inside an helicopter atop Mexico City, at the very beginning of the film.
Perhaps the least interesting piece is the atonal “Snow Plane” (track 11), where it seems Newman tried to imitate Bill Conti’s For Your Eyes Only disco score. This scene – where 007 chases Hinx and his goons with a plane across the snowy Austria — needed a more John Barry or David Arnold like sound, a closer feeling to On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, way more darker.
Apart from that, it was a nice nod of Newman to add a source piece in the score. Track 18, “Day of the Dead”, features Tambuco and has the actual chorus from the festive mourners, cheering up for the “resurrection” of their deceased ones.
Before the end titles, the composer closes with “Out of Bullets” (track 25), which is a very beautiful version of the romantic piano cue from “Secret Room” and “Madeleine”, combined with a lush sound reminiscent to David Arnold’s romantic sounds from his Tomorrow Never Dies and Die Another Day scores.
In conclusion, the SPECTRE score is indeed special and fits with the conclusion of the story opened in Casino Royale, almost ten years ago. A needed criticism has to be made to the way Newman made that cut-and-paste to the Skyfall score (he should have used the cues in a more subtle way), but it indeed achieves the objective of transporting us to the magic atmosphere of the film’s locations –from the lyrical Rome to the exotic Tangier– in a very pretty way.
Newman, who turns 60 on Tuesday, was interviewed on BBC Radio 3’s In Tune show and there’s now a summary of the interview on THE BBC’S WEBSITE.
Newman, part of a Hollywood family of film composers, was brought into the Bond series by director Sam Mendes. The move displaced David Arnold, who had composed the scores for the previous five 007 films.
Newman also said film music shouldn’t overpower a movie.
To read the entire BBC website story, CLICK HERE.
How time flies! It was ten years ago we saw Daniel Craig rushing the Thames River on a speedboat to meet the press during his announcement as the new James Bond, on Oct. 14, 2005.
Casino Royale, set for November 2006, had many challenges: introduce a new Bond actor, reboot the series and provide a good balance between the action scenes the book lacked and the drama content that filled the pages of Ian Fleming’s first novel, published in 1953.
Directed by a familiar face, GoldenEye’s Martin Campbell, the film was the target of a lot of criticism concerning the new face of 007.
Craig, then 37, had a hard time when production started: a website boycotting him plus tabloids calling him “James Bland.” He seemed far different from Pierce Brosnan’s suave portrayal of the British spy, last seen in 2002’s Die Another Day, a movie that went too far with CGI effects and overly seen clichés.
However, the 2006 film proved to be a great box office hit and the press had to admit its misjudgment of Craig’s portrayal. The actor showed us a strong and fearless Bond. Lethal but equally weak and romantic, Craig’s Bond fell in love and tragically lost Vesper Lynd, the female lead of the movie played by Eva Green.
In Casino Royale, Craig’s 007 could balance Sean Connery’s ironies with Timothy Dalton’s violence, as well as bringing to screen a modern sense of humor. “Do I look as if I give a damn?” he says when asked if his drink should be shaken or stirred, or cuts M off the phone after interrupting her for an “urgent” call. Indeed, this was the Bond the 21st century needed.
Much of the 2006 film success came, of course, by the expert hand of director Campbell and his crew: veteran cinematographer Phil Méheux, editor Stuart Baird, composer David Arnold and the second unit directed by Alexander Witt (who returned in Skyfall and now in SPECTRE).
Martin Campbell, director of GoldenEye and Casino Royale.
Not to mention the cast selected by Debbie MacWilliams: Eva Green contrasting the original Vesper from Fleming’s book with a self-confident and seductive character that falls for the spy; Mads Mikkelsen bringing up a young and debonair Le Chiffre; and Giancarlo Giannini and Jeffrey Wright bringing to life to René Mathis and Felix Leiter, 007’s allies in the novel.
The film wasn’t a success because it was a Bond film, but because it excelled in showing us “how James became Bond,” as the audience exploded into an applause when getting the classic “Bond, James Bond” introduction spoken by Craig in the film’s last minutes.
In 2008, Daniel Craig returned for the much anticipated Quantum of Solace, conceived as a “direct sequel” of Casino Royale.
Craig provided a fine performance, but the script fails to give the audiences what they wanted: Quantum of Solace was, in result, poor in comparison with Casino Royale, both technically and literary, as the script had to be completed during filming when the WGA strike affected Bond scribes Paul Haggis, Neal Purvis and Robert Wade. Craig said he and director Marc Forster were de facto writers.
The film provides some nice shots of the Italian, Bolivian and Austrian landscapes courtesy of director of photography Roberto Schaeffer, as well as some original and dynamic music by David Arnold. But the story seems dull, uninteresting and full of badly shot scenes with Forster trusting many scenes to his second unit director, Dan Bradley.
Many moviegoers and Bond aficionados felt that the reboot and the idea of bringing up a redefined 007 went a bit too far with the 2008 film, that didn’t gross as much worldwide as its 2006 predecessor.
An original ending, where Bond faced of Mr .White one last time, ended up in the cutting room floor and was replaced by a final scene of the secret agent capturing Vesper’s treacherous boyfriend and throwing her distinctive necklace on the snowy ground.
James Bond wouldn’t return until 2012’s Skyfall.
Once again, Daniel Craig returned as Bond. It was the longest gap between two Bond films with the same actor playing the main role.
As the series celebrated its 50th anniversary, the propaganda machine opted for leaving the Casino Royale and Quantum of Solace story behind and going for a completely different plot in which the secret agent would have to protect M (Judi Dench) from the hands of Tiago Rodrigues aka Raoul Silva, a dismissed MI6 field agent with a desire of revenge towards his former boss.
The first Bond movie directed by Sam Mendes promised a lighter Bond film, with many winks to the first adventures of the series and more humoristic situations: a gadget-laden Aston Martin DB5 and references to an exploding pen, as well as the re-establishment of Q and Moneypenny, left apart after Pierce Brosnan was separated of the role, now played by Ben Whishaw and Naomie Harris.
The idea for Skyfall was, apparently, steering away from the story arc started in Casino Royale and apparently closed in Quantum of Solace. In a very similar case that Goldfinger, Skyfall seems completely unrelated to its two predecessors: the 1964 film didn’t have SPECTRE as the enemy but the self-employed Auric Goldfinger and his plan to irradiate Fort Knox.
The 50th anniversary Bond film proved to be a great success, providing a story balanced between the classic Bond humor with dramatic and violent situations, plus elements taken from the two last Ian Fleming novels: You Only Live Twice and The Man With the Golden Gun.
The film has also had five Oscar nominations, including Adele’s main title song that got the Best Song award. The film also shared an Oscar for sound editing with Zero Dark Thirty.
In a couple of weeks, the 24th James Bond films will hit theatres. It’s simply called SPECTRE, as the old criminal organization led by Ernst Stavro Blofeld.
Eon Productions convinced Sam Mendes to return one more time to the director’s chair, as well as many of his crew members. The base of the script was written by Skyfall’s John Logan, with the return of Neal Purvis and Robert Wade and additional scripting by Jez Butterworth.
The script was leaked shortly after the film was announced on December 2014. While producers claimed it was only an old draft, it is understood that the story inside this leaked script featured many classic elements of the franchise, resulting in probably the most “traditionalist” Craig Bond film.
In SPECTRE, Bond travels from Mexico to London, Rome, Austria and Morocco to uncover the truth behind a criminal organization known as SPECTRE (according to Mendes, this SPECTRE is not an acronym, thus not related to Terrorism, Revenge and Extortion). The organization’s leader, known as Franz Oberhauser (Cristoph Waltz) is someone from Bond’s past and has a vendetta against him.
The film apparently ties the story left over from Quantum of Solace, as 007 meets again with Mr. White, and there are a few connections with Skyfall’s plot. The movie sees the return of Ralph Fiennes as the new M, Ben Whishaw as Q and Naomie Harris as Moneypenny. New characters include Léa Seydoux as Madeleine Swann, Monica Bellucci as Lucia Sciarra, the widow of a SPECTRE assassin, and Andrew Scott as Denbigh, a bureaucrat rival the new M will have to face.
The sixth Bond actor also is as co-producer with Andrew Noakes and David Pope. It is understood that this is due to his collaboration in the making of the film and his strong bond with director Sam Mendes, a closer friend of him since both met during the shooting of Road to Perdition.
Stephanie Sigman, playing Estrella in the upcoming film, said on an interview with News.au that she learned a lot with Craig, since we was very technical with the shooting: “He’s very experienced doing films. He was helping me with how to move with the camera.” On the other side, The Telegraph claims that the British actor saw his films as a big story arc and had the idea of introducing the Bond folklore elements gradually.
It is still unknown if Daniel Craig will return for a fifth Bond: in some interviews he claims he’ll play the character as long as he can while sometimes he points out he’s way too physically tired from playing Ian Fleming’s character.
What is true is that the blonde guy who ten years ago raised some eyebrows as he wore a life vest while being taken on boat to the HMS President vessel for his introduction has made many achievements in the franchise and became a member of the James Bond family.
Sam Smith’s awaited main title song for SPECTRE, titled “Writing’s On the Wall,” was finally released last Friday.
As expected, the Bond fandom was divided between those who called it “an instant classic” and the ones who opened a petition drive to banish it to the end credits.
Still, even when Smith’s voice may not be the most appropriate, the orchestration and lyrics excel in examining James Bond’s feelings and emotions, something only given before by a discarded end title song, Scott Walker’s “Only Myself to Blame,” put away from 1999’s The World Is Not Enough in favor of the triumphant James Bond Theme.
“I walked way past midnight, I’ve driven for days I tried to forget in so many ways,” the vocalist sang Don Black’s lyrics. “From city to city, I still see your face… it follows me ‘round, all over the place. I shouldn’t look back, but I do just the same. And I’ve only myself to blame,” the song continues.
The composition, still available on track 19 of David Arnold’s soundtrack, was the first song to narrate the misfortune of a heartbroken Bond, far away of the “Nobody does it Better” or “Mr. Kiss Kiss Bang Bang” fanfares.
As a vocal version of Elektra’s Theme (Black told composer Arnold “there was a song” hidden in it), it laments the ill-fated romance between James Bond and the young oil tycoon played by Sophie Marceau: an innocent girl, corrupted after being kidnapped, turning into a criminal mastermind capable to use both Bond (Pierce Brosnan) and her former kidnapper/lover Renard (Robert Carlyle) as fools.
As we know, the story ended with the cold shot of a 007 who “never misses,” but also takes a minute to caress her dead body.
Much like “Only Myself to Blame,” Sam Smith’s song “Writing’s On the Wall” tears miles away of the triumphalist conception of James Bond and dives into his biggest weakness: his inability to enjoy a lasting relationship due to the hazards of his violent job.
Times had been tough for Daniel Craig’s version of 007: in Casino Royale, his love interest Vesper Lynd commits suicide. That leads him, in Quantum of Solace, to Mr. White and subsequently to ecologist Dominic Greene to unravel a secret criminal organization while seeking the help of the vengeful Camille, who barely kisses him before walking away after the mission is over.
In Skyfall, all this story arc seems put away but Bond still has to face another challenge to his emotions: Judi Dench’s M dies on his arms after being wounded during the attack led by former agent Silva.
“I’ve been there before, but I always hit the floor,” Smith sings, evoking these fateful events between 2006 and 2015: the deaths of a love interest and a mother figure, facts that are supposed to come back with a vengeance in SPECTRE.
Back at the beginning of September, Smith described his song for the film as “a love song,” a category that could very well fit older pieces such as “From Russia with Love”, “You Only Live Twice” or “We Have all the Time in The World”. Yet, Jimmy Napes’ lyrics go one step further by revealing the inner feelings of 007 facing the possibility of putting his heart at stake once more.
More than a love song, “Writing’s On the Wall” proves to be a declaration of love. The song goes: “But I feel like a storm is coming if I’m gonna make it through the day. Then there’s no use in running, this is something I gotta face.” Is it insinuating that, even if a disaster occurs again, he can’t run away of his feelings?
There’s almost a month to wait until we see if, this time, Daniel Craig’s Bond will have a happy ending with Léa Seydoux’s character. So far, it’s interesting to see “Writing’s On the Wall” as the comeback of an idea put away from a 1999 Bond film, a nostalgic song that wouldn’t have fitted the victorious ending of that story and would have raised the eyebrows of the fans, in a historical context where Pierce Brosnan’s 007 was meant to win.
Now, as Daniel Craig’s 007 ran away of many emotional battles that didn’t seem to be healed, an introspective Bond song will get the main titles treatment. We don’t know if this will turn out to be good or bad, but interesting for sure. | 2019-04-20T07:13:55Z | https://hmssweblog.wordpress.com/tag/david-arnold/page/2/ |
In 2012, Posadzki, Alotaibi and Ernst published a systematic review, which “was aimed at critically evaluating the evidence regarding the adverse effects associated with aromatherapy” (Posadzki et al, 2012). However, it is an article awash with inaccuracy and offers a text-book example of what a systematic review is not. The aim of a systematic review (SR) is to provide a high-level summary of the best available evidence, which has been systematically collated and reviewed. A goal of SR methodology is that it ‘designs out’ bias and improves rigor. The purpose of the SR is to provide the reader with a reliable, credible, accurate and complete synopsis of the evidence, based on a thorough, a priori critique of the articles under review. The results should be reliable and replicable, and the summary should inform clinical decision making and evidence-based practice (EBP). Sackett et al (1996) defined EBP as ‘the conscientious, explicit, judicious use of current best evidence in making decisions about the care of individual patients’.
Confidence in the results of an SR is considered critically low if there is more than one critical flaw, and the results “should not be relied on to provide an accurate and comprehensive summary of the available studies” (Shea et al, 2017). Further, where the authors have reported criteria (patient population, non-cosmetic products only) they have not met their own specifications.
There are also some ‘non-critical weaknesses’ including the lack of questions based on Population, Intervention, Comparison and Outcome (PICO) see image at right. Both critical and non-critical flaws are discussed in further detail, below.
The stated aim of the Posadzki et al systematic review was to “provide a summary and critical evaluation of the evidence regarding adverse events (AEs) associated with the use of aromatherapy”. As with all published research, transparency of the intention of the authors helps the reader to determine the reliability of the findings. No statement or explanation is provided of specifically what evidence regarding AEs will be summarised or critically evaluated. Immediately after stating the Aim, the authors go on to describe in the Method section that this exercise was limited to “case series (CS) and case reports (CR) of AEs of aromatherapy in human patients” (a ‘case series’ is a report on several related cases).
Case series and case reports provide clinicians and researchers with some knowledge, alerting them to incidences that have occurred. When compiled they may generate clinical questions for systematic reviews, and often these observations facilitate further research. However, they are descriptive and are often an incomplete reporting of rare events; to generalize to the whole population is problematic. As the basis of a systematic review, they should not be the final word on a topic, unless the findings are further synthesised with published best evidence, e.g. from randomised controlled trials, rigorous systematic reviews, and meta-analyses. For example, there are numerous reports in the literature comparing the incidence of reactions by dermatology patients to patch testing with various essential oils (Tisserand & Young 2014 p388). Since Posadzki et al have not cited any of this research, their conclusion that peppermint is one of the most likely essential oils to cause an adverse reaction is wrong and misleading.
The authors decided to exclude data from clinical trials. The decision to exclude randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and to only include low-level evidence does not have a reasonable basis. In a 2012 systematic review looking only at chiropractic manipulations, Ernst and Posadzki (2012) reported that “clinical trials of alternative therapies fail to report AEs”. This is a very weak argument to justify the exclusion of a larger body of higher quality evidence regarding aromatherapy treatments.
The systematic review should answer a specific, clinical question. In this case, the authors provide no research question, or justification for their review. The question should indicate a clinical issue to be analyzed or challenged (Aslam and Emmanuel, 2010), and justification adds credibility to the research. The title of the SR “adverse events in aromatherapy” is vague, and not a true representation of the content. While the authors have provided a definition of aromatherapy, “the controlled use of plant essences for therapeutic purposes” (Ernst et al, 2006), they have failed to include even a single case study that falls within this definition. “Plant essences” is not a defined term, either in the systematic review, or anywhere else. It could mean ‘essential oil’, but it could also mean a water infusion for example.
“Aromatherapy is the therapeutic use of essential oils” (Buckle, 2008). An essential oil is a product obtained from a natural raw material of plant origin, by steam distillation (which includes hydrodistillation), by mechanical processes from the pericarp (peel) of citrus fruits, or by dry distillation, after separation of the aqueous phase -if any- by physical processes (International Organization for Standardization, 2013). The therapeutic application of essential oils includes topical (skin) application, inhalation, or oral routes (although the latter is generally accepted as a form of herbal medicine) (Buckle, 2008).
The authors described their search strategy in some detail, providing a list of key search terms, and detailing the databases in which they conducted their search, allowing the reader to replicate it. However, they have not detailed the period of time included in their search strategy, and this is necessary for future researchers who may want to build on the evidence provided by a single SR.
The identification of articles for the systematic review was done in consultation with at least two authors but these authors are not identified. ‘Any disagreements were resolved through discussion’ and based on ‘pre-defined criteria’ (Posadzki et al, 2012) but the criteria are not given. Exclusion criteria include accidental ingestion of essential oil (EO), and EO as an ingredient in food, fragrance, or cosmetic production.
The authors cite a total of 71 cases, including several cases of practitioner contact dermatitis. Contact dermatitis is the skin’s response to an allergen or toxin. It should be noted that up to 70% hairdressers experience contact dermatitis because of their work (Ford, 2012). These adverse events are occupational hazards, and protocols are put in place to reduce the risks. For example, an aromatherapist may exclude an essential oil from their practice to reduce the risk of triggering or exacerbating a previous reaction.
It is not clear why the authors included articles describing adverse events that do not fall either within the practice of aromatherapy, or within their own inclusion criteria. For example, one study reports on “recurrent allergic contact dermatitis due to allergen transfer by sunglasses” (Williams et al 2007). Another describes the application of a balm containing camphor, followed by ‘cao giao’, a Cambodian traditional medicine practice in which the skin is vigorously rubbed with coins (Rampini et al 2002); this is not current aromatherapy practice. Based on the exclusion criteria defined by the authors, adverse events occurring after accidental ingestion of oils or the application of personal care products such as hair gel and shampoo should not have been included.
Three reports are included that involve accidental poisoning, one fatal. The fatal report concerns an 80-year-old man with end-stage renal (untreatable kidney) disease. In this case report, a live-in attendant had applied oil of wintergreen, stated as containing 35% mg/mL methyl salicylate, to the gentleman’s legs on a regular basis (regular is not quantified). The attendant left the bottle on the nightstand, and the man mistook it for a drink, and accidentally consumed “a mouthful” (Chin, Olsen and Dempsy, 2007). These details are omitted from the systematic review. Had they been reported, it would have been obvious that the case report met the exclusion criteria and that it should not have been included in the review.
It is not clear from either the systematic review nor the original case study whether the product was wintergreen oil, or diluted methyl salicylate. Wintergreen oil contains 97-99% methyl salicylate, not 35% (35% mg/mL makes no sense, as 35 mg/mL is equivalent to 3.5%). This is important when it comes to the reporting of death due to a product. Many commercial products are made with a 30% or 35% dilution of synthetic methyl salicylate, and this information should inform commercial manufacturers about the dangers which may be associated with this ingredient in their products. The reporting of the ingredient that ultimately ended this man’s life would provide concrete evidence of whether this was an essential oil, or not. Either way, this was clearly a case of accidental poisoning, in a man, who was close to death.
Accidental ingestion is certainly not aromatherapy. Nevertheless, the systematic report has been cited numerous times to support statements suggesting “death” as a possible outcome of aromatherapy in (Owen & Laird, 2018; Priyah et al, 2018; Rad et al, 2017; Dagli et al, 2015; Githae-Jansson, 2014; Stea et al 2014; Fonareva, 2013) and on the world wide web (RationalWiki 2018).
Two of the reported cases were injuries resulting in skin grafts. The first was a workplace injury where a pharmaceutical manufacturing employee accidentally spilled undiluted peppermint oil onto a previous burn injury (not by essential oils) (Parys 1983). The second describes full thickness skin and tissue necrosis following the application of a gel containing 30% methyl salicylate and 11% menthol. The patient then covered with a heat pad, “despite manufacturers warnings against the use of heating pads” (Heng 1987). Both cases fall outside aromatherapy practice.
The authors of the SR have estimated causality; however, they have not reported the criteria for this determination. The establishment of causality (the relationship between cause and effect) requires demonstrating association (time/place), temporal precedence (the direction of influence), non-spuriousness (there can be no other possible contributing variables), medical plausibility (tested, not assumed) and what happens after the treatment has ended (WHO, 2012).
In all the cases listed in the SR, the authors have made estimates based on the application of the product and direction of influence. However, they have not proven ‘non-spuriousness’. Therefore, their conclusions are not supported. One article describes a potential interaction between essential oils and anti-fungal medication (Varma, 2000). Another describes the case of the six-year-old child whose parents applied a concoction of up to 50 ml of eucalyptus oil, apple cider vinegar, olive oil and methylated spirits (95% ethanol, no methanol), followed by occlusion with cling film, based on advice they received from a talk radio program (Darben et al, 1998).
Despite the criteria to exclude case studies reporting AEs associated with cosmetic products, the authors have included three: “Use of a neroli oil facial moisturizer” (Newsham et al 2011); the daily application of commercially available styling gel and shampoo (Henley et al 2007); and the “use of lavender-scented soap and intermittent use of lavender-scented commercial skin lotions” (Henley et al 2007). By the authors own criteria, these articles should not be included in this SR; they are clearly not part of aromatherapy practice, and the adverse events are an issue for the commercial manufacturers.
The authors show their lack of understanding of the subject matter by including four reports that concern fatty oils and not essential oils. These are black seed oil (Nosbaum et al 2011), mustard seed oil (Zawar 2005), neem oil (Greenblatt et al 2011), and tamanu oil (Le Coz 2004). Black seed and mustard also exist as essential oils, but these papers concern the fatty oils, although one of them states “essential oil” in the title. The chemical composition of fatty oils – mostly non-volatile fatty acids – is completely different from the volatile constituents of essential oils. Since biological activity, including adverse effects, will depend on the chemical composition of the oils, the difference is crucial. From the inclusion of adverse events associated with the use of fatty oils, it is clear the authors do not appreciate the distinction.
Bias is a deviation from the true results, and assessment of the risk of bias helps the reader estimate the weight (significance) that may be ascribed to the outcomes (conclusions). One example of this may be consistent results across studies, but flawed methodology in one or more trials. For example, the study sample may not be adequate, or the design may not reflect real world practice (testing something against nothing, rather than testing against current best practice). As the authors have not stated a specific question they wish to answer, it is difficult to assess bias in this study. This is a significant flaw of their systematic review.
The lack of a defined scientific objective of the systematic review and the inclusion of articles meeting the exclusion criteria, combined with other methodological flaws, seriously undermine the legitimacy of the conclusions drawn by the authors.
Identifying the potential risk of adverse events was not a stated aim. Nor was defining the occurrence of serious adverse events or the spectrum of severity. No definition is given for “serious” adverse events. It is also worth noting that any substance taken as a medicine, whether drug, dietary supplement, herb or essential oil, has the potential to cause AEs. This fact, however, should not completely invalidate the use of those substances.
Determining the frequency was not a stated aim of the work and was never going to be identified by looking at case reports or case series.
The authors did not set out to identify or evaluate evidence regarding the effectiveness of aromatherapy. It was not a stated aim, effectiveness was not evaluated in any way, and therefore conclusions about effectiveness are not relevant here. While some of the risks of essential oils exposure may have been identified by the review, they were not all associated with aromatherapy, and none were associated with aromatherapy practice involving a practitioner and a patient. Weighing benefit and risk was also not a stated aim, and would not anyway be possible by simply looking at a handful of case reports or case series.
The data in the SR do not support this conclusion as the review does not provide any measures of either the risks or the benefits of aromatherapy. This conclusion, along with the previous one, is attempt to use the SR as evidence that that aromatherapy is not effective.
The data provided in the SR do not support most of the authors’ conclusions.
So far, we have reported on the substantial number of flaws present in the Posadzki et al article. It is fair to say that there is very little quality evidence presented by the authors, and in fact their conclusions could be quite damaging. Systematic reviews are more than a summary of the published ‘evidence’. Their purpose is to scrutinise and offer clinically and statistically meaningful conclusions. This SR is misleading: it is not transparent; it does not include all the published, high-level evidence, and the findings may be misinterpreted.
The authors have stated that they could not locate any reports of AE associated with the use of aromatherapy as an alternative (rather than complementary) treatment and have concluded that this is an ‘under-reporting’ bias. This is confusing given they have excluded clinical research. To detect this, it would have been necessary to include studies that compare the application of essential oils to current best practice. Based on the methodology employed in this SR, the authors have not been able to provide any evidence that AEs are associated with the application of EOs in the context of aromatherapy practice, therefore, their “view” is not supported.
The authors also state that ‘aromatherapists tend to deny any risks associated with aromatherapy’. Their statement is not supported by the citation provided (Guba 2001). In his article, Guba (2001) reports concerns about generalizing findings from mouse studies to humans (different metabolic processes), and findings from laboratory as opposed to clinical research (cannot describe dosing), and he highlights problems with comparing in vitro (in glass or test tube) and in vivo (in whole living organism, often in a highly controlled environment) research. Guba does not dismiss safety concerns or valuable scientific research.
The authors also say “Some aromatherapists advise their patients to ingest EOs in addition to topical application”, citing Denise Tiran (1996). This is another case of misrepresenting the work of others. Tiran does not promote the idea of ingestion. Tiran cites two articles in which ingestion of essential oils occurred. Neither article presents details of ingestion recommended by an aromatherapist. The first is a case report of accidental eucalyptus oil poisoning and a review of the literature describing the oil as a poison (Gurr & Scroggie 1965). The second is a case series of accidental ingestion of citronella oil (Temple et al, 1991).
The aims of this SR are not clear, and the results do not answer these unclear aims in relation to practitioners, patients, and aromatherapy.
There were many opportunities, even in 2012, for the authors to delve into the issues presented in the case studies, for example, highlighting concerns about blanket promotion of ingesting essential oils for ‘healthy digestion and internal organ function’ or to ‘reduce anxious feelings’ (Monroe, 2017), or explaining why applying essential oils without clinical guidance can be problematic. There is also the concern, first raised by Denise Tiran (1996) regarding the extension of clinical practice of health professionals, who lack adequate training. In other words, there is a concern about medical professionals who are practicing outside the scope of their own practice. This was also a perfect opportunity to refer readers to the importance of safe storage of essential oils to limit the effects of oxidation, and the potential for harm (Tisserand and Young, 2014 pp 10-11). None of these opportunities were explored.
The authors of the SR have rightly highlighted the common misconception that anything natural is regarded as safe. The findings do support the concerns of practicing aromatherapists that the use of essential oils without clinical consultation or based on questionable advice from unqualified aromatherapists/practitioners or even talk radio programs is potentially dangerous. That essential oils can be dangerous is not disputed. However, the article under review contains methodological flaws, inconsistencies, and misleading statements which make the conclusions unreliable. The authors have excluded data from clinical trials and have failed to distinguish between the therapeutic and cosmetic use of essential oils.
The lack of a research question, failure to adhere to the criteria set for the study, and exclusion of clinical trials makes it difficult to apply the findings to any mode of practice or population, and for any specific complaint. Highlighting random – and in some cases, rare – adverse events offers very little guidance for practitioners or consumers. This is not a systematic review; it is at best a narrative summary of adverse events as presented in single case studies, or case series, most of which have limited relevance to the practice of aromatherapy. At worst it is an example of bias aided and abetted by sloppy science.
Amstar 2 assesment of the Posadzki et al article, showing that it does not meet the criteria for a systematic review. For full assessment, click the image.
Tisserand R, Young R (2014) Essential oil composition in: Essential oil safety – a guide for health care professionals 2nd edition. Elsevier, Edinburgh.
Tamara Agnew holds a PhD from the University of South Australia following her study on the effect of essential oils and aromatherapy on the physical and psychosocial symptoms of acne vulgaris. She is a lecturer at the University where she teaches research methods, Global National Health and First People’s Health, and she is a Research Associate at Flinders University in the Digital Health Research Centre. Tamara has developed expertise in conducting systematic reviews, clinical trials and psychometric evaluations. Tamara holds a first class honours degree from Edinburgh Napier University where she studied Complementary Healthcare (Aromatherapy). Tamara has published in multiple scientific journals and has contributed to an aromatherapy textbook, authored by Jennifer Peace Rhind. She has also reviewed articles for several journals. She is passionate about aromatherapy, integrative health care, ageing, and she has a particular interest in building the evidence base in these fields.
Christine has a PhD in Microbiology and has been investigating the biological effects of natural products, including Melaleuca alternifolia (tea tree) essential oil, for over 20 years. She has published over 50 papers in the field and is interested in the antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory and other potentially useful medicinal properties of natural products, particularly plant-derived compounds, as well as the safety and toxicity associated with their use. Christine has a broader interest in other natural products and their potential use in human health. She is a Research Associate at the University of Western Australia and the Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research.
Excellent breakdown and thorough analysis. Thank you! | 2019-04-24T12:56:26Z | https://tisserandinstitute.org/sloppy-science-adverse-effects/ |
Learn more about Detroit, Michigan using the City Guide below. Plan a trip, find local shopping centers, or just discover what makes Detroit, Michigan so great!
Detroit, a major metropolis in the state of Michigan, has significantly influenced the world, from the advent of the automotive assembly line, to the Motown sound, to Detroit techno, Detroit continues to shape American and global culture. The Detroit area is bustling with new developments and attractions which complement its world class museums and theaters. Metro Detroit offers myriad things to see and do, an exciting travel destination filled with technological advance and historic charm.
Detroit and the surrounding suburbs provide spectacular views and a dynamic nightlife. Detroit is the largest city and metro region to offer casino resorts. The four major casino resorts include MGM Grand Detroit, Greektown, Motor City, and Caesars Windsor which is just across the river. Downtown Detroit serves as the cultural and entertainment hub of the metropolitan region, Windsor, Ontario, and even for Toledo, Ohio residents, many of whom work in metropolitan Detroit. The Detroit-Windsor metro area population totals over 5.9 million; it jumps to 6.5 million if Toledo is included. An estimated 46 million people live within a 300 mile radius of Detroit. While there's plenty to do in Detroit, it's not along the lines of a Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, etc, in terms of being a tourist destination. The city's northern inner ring suburbs like Dearborn, Southfield, Royal Oak, and Birmingham provide an urban experience in the suburbs complete with dining, shopping and other attractions. Detroit has many regal mansions especially in Grosse Pointe, Bloomfield Hills, and Birmingham. Troy and Livonia provide the best of American suburbia while Ann Arbor provides the nearby experience of a world renowned college town.
Metropolitan Detroit is an international destination for sporting events of all types; patrons enjoy their experience in world class venues. The Detroit Convention and Visitors bureau maintains the Detroit Metro Sports Commission. The city and region have state of the art facilities for major conferences and conventions.
Detroit is known as the world's "Automobile Capital" and "Motown" (for "Motor Town"), the city where Henry Ford pioneered the automotive assembly line, with the world's first mass produced car, the Model T. During World War II, President Franklin Roosevelt called Detroit, the "Arsenal of Democracy." Today, the region serves as the global center for the automotive world. Headquartered in metro Detroit, General Motors, Ford, and Chrysler all have major corporate, manufacturing, engineering, design, and research facilities in the area. Hyundai, Toyota, Nissan, among others, have a presence in the region. The University of Michigan in Ann Arbor is a global leader in research and development. Metro Detroit has made Michigan's economy a leader in information technology, life sciences, and advanced manufacturing. Michigan ranks 4th nationally in high tech employment with 568,000 high tech workers, including 70,000 in the automotive industry. Michigan typically ranks among the top 3 states for overall Research & Development investment expenditures in the U.S. The domestic Auto Industry accounts directly and indirectly for one of every ten jobs in the U.S.
Downtown Detroit is unique -- an International Riverfront, ornate buildings, one of the nation's largest collection of pre-depression era skyscrapers, and the nation's third largest theater district. Many historic buildings have been converted into loft apartments, and over 60 new businesses have opened in the Central Business District over the past two years. Surrounding neighborhoods such as Corktown, home to Detroit's early Irish population, New Center,Midtown, and Eastern Market (the nation's largest open air market), are experiencing a revival. Detroit has a rich architectural heritage, from the restoration of the historic Book-Cadillac Hotel downtown to the Westin Detroit Hotel surrounded by the golden towers of the ulta-contemporary Southfield Town Center. Nearby, explore Somerset Collection in Troy, Metro Detroit's premier shopping mall with an award winning skywalk. Downtown Detroit features the Renaissance Center, including the tallest hotel in the Western Hemisphere, the Detroit Marriott, with the largest rooftop restaurant, the Coach Insignia. In 2005, Detroit's architecture was heralded as some of America's finest; many of the city's architecturally significant buildings are listed by the National Trust for Historic Preservation as among America's most endangered landmarks.
Detroit Metro Airport (DTW) - This is the largest airport in the area and located in Romulus, about 20 minutes west of the city proper located at the junction between I-275 and I-94. It is a Northwest hub and features the recently opened McNamara Terminal.
Several interstates converge in downtown Detroit. I-75 North/South runs from Toledo, Ohio up through to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. I-94 East/West comes from Chicago, Illinois and continues up to Sarnia. I-96 East/West heads to Lansing, Michigan. I-696 runs along the northern edge of the city, connecting the eastern suburbs (e.g. St. Clair Shores) to Southfield.
All of the interstates have gone through major overhauls in preparation for Detroit hosting the 2006 National Football League Super Bowl XL. Prior to this, the highways were in poor condition, but since 2004, the road conditions has improved.
As with any major city, traffic during rush hour can make travel really slow. This is especially aggravated during shift changes at the local automotive plants.
For smaller streets, the Detroit area is laid out in both grid and wheel-and-spoke configuration. This was due to first French development (wheel and spoke), followed by British development (grid). Mile roads run east-west, starting at downtown Detroit and increasing as you travel north. These mile roads may change name in different cities, so pay attention. There are also several spoke roads, including Woodward Ave, Michigan Ave, Gratiot Ave, and Grand River Ave.
Automobiles are virtually a necessity for travel in the Detroit area. Public transportation is practically non-existent when compared to other metropolitan areas of similar size.
Amtrak Train station is located at 11 W. Baltimore at the corner of Woodward Ave., Detroit.
Detroit suburbs spread over a large area, and getting around may prove to be difficult without a car. Nonetheless, an extensive highway system and ample parking make the region one of the most auto-friendly in North America.
Driving in Detroit can be confusing, especially downtown. The street plan of downtown Detroit, designed by Judge Augustus Woodward in the early 1800's, is patterned after Washington, D.C. and abandons the traditional grid design that dominates most American cities. Detroit has one of America's most modern freeway systems. See the Michigan Department of Transportation website for a current listing of downtown road closures and construction projects. The Detroit Department of Transportation also has a website.
Detroit has an abundance of taxi, limo, and shuttle services. Car rental prices are reasonable. Ask your auto insurance agent for a complementary Canadian insurance ID card, if you plan to drive to Windsor. When buying extra rental car insurance, you can ask for coverage to drive in Windsor.
SMART bus (Suburban Mobility Authority for Regional Transportation) provides a large number of transportation options.
In downtown, you can hop on the People Mover, an elevated rail system that runs a three mile loop between center-city attractions. Detroit Trolley travels along Jefferson Avenue and Washington Boulevard.
Transit Windsor travels back and forth through the tunnel with selected stops, call (519)944-4111 for fares. Some downtown hotels may offer shuttles to Windsor.
Detroit's historic mansions, neighborhoods, landmarks, and tours are too numerous to list.
Berry Gordy House West Boston Boulevard at Third Avenue in the Boston-Edison neighborhood, Detroit.
Cranbrook House and Gardens 39221 Woodward Ave., Bloomfield Hills. Public tours. Cranbrook House is part of the Cranbrook Kingswood Educational Community. The house belonged to the Booth Family, who founded the Cranbrook and Kingswood schools in the early 1900s. The house is currently used as an administrative office for the school. The gardens are extensive and open all year.
David Whitney House, 4421 Woodward Ave., Detroit. Now a fine restaurant.
Edsel & Eleanor Ford House 1100 Lakeshore Dr., Grosse Pointe. Public tours.
Grosse Pointe Historical Society Historic sites and homes.
Grosse Pointe War Memorial, (Russell Alger Mansion) 32 Lake Shore Dr., Grosse Pointe Farms. Public tours.
Henry Ford Estate Dearborn. Often referred to as "Fairlane." Public tours.
Colonel Frank Hecker House, 5510 Woodward Ave., Detroit. Offices.
Meadow Brook Hall Rochester. Dodge House, located near Oakland University. Public tours.
Lawrence P. Fisher Mansion 383 Lenox Ave., Detroit. Public tours.
Palmer Woods Historic District A private historic neighborhood in the city of Detroit west of Woodward Ave. and north of Palmer Park.
S.S Kresge House 70 West Boston Boulevard, Detroit.
Belle Isle the nation's largest island park with 983 acres designed by Frederick Olmstead, the beautiful James Scott Fountain designed by Cass Gilbert, the world's largest marble light house, a public beach, waterslide, playgrounds, tennis courts, sports fields, a 9 hole golf course and picnic areas. The Belle Isle Conservatory, the nation's oldest, houses one of the largest orchid collections, originally donated by Anna Scripps, who had saved the orchid species from the bombing of Britain during World War II. Belle Isle was used as a staging area by U.S. troops prior to Iwo Jima during World War II.
Cadillac Place State offices across from the Fisher Building in the historic New Center.
Country Club of Detroit 220 Country Club Dr., Grosse Pointe. Founded in 1897.
Detroit International Riverfront Walk along the Riverwalk.
Detroit Athletic Club 241 Madison Ave., Detroit. Private club.
Detroit Zoo Royal Oak. Recognized as one of the top zoos in the nation, ride the train, walk through arctic ring of wildlife. This is a "must see."
Fisher BuildingDetroit. Famous, beautiful lobby, a "must see" for architecture buffs.
Guardian Building Detroit. Famous for its beautiful lobby, it was used as headquarters for production during World War II.
Grosse Pointe Yacht Club Lake Shore Dr., Grosse Pointe.
Hart Plaza Site of the Dodge Fountain, Joe Louis Fist, and the Dock of Detroit.
James Scott Fountain Belle Isle.
Matthai Botanical Gardens, 1800 Dixboro Road, Ann Arbor.
Michigan Central Station Awaiting restoration.
Monuments of the City of Detroit, including Marshall Fredericks "The Spirit of Detroit" in front of the City-County Building, and the Soldier's and Sailor's Monument of the Civil War in Campus Martius Park.
NextEnergy Center 461 Burroughs, Detroit. A center to develop hydrogen fuel cells and energy alternatives at Wayne State University's Tech Town.
Old Mariner's Church of Detroit 170 E. Jefferson. The city's oldest gothic stone church.
St. Anne de Detroit 1000 St. Anne St. The 2nd oldest parish in the U.S.
St. John's Episcopal Church I-75 & Woodward Ave., next to Comerica Park. Built in 1860.
Tri-centennial State Park & Harbor, the first urban state park.
Wayne County Building 600 Randolph St. Detroit. America's finest example of Roman Baroque architecture, built from 1896-1902. Restored.
Automotive Hall of Fame Dearborn. Next to Henry Ford Museum and Greenfield Village.
Cranbrook Bloomfield Hills. Art Museum, Science Center, House & Gardens, 300 acre campus, and School.
Charles Wright Museum of African American History 315 E Warren, Detroit. Next to the Detroit Institute of Arts.
Detroit Institute of Arts 5200 Woodward Avenue, 313-833-7900 CLOSED Monday and Tuesday, 10 a.m.–4 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday, 10 a.m.–9 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Currently offering free admission. Designed by Cass Gilbert. One of the top ranked art collections in America, this is a "must see." The DIA will be closed for renovations from May 28, 2007 until November 2007.
Detroit Historical Museum 5401 Woodward Ave., Detroit.
Detroit Public Library 5201 Woodward Ave., Detroit. Beautiful, designed by Cass Gilbert.
Detroit Science Center & IMAX Theater 5020 John R., Detroit. Next to the Detroit Institute of Arts.
Dossin Great Lakes Museum100 Strand, Belle Isle.
GM World Automotive display inside the Renaissance Center. Detroit.
The Henry Ford(Henry Ford Museum & Greenfield Village with an IMAX Theater) Dearborn-- This is a "must see". A massive historical and entertainment complex, a leading attraction with a keen focus on innovations. Highlights include: Lincoln's chair, Rosa Park's bus, JFK's limos, original historic structures, nice shops, great food, and, not surprisingly, a spectacular history of the automobile collection that is a football field long. Visitors may have many entertaining experiences such as mini-shows, music, parades, train rides, and Model T rides.
Motown Historical Museum, Hitsville USA, 2648 West Grand Boulevard, 875-2264 ([email protected]). Tu-Sa 10AM-6PM. The Motown Museum preserves the legacy of Motown Records, the record label that put Detroit on the world's music map. Located in label founder Berry Gordy, Jr.'s old home, the museum is hard to miss: Gordy's "Hitsville, USA" sign is still over the front door. $8.
Motorsports Museum & Hall of Fame of America Novi.
Pewabic Pottery Museum10125 E. Jefferson Ave., Detroit. Phone: (313) 822-0954.
Rearview Mirror from the Detroit News History of Detroit online.
Selfridge Military Air Museum Selfridge Air National Guard Base, Mt. Clemens.
Underground Railroad at the First Congregational Church of Detroit, 33 E. Forest at Woodward Ave. Phone: (313) 831-4080.
Baker's Keyboard Lounge The world's oldest jazz club.
Bonstelle Theater Wayne State University, Detroit.
The City Theater 2301 Woodward Ave., Detroit.
Detroit Film Theater 5200 Woodward Ave., Detroit. Inside the Detroit Institute of Arts.
Detroit Opera House 1526 Broadway, Detroit. Beautifully decorated old concert hall. Home of the Michigan Opera Theater.
Detroit Ochestra Hall Part of the recently renovated/built Max M. Fisher Music Center. Home of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra and Detroit Symphony Civic Ensembles.
Detroit Repertory Theatre 3103 Woodrow Wilson, Detroit. Phone (313) 868-1347.
DTE Music Theater Sashabaw Rd., Clarkston. Formerly known as Pine Knob.
Fisher Theater 3011 W. Grand Blvd., #F100, Detroit. The lobby is a "must see."
Fox Theater 2211 Woodward Ave., Detroit. A performance at the 5,000 seat Fox is a "must see."
Ford Community and Performing Arts Center Dearborn.
Gem and Century Theater 333 Madison Ave., Detroit.
Masonic Theater 500 Temple Ave., Detroit.
Music Hall Center For The Performing Arts 250 Madison Ave., Detroit. Phone (313) 963-2366.
Plowshares Theater Detroit. Inside Charles Wright Museum of African American History.
State Theater 2115 Woodward Ave., Detroit.
"Big House"Ann Arbor. University of Michigan Stadium.
Casino Windsor 100,000 sq. ft of meeting space, and a 5000 seat entertainment center.
Cobo Hall Convention Center Detroit's premier convention and exhibit facility with 700,000 sq. ft. of exhibition space, home to the North American International Auto Show in January.
Cobo Arena Detroit. Various events.
Comerica Park Home of the MLB Detroit Tigers, a fabulous experience.
Detroit Marriott at the Renaissance Center 100,000 sq ft of meeting space.
Ford Field Home of the NFL Detroit Lions.
Greektown Casino Hotel 25,000 sq. ft. of meeting space, opening 2008.
Hyatt Regency Dearborn 62,000 sq. ft. of meeting space.
Joe Louis Arena Home of the NHL Detroit Red Wings.
McGregor Memorial Conference Center at WSU, 495 Ferry Mall, Detroit. (313) 577-2400.
Michigan State Fair Grounds & Exposition Center, 1120 W. State Fair Ave., Detroit.
MGM Grand Detroit Casino Hotel Large conferences and performances, opening 2008.
Motor City Casino Hotel 67,000 square ft. of meeting space, opening 2008.
Palace of Auburn Hills Home of the NBA Detroit Pistons.
Rock Financial Show Place Novi. A state of the art exposition, conference, and banquet center with 320,000 sq ft.
Westin Detroit Metropolitan Airport 25,000 sq. ft of meeting space, conferences of up to 1000 attendees.
Westin Southfield-Detroit inside the Southfield Town Center which accomodates conferences for up to 1000 attendees.
Discover Detroit TV The Detroit travel show sponsored by the Detroit Convention & Visitor's Bureau airs weekly on Mondays at 5:30 PM on Detroit Public Television.
Detroit offers a array of events with some of the highlights listed.
Beaches, Canoeing, Kayaking, and more Metro Detroit's popular destinations include Metropolitan Beach in St. Clair Shores, Stony Creek Beach, and Kensington Beach. Detroit's Huron Clinton Metro Park sytem is a great source of fun. Enjoy canoe trips on the Huron River.
Car Racing at Flat Rock Speedway, Michigan International Speedway, Milan Dragway, and Waterford Hills Race Track.
Casinos The four major casinos include, MGM Grand Detroit, Motor City and Greektown, and Casino Windsor. Check for performances.
CityFest Detroit. A food festival sponsored by Comerica. Traditionally held around July 4th in the New Center area near the Fisher Building.
Concerts, and more Detroit is the birthplace of American electro/techno music, with Juan Atkins, Kevin Saunderson, and Derrick Mays all hailing from the area. Although other cities around the world have picked up Detroit's torch and carried it further in some ways, Detroit is still a great place to dance and see the masters at work.
Cruise Ships, the Great Lakes Cruising Coalition The Dock of Detroit receives major cruise lines on the Great Lakes. Adjacent to the Renaissance Center on Hart Plaza. Chartered tours are also available. Take a cruise.
Dave & Busters 45511 Park Avenue, Utica.(586)930-1515. Famous entertainment arcade with food and fun. (Minors need an adult, up to four minors may be accompanied by one adult).
Detroit Golf Club 17911 Hamilton Road, Detroit.(313) 345-4400.
Detroit International Jazz Festival Labor Day weekend.
Detroit's Vibrant, Underground Arts Scene Detroit is home to over 80 galleries, with artists hailing from around the world. Artists are attracted to Detroit due to its abundance of raw, under-utilized industrial space and its inspiring environment of pre-depression era buildings. Detroit's public information campaign, "The World is Coming, Get in the Game" features an online tour of this arts scene.
Detroit's Music Scene The Detroit sound is the sound of the world. It is shaped by Detroit's unique past, its cultural diversity, its energy and its future. Detroit's public information campaign, "The World is Coming, Get in the Game" features an online tour of this music scene.
Diamond Jack's River Tours Detroit.
Electronic Music Festival Memorial Day weekend.
Fash Bash A cutting edge fashiion event and fundraiser coordinated by the Detroit Institute of Arts, featuring big name celebrities, traditionally held in August.
Golf Metro Detroit has many award winning golf courses. Try Detroits Metro parks, St John's Resort in Plymouth, and more.
Horse Racing Hazel Park Raceway, Northville Downs, and Windsor Raceway.
International Freedom Festival Detroit. Begins the last week of June.
The Magic Stick/The Majestic Theater at 4120-4140 Woodward Avenue combines a show space, a theater, cafe and a bowling alley. You can get up close and personal to the bands or shoot pool while listening to live music. Highly recommended for checking out some new music whether it be local or a touring band.
Meadowbrook Concours d' Elegance Rochester. A formal occassion, traditionally held in August.
Metro Parks Huron Clinton Metro Parks.
Motown Winter Blast Held in January or February in Campus Martius park, includes ice skating, concerts, and a street party in Greektown.
North America International Auto Show Cobo Hall, Detroit. NAIAS is held in January.
Old Car Festival Antique and classic car collector's show in Greenfield Village at The Henry Ford in Dearborn the weekend after Labor Day.
Palazzo di Bocce 4291 S. Lapeer Road in Orion Township, about 40 minutes north of Downtown, is the largest and most elaborate bocce facility in the United States, and perhaps the world. You can play bocce on one of 10 indoor tournament-sized courts with court hosts and hostesses to help if you don't know the game. You can have cocktails and eat courtside while playing, or later in the restaurant, which serves authentic Italian food. Palazzo was the site of the 2005 U.S. national tournament, and hosted the 2005 Singles World Bocce Championships attended by athletes from 17 nations in September. Very popular for group events; Friday and Saturday nights are more crowded.
Sailing Races The annual Bayview Yacht club Mackinaw Island sailing race starts in Metro Detroit.
Skiing and Snowboarding in Metro Detroit Mt. Brighton Ski Area, 4141 Bauer Rd., Brighton, MI. Near I-96 & M-23 in Metro Detroit. See also, Alpine Valley ski area, Apple Mountain Ski Resort, Baki Maountain Cross Country Ski Trails, Mt. Holly ski area, Pine Knob ski area.
Skiing, Mt. Brighton and Mt. Holly in metropolitan Detroit feature downhill skiing.
Spirit of Detroit Thunderfest Hydoplane races on the Detroit River. Mid-July.
Waterparks, including Belle Isle Waterslide, Waterford Oaks, Red Oaks, Four Bears Water Park & Entertainment Complex.
Woodward Dream Cruise A car fanatic's paradise, this is an informal drive along Woodward Avenue from Ferndale to Pontiac, where anything imaginable can be seen, from Vipers to vintage cruisers to tricked-out garbage trucks. Happens every August at the height of summer.
Located in Ann Arbor, about 45 miles west of Detroit, the University of Michigan ranks as one of America's best. Former alumni include President Gerald Ford and Google co-founder Larry Page. Others include Wayne State University (alumni include legendary White House Correspondent Helen Thomas and comedian/actress Lily Tomlin), University of Detroit-Mercy, Lawrence Technological University, Oakland University, Eastern Michigan University, Marygrove College, and College for Creative Studies.
Some of the major companies which have headquarters or a significant presence in the metro Detroit include GM, Ford, Chrysler, Volkswagen of America, Comerica, Rock Financial/Quicken Loans, Kelly Services, Borders Group, Dominos, American Axle, DTE Energy, Compuware, Covansys, TRW, BorgWarner, ArvinMeritor, United Auto Group, Pulte Homes, Taubman Centers, Guardian Glass, Lear Seating, Masco, General Dynamics Land Systems, EDS, Microsoft, IBM, Google, Verizon, National City Bank, Northwest Airlines, and Raymond James, Coopers & Lybrand, Ermst & Young, and more.
Briarwood Mall Ann Arbor. Take I-94 exit 177 State Street.
Downtown Birmingham Old Woodward. Lots of Boutiques.
Edsel & Eleanor Ford House 1100 Lakeshore Dr., Grosse Pointe. House tours and Gift Shop.
Great Lakes Crossing Mall 4000 Baldwin Rd., Auburn Hils. Massive indoor outlet mall, popular.
Henry Ford Museum and Greenfield Village Dearborn. Gift shops with wonderful souvenirs.
John K. King Books,901 W. Lafayette, 313-961-0622 One of the best used bookstores in America with over 500,000 books in stock.
Lakeside Mall Sterling Heights. Large suburban shopping mall with 180 stores.
Laurel Park Place 37700 West 6 Mile Road, Livonia. Nice mall, 70 stores connected to the Livonia Marriott.
Oakland Mall On 14 Mile, just off of I-75.
Olde World Canterbury Village 2369 Joslyn Ct. Lake Orion. Near Auburn Hills. Specialty items, Christmas collectables, restaurant.
Pure Detroit Detroit. Detroit Souvenirs. Stores inside the Renaissance Center, the Fisher Building, and the Guardian Building.
Riverfront Shops Detroit. Inside the GM Renaissance Center Winter Garden.
Somerset Collection Mall 2800 W. Big Beaver, Troy. I-75 & Big Beaver exit 69. Exclusive shopping in one of America's finest malls. More than 180 stores, very large, two upscale malls connected by a 700 foot moving skywalk. Fine restaurants and a wonderful food court. A "must see" for tourists.
The Village, downtown Grosse Pointe Kercheval between Cadieux and Neff, Grosse Pointe.
Twelve Oaks Mall 27500 Novi Rd. Novi. I-96 Exit 162. Large suburban shopping mall with 180 stores.
Explore Detroit's Greektown, with its Greek restaurants and shops surrounding the Greektown Casino. Detroit is home to many American classics including the Coney Island Hotdog, Saunders Bumpy Cakes, Dominos Pizza, Little Caesars Pizza, Better Made Potatoe Chips, and Vernor's Ginger Ale. (Vernor's Ginger Ale shares the distinction as America's oldest soft drink with Hire's Root Beer).
American Coney Island 114 W. Lafayette. Detroit. (Hotdogs and Chili). Also, Coney Town in the Renaissance Center.
Andiamo Italia (10 locations) 7096 E. 14 Mile Rd., Warren. Andiamo Celebrity Showroom.
Andiamo Lake Front Bistro 24026 Jefferson Ave., St. Clair Shores.
Andiamo Riverfront Detroit. Inside the Renaissance Center.
Andiamo Trattoria 20930 Mack Ave., Grosse Pointe Woods.
Benito's Pizza - (19 locations), 1700 Rochester Rd., Royal Oak.
Bon Vie Troy. Inside Somerset Collection mall. French-American cuisine.
Brio Tuscan Grille Troy. Inside Somerset Collection mall.
Buddy's Pizza (7 locations) 22148 Michigan Ave., Dearborn. Excellent square deep dish pizza. Voted the best pizza in Detroit several times.
Capital Grille Troy. Inside Somerset Collection mall.
Carl's Chop House 3020 Grand River, Detroit.
Coach Insignia Detroit. +1 313 567-2622. Top floor of the Renaissance Center. Fine dining.
Cuisine Restaurant (French). 670 Lothrop, Detroit. New Center area, behind the Fisher Theatre.
Greektown Detroit. Several excellent Greek restaurants. For a bustling environment, try Hellas. For something more intimate, but with amazing food, try Cyprus Taverna. Also try the various bakeries in Greektown. The Astoria Pastry Shop in Greektown has some of the best desserts in town.
Guilio & Son's Restaurant Dearborn. At the Hyatt Regency Hotel.
Hard Rock Cafe Detroit. On Campus Martius downtown.
Hunter House Hamburgers 351 Gratiot Ave. Detoit and 35075 Woodward Ave. Birmingham. Both have the same great burgers. The one in Birmingham has an old American diner feel and you can sit by the window and watch the cars drive by on Woodward Ave.
The Hill - Seafood and Chop House - 123 Kercheval Ave., Grosse Pointe Farms, +1 313 886-8101. Fine dining.
Hockey Town Cafe Detroit. Across from Comerica Park. This restaurant doubles as a museum with Detroit Red Wings history and memorabilia as well as Tigers memorabilia and motorcycles.
J. Alexander's Troy. Inside Somerset Collection mall. Try the chocolate cake.
Lafayette Coney Island W. Lafayette. Detroit. (Hotdogs and Chili). Bitter rival of the American Coney Island stand right next door.
Morton's the Steakhouse One Towne Square. Southfield-Detroit.
Mushashi International Southfield. Inside Southfield Town Center. Japanese cuisine. Also serves lunch during the week inside the Renaissance Center.
McCormicks & Schmicks Troy. Inside the Somerset Collection mall. Seafood.
Opus One 565 E. Larned St., Detroit. +1 313 961-7766. Fine dining. Offers theatre and sports packages.
Pita Cafe. 237 N. Old Woodward Ave in downtown Birmingham. Middle Eastern Cuisine. Try the crushed lentil soup, fresh juices, and Shwarmas.
PizzaPapalis (8 locations).553 Monroe St., Greektown-Detroit.+1 313 961-8020. Famous deep dish pizza.
Polish Village Cafe 2990 Yeamans Street in Hamtramck.+1 313 874-5726. Traditional Polish food.
Rattlesnake Club 300 Riverplace, Detroit. (313) 567-4400.
River Cafe Detroit. Inside the Renaissance Center.
Roostertail 100 Marquette Dr., Detroit. +1 313 822-1234. Enjoy waterfront entertainment.
Sala Thai 3400 Russell St in Eastern Market, located in an old fire house. Great food.
Seldom Blues Detroit. Located inside the Renaissance Center. Fine dining and Jazz.
Tango Restaurant at the Westin Southfield.
Tribute Restaurant 31425 West Twelve Mile Rd., Farmington Hills. +1 248 848-9393. Awarding winning fine dining.
Traffic Jam and Snug 511 W. Canfield St. Restaurant, Bakery, dairy and Brewery. This was one of the first brew pubs in Michigan.
Union Street 4145 Woodward Ave. Very good food, great drinks. Right on Woodward, less than 1 mile from downtown.
Valentino's Pizza. 31200 5 Mile Rd. Livonia.
Whitney House Restaurant 4421 Woodward Ave. Detroit. Formal dress, very expensive.
Vernor's Ginger Ale, created by Detroit pharmacist James Vernor, shares the distinction as America's oldest softdrink with Hire's Rootbear. A local favorite, Detroiters pour Vernor's over ice cream. Also try Faygo soft drinks, another former Detroit based soft drink company. Detroiters enjoy Michigan Wines. A family of GM heritage, the Fisher family Coach Wines are served at the Coach Insignia Restaurant atop the GM Renaissance Center.
AmeriSuites Detroit/AuburnHills. 1545 North Opdyke Road. Tel: +1 248 475-9393. Fax:+1 248 475-9399 . Located 25 miles northeast of Detroit, this hotel is the closest hotel to the Palace of Auburn Hills, DTE Music Theater, Meadowbrook Theater and Great Lakes Crossing Outlet Mall.
AmeriSuites Detroit/Livonia 19300 Haggerty Road Tel:+1 734 953-9224. Easily accessible from Detroit Metropolitan International Airport and downtown Detroit. Swimming pool, fitness center, continental breakfast, Wi-Fi.
AmeriSuites Detroit/Utica 45400 Park Ave Tel:+1 586 803-0100. Located on Macomb County`s "Million-Dollar Mile."
Comfort Inn Downtown Detroit Hotel. 1999 E. Jefferson Ave. Tel: +1 313 567-8888. Fax: +1 313 567-5842. On Jefferson Avenue - approximately 1/2 mile east of the Renaissance Center and 1 mile from the Cobo Conference Center, Joe Louis Arena, among other downtown attractions of Detroit, Comerica Park (Tigers Baseball) and the new Ford Field (Lions Football) are only 2.5 miles from the hotel.
Courtyard Inn by Marriott, 31525 W 12 Mile Rd. Farmington Hills.
Courtyard Inn by Marriott, 5200 Mercury Dr., Dearborn.
Courtyard Inn by Marriott Detroit-Southfield. 27027 Northwestern Highway, Southfield. Centrally located near I-696 and M-10.
Courtyard Inn by Marriott. 17200 N Laurel Park Dr, Livonia. Near Laurel Park Place Mall.
Econo Lodge Detroit Hotel. 17729 Telegraph Road. Tel: +1 313 531-2550. Fax: +1 313 531-5148. Minutes away from local restaurants, as well as shopping, businesses and the Detroit area attractions.
Holiday Inn Southgate 17201 Northline Rd., Southgate. Large indoor swimming pool. Family oriented.
Holiday Resort Hotel - Southfield. 26555 Telegraph Rd., Southfield. Convenient to downtown Detoit and the airport with 11,464 sq ft of meeting space. Indoor pool.
Marriott Residence Inn. 26700 Central Park Blvd, Southfield.
Courtyard Inn by Marriott. 333 East Jefferson Ave., Detroit. Prime downtown location, across from the Renaissance Center. Well appointed, full service hotel. Indoor pool, fitness center, restaurants, lounges, and meeting rooms.
Clarion Barcelo Romulus Detroit Hotel. 8600 Merriman Road. Tel: (734) 728-7900. Fax: (734) 728-6518. Near Detroit Metropolitan Airport off the Merriman Road exit (#198) on I-94. The Ford and GM World Headquarters are just minutes away. Nearby enjoy Henry Ford Museum, Greenfield Village, downtown Detroit, shopping malls, the University of Michigan, Greektown, the MGM Grand and other casinos.
Crowne Plaza Hotel Detroit Metropolitan Airport. 8000 Meriman Rd., Romulus. Well appointed. Full service hotel.
Crowne Plaza Hotel. 27000 Sheraton Dr., Novi. Next to Twelve Oaks Mall. Well appointed. Full service Hotel.
Detroit Marriott Livonia 17100 Laurel Park Drive North, Livonia. Suburban hotel connected to Laurel Park Place Mall. Well appointed. Convenient to Metropolitan Airport, Ann Arbor, and downtown Detroit. Near I-275 & 6 Mile Rd. Indoor pool, fitness center, restaurants, full service hotel.
Embassy Suites Hotel Livonia. Well apponted. Full service hotel.
Fort Shelby Hotel and Conference Center Doubltree. 525 West Lafayette Blvd., Detroit. Historic hotel, opening 2009.
Hilton Garden Inn Detroit Downtown Near stadiums, Greektown, restaurants.
Holiday Inn Select - Auburn Hills. 1500 Opdyke Rd., Auburn Hills. Well apponted. Near the Palace of Auburn Hills, restaurants, lounges, ballroom, indoor pool, fitness center, full service hotel.
Hotel Baronette. 27790 Novi Rd., Novi. Next to Twelve Oaks Mall. Well appointed. Indoor swimming pool, restaurants, full service hotel.
Sheraton Detroit Riverside Hotel. 2 Washington Blvd., Detroit. Contemporary French elegance with fine restaurants. Located between Cobo Hall Convention Center and GM World Headquarters, nearby are Greektown, casinos, museums, Windsor, Ontario and area attractions. Guests have included George H.W. Bush.
Ann Arbor Marriott Ypsilanti at Eagle Crest 1275 S Huron Street, Ypsilanti with 30,000 sq ft. of meeting space, championship golf, and a view of Ford Lake.
The Atheneum Suite Hotel 1000 Brush Avenue, Detroit. +1 313 962-2323. Luxury hotel, stunning Greco-Roman contemporary in the heart of downtown's Greektown, near stadiums, accomodates large conferences.
Caesars Windsor Casino & Resort Windsor, Ontario. Contempoary luxury resort hotel with spectacular views of the Detroit skyline, 100,000 sq. ft of meeting space and a 5000 seat performance center.
Dearborn Inn Marriott. 20301 Oakwook Blvd., Dearborn. Historic luxury hotel, steeped in colonial elegance with fine restaurants and buffets. Across from Henry Ford Museum and Greenfield Village, Ford World Headquarters, minutes from GM World Headquarters, downtown Detroit, and shopping malls. 15 minutes from Detroit Metropolitan Airport.
Detroit Marriott at the Renaissance Center Contemporary luxury hotel, overlooks the spectacular International Riverfront with many restaurants including Coach Insignia rooftop restaurant, shops, and 100,000 sq. ft. of meeting space. This is the tallest hotel in the Western Hemisphere, a world class facility. Near Cobo Hall Convention Center, cruise ship dock, stadiums, Greektown, casinos, museums, Windsor, and area attractions. Guests have included Ronald Reagan.
Dobson House Bed & Breakfast 1439 Bagley Ave., Detroit. +1 313 965-1887.
Greektown Casino & Resort. Detroit. Luxury resort hotel with 25,000 sq. ft. of meeting space, (2008).
Hotel St. Regis Detroit Luxury hotel in stately European styled elegance, and fine restaurant, intimate setting, La Musique - cajun steakhouse, private fitness center, and 10,000 sq. ft. of meeting space in the historic New Center area with Cadillac Place, adjoins the beautiful Fisher Theatre featuring Broadway shows, behind is Cuisine (French) Restaurant. Nearby are Ford Hospital, Wayne State University, Motor City Casino, and downtown.
Hyatt Regency 600 Town Center Dr., Dearborn. Stunning contemporary luxury hotel with fine dining, rooftop restaurant, and 62,000 sq. ft. of meeting space near Henry Ford Museum and Greenfield Village, Ford Headquarters, GM Headquarters, downtown Detroit, and shopping malls. A world class hotel with 772 rooms. 10 to 15 minutes from Detroit Metropolitan Airport.
Inn at 97 Winder. 97 Winder St., Detroit. Elegant Victorian mansion in downtown just two blocks from Comerica Park.
Inn at Ferry Street Detroit. A collection of luxurious Victorian bed & breakfasts lining Ferry St. in a historic district downtown. Adjacent to the world renowned Detroit Institute of Arts.
Inn at St. Johns 44045 Five Mile Rd., Plymouth. Luxury resort with a championship golf course, intimate setting in the suburbs.
Les Soeur Maison 2449 W. Grand Blvd., Detroit. +1 313 895-7814. Luxurious 1900's Victorian mansion, a bed & breakfast.
Motor City Casino & Resort, Grand River, Detroit. Luxury resort hotel with 67,000 sq. ft. of meeting space, (2008). +1 877 777-0711.
MGM Grand Detroit Casino & Resort. Luxury resort hotel (2007).
Omni Detroit Hotel at Riverplace 1000 Riverplace, Detroit. Historic luxury hotel with fine restaurants, spectacular waterfront location, intimate setting, 8000 sq. ft. of meeting space. Near GM World Headquarters, Greektown, casinos, and Windsor, Ontario.
Royal Park Hotel Rochester. Luxury hotel, rich colonial elegance in the suburbs with fine dining and over 10,000 sq. ft. of meeting space.
Somerset Inn Troy. I-75 and Big Beaver Rd. Contemporary hotel, boutique style, across from the upscale Somerset Collection mall, restaurants, and golf, near Birmingham. The Somerset Collection mall is one of America's finest malls, its two upscale malls joined by a 700 moving concourse, with fine restaurants and a wonderful food court.
Townsend HotelBirmingham. Luxury hotel, intercontinental elegance with fine restaurants, award winning, intimate setting, nestled in the beautiful Detroit suburb of Birmingham. Nearby are Somerset Collection Mall, Birmingham shops, and area attractions.
Ritz Carlton Dearborn. Luxury hotel with fine restaurants. Nearby are the Henry Ford Museum and Greenfield Village, downtown Detroit, and shopping malls. Beautiful hotel.
Westin Book-Cadillac Hotel, 1114 Washington Blvd., Detroit. The city's historic flagship luxury hotel, European elegance, world-class. Guests have included Presidents Herbert Hoover, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Harry S. Truman, Dwight D. Eisenhower, John F. Kennedy, and many celebrities. Opening in 2008.
Westin Detroit Metropolitan Airport Luxury hotel inside the airport with 25,000 sq. ft of meeting space.
Westin Southfield-Detroit 1500 Town Center, Southfield. Luxury hotel, stunning contemporary with fine restaurants and an enclosed atrium, hosts conferences for up to 1,000 attendees. 15 to 20 minutes from the Detroit Metropolitan Airport. Centrally located, minutes from downtown Detroit, Dearborn, and the suburbs. Near suburban shopping malls and the Detroit Zoo in Royal Oak. Convenient for seeing the entire metro area. A world class hotel inside the Southfield Town Center, across from Lawrence Technological University. In addition to Tangos restaurant, the atrium features Mushashi International (Japanese) Restaurant.
In Detroit, like other major cities, crime tends to occur in areas where most tourists have little reason to visit. As with most urban areas, precautions should be taken when out after dark: stay in groups; do not carry large amounts of money; and avoid seedy neighborhoods.
Contrary to some people's perceptions, downtown Detroit is generally well-policed and among the safest parts of the city. Crimes can and do occur in downtown, but exercising common sense will go a long way toward keeping you and your valuables safe.
Sporting events, festivals and other large public events are always heavily policed and very safe. Sporadic crime events, mostly alcohol-related, have been reported at some of these events but they are by far the exception.
Metro Detroit has a modern freeway system that is easy to navigate. Detroit Metropolitan Airport has a conveniently attached Westin Hotel and conference center. The Airport is among the most modern in the United States with both international and domestic gates in the World Terminal. Galegroup's Hour Media LLC publishes a full color guest guide found in hotels in the metro Detroit area. Visitors may request a guest packet from the Detroit Convention and Visitors Bureau. The Convention and Visitors Bureau sponsors Discover Detroit TV which airs Mondays at 5:30 PM on Detroit Public Television. The city has ample parking garages, valet, and pay-to-park lots near major attractions. Somerset Collection Mall in Troy just at I-75 & Big Beaver Rd. offers valet parking and has a large parking garage behind Macy's and has the adjacent Somerset Inn. Laurel Park Place Mall in Livonia has an attached Marriott Hotel. The Westin Hotel at the Southfield Town Center is centrally located for those needing access to the entire metropolitan region.
Although Detroit itself provides the majority of the region's visitor attractions, the metropolitan area is large and diverse and contains many hot spots and attractions that are also well worth visiting.
Ann Arbor -- Home to the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor offers many attractions of a self-enclosed small city. A thriving downtown, lots of culture, and plenty of students.
Dearborn -- Detroit's suburb to the Southwest and home of Ford Motor Company, Dearborn, has a leading attraction, The Henry Ford (the Henry Ford Museum & Greenfield Village)a large historical and entertainment complex, and the Automotive Hall of Fame. Dearborn has the second largest Middle-Eastern population in the World, with mosques being a common sight and a wide selection of Middle-Eastern food and shopping. Detroit's public information campaign, "The World is Coming, Get in the Game" has created an online tour of Dearborn's cultural scene.
Flint -- The home of the modern labor union movement in the US. While not as tourist-friendly as Ann Arbor, Flint has a great art scene for a city of its size and is much less pretentious.
Plymouth -- With attractive downtown, the suburb is popular with local youth. Enjoy a world class golf experience at PLymouth's luxury resort, the Inn at St. John. Each year, the Plymouth Art Fair in July is well worth a visit.
Royal Oak -- Home to the Detroit Zoo, Royal Oak is a gentrified suburb outside of Detroit which boasts a night scene with exciting dining and a diverse avant-garde bar culture.
Troy -- Troy contains the magnificent Somerset Collection, one of the most upscale malls in the midwest, and even the country. Visit Nordstom, Marshall Field's, Henri Bendel, Ralph Lauren/Polo, Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue, Tiffany & Co, Barney's New York, and more than 180 other specialty shops.
Wyandotte -- The "Downriver Royal Oak" as it has been dubbed by locals, Wyandotte has a bustling, family-friendly downtown strip with mom-and-pop shopping, art galleries, a golf course, ice-cream parlor, a charming riverside park, and numerous dining opportunities. Come the third Friday of the month for free food, trolley and carriage rides, and themed fun events sponsored by local businesses. July of each year sees the Wyandotte Art Fair, one of the best in the country.
Canada -- specifically, Windsor, Ontario -- lies just across the Ambassador Bridge. Or through the Detroit-Windsor Tunnel which is located right next to the Renaissance Center (good to use if you see traffic backed up onto I-75) This is the most heavily trafficked border crossing in the world, and it's shaped Windsor more than anything else; well-maintained, walkable streets, shops and restaurants, Casino Windsor (Canada's largest), and adult entertainment. The lower drinking age (19) draws young Americans and ensures a vibrant club scene on weekends. Windsor provides great views of the Detroit skyline.
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A small error at the outset can lead to great errors in the final conclusions, as the Philosopher says in I De Caelo et Mundo cap. 5 (271b8-13), and thus, since being and essence are the things first conceived of by the intellect, as Avicenna says in Metaphysicae I, cap. 6, in order to avoid errors arising from ignorance about these two things, we should resolve the difficulties surrounding them by explaining what the terms being and essence each signify and by showing how each may be found in various things and how each is related to the logical intentions of genus, species, and difference.
Since we ought to acquire knowledge of simple things from composite ones and come to know the prior from the posterior, in instructing beginners we should begin with what is easier, and so we shall begin with the signification of being and proceed from there to the signification of essence.
As the Philosopher says in V Metaphysicae cap. 7 (1017a22-35), being has two senses. In one sense, being signifies that which is divided into the ten categories; in another sense, that which signifies the truth of propositions. The difference between these is that, in the second sense, anything can be called a being about which an affirmative proposition can be formed, even if the thing posits nothing in reality. In this way, privations and negations are called beings, as when we say that affirmation is opposed to negation, or that blindness is in the eye. But in the first sense, nothing can be called a being unless it posits something in reality, and thus in this first sense blindness and similar things are not beings.
The term essence is not taken from being in the second sense, for in this sense some things are called beings that have no essence, as is clear with privations. Rather, the term essence is taken from being in the first sense. Thus in Metaphysicae V, com. 14, the Commentator explains the cited text from Aristotle by saying that being, in the first sense, is what signifies the essence of a thing. And since, as said above, being in this sense is divided into the ten categories, essence signifies something common to all natures through which the various beings are placed in the various genera and species, as humanity is the essence of man, and so on.
Since that through which a thing is constituted in its proper genus or species is what is signified by the definition indicating what the thing is, philosophers introduced the term quiddity to mean the same as the term essence; and this is the same thing that the Philosopher frequently terms what it is to be a thing, that is, that through which something has being as a particular kind of thing. Essence is also called form, for the certitude of every thing is signified through its form, as Avicenna says in his Metaphysicae I, cap. 6. The same thing is also called nature, taking nature in the first of the four senses that Boethius distinguishes in his book De Persona et Duabus Naturis cap. 1 (PL 64, 1341B), in the sense, in other words, that nature is what we call everything that can in any way be captured by the intellect, for a thing is not intelligible except through its definition and essence. And so the Philosopher says in V Metaphysicae cap. 4 (1014b36) that every substance is a nature. But the term nature used in this way seems to signify the essence of a thing as it is ordered to the proper operation of the thing, for no thing is without its proper operation. The term quiddity, surely, is taken from the fact that this is what is signified by the definition. But the same thing is called essence because the being has existence through it and in it.
But because being is absolutely and primarily said of substances, and only secondarily and in a certain sense said of accidents, essence too is properly and truly in substances and is in accidents only in a certain way and in a certain sense. Now some substances are simple and some are composite, and essence is in both, though in the simple substances in a truer and more noble way, as these have existence in a nobler way: indeed, the simple substances are the cause of the composite ones, or at least this is true with respect to the first simple substance, which is God. But because the essences of these substances are more hidden from us, we ought to begin with the essences of composite substances, as learning is easier when we begin with the easier things.
In composite substances we find form and matter, as in man there are soul and body. We cannot say, however, that either of these is the essence of the thing. That matter alone is not the essence of the thing is clear, for it is through its essence that a thing is knowable and is placed in a species or genus. But matter is not a principle of cognition; nor is anything determined to a genus or species according to its matter but rather according to what something is in act. Nor is form alone the essence of a composite thing, however much certain people may try to assert this. From what has been said, it is clear that the essence is that which is signified by the definition of the thing. The definition of a natural substance, however, contains not only form but also matter; otherwise, the definitions of natural things and mathematical ones would not differ. Nor can it be said that matter is placed in the definition of a natural substance as something added to the essence or as some being beyond the essence of the thing, for that type of definition is more proper to accidents, which do not have a perfect essence and which include in their definitions a subject beyond their own genus. Therefore, the essence clearly comprises both matter and form.
Nor can it be said that essence signifies the relation between the matter and the form or something superadded to these, for then the essence would of necessity be an accident and extraneous to the thing, and the thing would not be known through its essence, contrary to what pertains to an essence. Through the form, surely, which is the act of the matter, the matter is made a being in act and a certain kind of thing. Thus, something that supervenes does not give to the matter existence in act simply, but rather existence in act in a certain way, just as accidents do, as when whiteness makes something actually white. Hence, when such a form is acquired, we do not say that the thing is generated simply but only in a certain way.
The only possibility, therefore, is that the term essence, used with respect to composite substances, signifies that which is composed of matter and form. This conclusion is consistent with what Boethius says in his commentary on the Categories, namely, that ousia signifies what is composite; ousia, of course, is for the Greeks what essence is for us, as Boethius himself says in his book De Persona et Duabus Naturis.[] Avicenna even says, Metaphysicae V, cap. 5, that the quiddity of a composite substance is the very composition of the form and the matter. And commenting on Book VII of Aristotle's Metaphysicae, the Commentator says, "The nature that species in generable things have is something in the middle; that is, it is composed of matter and form." Metaphysicae VII, com. 27. Moreover, reason supports this view, for the existence of a composite substance is neither form alone nor matter alone but is rather composed of these. The essence is that according to which the thing is said to exist; hence, it is right that the essence by which a thing is denominated a being is neither form alone not matter alone but both, albeit that existence of this kind is caused by the form and not by the matter. Similarly, we see that in other things that are constituted from many principles, the thing is not denominated from just one or the other of the principles but rather from that which embraces both. Thus, with respect to flavors, sweetness is caused by the action of a warm animal body digesting what is wet, and albeit that in this way warmth is the cause of the sweetness, nevertheless a body is not called sweet by reason of the warmth, but rather by reason of the flavor, which embraces both the warmth and the wetness.
But because matter is the principle of individuation, it would perhaps seem to follow that essence, which embraces in itself simultaneously both form and matter, is merely particular and not universal. From this it would follow that universals have no definitions, assuming that essence is what is signified by the definition. Thus, we must point out that matter understood in the way we have thus far understood it is not the principle of individuation; only signate matter is the principle of individuation. I call signate matter matter considered under determinate dimensions. Signate matter is not included in the definition of man as man, but signate matter would be included in the definition of Socrates if Socrates had a definition. In the definition of man, however, is included non-signate matter: in the definition of man we do not include this bone and this flesh but only bone and flesh absolutely, which are the non-signate matter of man.
Hence, the essence of man and the essence of Socrates do not differ except as the signate differs from the non-signate, and so the Commentator says, in Metaphysicae VII, com. 20, "Socrates is nothing other than animality and rationality, which are his quiddity." Similarly, the essence of a genus and the essence of a species differ as signate from non-signate, although in the case of genus and species a different mode of designation is used with respect to both. For, the designation of the individual with respect to the species is through matter determined by dimensions, while the designation of the species with respect to the genus is through the constitutive difference, which is taken from the form of the thing. This determination or designation, however, which is made in the species with respect to the genus, is not through something that exists in the essence of the species but in no way exists in the essence of the genus. On the contrary, whatever is in the species is also in the genus as undetermined. If animal were not all that man is but rather only a part of him, then animal would not be predicated of man, for no integral part is predicated of its whole.
We can see how this happens by considering how body as a part of animal differs from body as the genus of animal. In the way body is the genus of animal it cannot be an integral part of animal, and thus the term body can be accepted in several ways. Body is said to be in the genus of substance in that it has a nature such that three dimensions can be designated in the body. These three designated dimensions are the body that is in the genus of quantity. Now, it sometimes happens that what has one perfection may attain to a further perfection as well, as is clear in man, who has a sensitive nature and, further, an intellective one. Similarly, above this perfection of having a form such that three dimensions can be designated in it, there can be joined another perfection, as life or some similar thing. This term body, therefore, can signify a certain thing that has a form such that from the form there follows in the thing designatability in three dimensions and nothing more, such that, in other words, from this form no further perfection follows, but if some other thing is superadded, it is beyond the signification of body thus understood. And understood in this way, body will be an integral and material part of the animal, because in this way the soul will be beyond what is signified by the term body, and it will supervene on the body such that from these two, namely the soul and the body, the animal is constituted as from parts.
This term body can also be understood as signifying a certain thing that has a form such that three dimensions can be designated in it, whatever form this may be, and such that either from the form some further perfection can proceed or not. Understood in this way, body will be the genus of animal, for there will be understood in animal nothing that is not implicitly contained in body. Now, the soul is a form through which there can be designated in the thing three dimensions, and therefore, when we say that body is what has a form from which three dimensions can be designated in the body, we understand there is some kind of form of this type, whether soul, or lapideousness, or whatever other form. And thus the form of animal is implicitly contained in the form of body, just as body is its genus.
The relation of animal to man is the same. For if animal named just a certain thing that has a perfection such that it can sense and move by a principle existing in itself, without any other perfection, then whatever further perfection may supervene would be related to animal as a component part, and not as implicitly contained in the notion of animal; and in this way animal would not be a genus. But animal is a genus in that it signifies a certain thing from the form of which sensation and motion can proceed, whatever this form may be, whether a sensible soul only, or a soul both sensible and rational.
Therefore, the genus signifies indeterminately the whole that is in the species and does not signify matter alone. Similarly, the difference also signifies the whole and does not signify the form alone, and the definition, or even the species, signifies the whole. But these nevertheless signify the same thing in different ways. For the genus signifies the whole as a certain denomination determining that which is material in the thing without a determination of its proper form, whence the genus is taken from the matter, although it is not the matter. This is clear in the case of bodies, as we call something a body in that the thing has a perfection such that in the thing three dimensions can be designated, and this perfection is related materially to some further perfection. Conversely, the difference is like a certain denomination taken from the determined form, beyond the first conception of the form by which the matter is determined. So, when we say something is animated (that, in other words, it has a soul), this does not determine what the thing is, whether it is a body or some other thing. Hence, Avicenna says, Metaphysicae V, cap. 6, that the genus is not understood in the difference as a part of its essence but only as a being beyond its essence, even as a subject is with respect to the concept of a passion. And thus the genus is not predicated per se of the difference, as the Philosopher says in III Metaphysicae cap. 8 (998b24) and in IV Topicorum cap. 2 (122b22-26), unless perhaps as a subject is predicated of a passion. But the definition or the species comprehends both, namely, the determined matter that the term genus designates and the determined form that the term difference designates.
From this is it clear why the genus, the difference, and the species are related proportionally to the matter, the form, and the composite in nature, although they are not the same as these things. For, the genus is not the matter, though it is taken from the matter as signifying the whole; nor is the difference the form, though it is taken from the form as signifying the whole. Thus we say that man is a rational animal, but not composed of the animal and the rational in the sense that we say that man is composed of soul and body: man is said to be composed of soul and body as from two things from which a third thing is constituted different from each of the two. Man, surely, is neither body nor soul. But if man is said in some sense to be composed of the animal and the rational, it will not be as a third thing composed from these two things, but as a third concept composed from these two concepts. The concept of animal is without determination of a special form and expresses, with respect to the ultimate perfection, the nature of the thing from that which is material; the concept of the difference, rational, consists in the determination of the special form. From these two concepts are constituted the concept of the species or the definition. Thus, just as a thing constituted from other things does not have predicated of it these other things, so too a concept does not have predicated of it the concepts of which it is constituted: clearly, we do not say that the definition is either the genus or the difference.
Although the genus may signify the whole essence of the species, nevertheless there is not just one essence of the various species under one genus, for the unity of the genus proceeds from its very indetermination or undifferentiation. Nor is it the case that what is signified through the genus is numerically one nature in the various species such that to it there supervenes some other thing, which is the difference that determines it, as a form determines matter, which is numerically one. Rather, the genus signifies some form (though not determinately this one or that one), which the difference expresses determinately, the very one that is signified indeterminately through the genus. And thus the Commentator says in Metaphysicae XII, [] com. 14, that prime matter is called one by the removal of all forms, but the genus is called one through the commonality of forms signified. Hence, the indetermination, which was the cause of the unity of the genus, having been removed through the addition of the difference, the species remain essentially diverse.
Furthermore, since, as said above, the nature of the species is indeterminate with respect to the individual just as the nature of the genus is with respect to the species, and since, further, the genus, as predicated of the species, includes in its signification (although indistinctly) everything that is in the species determinately, so too does the species, as predicated of the individual, signify everything that is in the individual essentially, although it signifies this indistinctly. In this way, the essence of the species is signified by the term man, and so man is predicated of Socrates. If, however, the nature of the species is signified in such a way as to exclude designate matter, which is the principle of individuation, then the species is related to the individual as a part; and this is how the term humanity signifies, for humanity signifies that by which a man is a man. Designate matter, however, is not that by which a man is a man, and it is in no way contained among those things that make a man a man. Since, therefore, the concept of humanity includes only those things by which a man is a man, designate matter is excluded or pretermitted, and since a part is not predicated of its whole, humanity is predicated neither of man nor of Socrates. Thus Avicenna says, Metaphysicae V, cap. 5, that the quiddity of a composite thing is not the composite thing of which it is the quiddity, even though the quiddity itself is composite, as humanity, while composite, is not man. On the contrary, it must be received in something that is designate matter.
But since, as said above, the designation of the species with respect to the genus is through the form, and the designation of the individual with respect to the species is through matter, the term signifying that from which the nature of the genus is taken thus excludes the determinate form that completes the species and signifies the material part of the whole, as the body is the material part of the man. However, the term signifying that from which the nature of the species is taken, excluding designate matter, signifies the formal part. Thus, humanity is signified as a certain form, and it is said that it is the form of the whole, not, certainly, as a form superadded to the essential parts (the form and the matter), but rather as the form of a house is superadded to its integral parts; and that is better called the form which is the whole, in other words, that which embraces the form and the matter, albeit excluding those things through which the designatability of matter arises.
Therefore, the term man and the term humanity both signify the essence of man, though in diverse ways, as said above. The term man signifies the essence as a whole, in other words, insofar as the essence does not exclude designation of matter but implicitly and indistinctly contains it, in the way in which we said that the genus contains the difference. Hence, the term man is predicated of individuals. But the term humanity signifies the essence of man as a part because it contains in its signification only what belongs to man insofar as he is man, and it excludes all designation, and so it is not predicated of individual men. And for this reason the term essence is sometimes found predicated of the thing, as when we say that Socrates is a certain essence; and sometimes the term essence is denied of the thing, as when we say that the essence of Socrates is not Socrates.
Having seen what the term essence signifies in composite substances, we ought next see in what way essence is related to the logical intentions of genus, species, and difference. Since that to which the intentions of genus or species or difference is appropriate is predicated of this signate singular, it is impossible that a universal intention, like that of the species or genus, should be appropriate to the essence if the genus or species is signified as a part, as in the term humanity or animality. Thus, Avicenna says, Metaphysicae V, cap. 6, that rationality is not the difference but the principle of the difference. For the same reason, humanity is not a species, and animality is not a genus. Similarly, we cannot say that the intention of species or genus is appropriate to the essence as to a certain thing existing beyond singulars, as the Platonists used to suppose, for then the species and the genus would not be predicated of an individual: we surely cannot say that Socrates is something that is separated from him, nor would that separate thing advance our knowledge of this singular thing. And so the only remaining possibility is that the intention of genus or species is appropriate to the essence as the essence is signified as a whole, as the term man or animal implicitly and indistinctly contains the whole that is in the individual.
The nature, however, or the essence thus understood can be considered in two ways. First, we can consider it according to its proper notion, and this is to consider it absolutely. In this way, nothing is true of the essence except what pertains to it absolutely: thus everything else that may be attributed to it will be attributed falsely. For example, to man, in that which he is a man, pertains animal and rational and the other things that fall in his definition; white or black or whatever else of this kind that is not in the notion of humanity does not pertain to man in that which he is a man. Hence, if it is asked whether this nature, considered in this way, can be said to be one or many, we should concede neither alternative, for both are beyond the concept of humanity, and either may befall the conception of man. If plurality were in the concept of this nature, it could never be one, but nevertheless it is one as it exists in Socrates. Similarly, if unity were in the notion of this nature, then it would be one and the same in Socrates and Plato, and it could not be made many in the many individuals. Second, we can also consider the existence the essence has in this thing or in that: in this way something can be predicated of the essence accidentally by reason of what the essence is in, as when we say that man is white because Socrates is white, although this does not pertain to man in that which he is a man.
The nature considered in this way, however, has a double existence. It exists in singulars on the one hand, and in the soul on the other, and from each of these there follow accidents. In singulars, furthermore, the essence has a multiple existence according to the multiplicity of singulars. Nevertheless, if we consider the essence in the first, or absolute, sense, none of these pertain to the essence. For it is false to say that the essence of man, considered absolutely, has existence in this singular, because if existence in this singular pertained to man insofar as he is man, man would never exist outside this singular. Similarly, if it pertained to man insofar as he is man not to exist in this singular, then the essence would never exist in the singular. But it is true to say that man, but not insofar as he is man, has whatever may be in this singular or in that one, or else in the soul. Therefore, the nature of man considered absolutely abstracts from every existence, though it does not exclude the existence of anything either. And the nature thus considered is the one predicated of each individual.
Nevertheless, the nature understood in this way is not a universal notion, because unity and commonality are in the notion of a universal, and neither of these pertains to human nature considered absolutely. For if commonality were in the concept of man, then in whatever humanity were found, there would be found commonality, and this is false, because no commonality is found in Socrates, but rather whatever is in him is individuated. Similarly, the notion of genus or species does not pertain to human nature as an accident arising from the existence that the nature has in individuals, for human nature is not found in individuals according to its unity such that it will be one thing in all the individuals, which the notion of the universal demands. The only possibility, therefore, is that the notion of species pertains to human nature according to the existence human nature has in the intellect.
Human nature has in the intellect existence abstracted from all individuals, and thus it is related uniformly to all individuals that exist outside the soul, as it is equally similar to all of them, and it leads to knowledge of all insofar as they are men. Since the nature in the intellect has this relation to each individual, the intellect invents the notion of species and attributes it to itself. Hence, the Commentator, in De Anima I, com. 8, says, "The intellect is what makes universality in things," and Avicenna says the same in his Metaphysicae V, cap. 2. Although this nature understood in the intellect has the notion of a universal in relation to things outside the soul (because it is one likeness of them all), as the nature has existence in this intellect or in that one, it is a certain particular understood species. The Commentator, therefore, is in error in De Anima III, com. 5, when he wants to infer the unity of intellect in all men from the universality of the understood form, because the universality of the form does not arise from the existence the form has in the intellect but rather from its relation to things as a likeness of such things. It is as if there were a corporeal statue representing many men; that image or species of statue would have a singular and proper existence insofar as it exists in this matter, but it would have an aspect of commonality insofar as it was a common representative of many.
Since human nature, considered absolutely, is properly predicated of Socrates, and since the notion of species does not pertain to human nature considered absolutely but only accidentally because of the existence the nature has in the intellect, the term species is not predicated of Socrates, for we do not say that Socrates is a species. We would have to say that Socrates is a species if the notion of species pertained to man arising from the existence that the nature has in Socrates or from the nature considered absolutely, that is, insofar as man is man. For whatever pertains to man insofar as he is man is predicated of Socrates.
But to be predicated pertains to a genus per se, because being predicated is placed in its definition. Now, predication is completed by the action of the intellect in compounding and dividing, and it has as its basis the unity of those things one of which is said of another. Hence, the notion of predicability can be subsumed in the notion of this intention that is the genus, which is itself completed by an act of the intellect. Still, when the intellect attributes the intention of predicability to something by compounding it with another, this intention is not that of genus; it is rather that to which the intellect attributes the intention of genus, as, for instance, to what is signified by the term animal.
We have thus made clear how the essence or nature is related to the notion of species, for the notion of species is not among those that pertain to the essence considered absolutely; nor is it among the accidents that follow from the existence that the essence has outside the soul, as whiteness or blackness. Rather, the notion of species is among the accidents that follow from the existence the essence has in the intellect. And in this way as well do the notions of genus or difference pertain to essences.
We should now see how essences exist in separated substances, that is, in the soul, in the intelligences, and in the first cause. Now, while everyone concedes the simplicity of the first cause, some people have tried to introduce into the intelligences and the soul a composition of form and matter, a position that seems to have begun with Avicebron, the author of the book called Fons Vitae. But this view is repugnant to the common teaching of the philosophers, for they call these things substances separated from matter, and they prove them to be wholly without matter. The most cogent demonstration of this proceeds from the excellence of understanding found in these substances. For we see that forms are not actually intelligible except as they are separated from matter and its conditions, and forms are not made actually intelligible except by virtue of an intelligent substance, which educes the forms and receives them in itself. Hence, in any intelligent substance there is a complete absence of matter in such a way that the substance has neither a material part itself nor even is the substance like a form impressed in matter, as is the case with material forms.
Nor can someone say that only corporeal matter, and not some other kind of matter, impedes intelligibility. For, if it were only corporeal mater that impedes intelligibility, then since matter is called corporeal only insofar as it exists under a corporeal form, matter's impeding intelligibility would come from the corporeal form; and this is impossible, for the corporeal form is actually intelligible just like any other form, insofar as it is abstracted from matter. Hence, in no way is there a composition of matter and form in either the soul or the intelligences, such that an essence is received in these as in corporeal substances. Nevertheless, in separate substances there is a composition of form and existence, and so in the Liber de Causis, prop. 9, com., it is said that the intelligences have form and existence, and in this place form is taken in the sense of a simple quiddity or nature.
It is easy to see how this is the case. Whenever two things are related to each other such that one is the cause of the other, the one that is the cause can have existence without the other, but not conversely. Now, we find that matter and form are related in such a way that form gives existence to matter, and therefore it is impossible that matter exist without a form; but it is not impossible that a form exist without matter, for a form, insofar as it is a form, is not dependent on matter. When we find a form that cannot exist except in matter, this happens because such forms are distant from the first principle, which is primary and pure act. Hence, those forms that are nearest the first principle are subsisting forms essentially without matter, for not the whole genus of forms requires matter, as said above, and the intelligences are forms of this type. Thus, the essences or quiddities of these substances are not other than the forms themselves.
Therefore, the essence of a composite substance and that of a simple substance differ in that the essence of a composite substance is not form alone but embraces both form and matter, while the essence of a simple substance is form alone. And from this two other differences arise. One is that the essence of a composite substance can be signified as a whole or as a part, which happens because of the designation of the matter, as said above. Hence, in one way, the essence of a composite thing is not predicated of the composite thing itself, for we cannot say that a man is his own quiddity. But the essence of a simple thing, which is its form, cannot be signified except as a whole, as in this case there is nothing beyond the form that might receive the quiddity, and so, however we take the essence of a simple thing, the essence is predicated of it. Hence, Avicenna says in Metaphysicae V, cap. 5 that "the quiddity of a simple thing is the simple thing itself," because there is no other thing to receive the form. The second difference is that the essences of composite things, because they are received in designate matter, are multiplied according to the division of matter, and so it happens that some things are the same in species but different in number. But since the essence of a simple thing is not received in matter, there can be no such multiplication in this case, and so among such substances we do not find many individuals of the same species, as Avicenna expressly says in Metaphysicae V, cap. 2.
Although substances of this kind are form alone and are without matter, they are nevertheless not in every way simple, and they are not pure act; rather, they have an admixture of potency, and this can be seen as follows. Whatever is not in the concept of the essence or the quiddity comes from beyond the essence and makes a composition with the essence, because no essence can be understood without the things that are its parts. But every essence or quiddity can be understood without understanding anything about its existence: I can understand what a man is or what a phoenix is and nevertheless not know whether either has existence in reality. Therefore, it is clear that existence is something other than the essence or quiddity, unless perhaps there is something whose quiddity is its very own existence, and this thing must be one and primary. For, there can be no plurification of something except by the addition of some difference, as the nature of a genus is multiplied in its species; or as, since the form is received in diverse matters, the nature of the species is multiplied in diverse individuals; or again as when one thing is absolute and another is received in something else, as if there were a certain separate heat that was other than unseparated heat by reason of its own separation. But if we posit a thing that is existence only, such that it is subsisting existence itself, this existence will not receive the addition of a difference, for, if there were added a difference, there would be not only existence but existence and also beyond this some form; much less would such a thing receive the addition of matter, for then the thing would be not subsisting existence but material existence. Hence, it remains that a thing that is its own existence cannot be other than one, and so in every other thing, the thing's existence is one thing, and its essence or quiddity or nature or form is another. In the intelligences, therefore, there is existence beyond the form, and so we say that an intelligence is form and existence.
Everything that pertains to a thing, however, either is caused by the principles of its own nature, as risibility in man, or else comes from some extrinsic principle, as light in the air from the influence of the sun. Now, it cannot be that existence itself is caused by the very form or quiddity of the thing (I mean as by an efficient cause), because then the thing would be its own efficient cause, and the thing would produce itself in existence, which is impossible. Therefore, everything the existence of which is other than its own nature has existence from another. And since everything that is through another is reduced to that which is through itself as to a first cause, there is something that is the cause of existing in all things in that this thing is existence only. Otherwise, we would have to go to infinity in causes, for everything that is not existence alone has a cause of its existence, as said above. It is clear, therefore, that the intelligences are form and existence and have existence from the first being, which is existence alone, and this is the first cause, which is God.
Everything that receives something from another is in potency with respect to what it receives, and that which is received in the thing is its act; therefore, a quiddity or form that is an intelligence is in potency with respect to the existence that it receives from God, and this received existence is received as its act. And thus there are found in the intelligences both potency and act but not matter and form, unless in some equivocal sense. So too to suffer, to receive, to be a subject and everything of this type that seem to pertain to things by reason of their matter are said of intellectual substances and corporeal substances equivocally, as the Commentator says in De Anima III, com. 14. Furthermore, since, as said above, the quiddity of an intelligence is the intelligence itself, its quiddity or essence is itself the very thing that exists, and its existence received from God is that by which it subsists in the nature of things; and because of this some people say that substances of this kind are composed of what is and that by which it is, or of what is and existence, as Boethius says in De Hebdomadibus (PL 64, 1311 B-C).
Moreover, since we posit in the intelligences potency and act, it will not be difficult to find a multitude of intelligences, which would be impossible if there were in them no potency. Hence, the Commentator says in De Anima III, com. 5 that if the nature of the possible intellect were unknown, we would not be able to find a multitude of separate substances. There is thus a distinction among separate substances according to their grade of potency and act such that the superior intelligences, which are nearer the first cause, have more act and less potency, and so on.
This scale comes to an end with the human soul, which holds the lowest place among intellectual substances. The soul's possible intellect is related to intelligible forms just as prime matter (which holds the lowest place in sensible existence) is related to sensible forms, as the Commentator says in De Anima III, com. 5. The Philosopher thus compares, III De Anima cap. 4 (430a1), the soul to a tablet on which nothing has been written. Since, among intellectual substances, the soul has the most potency, it is so close to material things that a material thing is brought to participate in its existence: that is, from the soul and the body there results one existence in one composite thing, although this existence, as the existence of the soul, is not dependent on the body. Therefore, beyond this form that is the soul, there are other forms having more potency and being closer to matter, and so much so that they have no existence without matter. Among these forms there is an order and gradation down to the primary forms of the elements, which are closest to matter; and so these have no operation except as required by the active and passive qualities and other such qualities by which matter is disposed by form.
Having treated these matters, we can see clearly how essence is found in various kinds of things. There are three ways in which substances may have an essence. First, surely, is the way God has his essence, which is his very existence itself, and so we find certain philosophers saying that God does not have a quiddity or essence because his essence is not other than his existence. From this it follows that he is not in a genus, for everything that is in a genus has a quiddity beyond its existence, since the quiddity or nature of the genus or species is not in the order of nature distinguished in the things of which it is the genus or species, but the existence is diverse in diverse things.
Even though we say that God is existence alone we do not fall into the error of those who said that God is that universal existence by which everything formally exists. The existence which is God is of such a kind that no addition can be made to it, whence through its purity it is distinct from every other existence; for this reason the author of the Liber de Causis, prop. 9, com., says that the individuation of the first cause, which is being alone, is through its pure goodness. But common existence, just as it does not include in its concept any addition, so too in its concept does it not exclude any addition; for, if such existence did in its concept exclude any addition, nothing could be understood to exist in which there was added something beyond existence.
Similarly, although God is existence alone, the remaining perfections and nobilities are not lacking in him. On the contrary, he has all the perfections that exist in every genus, and for this reason he is called perfect without qualification, as the Philosopher, V Metaphysicae cap. 16 (1021b30-33), and the Commentator, Metaphysicae V, com. 21, each say. But God has these perfections in a more excellent way than all other things have them because in him they are one, while in other things they are diverse. And this is because all these perfections pertain to God according to his simple existence, just as, if someone through one quality could effect the operations of all qualities, such a person would have in that one quality all the qualities, so too does God in his very existence have all the perfections.
In a second way, essence is found in created intellectual substances, in which existence is other than essence, although in these substances the essence is without matter. Hence, their existence is not absolute but received, and so finite and limited by the capacity of the receiving nature; but their nature or quiddity is absolute and is not received in any matter. Thus, the author of the Liber de Causis, prop. 16, com., says that intelligences are infinite in an inferior way and finite in a superior way: they are finite with respect to their existence, which they receive from something superior, though they are not rendered finite in an inferior way because their forms are not limited to the capacity of some matter receiving them. And thus among such substances we do not find a multitude of individuals in one species, as said above, except in the case of the human soul, and there we do find a multitude of individuals in one species because of the body to which the soul is united. Now, the individuation of the soul depends on the body, in an occasional manner, as to its inception, for the soul does not acquire for itself individual existence unless in the body of which it is the act. But nevertheless, if we subtract the body, the individuation does not perish because, since the soul was made the form of a given body, the form has absolute existence from which it has acquired individuated existence, and this existence always remains individuated. And thus Avicenna says, De Anima V, cap. 3, that the individuation of souls and their multiplication depend on the body for their beginning but not for their end.
Since in these substances the quiddity is not the same as existence, these substances can be ordered in a predicament, and for this reason we find among these things genera, species, and differences, although their proper differences are hidden from us. In sensible things even the essential differences are unknown to us, and so they are signified through accidental differences that arise from the essential ones, just as a cause is signified through its effect. We take bipedality, for example, as the difference of man. The proper accidents of immaterial substances, however, are unknown to us, and thus we can signify their differences neither per se nor through their accidental differences.
We should note, though, that the genus and difference in immaterial substances are not taken in the same way as in sensible substances, for in sensible substances the genus is taken from that which is material in the thing, while the difference is taken from that which is formal in the thing. Hence, Avicenna says, De Anima I, cap.1, that, in things composed of form and matter, the form "is its simple difference because the thing is constituted from it," not, however, because the form is the difference but rather because it is the principle of the difference, as Avicenna himself says in his Metaphysicae V, cap. 6. Further, this difference is called a simple difference because it is taken from that which is a part of the quiddity of the thing, namely, from the form. But since immaterial substances are simple quiddities, in such substances the difference cannot be taken from that which is a part of the quiddity but only from the whole quiddity, and so in De Anima I, cap. 1, Avicenna says that substances "have no simple difference except for those species of which the essences are composed of matter and form."
Similarly, in immaterial things the genus is taken from the whole essence, though not in the same way as the difference is. One separated substance is like another with respect to their immateriality, but they differ one from another with respect to their grade of perfection according to how far each recedes from potentiality and approaches pure act. And so, in such substances, the genus is taken from that which arises in these substances insofar as they are immaterial, as intellectuality and such things; the difference, however, is taken from that which arises in these substances from their grade of perfection, although these differences are unknown to us. Nor are these differences accidental because they arise from greater and lesser perfection, which do not diversify the species. For, while the grade of perfection in receiving the same form does not diversify the species (as whiter and less white in participating in whiteness of the same type), nevertheless, a different grade of perfection in these participated forms or natures does diversify the species, just as nature proceeds by grades from plants to animals through those things that are median between plants and animals, as the Philosopher says in VIII De Historia Animalium cap. 1 (588b4-12). Nor is it necessary that the division of intellectual substances always be made through two true differences, for it is impossible that this happen in all things, as the Philosopher says in I De Partibus Animalium cap. 2 (642b5-7).
In a third way, essence is found in substances composed of matter and form, in which existence is both received and limited because such substances have existence from another, and again because the nature or quiddity of such substances is received in signate matter. And thus such substances are finite in both a superior way and an inferior way, and among such substances, because of the division of signate matter, there can be a multiplication of individuals in one species. The ways in which the essence in such substances is related to the logical intentions we have explained above.
We should now see in what way there are essences in accidents, having said already how essences are found in all types of substances. Now, since, as said above, the essence is that which is signified by the definition, accidents will thus have essences in the same way in which they have definitions. But accidents have incomplete definitions, because they cannot be defined unless we put a subject in their definitions, and this is because they do not have absolute existence per se apart from a subject, but just as from the form and the matter substantial existence results when a substance is compounded, so too from the accident and the subject does accidental existence result when the accident comes to the subject. Thus, neither the substantial form nor the matter has a complete essence, for even in the definition of the substantial form we place something of which it is the form, and so its definition involves the addition of something that is beyond its genus, just as with the definition of an accidental form. Hence, the natural philosopher places the body in the definition of the soul because he considers the soul only insofar as it is the form of the physical body.
Among the accidents that are consequences of matter there is found a certain diversity. Some accidents follow from the order the matter has to a special form, as the masculine and the feminine in animals, the difference between which is reduced to the matter, as the Philosopher says in X Metaphysicae cap. 9 (1058b21-23). Hence, the form of the animal having been removed, these accidents do not remain except in some equivocal sense. Other accidents follow from the order the matter has to a general form, and so with these accidents, if the special form is removed, the accidents still remain in the thing, as the blackness of the skin of an Ethiopian comes from the mixture of the elements and not from the notion of the soul, and hence the blackness remains in the man after death.
We should also note that some accidents are caused by the essential principles of a thing according to its perfect act, as heat in fire, which is always hot, while other accidents are the result of an aptitude in the substance, and in such cases the complete accident arises from an exterior agent, as transparency in air, which is completed through an exterior luminescent body. In such things, the aptitude is an inseparable accident, but the complement, which comes from some principle that is beyond the essence of the thing, or that does not enter into the constitution of the thing, is separable, as the ability to be moved, and so on.
We should further note that in accidents, the genus, difference, and species are taken in a way different from that in substances. For in substances, from the substantial form and the matter there is made something one per se, a certain single nature resulting from the conjunction of these two, and this nature is properly placed in the predicament of substance. Hence, in substances, the concrete terms that signify the composite are properly said to be in the genus, in the manner of the species or the genus, as, for example, man or animal. But in this way neither the form nor the matter is in a predicament except by means of reduction, as when we say that the principles of a thing are in its genus. However, from the accident and the subject there does not result something that is one per se, and thus from the conjunction of these two there does not result a nature to which the intention of genus or species might be attributed. Therefore, the accidental terms taken concretely, like white or musical, cannot be placed in a predicament except by means of reduction; but they can be placed in a predicament when they are signified abstractly, as whiteness and music. And because accidents are not composed of matter and form, in accidents the genus cannot be taken from the matter, the difference from the form, as is the case with composite substances; rather, the first genus is taken from their very mode of existing, as being is said in different ways according to what is prior and what is posterior in the ten genera of predicaments, and thus we call the measure of a substance quantity, the disposition of a substance quality, and so on for the others, as the Philosopher says in IX Metaphysicae cap. 1 (1045b27-32).
The differences in accidents are taken from the diversity of principles by which they are caused. Since passions are properly caused by the proper principles of the subject, the subject is placed in the definition of the passion in place of the difference if the passion is being defined in the abstract and properly in its genus, as when we say that having a snubnose is the upward curvature of the nose. But it would be the converse if the definition of the passion were taken according to its concrete sense; in this way, the subject is placed in the definition as a genus, for then the passion is defined in the mode of composite substances in which the notion of the genus is taken from the matter, as when we say that a snubnose is an upwardly curving nose. The case is similar when one accident is the principle of another, as the principle of relation is action and passion and quantity, and thus by reference to these the Philosopher divides relation in V Metaphysicae cap. 15 (1020b26-32). But because the proper principles of accidents are not always manifest, we sometimes take the differences of accidents from their effects, as we do with the concentrative and the diffusive, which are called the differences of color and which are caused by the abundance or the paucity of light, which cause the different species of color.
We have thus made clear how essence is found in substances and in accidents, and how in composite substances and in simple ones, and in what way the universal intentions of logic are found in all of these, except for the first being, which is the extreme of simplicity and to which, because of its simplicity, the notions of genus, species, and thus definition do not apply; and having said this we may make an proper end to this discourse. Amen.
This translation follows the Leonine Edition of Aquinas' works, vol. 43 Sancti Thomae De Aquino Opera Omnia 368-381 (Rome 1976).
All persons are licensed to reproduce this translation and the footnotes hereto for personal or educational purposes, provided that the notice of copyright set forth above and this notice are included in their respective entireties in all copies. This license includes reproduction by a commercial entity engaged in the business of providing copying services if such reproduction is made pursuant to an agreement the other party to which would be licensed under the preceding sentence to reproduce this translation for personal or educational purposes.
Although quoted by various thirteenth century authors, this statement does not appear in the text of De Persona et Duabus Naturis as we have it.
Aquinas knew this book as Book XI. | 2019-04-21T02:45:52Z | https://sourcebooks.fordham.edu/basis/aquinas-esse.asp |
How to make a homemade snow globe. Fun and Easy!
As Kate so delicately alluded to earlier this week, I am somewhat of a holiday junkie. And Christmas is the holiday of all holidays for me. I decorated a week before Thanksgiving; yep, I’m one of those people. One of my most favorite holiday traditions as a child was our little family advent calendar and now that my kids are old enough to enjoy some fun and creative activities, I’ve filled up our little numbered stockings with slips of paper instead of candy. Well, slips of paper intermingled with candy. It’s December; we have to have candy. I let the kiddos pull day #1 a little early so I could blog about it! I tried to word everything creatively so they could have fun trying to figure it out.
Snow globes are magical, whimsical, and fun. And they’re super easy to make at home.
The first thing you need are jars, with nice snug lids. Check out your fridge; I grabbed an almost empty bottle of peperoncini peppers (that I have been using on Greek Salads and Greek Tacos, you’d think I was the pregnant one with the cravings I have for those. I am most definitely not.) I also had a bottle of capers that I finally finished by making one last batch of this Grown Up Dipping Sauce (another obsession, you guys need to all try that one), and a big jar from marinara that we used for dipping Pizza Rolls. Marinated artichoke heart jars work really great for these, as do little teeny tiny baby food jars. Really any size jar works; you just have to find things to fit inside of them.
You can be creative with the items that go inside your snow globe, it’s just important that they are made of materials that won’t break down in water. Think plastic, ceramic, etc. If you’re not sure, just try placing the items in a bowl of water for a few hours and see if they start doing weird things. Try thrift and craft stores for little winter-themed figurines. And if you don’t have any of those, try some crap that belongs to your children that you want to throw away anyway fun stuff like this and try a silly snow globe.
Another really fun thing is to make your own little figurines with Sculpey Clay. You can buy all different colors at almost any craft store and it just bakes in the oven. A snowman would be super easy to make! I snipped all of my greenery off of artificial garlands I have around my house.
I decided to take it up a notch though, and put something extra special inside. I can’t tell you how much I love it when I have an idea in my head and it actually works like I thought it would! I just took a photo of each kiddo, printed it out on my home printer, cut it out, and ran it through my laminator (the laminator you all recommended to me on Facebook that I got and love. Muah!) If you don’t have a laminator, most copy stores have lamination services that don’t cost much. Make sure when you cut around your lamination, you leave a tiny border so it stays sealed up.
It’s just important to remember to keep things away from the edges enough that you can still screw the lid onto the jar, so don’t fill the entire base with glue or rocks. When everything is dry turn it upside down and shake it a few times to make sure nothing falls off!
The next step is filling up your jar with water, almost to the very top and dumping in a bunch of glitter. I recommend adding a little more glitter than you think you need, especially if you have greenery because some of it will get stuck in there.
One thing you can do is add some glycerin, which makes the glitter float down a little slower than it does in plain water. (Or several readers have commented that baby oil accomplishes the same thing. You can also find snow globe “snow” on eBay at at some craft stores.) Glycerin can be found in the baking aisle of craft supply stores in small bottles or on Amazon. If you have some already, or find it easily, you can try that out. I did a side by side test and found that it didn’t make a huge difference, unless I added quite a bit. Probably at least 2-3 teaspoons per cup of water.
You know the Wilton gel colors we use in everything? Well if those get dried out, you can add glycerin to them to restore the consistency. You can also add it to homemade soap bubbles to make the bubbles stronger. I’ve heard you can also buy it at drug stores, often near the first aid supplies. Isn’t it kind of interesting when things can be found in both the cake decorating and first aid aisles?? Didn’t know that, but I read it on the internet, and if there’s one thing we all should know by now it is that everything on the internet is true. The internet is also where I discovered that if you have some benzoic acid laying around, you can make your own snow. Crap. I’m out of benzoic acid.
Anyhoo…just carefully squish your stuff in the jar as you put the lid on and tighten it. You can put hot glue on the edge of the jar if you’re want to seal it up. Or you could put some colored electrical tape around the edge of the jar. I left mine un-glued (and I strongly suggest you do, at least at first) in case I had to open them up to fix anything, or store them without water until next year, or change the water if it got cloudy, etc. I found out that one of my little red berries was painted and turned the entire snow globe pink so I was glad they weren’t glued shut and I could just snip it out and re-fill it. My jars haven’t leaked. I do flip them over sometimes and set them lid-side-up just in case. Either way it’s best to display them somewhere that won’t be damaged if a little water leaks out.
My jars stay on my windowsill in front of my kitchen sink so they can stare at me, mocking, as I do dishes and they play in the snow.
This craft is amazing!! It is so darn cute! Thanks for sharing and I can’t wait to try for the Holidays.
Kewlicious, I’m a polymer clay designer But I also had a Large amount of tiny Christmas ecorstions I bought after Christmas one year, the real tiny ones. I also bought a Big bunch of Christmas limbs at Michael’s that you can use to make wreaths, and other decorations, they were on sale for $3.00. There’s enough of the Christmas limbs to cut up for at least 50 snow globes. I did Not know about laminating pictures so I’m very excited about that, thanks. I also enjoyed the Baby Oil idea.
This is super cute!!! I love that you put the kids in the snowglobe. I never thought of making my own, now I probably will since you made it look so easy. Thanks.
I love this idea. Have you seen the laminating sheets that you can get at office supply stores. They are self adhesive laminating sheet – basically really thick clear contact (Australian product name).
They are fantastic as they are really sticky, don’t need heat and work really well. Although I am not sure if they are better than good quality laminating.
I am definitely going to try this with my children next year – they are a little young this year.
You can get them in the states too! I’ve seen them at Target and Staples!
Ah! This is so cute!
GREAT IDEA!! Very Clever, Unique and Cute for Holiday Season Decorating. . .
These are so cute! Not sure if I have time to go collect all the cute things and a jar to make a snowglobe for my kid, but I work in a chemistry lab and I am so going to make some benzoic acid snow in a beaker for my desk at work!
Thanks for sharing. It has made me want to skip ahead in our calendar and go ahead and make our snow globes today! So cute!
Yes I did have trouble with my glitter floating, and some times my jar would leak.
These are amazing! What beautiful memories!!! Thanks for sharing.
I LOVE this! Here’s where I have to tell my silly story. I used to work with a bunch of guys that would play golf together fairly often (surprise, surprise). One time, a couple of them accidentally left their cart situated in such a way so that when they were paying attention to their shot, the cart started rolling into a water hazard. Fortunately they got to it before it went all the way in, but the story lived on. That Christmas, with donations from the rest of the group, I made them snow globes with miniature golf carts that looked like they were at the bottom of a lake. I found tiny golf clubs and glitter in the shape of autumn leaves, and made little golf balls out of sculpy clay. It was an office hit!
Snow globes so cute and maybe I can even make one. I LOVE the calendar. Did you make it or where did you buy it? If you made it, any way to get a pattern? It is the cutest one EVER!!!
If you are a crafty sewing chick, you could easily re-create this (from Pottery Barn). I’ll give everyone the details on it with more pics later today on The Scoop!
You always have so many great ideas…can’t wait until my daughter is older so we can enjoy these crafts together.
On a side note, where can I get that family advent calendar? I LOVE it!
It’s from Pottery Barn Kids- I’ll write up a little something about it later today and let you all know!
Adorable! I would also love to get the pattern for your advent calendar if you don’t mind. Dang Cute!
This is so great! My kids will love this!
Ha, yes. You must WAIT. Actually- so many people have asked, I will write up a little post about it on The Scoop later today!
How did you cut out the photos with such precision? I would have thought you’d have to leave a little edge of lamination around the cut line to keep it sealed. Evidently not. Super cute, Sara!
And, Happy Birthday to Kate tomorrow!!! Kate- don’t cook anything!
My hands have the precision of razor blades, Patti. Ha, no, I really just snipped around them with scissors, and yes I did leave a bit of a border, I should clarify that because that part is important- you probably just can’t tell in the pics!
I love this! I have to ask, where did you get your cute advent calendar???
It’s from Pottery Barn Kids!
I remember making these homemade snow globes as a kid. They are so fun! Love your advent calendar! Did you make it? If so you should share a how-to.
I’d like to see a pattern for that very cute advent and your list of activities.
I was honestly just thinking about making these last night. So fun and I’m loving the pictures of the kids inside!!
HAve everything at home, weekend craft sorted! Thank you!
Very cute idea to add pics of the kids. I wonder if you could also use the shrinky dink inkjet paper instead of laminating photos.
ooh, I didn’t know there was such a thing- good thought!
What a fun idea! I really like this one and will have to try it out.
This is the COOLEST idea ever. I love it. I have some empty baby food jars at home but will save a larger one too. Love this!!
You must be the most fun mom ever!
Booo, Pottery Barn Kids says it is no longer available!!! Great pictures of what could have been.
I remember doing this as a project in elementary school/day care only we used baby oil instead of water.
oh, interesting…I’ll have to try that out too and see which works best.
Great tutorial. I saw this somewhere else and so wanted to do it, now just to get on the ball and do it. I was curious about your advent calendar stockings. Did you make them your self? It is so adorable!
I’ve seen this idea floating around on Pinterest and have been planning on making it with my boyfriend’s little brother and his nieces and nephew but after reading your post I realized – I’ve been planning on using Mason jars! If I hot glued the seal into the lid on the inside that they would stay waterproof? Also, did you need to sand paper the bottoms at all to get stuff to stick?
Yeah, I thought about mason jars as well and I’m just not sure; you’d have to do some tests first! And yes, you can sand the lids to rough them up. I didn’t, and mine have stuck just fine.
You gals have some of the most fun ideas. I pinned a picture of these snow globes on Pinterest. I hope I did it correctly so that if people like it they can get to this site to see how to do it.
I really really love this craft! It really is one of the best ideas, ever. I need to do this, like, now. 🙂 Thanks!
Ok that is the cutest idea ever!! What are some of the other fun activities you have in the socks??
You can read about them right here!
Using baby oil or mineral oil instead of water also helps to make the glitter fall slower. Also, you can get snow globe snow at many craft stores or on ebay!
This is such an awesome craft. I totally want to try and make these with my kids.
I ran across a snow globe my granddaughter made for me when she was about 9 years old. She is now 21 almost 22 and the laminated photo inside the globe is still just like it was when I got it. Such a neat idea and especially for presents for grandparents.
i LOVE this idea! I’m going to try and make this sometime this weekend! yay, arts and crafts!
This is the cutest craft idea EVER! Thank you so much for sharing! 🙂 I can’t wait to make one with my son!
Sarah! I LOVE this idea! Thanks from L.
That is AWESOME! For real.
I think you could add some light corn syrup to the water instead to get it thicker for the glitter. I tried an “i-spy” jar with that once. Very cute idea with the kids’ pictures in them!
How did you cut out the photos? Did you cut them out by hand or did you use a Silhouette? I have a Silhouette machine but I haven’t quite figured out how to use it yet.
My kids and I were going to make these, this year. My 12 yr old said he would eat many jars of banana baby food, so we could have the jars! I’ve been searching everywhere for waterproof figurines…this is a great idea!
Sara, I needed some glycerin for making homemade bubble bath for Kate’s B-Day. All I did was call Rob and The Pharmacy, and he gladly brought it home that night. Who knew you could find it in so many places!
Oh, and the homemade bubble bath was an epic FAIL! We went with good ol’ Mr. Bubble!
I love these! I wanted to let you know that I featured this on my “What I Bookmarked This Week” post – stop by and see!
I am soo excited you posted this!! I had this idea on our advent activity, etc. list and finally decided it was not going to happen after reading very complicated directions on another site (ahem, martha stewart!) but your directions make so much more sense! and I love that you used photos! We are definitely making this now, thank you!!
I made some and they turned out beautiful…then 48 hours later the water was murky and kind of yellowish like muddy. It had those real mini pine cones that were painted white and sprinkled in glitter. (I wanted a shabby chic look) maybe the paint from the pine cones? or the cones themselves because they are not synthetic… Im sad about this. I made 5 all different sizes.
That’s why I didn’t glue mine- I had that happen with one little berry! I hope you can open it up and fix it!
okay I swear I was looking at the peppermint marshmallow post not the snow globes, so this comment if for that… sorry, I’m going crazy!
You know what my favorite recipe is? The one on the Hershey’s unsweetened cocoa powder container! One secret is that with unsweetened powder, it’s activated in boiling water, so you have to make sure to boil that part first and then add things like milk. Try out that recipe; it’s yummy!
I love this idea! Do you mind sharing what font you used for your notes you put in the stockings?
It’s called “Smiley Monster” here’s a link!
What sizes did you make the photos?
You just need to measure your jars and then create a photo to fit. I created an image in photoshop so it would fit perfectly; it will depend on your jar size and the size of the kid in your photo!
Man I posted this on my website…mine looked terrible!! Yours are SO cute. I am just not meant to craft. Thanks for sharing though!
I made this last night and my little laminated cousin is so cute staring back at me! But, the glitter seems to be attracted to him and won’t get off him, even when I shake the jar. There’s so much on there that I can’t see his features, just a goofy, glittery shape. Is there a special secret to keep the glitter from sticking to the laminated surface? I haven’t tried adding baby oil or glycerin yet, is that the magic trick? Thank you!
That’s so weird! Maybe a static problem or something? I honestly have no idea, that’s never happened to me!
I am having the same problem and it is driving me nuts. I used baby oil. Could that be the reason?
A-MAZ-ING! Love it! We’ll be doing this when my biggest kiddo comes home from college for Christmas!
What type of glue did you use to adhere the items to the jar lid?
I just used hot glue and my glue gun.
Hey I love your blog, and especially love this idea :)Can you please invite me to Pinterest? [email protected]. thanks!
So cute!! Question, when you cut the kids out, do you use anything behind them to help them stand up? Or just the hot glue?
Nope, just the hot glue, but that’s why I use that mound of pebbles on the bottom, and also I stick a tree behind each one to prop them up.
I love these, they are so cute. I tried to make some the other day but ran into a couple problems and I was hoping you could help me out. I glued some aquarium rocks to the bottom(the round glass kind that are about the size of a nickel). I used hot glue, but when they got wet all of them came off. I was super sad. What can I do about this? Also, Ive tried a few different kinds of glitter but they all seem to float. Is there a kind that is better than others? Thanks!
I would rough up the jar lid with sand paper first; that should help. And I’m not sure about the glitter; a few people have had floating glitter problems, but all the glitter I’ve ever used has worked great!
I loved this so much, I can’t wait to try it with the girls this year! *I suspect I may enjoy it more than them, if that’s possible!!* Thank you so much for sharing (and making it so fun & easy to read to boot!).
I knew I saved those old pizza sauce jars for a reason! I had four of them on a shelf, empty, waiting to be used for something. This is PERFECT! I just started my first ‘globe’ tonight. I’m in a small, small town in Germany so I’m not sure I’ll be able to find anyone to laminate my photos … but we’ll see! Fingers crossed. Thanks so much for sharing this brilliant idea!
Such a great idea! Tried it today… once with baby oil and once with just plain old water. I can’t keep my glitter from clumping together? It floats at the top or clumps at the bottom and on the picture. Any ideas? I got the glitter from the craft section at Smith’s. Should be fine I would think.
hmmm…I’m not sure about the glitter. i just use regular stuff from the craft store as well and didn’t have any clumping. Strange!
Sadness…I was so excited to do this and my son loved it…until the stuff in his snow globe came unglued the next morning and started floating. My daughter’s did the same thing (with smaller, lighter items), so I must have cheap hot glue. 🙁 I’m hoping to try again with better glue, because I love the idea!!
About 10 years ago, I made one for my aunt. I used Epoxy to seal my item to the lid, and also to seal the glass container and lid together. Worked perfectly.
Julie, try roughing up the lid with sandpaper first- that will help the glue stick!
If anyone is worried about glass with smaller kids or other special needs I found plastic empty snow globes to do this exact thing at Michael’s for 3.49. I am making them for some kids with sensory issues in our lives so glass was out of the question. I can’t wait, thanks so much for the idea!!!!!!
Always enjoyed snow globes when I was a kid, my girls did too! So making these this weekend when I’ll be babysitting the grandkids, 3 and 5. Thanks!
Brenda, several people have said this same thing and I have no idea! I’ve never, ever had that happen. Did you stir it in before you added your stuff?
$1 Store sells lamination sheets and they work great!
Which dollar store? Dollar tree?
I am so PSYCHED I found your blog. This is soooo awesome. I am building one tonight for my little niece for Xmas. She collects snow globes – and wait till she see’s her aunt Dee ( Wen-“Dee” ) waving from behind a tree!!!
I am so PSYCHED I found your blog. This is soooo awesome. I am building one tonight for my little niece for Xmas. She collects snow globes – and wait till she see’s her aunt Dee ( Wen-“Dee” ) waving from behind a tree – in a globe! !!!
These are adorable. I had everyone in the office at my desk checking out the website. They all have small children and I have 6 grandchildren.. I can see this being a Mothers Day gift that my Brownie Girl Scouts can make as well. I will definatly share the idea, THANKS!
I did this for a lab with teens, they still love this stuff!!! I didn’t have much luck with baby oil, if you try this I recommend finding the glycerin. Many sites say baby oil is OK but it made all the glitter clump.
I experienced “glitter clump/float” as well when I made a globe. Using distilled water with glycerin instead tap water seemed to help a bit. Also, the “snow” (shiny white crystals) purchased from a craft store (Michael’s) did not float well – too heavy.
This is a great idea, but I would say that it is more geared for kids ages 8 and older. I was going to have this be a craft for my son’s pre-K class, but after I made one by myself the night before…NO WAY.
I ended up making all of them for the kids and their moms and they did something much, MUCH simpler.
Definitely try out your ‘extras’ to make certain that they do not disintegrate in the water. Maybe overnight. I had to redo one of the globes because it had floaties and was milky from a fake lollipop.
Super adorable!!! Your boys are adorable anyway, but even cuter in a snow globe!
All of mine turned brown??? I love this idea and want to salvage mine as they are christmas gifts:) Did the snips of green turn your water eventually??? I am so sad. I am not sure how to make them not turn colors?? Should I seal the branches and stuff with a spray of some kind?
I just tried making this and I used a glue gun to glue down a photo holder to the lid then I added it into the water and it came off the lid.. Any glue recommendations??
I made your snowglobes for our missionaries.
I have to tell you a huge thanks! I made this for my son’s girlfriend. She is here while he is away at BYUI. I put in a pic of the 2 of them at Disneyland in front of the Christmas tree. She has it on her desk at work. She said everyone at work is amazed with it. See we can even impress big kids with adorable ideas! 🙂 I did make a few different ones and made some observations. Canning jars work fine. The glitter doesn’t stick as much to the pics with glycerin versus baby oil. (It was horrible with the baby oil)I also discovered regular craft glue works fine for the first few hours. THEN it somehow disipates and clouds up the water big time! So I think only glue guns will work. I had fun being a scientist and trying different versions. I am sure that is how you feel doing it.
These are just awesome! I’m doing a snow-themed birthday party for my daughter in early Feburary, and based on other reading, I’d ruled out having kids makes snowglobes AT the party, because the epoxy that others suggest using takes 12 hours to dry before it can be placed in the water. I’m so excited to try this using just hot glue, as it will solve that problem! One quick question — do you always end up with an air bubble inside the jar? It’s not a big deal, but if you have a tip as to how to avoid one, I’d love to hear about it! Thanks for your great, great post on this project!
Well there has to be *some* air, but you can fill it very near the top if you’re really careful.
I made one of these to give to a friend last week (he has a party where everyone brings a homemade gift for someone). I had an adorable picture of him with his 2 dogs in the snow that I wanted to use for something and this was the perfect idea. I used Gorilla glue to glue everything into place – there is a white version that is supposed to be 100% waterproof. It foams up and expands when it dries, which added to the snow effect and made it easier to stick everything into place. I also used the self stick laminating sheets for the photo since I don’t have a laminator. They don’t seem as good as the heat sealed ones though. I cut off pieces of greenery from an artificial wreath and trimmed them in a Christmas tree shape to use as trees. I filled it with just water and glitter (no glycerin or baby oil) and it seems fine. Also I wrapped some plumber’s/thread sealing tape around the jar threads before putting on the lid to help prevent leakage and that seemed to work well. Just wanted to share some of the things that helped mine work, since my first version didn’t (the craft glue wasn’t waterproof and the jar leaked). My second version seems to have held up and everyone at the party loved it! Thanks for the great instructions.
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Retro plastic snow globe and snowdome kits at snowdomes.com, a nice alternative to glass jars.
I made these about 20 years ago with my son and his fellow cub scouts. Used plumbers putty to secure to baked clay figures to the lid and to seal the jars. His is still in my Christmas globe collection and we are getting ready to make them with my grand daughter. Really fun and lasts…….
Making them with my twin 10year old boys and they love it!
I made these in baby food jars for my son to sell at his 4th grade Christmas store where everything had to be handmade. Sold fast. I used white glitter for the snow with glycerin added to the jar. I used mini ornaments meant for the little 3′ Christmas trees…Hot glued everything together. For more personalized I love the pictures!
This is unbelievable! I just discovered your blog today and I absolutely love it. This idea of a snow globe is probably the best. I always have my home stuffed with jars (you know the feeling when you feel you should throw things out but then again you just think you may need them one day?). Now these will turn into snow globes. I promise them that!
i work in childcare, in the toddlers room and i am planing to make these for the children and their families for christmas!
the hardest part is getting good pictures that will look nice in the snow globes!
yours are the best i’ve seen by far!!
I wonder if a plastic Mayo jar would still have the same effect? That way I don’t have to worry about my 2 year old dropping and breaking it!
Wow! I think that the project is such a great idea that I have even thought about making my own snow globe and giving to one of my close friends as a present!
Can plastic be an alternative?
Yeah, can plastic be an alternative?
About hot glue. Make sure that the lid is clean and dry. I noticed in the instructions it said you can rough the surface of the lid with sandpaper to help the glue stick. If you don’t have a laminating machine you may be able to find clear contact paper. We used this at a preschool where I use to work.
Maybe even gluing a piece of bunched up white fabric down first then gluing the items to that would work.
I agree about possibly using plastic jars for a small child to play with. You would have to use ones that you can see through obviously. Definitely worth a try!
Hi. Using the photos is a great idea, thanks.
I’m wondering whether figures made of plasticine would go inside a snow globe. I know it’s waterproof, but not sure if they would stand the shaking. Has anyone tried it? Maybe if they were coated with varnish before glueing them down?
What type of glitter do u recommend? I tried some at michaels and it didn’t turn out good! ): email me at [email protected] thank u!
LOVE LOVE LOVE!! Looking for a craft my special needs students would really enjoy, and actually be excited to take home! THIS IS A WINNER!!!
I have wanted to make these since I saw this post last year! I decided this is the year I’m going to do it with my kids! I’m linking up to this project from my website. Thanks for sharing!
We had made snow globes as an art project at school several years ago. We used a silicone sealant to glue the figures and seal the jar. The figures stayed put, eventually the jar did leak though. Love the idea of using photos! You’ve reinvented the snow globe and made it fun again! You’ve inspired me to make one! Thanks!
Sorry if anyone has already commented on that. I just thought that the easiest way to hide lid labels without painting them would be adding a ribbon with a bow.
Thanks a million!! I am going to do this today and give it ro my sister and parents and grandparents!!
I am doing this craft right now. I was putting the finished product into the glittery water and everything fell of the jar cover. I am using a hot glue gun… Help please. This is a Christmas present for 5 people.
wow! what a great idea!! I take the kids school pictures every year, cut them to size, put them in a clear Christmas tree bulb with garland behind them to hold them in place, write the name and year on the back and hang them on my tree. The kids always look for their pictures and they can see how they have grown from year to year.
THANK YOU for such great directions. I’m taking an entire snow globe “kit” with me when we visit the grandkids for Christmas. My kit includes a picture book called “The Snow Globe Family” (found on Amazon), jars, glitter, decorative elements, etc. And my crafty daughter is getting a laminator for a gift! Thanks again for helping me to get together what I think will be a memorable gift!
I think I will make two for my neices kids..
but I think I will make them w/o water. just glue sparkels & super small snow flakes I have around the inside of the jar..
Great idea! I’m doing this with my entire kindergarten class this week 🙂 I’ll probably skip the benzoic acid though and just call it a victory if I don’t send 20 kids home encrusted with broken glass.
sou portuguesa moro no Brasil á 49 anos e agradeço por você dividir seus conhecimentos obrigado… meu nome, é Lourdes.
So excited to make these……have been saving jars and almost have what I need for my entire class. Will take pictures on Monday, develop and laminate. Then we will make these to enjoy the rest of the year. I was thinking perhaps I would take them with the coat, hat, scarf and mittens on…what do you think??
I cant begin to thank you for this wonderful wonderful craft that you’ve shared with us.I’m planning to make one for my husband…he doesn’t know what I’m up to with the sandpaper and glue and all.Loved your ideas for stuff to fit inside the jar.I’m getting started on this right now!!
Hi I am only 9 and I was just looking for some craft ideas and BOOM your website popped up u have so many great ideas and I cant wait to try them all!!!
I LOVE this idea and will definitely try it!
Hi 🙂 Can you tell me how you got the photo to stick to the lid? I mean, I know you used glue…but was the photo on some sort of base?
I just kind of made a mound of glue and pebbles and secured the photo in it to prop it up.
looks amazing. I’m going to try it next week.
I have been searching snow globe how-to crafts for 3 days now, (read countless pages) and yours is by far the best!! I read on another site that covering the pictures with clear packaging tape and leaving a small area around them when you trim works as well as laminating too. I will be laminating mine. Going to cut and paste some garland around the lid base to hide the jar factor! Thank You, my search is complete!
Kia Ora from NZ!!! I’d heard about easy snow globes so googled images to check howto make it for a relief society project (I as unaware of your religious affiliations), what caught my eye was ur gorgeous idea to insert a photo (I have 3 handsome subjects). I also had questions regarding glycerine/substitute ideas etc which were answered in your blog-thank you. Offhandedly I decided I’d watch your vid and heard some magically unifying words “ward” and then “Mormon” and made the connection that I had seen your books at our “time out for women”. People search for meaning and belonging and in our church we know that though we have never met and likely never will, that we are infact connected by virtue of our faith, we both love our families and like to make, learn, beautify and to be engaged in worthwhile activities, I am grateful and appreciative of your work and want you to know that a fair few people here in New Zealand will make and receive these lovely, fun, frugal snow globes this Christmas and I know every lucky subject will be so proud of and love these. Not to mention that any present that can materialise from stuff that might otherwise go to the dump (jars, bits and pieces, glitter-practically free!) into treasured keepsakes holds an appropriate lesson for giver and recipient at Christmas time, about what really matters and true joy Thanks again.
I am doing this craft with a whole classroom of kids. We are using a plastic container instead of glass. I am wondering if you could tell me how to seal the lid with hot glue. A lot of snow globe directions online say to do this but I’m not a craft person and don’t follow things unless detailed. Should I put the hot glue on the rim and then screw the lid on or put the lid on and then glue around the bottom? With a whole classroom of kids I could annoyed parents if they open these up in the car on their way home. Thanks!
You’ll want to apply a generous amount of hot glue in the lid itself (have an adult to that part!) and then screw it onto the jar.
Did you use picture paper or just regular paper from your home printer??
I LOVE THIS IDEA! We will be making these in my Pre K class. Thank you so much for sharing!
I’m curious if, a year later, the pictures are still intact? Would love an update! 🙂 This is such a fun idea; I will be making them for grandparents this year!
Hi there, I am going to try the snow globes using photos of the grandchildren..I have done dozens of mason jar projects, but this is the first for the snow globes. Thanks for the inspiration!!
I am making this with a trio of my students (81 total) for gifts for their parents. Thus far it has gone well….EXCEPT the berries have bled in the first one poured water in. The water is now red….eeeeek! I used berries that looked just like the ones in the picture, but apparently the ones I’m using aren’t water proof. Does anyone know if there is something I can add to the water or spray on the berries so they don’t bleed?
One other tip, I did the self laminating photo paper too. It did not work even when I remembered to cut a 1/4 inch around the picture. What helped was using a laminator that had heat and a thick laminate. The 1/4 inch or more is important too.
I’m wondering why quite a bit of glitter stays on top of the water in the jar. I’ve added a lot of glycerin. Is it better to buy the snow globe snow?
Help! I don’t understand how her pictures of her children have nothing in the background. I’m not sure I can word this question right, but if you take a picture and cut it out, unless you carefully cut along the entire edges of the child, there’s going to be some background image/color showing? Her pictures are perfect, they are just of her children as if they are a real cut out. I don’t understand why there is nothing else in the background.
She cut along the lines of the kids. I totally messed up this project, but I was able to that part correctly. You just have to be slow and careful.
Made one of these globes 20 years ago with my son. Now I’am making one with his daughter this week, an it will have a picture of her in there. Oh…. I must tell you that 20 year old snow globe still looks like the we made it! Thank you for shareing!
reaaalllyyy, you must not be a diy’er…shame on you, cleaver people must be lost on you.
Cute idea! But, much harder to execute than it looks. Thought it would be fun for me & 5 year old to make for dad for Christmas. But, she ended up not being able to anything but pouring the glitter. The hot glue didn’t work at all, dried before I could arrange things and just created a mess. Tried rubber cement, which allowed for more flexibility, but I couldn’t get anything to stay up. I used beads instead of fish rocks, so maybe that was the problem. But, everything kept falling down. 5 attempts and 2 hours later I think I finally have it (though right now I have the objects propped up by other things until the glue dries all the way.. they seem to be staying though). Wasn’t fun at all for us. But, then again… it could just be because I’m not crafty at all (even though my brain wants to be).
Note: Rubber Cement does not work either. Spent 3 hours on this craft yesterday. Everything was unglued and floating around this morning.
Works really well, is super easy and is a perfect gift for my mom. My only slight change would be finding a way to make the glitter not stick to the picture so much.
glitter! You get the picture…no pun intended!
This is such a great DIY project for the holidays! Thank you for sharing the how-to! Happy Holidays!!!
Hi, I attempted this project. However, the water kept leaking from the jars. Any tips?
Try using plumbers tape, and/or gluing the jar lids well. Always test your jars before decorating, as some are just leaky to begin with!
I plan on making this tomorrow & will use Gorilla Glue (white version 100% waterproof) based on comments saying laminated picture may come loose. I plan on printing the same picture twice; however, the second one as the “mirror image.” Then I’ll cut out & glue together back to back & then laminate. That way the snow globe can be 360 degrees. We’ll see how this pans out as I have 4 I am intending on making!
To Mandy who wanted to glue back-to-back pictures. This will only work if the silhouette is perfectly symmetric, which would be very difficult to achieve. To do this, you will have to cut the person in a square, circle, or triangle, and have the cuts be made almost perfectly, so that you don’t see the backside of the picture from the other side. Just a word of warning.
I made these today as Christmas presents, but I am having trouble with my glitter clumping up as well as it sticking to the laminated photo. Any suggestions?
Hi, these look fabulous. I mentioned you on my blog as another idea for great snow globes. I think I will try yours next year.
These are adorable!!! Did you use any particular type of glitter? Was it more coarse or just the regular glitter you find in any craft aisle?
my glitter keeps clumping together, thoughts on what I’m doing wrong?
We tried making it for the last few days and finally, we figured it out – HERE IS THE SECRET of CLUMP of GLITTER – Add a few beads (any shape and size you wish) into your jars and your glitter clumps will be broken off by these beads (we used a 500ml mason jar and only used 3 beads). I was almost teary when this finally worked as we were going to make this for our to-be 5-yo daughter’s birthday in 3 days – as a birthday DIY craft.
This was the best idea ever!! I did it with the kids I work with and they loved it!! Thanks!!
I’m hoping someone can help me find a solution to a problem. I made one for each of my children, like these with laminated pictures. Not sure why but the glitter is sticking to the laminate and is covering much of their faces. I haven’t glued the lids on yet so I was trying to think of something I could do or a product I could use to repel the glitter from the laminate. any ideas?
I’m making a snowglobe for the first time, and I was using dollhouse miniatures to create a scene. Is there some kind of coating I could use to protect the fabric and the characters I painted with in the snow globe?
I recommend using repositionable window decals paper from Staples. It’s transparent and it has an adhesive side. It will cover your image just like laminating. Also the glitter shouldn’t be able to stick to it.
I love the snow globe idea, just wondered if you have any tips on how you cut the picture out so exact before laminating. I am assuming tiny cuticle scissors might be the answer. Thanks for sharing, grandkids will love this.
I just used regular ol’ scissors, but yes- a tiny pair of nail scissors might be the trick!
love your sense of humor and the snow globe craft!
just for peace of mind we had Grampa use clear bathtub caulk around the lid after we put it on. These are great fun for the kids year round we even have Easter ones!!
Strange- I honestly don’t know!
We added dish soap to our when we mad them 25 years ago and it was my understanding that it was to keep the glitter from sticking. Maybe it would help?
The only thing about the laminated photos….if you keep them in your window sill most of the time, the sun will likely fade the picture. And the glycerin, Walmart has in the pharmacy section with peroxide and rubbing alcohol, etc. Brilliant project though.
I made these with my children 25 years ago and they are still not leaking, we used the clay and make little houses and trees and added reindeer and other Christmas items from the store. We used silicone to seal the lids and added dish washing liquid to keep the glitter from sticking. Now my oldest is making them with his children! I love this idea of the pictures!
What kind of glue did you use ?
In my snow globe I have a small plastic tree with snow (snow is not plastic–it’s that fake snow that’s glued on). Do you know of any kind of water-proof sealant that I could buy to spray on the trees to make them waterproof?
hmm, I’m not sure! Maybe ask at a craft store?
Hey I saw this and was so excited !! I told my art teacher and we are doing it next Friday for art club !! We just have to get all the supplies together so excited thank you!!
What a cute mom you are. Keep it up. I always made a big deal about all of the holidays and now my kids are doing the same for their kids. Love your snow globe – I’m making one for my granddaughter. Merry Christmas!
I’m letting my toddler do a Mother’s Day themed one for the Grandmas this year. Love the idea. I used some left over clear plastic, a hot iron, and a towel to make the pictures water proof.
they look nice for Christmas!
This year alot of Family Dollar stores are selling the snow globe snow with their christmas stuff. I was wondering about using the baby oil instead of the glycerin, is it the same ratio 2-3 tap per cup of water?
Yes, I’d do the same ratio.
I absolutely love these and am going to make them this year. I need to send one in the mail. How well do you think they would travel if packed well to prevent breakage. I worry about it leaking or expanding. Have you ever mailed one?
Never mailed it- sorry but I’m not sure! I would probably tape it around the seal just to be sure.
Thank you for responding so quickly. I’ll give it a try and then let you know if it arrived safely.
I absolutely adore these. Christmas may be over, but I’m still going to make a few…like, for winter birthdays, smile-makers for ME, and awe inspiring decor for visitors.
I am a preschool teacher………….I did this with my students as a Christmas gift for their parents. Making 15 snowglobes was very time consuming, but the outcome was 15 absolutely thrilled families!!!
What kind of paper did you use for the picture with out the picture getting damaged?
this is so cute, but it would look a little better with round globes, have you considered betta fish bowls and cork or wood stoppers with a little silicone aquarium sealer?
Love the idea! Did you have a problem with rust in your jar after sanding the lid so the hot glue would work better? I made one and wanted to make more, but I’m not sure how’s to prevent the rust in future ones.
I haven’t had a problem with rust! | 2019-04-20T06:54:58Z | https://ourbestbites.com/how-to-make-a-homemade-snow-globe/?utm_content=287379&utm_medium=Email&utm_name=Id&utm_source=Actionetics&utm_term=EmailCampaign |
Out of many beautiful destination in India, i traveled few places but still there are more places to visit in my list. In this post I'm going to give a brief intro about my dream destinations, for which I'm planning to travel in near future. So people who interested in visiting my dream destination can join with me.
Visiting ladakh will be a life time experience for every one. One must be lucky enough to go there as the road route for the ladakh will be very challenging even for the most experienced drivers. We visited Rohtang pass in manali, after traveling on one of the world's dangerous routes and thought that it was the most riskiest journey in India. But for visiting ladakh, the starting point is rohtang pass which will be followed by dangerous and world's high altitude roads. Leh is the Capital city of Ladakh. It is located at 3505 meters and falls on east of Jammu and Kashmir. Three places to see around Leh in Ladakh: the Buddhist murals in Alchi, the high altitude Pangong lake and the world’s highest motorable mountain pass, Khardung La.
One can reach ladakh either by road or by air. Airline services (Indian Airlines and Jet Airway)operate regular scheduled flights to Leh from Delhi, Chandigarh, Jammu and Srinagar. From Jammu there are two flights in week and from Srinagar one in a week. There are two options to reach Leh by road. The first is 434-km Srinagar-Leh road, which remains open for traffic from early June to November is the main land route to Ladakh. The most dramatic part of this road journey is the ascent up the 11,500 feet /3,505 m high Zoji-la. The J&K State Road Transport Corporation (J&KSRTC) operates regular Deluxe and Ordinary bus services between Srinagar and Leh on this route with an overnight halt at Kargil. Taxis, cars and jeeps are also available at Srinagar for the journey. Groups can charter deluxe and A-class buses for Leh, Kargil or Padum (Zanskar) from the J and K SRTC at Srinagar. If you decide to drive on this route yourself, you should spare a couple of days around Kargil for acclimatisation.
The second route is the 473-km Manali-Leh road which has been serving as the second land approach to Ladakh. The Manali - Leh road weaves in and out among the mighty snow-clad peaks of the Western Himalayas over a stretch of nearly 485 kms. The road is open from mid-July to mid-October every year, depending on weather conditions. Manali is the starting point of this dramatic journey and Rohtang Pass(13,000 ft/3,978 m), 51 kms away is the first important milestone on the Manali - Leh road as it is the gateway to the Lahaul and Spiti valleys. This is the best route for reaching Leh. But ensure that there are no blockages in the road.
Pangong Lake – Highest Lake in the World! - As it is situated at a height of approx. 4250 Mts. it becomes the highest lake in the world. Surrounded by beautiful gorges and vistas, this lake will definitely take your heart away. Other famous attractions of Pangong Tso are Chang La Pass (the third highest navigable pass in the world), ancient monasteries and the mountaineering school.
Nubra Valley – orchard of Ladakh! - Situated 10,000 ft. above sea level, Nubra Valley is a treasured place on this planet. Popularly known as ‘Orchard of Ladakh’, this valley is the house of rich vegetation. Numerous yellow and pink wild roses decorate this warm valley to welcome the tourists during early summers.
Khardung Pass – world’s highest motorable road! - On the way to Nubra valley, one will pass through the famous point known as Khardung La or Khardung pass. This pass is used most by the Indian Army to carry out its supply processes. To cross the khardung pass one needs to get a permit which is not much difficult to obtain. This pass offers spectacular view of Rock Mountains, green valleys and the beautiful Karkoram range.
Lakshadweep is an archipelago located 200-400 km west of the coast of Kerala in the Arabian Sea. The archipelago consists of 36 main islands, many smaller islands, coral atolls and coral reefs. It is the smallest union territory in India. large areas of crystal clear water for everything from snorkeling to wind surfing. The five islands which are open to tourists have simple accommodation in the shape of beach cottages. Regular flights operate from Cochin to one of the islands, as well as modestly priced ship cruises which stop at all the islands open to tourism. These cruises begin and end at Cochin.
A tour to Lakshadweep would cover some of the finest places of tourist interest and Kavaratti would be the first one to begin with. It is the capital of Lakshadweep and is home to unspoiled white sandy beaches. It has a beautiful lagoon and is an ideal retreat for water sports providing opportunities for swimming and to cool off on the sandy beaches. Kadhmath is another point of tourist interest that you simply cannot afford to miss out on. This place is ideal for spending some peaceful moments away from the clamor and rush of the city. The most sought-after attractions of this place are the sandy beaches and small sand banks located on the southern tip that are meant for the sun baths. You can get the facility of kayaks, pedal boats, sailing yachts, skiing boats and glass bottomed boats that are easily available here on hire here.
Furthest from Kavaratti island, 200 Kms. away to the south and also nearer to the Maldives, is the incredible size of the lagoon, Minicoy is one of the largest in Lakshadweep. It has a culture very different from any other island - dress, language, food, all differ. A walk through the winding lanes of the villages is an indication of the culture here. Minicoy is renowned for its dance tradition: the lava dance is performed on festive occasions. Privately managed cottages have been built on the isolated beaches and are available for tourists.
There is something indescribably romantic about the very notion of an uninhabited island and Bangaram justifies that feeling. At twilight, the setting sun, a ball of crimson in a flaming sky, casts its reflection on the water, and with the ever present coconut palms as a black silhouette, Bangaram is at the height of its allure. That is the hour when every visitor promises himself another visit someday. The warm, clear, deep waters of the Indian Ocean with its myriad marine flora and fauna are an irresistible invitation to the scuba diving fraternity of the world.The exquisite coral formations including the black coral formations, the large variety and number of coral fish-the angel, the clown, the butterfly, the surgeon, the groupers, not to mention the abundance of the awesome, but harmless sharks, mantarays, sting rays, moray eels (morena) and turtles, make diving here an addictive experience, enough to make impressive any diver's logbook with the stamp of the Diving School at Bangaram.
One of the Nature’s treasures on Earth or Heaven on Earth, many adjectives can be used to describe the pristine natural beauty of Agatti Islands in Lakshadweep. Soothing weather, a balanced mix of sunlight, sea breeze and sandy shore makes the visit in Agatti memorable for a visitor. Swaying palm trees, silvery beaches and exotic coral reefs, nature has gifted Agatti all its prime attractions. Agatti is the gateway to Lakshadweep, as the only airport in the islands is situated here. Agatti is a best suit for many water sports activities. One can experience the real pleasure of fiber glass boats and country canoes cruises. Agatti has an outstandingly attractive lagoon in the west, with multi colored fish fauna and exquisite coral growths. This is a remarkable tourist destination.
The state of Gujarat, rightly called the Jewel in the West, has something for everyone. You could visit Gujarat for a quiet wildlife getaway in Gir, for a relaxed sun and sand holiday on Gopnath's beaches, a fabulously enriching sightseeing experience at the 863 Jain temple cluster in Palitana or a visit to a dinosaur egg hatchery at Raiyoli. And that is just to mention a few of its innumerable attractions.
Some of the main places to visit in Gujarat are the Somnath Temple and the Dwarkanath temple. The Somnath temple is situated in Saurashtra which is one of the twelve Jyotirlingas or symbols of Lord Shiva. The Dwarkanath Temple is instead the home of Lord Krishna. It is situated on the tip of the Arabian Sea in western Gujarat, there exists the Rann of Kutchch which is noted throughout the world for the rare ecosystem, terrain and fossils. In Gujarat there are many national parks and sanctuaries as well. There are four national parks and 21 sanctuaries in the state of Gujarat. This state is the sole habitat of Asiatic Lions. Excluding Africa, this state is the singular natural habitat of lions. Along with lions, panthers are also located in Gujarat.
Apart from religious and historic places, in future Gujarat is going to be an adventurous hub of India. Indian Parachuting Federation (IPF) which is a National Level Sports Federation is promoting Sports Parachuting, related aerosports and adventure activities in Gujarat at a place called deesa. This is the only place in India where you can find the skydiving camp at an very good price.
Kanha National Park is horseshoe-shaped valley, and grasslands surrounded by Satpura Mountains, standing at heights ranging between 450 and 900 m. kanha is located at a distance of 275 km from Nagpur and 175 Km from Jabalpur. One of the most famous Tiger Reserves in India, Kanha has a rich retreat of plants and animals. A nature lover's paradise, it offers unlimited possibilities of capturing wildlife through your lenses. Kanha is often called Tiger Land, and visitors narrate innumerable and unforgettable instances of tiger sightings. Also there are lots of streams and fountain and magnificent water bodies that stores thrilling surprises for visitors at each step. The exquisite beauty and the immense variety of wildlife in Kanha National Park will leave you speechless. After the famous author Rudyard Kipling wrote "The Jungle Book" in 1894, setting his story in this forests, Kanha National Park attained instant popularity.
You can go on an elephant safari or a jeep safari. To gain a perspective of the park, all under one roof visit the museum. The safaris are organized mornings and afternoons. Jeeps can be hired from the MPTDC office if you are staying at the camp. Tourists can go on an elephant ride only when they book can go on an elephant ride only when they book a seat for the Tiger Show, which is offered in the morning. But there is no compelling reasons to enlist for the tiger show if you prefer natural wildlife sightings. Tourist can enter the main area only in the mornings on a jeep or in the afternoon. One needs to take a forest department guide to help one enjoy the park better. Touring is usually allowed on jeeps, which are available locally. Kanha has almost 300 species of birds including Storks, Teals, Pintails, Pond Herons, Egrets, Peacock, Pea Fowl, Jungle Fowl, Spur Fowl, Patridges, Quails, Ring Doves, Spotted Parakeets, Green Pigeons, Rock Pigeons, Cuckoos, Papihas, Rollers, Bee Eater, Hoopes, Drongos, Warblers, King Fishers, Wood Peckers, Finches, Orioles, Owls and Fly Catchers.
The Pench National Park is situated in the Satpura Ranges in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh. Nagpur, 95 km away, is the most closely located town from here. Covering an area of around 292.85 sq km, Pench National Park is divided into two parts by River Pench that gives Pench national park its name. Alikatta, the kernel of the national park, is an important spot to enjoy wildlife viewing. Besides watching a variety of animals, you can also watch tamed elephants here. Another interesting place to visit here is the Chhindimatta Road that will lead you to the massive Pench reservoir. To explore and enjoy the diversified vegetation of the national park, one needs to pay a visit to Bodhanala Range. If you are planning an even wilder experience, you can get in touch with the park authorities to book a night-stay in the watchtower at Raiyakassa.
MP tourism organizes many hotels to stay in Kanha & Pench, which can be booked through their online site http://mptourism.com/index.html , also we can book through the MP tourism offices located in almost most capital cities in India. MP tourism organizing dormitories in both kanha & pench which will be best suitable for a people who can't bare costly private hotels, also they are located near to the parks, which gives you the experience of staying in the forest.
JAMMU - popularly known as the 'City of Temples' - is located in the foothills of the Himalayas with the picturesque river Tawi flowing alongside. Nestling in the lap of dazzling, snow-capped Himalayas, Kashmir is ideally a honeymooners' paradise. Besides being an inspiration for art, music and poetry, Kashmir is also a nature lover's wonderland and a shopper's dream come true.With its perfectly maintained gardens, rows of golden chinar trees, sparkling rivers, alpine pastures and the backdrop of snow peaks, Kashmir is the most sought-after honeymoon destination for romantic couples the world over.
SRINAGAR - is famous for its lakes and houseboats. Dal Lake, The stunning views and comfort in the house-boats floating in the lake make you feel as though you are in Paradise. The aesthetic Shikaras take you through a maze of intricate waterways passing by the majestic house boats, old wooden houses, floating shops and floating vegetables gardens. The house-boats are adorned with ornate wood-carving, furniture and the famous Kashmiri carpets. The shops floating on the lake sell everything from sarees to shawls as well as ornaments to works of art and craft, all having a touch of the Persian culture and the mughal era. At times as you are winding your way through these water, Shikara's selling Kashmiri ornaments shawls with fine embroidery and woolen clothes and amazingly colourful flowers come to you, to hold transactions amidst the lake. This picturesque location leaves a indelible mark in your memory.
GULMARG - The Apharwat peak can be seen from here, along with the Alpather Lake, a pictographic alpine lake. The lake remains frozen till late June. For ardent fans of horse riding, the Alpather lake has wonders in store. A little below Gulmarg, one comes across the holy shrine of Baba Reshi, a Muslim Saint. Gulmarg houses the world's highest golf courses. The club house nearby is a splendour in itself. Facilities for golf training are also available here including golf sets on hire, pros to instruct one in the game, and temporary memberships.
PAHALGAM - is another interesting place in Jammu and Kashmir and has a lot of attractions for its tourists. Chandanwari, situated 16 kms. from Pahalgam, is the starting point of the Amarnath yatra.
SONAMARG - is 80 Km from Srinagar, the place is popular as a base for undertaking trekking expeditions.
Tourists who come here have different interests that can vary wildly from trekking, pilgrimage, white water rafting and even treatment. At Rishikesh, you can enjoy the wild fury of nature as well as its serene and scenic beauty. The place is very much associated with the Hindu mythology and thousands come here for pilgrimage. Rishikesh is also famous for the sadhus (saints) and people come here to learn Yoga from them. Thousands of people come here to practice this healing art.
Apart from pilgrimage & yoga, rishikesh is known for the best white river rafting in India. Almost from many years Rishikesh has became the destination for the adventurists, who are interesting in rafting as well as trekking. Rafting in ganges will be a life time experience, ranging from level 3 to level 5 having many challenging rapids. We can book rafting trips through online or directly in rishikesh. We have to choose among the various rafting trips available ranging from 8 km to 25 km. Then also provide night camping on the banks of ganges for the two day rafting trip. Normally all rafting expeditions start from the lakshman jhula in rishikesh and costs around 1500 per person.
Awesome places to visit if I ever make it to India......Hope to.
Nice post. Include train journey through Dudhsagar falls in it!!
Very useful and passionate stuff. Happy I noticed it. Keep it up !!! | 2019-04-20T08:34:56Z | http://www.mytraveltales.in/2011/05/my-dream-destinations-in-india.html |
August stars set the stage for a much faster forward, thanks to the Total Solar Eclipse, (New Moon) Aug 1 and the Partial Lunar Eclipse (Full Moon), Aug 16.
Solar Eclipse activations are driven by soul consciousness in more attention-getting motion; Leo’s creativity shines much brighter now. With the total Solar Eclipse Aug 1 raising such amplified potential, anything and everything under the sun could catch fire. The Now can deliver an incredibly successful launch point for some. Heart’s desires can be more attainable than seemed possible just a little while ago. We can also expect showcasing, bravado, and confidence-initiatives to hit overdrive. Heightened anxieties can easily compel our objectives and initiatives too.
Eclipses start to build their energy in the month prior to their perfection and are especially potent in the month following. Striking the cords of a key evolutionary chapter, they can continue to hold resonance for several months, 3 to 6 months is common but they can also be influence over a period of years. For those who’s personal planets are ignited, an eclipse can often thrust life onto an alternate course, sometimes surprisingly, sometimes even shockingly so. They are most influential where their path travels. It is interesting to note that the Solar Eclipse is visible in the urban centers of Siberia; musing on a bigger picture view, perhaps climate changes will lead to a significant lifestyle change for the people living there in the years to come. The Solar Eclipse path ends in Mongolia and China; note the Beijing Olympics (Leo correlates to Heros and Olympians) take place from Aug 8 – 24. The Eclipse South Node (and Chiron retrograde) is conjunct the birth chart Pluto for the People’s Republic of China. The world will be watching!
The highly creative influence of Venus opposing Neptune (perfected on July 31) is also intensified as part of the Solar Eclipse signature. This mesmerizing combination can intensify a sense of romanticism, love, and innocence, or illusion, delusion, projection, and deceit; it can also come down to the blinding lead the blind. When Venus and Neptune play their music, it’s near impossible to stay immune. We find ourselves more open, sympathetic and susceptible.
There are many potential expressions for Venus opposing Neptune: idealism in life or in love, (that soul mate feel); heightened spiritual communion, outpouring, or unfolding. Venus and Neptune combined can bring “easy money” and/or create a financial abundance cycle. Wastefulness, laziness, financial extravagance, or loss is on the flipside. Social pleasures can increase, but note that decadence can command a higher than usual price. Boundary issues can be easily compromised when Neptune is ignited. Casual handling of drugs, medications, alcohol, toxic situations or people can lead to folly, even tragedy. Theft is also falls in the range of increased possibility. Extra safety precautions are wise this month, not only with your passwords and material valuables, but also with your body and health too. Do not let those who are inexperienced go unsupervised, especially when in or around water.
Chiron’s influence on the North Node can suggest humanity’s wounds can be the most prevalent consciousness-raising catalyst we can work with now. We are both bound and limited by our inter-connectedness and blessed by it too. Such critical concerns as global warming, the building energy crisis, the economic downturns, will continue to build intensified momentum. We are likely to witness amazing initiatives taken; humanitarian/philanthropic activity is on an escalating curve now too. Be on the watch for mavericks, champions, and super heroes to emerge (from the humble to the lofty alike) and let us pray that they who lead the many can triumph in steering the course of history toward a glorious new golden age.
Chiron and the Sun in opposition across the nodal axis perfecting on Aug 10 is sure to produce a turning point of great significance. A greatly intensified momentum can become visible as early as Aug 4. Mars and Uranus also “up the ante”, and will intensify all dealings and transactions through to the Lunar Eclipse Aug 16 (and beyond.) Mars and Uranus in opposition (reaching exact aspect on Aug 6) are an abrupt, erupting, and volatile planetary influence; they put the radical, surprising, exciting, shocking, or extreme into motion. Weather volatility is likely to make headlines now too. A missing link/missing piece recovered or striking revelation could crack things wide open. Revolutionizing moments, exceptional circumstances and discoveries can occur not only in our personal lives, but also out there in the world. Jupiter and Venus are in trine during the Lunar eclipse, suggesting what’s good could be very good. Note that Jupiter and Venus can also be an inflation aspect, so know its easy to get carried away or swept up in it all. An overnight sensation can take over, a split second moment could decide a fate, a domino effect can kick into gear – and for that which has already begun, watch for lightening-quick/in the blink of an eye acceleration. Past these key dates, life may never seem the same again!
Asteroid Pallas Athene ingresses into mutable sign of Gemini on Mon, Aug 4, staying in this sign until April 5, 2009; among her many correlations, Asteroid Pallas Athene, the warrior goddess, is a significator for politics/politicians, strategy/strategists, tie-breakers, humanitarian and underdog struggles. Interestingly, Pallas Athene’s retrograde (intensification) period begins Oct 25 and lasts through Jan 14, 2009, encompassing a critical history-making chapter in US politics as voters go to the polls and the newly elected take office. An Afro-American seems to be ever more likely as the front-runner for the US presidency. It would not have happened just a short while ago. This potential is but one indicator of important history in the making. Major change is obviously top-listed on the collective agenda – expect to see more of it.
As August rolls along, we commonly start to bemoan the passing of summer, even though it is still very much in full swing. Venus tenanting Virgo from Aug 5 to 30 can see belt-tightening replacing our recent carefree and extravagant ways. Price drops on summer overstocks are par for the course at this time of year. Not surprising, housing prices will most likely also continue on the (rapid) decline. Financial analysts tout dire predictions for the stock market. Should it happen, don’t expect a turnaround anytime soon.
Retrograde since April 18, relationship asteroid Juno stations direct on Fri, Aug 8. Recent relationship experiences, primarily ones that have been undermining, (that have challenged our boundaries, confronted our personal authority and/or sense of deserving) will now serve like a high-beam light switch for this next part of our journey. The same can be said of the beliefs, knowledge, or answers we have built along the way. Whether inspiring, encouraging, challenging, or limiting, present circumstances are at a peak and will now serve as the necessary catalyst for this next stage of our growth. We can find ourselves now better able to disengage from that which has hindered – perhaps the momentum comes through being forced forward. The Now also delivers a greater opportunity to access relationships and circumstances that help us to shine and to achieve our best. Most importantly, it’s time to locate our missing keys (greater consciousness in action, self-centering, self-consistency, the inner love) and to stop running interference for ourselves.
Mercury tours thinking-ahead Virgo from Aug 10 to 28; the newspapers are sure to bombard us with end of season/back to school ads; we’ll start to mentally, materially, and physically organize ourselves for what’s around the corner – some of us will angst a great deal more too.
As mentioned above, Aug 10, may prove to be a lively ignition point for the Partial Lunar Eclipse, which will occur on Aug 16 (at 2:18 pm PDT.) Venus and Neptune, first intensified by the Solar Eclipse at the start of the month, are re-stimulated by the Lunar Eclipse. We can expect to see a second wave or an augmented ripple effect. Extreme emotionalism (idealism, disillusionment) can be a personal or collective experience. Revelations can create great hope or hysteria; the potential of substantial loss or chaos re economics/money markets can suddenly become the newly revealed reality – and perhaps hit an ultimate extreme.
The Sun ingresses (moves) into Virgo on Aug 22, joining Venus (heart) and Mercury (head) who have already been doing double-time through the Virgo checklists. Mercury ingresses into Libra on Aug 28, which seems well timed for one last pleasure weekend before back to school/work busy-ness takes over.
Landing in the most significant position of your chart, the Aug 1 Solar Eclipse may announce your golden chariot arrival, especially so if your birthday falls on or around Mar 31. Venus and Neptune can bring you plenty of increased exposure. You can be recognized or singled out in some special way. Someone or something special could claim your attention too! Romance and social pleasures are greatly enhanced; creativity comes vibrantly alive too. Good news for those who have been waiting – the love of your life could show up – if not right now, keep on the watch over the coming months. (Note that the intensified potency of an eclipse continues over an extended length of time.) Leo month powers up your light/your brilliance for all to see. Of course, the stars also convey that it is a critical time for re-centering. After all, if you have not been standing in your creative center then who has been running your show? It’s time to demonstrate who you are and what you can do in no uncertain terms. Reclaim yourself, and stand proud. The stars give you license to fall in love with life and yourself all over again. Children can be another wellspring for you now – it’s an exceptional time for them too, they have their own special paths to follow. You may not feel quite ready for all that the Lunar Eclipse Aug 16 delivers. In fact, the Lunar Eclipse could be life altering. A special event or visitor of note can appear; you could hear exceptional news or be gifted with an amazing invitation, opportunity, or turnaround potential. Don’t know what to expect next? Don’t let it stop you! You’ll fill in blanks/learn as you go. Yes, it is your name on the package, and no, there is no mistake made. Put your all into it, your full commitment is required.
Family bonding and home life grows in importance now. A particular family member (a sibling or a friend that feels like family) can claim added attention; it can be an opportune time to re-establish your (perhaps long lost) special connection (or to make your peace if transition nears.) Perhaps the month will launch with a special gathering to enjoy (family or friends), or news to celebrate. Thinking of starting over again, perhaps entertaining thoughts of moving back home or closer to family? The Solar Eclipse compels you to create more success and satisfaction; work to improve your baselines/your lifestyle, and don’t hesitate to do whatever it takes, even if it seems over the top. The bigger the overhaul, the more effective it will be. Ultimately, your happiness is what counts most. A new career direction (your own business perhaps?) could be very lucrative. Home cosmetic projects are also worthy, they can readily increase your property value or sales potential. If you plan to list your property, get it on the market immediately. If you are a first time buyer, secure borrowing rates sooner rather than later.
It’s time to max out on the summer’s best and to get your fill of sun and fun. Your personal life and social life take the Solar Eclipse spotlight. Plan more get-togethers and spread the love around. Spontaneity works like a charm too. A summer fling could do wonders for your ego, who knows how long it will last, but enjoy it while the getting is good. If sales are your business, cater to those special clients, they could be your golden ticket. If you need to groom business and are in the market for an agent, hire only the best. You’ll get what you pay for! Those of you in creative or performing fields can experience a burst of popularity with your adoring fans. The Lunar Eclipse Aug 16 can bring an ideal time to get out of town or to attend a special event (a wedding perhaps?) This eclipse can be financially or romantically opportune. You could find things fall into place surprisingly well, beyond your expectations. As stated in the monthly intro, something that has been brewing for sometime could rise to the surface. Even when something disconcerting occurs, it will serve as an air clearing, correction, necessary and positive catalyst.
How to get the most bang for your buck/out of the here and now; it’s everyone’s dilemma now. The Solar Eclipse shines the grow lamp on your as yet untapped resources. The process of self-discovery, of reclaiming pride, increasing self worth and net worth are your most important agendas now – invest big. It is also important to show yourself in the best light possible. As you do, you’ll discover that you have more going for yourself than you have previously assessed. You are entering a very fertile cycle; entrench yourself completely in your enrichment and betterment programs. Creativity, artistic achievement, athletic excellence – it can unfold for you now as never before. Display your wares, show your true self, be demonstrative. Positive attention will be fed back to you when you do. While you are at it, don’t scrimp on self-pampering and pleasuring, it’s an integral part of the healing process too.
The Solar Eclipse could provide a lucrative financial opportunity, perhaps one you did not expect. It’s a great cycle for starting your own business or for going professional. A new romance could fire up too, if so, you are likely to get deeply involved right from the start. Fertility is greatly enhanced for those wanting to know. Your relationship with children can be entering a special time now too. They deserve your best, now and always. The Lunar Eclipse could bring breakthrough (or breakdown, perhaps sudden) in communications, applications/petitions, work, or health. It can be a time when you can’t help but finally read that writing on the wall; get your health or books in order; stop perpetuating a toxic situation or relationship; stop waiting/relying on the help or advice of others – take the fix-it or find it job upon yourself. (No excuse will do.) On another note, transportation can need servicing, or upgrading. While summer is still in full swing, this Lunar Eclipse can prompt your attention to undertake preparations for the upcoming change of seasons.
It’s fresh start time! The Solar Eclipse thrusts you into a dynamic new cycle, perhaps surprisingly so. Those born around Aug 1 are in for an exceptional year ahead, one that demonstrates the shaping hand of destiny. Some of you can feel incredibly gifted by synchronicity. When something or someone overtakes you, you can expect to be completely consumed by it. New love can bring that soul mate feel. On the other hand, things or relationships that are not meant to carry forward can virtually disappear overnight. It some cases, especially re relationships that have suddenly ended, you may feel as though you have just awakened from a thick fog. If you can’t see your new direction yet, know that it will arrive soon enough. The sudden revelations of Lunar Eclipse Aug 16 can catapult you over a key threshold. While you the clean up make take more time, this Eclipse can bring you to a critical financial or relationship cut-off point. Choices can be made for you by outside circumstances/events; options can narrow to a point where there is only one obvious/workable direction forward. Aug 4, 7 – 10, 14 – 17, 22, 23 can be critical action or breakthrough dates to watch.
This first weekend of the month is a great time to get away from it all and to enjoy leisure time. Yes, you certainly deserve a vacation and/or extra time to heal. Be prepared to jump right into the swing of things once you get back, though, you’ll be thrust right into the thick of it right from the get go. In fact, Aug 3 – 5 can be a somewhat chaotic scramble. Aug 7 – 9 can take you over the hump and/or see things smooth out. The week prior to the Lunar Eclipse Aug 16 can be a time of ripening or stage setting. Keep yourself organized and focused; don’t scatter your energy or waste your time. Instead, be ready to spring into action when you see opportunity strike. One person’s loss or vacancy is another’s great gain; you can suddenly find a new hat to wear or a new place to hang a hook. The Lunar Eclipse Aug 16 signals a cut-off or take-off point of significance. You may see that there is only one direction for you to take. You could receive answers, sudden news, or come to a final decision of great importance. Book your moving truck early and/or give yourself an extra margin of time to get through your month end. Aug 26 to end of the month can also be a time to squeeze in one last summer get- away if you can.
Special connections and inroads can fire up quite readily now. The Aug 1st Solar Eclipse suggests it is worth your while to join in or team up, so participate whenever and however you can. Good times are for the taking. Sure, entertainment costs may be up, but you can also find plenty that is free and for the taking. If in the market, your social life could spark a summer fling, (or it could deliver that once in a lifetime love.) You’ll find plenty of occasions to celebrate; of course, you don’t really need a reason to indulge in the summer’s finest. A new lifestyle appears to be in the works, and it is one set to deliver more reward than you have now. The month ahead can be a special time for the special people in your life too. Be happy for their successes; be there for them when/if their well runs dry. Aug 6 can bring an interruption, disruption, or a synchronistic opportunity to work things out to a more successful level. It’s also good time to get away, or to shake things up a little for yourself. Aug 6 to 10, you’ll set a new stage and launch in a new direction, planned or not. The exposing Lunar Eclipse, Aug 16 could bring something (or someone) significant to light. Perhaps you have already had a sense of what was brewing, past this date, you’ll know for sure. Don’t ignore your health or your vehicle’s warning signals. The Lunar Eclipse could also signal a special social or romantic moment, help you to score a great find or a lost item, or help you to make a major personal or professional breakthrough.
You have a special role to play now, whether it is on behalf of family or within the professional arena. The Solar Eclipse Aug 1 puts an added spotlight on status, achievements, milestones, and goal reaching. If you have put in the time and/or built the right platform for yourself, a rich harvest is likely to come next. VIP’s love you. Reward and recognition could come in the form of a contract or salary increase, special favors, or other material gain, (an investment or real estate success, a legal settlement. New citizenship status, a green card, or the role of new owner, president, authority figure, mentor, elder, or proud parent is also one that provides a defining moment and is of greater significance to you now. Watch for a special event to attend, if not in your honor, then perhaps in recognition for another. On the flipside, if you aren’t getting what you deserve, now is the time to build toward it more assertively. Just starting out or starting over? It couldn’t be a better time to launch-off. The Lunar Eclipse Aug 16 could bring a departure or deviation of significance, perhaps sudden or unexpected. Watch for a sudden end, a significant threshold crossing, or switch of gears re an affiliation, group involvement, friendship, or a much hoped for potential, financial or otherwise. Under new management? It could be a plus for you. Then again, this Lunar Eclipse weekend can simply bring an opportunity to cut loose and get away from it all. A fabulous social event could land on your roster too.
Life, luck, and love can expand beautifully for you now. The Aug 1st Solar Eclipse can bestow a resilient sense upon you of go anywhere, do anything feel. Travel, sun, fun, the enjoyment of nature – summer is yours for the taking. Your popularity is at a peak, so by all means, stand on the stage, grab yourself a gold medal, or dish out the charm on a more select audience. Expanded luck is on your side, amazing opportunity can come your way. Of course, this cycle many simply dish up vacation time and a delightful summer interlude. If so, that’s peachy too. Mercury’s influence on this Solar Eclipse can gift you with added insight and creative ideas. Your intuition is greatly empowered now, so follow those inner messages and watch for news or special messengers to show up too. Athletes and performers are blessed by this Mercury influence; physical coordination and inner biorhythms are likely to be at peak. It’s a flourishing time for creative types, athletes, performers, agents, sellers, educators, and communicators. Publishing, recording, media contracts, and promotional activities appear lucrative too. Aug 2 – 6 can see an arrival or departure of significance. A project, contract or goal could move ahead quite rapidly. Mars and Uranus can spark creative solutions, blocks or restrictions can suddenly lift. Surprises, complications, and detours are also part of the stellar mix. Mars and Uranus could create some havoc with appliance, equipment, economics, transportation, health, but the overall influences are in your favor, so watch for surprising advantages. Aug 10 – 12 can piece it together for you. Aug 14 through the Lunar Eclipse Aug 16 brings a new chapter and a time of significant breakthroughs and thresholds to cross. Launch your products, declare your intentions, expand your horizons or your notoriety, start a new hunt or a new direction, and set yourself free.
The Solar Eclipse puts the spotlight on financial matters and intimate relationships. You’ll feel even more motivated to create more abundance for yourself; it can be time to start a new “eggs in one basket” chapter in both these regards. Legacies, wills, inheritances, and heirlooms can consume your attention now. Something like an art or coin collection could be worth a pretty penny. Not all investments do you good though, when needing to make those important decisions about who, what, where, and when, go with your most obvious choices. It’s also a time when you can negotiate a better salary or perks, or become a new business owner. Of course, you could find yourself under new management too. Is it time for a pre-nup? It’s important to establish what’s yours in no uncertain terms. Your significant other, a child, or some other VIP in your life can claim your undivided attention now. You may benefit from their successes, or perhaps you will be influenced by them in some other key way. The Lunar Eclipse on Aug 16 will paint a more obvious direction for your future; events around this time can catapult you over a significant financial and/or relationship threshold. A solution, avenue, or way-out may appear out of the blue/on its own. Something that has perplexed or challenged you for some time can suddenly correct itself. You stand to gain, so by all means, give up to get, make the necessary changes, and watch how fast and how well you can create a turnaround.
Now is the time for you to be an attention-getter. With the Aug 1 Solar Eclipse falling in your people sector, your popularity is enhanced. Your social life can be a source of great entertainment and pleasure. There may be more than one special occasion, event, or celebration to light up your life. Perks and special privilege can be more easily gained; don’t hesitate to ask for the extras. You can probably get away with a little more than usual now; some will bend their rules just for you. Abundance breeds abundance, the more attention you give, the more it will come back to you too. Of course, this advice applies to business as well as pleasure. The stars provide a lucrative platform for business and creative undertakings. Some people have a special knack for bringing out the best in you and you’ll do the same for them. You’ll notice these special bonds to be greatly intensified, now and in coming weeks. Key people grow more important and/or consume your priority attention. Special people can enter your life now too, ones that can make a dramatic impact on your heart, your lifestyle, or your bank account. If you find that your significant other or business partner is living in their own world and not giving you the attention you deserve, then you need to make yourself or your position more obvious to them. If you decide to pack in your relationship, you are likely to find that the happiness that recently seemed unattainable is suddenly in full bloom again. Living in harmony with yourself is the best anyone could ask for. The folly of the Solar Eclipse is projection, over-confidence, and/or overspending. If you have been blind-sighted, or bought into the hype, the illuminations and revelations of Lunar Eclipse on Aug 16 can be particularly disconcerting. You may not have too much control over situations or yourself. If you have played your cards right, things could open up for you as never before. Watch these threshold dates: Aug 1 -6 14 -17, 22, 23.
Getting healthier is the aim of the Solar Eclipse on Aug 1. This souped-up ambition takes place at all levels of course – healthy body, mind, soul, lifestyle, bank account, etc. If your work or day-to-day is a struggle from start to finish, then it’s high time to mail out resumes, and/or to do deeper soul searching. A better work environment is out there somewhere, start the search now. If you are recuperating from illness (or from childbirth), it’s important to pamper your body to the max. This Solar Eclipse can bring an ideal time to work on body imaging. You can do it alone, but know also that an expert, a mentor, or “guru” could be exceptionally helpful/really do the trick. Self esteem, posture, presentation, wardrobe, grooming details, healthy diet, etc. – do it right and people will stop to watch you glow. Aug 4 – 6 could bring surprise; something or someone could jump out at you. Aug 10 through the Lunar Eclipse Aug 16 can be a time when things really start to brew behind the scenes and out in the open too. It can be a time of finishing off with the past, of finding important answers or solutions, of reconciling your heart or reconciling with material matters. It cannot be stated enough, this is an important threshold crossing time when you can leave the past behind and step more fully forward. Aug 16 – 20 can be a time of important/critical first steps or new beginnings. Expect the unexpected!
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Abstract: This paper studies the determinants of shifts in debt composition among emerging market non-financial corporates. We show that institutions and macro fundamentals create an enabling environment for bond market development. During the recent boom episode, however, global cyclical factors accounted for most of the variation of bond shares in total corporate debt. The sensitivity to global factors appears to vary with relative bond market size rather than local fundamentals. Foreign bank linkages help explain why bond markets increasingly substituted for banks in channeling liquidity to EMs. Our results highlight the risk of capital flow reversal in EMs that benefited from the upturn in the global financial cycle mostly due to their liquid markets rather than strong fundamentals.
Abstract: This paper analyses the determnants of newly built dwelling prices in Serbia in a panel of 24 cities over the period 2011-2014. Results suggest that dwelling prices primarily tend to rise with populations growth and real total net wages as a proxy of household incomes, while declines in effective interest rate on housing are associated with higher dwelling prices. Additional explanatory variables, such as the level of development of observed cities, geographical distance from the capital, or real GDP dinamics in the country, even though the correct sign, didn't have statisticaly significance influence on the dependant variable.
Abstract: We study drivers of permanent and transitory deposit dollarization on a sample of CESE countries using panel cointegration techniques. The results suggest that a positive cointegration relationship exists between permanent dollarization and minimum variance portfolio (MVP) share. This provides additional empirical validation of MVP method as the standard tool for analysing financial dollarization in the long run. In the long run agents make savings decisions based on relative volatilities of inflation and nominal depreciation rates and do not take into the account interest rate spread. In the short run dollarization exhibits persistence. Somewhat different factors affect dollarization in the short than in the long run. Namely, apart from MVP share, dollarization of deposits is in that case driven, also, by interest rate spread and nominal exchange rate movements. Our results suggest that affecting dollarization through change in the interest rate spread may have short term impact on dollarization. In the long run, however, for de-dollarization it is critical to reduce volatility of inflation compared to volatility of exchange rate depreciation.
Abstract: This paper investigates macroeconomic determinants of the realisation of credit risk in the banking book (measured by the ratio of loan loss provisions to the value of total gross loans) using a panel data set of 33 Serbian banks spanning from 2008Q3 to 2012Q2. Three different panel methods were applied. Two types of loan portfolios were investigated separately – loans to households and loans to enterprises. The results indicate that a deteriorating business cycle and exchange rate depreciation led to the worsening of the quality of banks’ loan portfolio in Serbia in the period under review. In addition, statistical evidence indicates that the CPI inflation additionally affected the quality of loans to enterprises and households. Furthermore, we find that household loan portfolios are also sensitive to changes in the short-run interest rates.
Abstract: In this paper we seasonally adjust, step by step, monthly series of Serbian industrial production for the period 1994–2012, using the X-12-ARIMA method. In the pre-adjustment phase, we corrected the series for the automatically detected (using RegARIMA) effects of outliers, such as the level shift for NATO bombing, and the temporary change for the political changes of 5 October 2000 etc, as well as the (user-specified) ramp effect for the beginning of the global financial crisis. Using RegARIMA we also estimated that one working day less, because of weekends or holidays, reduces industrial production by 1.5%. These effects were also excluded from the series at this stage, before entering the next, X-11 phase. The final seasonal component in the X-11 phase, shows declining seasonal fluctuations of the series over the last 10 years, that is a lower seasonal factor for winter-autumn months and higher for summer months. Besides adjusting for the seasonal factor, we also adjusted the series for the calendar effect (number of working days and holidays), thus providing a more realistic picture on the movements in industry. Seasonally adjusted series contains all the outliers, with temporary ones being included in the irregular component, and permanent ones in the trend. The revisions analysis showed January as the least “reliable” month, that is the month for which seasonally adjusted data are revised mostly when new data are added to the series.
Abstract: We model strategic trading by a rent-seeking insider, who exchanges without being spotted, and propose a comprehensive theory of market non-anonymity. Several novel results are established. They depend on asset value proprieties, beliefs, inter-temporal choices, and investors' characteristics. In equilibrium, under a regulation mandating public trade revelation, disclosures may shift prices. If they do, uninformed manipulations arise only in some instances. Specifically, insiders constrained on asset holdings earn more than they would without such a disclosure rule. Consequently, mandating disclosures is unnecessary, as informative trades will be revealed voluntarily. This result reveals a previously unexplored link to the literature on (uncertified/non-factual) announcements.
Abstract: This paper investigates the bank lending channel of monetary transmission in Serbia. We collect individual bank balance sheet data for 33 banks over the period 2008Q3-2011Q2 and employ dynamic panel estimation techniques. Two different bank loan supply functions are investigated according to the currency denomination of bank loans in Serbia. Our findings indicate that there is a significant bank lending channel through the domestic and foreign reference interest rates in the growth of domestic currency loans. In the case of foreign currency loans, there is no statistical evidence for the existence of a bank lending channel which may be related to the prevalence of long-term loans in total foreign currency loans and relatively short sample size.
Abstract: This paper investigates the short to medium-term empirical relationships between the current account balances and a broad set of macroeconomic determinants in Serbia and selected CEE countries. Using novel model averaging techniques we focus the analysis to individual country’s data only. The results suggest that the model tracks the current account movements over the past decade quite well and captures its relative volatility. Signs and magnitudes of different coefficients indicate significant heterogeneity among countries providing empirical support for the country-level analysis.
Abstract: This paper aims to reassess the contribution of the Balassa-Samuelson effect to the inflation and real exchange rate appreciation using panel data for nine CEECs covering the period ranging from the mid-1990s to the third quarter of 2010. The main idea of this analysis is to answer the question of whether the Global Economic Crisis had a significant impact on the efforts of CEECs to stay on the path of real convergence. The Balassa-Samuelson effect explains less than 1.5 percentage points on average of inflation differential relative to the euro area and around 1 percentage point of the total domestic inflation. The results are robust across the model specification and estimation method. Most of the results point out that the Balassa-Samuelson effect has not changed considerably during the crisis even though it is lower compared to that in the earlier stage of transition (for the period up to 2004).
Abstract: How did the Subprime Crisis, a problem in a small corner of U.S. financial markets, affect the entire global banking system? To shed light on this question we use principal components analysis to identify common factors in the movement of banks.credit default swap spreads. We find that fortunes of international banks rise and fall together even in normal times along with short-term global economic prospects. But the importance of common factors rose steadily to exceptional levels from the outbreak of the Subprime Crisis to past the rescue of Bear Stearns, reflecting a diffuse sense that funding and credit risk was increasing. Following the failure of Lehman Brothers, the interdependencies briefly increased to a new high, before they fell back to the pre-Lehman elevated levels .but now they more clearly reflected heightened funding and counterparty risk. After Lehman’s failure, the prospect of global recession became imminent, auguring the further deterioration of banks loan portfolios. At this point the entire global financial system had become infected.
Abstract: Using the simulation-based approach, this paper aims to investigate the influence of operational problems which occur at two most important prticipants on the system as a whole as well as on the other participants of the payment system of the National Bank of Serbia. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first paper which examines, by use of simulations, the consequences of operational problems ocurring at the participants of the payment system of the National Bank of Serbia. Two scenarios were examined. In the first scenario, the most important participant is facing operational problems, while in the second scenario operational problems at two most important participants were supposed. Restrictively designed scenarios show that operational problems at the most important participants can seriously affect other participants' ability to settle their payments. In addition, in order to capture possible behavioral reactions by other participants, we investigate whether the application of the stop-sending rule can reduce the magnitude of contagion. We find that the application of this rule can substantially reduce the effects of the operational problems. However, the rule also reduces the number of transactions in the system as well as the total turnover. At the end, we determined the probabilty of defaults for each account used in our analysis.
The paper was selected the best paper at the First Annual Conference of Young Serbian Economists, held in the NBS from 22 to 23 June 2011.
Abstract: This paper analyzes the role of product quality and labor efficiency in shaping the trade patterns and trade intensities within and across two groups of countries, the developed and richer North and the developing South. Recent empirical literature identifies a positive relation between income per capita and both export and import prices, and also the import prices conditional on exporter. Instead of relying on specific demand side mechanisms such as non-homothetic preferences, we focus on the North-South differences in technology in a four country North-South trade model with two dimensions of firm het- erogeneity. Differences in firms’ product qualities and cost efficiencies result in a price distribution generating different consumption bundles and the observed export and import prices across rich and poor countries. Furthermore, the resulting total expenditure allocation across quality shows that the North (South) spends a larger share of its income on high (low) quality even with the same homothetic preferences across regions.
* European University Institute, Italy.
** Uppsala University, Department of Economics, Sweden.
Abstract: This paper studies drivers of daily dynamics of the nominal dinar-euro exchange rate from September 2006 to June 2010. Using a novel semiparametric approach we are able to incorporate the evidence of nonlinearities under very weak assumptions on the underlying data generating process. We identify several factors influencing daily exchange rate returns whose importance varies over time. In the period preceeding the financial crisis, information in past returns, changes in households’ foreign currency savings and banks' net purchases of foreign currency are the most significant factors. From September 2008 onwards other factors related to changes in country's risk and the information processing in the market gain importance. NBS interventions are found to be effective with a time delay.
Abstract: Medium-term projections are an important element of the decision-making process in an inflation targeting regime, that the National Bank of Serbia has been implementing for the past several years. The main goal of medium-term projections is to give an answer to what should be the policy rate path that would ensure that inflation in the coming period moves close to the targeted inflation rate. The most important tool for medium-term projections is a macroeconomic model, which is a set of equations aiming to describe the price-formation mechanism in Serbia and the transmission channel of monetary policy to prices. The model is comprised of four main behavioral equations for inflation, exchange rate, output gap and policy rate, and of a number of side behavioral equations and identities. For estimating trends and gaps on history, we use multivariate Kalman filter. The model in the current form has been used since end-2008 and is subject to regular adjustments and improvements.
Abstract: Motivated by the theory that suggests that Serbian exporters bear a burden of “strong” dinar, this paper investigates the relationship between exchange rate and foreign trade. The contribution of this paper is the estimate of the long-run impact of exchange rate on exports and imports for several industry groups. The estimated elasticity of exports with respect to real exchange rate is about 0.5, suggesting that the potential changes in the exchange rate policy would yield relatively small benefits for exporters. On the other hand, long-run relationship of imports and the exchange rate is not confirmed, while the aggregate wages, salaries, and pensions have the strongest effect on imports in the long run.
Abstract: This paper investigates the efficiency of monetary policy in Serbia, а highly dollarized economy. Results suggest that the interest rate channel is shaded, and that it is dependent on the degree of dollarization. Interest rate movements are primarily determined by the movement of interest rates in the Euro zone. The impact the 2W repo rate of NBS on the lending interest rates becomes significant only after we control for the level of dollarization. The pass-through of 2W repo rate to interest rates is observed only when the dollarization falls below 64.5%. Maximum potential pass-through of 2W repo rate to interest rates (achieved at zero dollarization) is between 0.169 and 0.820, depending on the model specification.
Abstract: A new data set from the transition economies shows that the private sector has increasing access to long-term bank financing. In several transition countries credit has similar maturity structure to that in Western Europe, while in other transition countries credit remains mostly short-term. Several factors explain these differences: the political and institutional environment, bank privatization, sustained low inflation, the levels of economic and financial development, and the establishment of credit information sharing institutions. In contrast, the share of foreign owned banks and banking sector competition have no influence on credit maturity.
Abstract: We investigate a new data set on the maturity of bank credit to the private sector in 74 countries. We show that credit maturity is longer in countries with strong institutions, low inflation, large financial markets, and where banks share information about borrowers. Furthermore, we extend the finance and growth literature by showing that credit maturity matters for economic growth. Economic growth is enhanced in countries where agents have access to long-term financing. Therefore, weak institutions, high inflation and other variables that reduce credit maturity have an impact on economic growth via their influence on credit maturity. The estimated effects are substantial in size.
Abstract: This paper analyzes the effects of different monetary policy transmiss ion channels in Serbia as well as their implications for the current monetary policy framework and instruments. It has become apparent that, for the time being there are two active channels: the exchange rate channel and the expectations channel. Although the effect of transmission of the exchange rate on prices is dominant, the central bank is determined to conduct its monetary policy within the framework of an inflation targeting monetary strategy. In the future, other channels -primarily the interest rate and credit channels – are expected to become active as well. However, it should be said that the use of administrative measures has so far not been efficient in strengthening these channels. The Conclusion of the paper draws attention to the difficulties faced by monetary policymakers in the absence of support from other policies, especially fiscal policy.
Abstract: This paper investigates macroeconomic implications of using reserve requirements as a monetary policy instrument. The result suggests that reserve requirement has not been an efficient instrument. We derive this broad conclusion as this instrument does not have expected effect on the credit activity of commercial banks. Furthermore, reserve requirements increases private foreign debt, while the impact on the foreign liabilities is not statistically significant. In contrast to reserve requirements, 2-weeks repo rate of NBS decreases private foreign debt, and this impact is statistically significant. Core and headline inflations are determined by the exchange rate movements, while the direct effect of reserve requirements and NBS interest rate is not confirmed.
Key words: Reserve requirements, credit, foreign debt, inflation.
Abstract: This paper estimates the pass-through effect of the exchange rate to prices in Serbia. Results obtained using ADL and VAR methodology suggest that the effect of exchange rate to inflation is Serbia is relatively high, but, as it is the case in most countries and previous studies on Serbia, incomplete and well below one. The estimate of the passthrough effect obtained using ADL methodology is between 0.13 and 0.31 in the short-run, and between 0.19 and 0.50 in the long-run. During the depreciation of the domestic currency (against the nominal effective exchange rate constructed from euro and U.S. dollar) the effect is considerably higher, and it reaches even 0.90 when we look at the retail price index.
As part of preparations for the adoption of a full-fledged inflation targeting regime, last year the National Bank of Serbia began producing and publishing its inflation projections. The NBS Monetary Policy Committee opted for projections based on the key policy rate path. However, for the time being, information on the path of the key policy rate (and the exchange rate) is not publicly disclosed. The author compares this approach to a number of different practical solutions applied by other central banks to give an overview on this particular issue and to consider the ways to improve the NBS practice in order to increase the efficiency of inflation expectations management as the inflation targeting regime is further developed.
The paper gives an overview of the main features of credit growth in transition economies, with special emphasis on developments in Serbia. It aims to evaluate the current pace of credit growth and its potential adverse impact on macroeconomic stability.
Findings of the analysis indicate that, despite strong growth in lending to the private sector, Serbia is not experiencing a credit boom, as high figures are mainly attributable to the convergence process and low starting point at the outset of transition. This implies scope for further expansion in lending.
Theory provides more then one explanation of both the manner and mechanisms of fiscal policy impact on inflation. Opting for a particular explanation is further complicated by the specific features of fiscal policy currently implemented in Serbia. This paper aims to recognize the effects and transmission mechanisms of fiscal policy currently in place in Serbia, which would help introduce the fiscal policy variable into the DSGE model used for monetary policy purposes.
The paper analyzes the relationship between the privatization receipts and fiscal deficit in Serbia from 2002 to 2007. The empirical study incorporates monthly data series, where findings suggest that the privatization receipts have caused an increase in the country’s budgetary deficit and expenditure, and have thus endangered the long term fiscal position of Serbia. Change in use of privatization receipts is necessary if the fiscal balance is to be kept on track over the longer term. The paper suggests that the privatization receipts should be used for capital investment under conditions of sustained price stability. In case of inflation-related problems, these funds should alternatively be used for repayment of foreign debt. It is also advisable to adopt a methodology for budget presentation which is more transparent with regards to the use of privatization receipts.
Abstract: This analysis aims to quantify features of exchange rate pass-through to inflation for Serbian economy. In summary of our results, ADL and recursive VAR methodologies confirm that pass-through effect in Serbia is relatively high, but, like in most countries, incomplete and well below one. Although, the estimates are very imprecise and range from 0.3 to 0.7, depending on the specification and sample size, the thrust our results suggests that the short term pass-through elasticity is less than 0.3 and the long run elasticity is less than 0.6.
Grants and remittances tend to insulate beneficiary countries from movements in the world market, hence enabling them to build up foreign exchange reserves irrespective of their competitiveness, i.e. performance of their economies. Initial effects of these types of transfer manifest primarily as the appreciation of the exchange rate and an increase in labor costs, while the effect of remittances on wage levels is twofold. Indirect effects are manifest above all in terms of the volume and composition of investment and exports. In case of the former, it is important to sterilize monetary effects, while in the latter case it is important to avoid any investment-related decision-making based on signals of temporary character. Majority of empirically found effects of grants on economic growth are rather negative than positive. The same, though to a lesser extent, also applies to remittances. As the volume and growth rate of remittances in Serbia are higher than those of grants, in addition to their stabilizing and social function, they should also acquire a significant investment function.
Sterilization is one of the ways to prevent automatic spill over of the effects of interventions in the foreign exchange market on the money supply. The effectiveness of sterilization can be examined by applying the concept of sterilization coefficient, off-set coefficient and neutralization coefficient.
Empirical analysis of the sterilization, off-set and neutralization coefficients was made with a view to ascertaining the extent to which the National Bank of Serbia’s sterilization policy managed to neutralize the effect of reserve money creation through net foreign exchange transactions. Another purpose of this analysis was to assess the government’s contribution to sterilization, as well as the impact of sterilization-related monetary policy measures on foreign borrowing by banks.
The aim of the present paper is to assess stability of the money demand function in the Republic of Serbia and provide an empirical analysis of factors that influence money demand. The modeling was based on the standard approach that the money demand relative to the economic activity and opportunity cost of the money stocking,whereas the industrial production index was applied as the indicator of economic activity.Economic analysis of the money demand function was facilitated by the Johanes’ procedure and error-correction model with the main objective to determine the factors which, in both short- and long-term, influence its movements. The results show that money demand in the entire period under review showed signs of instability and could not be used for the purpose of targeting monetary aggregates.
Key words: money demand, error-correction model, Jonhanes’ procedure.
Monetary conditions index (MCI) is an indicator of the combined effect of short-term interest rates and the exchange rate on price stability and/or aggregate demand. The MCI enables monitoring of changes in the level of restrictiveness and/or expansiveness of monetary policy compared to the base period. It enables us to observe the impact of monetary conditions on the general level of prices and inflation process.
Depending on the circumstances, MCI can be construed by calculating weights to account for the relative effect of the exchange rate and interest rates on either aggregate demand or prices. As inflation expectations in Serbia strengthened in the prior period, the authors agreed to construe the MCI so as to account for the relative effect of the exchange rate and interest rates on price levels.
Empirical analysis of MCI movements shows that there was a relaxation in the monetary policy stance in late 2004 and early 2005. Indirect measures of monetary regulation are still ineffective in our country. Changes in reserve requirements, as the most frequently used monetary policy instrument in the prior period, did not always lead to the results expected. In this context, the authors argue that the role of interest rate as an instrument of monetary policy should be strengthened in the coming period, as well as the use of other indirect instruments of monetary regulation.
Serbia will in the coming years allocate substantial amounts for the servicing of external debt which has reached around USD 14 billion. Based on various criteria of indebtedness, the study explains whether Serbia is a severely indebted country and whether its external debt is sustainable, i.e. can Serbia and under what conditions service its external debt in an unimpeded way. | 2019-04-25T18:33:10Z | http://www.nbs.rs/internet/english/90/90_0/index.html |
"My precious, precious, precious little children, I love you ALL so much. I love you. I love you."Our Mother is leaning toward us and over us. Her Veil is so big, so large It spills over all of us touching each one. Our Mother continues: "I bring you love My children. Love from My Son, Jesus, a love that this world cannot give you. Open your hearts My precious little ones. Open your hearts to Your Mother. I love you little ones. I love you. I love you. I have chosen each one of you My children. Give your little hearts to Me. Parents and grandparents, teach your children about Me. Tell them how much I love them. You are a living example of Me and My Son. Let My children see Me in you each day. Bless your children often with Holy Water and teach them to pray. Teach them to turn to Me and to My Son Jesus whenever their hearts are troubled. I am very near to those who are suffering. Very near, My children. I enfold each one of you in My Arms. I love you. I love you. I love you." Thank you Blessed Mother for speaking to us, please stay with us. I spoke to the children and to some of their Mothers then went inside to begin the 20 decade Rosary for our beloved priests.
2p.m. I blessed myself, all the rooms and pilgrims present with Holy Water. Our Mother came as I knelt down to begin the Rosary. I saw no one else with Her. She is dressed all in white surrounded by light. There was no Crown on Her Head. I surrendered to Our Mother all of our priests and future priests, all those who have asked us for prayer. I gave to Her all of our families and Petitions. I thanked Her for loving us and for taking care of us. I thanked Her for blessing Her Mission here with many Consecrated brides.
As we began the First Joyful Mystery, The Annunciation Our Mother's Dress changed from white to a pinkish-purple. A mist of that color came over Her white Dress and it changed. Her Veil remained white. I do not think I have ever seen Her in that beautiful color before.
Our Mother began to speak "Open your hearts, My beloved children, My priest sons and all of My precious children. Open your hearts. Prepare your hearts. Prepare your souls."
Our Mother spoke: "Clean out your houses. Clean your hearts. Clean your souls. O My beloved children, NOW is the time to PREPARE. PREPARE. PREPARE. Make room in your hearts. Make room in your souls. Make room in your lives for the greatest gift you could ever hope to receive. PREPARE. PREPARE. PREPARE for the Coming of My Son Jesus. MAKE ROOM FOR HIM! I ask you to change your hearts. Give your hearts to Me, Your Mother. I will renew and refresh you. I will bring you by the hand to new life. Prepare yourselves for this new life by making a decision to change your hearts." I could feel my own heart trembling as Our Mother spoke.
Our Mother continued: "Turn to Your Mother I will help you. To begin this preparation, examine your lives, in PRAYER. Make a complete Holy Confession to My priest sons. O My children your conversion to holiness will help to convert My lukewarm priest sons. I need you My beloved children. I call you to prepare for a new and deeper holiness. Prepare your hearts & your souls before you receive My beloved Son, Jesus. Turn to Me with all your hearts. I await you in love, in Peace and in hope."
Our Mother speaks to the priest who is present: "My beloved and precious little shepherd I love you. I love you. I love you. Thank you for loving Your Mother. I am healing you My son because I love you. You please Me, My son. Thank you for hearing the Confessions of My children. Thank you for your heart of Compassion that is so like the Heart of My Son Jesus. I love you. Your Mother."
Our Mother speaks to my Spiritual Director: "My beloved priest son, I love you. I thank you for all you do for My Son Jesus and for Me Your Mother. I am with you My son, son of My Immaculate Heart. I will ask more of you My son. I will provide all that is needed for your response to My Call to you."
Our Mother speaks to the Brother who is present: "Thank you My little Martin for loving Me. I love you most tenderly. You please Me and bring joy to My Immaculate Heart. I sing through you. I am with you at all times. Thank you for praying in all the languages of My people."
Our Mother speaks to a priest who has gone astray: "My beloved priest son, turn back to Your Mother. Come home. Turn around. Do not turn away from Me. I call you. Come home to My Immaculate Heart. I await you. I desire to enfold you in My mantle of healing peace. You must turn around. Turn away from all evil. Turn away from those who pull you away from My Son Jesus and from Your Mother. I love you My son. I will help you. Please come home to Your Mother."
Our Mother speaks to a priest who is being falsely accused: "My beloved priest son, I am with you, My son. I love you. You are walking in the Footsteps of My Son Jesus in this trial of suffering, My son. I am with you. All will be well. Place your complete trust in My beloved Son Jesus. I enfold you in My Mantle of Purple, in My Mantle of Protection and of Peace. I know that you do not understand this false accusation. Know My son that this is part of your holy journey to complete Union with the Most Holy Blessed Trinity. I am with you. I love you.
Your own Mother, Your Patroness, Mother of Divine Love."
Our Mother speaks to all: "Await My Son! He Comes! Here He Comes! Soon He Comes! Await His coming with open heart and open arms. I come before Him to prepare the way for HIS COMING! Await Him in Faith! Await Him in Hope! Await Him in Love! Much is about to unfold like the unfolding of the petals of a rose. Look for that which is good, that is unfolding around you. You are My children of Light, not of darkness. I love you and I thank you who are the Faithful remnant. You shall not be disappointed nor abandoned."
Our Mother continues: "Keep your eyes on My Son Jesus. He is coming soon! Many of you who are living today will see Him as He comes in Glory. I speak to you for Him My children."
Our Mother asked me to kneel and pray the Sorrowful Mysteries with Her. As soon as I knelt I began to feel terribly alone and abandoned. I felt a terrible desolation. I was given the grace to share in Jesus' feelings but also understood that I was sharing in the sufferings of a priest. Sometimes when I am given a suffering I am not given the understanding and sometimes I am.
Our Mother continues: "O My beloved children, I love you and I thank you with all of My Heart for those who are faithful. I see into your hearts, My priest sons and My beloved children. You must persevere when you are under trial. Persevere. I will see you through this time of doubt and unknowing. I speak to your hearts, WORDS OF LOVE, WORDS OF HOPE! I come here not to wound you, I come here to heal you. I have not abandoned you nor shall I ever abandon you. Again I ask you to PREPARE. PREPARE. PREPARE. Make room in your homes and in your hearts for My beloved Son Jesus. I bless you in a deeper way of understanding as I depart."
Our Mother continues: "I bless all of your families. I love you. I love you. I carry all of your Petitions in My Immaculate Heart to Heaven. You will be surprised at the response of Our Father to your needs, for He will reward your Faith in Him and in Me Your Immaculate Mother. I come not to burden you My beloved priest sons and all My children. I come to lighten your burdens and to bring you Peace. I love you. Persevere in your prayer and in your sacrifice for My beloved priest sons. The reward you shall receive will come from and through My beloved Son Jesus. Prepare My priest sons and all of My children. A new dawn, a new day is about to break upon the horizon, but first remember that the darkest hour is just before the dawn. Be Faithful as My Son is Faithful. We, My Son and I will be with you and We will carry you through the darkest hour. Stay close to Our Hearts of Love and you will be safe and secure. I cover this chosen place with My Mantle of Divine Love, My Mantle of Peace and of Protection. My Immaculate Heart is a sure and safe refuge for all of My priest sons and all of my beloved children. Thank you for answering My Call to you My children."
Our Mother continues: "I love you. I love you. I love you. Come home to Your Mother. I am filled with Love for you. I am Your Mother, Lady of the Bayou, Mother of Divine Love."
St. Joseph came at the very end just before Our Mother left. Our Mother continued to speak: "I leave, but I remain with you My children, in love forever. Love one another as I love you. My children these Visitations are a gift to you, a gift of Love from Our God, the Most Holy Blessed Trinity. A gift is something given, not to be expected or ever taken for granted. Give thanks to Our God, My children for these Visitations of Love. You are living in special times My children, a very special time of the outpouring of Divine Grace, of Divine Mercy and of Divine Love upon the earth. I love you. I have many titles, I am one Mother, Your Mother, Mother of Divine Love."
"Lorena, I love you. All will be well, My beloved child. K. I love you. I see how hard you are trying to be good. I am with you. I will never leave you. Do not be afraid. You are all three in My Immaculate Heart."
"Sister R. I love you. Your suffering is helping many of My priest sons to be healed. Through a holy priest your order will be renewed and redirected to Truth."
"For My sons, My Josephs who work for My Mission here I love you. Your reward will bless your families for many generations to come. My Mission here has multiplied and you will see much fruit in many new and holy priests and Religious."
"Glenda, I am with you. I love you. Thank you for your offering of your suffering. Many priests have been helped by your giving heart."
My husband saw Mother Theresa today as we prayed the Rosary. He saw her go to each person here and she touched each one.
As we prayed outside with the children Our Mother came. I saw many hearts falling into each child. The hearts were surrounded by flames. The hearts were filled with love for Jesus. Before Our Mother came I saw many jewels and diamonds suspended in the air. Our Mother came in a bright light today. I saw Her all in white with a Crown of white roses. After we began the Rosary Our Mother began to speak: "Tell Lorena that I hold her child in My Heart for safekeeping and that I surround her and her baby in My Love. When you have need My child call to Me. Give to Me all that you cannot handle and I will make it My own. You are My daughter. I am Your Heavenly Mother. Look to your earthly Mother for a true profound and deep love to share with your child. Trust in Me My daughter. Trust in Me for I love you. Tell your husband to ask for guidance from My earthly husband Joseph for he was a good father to Jesus. Come to Us for guidance. I bless your baby with a very special Angel of Protection." I saw this Angel of Light wrapped around this baby just conceived in it's mother's womb.
Our Mother spoke to the religious Brother present: "I love you My little Martin. You are so dear to My Heart. Your respect and love for all of My children is seen by all of Heaven. Thank you for singing and praying with us today. Tend My sheep and make sure they are well fed and keep yourself and My little lambs from harm. Pray. Pray. Pray My son for your brothers and sisters in habit. Continue to do all that you can for My priests, My sons. Pray My son, pray, sing, share the love I have for you with all you meet."
Our Mother then speaks to the Religious Sisters who are present: "My darling daughters your Faith and Love make My Heart glad. I am always filled at your presence. I come here each month for you also My daughters. I thank you again for wearing your habits as a sign to My children of your great love for My Son Jesus. My children need this sign now more than ever." I see a great ocean and it's waves are crashing together the wind is blowing strong. It looks like a hurricane. Then I see the sisters and the water is calmed wherever they pass. "The storm that rages within some of my children's lives comes to complete calm at seeing the love you have for My Son Jesus. I love you My daughters, call to Me for intercession. Call to your sister Theresa for her intercession as well. She has been well and truly blessed for her dedication to My Son Jesus. I Love you. I love you. Pray. Pray. Pray for your sisters and brothers in habit. Continue to Pray for My Priests, My Sons."
For everyone: "My children Oh how I love you. Pray for My Priests. Pray that they may always be filled with the love of My Son Jesus and be on fire to spread His message of love to all of you His children. Thank you all for all that you do in prayer and love in My Name. My love for you My children grows stronger with each moment. Be welcoming to all you meet and share the love I have for you with all you welcome. As I do every month I send each new person here today home with an Angel of Protection. I will do this each time until there is no more need. I bless all marriages and all children of these. Some do not know yet that they are now blessed with this special gift but you will know soon. I bless all wedding rings. Pray for your marriages to grow stronger in faith and love. Pray. Pray. Pray. My special children, Pray. I bless you and fill you with My peace and the knowledge of My true presence here. Yes it is I, Your Mother calling to you for Prayer. Pray for your country. Pray for peace. Pray for the poor souls who have been lost to Us that they will in this moment find Us again, and come home to Our love for them. Pray for all of My children yes even your enemies. Pray for My children here in this little holy place. Pray. Pray. Pray for them and their families to continue to be strong and faithful in welcoming Me into their homes and hearts, to allow you to come to Me here. This sacrifice has been greatly welcomed by My children and they fill Me with love. They have done well. Thank you again My children for coming here today to pray with Us. Listen. Listen in silence for My Voice for I will speak to all who listen."
Received for a Priest present: "Mon Chere (My Dear) Priest You are My Heart. Good (Bon) is your heart. I love you. I hold you in My Arms. I am here to comfort, console and heal your body. Give to Me all of your burdens. I am washing you in My love for you. My little son who so long ago heard My call to you, you are a good son. Thank you for hearing My children's confessions. Continue in prayer for your brothers, My Sons. I love you. I bless you with My peace and My love. Pray for My children and bless them at each mass in the silence of your heart for I will be listening."
For all priests: "My Sons, My Sons there are no words I can say to you it seems. Where are you My Sons? Some of you have heard My call and have come to Me here in this little place for healing. What are you afraid of? Do not fear Me, I am Your Mother. I come here only in love. I love you so much that I come here from Heaven especially for you My Priest sons. I want to do all I can to heal and renew you and your vocations. Come to Me. Come home to Me for I have great things for you to do. I will wash you clean. I will make you whole again. Do not be afraid. Come and listen as My children pray and sing in dedication to you.
Mary, Come into My heart and rest there. I comfort you with My love and peace.
John, welcome My son. Bring your family forward for My Blessing.
T--Your faith in Me is wondrous and I love you My dearest heart.
S--It is time now to settle down and let Me help you to be complete and happy. Trust in Me.
Carl-I love you My son. Welcome."
I received this early in the morning from Jesus, "My child, get your house ready and they will come." O.K. Lord! I blessed the whole house with holy water, and invited all the Holy Angels and Saints and Souls being made holy in Purgatory to pray with us and for us. I invited Our Lady under all Her titles to pray with us for our beloved priests and for more priests. Read the beginning prayers and started the Rosary for priests around 2:00 p.m. Our Lady is here as Queen of Divine Love, Patroness of Priests.
Our Lady says, "My child I am with you. Thank you for opening your home for people to come and pray with us for our beloved priests. I am praying with you."
Our Lady continues, "I am praying with you for our beloved priests. Many Holy Angels are praying with us. Many Saints are praying with us, St. Padre Pio, Blessed Mother Theresa of Calcutta. Have courage my daughter, have courage." Why am I here Mother Mary, no one came! Our Lady continues, "My daughter I have asked you to pray this Rosary for Our priests on the last Saturday. Thank you for your obedience. Do not worry that no one else is here. Simply do as I have asked. Others have been called. It is up to them to respond to My Call! It is up to them to come and pray with Me for Our beloved priests. Leave all in My Hands little one."
Our Mother Mary says, "Continue to open your home little one. Leave all in My Hands. People will soon know you are in California this month and will be here a while for the last Saturday."
Our Lady says, "Think of how Our beloved priests feel when people are indifferent and lukewarm to the effort of teaching they give. They get discouraged and wonder if their evangelization is in vain. Pray for them My children! Pray for them. Encourage them My children. Let them know they are appreciated. My children, you know how sad you feel when you think no one cares! It is up to you to encourage your brother priests."
Our Lady says, "They don't know how you feel unless you tell them. That is why it is so important to encourage them."
Oh! Dear Mother Mary, may the whole world be on fire with love of Your Son, Jesus! Our Lady says, "My daughter in order for this to happen much more prayer is needed, prayer from the heart!"
Our Lady continues, "My daughter, many of My children are running after the things of this world, not realizing that the next world is more important than this world! Many priests no longer preach about the sin in the world. Some are afraid to preach the truth. Pray My children! Pray! Pray! Pray for these priests to TRULY see the LIGHT, to change their hearts and pray for them to have conversion, daily conversion of heart"
Our Lady says, "Pray for them to have the fire of My Son Jesus' LOVE. That LOVE attracts their flocks to them. That is true holiness."
I see the devil as we pray. As we continue to pray he leaves Our Lady continues, "Oh! My beloved priest sons, pray for your brother priests. Encourage each other. Hear each other's confessions. Help each other with daily conversion of heart. Help each other toward holiness. You will be surprised at how much help you are for each other. Oh! My priest sons, I know how busy and stretched out you are. Have courage My sons, have courage!"
Our Lady says, "Preach the true presence of My Son Jesus in the Eucharist, Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity. Let My children know the great gift they have in the Eucharist. Receive My Son often My children in the Holy Eucharist. Receive the two great Sacraments of Reconciliation and Holy Eucharist. There is where the greatest grace abounds."
Our Lady Continues "My children pray for more priests as without priests you have no Eucharist. Oh! My children, you need more priests for the sanctification of your souls."
Our Lady says, "Oh! My children, oh how I love you. Oh! How My Son Jesus loves you. Your prayers, My children, your prayers are needed desperately. Pray! Pray! Pray! My children, pray for holy priests."
Our Lady continues, "Oh! My priest sons, stay with what is correct. Do not water down the faith to your flocks. They wait to hear the TRUTH from you. Do not deny them this. Oh! My priest sons who have persevered, thank you My sons."
Our Lady says, "Oh! My children, pray for holy families. From holy families come priests. My children pray together as families. Families that pray together stay together. Persevere My children, persevere in prayer, fasting and penance."
Our Lady continues, "Pray My precious children for daily conversion of heart. This leads to the sanctity of your immortal souls. Eternity is forever! Your trials on earth are only for a short while, even though they seem forever. Offer your trials, your daily duties and perplexities up in My Son Jesus' Name through My Immaculate Heart. Ask your guardian Angels to help you. They are a gift from God. Ask for My intercession and help and guidance My children. I am there, even though you don't see Me. My children, I am there. When you pray through My intercession I bring you LOVE, My Son Jesus!"
Our Lady says, "Know My precious children that there is light at the end of the tunnel. Your prayers, prayers from your hearts make this happen."
Our Lady continues, "My Son is the Light of the world. Open your hearts to His Light, His Love! Let His Love permeate your entire beings. He is waiting for you to open your hearts My children and let Him in. He is LOVE, LOVE beyond your understanding."
Our Lady continues, "Oh! My priest sons, open your hearts to My Son Jesus' LOVE. Your hearts must be open for you to grow in His LOVE! Take time out during your busy schedules to be with Him. He is there for you. You need but ask."
Our Lady continues, "Oh! My priest sons know that I am with you. Thank you for your 'YES' to My son Jesus and Me."
Our Lady says, Oh! My children, thank you for coming together today to pray for our beloved priests all over the world at My request. You form a river of prayer from all over the world for Our beloved priests. When you pray for priests you pray for each other and for your families. I love you My children. I love you My priest sons. I love you My religious. You are Mine!
Your Mother, Mother of Divine Love, Queen of Divine Love, Patroness of Priests.
Pray! Pray! Pray My children, My priests, My religious, pray, pray, pray!
Our Lady is here as Queen of Divine Love. She is all in white. She is most Beautiful. She has a crown on with seven points. There is a tiny pearl on each point. In front is a chalice. The Eucharist is suspended above it with golden rays coming out. Her garments move in the breeze. She is looking at us most lovingly and most earnestly and says, "Pray My children, persevere in prayer! I love you! Persevere in prayer! Thank you My daughter for your obedience in writing. I love you. I am with you." | 2019-04-20T18:43:34Z | http://www.bmbtnow.com/november-29--2003--saturday.html |
All Stonegate homes currently listed for sale in Irvine as of 04/19/2019 are shown below. You can change the search criteria at any time by pressing the 'Change Search' button below.
"This gorgeous and ultra-spacious single-family residence located in Stonegate. It sits adjacent to the landscaped common area, this elegance house features an open-style kitchen, dining room, great room, and California room. Rich Raised-panel cabinetry is complemented by granite countertops with splash, KitchenAid stainless steel appliances including 48 cooktop with griddle, 48 hood, 30 double convection oven, and built-in refrigerator. Generous Walk-in pantries give you plenty storage room. Downstairs bedroom with its own full bath is great full guests or extended family. The bonus room upstairs can be converted into an office or a space for kids to play and study. The breathtaking master suite has his and her walk-in closets, a spacious spa-inspired master bath with dual vanities and separate walk-in shower with built-in seat and heavy plate glass enclosure. The other two secondary bedrooms have their own full bath. Enjoy energy efficiency with solar system, dual tankless water heaters and dual zone heating and air conditioning. The garage door is also insulated. This is your new destination."
"PRICE DROPPED!! Owner is very motivated! Lots of upgrades! Gorgeous home located on a Cul-De-Sac next to a community garden in Stonegate. This 2-story house was built in 2016, with 3167 sq ft of living spaces. Featuring 4 bedrooms and 4.5 bathrooms, including one bedroom and a full bathroom located downstairs. An open family room and dining room make this perfect for entertaining with wood floor downstairs and high-quality carpet upstairs. Enjoy the gourmet kitchen with KitchenAid brands and stainless steel appliances, large center island with breakfast bar. Large sliding doors access the wonderful private backyard, allowing a seamless indoor/outdoor space. Stonegate community is part of the Villages of Irvine offering residents parks, pools, spas, playground, plus sports courts and clubhouse. Walking distance to Blue Ribbon elementary school and Jeffrey Open Space Trail. Close to shopping centers and major freeways. Must see to appreciate!"
"Brand new home by Richmond American Homes located in the Master plan community of Eastwood in the Villages of Irvine. This home includes a large open great room that includes bi-folding glass doors that open to your backyard, Gourmet Kitchen with Stainless steel Monogram 36 Range-top, Stainless Steel hood, convection wall oven, and a large kitchen island. Also downstairs you will find a bedroom and a gallery entryway. Upstairs you have a loft, three bedrooms, one being a large master bedroom suite with a large walk-in closet, two sinks, bathtub and large walk in shower. This home includes many features, 8 foot tall doors throughout, recessed lighting, ceiling fan pre-wires throughout with plenty of natural lighting, and a covered patio plus new home energy efficiencies and warranty programs. This home is scheduled to be completed in Spring, 2019."
"This is the ONE ! Built in 2015 Beautiful Corner Lot Two-Story Detached Single Family Home, Stonegate Mendocino Plan 2X next to Jeffrey Trail green belt with 3.5 miles length, This amazing house offers four spacious Bedrooms and 3 Baths . Gourmet Kitchen Features Over Sized Island, Granite Counter Tops , Stainless Steel Appliances include 5 Burner Gas ,Cooktop, Refrigerator, Oven, Microwave, & Dish Washer.This kitchen certainly will meet all your requirement for an ideal house kitchen. Attached two car garages has a lot custom-built cabinet . Community offers resort style amenities including parks , pools & spas, BBQ, basketball court, and tennis court.Surrounded by award-winning schools- Stonegate Elementary, Sierra Vista middle school and Northwood High school. Few minutes drive to all the shopping and restaurants of Woodbury Town Center and I-5 freeway. This is one that you CAN NOT MISS!!!"
"Stonegate Village Comfort and Luxury - Built in 2013. Three Upstairs bedrooms, including the Luxurious Master Suite, and One Downstairs. Each bedroom features its own bathroon. This home is modern and sustainable, and offers many upgrades: Double Insulation, wood flooring with oversized baseboards, Premium white Plantation Shutters throughout, custom crown molding, recessed lighting, white Thermafoil cabinets, granite counter tops and matching backsplash, Rinnai tankless water heater, epoxy coated garage. The Backyard features custom pavers, professionally designed efficient landscape, automated lighting and water wise drip irrigation system for the planter beds and trees. The location is Private and near trails and mountain views, and is also conveniently close to freeways and shopping. Enjoy all the comfort provided by the HOA: Pool with spas, tennis and basketball courts, and fields for soccer, baseball,softball,baseball, sand volleyball. Plenty of parks space with BBQ and picnic tables. Zoned for Stonegate Elementary, Jeffrey Trail Middle, and Northwood High."
"This absolutely beautiful home is a highly popular floor plan in Stonegate offering 4 Bedrooms and 3 Baths. This floor plan offers desirable features such as oversized backyard with no one behind you, a nice sized dining area, contemporary kitchen with many upgrades include luxurious Hard wood floors, granite counter tops, stainless steel appliances and designer cabinets. Large upstairs master suite has dual vanities, bath tub, shower and walk-in closet. Build It Green Certified that promotes water & energy conservation. Community has seven private parks, basketball and tennis courts. Close to award winning schools of the Irvine Unified School District: Stonegate Elementary(ranked #1 in Orange County by OC Register), Sierra Vista Middle School, Stonegate Elementary School and Northwood High School(ranked #25 by US News in 2016) , Live in Luxury!Enjoy the convenience of the Woodbury Town Center and Northwood Plaza Zion Market being located only a mile away. Hurry it won t last!"
"Bright, Detached Home by Irvine Pacific in Saratoga neighborhood of the Village of Stonegate. This 4 bedroom + 3 bathroom home includes a main floor bedroom and bathroom with courtyard entrance . All bedrooms are well sized and bright. The open floor plan includes a large kitchen with an abundance of both cabinet and counter space. Builtin stainless steel appliances complete with microwave, dishwasher, 5 burner cooktop and oven The kitchen opens to the great room and dining area making this the perfect area to entertain. Other features included are neutral flooring, wood shutters, designer paint colors, and tankless water heater. Just steps to blue ribbon Stonegate Elementary school (Ranked #1 in OC by OC Register) , Jeffrey Nature Trail and resort like amenities including pool and spa, tennis and sport courts and playground. Conveniently located near shopping, restaurants and freeway access."
"Welcome home to San Mateo Residence 3 in Stonegate Village. At nearly 1,900 SQ FT of living area, Residence 3 is one of the most popular and desirable floor plans in Stonegate because it is the largest in the San Mateo tract and is a Condo detached with no common walls. Vaulted ceiling at entry. House is ideally located next to the Jeffrey Trail Open Space for a short stroll during the mornings or evenings. This beautiful home is upgraded with luxurious flooring throughout, crown molding and designer selected paint. This innovative home design creates an indoor/outdoor lifestyle to entertain friends and family featuring a gourmet kitchen and causal dining flowing into a great room and an outdoor retreat. Bright with sunlight shining through every window, you will be embraced by comfortable amenities such as a large center kitchen island, lots of cabinets for storage, and ample space for kitchen counter-tops, built-in TechCenter desk, recessed lighting, and a separate shower and soaking tub in the Master Bath. . Assigned schools are Stonegate ES (Rating 9) Sierra Vista MS (Rating 9) and Northwood HS (Rating 9) all within few minutes of driving. Don t miss this opportunity to own in Stonegate! Enjoy abundance of resort-like community amenities: the junior Olympic pool, spa, sports courts, playgrounds, and clubhouse. Close to Woodbury Town Center, the Market Place, Irvine Spectrum, the Great Park and much more."
"Gorgeous turnkey Cambria Plan 1 residence nestled in the center of the Stonegate Village of Irvine. This beautiful home features 2 bedrooms with 2.5 baths plus an upstairs loft and has 1,533sf of living space. The home was built in 2014 and is one of the most tastefully upgraded homes on the market with a great open and spacious floor plan. Downstairs features a great room with the kitchen opening up to the family room and dining area along with a half bath and direct access to a 2-car garage. The kitchen has a large kitchen island, upgraded granite counter top & back splash, white shaker wood cabinets that extend to the ceiling, and stainless steel appliances. Upstairs is the loft, laundry room, and 2 spacious bedrooms with 2 full bathrooms with mountain views from bedroom and loft. The master bath has dual vanity sinks, large walk-in shower, and a walk-in closet. Additional upgrades include wood flooring downstairs, custom paint, recessed lighting throughout, neutral designer paint, custom window shades, crown moldings, and a professionally low-maintenance landscaped backyard. Enjoy resort-style amenities including clubhouses, junior Olympic pools, basketball courts, tennis courts, several pocket parks, tot lots, BBQ grills, and more. Located in the award-winning Irvine School District, zoned to Stonegate Elementary (within walking distance) and Northwood High School, and close to Woodbury Town Center, the Irvine Spectrum shopping center, and Irvine Great Park."
"Expansive 2 bedroom/2 bath corner townhome with 12 foot ceilings and a beautiful view of the Saddleback mountain range. Highly desired single-level living /open floor plan with custom upgrades. The bedrooms have new carpet and there is brand new engineered wood flooring through out the rest of the home. The townhome was built by Irvine Pacific and is a Santa Clara Plan 2. The oversized kitchen has an island with breakfast bar for four, custom countertops and back splash, and top of the line Electrolux stainless steel appliances. The great room has amazing natural light. The laundry closet is conveniently on the main floor just off of the master bedroom. The home has a full size direct access double garage with additional storage. Stonegate offers Award-Winning blue ribbon schools and resort style amenities. Close to shopping and dining."
"Gorgeous 2 bedroom 2.5 Bathrooms with extra Computer Office built in upstairs separate area is a Bonus. Single loaded street with no neighbors across the street. The home has Beautiful upgrades- Granite counter tops, Stainless Steel Appliances and Refrigerator and Washer Dryer included. Private Atrium area for barbecuing and furnished with outdoor furniture if wanted. Hardwood Floors downstairs, recessed lighting. 9 foot ceiling living room with crown molding. Attached 2-car garage. Just steps to Association Swimming Pool, Spa, tennis courts, and basketball court. Located in one of Irvine's newer master planned community of Stonegate with numerous parks, schools and near local shopping centers."
"This upgraded 3 bedroom 2 bath condo resides in the highly desired Stonegate Community of Irvine. This gorgeous two level condo with open floor plan, luxurious hardwood floors, stunning high ceilings letting in plenty of light, plush carpeting, and recessed lighting. The new kitchen features granite counter-tops, white cabinetry, and all stainless steel appliances. The office was converted to a third bedroom and is right across the first bathroom and other bedroom. The master bedroom is right down the hallway with an oversized shower, walk in closet, and vaulted ceilings with recessed lighting. The two car garage offers plenty of extra space and storage. WONDERFUL LOCATION that's close to so many amenities; 10/10 schools, Stonegate Elementary, Hummingbird Park, Jr Olympic Pool & Spa, Tot Lots, BBQs, Basketball courts, Tennis courts, Jeffrey Open Space Trail, Trader Joe's, multiple Starbucks, and Woodbury Town Center."
" RARE GEM SPACIOUS TOWNHOME IN PERFECT CONDITION This gorgeous home features 2 bedrooms and 2 baths with a living space of 1,322 Sq.Ft. Located in the prestigious Stonegate Community with amenities galore and award winning schools. This Light & Bright house is located at the end Corner unit. The formal living room with soaring ceilings and wall-to-wall windows, crown molding with an abundance of sunlight flowing through. Private balcony off the formal dining room. Modern chefs kitchen with quartz counter top, crisp white cabinets, recessed lighting, stainless steel appliances and built in breakfast bar. Plantation shutters and plush carpet throughout. Convenient inside laundry room. The spacious master suite with tray ceiling and walk in closet w/ private bath. Attached 2 car garage with direct access. Surrounded by great parks and Jeffrey walking trails. Hurry! Hurry!Hurry! This one wont last long!"
"LOCATED AT THE END OF A PRIVATE CUL-DE-SAC THIS PRIME OVERSIZED LOT OPENS TO BEAUTIFUL CANYON VIEWS. WELCOME TO THIS PRIVATE OASIS NESTLED IN THE FOOTHILLS OF SIMI VALLEY. THIS MODEL PERFECT 6 BEDROOM, 3.5 BATHROOM HOME BOAST OVER 3,100 SQFT OF LIVING SPACE WITH AN 11,200 SQFT LOT. THE SPACIOUS OPEN FLOOR PLAN OFFERS AN UPDATED KITCHEN WITH CUSTOM CABINETS, GRANITE COUNTERTOPS, NEWER APPLIANCES & OPENS TO THE FORMAL DINING ROOM. THE WARM & INVITING LIVING ROOM IS PERFECTLY SITUATED IN THE CENTER OF THE HOUSE & OPENS TO THE FAMILY ROOM WHICH IS PERFECT FOR ENTERTAINING, COMPLETE WITH A STUNNING BRICK FIREPLACE, WETBAR, SITTING AREA AND 2 LARGE SLIDERS LEADING TO THE ENTERTAINERS REAR GROUNDS. THERE IS A BEDROOM CONVENIENTLY LOCATED DOWNSTAIRS AS WELL AS A POWDER ROOM. UPSTAIRS YOU WILL FIND A MASTER SUITE WITH UPDATED ENSUITE & NEWER CUSTOM SHOWER PLUS PLENTY OF CLOSET SPACE. DOWN THE HALL THERE ARE 2 ADDITIONAL SPACIOUS BEDROOMS ADJOINED WITH A JACK & JILL BATHROOM. THE OPEN LOFT IS PERFECT FOR A HOME OFFICE OR PLAYROOM. THERE ARE 2 ADDITIONAL BEDROOMS THAT SHARE A CENTRALLY LOCATED FULL BATH. THE ENTERTAINER'S REAR YARD HAS A LARGE COVERED PATIO, FIREPIT, SPA, HUGE GRASSY YARD & MULTIPLE SITTING AREAS PERFECT FOR FAMILY GATHERINGS. ADDITIONAL HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE COPPER PLUMBING, TANKLESS WATER HEATER, NEWER ROOF (JAN 2018), DUAL A/C UNITS, WOOD FLOORS, LAUNDRY RM & RECESSED LIGHTING."
"A perfectly located Santa Clara Residence 3 in Stonegate. 57 Kempton is an impeccable residence and positioned on a premium end unit lot. This property offers amazing privacy. Welcoming steps invite you to a receiving entrance highlighted by a covered front door entry. Venture inside the home & find a spacious great room featuring a warm & intimate setting. Rediscover cooking in this chef-inspired kitchen which includes a breakfast bar and UPGRADED: granite counter tops, custom cabinetry, & stainless steel kitchen appliances. This amazing home offers wonderful indoor-outdoor living, perfect for relaxing & entertaining guests. Other upgrades: recessed lighting, tankless water heater, and California-style custom window coverings. Bright with sunlight shining through every window...inside you ll be embraced with designer custom painted and ultra-plush carpeting throughout the home. Relax on the outside patio and grab a cup of tea to read a book or have fun conversation with friends and family. Feeds into award winning schools of the Irvine Unified School District: Stonegate Elementary, Sierra Vista Middle School and Northwood High School. Live in Luxury!"
"Lowest priced 3-Bdr, 2 1/2 baths with 2-car garage home in Woodbridge Irvine. This upgraded 2 story three (3) bedrooms 2 1/2 baths townhouse with attached private two (2) car garage is in the heart of Woodbridge. New Flooring in first floor and New Carpet on second floor. Brand New stainless steel Dishwasher, Microwave, Stove and Refrigerator. LED Recessed Lights throughout. Private backyard between kitchen and garage. Award-winning schools; Springbrook Elementary, South Lake middle and Woodbridge High School. Fantastic Woodbridge resort-style amenities include 2 lakes with sand beach lagoons, boating & fishing, 20 pools, 20+ tennis courts, basketball, volleyball, playgrounds, parks, fitness course, and a multitude of family-friendly activities. Conveniently located nearby Irvine Valley College, UCI, Irvine Spectrum, Irvine Market Place, and South Coast Plaza, 405, 5, 133 and many other freeways."
"**MAJOR PRICE REDUCTION**INCREDIBLE DEAL**MOTIVATED SELLERS** Amazing colonial looking beauty is waiting for you!! 3 bedrooms PLUS a very large room(2 additional bedrooms may have been combined to form 1 large room prior to the sellers purchase)=4 potential bedrooms.A grand entrance presents oak parquet flooring with tile in baths & carpeting in bedrooms. Smooth ceilings, recessed lighting & built-in storage are a few of the features of this wonderful home.The formal living room with custom fireplace & crown molding await you on the right side of the home(sellers are currently using it as their formal dinning room).The spacious eat-in kitchen greets you beyond the foyer to the left.Open dinning area makes it easy to talk with others in the kitchen & family room.A custom oak fireplace to the ceiling & windows with beveled & etched glass in the family room have a great view of the backyard.New vinyl fencing was installed around all sides.Sellers are using the large room off the family room for the kids playroom.1 1/2 baths are downstairs & one of them has a 4-claw bathtub.Upstairs are 3 bedrooms & a full bath.The Nest thermostat is new, roof, AC & heating is newer.Ceiling fans w lights are in all of the bedrooms & family room.Cement work, custom brick work & artificial grass were added to enhance the huge backyard & complete the park-like setting for family & friends.Lots of room for kids to play! Large enough to add a pool :) **RV potential** Hurry this is one special home!!"
"Welcome to this 5 bedroom, 2.5 bath, 1,818 sqft home on a cul-de-sac street & close to schools, parks, shopping, restaurants, hiking and biking trails & movie theaters. This home features a completely remodeled kitchen with granite, stainless appliances, range hood and oversized double sink, center island, 6 burner cooktop, 2 built-in ovens, built-in microwave, dishwasher, trash compacter, built-in fridge and custom cabinets with under cabinet lighting. Other features include a downstairs bedroom, wood, carpet and tile flooring, recessed lighting, remodeled bathrooms, upgraded lighting / electrical, upstairs loft, ceiling fans, mountain views, large back yard with shed, built-in BBQ, mature palm trees, planters, firepit & RV area."
"Great location! This cozy condo is in the heart of Irvine inside the Loop within walking distance of Alton Square Shopping Center and a short drive to IVC & Woodbridge High School, and Springbrook Elementary. 1 car garage with private balcony, vaulted ceilings, Newer laminate floor & paint, and new remodeled fireplace, new counter top & New faucet and new sink in kitchen & two rest room. new light fixture in two rest room. this cozy home is ready for move in. Woodbridge is one of the most desirable communities in Irvine featuring resort-style amenities including 2 lakes with sand beach lagoons, boating & fishing, 20 pools, 20+ tennis courts, basketball, volleyball, playgrounds, parks, fitness course, and a multitude of family-friendly activities. Local elementary school has Montesori program. No Mello Roos and low HOAs."
"Sharp 2nd level Stonegate condo w/ living room featuring a slight vaulted ceiling, cozy gas fireplace and dining area! Large 2nd level deck through 8' Sliding doors with greenbelt view directly off of living area providing supplemental outdoor living space and light. Inside unit washer/ dryer, (provided) and triple mirrored wardrobe doors feature a dimension of extra space to master suite! Detached single garage, (around corner) and nearby carport provide adequate covered parking for your vehicles. Community pool/ spa/ picnic area, close by for your recreational use!. Close to freeways, shopping, Irvine Unified schools, as well as possible access to the Woodbridge Lake & Beach Club!"
"This EXTENSIVELY UPDATED SECLUDED FIRST FLOOR END UNIT CONDO in the Woodbridge Stonegate Community is waiting for you! Surrounded by a green area, situated in the farthest corner of the the tract, this unit provide maximum privacy with the minimal traffic. With two patios, one covered, the inside features a wood floor living room with a tile fireplace, dining area and kitchen. The kitchen has been updated with granite counter top, low decibel dishwasher and dimmable undercabinet lighting. The window over the kitchen sink looks out onto the greenbelt with incoming sunlight in the mornings. Dimmable LED recessed lightening can be centrally controlled and programmed by Home Automation System. All interior doors have been replaced with solid douglas fir doors. The two bedrooms and hallway have been covered with brand new carpet and the master bedroom includes soft reading lights. The master bedroom has totally been renovated with the honed marble floor, glass shower enclosure with subway tiles. Hidden updates include new sealed combustion furnace and AC system that is highly efficient and silent. The new electric panel includes a 50 AMP subpanel in the garage ready for your electric vehicle charging needs. Structured wiring has been installed in all rooms delivering high-speed net working and cable TV. New double glazed windows and sliding glass doors have been installed throughout the house. There are one car attached garage plus one car port#39"
"The highly upgraded turnkey single level home located in desirable Woodbridge, Irvine. This upper-level Beacon model home located in the Stonegate community in Woodbridge. Features brand new hardwood flooring, designer fresh paint, marble fireplace, plantation shutters, ceiling fans, vaulted ceilings, mirrored wardrobe doors. Spacious master suite with high ceiling, en-suite master bath. Bright and fresh kitchen with white cabinets, plenty of cabinet spaces, refrigerator, dishwasher, gas stove and microwave. Convenient indoor laundry with side by side washer, dryer and linen cabinets. A private balcony off the living room is excellent for morning coffee or entertaining. Total of two car parking spaces including one garage and one carport. Resort style amenities offers 22 pools, spas, tennis courts, clubhouse, playgrounds, BBQ, Picnic Area, bike trail and much more. Close proximity to South Lake Beach Club, South Lake lagoon, sports fields, shopping centers, restaurants, entertainment and freeways 405, 5, 133, 241, 261 & 73. Award winning Irvine Unified schools." | 2019-04-20T04:51:35Z | https://www.homebasedrealty.com/cgi-bin/real?pge=newsearch&cityname=Irvine&subdivision=Stonegate |
This is the latest in a series of blogs that explore the state of American Evangelicalism after the 2016 election. The first blog reflected on questions related to why Evangelicals so strongly supported the candidacy of Donald Trump. An unplanned second post explored the historical relationship between Evangelical Christianity and White Supremacy. This post asks why Bernie Sanders never really caught on with Evangelicals.
In September 2015, in the midst of a heated primary battle with Hillary Clinton, Bernie Sanders did the unimaginable: he became the first democratic presidential candidate ever to speak at Liberty University, Jerry Falwell's conservative citadel in Lynchburg, Virginia. Some speculated that he was after a growing market-share of young evangelical voters: those who are committed to social justice. By his own account, Sanders explained that he went to Lynchburg in spite of the fact that his positions on abortion and gay rights would place him at odds with a large majority of the student body because he thought that it was important to foster civil discourse regarding political difference.
It's not Sanders' appeal to civility I want to point out but the content of his speech itself [written version here]. Sanders' speech deftly appeals to scripture to suggest that disagreements about abortion and gay rights should not overshadow real similarities that Evangelicals should have with Sanders' platform. Particularly, Sanders quotes from the gospels and the prophets to make his point.
The scripture passages that frame Sanders speech are Matthew 7:12 and Amos 5:24.
Matt 7:12 (NIV): So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.
Amos 5: 24 (NIV): But let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream!
Income inequality is not merely that the wealthy are wealthy; or, that they grow their wealth. Its that they continue to grow their wealth while a large number of hardworking Americans labor for less than a living wage and no benefits, often working for corporations that pay dividends to their wealthy investors instead of improving working conditions for their employees. Particularly, Sanders is concerned about the children who live in families that exist under the poverty level (20 % of all children in America, according to Sanders).
Sanders' appeal should find a sympathetic hearing among evangelicals. For one thing, the logic of his attack on income inequality–in this speech, at least–takes on not a call for controversial government aid (so-called "handouts") but a call for a fair playing field. To a people that traditionally pride themselves on the idea that anyone that gets a job and works hard can make it in America, he is simply asking them to insure that the field remains level enough for this to be true.
In the case of his Liberty speech, Sanders asks the crowd to consider what justice looks like within the context of their own ideological commitments. So, you are committed to small government and a strong personal work ethic. Fine. Let me ask you, is it just that someone with a strong personal work ethic and a desire to be self-sufficient can work a full work week and not even make enough money to support a family of three much less rise above the poverty level?
From there, he expands the question of justice to consider whether or not access to basic medical care is a question of justice, and then, to the question of maternity leave. Particularly, with the example of maternity leave, Sanders repeats his rhetorical move to appeal to conservatives within their own ideological framework. He asks, in effect, how can you be a people who cares about family values and yet expect for mothers to abandon their newborns during a crucial bonding time in order to return to work?
Sanders ended his speech by quoting Pope Francis regarding the dangers of idolizing wealth accumulation. Then he appealed to Liberty students to consider the relationship between justice, morality, poverty, and the accumulation of wealth.
Bernie's speech was not, in and of itself, particularly impressive. It was a reformulation of his stump speech. What was more impressive was that Bernie was at Liberty in the first place. The move to re-frame the discussion within an idiom that would meet its audience on its own terms was deft, but ineffective in the long run. And it is that ineffectiveness that is the subject of this reflection.
Bernie Sanders' attempt to meet American evangelicals on their own terms–appealing to Israel's prophetic tradition, Jesus' moral teachings, the importance of family and hard work, and the teachings of Pope Francis–was misguided from the start. Even as he attempted to build common ground, he reinforced evangelical skepticism to his argument by striking a familiar Protestant liberal tone. He appealed to themes and authorities that rile up the deepest of fears in the hearts of American evangelicals, and enabled many evangelical voters to confirm the suspicions that they already held: Bernie Sanders is a communist. In my mind, Sanders did this in two particular ways.
Sanders' appeal to Pope Francis simultaneously played into long-standing evangelical suspicions of Catholicism and long-standing American suspicions about the papacy. Roman Catholic candidates for national office have always had to prove they are more "American" than "Catholic" in order to allay fears that the Pope would pull the strings of US Government. Al Smith, the 1928 Democratic candidate for President, discovered firsthand the extent of America's suspicion of Catholicism; he lost to a Quaker. For, perhaps, the only time in history, Americans were more afraid of a Catholic than they were of a pacifist! In 1960, when JFK ran for president, similar fears and rumors forced Kennedy to publicly separate himself from the Catholic Church. In a famous speech to a group of Protestant ministers in Texas, he said, "I am not the Catholic candidate for President. I am the Democratic Party's candidate for President who also happens to be a Catholic. I do not speak for my Church on public matters – and the Church does not speak for me." Even so, it was America's growing Catholic population that put him over the top, not his cajoling of Protestant and evangelical fear.
Sanders intended to invoke Pope Francis as a voice of reason that would garner sympathy with his Liberty University audience. But doing so reinforced the assumption that Sanders' campaign platform was something that was "un-Evangelical" and "un-American." That Evangelicals and conservative Catholics increasingly find common political ground is a truism at this point. No doubt the shared sense of being attacked by Obamacare's contraceptive mandates galvanized that alliance; but Pope Francis somehow elicits a mix of Evangelical suspicion of central ecclesial authorities with American suspicion of foreign institutional authority that has expanded that common ground.
Pope Francis is a divisive figure in American Catholicism, with a large number of white Catholics publicly questioning his teachings and expressing fears that he is a liberal. By quoting him, Sanders played right into Evangelical suspicion of Catholicism, conservative suspicion of European liberalism, and American Catholic suspicion of a "progressive" papacy.
Even so, Pope Francis is not the main problem here. Sanders' quote of Francis probably operates more as confirmation for a skepticism that is more deeply rooted in assumption that things like universal health coverage, food and housing subsidies, and government-mandated wages are all steps on the road to communism. It is my contention that Bernie Sanders never caught on with Evangelicals because they were predisposed to reject his use of scripture–a predisposition that is born of longstanding suspicion of the Social Gospel.
Sanders' use of the prophets, his appeal to Jesus' so-called golden rule teaching, and his rhetoric regarding wealth disparity channeled the ghosts of Walter Rauschenbusch and the Social Gospel movement, giving Evangelicals the ability to label him with a label that would immediately evoke the suspicion of Evangelicals everywhere: socialist. In the rest of this blog post, I will explore the rhetorical similarities between Sanders and Rauschenbusch.
Walter Rauschenbusch (b. 1861) was the son of a German Baptist professor at the American Baptist Seminary in Rochester, New York. His father, August Rauschenbusch, was a 6th generation German Lutheran pastor in the pietistic/revivalist tradition. August moved to America in the 1840s as a missionary to the German settlements in Missouri. He eventually became Baptist and then took a job teaching German at the seminary in Rochester. Walter's childhood was spent traveling back and forth between America and Germany. After completing high school in Rochester, he went to university in Germany, and returned to Rochester to enroll in the seminary.
The American Baptist Seminary in Rochester was fairly conservative at the time; Augustus Strong was the president, and according to some accounts, only one biblical scholar on the faculty was prepared to challenge the inerrancy of scripture. Rauschenbusch demonstrated an affinity towards Protestant liberalism when he wrote a paper challenging Strong's account of substitutionary atonement, appealing instead to Horace Bushnell's use of moral influence theory.
In 1886, fresh out of seminary, Rauschenbusch took a position as Pastor of 2nd German Baptist Church in Manhattan. 2nd German was a working-class immigrant congregation filled with factory workers. Rauschenbusch quickly discovered that his pietism, with its soul-saving emphasis, was unable to speak to the harsh working conditions, poverty, malnutrition, and child-mortality rates that were commonplace among his congregants. His pietist background told him that politics and economics were distractions from preaching the gospel but his experience at 2nd German Baptist told him that the gospel must be able to say something to politics and economics because it must be able to speak to the suffering that resulted from the economic and political realities of his congregants.
Christianity ... is the monotheistic, completely spiritual, and ethical religion, which based on the life of its Author as redeemer and as Founder of the Kingdom of God, consists in the freedom of the children of God, involves the impulse to conduct from the motive of love, which aims at the moral organization of mankind, and grounds blessedness on the relationship of sonship to God, as well as on the Kingdom of God (Ritschl, The Christian Doctrine of Justification and Reconciliation, p. 13).
Thus, for Ritschl–and for Harnack and Raushenbusch after him–Christianity is primarily ethical in nature. It posits humanity as the children of a loving Father God who are called to live together in brotherly love as it seeks enact the Kingdom of God on earth; "the Fatherhood of God and the brotherhood of man." In this sense, the Kingdom of God is a social program based on the equality of all humans as children of God. For Rauschenbusch, this vision of the Kingdom of God became the cornerstone of his theological ethics and America became the place where that Kingdom ought to be realized.
After his sabbatical, Rauschenbusch returned to his pulpit with fresh eyes. From there he was called back to Rochester to teach German and Church History at the seminary. Finally, in 1907 he published the culmination of his thinking on the Kingdom of God in 1907 in Christianity and the Social Crisis. This work became the classical text in a growing movement within Mainstream Protestantism that was called "the Social Gospel."
The Social Gospel was rooted in Rauschenbusch's sabbatical questions: How does the gospel speak to the social reality of inner-city migrant workers? Thus, in order to understand the Social Gospel, you have to understand first what Rauschenbusch called "the Social Crisis." The social crisis was born in the Industrial Revolution. The mechanization of the labor force put a lot of laborers out of work and reduced the cost of labor, requiring families to send women and children to work in order to survive. At the same time, the centralization factories in urban centers forced large migrations of workers from rural to urban environments, effectively creating slums and tenement buildings that were overcrowded. In turn, overcrowding created the conditions that enabled the rapid spread of disease, especially Tuberculosis.
All of these problems–overworked laborers, child labor, poor working conditions, unsanitary living conditions–originated in poverty. And poverty itself, Rauschenbusch surmised, was the result of a rapidly growing wealth inequality. The Industrial Revolution not only changed the value of labor, but it changed the very means by which goods were produced, bought, and sold. Previously, laborers sold the fruits of their labor; now, laborers sold their labor itself. The raw materials, the tools, and the means of production all belonged to a relative few. The more laborers there were, the less the labor itself was valued.
In the face of this social crisis, the church appeared largely unresponsive. Rauschenbusch surmised that the church's paralysis resulted from a combination of things: the privatization of religious experience, an otherworldly concept of salvation, a tendency to focus on questions of doctrine more than practice, and institutional complacency with the status quo, The church's failure to respond the daily experiences and needs of urban parishioners ultimately pressed Rauschenbusch to the questions that drove him to sabbatical, "what does Christianity have to say to these people?" "Does the gospel say anything to the social crisis caused by industrialization?"
Rauschenbusch proceeded to lay out what became known as "the Social Gospel": an explication of the church's mission in the world that draws its main sense of vocation from Israel's prophetic tradition and Jesus' earthly ministry. The Hebrew prophets, according to Rauschenbusch, are the embodiment of Israel's pursuit of righteousness. They spoke publicly about injustice and oppression, and exercised solidarity and preference for the poor and the disenfranchised. They were almost always pessimistic to the status quo and pushed the institutions of the temple and the kingdom forward, progressively aiming towards a kingdom of righteousness. Their willingness to challenge the status quo often placed them at odds with the power-brokers, earning labels like "unpatriotic", "treasonous", and "blasphemous."
Jesus takes up the mantle of Israel's prophetic tradition, becoming the greatest prophet of all. Jesus proclaimed a gospel that reinterpreted the law as a law of love. He preferred people over doctrine, and went to those on the margins of society, bringing them within the scope of God's saving agency. His teachings were predominately focused on the Kingdom of God, a kingdom that was being progressively realized like the growth of a mustard seed. He challenged the social idols that prevented God's people from participating in the coming of the kingdom; perhaps none more so than the idol of mammon.
The early church continued Jesus' ministry by remaining socially active–caring for widows and orphans, collecting money for struggling churches, sharing resources, eventually starting hospitals, schools, and the like. They expected real and material progress toward the kingdom, even if only incremental. Only after a period of time did Christians slowly begin to shift their eschatological orientation away from the coming kingdom and toward an otherworldly, individual concept of eternal life.
Above all else, the Social Gospel was a renewed call for an eschatologically serious Christian Social ethic. For Rauschenbusch, Jesus was the perfection of humanity; he was the one human who embodied the kingdom and taught us how to live into it. Ultimately, what the kingdom of God was for Rauschenbusch was an earthly kingdom where humans lived in harmony and equality with each other under the reign of God. As such, democracy was one of the hallmarks of the coming kingdom that made America progressively closer to what God's kingdom looked like.
Captivated by this eschatological vision, the church's mission is to return to the tradition of Israel's prophets, speaking to injustice and oppression, calling society away from the social sins that sicken it and calling society towards the kingdom of God. The gospel ought to speak to the value of life over property, the need to share resources with those in need, the erasure of class distinction in God's kingdom, and in all these things, a preference for the poor and the working-class.
In the early 1950s I read Walter Rauschenbusch's Christianity and the Social Crisis, a book that left an indelible imprint on my thinking. ... Rauschenbusch gave to American Protestantism a sense of social responsibility that it should never lose. The gospel at its best deals with the whole man, not only his soul but also his body, not only his spiritual well-being but also his material well-being. A religion that professes a concern for the souls of men and is not equally concerned about the slums that damn them, the economic conditions that strangle them, and the social conditions that cripple them is a spiritually moribund religion" (Strength to Love, 158-159).
It is widely accepted that the optimism of the Social Gospel's view of human nature and progress ran into the brick wall of two world wars and genocide, leading most progressive Christians to trade up to Reinhold Neibuhr's Christian realism–a position that promised to take the reality and persistence of human sinfulness more seriously. Even so, the spirit of Rauschenbusch lives on wherever Christians ask themselves serious questions with regards to their participation and commitment in social activism.
When candidate Barack Obama pursued the presidency in 2008, he made a point of intentionally targeting people of faith, believing that the Democratic party had shot itself in the foot by overly distancing itself from mainline Christianity on some issues. Obama, who had a history in church-based community organizing, knew that there was strong grassroots potential if he could mobilize communities of faith.
The now iconic "Hope" poster highlighted Obama's appeal to a generation of Americans that were ready to believe in a different future, and were willing to become a part of a movement for change. As it turns out, Obama's theological affinities lay more with Niebuhr than with Rauschenbush, leading a number of progressives to become disaffected with Obama's foreign policy. He signaled as much very early in his presidency, when he received the Nobel Peace Prize. Meanwhile, after he appealed to people of faith in the primaries and the general election, he moved back toward his base during his administration with healthcare mandates that pushed Catholics and Evangelicals further to the right. Indeed, the post-Obama Democratic National Committee even entertained the possibility of refusing funding to any pro-life Democratic candidate in the 2018 midterm election.
Against the backdrop of Obama's successful candidacy and appeal to people of faith, Sanders' speech at Liberty University reads as an attempt to follow the Obama playbook–appeal to the moral responsibilities of Christians during the primaries and then move back toward your base. For Sanders, however, the rhetorical appeal to Christians had to come from Rauschenbusch, not Niebuhr.
Whether Sanders knew it or not, he channeled Rauschenbusch's Social Gospel when he appealed to the prophetic tradition and the life of Jesus as the basis for a moral appeal to social reform. If he knew it, he made his appeal deftly, aware that the social concerns that faced Rauschenbusch at the beginning of the 20th century were not entirely different from those that confront 21st century America. I think we learn the extent of the similarity by comparing quotes from the two on the problem of income inequality.
[in 1890] one percent of families in our country held more than half of the aggregate wealth of the country, more than the rest of the nation put together. ... Seven-eighths of the families held only one-eighth of the national wealth. ... If we want to approximate political equality, we must have approximate economic equality (Christianity and the Social Crisis, 213-214).
Rauschenbusch, firmly believing that the Christian vision of the kingdom of God required a deep and abiding commitment to democracy, worried that income inequality made it impossible for social equality. He worried that money in politics would always skew the law to favor the wealthy. For him, the solution was a social vision that asked Christians to consider a methodological redistribution of wealth into public works that would benefit society as a whole.
There is something profoundly wrong when the top one-tenth of one percent owns almost as much wealth as the bottom 90 percent ("Income and Wealth Inequality").
We are talking about a rapid movement in this country toward a political system in which a handful of very wealthy people and special interests will determine who gets elected or who does not get elected ("Getting Big Money Out of Politics and Restoring Democracy").
The echoes are unmistakable; the diagnosed problem and the proposed solution nearly identical. That Sanders articulated his vision largely without reference to Rauschenbusch or the Social Gospel on the stump is unsurprising. He did not need the gospel to make his argument to his base; but his appeal to the Liberty student body demonstrates how close he is to that particular vision of Christian political action. If he is familiar with Rauschenbusch, it is perhaps on account of his participation in the Civil Rights movement of the 1960s. If he's not, then he probably came to similar conclusions by appealing to his own Jewish tradition, a tradition that he still embodies even though he claims to be an atheist.
The parallels between Rauschenbusch and Sanders all but assured that evangelicals would treat Sanders use of scripture with skepticism. For evangelicals, the social gospel confused the kingdom of God with the fallen kingdoms of this world, suggested that humans could act toward their own salvation, and emphasized Jesus' earthly teachings at the expense of downplaying the atonement. Appeals to Jesus' prophetic ministry that neglected his priestly office were viewed with skepticism because evangelicals (rightly) saw that Rauschenbusch's Jesus didn't have to be divine and his death didn't have to atone for anything; it merely had to be exemplary.
It gives a touch of cheerful enjoyment to exegetical studies to watch the athletic exercises of interpreters when they confront these sayings of Jesus about wealth. They find it almost as hard to get around the needle's eye as the camel would find it to get through. ... There is a manifest solicitude to help the rich man through. ... Yet the parable seems simple if one is not afraid of breaking crockery by handling it as Jesus did (Christianity and the Social Crisis, 63).
Evangelicals tend toward literal and plain sense readings of scripture; and yet, when it comes Jesus' teachings on wealth, they tend toward exception. And when someone like Bernie Sanders appeals to those passages in a straight-forward manner, it reinforces their assumption that these passages must not be straight-forward because someone who clearly has a problematic theology can deploy them so easily.
In short, the reason Bernie Sanders never had a prayer at Liberty or with evangelicals more broadly speaking is because straight-forward appeals to Jesus' teachings that trade on the fact that you don't have to believe that Jesus is God to take his life and is teachings seriously are often undercut by the very premise of common ground. For evangelicals, if Jesus isn't God, then you can't understand his teachings in context.
My argument, uncontroversial as it is, is that Evangelical Christians never took to Bernie Sanders because he cast a vision that they identified as "socialist." Then, all of his attempts to build bridges to people of faith were treated suspiciously as attempts to have the kingdom of God without the Lordship of Jesus Christ. He played into a familiar script that allowed Evangelicals to label what was wrong with his appeals to faith. Subsequently, once labelled, Evangelicals didn't have to take his challenge seriously because they already surmised the danger of his brand of liberalism.
What is really sad in all of this is that, in my estimation, there is an element of truth in both the social gospel and in Bernie's concerns regarding income inequality. At the end of the day, Israel's prophets and Jesus actually said these things regarding wealth and governments that don't care for the people. It is as problematic to marginalize these scriptures as it is to proof text them. Legitimate concerns regarding humanist readings of the gospel should not prevent Evangelicals from coming back to these texts and wrestling with the responsibility they place on each of us.
One of the most disturbing things, in my mind, about Evangelical Christianity in America today is its proximity to the Republican Party. For the sake of religious freedom and pro-life values, it aligns itself with a type of capitalism that turns a blind eye to life whenever it is expedient.
Bernie Sanders may be a type of socialist, but it is a very mild type. What Bernie is trying to do is return America to vision that it had in response to industrialization, a vision that I would call a Commonwealth. What Bernie wants more than anything is for us to recognize that as a nation there are goods that we hold in common and that to neglect them is to neglect our very well-being. The gross privatization (and capitalization) of the prison system, the healthcare system, primary and secondary education, and the deregulation of our financial systems are all things that have threatened our ability to be a commonwealth. And Bernie's simple question to Evangelicals is, do the prophets say anything about this? does Jesus say something about this? did the early church speak out against this? Questions that remain largely unanswered on account of the fact the Evangelicals never took the one posing the questions seriously.
I find it deeply ironic that Evangelical Christians will talk themselves blue worrying about so-called "death panels"–government run panels of people who make end of life decisions–and yet they have absolutely no fear that at the end of the day the people who will actually be making end of life decisions report to stockholders. Governments are corrupt, inept, and often make bureaucratic decisions based on limited resources but corporations are cold and calculating, ultimately serving the business interests of owners. Corporations are not friends to Christianity; they will turn their back on faith as soon as there is more money in it. Capitalism requires a certain amount of socialism if it is going to be a type of capitalism that submits to a Christian social vision. At the very least, Christians of all stripes ought to be willing to entertain the question of what a biblical vision of justice is and whether or not that has anything to say to our political and economic schemes. While I agree that the messenger, Bernie Sanders, was and is ultimately a flawed candidate, I am frustrated that Evangelical Christians tend to be unwilling to entertain the message. Indeed, in the 2016 election, they tended to prefer the very opposite of all of these things. | 2019-04-26T16:07:28Z | https://www.davidbhunsicker.com/ecclesiaenexodus/2017/8/15/reflections-on-american-evangelicalism-part-2 |
ASSIGNMENT 1 WORK LIFE BALANCE Table of Contents 1. Executive Summary3 2. Introduction: Work Life Balance3 3 Theories of Work Life Balance4 i. Spill over theory4 ii. Compensation Theory4 iii. Strategic choice theory4 iv. Stakeholder theory5 v. Resource Based View5 4. Work Life Balance Policies6 5. Work life balance from an employee’s perspective9 6. Work life balance from the employer’s perspective10 7. Conclusion: Is Work life Balance achievable and/or Sustainable? 12 8. Bibliography14 1. Executive Summary 2.
Introduction: Work Life Balance Work life balance (WLB) is an issue that is increasingly being recognised as of strategic importance to organisations and of great importance to the employee. Over the years (WLB) has gained momentum within organisations, with employers realising the need to provide their employees with an environment that allows for personal time. Research suggests that achieving a work life balance increases well-being, helps motivate employees therefore increasing their performance and productivity.
WLB can be defined in several ways; according to Lazar, Osoian and Ratiu, (2010, p 202) “work life balance practices are practices that result in changes in programs or organizational culture that are designed to reduce work-life conflict and enable employees to be more effective at work and in other roles. ” Grzywacz & Carslon, (2007 p 457) define it as “the accomplishment of role related expectations that are negotiated and shared between an individual and his or her role-related partners in the work and family domains” (Lazar, Osoian & Ratiu, 2010). In a broader sense it is defined as a satisfactory level of involvement or ‘fit’ between the multiple roles in a person’s life”. WLB seems to be little mentioned in the majority of organizations, especially those that may be under resourced or struggling in the market place, as all efforts are required to keep the organisation profitable, conversely achieving a work life balance is becoming a growing concern in Australia. Organisations are increasingly realising the need to create policies that enable employees to achieve ‘fit’ or balance in their lives.
This in some cases is a cause of conflict within human resource departments, as they develop these policies and are faced with the dilemma of placing the organisations interests before any WLB programs or policies. This therefore calls for organisational policies and practices that are well aligned to the organisations objectives and in turn influence organisational effectiveness. 3 Theories of Work Life Balance Over the years theories have been developed to enable organisations understand the importance of providing their employees with a conducive work environment that will enable them attain balance in their lives.
Though this has over time been an issue of debate, organisations are only now beginning to realise the benefits of WLB. Several theories have been developed in a bid to highlight the importance of WLB to both employers and employees. Such are: Spill over theory, compensation theory, strategic choice theory, stakeholder theory and resource based view (RBV). These theories in essence provide different perspectives, which one can observe to understand the interaction between the different groups within the organisations and how they influence strategic decisions, which include the creation of WLB policies.
Spill over theory The spill over theory by Staines (cited in Scholaris and Marks, 2004 p. 56), argues that employee emotions and behaviour are carried over from one area of their life to the other. That one issue affecting an employee at home can and will most likely be carried forward to the work environment. Compensation Theory The compensation theory, argues that involvement in one sphere is increased in order to create satisfaction which is absent in the other Dubin and Piotrkowski (cited in Scholaris & Marks, 2004, p. 56).
While compensation was thought to be typical of industrial male workers, spill over has gained more acceptance recently and become the focus of considerable research Lambert and Kirchmeyer (cited in Scholaris & Marks, 2004, p. 56). Strategic choice theory Strategic choice theory is determined by the strategic decisions made within organisations by the management that result to action. This means that the environment within which the organisation operates does and can possible influence the decisions that are made (De Cieri & Abbott, 2008 p. 305).
Stakeholder theory The stakeholder theory argues that “forces internal and external to the organisation influence, policies, procedures and the direction that a business takes. ” Freeman and Reed (cited in De Cieri & Abbott, 2008, p. 305). The stakeholders in an organisation are the employees, shareholders etc, this therefore means that the level of influence they have, determines the decisions that are made within the company Resource Based View The Resource Based View (RBV) theory places emphasis on the organisations ability to access resources.
This theory attempts to show that although stakeholders internal and external to the organisation do provide opportunities for the growth, it clearly states that the internal stakeholders in this case the employees provide the greatest source of competitive advantage. This means that satisfied employees give more to the organisation therefore increasing productivity and creating a competitive niche for the organisation (De Cieri & Abbott, 2008). The exploratory framework (Fig 1) shows the influence of WLB provisions to organizations (De Cieri & Abbott, 2008).
Fig 1 [pic] 4. Work Life Balance Policies These are work place policies that assist employees in combining their personal, family and work responsibilities. They consist predominantly of flexible work arrangements, breaks and a range of information and referral services (“Work-Life Balance,”). As a gesture not only to employees but to stake holders human resource departments are at the forefront of ensuring that they come up with policies that protect the employee’s rights while at the same time ensuring the organisation achieves its objectives.
These policies are driven towards making sure that the employees, who are the key resources of any organisation receive the required support in their jobs, and in turn give maximum output thus increasing productivity. According to Blair-Loy & Wharton, (2004, p. 244). “Three assumptions are brought out with regard to WLB policy making. These are: that employees desire work-family policies and would be interested in using them if available, that employees perceive themselves as able to use these policies, and that employees repay employers who provide work-family policies with higher levels of commitment.
Another area of contention concerns the links between work-family policy availability, use, and commitment. ” Each of these assumptions is an issue of debate among scholars. “Work-family policies are assumed to induce commitment by signaling that employers are investing in their employees. Researchers suggest that the availability and use of these policies can help to sustain employees’ beliefs that their long work hours and intensified work efforts are appreciated and rewarded by employers” Gittelman, Horrigan, Joyce, Konrad, Mangel, Osterman (cited in Blair-Loy & Wharton, 2004, p. 244).
Some of the policies that HR managers are creating to enable employees achieve this balance in their jobs can in some cases be categorised into three; • Family leave: annual, maternity, paternity leave, compassionate leave, and sick leave. • Dependent care: on-site childcare facility. • Flexible scheduling: Job sharing, part-time work, compressed work weeks, telecommuting etc, Hartel et al (cited in Lazar, Osoian & Ratiu, 2010, p. 203). In addition, employers may provide a range of benefits related to employees’ health and well being, including extended health insurance for the employee nd dependents, personal days, and access to programs or services to encourage fitness and physical and mental health. Other practices may support children’s education, employees’ participation in volunteer work, or facilitate phased retirement (Lazar, Osoian & Ratiu, 2010, p. 203) Higgins, Duxbury, and Irving (cited in Bryne, 2005, p. 55) “found that conflict between work and family roles diminish employees’ perceptions of quality of both work and family life which, in turn, influences organisational outcomes such as productivity, absenteeism, and turnover.
They suggested that organizations could possibly reduce work-family conflicts by offering alternative work arrangements. ” A practical example of an organisation that are employing policies that will help their employees achieve work life balance is the City of Gosnells, which has developed a work Life Balance Program that emphasizes on. 1. A supportive working environment 2. Flexible work arrangements 3. Opportunities for part-time work 4. Access to job share 5. Carer’s leave The above are examples of policies that have been set up to enable create a work environment that promotes work life balance.
These are just some of the ways in which strategic human resource management can be employed to make sure that both parties benefit from the laid out policies. (“work-life balance,”) Other companies that have made huge strides towards achieving good work life balance policies are; IBM, Deloitte, 3M, Nokia, Microsoft among others. These work place policies assist employees in combining their personal, family and work responsibilities. In Australia, industrial relations legislations have ensured elements of WLB policies are enshrined in the law such as the maximum 38-hour work week, carer’s leave and maternity leave (Andrews, 2006).
Evidence suggests that individuals who were established as having the right work life balance had a high sense of esteem, where innovative and work productivity was high. Marks and Mac Dermind (cited in Poelmans, Kalliath & Brough, 2010). Employees who spend more time with the family experience a higher quality of life, it is also believed that employees who spend more time at work can cause stress and lower productivity. Greenhaus (cited in Poelmans, Kalliath & Brough, 2010). To support previous findings the greater number of hours worked each week the Lower level of work life balance.
Dex and Bond, Sturges and Guest, White et al (cited in Parkes and Langford, 2008) With exception to your health there may be other influences of not having a work life balance, employees who work long hours are more likely to be unhappy at home and the workplace. Many studies have indicated that there is a strong link between work life balance, family conflict, job satisfaction and well being Kossek & Ozeki, Allen, Herst, Bruck & Sutton, Richman, Civian, Shannon, Hill & Brennan. (cited in Poelmans, Kalliath, & Brough, 2010). This research is backed up by.
There is much debate on how employees should voice their concerns if they are unable to attain a work life balance, as trade union memberships are on the decline, as a consequence, there has been an increase in HRM activities such as WLB policies and procedures (Hyman & Summers, 2010) De Cieri and Abbott (2008) emphasise on the need for organisations to realise that employees do have other responsibilities outside work therefore the need to have a work life balance.
This therefore calls for the recognition of the need for effective management and development of policies to favour this while putting into consideration the aspect of diversity in the changing workplace. 6. Work life balance from the employer’s perspective “Employers must offer work-life balance or pay the price” (Metcalf, 2010) There is a lot of research into work life balance (WLB) highlighting the benefits and reasons as to why a company would implement human resource management strategies that encourage WLB.
Kelly (cited in Blair-Loy & Wharton, 2004) suggests that a company may implement WLB policies because of the benefits to employees and employer; from the employer point of view it is assumed that WLB polices help to increase employee retention along with creating more motivated and productive staff (Blair-Loy & Wharton, 2004). The need for organisations to introduce WLB policies has been brought about by a change in demographics of the workforce and shifting social values (De Cieri & Abbott, 2008). Companies that have introduced WLB are reaping he benefits from doing so and have reported improvements like reduced recruitment costs, reduced absenteeism and higher employee satisfaction. The types of WLB strategies companies introduce vary considerably across different organisation types, from the offer of in house childcare to financial counselling services to ‘flexi’ time (HAYS, 2010). Now more than ever there is pressure on an employer and its HRM team to think strategically about WLB as a real way to assist in the recruitment process to attract potential employees along with retaining their current employees.
As an example of why WLB polices are important, Seek Australia’s largest job site offers potential employees a checklist of items an employee should look for in a potential employer, on that list among others are “Is the need to balance work, life and family recognised by the employer and are these policies implemented and practiced? ”(SEEK, 2010) From a HRM point of view a key element of introducing WLB would be to know what is most desirable to staff (“Work/Life association inc,”).
Dependant on what industry or sector a company is in depends on the type of WLB policies that it can offer. There is a lot of work life intuitive being offered by differing companies, the key is to customize them correctly to get the best results for your company. As an example, with all good intent an employer may introduce a WLB policy like flexi time, only to find that an employee may not take advantage of the opportunity to work with flexible hours because they prefer time at work to that of being home (Blair-Loy & Wharton, 2004).
There is however another argument by Hays (cited in Blair-Loy & Wharton, 2004), that suggests the employee, is more likely fearful of taking advantage of WLB polices because of the fear that it may impact negatively upon their careers; this is more likely the closer truth (Blair-Loy & Wharton, 2004). “Flexibility has to be a two way process”(“Work-Life Balance,”) Therefore the challenge for the HRM team is consult with staff to find out what the current employee needs are, and then strategically match those needs to that of the company, reassuring the employees of genuine intent to eet their work life balance needs. This is very important in order for an employer to be considered one of choice in a prospective employees mind (“Work/Life association inc,”). According to a media release by Chandler Macleod in 2007 titled “Employer of choice exposed” (“‘Employer of Choice’ exposed,”) recruitment experts highlighted the different perceptions between employees and employers as to what an employer of choice is. It appears that both parties have misconceptions about each ones requirement, Simply explained it appears that an employer of choice is one that is a great place to work.
This therefore means that now more than ever in this diverse workforce employers need to recognise the need to have a workforce that is motivated and supported in every aspect in order for them to gain maximum output from them. 7. Conclusion: Is Work life Balance achievable and/or Sustainable? In conclusion this research shows that over time organisations have embraced work life balance policies as a means of addressing issues related to motivation such as absenteeism, employee turnover and retention. When wholly embraced they can be beneficial to the organisation through the above.
In retrospect if neglected, both employees and the employer suffer through increased stress levels which in turn lead to a decrease in job satisfaction and productivity. The question then begs; Is Work Life balance achievable and/or sustainable? From the above research we believe that the level to which an organisation embraces the policy of WLB depends on several key factors such as the size, i. e a large organisation tends to horizontally align its objectives by realising that aside from profits that human capital is the organisations biggest asset.
This in turn means that it tends to put their needs first as a means of ensuring that they gain maximum output through using different motivation methods. A smaller organisation on the other hand is more concern with expanding and increasing profit margins (vertical alignment). This means that employee’s needs are not placed first and they are not necessarily viewed as the key resources. It is therefore not easy to answer the above question given that WLB is a two way process as explained earlier whereby employees feel that despite WLB provisions in the work place they fear that it might affect their careers.
As the business environment continues to evolve there will be an increased need to create a balance if organisations are to survive the turbulent times ahead. This means that it has to provide its employees with an environment that makes them more comfortable and able to balance the different needs in their lives and careers. 8. Bibliography Andrews, K. (2006). Work and Family. Retrieved August, 2010, from http://www. workplace. gov. au/NR/rdonlyres/B2C64166-2538-4892-BE1E-10112F798C8D/0/IssuesPaperFINALPDF. pdf Balthazard, C. (2009). Clear link between work hours, work-life balance.
Canadian HR Reporter, 22(13), 11. Bardoel, A. E. , De Cieri, H. , & Mayson, S. (2008). Bridging the research-practice gap: Developing a framework for work-life initiatives. Journal of Management & Organization, 14(3), 239-258. Blair-Loy, M. , & Wharton, S. A. (2004). Organizational commitment and constraints on work-family policy use: corporate flexibility policies in a global firm. Sociological Perspectives, 47(3), 243-267. Byrne, U. (2005). Work-life balance : Why are we talking about it at all?. Business Information Review 2005 22, 53-59. Grawitch, M. , Gottschalk, M. , & Munz, D. (2006).
De Cieri, H. , & Abbott, J. (2008). Influences on the provision of work life benefits: Management and employee perspectives. Journal of Management & Organization, 14(3), 303-322. ‘Employer of Choice’ exposed. Retrieved August, 2010, from http://www. workplacebarometer. com. au/LinkClick. aspx? fileticket=LusvfnfDT8I%3D&tabid=984&mid=2140 Grzywacz, J. , & Carlson, D. (2007). Conceptualizing Work-Family Balance: Implications for Practice and Research. Advances in Developing Human Resources, 9(4), 455-471. HAYS. (2010). Work life balance. Retrieved August, 2010, from http://www. hays. com. u/resources/balance. aspx Hyman, J. , & Summers, J. (2007). Work and life: can employee representation influence balance? Employee Relations, 29(4), 367-381. Lazar, I. , Osoian, C. , & Ratiu, P. (2010). The role of work-life balance practices in order to improve organisational performance. European research Studies, 13(1), 201-213. Metcalf, F. (2010). Employers must offer work-life balance or pay the price. Retrieved August, 2010, from http://www. couriermail. com. au/news/queensland/employers-must-offer-work-life-balance-or-pay-the-price/story-e6freoof-1225820054188 Novoseloy, S. (2010). | 2019-04-22T16:32:24Z | https://graduateway.com/work-life-balance-2/ |
Election Day is less than a week away, and this year Americans will choose a new president. We’ve got a number of songs in our collections relating to elections, which you can find in this essay. Right now I’d like to look at one of those songs, and specifically at the evidence for its having been associated with the 1884 presidential election between Grover Cleveland and James Blaine.
As I’ve pointed out before, “The Dodger” is a recognized American classic, recorded by such groups as The Almanac Singers and the Weavers, and arranged by Aaron Copland into a standard of the American art-music vocal repertoire, as part of his first set of Old American Songs.
All these popular renditions were based on a version recorded in December 1936 from Mrs. Emma Dusenbury. The recording was made by Sidney Robertson Cowell for the US government’s Resettlement Administration, and is now part of the American Folklife Center’s archive. Hear it in the player below.
As far as I can tell, the claim that the song is about the 1884 election first came to light thanks to Charles Seeger, in the context of a complaint about the song from a powerful Congressman. Seeger worked for the Special Skills Division of the Resettlement Administration; Cowell, who collected “The Dodger” from Mrs. Dusenbury, worked for him as a fieldworker. In 1937, Seeger used the agency’s funds to print several song sheets, including one of “The Dodger.” See the outside covers of the sheet below.
Mrs. Emma Dusenbury and her daughter Ora in Mena, Arkansas, in December 1936, the same visit during which she sang her famous version of “The Dodger.” Photo by Sidney Roberston Cowell.
Seeger’s claims have never been verified, and his vague statement “we had the knowledge” leaves open the question: where did that knowledge come from? We know it didn’t come from Mrs. Dusenbury. Although she was an adult at the time of the Cleveland-Blaine campaign and might well have remembered such a detail, she told Cowell right on the disc recording “I don’t know where it’s from or nothin’ about it,” making it unlikely that she told anyone else it was a campaign song from 1884. So far, I haven’t found another “smoking gun” that indicates where Seeger got this idea.
On first reading Seeger’s words, I was a bit skeptical of his claim. Mainly, this is because I had heard the charge of draft-dodging leveled against Grover Cleveland, but not against his opponent, James G. Blaine. Cleveland did indeed pay another man, George Benninsky, to substitute for him in the army during the Civil War. Although the practice was perfectly legal, it was unpopular since it allowed wealthy people to avoid service. For this reason, Cleveland found himself ridiculed by his opponents, especially early in his political career.
Looking deeper into this history, I find it mentioned in a few encyclopedias and websites that Blaine used the same tactic to avoid conscription, but I can find little evidence contemporary with the 1884 election that this was ever a big problem for him as a candidate. I believe the reasons for this are twofold: first, Cleveland’s draft-dodging came to the public’s attention first, so by the time Blaine’s was mentioned it made him no worse than his opponent; and second, when the act instituting a draft was signed into law, Blaine had already been elected to the US Congress, although he had not yet begun his term. Because of this, he had a reasonable argument as to why he should buy his way out of service: as one of Lincoln’s staunchest supporters in Congress, Blaine was needed to support Lincoln’s wartime plans, which he dutifully did. Since the policies he had helped get through Congress had won the war, it was hard to say he hadn’t done his part. The result of this was that, in 1884, even though they had both taken advantage of perfectly legal means of avoiding conscription, Cleveland was occasionally ridiculed as a draft-dodger, but Blaine was not.
This cartoon dramatizes the paternity scandal surrounding Cleveland. Although it was true he had fathered a child out of wedlock, the remainder of the story was murky: the child’s mother alleged serious misdeeds on Cleveland’s part, but could not prove them. In the end his own story was convincing enough that the public forgave him.
Blaine! Blaine! James G. Blaine!
Continental liar from the state of Maine!
While it’s true that the best-known anti-Cleveland ditty, “Ma, ma, where’s my pa,” didn’t use Cleveland’s name, it alluded to a paternity scandal so well known that many people today still know about it. (You can read about it here.) If “The Dodger” was used in the campaign to reference a scandal, it’s since become considerably more obscure than Cleveland’s fathering a child out of wedlock.
It’s still plausible that this song was used against James Blaine, though. For one thing, as I showed in my previous post, a newly-identified early version of the song from England identified the first dodger as “The Politician.” This squares nicely with Mrs. Dusenbury’s song, which identifies “The Candidate.” It suggests that Mrs. Dusenbury’s version of this song, while unique among American folk versions in containing this political message, might have been preserving it from older versions of the song. This in turn suggests that “The Dodger” might have been seen as a political song already in the 1840s, and it might have made sense in 1884 for someone to adapt it to fit the election that year.
The next question might be, why would Blaine, specifically, make sense as the target? As it turns out, Blaine was often called a “dodger,” not based on his wartime record, but but based on several other public actions.
For example, Blaine was often called a “dodger” for his position on prohibition. Blaine, as a member of the Maine legislature and then a US congressman from Maine and US Senator, had to satisfy the strong prohibition lobby in his state. But, as Speaker of the House, and as a politician with national aspirations, he could not be too supportive of prohibition, which was unpopular nationally at the time. As a result, he seems to have made private assurances that he would vote for prohibition, and then arranged to be elsewhere when the votes occurred, so as not to go on the record with his support.
The famous cartoonist Thomas Nast drew this cartoon of Blaine with John St. John, the Prohibition Party candidate. The feathers in Blaine’s hat are a reference to his nickname “The Plumed Knight.” “20 Years of Dodging by Blaine” is a reference to his book, Twenty Years in Congress. The carpetbag is an allegation that he moved to Maine because it was easier to win a Congressional seat from there than from his native Pennsylvania.
Mr. Blaine did not vote for or against the constitutional amendment in Maine—he dodged. As the chosen leader of the National Republican party he had to dodge. A dodging platform adopted by a dodging party required a dodging candidate. A better dodger than Mr. Blaine could be found nowhere. Dodging is his ‘best hold’—he delights, he revels in it. Neal Dow proclaimed through the press weeks beforehand that Mr. Blaine would vote for the amendment, but he didn’t. Neal Dow had this assurance from Mr. Blaine himself, and believed him. One meaning of dodge is ‘to start suddenly aside.’ Mr. Blaine did not lie, ‘he started suddenly aside.’ Another meaning of dodge is ‘to evade.’ Mr. Blaine ‘evaded.’ As a sudden starter aside and an evader, Mr. Blaine is a success. When we belonged to the Republican party, it didn’t dodge, and it had no use for dodgers as candidates. It may be that Providence looking down the years saw that the time would come when the Republican party would dodge and seeing this got ready the man for the hour. The hour has come, and so has Mr. Blaine. Behold a dodging party, putting a dodging candidate on a dodging platform.
Dear Sir—Your favor of the 29th forwarded to me here. This is the fourth consecutive year I have been asked to stump the State of Massachusetts in the interest of the Republican party. I am no longer a Republican and cannot therefore allow the use of my name as proposed.
My first vote was cast for Garfield and Arthur my next will be for St John and Daniel.
As a temperance Republican I have repeatedly listened to the promises of your party leaders that temperance legislation would receive their honest support—promises only to be disregarded and never fulfilled.
Other issues, such as the question of whether trade tariffs helped or hurt American labor, also got Blaine labeled as a “dodger” (see the cartoon above).
It wasn’t only issues, however; Blaine was also prone to scandals, many of which involved accusations of bribery and other misdeeds, so he was constantly evading accusers and investigators. The biggest of these was a scandal that had originally emerged before Blaine’s previous presidential campaign in 1876. In February of that year, allegations emerged that Blaine had been bribed by several railway companies to promote their interests while Speaker of the House. Blaine denied the allegations, and Democrats in Congress convened a committee to investigate. In late May, James Mulligan, an office clerk, emerged with a bombshell: the allegations were true, and he had letters between Blaine and Boston businessman Warren Fisher Jr., which proved it.
Before Mulligan turned the letters over to the committee, he met with Blaine privately, and Blaine convinced him to give up the letters. Blaine then refused to turn the letters over to the committee. He did read the letters out on the floor of Congress on June 5, 1876—but no one could say for sure if he read all the letters. Although the investigation did not find enough to prove any wrongdoing, the scandal caused Rutherford B. Hayes to defeat Blaine for the nomination of the Republican party in 1876—and Hayes subsequently became President.
The “Mulligan Letters,” as they were known, reemerged to damage Blaine in 1884. Once Blaine had secured the Republican nomination in that year, J.S. Cushing and Company had the idea to publish a book of the letters; since they had been read out on the floor of Congress, they were available to the public in the Congressional Record. Adding a brief account of the scandal and a minimal apparatus of footnotes, they put out the book Mr. Blaine and the Mulligan Letters. What had previously been a scandal involving a Speaker of the House who hoped to be nominated for the presidency was elevated to a scandal involving the Republican nominee. Even worse for Blaine, Mulligan reappeared with more letters, one of which ended with the damning request to “burn this letter.” Most commentators believe that both the issue of Prohibition and the scandal of the Mulligan Letters damaged Blaine in the general election, and Cleveland was of course the victor.
As evidence that the Mulligan Letters were seen as part of a pattern of behavior that Blaine’s opponents called being a “dodger,” consider the cartoon below. Blaine’s headgear is a reference to one of his nicknames, “the plumed knight,” which was given to him at the Republican convention in 1876—at the height of the original Mulligan Letters scandal. Note that both the visor of the helmet and one of the plumes say “Dodger” on them, while another plume says “Mulligan Letters.” Another of Blaine’s nicknames was “the magnetic man,” due to his oratorical skills, hence the references to magnetism. Other scandals are referenced throughout the cartoon.
I do not think, under the circumstances, it would be quite wise or kind in you to place any note or notes of mine that may happen to be in your possession in the hands of third parties as collateral. In any event I ask as a simple favor that you will not do so, and that you will send me by return mail a copy of all obligations of mine in your possession.
In the only verse of “The Dodger” collected from oral tradition that refers to “The Candidate,” he’s described as “a-dodging for a note.” I always assumed this to mean a banknote, or paper money, but it’s interesting that Blaine was known for dodging after other kinds of notes, including promissory notes and incriminating letters.
Grover Cleveland is trying to win the Presidency by dodging the leading issue that enters the canvass. Where does he stand on the tariff? He was afraid to express himself on this overshadowing question in his letter of acceptance. Consequently he contented himself with pointing to the Democratic national platform and remarking ‘I say ditto to that’ But he was perfectly well aware that in so doing he was guilty of a miserable evasion, since the platform was framed with the intent to muddle and mislead.
So, to sum up the evidence, it’s undeniable that there were associations in people’s minds between Blaine and the ideas of “dodging,” “dodgers,” and “The Artful Dodger.” It’s also true that by 1884 versions of the song “The Dodger” had been quite successful across the country in a play called “The Artful Dodger.” Also, in one folk version of the song, “The Candidate” is accused of “dodging for a note,” while “notes” in several senses were central to one of Blaine’s “dodging” scandals. All this makes it believable that someone might have had the idea to use the song “The Dodger” in the campaign against Blaine, and might have composed the verse about “The Candidate” to fit the case. But weighing against this are two things: first, Grover Cleveland, Blaine’s opponent, was also known as a dodger, and second, this is all circumstantial evidence; there is still no clear, documented connection between the song and the campaign.
Turning again to Charles Seeger’s story, another thing seems striking: the Cleveland campaign isn’t mentioned on the song sheet, despite its being exactly the kind of detail one would expect Seeger might include, had he known it at the time. This suggests that he didn’t know the song was associated with the Cleveland campaign when he prepared the song sheet. Yet as soon as he published the sheet, and was challenged and threatened by a powerful Democratic Congressman, he was able to assuage that Congressman’s anger with the information, suddenly acquired, that the offending ditty was a Democratic campaign song!
I’m suggesting, of course, that perhaps Charles Seeger did not actually know of a connection between the song and the campaign. Perhaps he only suspected it, based on circumstantial evidence like the connections I’ve outlined. Or perhaps he’d heard it as “common knowledge” but had no way of verifying it. Perhaps, however, he realized it would be worthwhile to exaggerate his certainty in order to save 13 million dollars of the Resettlement Administration budget.
Obviously, I can’t be sure of this theory. There were many people in Seeger’s life who were old enough to remember the Cleveland-Blaine campaign, including, for example, his friend John A. Lomax, then the head of the Library of Congress’s Archive of Folk Song, who was 17 during the Cleveland-Blaine campaign. Any of these people might have verbally recounted firsthand testimony of the song being sung by Cleveland supporters in 1884. Or, there might be a written source I simply haven’t found.
But I for one would like to think that Charles Seeger took matters into his own hands and embellished his tale a little, dodging the wrath of Congressman Vinson and creating a new origin story for “The Dodger.” It seems only fitting that one of the founders of ethnomusicology, one of my most distinguished predecessors as a federal folklorist, and the man who first published “The Dodger,” should also qualify as a magnificent dodger himself.
Different people who knew Mrs. Dusenbury spelled her name differently. We believe the correct spelling is Dusenbury.
The word “Senator,” in parentheses, appears in the published transcript of Seeger’s interview. It seems Seeger might merely have said “Vinson,” and the identification as “Senator Vinson” might have been added by the transcriber. However, there was no US Senator named Vinson at the time. I believe Seeger meant Rep. Carl Vinson of Georgia.
There’s one final association between Blaine and “The Dodger”: Blaine’s official biography was written by Gail Hamilton, a well known writer at the time and an early feminist thinker. Hamilton, however, was really a pen name for Blaine’s wife’s cousin, Mary Abigail Dodge. Dodge, who lived in Massachusetts, frequently summered with the Blaines, and was considered a part of their household. Many believed that Dodge was also Blaine’s main speechwriter, although this has never been confirmed. At the time, Dodge’s writings about Blaine were valued by readers who believed they gave an insider’s picture of Blaine’s politics. Mrs. Blaine’s letters reveal that, in addition to “cousin Abby,” Dodge was known in the Blaines’ household as “The Dodger.” Although the public certainly knew of his association with Dodge, I don’t know if anyone outside the family knew her nickname, so this is not really evidence–but it’s an intriguing connection! | 2019-04-21T06:52:08Z | https://blogs.loc.gov/folklife/category/aaron-copland/ |
My back porch has lived a sadly unloved life. Totally protected from the cleaning properties of both rain and sun, it suffers from a build-up of dust and mold, and in fact is usually ignored except as a nice sheltered place to sit during a gentle rain. But: I have decided to reclaim it and make it a nice place to be.
To that end, Giles and the Composer humored me and took down the useless and ugly single rail that ran the length of the porch, and installed a new rail that has an opening in the porch center, and supporting verticals. They nailed down some loose boards as well, and I am embarassed to say, the Composer jacked a sagging corner up. Such is life in an organic (read "decomposing") older wooden house.
A brisk sweeping (a scrub is in the near future), a new pair of potted ferns, a vintage cloth thrown over my little castoff wicker table, and I am liking what I see!
Daisy inspects the spicebush for spicebush swallowtail caterpillars. Apparently spicebush, a small tree with spicy-smelling (imagine!) leaves is the only larval food for the grand, black and blue, velvety spicebush swallowtail butterfly. Hunting for the caterpillars is fun and satisfying for babies, because each caterpillar chooses a leaf to hide on, folds it over, and keeps it shut with a little flexible webbing. Once you spot a folded-up leaf, your mother gently pries it open, and there is the spicebush caterpillar, bright green with his big fake eyespots, looking up at you.
An entry in the So-Good and So-Obvious category: I picked a big bunch of spearmint this morning from the backyard, rinsed it, and stuffed it in a pitcher of water with a few ice cubes. It was so good! The mint infused the water with not so much an obvious spearmint taste, which I find kind of numbing anyway, at least in quantity, but more of a flavor both sweet and herbaceous. My big handful of sprigs stayed fresh all day, and flavored several fill-ups of the pitcher.
This is one I want to remember, and if I succeed at that, maybe try with a couple of slices of cucumber. Or basil leaves.
•Breakfast at the downtown diner.
•Opening morning of farmer's market: tiny turnips, fresh honey, baby bok choy and joi choy, yellow squash, and cucumbers.
•A swim by myself and a swim with Daisy.
•Felix and Clara *hard* at work learning lines for the children's musical.
•Watching the Composer finish building the new gate for the pool fence.
•Cooking dinner--stewed chicken with garden new potatoes and turnips, sauteed bok choy, fried squash, biscuits, and strawberries (pleasure somewhat diminished when Nameless Child dumped entire bowl of squash on floor before dinner).
•Mark O'Connor's Elysian Fields playing in the kitchen.
We love the Mitford books here at the Schoolhouse! Clara gets the books on tape over and over at the library, and we even included a trip to Jan Karon's real-life town of Blowing Rock, North Carolina, on a camping trip several years ago. One of the best things about the series are the frequent mention of food and what's cooking--and The Mitford Cookbook and Kitchen Reader distills all of the best parts for the greedy reader (yes,that's me).
Now, this food is very, very Southern food. Lots of shortening, lots of butter. Lots of self-rising white flour, so you might not want to make these recipes everyday occurences. But oh, they are good!
Clara has adopted one has her own, and frequently makes us Cynthia's Heavenly Tea. I won't give the whole recipe away, in the interests of preserving Cynthia's secret recipe, but I will say that it calls for black tea, fresh mint, sugar, lemonade concentrate, apricot nectar, and almond extract. Even those who don't like sweetened tea (that's me too) will pronounce it heavenly (as long as they learn from my mistake and do not allow vanilla to be substituted for almond extract--yuck). Properly made, this tea will take you to heaven.
Toplighting can make anything look beautiful--even a mop bucket on the kitchen floor looks lovely under the skylight.
"Neat and Dainty as a Flower"
"[Her] house was just as neat and dainty as a flower, and that without half the effort [that her aunt made], and no servant at all at present."
If it weren't for the fact that I love other hydrangeas just as much, the Annabelle hydrangea would be my favorite! The flowers, which appear in abundance, start out a lovely chartreuse, ripen to a creamy white, then stay on the bush till fall slowly becoming rusty and interesting. It is an unusual and long-lived cut flower, it spreads effortlessly and quickly, and it resists disease and dry spells surprisingly well.
Besides, with a name like Annabelle, we here at the schoolhouse could never pass it up.
A beautiful sunny Saturday, an open pool, and nine children here all day--no surprise then that at dinner time I had a weary, hungry family. I served them a dish that is a big favorite with the kids, and is easy for me too since it relies on pantry staples and is cooked all in one pot. No matter how much of this I make, they will eat it *all*.
I invented it several years ago on a camping trip notable for both the beautiful hike through autumn woods to a cave containing a waterfall, and also the freezing, freezing nighttime temperatures. The name has stuck.
1 1/2 to 2 lb. ground round.
Drain off grease if necessary.
Bring to a boil, then turn down to a simmer. Stir frequently and don't walk away, as it wants to stick to the bottom. Campdish is done when pasta is tender and most liquid is absorbed. If pasta needs more liquid, add a little water until it's done cooking. Serve with grated Parmesan cheese.
I like to serve with something fresh but also salty--maybe some stirfried asparagus, cabbage, green beans, or Bok choy, sauteed in olive oil, then doused with a little tamari sauce. And, of course, a big salad. Eat, hang around for a while, then hit the sack!
• Bella and Clara have finished their school work for the year (whew!). Giles and Felix only have a little science left. I know some homeschooling moms teach year-round but I tell you what: that would not work for me!
•The Composer has OPENED THE POOL!!!
I can't stop sewing aprons--they are the most satisfying projects to sew, plus I use them every day and enjoy having lots to choose from. I can't pass up Simplicity's "retro-reprint" patterns and want to try them all in the delicious silly fabrics (eclair, anyone?) that I can't resist at the store.
Here is one I sewed last week. I love the rick-rack trim, the topstitched triangular yoke, and the smart pockets. I do love the design details in these old-style apron patterns--the scalloped hems, bound edges, and dart fittings make them delightful to sew and to wear.
We were all out late last night having a good time. A nearby university was having an art song festival, and the Composer's work was being performed. He and I dropped the kids off at Grandpa's and went over to hear a marvelous piano/cello/soprano trio perform a song cycle of his. Artistically it was not breaking news, as he had written it about seven years ago, but it was delightful to hear it performed so beautifully, in front of an audience.
Of course there is a backstory (isn't there always?): on our tenth anniversary he had presented me with these songs (best present ever). He had taken three poems I had written, all set at dusk, written transcendent music for them, and recorded musicians performing them.
At dusk we walk the gravel lane.
the dewberries withered on the stem.
These evenings we pray for rain.
and we dream of waking to rain, to thunder.
"Don't get gay and combine several part-full bottles of milk if they weren't all purchased the same day, or you may sour otherwise sweet milk."
"Every housewife knows that sinking feeling when she finds--much too late--the leftover chicken she'd planned to use for salad."
"Don't let your meal develop an all-white look through the use of fish, potatoes, cauliflower, and onions."
"A friendly cooperative attitude will make your shopping easier. Not that you should expect preferential treatment, but because your wants and needs will be accorded more interest and helpfulness where you are a regular and known customer. Even a store which features self-service can sense a friendly attitude. . ."
*Love* the middle picture of the young lady cooking in her suit (is she just back from court?) using a condiment which appears to be salt. . .
How is it I can walk by, and even water, a houseplant over and over and somehow gloss over the fact that it looks *awful*?! I took a good look at the plants in the living room today and ended up throwing one away--it was so decrepit that the "temporary" drip tray I was using under it, a foil pie plate, literally crumbled in my hand! I also took a sad droopy ficus tree outside and gave it a new pot and new soil--still debating on whether or not it deserves to come back in. It does tend to drip stickiness, but on the plus side, it sits right beside Albert's cage (parakeet), where I fondly hope it provides him with the illusion that he still lives in the rain forest. Meanwhile it's having a vacation on the deck.
The whole houseplant sphere is an enigma to me. I water and Miracle-Gro all my plants the same, and have thriving Boston and asparagus ferns, shamrock, rose-scented geranium, and one big airplane plant in the bathroom. The others are sad, sad, sad. I think I will let natural selection do its thing and stick to these successes.
This morning after breakfast and a quick vacuuming of all the downstairs floors, we left for a hike to this waterfall. We drove for an hour, looked for the barn with an "E" on the side, then parked in the cow pasture and headed down the unmarked (but very clear) trail. This creek has the most amazing rock formation--it drops through a giant rock doughnut shape, a perfect circle, in a fantastic waterfall. Unfortunately, as soon as we got to it I peered down in and my sunglasses fell off my shirt, circled around a few times, and disappeared, exactly as if I had flushed them down an enormous stone toilet. Lucky for me the big boys were already at the next lower level and were able to fish them out from under the fall--after being offered ten dollars for a successful recovery (since the water was icy cold!).
That was our only mishap, however. The kids stayed down in the creek rearranging stones for an hour, and even Daisy, who was in a quiet, contemplative mood, threw in her share of sticks before we hiked back up to the road, enjoyed a picnic, and headed home.
For today's adventure, the children and I stopped in at the alterations lady's shop downtown. She has a great space right on Main Street, with huge windows which house rows of orchids, a series of really large downtown cats that live in her shop, and a few good toys.
While she pinned my new suit (jacket and pencil skirt in "espresso") into a more flattering shape, everyone found something of interest: Bella was using a lint roller on the big orange cat while Giles charmed it into submission, Clara and Felix were enchanted with the orchids, and Daisy swooped in on the baby doll and toy stroller, pushing them madly around the racks of clothes. It was hard to leave.
"The Duty of Every Woman"
"It is the duty of every woman to attire herself as charmingly as possible, for the pleasure of her friends and all who come in contact with her as well as to aid her advancement in any calling. It is hard not to be self-conscious when unsuitably dressed. It is embarrassing to feel either that clothes are not becoming or that the costume selected is inappropriate for the occasion."
otherwise they wouldn't be freebies! Long ago I figured out that asking to "come over and see your garden" was a fail-proof way to load up on everything from uprooted and unwanted phlox, to chunks of hostas that needed dividing, to baby hydrangeas. I continue the tradition by never letting gardening guests leave empty-handed--I always load them down with starts and babies. And I travel with cheap plastic pots in the trunk during the high gardening season; I never know when I might need to stop and "see" someone's garden!
The back story is that during last week's routine mopping, trying to get a piece of gunk off my pine kitchen floor, I scrubbed with the bristly brush on the back side of my sponge mop. To my consternation, I realized that I had actually *cleaned* a patch of floor, taking off a layer of grime I didn't even know was there. (Hey, it was wood-colored!) After eyeing that clean spot for a week, I decided to do the whole floor today. Ouch. I am hurting, and I've only done half--but the kitchen is truly huge.
Giles sank a bunch of muscle into it as well, and together we dirtied countless buckets of soapy water. (By dirty, I mean that it looks like Bella took the bucket outside to one of her play kitchen spots and filled it with dirt and a little water!!!). Apparently we have stripped the floor down to its essential pineyness, unadorned by varnish, finish, or any of those effete substances. We are enjoying the pale wood color (of the half we have finished!), and waiting to see how badly it gets messed up in the days to come.
As soon as my muscle spasms subside, I'll finish the room.
I don't think of myself as having a large family (what is five children when you had fourteen brothers and sisters?) but I know five strikes some moms as a lot. I think, putting myself in the shoes of a mom of one or two, that I might have qualms about the large amounts of laundry, or the quantity of cooking. But I have recently noticed that what parents of small families wonder about it is: How do I drive all my children around everywhere?
Of course the answer is, I don't. Unlike children in smaller families, my children aren't all on sports teams, taking multiple lessons, and living high-performance lives. Clara does have a cello lesson once a week, and on the same afternoon Bella goes to gymnastics. As for the boys, team sports, scouts, music lessons, etc., have all been tried (one at a time) and found wanting. I am grateful that right now neither Giles nor Felix has to go to an Activity.
The children seem to be turning out okay in spite of their curtailed lives. Giles is turning out some razor-sharp photographs (see his blog). Felix can't find enough time to do all the bird-watching he would like. And everyone seems pretty peaceful--even me.
1. I set the table before we leave for church. Actually, Clara usually does this for me as she totally appreciates the fun of getting out a nice tablecloth and the Sunday dishes--Mikasa's Rosemeade china. We use a white cotton Battenburg cloth which is tossed in the washer and dryer--it comes out totally wrinkled but I don't care! I like the rumpled charm. We use ironed napkins too--pink cotton or ivory damask, or sometimes the transparent embroidered white voile. Why own things too good to use? Use them.
2. Before leaving for church I put in a roast--a pork loin, or a pot roast, or two roasting chickens--often with carrots and potatoes around it. I make a salad or a big luscious slaw with peppers, radishes, and cucumbers. Sometimes I cook and refrigerate vegetables for quick reheating after church.
3. Hot bread? Yes. I'll either mix biscuit dough up to the point of adding the (rice) milk, ready to quickly finish and pop in the oven after church, or put a batch of roll dough in the bread machine, which I run to the point of rising. Then I take the dough out and refrigerate it--when we get home I quickly shape it into rolls and pop in into a very hot oven for wonderful rolls. Either way, butter, honey, and preserves definitely belong on the table!
4. Make dessert on Saturday. Clara at bat again, as she dearly loves to bake a good cake. Today she did a Rose-Raspberry Layer Cake which is gorgeous: layers of white cake baked in pans lined with rose geranium leaves, stacked with raspberry preserves, and iced thickly with sweetened whipped cream mixed with more raspberry preserves. Over the top? Yes.
5. Relish plate. Raw carrots, celery sticks, pickles, olives. I love having one on the table, and the kids all think it's special too.
This used to seem like a lot of work to me but the more I have done it the more it goes smoothly and quickly. Now I consider putting Sunday dinner on the table one of the most enjoyable times of the week. It's a privilege to serve a luscious fattening meal to my beautiful growing children and wonderful husband, and realize the blessings of another week together.
•cut them open and sucked on them.
Do not make this in a pie plate. Use dessert dishes, margarita glasses, sherbet cups, etc.
Squeeze out 1/2 C. key lime juice.
Stir in 1 can condensed milk.
In a medium bowl, whip 1 C. cream until stiff. Fold the cream into the lime mixture a big spoonful at a time. Distribute among 8 serving dishes (see above--I always use my big stemmed green margarita glasses).
Make or purchase a graham cracker crust. Break it gently into large pieces, aiming for eigths. Stick about an eigth of the crust in each glass in an artless fashion. Freeze glasses for a few hours. When ready to serve, garnish with extra whipped cream and some more lime zest.
I have taken the plunge and ordered two charming dress patterns that are really, truly vintage! The one on the left is a great forties' dress (love the bodice gathering up into the shoulder yoke in front!), and the one on the right is a "beginner's side-fastening frock" from the thirties (which is a close approximation of my dream garment, so far found only in the Sears' Catalog Everyday Clothes of the Thirties book, the Hooverette dress, a wraparound cotton garment with frilled organdy trim!!!). Both of these are available at the Vintage Pattern Lending Library website, a resource with treasures abundant though not well-organized. I have been cruising around looking at vintage sewing patterns both original and facsimilated, and these are pretty good prices--and the patterns are complete.
It's hard to find vintage patterns with larger bust sizes so I was thrilled to find several to choose from. The ladies in the old days were slim and elegant indeed.
•wiping out the cupboard where we keep the compost bucket.
•cleaning everything on the counters--breadbox, salt/pepper/sugar shakers, cookie jar, toaster oven, etc.
•cleaning and refilling the soap dispenser at the sink--why *is* it so dirty?
•scrubbing all the countertops with Bar Keeper's Friend.
•and so on, wherever grime collects.
It was nice to knock so much off my list before the day really started. I kept my cooking projects for afternoon (rhubarb cobbler and four loaves of bread), and in between went to court. Split shift, sort of. I think I do a lot of that!
The sun sets in the valley behind our house and only the tallest trees catch the last light. This is my favorite tree in all the world, a white oak beside our driveway.
Laurie Colwin snagged a great title for her first food-writing book, Home Cooking, followed of course by More Home Cooking. These are two of my favorite food books, and are filled with wonderful recipes and truly funny stories, many of which I have read to my children and are now repeated around the table every so often, just as though they are family memories.
I especially love the chapters "Kitchen Horrors" and "Repulsive Dinners: A Memoir." And I've loaned the books to friends who have loved and profited from them-- Carol has even built a reputation for fried chicken lifted straight out of the "How to Fry Chicken" chapter. Delicious! | 2019-04-20T04:35:57Z | http://pleasantviewschoolhouse.blogspot.com/2006/05/ |
NHTSA convened a meeting of national criminal justice association leaders to address strategies to re-prioritize traffic safety and reduce the occurrence of repeat DWI offenses. This report summarizes the meeting and highlights priority actions identified as crucial to improve traffic safety.
Please Note This product can only be obtained by downloading it.
This report is a compendium of promising sentencing practices that were proposed at the DWI Sentencing Summit held at the National Judicial College in March 2004. This document is designed for judges who want to be creative and look for new ways to reach the DWI offender, when traditional sentencing options have been exhausted. It should be noted that some of the strategies are not research based, but have promise in the jurisdictions where they have been used. 8.5" x 11", two color, 72 pages.
developed this annual guide to provide the law enforcement community with a concise reference tool to help identify passenger motor vehicles that have been exempted from the parts-marking requirements through model year 2011 and also to assist law enforcement in their prosecution and motor vehicle theft prevention efforts. This new guide provides a quick-reference, comprehensive summary of the vehicles that have been installed with antitheft devices as standard equipment, identifying which vehicles are exempted from the parts-marking requirements, the type of exemption granted (partial or full), and the production year(s) for which the exemption applies.
This manual provides assistance to law enforcement agencies in designing and implementing an effective aggressive driving enforcement program. The guide also highlights existing features, technology used, project outcomes and contact information. This information can be adopted or modified for use by any law enforcement agency. 8.5" x 11", three color, 35 pages.
This report examines the effectiveness of automated speed and red-light-running enforcement systems in reducing crashes. All the studies included in the report examined safety outcomes in terms of crash or injury reduction. The findings suggest that enforcement type and characteristics of the enforcement site influence efficiency of automated enforcement.
Breath alcohol concentration (BAC) test refusals by suspected impaired drivers are a challenge for impaired driving enforcement and prosecution. Periodically, NHTSA gathers data on State BAC refusal rates and develops an estimated national rate. This information can be useful to States and local jurisdictions. It enables them to track changes over time and compare their rates to other States and the Nation as a whole. NHTSA developed previous estimates for 1987, 2001 and 2005.
This report describes the design and results of a project aimed at estimating the rate that drivers refuse to submit to a legally-requested breath alcohol concentration test, and the effect of such refusals on the prosecution of DWI cases. The study found the mean refusal rate to be 21% in 39 jurisdictions providing data, a very small change from that found in prior studies. The study did not indicate a clear relationship between refusing a BAC test and the probability of conviction for DWI/DUI across five local study sites. Generally, the case studies suggested that the difference in conviction rate between refusers and compliers was quite small. Refusers who were convicted, however, consistently received greater penalties than non-refusers who were convicted.
to describe law enforcement efforts aimed at deterring unsafe driving behavior by increasing the public’s perception of being caught, arrested, and prosecuted.
DUI cases have become some of the most complex in the criminal justice system. As a result, defense challenges are being raised more frequently and are more procedural and scientific in nature. These challenges range from the initial law enforcement stop of the vehicle to the testing procedures used to determine alcohol concentration in blood, breath, and urine samples to possible alternative explanations for those results. This monograph was developed to assist prosecutors and law enforcement in understanding the nature of these challenges. It will assist prosecutors in formulating effective responses to these newer challenges and defenses and include drugged driving, alternative ex-planations to breath test results, blood draws and testing, scientific uncertainty, and computer source code discovery requests.
Children are our most precious resource. Unfortunately, they do not have the skills to protect themselves. Adults can, and must protect them. Most States codify this obligation in various child abuse and endangerment statutes. Still, many States fail to statutorily recognize the relationship in the traffic safety context. Indeed, even though virtually every State recognizes the inherent dangers of driving under the influence of alcohol r DWI), many do not articulate special sanctions for DWI/DUI.
This monograph addresses motor vehicle occupant protection issues concerning children. The document discusses the dangers children face and identifies relevant laws and possible criminal prosecutions. It identifies these incidents for what many of them truly are: important, if often overlooked forms of child abuse.
This report outlines recommendations resulting from the Criminal Justice Summit on Impaired Driving, convened November 2002, by NHTSA and the National Criminal Justice Association. The summit was held to identify gaps, problems and challenges in the criminal justice system in the handling of impaired drivers, and to assess solutions and strategies for increasing effectiveness in the enforcement, prosecution and adjudication phases of impaired driving cases. The summit was designed to achieve the most comprehensive and identifiable challenges facing the system as a whole and the most innovative and inclusive solutions to making the system more effective and efficient. 8.5" x 11", two color, 64 pages.
This publication gives law enforcement officers and expert witness’s guidance on what it means to be a witness, what they can likely expect, and the importance of their roles. It also gives an overview of the complexities of the criminal justice system to help explain why they may be called to testify more than once, and asked the same questions on the same subject for the same case. It helps answer some of their initial questions and concerns. Detailed answers may come from colleagues who have previously testified in court, as well as from the attorney who subpoenaed them to testify.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Admin-istration is responsible for reducing vehicle-related fatalities and injuries on our Nation’s highways. This digest reports the status of State laws that are concerned with impaired driving offenses and alcoholic beverage control. It is extensively footnoted and contains comprehen-sive information on critical impaired driving laws for all 50 States, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico.
As with the prosecution of all other criminal cases, DUI cases have unique statutory elements and evidentiary issues. This Handbook will provide a prosecutor with the essentials for an effective DWI prosecution. It is vitally important that before a prosecutor begins a case analysis, they familiarize themselves with State statutes pertaining to DUI, the criminal procedure rules, local court rules, relevant case law, and which breath test instruments are used by local law enforcement agencies. The prosecution of a DUI case involves the examination of the totality of the circumstances surrounding the incident: operation of the motor vehicle, all visual observations of the defendant made by the police or civilian witnesses, statements made by the defendant, his performance of psychomotor tests (Standardized Field Sobriety Tests) and the result of any chemical test (i.e., breath, blood, or urine) and this document will assist in the successful prosecution of DWI cases.
I This handbook will assist prosecutors with guidance and preparation for a DWI case. The Handbook serves to continue our efforts for a criminal system approach to impaired driving by providing an outline for prosecutors as they focus on a DWI case, including all documentation prior to trial. It may also be used by prosecutors to reinforce needed documentation by local law enforcement agencies in order to have an effective DWI prosecution.
In 2011, 32,367 people died in motor vehicle traffic crashes in the United States and an estimated 2,217,000 people were injured in motor vehicle crashes. Of the motor vehicle fatalities in 2011, 31 percent occurred in an alcohol-impaired crash in which a driver or motorcycle rider had a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .08 grams per deciliter or more (which is illegal per se in every State in the United States).
This manual was developed through a cooperative agreement with the National Traffic Law Center. It is a resource guide for judges and prosecutors, that provides a clear understanding of the scientific basis and legal foundation for horizontal gaze nystagmus (HGN), as used with the NHTSA/IACP approved training for the Standardized Field Sobriety Testing (SFST) and the Drug Evaluation and Classification (DRE) programs. This guide is intended to promote increased training, use and acceptance of the HGN test as a valid and reliable tool in detecting, prosecuting and adjudicating impaired drivers. Three color, 8.5" x 11", 122 pages.
State and to identify improvements to strengthen its interlock programs. MADD’s report summarizes common barriers, State barriers, and potential solutions.
This toolkit is designed to provide basic information regarding ignition interlocks and considerations for program administrators and policy makers in designing an efficient program.
In addition, the status of each State’s interlock program is provided, as are a series of frequently asked questions, sample talking points and administrative forms, and checklists to aid in program planning and implementation.
This guide is designed to help safety advocates derive maximum benefit from a standard enforcement law in their communities, towns, cities and States. The guide gives a basic implementation framework for law enforcement, State highway safety officials and others, taking the reader step by step through the stages of a successful program implementation, whether it is conducted statewide or within a single community. 8.5" x 11", three color, 29 pages.
Drivers with prior convictions for driving while impaired (DWI) carry a higher risk of future DWI arrests and crash involvement. In response, communities have developed various strategies to address the drinking-driving problems of DWI offenders by assisting them in making positive behavioral changes to reduce their likelihood of recidivism. One program model developed to monitor offender drinking involves having an offender report twice daily to a law enforcement office for alcohol breath testing at 12-hour intervals. To date, these 24/7 sobriety programs have been used in rural States and communities; however, the program model is being considered for implementation in additional locales. The purpose of this project was to conduct a feasibility study to gather data on whether the 24/7 program model can be applied in urban locales, and if so, what changes might be necessary. In Phase 1 of the study, structured discussions were held with State and local officials in Montana; North Dakota; South Dakota; and Fremont County, Wyoming, to develop a complete description of the history of 24/7 programs in rural areas. In Phase 2, information from Phase 1 was used to conduct discussions with local officials in two urban areas—Washington, DC, and Fairfax County, Virginia—to obtain their impressions about whether and how a 24/7 program could be operated in their jurisdictions. Urban officials reserved judgment about whether such a program would affect offender drinking, impaired driving, and crashes, though most believed it would help identify those who are alcohol-dependent and assist in connecting them with needed resources. Despite potential benefits, officials were generally cautious but somewhat open to the prospects regarding program feasibility. This tempered reaction was a function of concerns about practical issues of implementation and broader concerns about the value of and need for twice-daily testing programs in urban locations.
This document will provide guidance to law enforcement agencies on how to adequately coordinate the planning, operation, data collection, and actions of conducting low-staffing sobriety checkpoints.
There is strong scientific evidence from several countries that show alcohol ignition interlocks, while in use, are effective tools to reduce drunk driving among both first and repeat offenders.1 2 For this reason, the development and implementation of a breath alcohol ignition interlock program is an essential component of a comprehensive highway safety impaired driving program in each State.
Each State has its own impaired driving laws which influence the delivery of impaired driving programs and policies. While almost all States have an ignition interlock program, they are each unique and at different stages of development. States vary in terms of the agencies involved in the delivery of interlock programs, their structures, authority, and operational practices.
Throughout this guideline, the term ignition interlock refers to breath alcohol ignition interlock devices. Ignition interlock manufacturer refers to the business entity that produces ignition interlock devices. An ignition interlock vendor refers to the business entity which distributes ignition interlocks in a State or jurisdiction. The ignition interlock service center refers to the physical structure where interlocks are installed, serviced, and removed. A technician refers to the individual who performs the installation, servicing, and removal of the ignition interlock. Driving while impaired (DWI) offenders refer to individuals who have been convicted of DWI and are required to have an ignition interlock installed in their vehicle.
This Action Guide is the result of a series of meetings with distinguished criminal justice professionals-law enforcement leaders, prosecutors, judges, and a representative from the defense bar-and NHTSA staff, who comprised an Aggressive Driving Implementation Team. The intent of the implementation team was to create a dynamic and easy-to-update planning guide for the States. The team recommended strategies that States can customize to create potent "best solutions". This Action Guide delineates recommended action strategies and is the culmination of more than 18 months of committed efforts by the implementation team. 8.5" x 11", three color, 30 pages.
In late 2004, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration provided funds to the New Mexico Department of Transportation to demonstrate a process for implementing a comprehensive State impaired-driving system. NHTSA also contracted with the Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation to measure the effect of that system on various factors including driving-while-impaired (DWI) crash, injury, and fatality rates; DWI arrest rates; DWI conviction rates; blood alcohol concentration (BAC) patterns; and public awareness. New Mexico’s core activities include high-visibility impaired-driving law enforcement operations, increased paid and earned media concerning New Mexico’s law enforcement efforts, and prosecutorial and enforcement training in the six counties with the highest rates of alcohol-related fatalities. Other components of the comprehensive system include the creation of a DWI Leadership Team that provides support and direction to the system and the participation of a traffic safety resource prosecutor to assist on DWI prosecution and other traffic safety law training. The five counties initially participating in the project were Bernalillo, Doña Ana, McKinley, Rio Arriba, and San Juan. Santa Fe County joined that group in 2007. NHTSA’s objective was to transfer this model to other States experiencing a high number or rate of alcohol-related traffic fatalities or both. Overall, New Mexico’s multi-faceted efforts appeared to have benefits for the State.
In late 2004, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration provided funds through a Cooperative Agreement to the New Mexico Department of Transportation to demonstrate a process for implementing a comprehensive State impaired-driving system. NHTSA also contracted with the Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation to measure the effect of that system on various factors including driving-while-impaired (DWI) crash, injury, and fatality rates; DWI arrest rates; DWI conviction rates; blood alcohol concentration (BAC) rates; and public awareness. New Mexico’s core activities included high-visibility impaired-driving law enforcement operations, increased paid and earned media concerning New Mexico’s law enforcement efforts, and prosecutorial and enforcement training in the five counties with the highest rates of alcohol-involved fatalities. Other components of the comprehensive system include the creation of a Statewide DWI leadership team that provided support and direction to the system and the participation of a Traffic Safety Resource Prosecutor to assist on DWI and other traffic safety laws. The five counties initially participating in the project were Bernalillo, Doña Ana, McKinley, Rio Arriba, and San Juan. Santa Fe County joined that group in 2007. Alcohol-involved (those with BACs of .01 g/dL) fatal crashes decreased by 36.5% in the participating counties during the project period of 2005 to 2009. The rest of the State experienced a 31.6% reduction. Alcohol-impaired (those with a BAC of .08 g/dL or higher) fatal crashes decreased by 35.8% in the participating counties during the same period. The rest of the State experienced a 29% reduction. The decrease in the participating counties was not statistically significantly different from the decrease in the rest of the State. This was likely because there were significant Statewide anti-DWI activities during that period as well. However, overall, New Mexico’s multi-faceted efforts appeared to have benefits for the State.
impaired-driving problem and assess where impaired driving stands as a public health issue in the community. Local impaired-driving or traffic safety task forces can provide the foundation and support for the HVE program. There are suggestions on how to go about combining resources with other law enforcement agencies, approaching potential barriers or opposition in the community, generating earned media, and building workable schedules. There are photographs of the programs and samples of forms and media each site used.
This video is designed to encourage law enforcement personnel who collect data at crash scenes to thoroughly investigate these crashes and submit accurate, complete and timely crash reports. The video, which is divided into a 15-minute comprehensive segment and an 8-minute summary version, can be used at roll calls, at basic and unit training, and in formal crash investigation training. Full color.
emergency departments following crashes are convicted of DWI.
This report provides an overview of the use of Screening and Brief Intervention (SBI) as a countermeasure for those who have displayed, or could potentially display, harmful/hazardous drinking behaviors, including drinking and driving. This report endeavors to acquaint the highway safety community with an overview of the development of SBI, the context in which SBI is employed, the efficacy and limitations of this approach, and the policy implications for traffic safety.
Speed-Enforcement Camera Systems Operational Guidelines provide guidance for the deployment and operation of an automated speed enforcement program. The guidelines address the crucial components of an ASE program, from planning and startup through field operations, violation processing and adjudication, and program evaluation.
The Speed Enforcement Program Guidelines provide guidance and information to law enforcement personnel and decision makers in establishing and maintaining a successful speed enforcement program in their communities. Sustaining speed enforcement activities and focusing on locations identified by crash data are the essential underlying principles. The guidelines presented in this document address program planning, operations, adjudication, marketing and media strategies, and evaluation.
This strategic initiative is intended to provide the guidance and tools that will enable State and local authorities to more effectively manage speed and reduce speeding-related fatalities. The purpose of this strategic initiative is to galvanize the Federal effort and identify specific actions to be taken by the U.S. Department of Transportation Speed Management Team designed to effectively address managing speed and reducing speeding-related crash risk.
Speed Management is a national and far-reaching problem that is best solved through collaborative and comprehensive efforts at all levels of government. However, from road design to enforcement, the ability to implement policies designed to mitigate speed-related injuries and fatalities rests largely with State and local officials. To help local officials and community safety advocates like you take control of the speed management problem, the U.S. Department of Transportation is offering speed management training at locations across the country.
Speed Management is a national and far-reaching problem that is best solved through collaborative and comprehensive efforts at all levels of government. To help local stakeholders take control of the speed management problem, the U.S. Department of Transportation is offering speed management training for facilitators at locations across the country.
This report documents current State blood alcohol concentration (BAC) testing and reporting practices and results for drivers involved in fatal crashes. It summarizes known BAC results by State for the years 1997 to 2009 for both fatally injured and surviving drivers. It provides an overview of State practices using information obtained from telephone discussions with all States and all NHTSA Regions. It documents case studies of 9 States (Alaska, Hawaii, Indiana, Kansas, Maryland, Missouri, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and South Dakota), each of which has improved or maintained high rates of BAC testing and reporting. Successful BAC testing and reporting involves three components: high testing rates, accurate and complete reporting, and careful management. This can be accomplished through laws, policies, or practices. The process involves testing, reporting, tracking, and follow-up. The context involves education, training, and management. A summary presents good practices and strategies for States that wish to improve their BAC testing and reporting.
The Guide was developed to assist law enforcement agencies in conducting traffic stops in a professional manner, to enhance public relations and the image of the law enforcement agency, maintain the credibility of the law enforcement agency and to minimize the number of complaints.
with many years of experience, reported they believe there are no cues that can be used to distinguish DWI from unimpaired motorcycle operation.
This brochure discusses the benefits of sharing data and how that data is used among agencies such as NHTSA, the Federal Highway Administration, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, and the Research and Innovative Technology Administration. These four agencies are represented on the DOT Traffic Records Coordinating Committee. Each agency collects data from States and other stakeholders, for use in a variety of data-driven programs.
This brochure presents information about a web-based database that was developed containing status reports on specific traffic safety legislation in the States and Territories. This database allows users to track a bill from introduction until passage or defeat. 3.5" x 8.5", full color, 6 panels.
The Traffic Safety Resource Prosecutor's Manual (TSRP) is for new traffic safety resource prosecutors to assist them as they begin their new positions. It is a compilation of the efforts of experienced TSRPs who have been in similar positions and did not have the resources at hand, so they developed their resources over a period of time. This manual will reduce the amount of time that a new TSRP will need to work with other prosecutors, and with NHTSA, other criminal justice entities, State highway safety offices, and traffic safety groups.
Guide developed to provide a quick reference and summary of vehicles that are subject to the parts-marking requirements or that have been installed with an anti-theft device as standard equipment. Provides law enforcement with a tool to be used in identification of stolen motor vehicles and prosecution efforts. | 2019-04-23T10:39:33Z | https://mcs.nhtsa.gov/index.cfm?category=23 |
You’d agree with me that an air compressor can supply a single source of power for a variety of tools. But, without the best air compressor, your automotive air tools would otherwise be useless no matter how top notch they are.
This is because air compressors are the real horsepower.
You may have the best automotive air tools, such as impact wrenches, air ratchet, paint guns and still end up with a lame duck if you don’t have an appropriate air compressor.
That is why we recommend that you take out time to know which brand is the best for the money. And if you don’t have that time to research the benchmarks, then we’ve got you covered.
But, the truth is that choosing a single product is a pretty hard task to do, especially when there are a lot of options to choose from in the market.
So, we had to sift through a lot of air compressors on the market and dig out the 5 best air compressors for air tools in 2018. Without wasting more time, here are our recommended air compressors with up-to-date pricing on each.
What are you going to be Using the Unit for?
The Bostitch BTFP3KIT 3-Tool turns your mild-mannered automotive air tools into an air tank beast for storing pressurized air. The Bostitch earns the top position on our list by serving up a high flow regulator as well as couplers to optimize the performance of air tools.
The Bostitch BTFP3KIT 3-Tool is now the go-to air compressor if you’re looking for a brand that delivers 2.6 SCFM @90PSI for Inflating flat tires, sports gears, and home renovation projects, which translates to longer tool run time and quicker recovery.
The best part is that it is sufficiently available in a 1-, 2- or 3-tool combo kit for versatile use.
Place the Bostitch BTFP3KIT 3-Tool alongside similarly priced air compressors, and there’s no contest at all. Apart from using it for garage air tools, the Combo Kit is perfect for exterior and interior finishing for a variety of crafts like cabinets, furniture, and staircases.
In addition to commendable performance, I am also a fan of the flat and round 150 max PSI 6.0-gallon tank (22.7 L), which packs plenty of power to air up to 110 psi trailer tires without any problem.
Indeed, the Bostitch we reviewed includes a maintenance-free and long-life oil-free pump for convenient use.
This compressor is a cinch to set up, and it is straightforward to use – all thanks to its reliable motor, which delivers an optimal performance even in cold winter conditions.
That’s all good, but it was its ability to drive ⅜” crown staples from ¼ inches to 9/16 inches, using its heavy-duty 3/8″ crown stapler that clinched the deal. Similarly, the Bostitch BTFP3KIT heavy- duty ⅜ crown stapler can also drive 18GA brad nails from 1/2″ to 5/8″.
Well, that’s not all: its combo also includes 1/4″ x 15′ PVC air hose with fittings and T50 staples. Also, you will get 1-1/4″ 18GA brad nails alongside 2″ 16GA straight finish nails as well as a framing nailer for specific applications.
The air compressor also rooms a lot of goodies like an air gun, tire inflator, and other changeable fittings.
However, before you run out and buy the Bostitch BTFP3KIT, there are a few things I think you should know about. Chief among them is that the pressure regulator is not as accurate as we wished. Meaning, the air pressure fluctuates a bit when put into heavy use.
But, I think Bostitch goes a long way to overcome this deficit by featuring an air regulator to help you stabilize the air pressure. Its powerful air pressure is incredibly quiet at only 78.5 DBA and delivers an operating noise level as well as a quiet work environment.
This is one of the best air compressors we’ve ever reviewed, which does not require you to shout out loud to be heard when it is working.
The Bostitch BTFP3KIT has a lot going for it, and not just because it produces much pressure. There are so much you are going to benefit using this air compressor.
This is one of the best machines that is equally good with any automotive air tools. If it fits your budget, then the Bostitch BTFP3KIT is the number one air compressor to get.
If you think the Bostitch BTFP3KIT is quiet, then wait till you see the California Air tools. While the Bostitch keeps boasting of its 78.5 DBA sound, the California air tool came on board to give it a knockout by delivering only 60 decibels of sound.
That means its powerful 1.0 HP motor operates only at 1680 RPM creating less wear and less noise. Yes, you’ll be able to listen to cool music while working and carry on a conversation without raising your voice.
Still yet, the Bostitch decided to flaunt its 6.0-gallon tank capacity to the world, but the California Air Tools 5510SE Ultra chose to take another route to beat the competition. California came out smart and bought the heart of many by integrating a full-fledged 5.5 Gallon Aluminum Air Tank, making it very lightweight only at 37.5 lbs.
The California Air Tools 5510SE Ultra competes with the Bostitch BTFP3KIT by delivering 3.10 CFM @ 40 PSI and 2.20 CFM @ 90 PSI with 120 PSI Maximum Pressure.
That said, the 5510SE Ultra wields a modest Oil-Free Dual Piston Pump, but it spins it up by ensuring it gives you high performance and durability.
As a result, one can only say that the California Air Tools 5510SE Ultra readily competes with the Bostitch BTFP3KIT in all aspects to deliver the best performance for the money.
Even as an Ultra-quiet Air Compressor, the 5510SE Ultra behaved well, by maintaining and delivering longer continuous run times and increase in duty cycle.
Just like the Bostitch BTFP3KIT, the 5510SE Ultra decided to appease its fans by making sure its Air Compressor can be used in uneven terrain and a variety of temperatures where other air compressors can't be used.
We’ve tested a large number of air compressors over the years, but this brand is a game changer. This air compressor has solved a problem that no one else is tackling. I have always accepted that air compressors were crazily loud. But I was sold on how quiet this brand is.
And I can boldly say it’s that good for the price. So, if you’re a hobbyist who runs staplers, and nail guns and also needs a compressor to air up tires, then the 5510SE Ultra is a perfect choice.
If a company like California Air wants to win over hearts and minds with this premium price air compressor, then this product needs to be better than its previous lineups of air compressors.
So, can the competitive, top dollar price earn our recommendation? Let's start with its specs and dig in from there.
No doubt, the California Air Tools CAT-4620AC came with some unique perks and features. Unlike the 5510SE Ultra, the CAT-4620AC offers a large 4.6 Gallon Aluminum Air Tank with a Modest Dual Piston Pump.
Indeed, the CAT-4620AC lives up to the company's reputation with its remarkable Easy Start Valve feature that produces a no-load condition when it releases air from the pump to start-up. With this in place, the motor will spin freely even in cold temperature with less amps for fluid startup.
That said, the CAT-4620AC brings roughly the same sweet spots as the 5510SE Ultra by retaining the same essential features. You still get the same low maintenance cost at only 30% less noise at 70 decibels. It still delivers an Oil-Free Pump System and a powerful 2.0 HP motor that operates at 1680.
However, there's a little twist when it comes to the weight of this model and that of the 5510SE Ultra. While 5510SE pride itself for housing a 37lbs air compressor, the CAT-4620AC decided to be different by featuring a 67.2 pound machine.
But guess what: the air compressor is still as light as a feather and gives you the needed flexibility to move around your working area.
So, should you buy this upgraded version of the California Air Tools CAT-4620AC?
First, the reason why California Air compressor 4620AC made it to our list is that it was able to retain a quiet operation even as an upgraded model. Its high 5.30 CFM @ 90 PSI and 6.40 CFM @ 40 PSI and fast recovery of the dual cylinders makes it a force to reckon with.
If you are looking for a powerful and reliable air compressor, then the California Air compressor 4620AC is a perfect fit.
We'd have high praise for this air compressor even if it were double the price. It's easily one of the best affordable air compressors you can find around.
As the model suggests, this is a Pancake style tank unit with optimal stability, water drain valve, rubber feet and a 150 PSI.
Getting acquainted with the PORTER-CABLE was a painless process as it wields a higher pressure longer air tool and also features a 2.6 SCFM @ 90 PSI, paving the way for a quick recovery time.
Included is an oil-free pump with no maintenance, as well as a low AMP 120V motor for easy starting even in cold weather. Unlike other air compressors on this list, the PORTER-CABLE C2002 offers a 6-gallon capacity, which is fit enough to run @ 3.5 SCFM.
With that said, we have more to be optimistic about this air compressor as it works perfectly in filling tires or firing a nailer. You can even use it to run off a standard household circuit.
That said, the replaceable brushes that extend the motor life and 150 PSI max pressure for extended runtime are dominant, without question. With a 13-Piece Accessory Kit and a 25-foot nylon hose, tire chuck, tire gauge, and blow gun, we were blown away to see all the attachments that came along with this machine to give you the best experience.
The 25-foot nylon-reinforced air hose is a marvel. It is beautiful, functional and well-made.
Not to forget that it houses a 120 PSI cut-in pressure that delivers 30 PSI "Bonus Air" as well as High-Flo air regulator to shield against a massive pressure drop. To replenish the air after it runs out, just attach the hose to an AC power outlet and blow into it until it’s full.
Great, right? But here is the downside: with 100dB, this machine is louder than the noise of a television, which is one of the main reasons it is number 4 on our list.
The PORTER-CABLE would be a great air compressor for less the price it came. While it is efficient and displayed a fluid working performance, the level of noise it produces and other of its downsides leave more room for improvement.
The cheap accessories of the unit coupled with its massive weight are out-shined by competing models. Although it has gathered a lot of great reviews in the market due to its awesome performance, I just feel there are simply better options on this list at its current price point.
The fundamental reason we added this product on our list is that it does two main things, and it does them pretty well. First, it inflates vehicle tires and other inflatable objects you can think of. Secondly, it gives you the right information on whether you have the correct tire pressure or not.
The best part is that the machine offers a quick and effortless operation, which gives a big relief against getting a flat tire.
We were overly impressed by its durable design and how accurate the tire pressure gauge was.
With a Maximum Pressure at 150 psi and Working Pressure of 0-42 psi, the DBPOWER 150PSI 12V DC can only carry on a continuous Working Time of 10 minutes.
My little gripe about this unit is that you have to let it cool down for like 15mins when it reaches its maximum working time. This alone hampers flexibility and doesn't portray the quality of a horsepower air compressor.
But, the fact that the DBPOWER 150PSI 12V DC goes up in a flashing speed to inflate a standard midsize car tire, starting from 0-35 psi in only 3 minutes gives us a course to rejoice and overlook the above deficit.
Yes, I earlier said it could only deliver continuous Working Time of 10mins, but even at that, this machine is still active and durable compared to others in this price range.
But keep this in mind that you won't be able to pump up 4 flat tires within the 10 minutes maximum working time. However, if you just need to top off your tires, then I think this will be something ideal for you.
Regularly inspecting your tire pressure is crucial and necessary for safe driving, fuel-efficiency or tire wear. And a perfect tool that will give you the best result is the DBPOWER 150PSI 12V DC.
On a practical budget, it's critical to find air compressors with the best ratio of price to performance. That's why we've previously looked at air compressors in the $20-$200 range.
For raw performance and versatility, Bostitch BTFP3KIT seems to be is a killer air machine. It’s quiet, efficient, offers you a lot of attachments and more importantly, its heavy-duty tank can run every automotive air tool you throw at it.
You can argue about price and whether or not you really need the 3-Tool and Compressor Combo Kit, but right now, the Bostitch BTFP3KIT is our best air compressors for automotive tools.
While the Bostitch BTFP3KIT is the air compressor we'd recommend to most, it's not the only option worth considering. Performance scales, the California Air Tools 5510SE and CAT-4620AC are a similar story that can give the Bostitch BTFP3KIT a fight to remember.
But if you need a lightweight and flexible air compressor specifically for inflating car tires and checking on the tire pressure, then the DBPOWER 150PSI 12V DC Portable Compact Tire Inflator, should be your go-to air compressor.
Our air compressors recommendations are based on our exhaustive and extensive benchmarks and testing. We also looked at the reviews and testing done elsewhere. From our fruitful research and findings, we were able to nominate the above units as the 5 best air compressors for automotive tools.
An air compressor consists of three major parts: the motor, the pump, and the tank.
Most portable air compressors are single staged. In this case, the intake air is compressed once, and then stored in the tank, and they are usually about 90 Psi.
The larger compressor can be two-staged. The intake air is compressed twice by two different size pistons, and then stored in the tank. This type of compressors produces a larger volume of air at higher pressures of 351 PSI.
Nowadays, there are tons of air compressors in the market, and this actually begs the question: what should you be looking for when you want to buy an air compressor?
Here are a few handy tips that will help you find the one that perfectly fits what you are looking for.
When shopping for a compressor, there are two specs you want to focus on: the first one is the PSI (Pounds per Square Inch), which is the measurement of the force of air coming out of the compressor. The other one is the CFM (Cubic Feet per Minute), which is the volume of air coming out the machine.
The higher the CFM, the efficient your compressor is, and the better your air tools will operate. So, get as much CFM as much as possible when you are shopping for a compressor.
Although you need to be careful not to miss CFM with SCFM as they are quite different. If you already have air tools such as a nailer, drillers, impact wrenches, make sure you look for a compressor with an SCFM is that matches the rating of your tools. You also want to check that the coupler on the air compressors is at the right size.
The second thing you want to consider is what you're going to use the compressor for. Are you going to be using it in your home garage just to fill tires on your house? Or are you going to be using it for air tools?
This is important because some of the tools can consume a lot of air. And the more air they consume the larger tank you are going to need. An air compressor with a 2-4 gallon tank and an SCFM rating of 0.6-3 SCFM, @90PSI will be sufficient for Inflating flat tires, sports gears, and occasional home renovation projects.
But for more continuous construction work or auto repair, the tools require a tank that holds 4-15 gallons with an SCFM rating of 3.5 to 5 @ 150 psi.
If you are working in a garage or a workshop and you are planning to do a lot of sanding and grinding or using air sprayer, then step things up to a 20-80 gallon tank with an SCFM rating of 6.5 or higher.
Some compressors have wheels on them, and they are very portable. If you have got jobs in front of the garage and or you want to do jobs outside the house to help out your neighbors, you might want to look out for a compressor with wheels on them and a smaller unit with a handle.
You need to find out the noise level of your compressor before you anger your neighbor. Anything starting from 90 decibels is pretty loud and noisy, especially if you plan to work with it through the night.
Looking forward, the air compressor world is a fast-changing field. There are a lot of new models launched on a yearly basis, and keeping track of it all can confuse even the best of us.
Our different recommendations are based on performance combined with current prices. If you are looking for the most reliable model to buy, then look at the above-recommended products and choose the one that best fits your budget.
Those who already own the BOSTITCH BTFP3KIT 3-Tool and Compressor Combo Kit or California Air Tools 5510SE Ultra should be able to run any automotive air tools conveniently with less noise and low maintenance. These air compressors happen to be the best in the market for the money.
Have you used an air compressor before? What are your experiences? Let us know in the comments. | 2019-04-22T17:58:14Z | https://mentoolbox.com/best-air-compressors-automotive-air-tools/ |
Barton, Zoe( April 28, 2006). own from the potential on May 26, 2008. be Your Privacy Settings '. added September 10, 2009.
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In 2017, East Baton Rouge Parish, LA had a population of 446k people with a median age of 33.8 and a median household income of $55,326. Between 2016 and 2017 the population of East Baton Rouge Parish, LA declined from 447,037 to 446,268, a -0.172% decrease and its median household income grew from $50,508 to $55,326, a 9.54% increase.
The population of East Baton Rouge Parish, LA is 45.7% Black or African American Alone, 45.6% White Alone, and 3.86% Hispanic or Latino. N/A% of the people in East Baton Rouge Parish, LA speak a non-English language, and 96.3% are U.S. citizens.
The largest universities in East Baton Rouge Parish, LA are Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College (6,677 degrees awarded in 2016), Baton Rouge Community College (1,231 degrees), and Capital Area Technical College (1,055 degrees).
The median property value in East Baton Rouge Parish, LA is $191,200, and the homeownership rate is 59.8%. Most people in East Baton Rouge Parish, LA commute by Drove Alone, and the average commute time is 23.5 minutes. The average car ownership in East Baton Rouge Parish, LA is 2 cars per household.
East Baton Rouge Parish, LA borders Livingston Parish, LA, Ascension Parish, LA, Iberville Parish, LA, West Baton Rouge Parish, LA, East Feliciana Parish, LA, and St. Helena Parish, LA.
The economy of East Baton Rouge Parish, LA employs 217k people. The largest industries in East Baton Rouge Parish, LA are Retail Trade (27,119 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (26,427 people), and Educational Services (22,820 people), and the highest paying industries are Utilities ($65,513), Manufacturing ($55,110), and Information ($52,408).
Median household income in East Baton Rouge Parish, LA is $55,326. Males in East Baton Rouge Parish, LA have an average income that is 1.5 times higher than the average income of females, which is $41,387. The income inequality in East Baton Rouge Parish, LA (measured using the Gini index) is 0.468, which is lower than than the national average.
Households in East Baton Rouge Parish, LA have a median annual income of $55,326, which is less than the median annual income of $60,336 across the entire United States. This is in comparison to a median income of $50,508 in 2016, which represents a 9.54% annual growth.
Look at the chart to see how the median household income in East Baton Rouge Parish, LA compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.
In 2017, full-time male employees in East Baton Rouge Parish, LA made 1.5 times more than female employees.
This chart shows the gender-based wage disparity in the 5 most common occupations in East Baton Rouge Parish, LA by number of full-time employees.
In 2017 the highest paid race/ethnicity of East Baton Rouge Parish, LA workers was Asian. These workers were paid 1.18 times more than White workers, who made the second highest salary of any race/ethnicity.
This chart shows the race- and ethnicity-based wage disparities in the 5 most common occupations in East Baton Rouge Parish, LA by number of full-time employees.
The closest comparable wage GINI for East Baton Rouge Parish, LA is from Louisiana.
In 2017, the tract with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in East Baton Rouge Parish, LA was Census Tract 40.16 with a value of $123,311, followed by Census Tract 50 and Census Tract 45.08, with respective values of $110,188 and $107,462.
The following map shows all of the tracts in East Baton Rouge Parish, LA colored by their Median Household Income (Total).
19.1% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in East Baton Rouge Parish, LA (83.5k out of 437k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 13.4%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 18 - 24, followed by Males 18 - 24 and then Females 25 - 34.
The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in East Baton Rouge Parish, LA is Black, followed by White and Hispanic.
From 2016 to 2017, employment in East Baton Rouge Parish, LA declined at a rate of -0.316%, from 217k employees to 217k employees.
The most common job groups, by number of people living in East Baton Rouge Parish, LA, are Other Management Occupations Except Farmers, Ranchers, & Other Agricultural Managers (12,936 people), First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers (7,168 people), and Material Recording, Scheduling, Dispatching, & Distributing Workers (7,163 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of East Baton Rouge Parish, LA.
The most common jobs held by residents of East Baton Rouge Parish, LA, by number of employees, are Other Management Occupations Except Farmers, Ranchers, & Other Agricultural Managers (12,936 people), First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers (7,168 people), and Material Recording, Scheduling, Dispatching, & Distributing Workers (7,163 people).
Compared to other counties, East Baton Rouge Parish, LA has an unusually high number of residents working as Rail & Water Transportation Workers (3.12 times higher than expected), Fishing & Hunting, & Forest, Conservation, & Logging Workers (2.62 times), and First-Line Supervisors of Construction & Extraction Workers (2.29 times).
The highest paid jobs held by residents of East Baton Rouge Parish, LA, by median earnings, are Legal Occupations ($87,315), Health Diagnosing & Treating Practitioners & Other Technical Occupations ($72,930), and Architecture & Engineering Occupations ($70,290).
The most common employment sectors for those who live in East Baton Rouge Parish, LA, are Retail Trade (27,119 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (26,427 people), and Educational Services (22,820 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of East Baton Rouge Parish, LA, though some of these residents may live in East Baton Rouge Parish, LA and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.
The most common industries in East Baton Rouge Parish, LA, by number of employees, are Retail Trade (27,119 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (26,427 people), and Educational Services (22,820 people).
Compared to other counties, East Baton Rouge Parish, LA has an unusually high number of Mining, Quarrying, & Oil & Gas Extraction (2.12 times higher than expected), Construction (1.26 times), and Public Administration (1.23 times) industries.
The highest paying industries in East Baton Rouge Parish, LA, by median earnings, are Utilities ($65,513), Manufacturing ($55,110), and Information ($52,408).
92.6% of the population of East Baton Rouge Parish, LA has health coverage, with 48.4% on employee plans, 19.9% on Medicaid, 10% on Medicare, 12.9% on non-group plans, and 1.39% on military or VA plans.
Per capita personal health care spending in the county of East Baton Rouge Parish, LA was $7,815 in 2014. This is a 4.38% increase from the previous year ($7,487).
Primary care physicians in East Baton Rouge Parish, LA see 1106 patients per year on average, which represents a 0.36% decrease from the previous year (1110 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1401 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 339 patients per year.
Primary care physicians in East Baton Rouge Parish, LA see an average of 1106 patients per year. This represents a 0.36% decrease from the previous year (1110 patients).
The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in East Baton Rouge Parish, LA in comparison to neighboring states.
Between 2016 and 2017, the percent of uninsured citizens in East Baton Rouge Parish, LA declined by 13% from 8.5% to 7.39%.
The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in East Baton Rouge Parish, LA changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.
East Baton Rouge Parish, LA is home to a population of 446k people, from which 96.3% are citizens. As of 2017, 5.51% of East Baton Rouge Parish, LA residents were born outside of the country.
The ethnic composition of the population of East Baton Rouge Parish, LA is composed of 204k Black or African American Alone residents (45.7%), 203k White Alone residents (45.6%), 17.2k Hispanic or Latino residents (3.86%), 14.6k Asian Alone residents (3.27%), 5.9k Two or More Races residents (1.32%), 775 American Indian & Alaska Native Alone residents (0.174%), 436 Some Other Race Alone residents (0.0977%), and 157 Native Hawaiian & Other Pacific Islander Alone residents (0.0352%).
The most common foreign languages spoken in East Baton Rouge Parish, LA are N/A.
In 2017, the median age of all people in East Baton Rouge Parish, LA was 33.8. Native-born citizens, with a median age of 34, were generally younger than than foreign-born citizens, with a median age of 36. But people in East Baton Rouge Parish, LA are getting getting older. In 2016, the average age of all East Baton Rouge Parish, LA residents was 33.
As of 2017, 5.51% of East Baton Rouge Parish, LA residents were born outside of the United States, which is lower than the national average of 13.7%. In 2016, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in East Baton Rouge Parish, LA was 5.15%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.
The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in East Baton Rouge Parish, LA compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.
In 2017, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of East Baton Rouge Parish, LA was Mexico, the natal country of 30,006 East Baton Rouge Parish, LA residents, followed by Honduras with 29,778 and Vietnam with 15,817.
As of 2017, 96.3% of East Baton Rouge Parish, LA residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.1%. In 2016, the percentage of US citizens in East Baton Rouge Parish, LA was 96.5%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.
The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in East Baton Rouge Parish, LA compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.
In 2014, there were 1 times more Black or African American Alone residents (204k people) in East Baton Rouge Parish, LA than any other race or ethnicity. There were 203k White Alone and 17.2k Hispanic or Latino residents, the second and third most common racial or ethnic groups.
The following bar chart shows the 8 races and ethnicities represented in East Baton Rouge Parish, LA as a share of the total population.
N/A% of East Baton Rouge Parish, LA citizens are speakers of a non-English language, which is approximately the same as the national average of 21.5%. In N/A, the most common non-English language spoken in East Baton Rouge Parish, LA was N/A. N/A% of the overall population of East Baton Rouge Parish, LA are native N/A speakers. N/A% speak N/A and N/A% speak N/A, the next two most common languages.
East Baton Rouge Parish, LA has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.21 times greater than any other conflict.
In 2016, universities in East Baton Rouge Parish, LA awarded 12,682 degrees. The student population of East Baton Rouge Parish, LA is skewed towards women, with 22,240 male students and 28,703 female students.
Most students graduating from Universities in East Baton Rouge Parish, LA are White (6,866 and 56.1%), followed by Black or African American (4,010 and 32.8%), Hispanic or Latino (504 and 4.12%), and Asian (336 and 2.75%).
The largest universities in East Baton Rouge Parish, LA by number of degrees awarded are Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College (6,677 and 52.6%), Baton Rouge Community College (1,231 and 9.71%), and Capital Area Technical College (1,055 and 8.32%).
The most popular majors in East Baton Rouge Parish, LA are General Business Administration & Management (625 and 4.93%), General Studies (611 and 4.82%), and Registered Nursing (424 and 3.34%).
The median tuition costs in East Baton Rouge Parish, LA are $10,907 for private four year colleges, and $6,506 and $6,506 respectively, for public four year colleges for in-state students and out-of-state students.
In 2015, the most common concentation for Bachelors Degree recipients in East Baton Rouge Parish, LA was General Business Administration & Management with 371 degrees awarded.
This visualization illustrates the percentage of students graduating with a Bachelors Degree from schools in East Baton Rouge Parish, LA according to their major.
In 2016, the East Baton Rouge Parish, LA institution with the largest number of graduating students was Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College with 6,677 degrees awarded.
In 2016, 5,536 men were awarded degrees from institutions in East Baton Rouge Parish, LA, which is 0.775 times less than the 7,146 female students who received degrees in the same year.
This chart displays the gender disparity between the top 5 institutions in East Baton Rouge Parish, LA by degrees awarded.
In 2016 the majority of degrees awarded at institutions in East Baton Rouge Parish, LA were to White students. These 6,866 degrees mean that there were 1.71 times more White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Black or African American, with 4,010 degrees awarded.
The median property value in East Baton Rouge Parish, LA was $191,200 in 2017, which is 0.879 times smaller than the national average of $217,600. Between 2016 and 2017 the median property value increased from $180,400 to $191,200, a 5.99% increase. The homeownership rate in East Baton Rouge Parish, LA is 59.8%, which is lower than the national average of 63.9%. People in East Baton Rouge Parish, LA have an average commute time of 23.5 minutes, and they commute by Drove Alone. Car ownership in East Baton Rouge Parish, LA is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.
In 2017, the median household income of the 163k households in East Baton Rouge Parish, LA grew to $55,326 from the previous year's value of $50,508.
The following chart displays the households in East Baton Rouge Parish, LA distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the $75k - $100k range.
In 2017, the median property value in East Baton Rouge Parish, LA grew to to $191,200 from the previous year's value of $180,400.
The following charts display, first, the property values in East Baton Rouge Parish, LA compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies and, second, owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property value buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In East Baton Rouge Parish, LA the largest share of households have a property value in the $200k - $250k range.
This chart shows the households in East Baton Rouge Parish, LA distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In East Baton Rouge Parish, LA the largest share of households pay taxes in the < $800 range.
In 2017, 59.8% of the housing units in East Baton Rouge Parish, LA were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 56.3%.
This percentage of owner-occupation is lower than the national average of 63.9%. This chart shows the ownership percentage in East Baton Rouge Parish, LA compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.
The following chart displays the households in East Baton Rouge Parish, LA distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in East Baton Rouge Parish, LA have 2 cars, followed by 1 car.
Using averages, employees in East Baton Rouge Parish, LA have a shorter commute time (23.5 minutes) than the normal US worker (25.5 minutes). Additionally, 2.02% of the workforce in East Baton Rouge Parish, LA have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.
The chart below shows how the median household income in East Baton Rouge Parish, LA compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.
In 2017, the most common method of travel for workers in East Baton Rouge Parish, LA was Drove Alone, followed by those who Carpooled and those who Worked At Home. | 2019-04-23T18:40:43Z | https://datausa.io/profile/geo/east-baton-rouge-parish-la/ |
As people moved into cities and suburbs and embraced modern medicine and industrialized food, they lost their connection to nature, in particular to the plants with which humanity coevolved. These plants are essential components of our physiologies--tangible reminders of cross-kingdom signaling--and key not only to vibrant physical health and prevention of illness but also to soothing and awakening the troubled spirit.
These days, almost any store that sells food also offers a large selection of pills, extracts, powders, and other combinations that are neither medications nor food. Marketed as dietary supplements, the sheer variety of these compounds, while perhaps intimidating, often rivals that seen at nineteenth-century fairgrounds in the United States. Generally speaking, they contain substances that may be extracted from plants and food (or maybe not), they are perhaps concentrated to a certain degree, and they purport to address dietary and physiological deficiencies. Or they may have some form of nonspecific therapeutic effect that is due to their special processing.
There seems to be a great need both to identify what is missing from what we eat (and, to a larger extent, what is missing from our lives in general) and to employ the most recent discoveries in bioscience to drive that investigative journey (to say nothing of attempts to profit from those discoveries, which is a whole other story). We are learning more and more details about our physiology almost daily, and it is exciting to think that the latest advances represent a potent and effective way to help us feel better, more whole, more comfortable.
Of course, this is usually not the case. It takes years to develop a framework and context for any discovery and, even then, effective therapy may never materialize. Additionally, as we have seen with the Western diet’s heavy reliance on highly processed, nutritionally reenriched foods, it can be problematic to translate laboratory science into safe and healthy ways to feed ourselves. Our food is not cheaper, cannot seem to be produced sustainably, and certainly has not succeeded in making us healthier (or even keeping us as healthy as our parents).
So back in the food store, are supplements that are primarily made from combinations of isolated chemicals really the key to enriching our lives? Can they truly correct the deficit that is making us feel tired, unfocused, sad, empty? After observing the growth in this market over the last twenty years, we might be tempted to answer, Maybe, but only until the next thing comes along. To me, this is troubling and indicates that we may never understand what promotes wellness by pursuing this approach.
How, then, do we get there? Certainly, at baseline, we have to begin by eating real food. There is a growing consensus on this point. In Vermont, where I write as summer begins, farmers’ markets and restaurants bring us real vegetables, meats, eggs, milk, grains, breads, and more every day. This makes it easy, as Michael Pollan asks us, to eat food, not too much, mostly plants. This is actually happening all over the United States, and the rebuilding of a whole-food cuisine is helping to improve not only our health, but also our culture, our community, and our environment.
But perhaps this is not quite enough, because it seems that the stores selling the most of this whole, local food also have the largest sections devoted to supplements. As we think about creating a new Western diet, we might need to identify whether or not there are any specific components, other than whole sources of protein, fat, and carbohydrates, that are essential to the healthy functioning of our physiology. Admittedly, this is what nutrition science and the supplement industry are trying to do—but I am skeptical that they will ultimately succeed in a comprehensive way.
What might we be missing, and could we add it to our lives in the context of a whole-food, local, sustainable diet? This is the central question of this book. And the answer will turn out to be surprisingly simple, because all traditional cuisines and healing systems have laid it out for us: consume certain kinds of plants, every day or almost every day, sometimes less, sometimes more, as part of your eating and drinking. To be more specific, I will try to define three simple classes of plants that can easily be added to whole-food diets as part of daily life, but that can also be employed in more directed ways for safe, understandable, and effective preventive health. In the end, we may find that a less complex approach to reaching wellness actually turns out to work better.
How can we be certain it is even possible to arrive at a concise summary of how to incorporate plants into our life in an intelligent and effective way? After all, around the planet there are thousands of species that are employed medicinally, or with an eye toward preventing or treating disease. The subject matter may seem daunting. The first chapter of this book will provide a framework and rationale for the idea that there are only three broad classes of plants human beings require consistently. To do so, I will draw on ideas from traditional herbal medicine and from an analysis of patterns of interconnection in human physiology.
Those who work with plants for improving health (typically called herbalists) are an interesting lot, representing a diversity of interests and cultural backgrounds. Some spend days exploring wilderness and gathering herbs; others have amazing gardens where they harvest raw materials; still others may dispense precise blends to clients or improvise flu remedies for the neighborhood kids. There are storytellers, mystics, scientists, and naturalists. And in every herbalist there is probably a piece of each of these, and more.
Practicing herbal medicine is a generalist’s pursuit. The ability to hold knowledge of botany, pharmacy, physiology, and medicine alongside mythology, spirituality, psychology, and ecology isn’t simply useful—it’s a necessity. As an herbalist with a particular attraction to the flora of the Northeastern United States, I have had the opportunity to work with living botanical medicine in the forest and field, as well as in our community clinic. I have learned how to grow, harvest, prepare, and administer these herbs, and have explored the physiology of the people, plants, and environment in this area. Thanks to a lifelong interest in myth and magic, I have seen how the stories human beings have always shared weave their way through both the ancient and modern aspects of what I have learned. Perhaps the stories, still so applicable today, are a living expression of the generalist’s art. They cut across disciplines and, in doing so, may reveal more than a specialist ever could.
This is important in the day-to-day—when I sit in my office with a client, talk about her health, observe her, and feel her wrist pulse or listen to her breath. I have found that being well-versed in the language of myths and dreams helps me put the process of healing into context for myself and my clients, giving it meaning and approachability. But the herbalist’s interdisciplinary style has even more to offer: in a world where information is almost limitless but knowledge is increasingly fragmented, we may need more people who choose to slowly deepen a broad range of knowledge. In health care as in other fields, system and network theories are showing us that we may also need to shift our attention from the pieces of the puzzle to the connections between them.
Traditional herbal medicine plays a crucial role here by identifying some important ingredients: whole plants, a long history of safety (for the most part), and extremely simple preparation. This framework provides an immediately accessible alternative to the endless quest for the next supplement. It features plants that have been in people’s kitchens for a very long time, and which are usually considered weedy or at the very least ridiculously easy to grow. All these elements will help us find plants that are safe, have a track record of usefulness, and can be easily and sustainably brought into our lives. Simple preparation techniques will provide clear ways to employ them in the kitchen: cooking daily meals as the chef; creating teas and spirits as the bartender; and crafting more complex formulations as the alchemist.
Each subsequent chapter of this book will include practical examples of how to use the plants we examine. In the kitchen, recipes will focus on using them as part of meals, not only as seasonings but also as central ingredients in soups, stocks, salads, and grain dishes. For beverages, there will be formulas for simple teas and for fresh herbs preserved in alcohol (tinctures). And the alchemist will discuss blending and dosing the plants for when a little more than just daily use is required.
To pick our specific plants, I will attempt to isolate key elements of how we work by exploring simple patterns in our physiology. Herbal medicine has something to contribute here, too, but I will primarily rely on concepts from system and network theory, coupled with modern biochemistry and physiology, to observe how we work on a more general level (though not necessarily a more macroscopic one). This broader perspective will help us identify key hubs in activity and interrelationship: places and processes in the system where good function is crucial because if something goes wrong, many other areas become affected in turn. It will come down to the level of activity and tension in our nerves and muscles, the functioning of digestion and food metabolism, and the expression of genes deep inside the nucleus of every cell in our bodies.
We are constantly exposed to influences that, through our organs of perception, can have a substantial impact. Stress can result. Over time, ongoing pressure and overstimulation (or lack thereof) alter our behavior, emotional patterns, and perhaps more. Nerve-to-muscle feedback changes the overall level of tension across our bodies, in our organs, in our minds. While consistent, vigorous movement seems to be the most important way to balance these signals between nerves, muscles, and hormones, there may be some plants that can help as well.
I contend that digestion, which includes the liver’s function of chemically altering individual molecules once they’ve been broken down and absorbed, may be the most directly understandable physiological hub: we all have an intimate relationship with our bellies. Additionally, the importance of healthy digestion, absorption, and metabolism in preventing and reducing inflammation throughout the body cannot be overstated. Much like a clean-burning furnace, strength in this system reduces by-products and irritants, smoke and smolder.
While we’ve known for some time about DNA and its role in providing the instructions for almost everything that our cells do, we are just recently beginning to understand how different subsets of these instructions can get turned on and off, and the implications appear to be far-reaching. There are connections to inflammation, aging, regeneration, and cancer. And as we learn more, it seems that plants are uniquely attuned to adjusting how the instructions are read, helping us unlock the right pieces for survival and control our own self-destructive power. This isn’t a coincidence, and it isn’t a result of laboratory analysis. We came of age as a species in a plant-filled world; our genetic instructions are what they are partly because of the influence of consuming lots of plants daily. We will see that some plants have a distinct ability in this area, and consuming them should probably become a daily habit once again.
Based on these key areas in human physiology, we will take another look at traditional herbal medicine and identify what kinds of plants might fit the bill. Oftentimes, systems of healing that have been around for a long time use the idea of taste to classify their medicines, and our approach mirrors this. Ultimately, three kinds of plants will emerge: the aromatics, the bitters, and the tonics (which can be both sweet and sour).
Aromatic plants usually contain oils that enter the air as vapors and reach our noses, providing a unique aroma. Certainly these have been forever prized as spices and are one of the first kinds of plant that children will spontaneously identify as interesting and perhaps medicinal. These same oils generally have a relaxing quality on organs or tissues that are in spasm, tight, or irritated, but they can also stimulate an overly sluggish or depressed situation (think of ginger, for example). What may be less obvious is that balance in this general level of tension can also mean balance in mental and emotional health—and employing this effect could perhaps buffer key aspects of the modern malaise syndrome. Aromatic plants open and relax us.
Bitter plants turn on the digestion, at all levels, and improve the metabolic function of the liver. As such, they may stoke a fire in the belly, but they actually reduce inflammation in the rest of the body. Additionally, they provide an important missing element to the Western diet: a challenge. Since industrialization and the centralization of food processing, we have been trying to make our food easier and easier to taste and consume. We’ll see how this has led not only to overconsumption but also to stagnation, lethargy, and diminution of overall health.
Tonic is a concept unique to herbal medicine. It presupposes that you might be interested in doing something to enhance your health, even when you’re not feeling any obvious symptoms or reading concerning test results. All these plants can normalize how our cells process the instructions in our DNA. Additionally, they seem to impact the way the immune system works and how it handles potential threats. And because changes in these systems take time to manifest, we will find that habitual use of tonics is vital. Thus tonics are generally nutritive and usually consumed with food or during mealtime.
In focusing on bitter, aromatic, and tonic plants in daily life, some may argue that I am overlooking the salty, mineral-rich greens and seaweeds that are often important components of traditional cuisines. I set these aside primarily for two reasons. First, the Western diet may be lacking a lot, but it certainly isn’t lacking in saltiness. Second, a whole-food approach to eating usually contains a good measure of green, leafy vegetables, which tend to be the preeminent examples of the salty flavor in herbal medicine. My goal is not to provide general guidelines for eating, as I believe this is being well addressed already. Rather, I advocate for some of the flavors and plants that might be overlooked as we develop new ways of cooking and eating. In addition, I strive to provide an understanding of why you see plants one might call bitter, aromatic, and tonic in the recipes of almost all traditional cuisines. This is not a coincidence: these are plants we are meant to be eating, tasting, and benefiting from. Our physiology matured in the context of consuming them.
Plants that provide us with healthy oils are another important subset that may seem to be conspicuously absent. The right balance of fats in our diet is now recognized as an important factor to consider when thinking about inflammation, heart disease, mental health, and more. At the very least, we as a culture are becoming less afraid of fat and this gives me hope that healthy, plant-based oils and animal-based fats already have a growing place in the new Western diet. For this reason, I will set aside that discussion (with the understanding that we may not yet have heard the end of it).
In conclusion, this book is not designed to provide a guide for curing complaints, nor is it designed to be a compendium of medicinal herbs (though you will certainly find a lot of them within its pages). Rather, it strives to define a clear and understandable framework for using plants mindfully in daily life, based both on thousands of years of safe use and also a reasoned argument that draws on modern understanding. It focuses on what is easy and safe, and on what brings us to a state of more vibrant health while also connecting us to the world all around us. It seeks to provide ways to build and nourish, for prevention rather than for treatment. Therefore, it does not mention many of the famous plants on store shelves today. For these important additions to the three basic classes, see your local herbalist or other botanically minded health care provider. But, hopefully, if aromatics, bitters, and tonics feature prominently in your kitchen and garden, this will be a more infrequent occurrence.
The final point I hope to make is that the exploration of how plants work in our bodies may help us regain some trust in our skeptical lives. Certainly, a skeptical posture has served us incredibly well, and I do not mean to say that our first reaction to a new experience should not be a questioning one. What I will try to convey is an appreciation for how the interconnections found in nature have shaped us and a renewed acceptance of some of what our ancestors determined was important for a happy, healthy life. So skepticism, yes—but tempered somewhat by a heart willing to consider some of the old ways of doing things. This attitude may yet open our eyes to valuable knowledge as we probe deeply into the workings of medicine, physics, and ecology. But, in the short term, it can make for some exceptionally tasty and enlivening kitchen alchemy.
The challenge we face today is figuring out how to escape the worst elements of the Western diet and lifestyle without going back to the bush.
While I was growing up in Ferrara, Italy, my father would pick up my sister and me from school almost every Wednesday in a small, yellow Fiat 500. This was usually right before lunchtime (school days were short in Italy, but you didn’t get Saturday off). We would bump along cobblestone streets for a while and then stop outside a small shop that sold fresh-made pasta. I remember the smell of flour, and you could see some cooks in big white aprons mixing it with oil, eggs, and a little water to make noodles, lasagna sheets, or hand-shaped cappellacci ( bad hats, usually filled with squash). Others were grinding whole cuts of prosciutto to mix with herbs and parmesan cheese. This would serve as the filling for cappelletti, a delicious dumpling similar to tortellini that was a local specialty. It was for these we had stopped. We would pick up a pound or so, wrapped in waxed paper, take it back to the car, and head home.
For lunch, the cappelletti were cooked in a vegetable stock my mother had prepared ahead of time (she taught English on Wednesdays) by simmering carrots, celery, onions, and garlic. Sometimes we’d eat the leftover vegetables—soft and juicy, barely holding together, but delicious and salty—as part of the meal. Other times, we just ate the pasta in a steaming bowl of broth, seasoned with a little grated parmesan. There would often be a salad, and my dad might have a glass of wine. Dessert was a cup of sweetened chamomile tea. We would talk or listen to the radio and all clean up together. All simple things, really—but very meaningful. Nothing too special, either: variants on this ritual were taking place all over the city.
Cuisine means kitchen. Kitchen, as opposed to restaurant. Kitchen, as opposed to supermarket. Kitchen, as opposed to gas station (where all too many find their food these days). By extension, cuisine is a set of kitchen habits that yield meals—meals usually prepared from simple, whole ingredients. Cuisine has matured over thousands of years and connects us to food, family, and our environment as few other things in life do. It is heartening to see a powerful movement in the United States that, at the beginning of the twenty-first century, seeks to reawaken (and reinvent) a strong, rooted cuisine that marries old ways of cooking with great new ideas on food production, distribution, and preparation.
One of the strongest voices articulating the case for a plant-centered, omnivorous cuisine in the United States is Michael Pollan. In The Omnivore’s Dilemma he explores how we manufacture what we eat, visiting farms that embody the pinnacle of modern industrialized agriculture and also farms that offer a much more diversified, organic vision of how to produce and consume food. His analysis gives us clarity: in order to achieve good health, we need not focus on the complexities of food refining, processing, and nutritional reenriching (based on what Pollan calls nutritionism ). Rather, we need to eat real food and prepare it in real ways, ways that involve simple recipes with simple ingredients. In the end, we get to health without overthinking, because, as we’ve found out, when it comes to nourishing ourselves, overthinking the process hasn’t been at all helpful. And once we build a cuisine back into our lives, all sorts of other things change as well. You can’t find the best tortellini without getting to know the shopkeeper. The best vegetables come straight from a farmer at a market stand, not from a regularly misted cooler. You’ve got to spend some time hanging out and talking with your kids while you make and share a meal. All these changes foster relationship and connection, and the results become evident in our environment, in our villages and neighborhoods, and in our homes.
I am particularly keen on this analysis because it comes from someone whose perspective includes the idea that, somehow, plants are driving human behavior and culture. One cannot read Pollan’s account (in The Botany of Desire) of the tulip craze that swept Holland in the 1630s and not marvel at how these organisms, which have no feet and certainly no brains (as we know them), have employed us to serve their ends. They harness our desires. So when Pollan advocates for plants as a major, important component of cuisine, it’s coming from a person who knows that they are our active partners and not just commodities. Again, we see a relational view of the world.
The Slow Food movement (proposed as an alternative to a common type of restaurant) began in Italy and has become another leading voice advocating for a real cuisine. Carlo Petrini started this global phenomenon by standing up to McDonald’s in an effort to prevent it from opening a restaurant in historic, downtown Rome. Since then, the idea of regional food that celebrates traditional cuisine and is prepared with care has swept the Western world. In the United States there are myriad local chapters of Slow Food USA. They share recipes, gardening tips, and dinner-party schedules. At a national level, the organization is active in shaping legislation that affects food, such as the farm bill. It is a tangible manifestation of a shift that is happening in modern Western cuisine.
Another conscious food choice many people are making involves where their food is grown and made. The locavore movement seeks to support local agriculture and production, both for fruits, vegetables, meats, and grains and for value-added products, such as breads, sauces, cheeses, and beverages. Part of the concern here is the heavy investment in petrochemicals that centralized food production entails. But local food doesn’t just have a smaller carbon footprint. If you support local production, you support smaller farms, farmers’ markets, and local employment. You foster a community that comes together in the central square instead of the big-box-store parking lot. You might even get to know your farmer personally—or start raising chickens in your backyard. Nourishing ourselves with the plants and animals that breathe the same air, drink the same water, and walk on (or grow in) the same land as we do might have crucial repercussions for our individual health, too. Ultimately, the locavore movement strives for connection between people, land, and food—relationshipbased eating at its best.
Our culture’s understanding of the importance of real, whole food and where it comes from is increasing, and a new cuisine is being born. But I also hope to convince you that we might need to use some of these same ideas in our approach to achieving health and treating disease. Why do so many folks who buy all their food at the farmers’ market also purchase dietary supplements that are packaged in plastic and shipped from far-flung corners of the country (or the world)? To say nothing of the centralized, industrialized production of conventional medication.
Our food certainly is the foundation of medicine, to paraphrase Hippocrates. But throughout history, human beings (and animals, too) have supplemented their diet with a range of substances to prevent illness, treat disease, and feel vibrant, inspired, and connected. It’s sometimes hard to draw a line between what we eat and the medicines we use. Was that cup of chamomile tea at the end of lunch part of the meal or was it a therapeutic intervention? If you know anything about chamomile and its power to calm kids down, you might lean toward the latter categorization, but that’s not necessarily a given. Other times the distinction is clearer. No one would consider a simmered pot of willow bark tea, perhaps used to treat arthritis, to be food or even a pleasant addition to a family meal. And it might even be lethal to approach a substance such as acetaminophen (Tylenol) with the same relaxed attitude on dosing that we see with carrots.
These, then, are my questions: Might there be a cuisine for medicine? Can the kitchen serve as a pharmacy, a place where we cook up what keeps us healthy alongside what keeps us fed? These are not unreasonable questions, nor do they imply that modern medicine is something we need to eschew. I support local food systems, but I still love a well-made cappuccino. So while a good meal is the foundation of health, I think that we can take the concepts of whole foods, organic foods, and local food production and apply them to medicine as well. In so doing, we might uncover safe, effective, and easy strategies for managing the malaise of modern life, empower ourselves to become more involved in our well-being, and discover local, whole remedies we can grow and prepare ourselves instead of consuming a machine-manufactured pill.
Of course, such a cuisine for medicine already exists: it is called herbalism. This practice of using whole plants as medicine is actually the dominant form of primary care around the world. Three-quarters of the global population relies on herbs to treat disease.¹ Modern innovations, such as surgical procedures and pharmaceutical agents, are useful complements to this age-old way of doing things, but in the United States they have supplanted it almost completely, much as the Western diet has supplanted real food. I think we can, and should, strive for a model where modern health care technology is used to supplement, rather than replace, traditional plant-based slow medicine.
On every populated continent, there are ways of healing that are driven by the local flora, and they are as diverse as the cuisines with which they share a kitchen. Some have coalesced into nearly monolithic systems, though every valley still has its own variant on the classic recipes. Even in Europe, where, in the sixteenth century, Paracelsus began applying solvent extraction techniques to plants and may thereby have started us down the path to modern pharmaceuticals, traditional whole-plant remedies are still widely used. So modern medicine is not simply today’s version of traditional European herbalism; it is a completely new and different phenomenon.
In the short term, contemporary medicine is unrivaled. Powerfully life-threatening imbalances, infections, and trauma are tended to systematically and effectively in ways that would have seemed magical or miraculous in Paracelsus’s time. The process of research associated with modern medicine continues to generate new insights into and understanding of physiology, biochemistry, and pathology—all the while providing the tools for the effective management of more long-term, deadly diseases, such as cancer, HIV, and advanced heart disease. Babies born prematurely, some weighing less than two pounds, can survive and go on to full, healthy, engaged lives. Diseases such as polio have been eradicated—eradicated!—from vast sections of the planet. I cannot comment on the long-term ecological implications of these changes, but no one can doubt that their public health impact in the twentieth century has been huge.
The purpose of incorporating traditional herbal medicine into modern life is to try to find an accessible system for addressing much more common (and less scary) complaints, a system that is understandable and can be easily implemented. As we shall see, herbalism satisfies these criteria while also positing a relational approach to healing and, more importantly, to health itself. In this sense, it is much more like cooking: something we all can learn, something that connects us to the garden. Pharmaceuticals are often like sledgehammers swatting mosquitoes; I am simply proposing that there may be a point to the techniques of more traditional medical models. For some of the more complex diseases of twenty-first-century life, these techniques may offer real solutions where modern medicine all too often lacks a gentle enough touch.
People will always desire some measure of involvement in their health. Even the most uninterested among us still practice basic hygiene (mostly). I hope to convince you that simple herbal medicine offers an effective way to enhance health and that when it is used this way it poses no risk, while yielding real benefits. These qualities make it useful as a model for the modern consumer desiring health care empowerment. It reconnects us to a whole-plant ecology and provides clarity in a sea of nutritionism -based (to borrow Pollan’s term) supplements, megadose vitamins, and druglike extracts. Its remedies stem from plants. They are real, they grow out of the soil, and they are alive. As we explore these plants, it will be worth examining the folk traditions to see what they have to say—both to get some guidance on how to best employ the herbs and also to see if traditional applications resonate with our modern understanding. In so doing, we might get some new ideas about what health really means. | 2019-04-25T12:40:30Z | https://www.scribd.com/book/351488252/The-Wild-Medicine-Solution-Healing-with-Aromatic-Bitter-and-Tonic-Plants |
A cost charged to shareholders to pay for a mutual fund’s distribution and marketing costs.
The maximum amount of elective deferral contributions a participant may make to any employer-sponsored, tax-qualified retirement plan(s). The 402(g) limit is an annual individual limit covering all deferral contributions regardless of plan(s). All elective deferral contributions to any tax-qualified retirement plan are subject to 402(g) limits, which are adjusted annually to reflect increases in the cost of living (COLA).
An annuity contract or custodial account that meets the requirements of Section 403(b) of the IRC. Only employees of certain public schools, universities and tax-exempt organizations described in section 501(c) (3) of the IRC are eligible to establish 403(b) arrangements. The Treasury Department issued final 403(b) regulations that will cause administrative changes in the way current 501(c)(3) organizations, churches, schools and hospitals do business.
The maximum annual deduction permitted by an employer for federal income tax purposes with respect to tax-qualified, retirement plan contributions (employer contributions). 404 refers to the section of the IRC that sets the limit. Separate limits apply to defined contribution plans and defined benefit plans. The defined contribution limit is an aggregate limit covering all contributions by an employer to any defined contribution plan(s). The annual defined contribution plan deduction limit is 25% of eligible compensation earned by all plan participants for that year.
Regulations that relieve a plan fiduciary of liability for investment decisions made by retirement plan participants who have the ability to exercise control over their plan account investments, provided certain other conditions are met. Compliance with 404(c) is optional.
The annual contribution limit to a participant account. This limit includes all contributions except rollover and loan repayment. 415 refers to the section of the IRC that sets the limit. Separate limits apply to defined contribution plans and defined benefit plans. The defined contribution limit is an aggregate limit. All annual additions to the account of a participant − under all tax-qualified defined contribution retirement plan(s) maintained by the employer − are counted against the limit. The annual defined contribution plan 415 limit for a year is generally the lesser of 100% of the participant’s eligible compensation for a year or a specified dollar limit, which is adjusted annually to reflect changes in the cost of living.
A deferred compensation arrangement sponsored by a federal, state or local government / municipality or a tax-exempt organization. Most 457 plans are funded by elective deferrals and are similar to 401(k) plans (but significantly different tax rules apply). 457 refers to the section of the IRC that describes the tax treatment of 457 plans.
The party responsible for managing the day-to-day activities of the plan. This is often the plan sponsor. The plan sponsor may delegate these duties to a third party.
Fees for administrative and recordkeeping services pertaining to plan participants. For start-up or takeover plans, these fees typically include charges associated with processing information from the previous service provider and mapping participant information.
The portion of the plan document that contains all of the alternatives and options that may be selected by the employer.
Nondiscrimination tests that apply to 401(k) plans. The ADP test prohibits highly compensated employees (HCE) from making disproportionately greater elective deferral contributions to a 401(k) plan than nonhighly compensated employees (NHCE). The ACP test prohibits HCEs from making employee after-tax contributions and receiving employer matching contributions in disproportionately greater amounts than NHCEs.
A profit sharing allocation formula designed to provide a greater benefit to older participants.
The amount credited to a participant’s account as a result of employer and employee contributions, forfeitures and investment earnings.
An expression of performance that measures the difference between a fund’s actual returns and its expected performance given its level of risk as measured by beta.
Fee charged for the distribution of plan proceeds and annuitized payments.
All plans with more than 100 participants are required by federal law to undergo an annual audit conducted by an independent auditor. A Department of LAbor (DOL) or IRS examination of a plan is commonly referred to as a plan audit.
A distribution arrangement involving a series of payments made regularly over a specified time period.
Vendors may require that surrender charges be paid if the plan terminates its contract with a provider of annuities or stable value/ GIC (guaranteed investment contract) funds prior to completion of the contract. Vendors may also require surrender charges for an individual participant transfer or termination.
An investment strategy that seeks to balance risk and reward based on apportioning portfolio assets among three main asset classes (equities, fixed income and cash and equivalents, which behave differently over time) according to an individual’s goals, risk to tolerance and investment horizon. Asset allocation cannot guarantee a profit or protect against loss.
The percentage of pay that is automatically deferred when an employee is enrolled in a plan through automatic enrollment. A typical automatic deferral default percentage is 3% of pay. Generally, participants can choose to defer an amount other than the default percentage.
A plan feature that allows an employer to enroll employees in a salary deferral plan without the employees’ initial consent, as long as employees have the right to “opt out” of contributing to the plan. Also known as “negative election”.
Fee charged for each participant inquiry about account balance.
A fund portfolio that combines a stock component, a bond component and, sometimes, a money market component. These hybrid funds generally maintain a relatively fixed mix of stocks and bonds that is either moderate (higher equity component) or conservative (higher fixed-income component).
A quality assurance tool allowing organizations to compare themselves to others regarding some aspect of plan design or performance, with a view to finding ways to improve.
The party designated by a participant - or the terms of a plan - to receive the retirement plan benefits of a deceased participant.
A measure of volatility, or risk, relative to the index. By definition, the index beta is one. A beta greater than one implies the fund has been more volatile than the index; a beta of less than one implies the fund has been less volatile than the index.
A period during which plan participants cannot access their account. A blackout period may occur due to a change in plan.
Typically, a one-year break in service is defined as a period of 12 consecutive months during which an employee is not credited with more than 500 hours of service.
An arrangement in which plan service providers charge an all-inclusive fee for 401(k) plan establishment, investment services and administration. Bundled services are priced as a package and cannot be priced on a per-service basis.
A plan permitting pretax payment of employee benefits. Section 125 of the IRC defines all benefits that may be paid pretax Examples of such benefits include health, dental, disability and dependent care.
Contributions that permit individuals 50 or older to make additional elective deferral contributions in excess of the 402(g) limit, the 415 limit or any other limit imposed by the terms of a tax-qualified retirement plan. Catch-up contributions were established by the Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001 (EGTRRA). The maximum amount of annual catch-up contributions is adjusted annually to reflect increases in the cost of living.
A vesting schedule in which the participant’s accumulation is not vested during the initial years of service but becomes fully vested upon completing the number of years required by the plan. While traditional vesting schedules are graduated (20%, 40%, 60%, etc.), cliff vesting is not (0%, 0% and 100%).
Acronym for cost of living adjustment, which refers to periodic (generally annual) changes in wages, benefits or contribution levels. The IRS issues COLAs, which are designed to compensate for the effects of inflation.
A tax-exempt pooled fund, operated by a bank or trust company that commingles assets of trust accounts for which the bank provides fiduciary services.
A fee paid to a broker or other intermediary for executing a trade.
Testing required by the IRS to ensure that nonhighly compensated employees (NHCEs) benefit from the plan relative to the benefit received by the highly compensated employees (HCEs).
A charge for administering the insurance/annuity contract, including costs associated with participant account maintenance and all investment-related transactions initiated by participants.
A charge to the plan for “surrendering” or “terminating” its insurance/annuity contract prior tot he end of a stated time period. The charge typically decreases over time.
When two or more businesses are under common control, meaning one entity owns at least 80% of the stock, profit or capital interest in the other organization, or when the same five or fewer people own a controlling interest in each entity.
Generally refers to nondiscrimination testing performed on a defined contribution plan by projecting the contributions to retirement age, converting the projected account balances to monthly benefits and comparing the benefits. Examples of cross-tested plans include age-weighted or new comparability plans.
A person or entity that has lawful custody of plan assets for another individual or entity. The custodian’s responsibility is to track and hold the plan’s securities. Financial institutions - such as trust companies, banks or mutual fund companies - and insurance companies often serve as custodians.
Fee for the safekeeping of plan investments.
A defined benefit plan with a salary deferral feature. Beginning in 2010, employers with two to 500 employees when the plan is established may adopt a DB(k) plan.
An employer-sponsored retirement plan that pays a specific amount to a retired employee. The amount to be paid to the retired employee is usually based on a formula that takes salary history and years of service into account. The employer bears the investment risk because the plan promises a specific benefit. If plan assets (including employer contributions and investment earnings) are insufficient to fund benefit payments to plan participants, the employer must generally contribute the difference.
An employer-sponsored retirement plan, such as a 401(k) or profit sharing plan, that is funded by employer contributions, employee elective deferrals or both. Unlike defined benefit plans, the participants bear the investment risk because the plan does not promise a specific benefit. Instead, it promises to pay the employee the amount in his or her account, which is the sum of contributions and investment earnings.
A letter issued by the IRS (upon request) acknowledging that the IRS has reviewed the plan document and determined it to be in compliance. A letter of determination may be relied on as proof of having a qualified plan document in good order.
Amounts an employer may - but is not obligated to - contribute to a plan. Discretionary contributions can be profit sharing or matching contributions.
A lump-sum or periodic payment paid to a participant or beneficiary as required under the terms of a retirement plan.
The costs typically associated with processing distributions from plan assets to a participant, including required filings (1099 and 945).
A risk management technique that mixes a variety of investments within a portfolio. The rationale for this technique is that different kinds of investments will, on average, result in higher returns with lower risk than any individual investment in the portfolio because positive performance of some investment will neutralize the negative performance of others. Diversification cannot guarantee a profit or protect against loss.
Acronym for Department of Labor, which enforces legislation that regulates employers who offer pension or welfare benefit plans for their employees. DOL also enforces fiduciary, disclosure and reporting requirement for fiduciaries of pension and welfare benefit plans.
Costs associated with providing print, video, software and live instruction to educate employees about their retirement plan, the plan’s investment funds and asset allocation strategies. There may be a one-time cost associated with implementing a new plan, as well as ongoing costs for an existing program. Fees may be charged as specific line items or may be part of the service schedule related to investment and/or recordkeeping fees.
Acronym for the Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001, which made significant changes in several areas, including income tax rates, estate and gift tax exclusions and qualified and retirement plan rules. In general, the act simplified retirement and qualified plan rules for individual retirement accounts (IRAs), 401(k) plans, 403(b) and pension plans.
Payroll reduction contributions made by an employer on behalf of an employee pursuant to an election by the employee to have such a contribution made in lieu of cash compensation, which is otherwise payable to the employee.
An employee who meets a plan’s age and service requirement provisions for participation.
An arrangement that provides that fees (including any commission or other compensation) a fiduciary advisor receives for investment advice or investment of plan assets either do not vary according to the investment option selected or are based on a computer model under an investment advice program that meets regulatory requirements.
Costs associated with enrolling employees in a retirement plan and providing materials to educate them about the plan. There may be a one-time cost associated with implementing a new plan, as well as ongoing enrollment costs. Fees may be charged as a specific line item or may be part of the service schedule related to investment, conversion and/or recordkeeping fees.
Acronym for the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, a federal law that imposes various requirements on voluntarily established pension, health and other welfare benefit plans in private industry, and establishes standards applicable to certain service providers of such plans in order to provide protection for plan participants.
An acronym for exchange-traded funds, are investment portfolios that trade like stocks on an exchange and track an index.
The ERISA standard that requires plan fiduciaries to act solely for the benefit of the plan participants.
The cost of administering and managing investments expressed as a percentage of total assets.
A bond designed to protect a retirement plan’s participants in the event a fiduciary or other responsible person steals or mishandles plan assets.
Exercises any discretionary authority or discretionary control with respect to management of the plan or exercises any authority or control with respect to management or disposition of assets.
Renders investment advice for a fee or other compensation, direct or indirect, with respect to any moneys or other property of the plan, or has any authority or responsibility to do so.
ERISA section 3(21)(A)(ii) sets out a simple two-part test for determining fiduciary status: A person or party who (1) renders investment advice with respect to any moneys or other property of the plan, or has any authority or responsibility to do so; and (2) receives a fee or other compensation, direct or indirect, for doing so.
The portion of a participant’s account balance that is relinquished (the nonvested portion) upon termination of employment.
A form sent to the recipient of a plan distribution and filed with the IRS to document the distribution amount.
A form that all qualified retirement plans - excluding Simplified Employee Pension (SEP) plans and Savings Incentive Match Plan for Employees (SIMPLE) IRAs - must file annually with the IRS. Fees to prepare Form 5500 are usually included in recordkeeping and administration charges.
Sales charges resulting from the purchase of an investment such as a stock or mutual fund.
Acronym for guaranteed investment contract, in which the returns are set by contract. The principal does not fluctuate due to the application of book value accounting.
Acronym for several pieces of legislation passed since 1994, including the Uruguay Round General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act of 1994 (USERRA), the Small Business Job Protection Act of 1996 (SBJPA), the Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997 and the IRS Restructuring and Reform Act of 1998.
A participant’s withdrawal of plan contributions prior to retirement. FInancial hardship may be a condition for eligibility for this type of withdrawal, which may or may not be permitted under the terms of the plan. Reasons for hardship withdrawals can include coverage of uninsured medical expenses for the participant, a spouse or eligible dependents; purchase of a primary residence (excluding mortgage payments); payment of post-secondary tuition costs for the participant, a spouse or eligible dependents; payments necessary to avoid foreclosure or eviction from the participant’s principal residence; funeral expenses for the employee, a spouse, dependents, or beneficiary of the employee; or certain damage repair expenses for the employee’s principal residence. These distributions are taxable as early distributions and are generally subject to a 10% penalty tax if the participant is under 59 1/2.
A plan established pursuant to a document that is not a prototype document. (See also prototype documents.) An individually designed plan document is not pre-approved by the IRS. In general, individually designed plan documents are more costly to establish and maintain than prototype documents.
An investment account managed for a single participant based on individual preferences.
A one-time fee charged by some vendors for initiating a new plan.
Recommendations or guidance about an investment product that is intended to educate an investor.
Is registered as an investment advisor under the Investment Advisors Act of 1940; is registered as an investment advisor under the laws of the state where the principal office and place of business is located; is a bank; or is an insurance company qualified to perform services under the laws of more than one state.
The process of keeping plan assets invested while changing service providers. This is typically done by ensuring that investment of plan assets maintains the strategy and objective used by the previous provider. For example, assets invested in large-cap growth stocks would remain invested in that asset class under the new provider.
The document that provides guidelines for the plan’s investment management. It typically sets forth the plan’s investment objectives, investment strategies, policies and investment limits.
Charge associated with a participant changing investments and/or investment allocation.
A tax-deferred retirement account for self-employed individuals or employees of unincorporated businesses. It can be established as either a defined contribution or a defined benefit plan. Also known as an H.R. 10 plan.
Is an officer of the company that sponsors the plan and earns income in excess of a specified dollar amount that is adjusted annually to reflect increases in the cost of living.
Owns more than 5% of the company that sponsors the plan.
Is a 1% owner of the company that sponsors the plan, with income of more than $150,000.
Acronym for investment advisory representative, an investment advisory company employee whose main responsibility is to provide investment-related advice. LARs must be registered with state authorities and can provide advice only about topics for which they have passed appropriate examinations.
A diversified mutual fund designed to offer an appropriate level of risk during different phases of life. Target-risk and target-date funds are two examples of life cycle funds. A target-risk fund targets a specific risk profile (for example, conservative, moderate or growth), while a target-date fund targets a specific future date and generally becomes more conservative over time until it reaches its final risk profile.
Vendors may charge a fee when a plan loan is originally taken, as well as an ongoing fee for administration.
The risk that the amount of money a person has saved for retirement might not be enough due to increased life expectancy.
Fee charged by an investment manager.
A retirement plan, sponsored by a financial institution, that has already been examined and approved by the IRS.
An employer contribution to a participant’s employer-sponsored retirement plan. The amount of the contribution is based on the amount of the participant’s elective deferral contributions. For example, the plan might specify that it will contribute 50 cents for each dollar of elective deferral contributions under its 401(k) plan. Matching contributions are subject to ACP testing.
A defined contribution plan that requires the plan sponsor to make contributions on behalf of each participant based on the plan’s formula, which is specified in the plan’s document. Contributions must be made to a money purchase pension plan regardless of the profitability of the sponsor.
A variable annuity fee that covers the cost of returning principal in case the annuitant dies.
Acronym for modern portfolio theory, pioneered by Harry Markowitz in 1952. MPT asserts that risk-averse investors can construct portfolios to maximize expected return based on a given level of market risk. According to the theory, it’s possible to construct an “efficient frontier” of optimal portfolios offering the maximum possible expected return for a given level of risk. MPT cannot guarantee a profit or protect against loss.
A type of allocation formula for profit sharing plans that allocates disproportionately greater amounts to a specific group of employees. (Also see profit sharing plan.) The formula is generally designed to maximize the amounts allocated for HCEs within the contribution nondiscrimination limits established by the IRC.
A plan that combines a new comparability allocation formula with safe harbor 401(k) provisions.
Acronym for nonhighly compensated employee, which includes employees who do not meet the criteria for an HCE.
Various types of nondiscrimination tests applicable to employer-sponsored, tax-qualified retirement plans under the IRC. The tests are generally designed to prevent HCEs from receiving disproportionately greater benefits than NCHEs. The ADP/APC nondiscrimination tests are two examples.
Costs associated with the process of nondiscrimination testing to determine whether the plan is in compliance. These costs are often included in recordkeeping and administration fees.
A written agreement between an employer and employee that gives the employee the employer’s unsecured promise to pay some future benefit in exchange for services today. Because it is nonqualified, it does not fall under ERISA, meaning it does not receive favorable tax treatment and can freely discriminate. Most nonqualified deferred compensation plans cover only highly paid executive employees.
A retirement plan that doesn’t meet the requirements of the IRC to qualify for tax-favored treatment.
A written statement from the IRS as to the acceptability of a prototype plan document.
An employee who is eligible to participate in an employer-sponsored retirement plan. An employee who is eligible to elect to have his or her employer make elective deferral contributions to a 401(k) plan — but chooses not to — is still considered a participant.
Acronym for Pension Benefit Guaranty Corp., which was established by ERISA to ensure that benefits will be payable to participants when due if the sponsor of a defined benefit pension plan is unable to make payments. Companies that sponsor defined benefit plans pay premiums to PBGC based on the number of employees in the plan and the current ratio of assets to liabilities in the plan.
The person or firm responsible for the administration of a retirement plan, determination of eligibility for benefits and payment of benefit claims.
Costs associated with preparing and filing required IRS documentation, including the request for a determination letter.
Acronym for the Pension Protection Act of 2006, legislation that affects qualified retirement plans, plan sponsors and plan participants. It contains extensive new rules governing the implementation of automatic enrollment plans, cash balance and other hybrid plans and combined defined benefit pension/401(k) plans for small employers. The act also includes changes affecting retirement plan contributions and distributions, including liberalization of plan rollover rules and new disclosure and reporting rules for ERISA-covered plans, including fiduciary protection for providing certain investment advisory services to participants.
A defined contribution plan that permits the employer to make discretionary contributions. A participant’s retirement benefits are based on his or her account balance, which consists of profit sharing contributions, investment earnings and forfeitures. (Also see age-weighted allocation, new comparability allocation, permitted disparity (integrated) allocation formula, and salary ratio allocation.) A single plan can contain both a profit sharing and an elective deferral feature.
Documents that provide standard language for different types of retirement plans that offer flexible options within each plan type. Prototype plan documents are sponsored by financial institutions and adopted by employers to create the plan. There are both standard and nonstandard prototypes. Standardized prototype documents are less flexible than nonstandardized prototype documents. Employers who adopt prototype plans are not required to obtain IRS approval (letter of determination) for their plan documents; however, this is a good practice for nonstandard documents.
The fiduciary duty under section 404(a)(1)(B) of ERISA that requires a fiduciary to discharge his or her duties to a plan under the prevailing circumstances with the care, skill, prudence and diligence that a prudent man - acting in a like capacity and familiar with such matters - would use in the conduct of an enterprise of like character and with like aims.
Had deferral elections (or elections not to defer) in place when the automatic enrollment arrangement became qualified.
Requires that employees who are eligible to participate in the qualified arrangement receive written notice of their legal rights and obligations within a reasonable time prior to the start of the plan year.
Provides that employer contributions become 100% vested after an employee has completed no more than two years of service.
Requires that the plan sponsor make either matching contributions (100% of the first 1% of compensation deferred, plus 50% of the next 5% deferred) or nonelective contributions (at least 3% of compensation to all eligible nonhighly compensated employees, whether they make deferrals or not).
Acronym for qualified domestic relations order which is a judgement, decree or oder that creates or recognizes an alternate payee’s (such as a child or former spouse) right to receive all or a portion of a participant’s retirement plan benefits. Fees are associated with a distribution resulting from a QDRO.
Acronym for qualified matching contribution which employers can make to 401(k) plans to correct failed ACP nondiscrimination tests. Qualified matching contributions satisfy the vesting and distribution requirements.
Acronym for qualified nonelective contribution, which employers can make to 401(k) plans to correct failed ADP/ACP nondiscrimination tests.
A retirement plan that meets the requirements of the IRC to qualify for tax-favored treatment.
See administration and recordkeeping expenses.
A person who is employed by a brokerage company licensed by the Security and Exchange Commission (SEC) and who acts as an account executive for clients trading stocks, bonds, mutual funds and other investment products.
An agreement between a mutual fund company and a broker dealer whereby payment is made to the brokerage firm from the mutual fund company’s investment advisor’s revenues or profits. These payments are in addition to any sales charges, 12b-1 fees, redemption fees and deferred sales charges and do not come from the assets of the fund. Advisors receive no additional compensation as a result of these payments.
Acronym for registered investment advisor, a person or group that makes investment recommendations or conducts securities analysis in return for a fee and who has sufficient assets to be registered with the SEC.
A measure of how much an investment returned in relation to how much risk it took on.
A method of portfolio construction and asset allocation in which each holding provides an equal contribution to the overall portfolio risk.
A qualifying distribution from a tax-favored retirement arrangement – a 401(k) plan, 403(b) arrangement, SEP plan, SIMPLE IRA, 457 plan or IRA – that is contributed to another qualified plan. There are two types of rollovers from a qualified plan: direct and indirect.
With a direct rollover the distribution is paid directly to the trustee or custodian of the receiving arrangement.
With an indirect rollover, an individual takes a cash distribution from a qualified plan (less 20% withholding) and contributes it (rolls it over) within 60 days of receiving the arrangement.
A direct transfer of assets between IRAs may also be referred to as a direct transfer of assets.
A plan that provides many of the features and flexibility of a traditional 401(k) without the administrative concerns of ADP/ACP nondiscrimination testing. However, employers must match 100% of employee elective deferrals up to 3% of the employee’s compensation, plus 50% of employee elective deferrals on the next 2% of the employee’s compensation, or make a nonelective contribution on behalf of each eligible employee equal to 3% of such eligible employee’s compensation. All safe harbor 401(k) contributions are 100% vested immediately.
A formal agreement between an employer and employee under which the employee agrees to take a reduction in salary or to forgo a salary increase. In return, the employer agrees to deposit the portion deferred from the employee’s salary into a benefit plan, such as a 403(b), 401(k), thrift or cafeteria plan. The agreement may state a specific dollar amount of salary reduction or a percentage of compensation reduction.
Salary Reduction Simplified Employee Pension plan created as a simple alternative to a 401(k) plan for companies with 25 or fewer employees. Employees eligible to participate in a SARSEP have the opportunity to make elective deferral contributions to their SEP plans. Employers may no longer establish new SARSEPs. Contributions may continue to existing SARSEPs.
Transaction and annual fees related to balances in self-directed brokerage accounts.
Simplified Employee Pension plan, a retirement program that permits an employer to make tax-deductible contributions to IRAs established by eligible employees. SEPs can be sponsored by employers of all sizes. This plan is more popular among small employers because it generally has substantially lower administrative costs.
An asset account established by a life insurance company, separate from other life insurance company funds, that offers investment funding options for pension plans.
Different types of shares issued by a single fund, often referred to as Class A shares, Class C shares and so on. While each class invests in the same “pool” (or investment portfolio) of securities and has the same investment objectives and policies, share classes offer different shareholder services and/or distribution arrangements, resulting in differing fees, expenses and performance results.
Class A shares typically impose a front-end sales load and tend to have a lower 12b-1 fee and lower annual expenses than other mutual fund share classes. Some mutual funds reduce the front-end load as the size of an investment increases.
Class C shares generally have a level load and might include a 12(b)-1 fee, other annual expenses and either a front- or back-end sales load.
Class I shares are often called institutional shares, because they are generally intended for financial institutions purchasing shares for their own or their clients’ accounts. Class I shares have no front-end sales charge and cannot be purchased by the general public.
Class R shares are typically provided exclusively to retirement plans and charges can vary based on the plan’s requirements and recordkeeping preferences.
A risk-adjusted measure of performance, calculated using standard deviation and excess return to determine reward per unit of risk.
Savings Incentive Match Plan for Employees IRA, a retirement program that permits eligible employees to make elective deferral contributions to their IRAs and the sponsoring employer to make mandatory matching or nonelective contributions Generally, only employers with 100 or fewer employees, each with at least $5,000 of compensation in the prior calendar year, are eligible to establish SIMPLE IRA plans.
A means of paying brokerage firms for their services through commission revenue instead of through normal direct payments (hard-dollar fees).
A plan designed for businesses with no employees other than the owners and their spouses. Contributions are established by the plan document and are generally 100% vested immediately.
An employer who establishes and maintains a plan.
An investment vehicle compromising mostly wrapped bonds, which can be short or intermediate term with longer maturities than other choices such as money market funds. They are paired (or wrapped) with insurance contracts to guarantee a specific minimum return.
A statistical measure of the historical volatility of a mutual fund or portfolio. Measures a funds’s range of total returns and identifies the spread of a fund’s short-term fluctuations.
An expense charged against the fund that, in certain situations, is used to offset some of the administrative expenses of a third-party administrator.
A document containing a comprehensive description of a retirement plan, including the terms and conditions of participation. ERISA requires an SPD be distributed to each plan participant within 90 days of becoming a participant and to each beneficiary receiving benefits within 90 days of first receiving benefits.
Provisions of EGTRRA that were originally “sunset,” or be automatically repealed, in 2010. The PPA made the EGTRRA provisions related to retirement plans and IRAs permanent. Among the provisions affected were salary deferral limits, contribution limits and catch-up contributions.
A type of money purchase plan in which an employer establishes a “target benefit” for employees based on a formula in the plan document, but each employee’s actual benefit is based on the amount in his individual account.
A mutual fund that automatically resets the portfolio’s asset mix of stocks, bonds and cash equivalents according to a time horizon that is appropriate for a particular investor.
Costs associated with terminating a relationship with a service provider, permanent termination of a plan or termination of specific plan services. Also called “surrender” or “transfer” charges.
One or more individuals who are appointed by the employer to act as a trustee under its retirement plan.
The bank or trust company designated to serve as the plan trustee. Typically, this type of trustee serves as the custodian of the plan’s assets.
The schedule that determines the portion of a participant’s accrued benefit or account balance to which the participant has a nonforfeitable right after completing a specified number of years of service.
A fee based on all plan assets and in addition to individual fund-related fees. The wrap expense typically pays for bundling of services related to investing plan assets and may include administrative services such as recordkeeping or the preparation of signature-ready Form 5500s. | 2019-04-19T06:55:25Z | https://hunterbenefits.com/retirement-plan-glossary/ |
Nutrition – Deficiencies in key nutrients can create biochemical imbalances that often lead to cells becoming diseased.
Exercise – The lack of sufficient exercise can allow toxins to build up, the cardiovascular system to weaken and insulin receptors to loose their sensitivity. This can contribute to many chronic disease conditions.
Stress – Ongoing stress can cause depletion of vitamin B, the stiffening of cells and digestive problems. Stress has been implicated in over 80% of chronic illnesses. This can include long-term childhood issues.
Toxins – Toxins come in many forms, including alcohol, tobacco, pesticides and radiation. Toxins often create free radicals, which damage our cells by stealing an electron. This has been identified as one of the leading causes of many diseases.
Genes – Faulty genes cause about 20% of all diseases, and yet, genes are predispositions, which can actually be improved with good nutrition and other positive factors.
Sleep- Without sufficient quality sleep the body and the brain cannot be sustained in a healthy condition. Most repairs, detoxification and balancing occurs during the sleep cycle.
A sixth factor contributing to chronic disease is the use of flawed diagnostic tools. Many current tests for the risk of disease provide insufficient warning because it is either the wrong information, or it is too late to allow a disease to be prevented. Better testing is one of the most significant things we can do to stop the current increase in chronic disease. (Sixty years ago, 10% of adults were chronically ill, now 60% are chronically ill).
Cholesterol is not the cause of clogged arteries. Cholesterol is present in arterial plague because it came to repair damage done by free radicals. Cholesterol is useful to cell membrane formation and the making of Vitamin D. People with high levels of cholesterol actually live longer than people with low levels of cholesterol.
C-reactive protein – To measure inflammation levels.
Homocysteine – To measure deficiencies in Vitamin B6, Vitamin B12 and folic acid.
Triglycerides – To measure the level of fatty acids and alcohol in the body.
Insulin –To measure the presence of excess sugar in the body since insulin is produced when sugar is eaten or released by the liver.
Cholesterol – To measure the ratio of HDL to LDL and the small particle LDL, which contributes to plaque.
Dean Ornish, M.D. has achieved the best success rate for preventing and reversing heart disease with a vegetarian diet. Walter Willett, M.D., PhD. has shown the need for healthy fats in the famous nurses study (Omega 3). A diet of whole natural foods is best, including lean Omega 3 rich protein, vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds and small amounts of whole grains, such as millet, quinoa and brown rice.
There is an excellent product available that is a blend of policosanol, hawthorne berry, garlic, grapeseed extract, N-acetylcysteine, alpha lipoic acid, Coenzyme Q10, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Magnesium, selenium, L-arginine, L-carnitine and B Vitamins. This formula reduced triglycerides by 30 per cent while increasing HDL cholesterol by 11 per cent. It is even more effective on people with low HDL cholesterol, increasing HDL cholesterol by 23 per cent and reducing triglycerides by 40 per cent.
Good scientific evidence exists for the use of aerobic exercise to help arteries gain flexibility and strength. Also, insulin receptors become more efficient, helping the heart to get energy. Stress management is also important with the use of yoga, meditation and deep breathing.
Only 5-10% of women have a strong genetic predisposition to breast cancer due to the BRCA gene influence. Therefore, about 90% of breast cancer is preventable with changes in lifestyle and better diagnostic tools. Breast cancer often starts in the late 20’s of a women’s life, but is not diagnosed until they reach their 40’s or 50’s. By then, the cancer is so advanced that invasive, often life threatening treatments are the only options.
Thermography – This test can detect problematic breast cells 8-10 years before mammography. It can see through young, dense breast tissue, fatty tissue and even breast implants. It uses no radiation, is not painful, is 95% accurate and doctors can use diet, detoxification, stress reduction and plant-based hormones to correct problematic cells.
Hormone Test – This is a saliva test for hormones that can identify imbalances that can then be corrected with safe plant-based hormones.
Vitamin D3 Test – This can identify deficiencies that can then be corrected with safe and effective supplements. At 4000 – 5000 iu of vitamin D3/day, breast cancer risk is reduced by 77%.
Scientific studies have shown that the best foods to prevent breast cancer are fish, vegetables (especially kale, cabbage, garlic, Brussels sprouts and cauliflower), nuts, legumes, fruits and whole grains, except for wheat. The worst foods are meat, dairy, sugar, refined flour and alcohol.
Several nutritional supplements have been shown in scientific studies to help prevent breast cancer, as well as improve recovery if breast cancer is detected and treated.
Yes, Vitamin D3 can help prevent breast cancer!!!
Smoking and alcohol consumption should be avoided. Being overweight increases the risk for breast cancer, as does the lack of sufficient daily exercise. Stress reduction is always recommended and young women should be careful about the use of chemical based birth control. Pesticides and radiation should also be avoided, as breast cells are more vulnerable than other cells in the body.
Diabetes has reached epidemic proportions in the US and is now affecting people of all ages. One third of Type 2 diabetics are teenagers whereas forty years ago most cases involved people over the age of 40. Children born after the year 2000 have a 35 to 49% risk of being diabetic and the two primary reasons are poor nutrition and lack of physical activity. Diabetes causes heart disease, blindness, amputations and cancer, as well as many other illnesses.
The current tests for Type 2 diabetes are woefully inadequate since they often identify risk 5 to 7 years after diabetes has actually started. There are much better tests than total glucose or AIC.
Glucose tolerance test – This is a test of how quickly the pancreas can make insulin and insulin receptors can absorb insulin and glucose. A person is given 75 mg of glucose and then tested every 30 minutes for 3 hours. The rate of return to “normal” insulin and glucose levels determines the level of risk for diabetes.
Insulin Tests – Fasting insulin levels are a better test for diabetes risk also because insulin levels will go up before fasting glucose levels will.
AIC – The AIC test is also a helpful test because it provides a good picture of glucose levels over the past 30 – 90 days.
Everyone would benefit from eating a diabetes prevention diet because it is the healthiest way to eat. Avoiding food high in glucose or sugar is the obvious starting point but the preferred eating guidelines go far beyond this. Here is a list of foods that should be avoided; seriously avoided.
This leaves a fairly short, but extremely healthy list of foods from which to make your diabetes prevention diet.
Protein foods, such as fish, poultry, eggs, beans, nuts, seeds, whey powder, rice milk, almond milk, sea greens and grains, such as millet, brown rice, quinoa and spelt.
Vegetables and beans (7-9 helpings a day).
Fruits (1-2 helpings a day).
Eat a glycemic load equal to 5g per meal and 40g maximum per day. Also, ensure fiber levels are at 40g per day.
For diabetes it is important to understand how parts of the cell function. Insulin receptors sit on the membrane of the cell and wait for glucose and insulin to arrive. Then a magnesium molecule transports them into the cell. Insulin receptors multiply and become more sensitive with more exercise.
Acidic foods such as meat, dairy, sugar and processed foods make insulin receptors less sensitive, while foods like vegetables make them more alkaline and thus more sensitive.
Inside the cell there is a Glut-4 molecule, which picks up the glucose from the inside of the membrane and transports it to the mitochondria where it combines with oxygen to make energy. Berberine increases the effectiveness of both the Glut-4 molecule and the insulin receptors on the cell. Magnesium and Diabetes | This Mineral Could Halt DiabetesMagnesium and DiabetesDuring the study, researchers looked both at magnesium intake and diabetes risk in 4,497 people aged 18 to 30 years old. None of the participants were found to be diabetic in the study’s outset. Within a 20-year follow-up period, 330 of the subjects developed diabetes.The final results of this study could explain why consumption of whole grain products, which are elevated in magnesium, is connected with lower diabetes risk. Although whole grain products can be a common source of magnesium, there are numerous other sources of magnesium to take into consideration.The reasons as to why an increased intake of magnesium may lower the risk for developing type 2 diabetes vary among medical experts, but according to the National Institutes of Health, Magnesium plays an important role in carbohydrate metabolism. It may influence the release and activity of insulin, the hormone that helps command blood glucose (sugar) levels.
Greens such as spinach are fantastic sources, due to the fact that the middle of the chlorophyll molecule (which provides vegetables their color) contains magnesium. Some legumes (beans and peas), seeds and nuts, and whole, unrefined grains are also good sources of magnesium.
Individuals with the highest magnesium intake were 47 percent less likely to develop diabetes than others with the lowest intakes (average of 100 milligrams of magnesium per 1,000 calories).
A study led by Dr. Ka from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill has found a surprising relationship between magnesium and type 2 diabetes.
Exercise is probably as important as nutrition in the prevention and reversal of Type 2 diabetes. Exercise stimulates the insulin receptors on our cells, causing them to multiply and become more efficient. Aerobic and resistance exercise of 30-60 minutes a day is needed. Not smoking or consuming alcohol are also vitally important, since smoking constricts circulation and alcohol is just another form of sugar.
Depression and other emotional challenges have reached alarming levels, and the use of prescription medications to treat these conditions is one of our biggest health care expenses. Depression alone costs employers over $40 billion per year. Depression medications are not very effective for many people, and yet, natural solutions have achieved excellent results in clinical trails and in practice.
ALCAT Test – This is a test for food sensitivities to determine if foods may be causing some emotional reactions.
Homocysteine – This measures the levels of vitamin B6, vitamin B12 and folic acid, which are vital nutrients for the production of neurotransmitters needed by the brain.
Glucose Tolerance Test – This test will determine if the pancreas and insulin receptors are capable of processing sugar efficiently.
Serotonin and Dopamine Levels – These neurotransmitters are crucial to the maintenance of a stable and healthy mood.
Vitamin D3 Test – Deficiency in vitamin D3 has been linked to many cognitive disorders, including Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease.
Brain Food Check – This test in Patrick Holford’s book Optimum Nutrition for the Mind, can help evaluate if someone is getting sufficient nutritional support in five key categories of nutrition. (Glucose, Fats, Phospholipids, Amino Acids, Vitamins and Minerals).
Any physician who does not use these nutritional and biochemical tests is probably not qualified to make an objective and scientific analysis of a person’s mental and emotional health.
Glucose – Provides fuel for the brain (complex carbs best).
Essential Fats – Lubricant for the brain and builds neurotransmitters (Omega 3-6) (Cold water fish best).
Phospholipids – Memory molecules (Choline from organ meats, fish and eggs).
Amino Acids – Raw material for neurotransmitters and message material sent between neurotransmitters (fish, 2-legged meat, plants).
Note: A very high number of people with depression have been shown to be deficient in amino acids, omega 3 fats, magnesium and vitamin B. These are some of the essential nutrients needed to make neurotransmitters such as serotonin, which are responsible to the control of our mood or level of happiness.
Thursday, April 18, 2013 by: David Gutierrez, staff writer-A number of clinical trials have supported the effectiveness omega-3 supplementation as a way to alleviate depression symptoms, particularly in patients who have not responded to treatment with antidepressant drugs.
Stressed – The first response to free radical damage and/or nutritional deficiency is for the cell to become stressed as it tries to compensate for the problem present.
Weakened – The hyperactive cell eventually becomes exhausted and weakened, which further inhibits its ability to function and protect itself.
Dysfunctional – The cell eventually loses its ability to perform its assigned duties, which means the body begins to produce recognizable biometric signals such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol or high blood sugar.
Mutated – As the degree of dysfunction advances, the cell is vulnerable to DNA mutation. The nucleus is not adequately protected, which leads to the production of inferior replacement cells.
Diseased – As the DNA becomes more damaged in more cells, the probability of disease increases. Organs may begin to shut down or gradually fail, as is the case with stroke, heart attack, asthma attack, depression, Crohn’s disease, cancer or any one of the many chronic diseases.
There are natural medicine protocols for most chronic diseases. Below are a few more examples where the scientific evidence is superior to the protocols used by conventional medicine.
The Natural Pharmacy, by Alan Gaby, M.D.
The Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine, by Joseph Pizzorno, M.D. and Michael Murray, N.D.
Disease Prevention and Treatment; Scientific Protocols That Integrate Mainstream and Alternative Medicine, from Life Extension Foundation.
These books contain over 15,000 scientific references from reputable clinical trials and have been reported in many of the most well-known peer reviewed medical journals.
Corporate Culture – Evaluate your corporate culture and make it compatible for making the necessary improvements to ensure the success of your wellness program.
Wellness Plan – Evaluate your wellness plan and program using an advanced evaluation tool and make a quality plan.
Financial Commitment – Ensure that your wellness program is properly funded with a commitment of at least $100 per employee per year.
The Wellness Team – Hire a competent wellness co-coordinator and recruit and train employees to be wellness champions/advocates.
Thermography for early detection of potential cancer cells and other illnesses.
Advanced Educational Programs – All wellness educators are not created equal. Ensure that they are all well versed in Natural Medicine and using the principles of evidence-based medicine and advanced adult education.
Disease Reversal – Make certain that your education and incentive programs are focused on the reversal of chronic disease and not just the management or treatment of these diseases.
Health Savings Accounts with an employer contribution of $1000 to $2000 per year.
A high deductible plan with employees able to pay down their deductible based on how healthy they become.
A reduced co-pay program based on doctors recommending reading material for employees to become healthier and co-pay reductions if employees are able to pass an online test.
Lower premiums by up to 30% for employees who can prove, through health tests that they are in excellent health.
Coaching – Provides quality coaching services to help employees overcome the barriers and issues they will encounter as they try to make difficult lifestyle changes.
Health Improvement Tracking System – Use online surveys, point systems and computer software to help track personal employee health status, as well as small group and overall organizational health improvements. This will allow you to calculate ROI and negotiate lower premiums with health insurers.
Charles K. Bens , Ph.D. | 2019-04-20T10:10:49Z | http://www.behealthyatwork.com/blog/how-to-prevent-and-reverse-chronic-disease/ |
Anthem: "Sayaun Thunga Phool Ka"
Nepal, known officially as the State of Nepal, is a landlocked Himalayan country in South Asia. It is a culturally rich kingdom with eight of the world's highest mountains. For a small territory, the Nepali landscape is uncommonly diverse, ranging from the humid Terai in the south to the lofty Himalayas in the north.
Although the country is the birthplace of Siddhartha Gautama, who became the Buddha, more than 80 percent of Nepalese follow Hinduism, which is higher than the percentage of Hindus in India, making it the single most Hindu nation in the world.
Unstable governments and rapidly changing political parties make the political scene in Nepal one of the most confusing in the world. In the 10 years from 1996 to 2006, Nepal sustained a Maoist insurgency, the heir-apparent allegedly murdered the royal family, and the new king dismissed and re-instated parliament.
The spectacular landscape and deep, exotic culture of Nepal represents considerable potential for tourism, but security concerns relating to the Maoist conflict have led to a decrease in tourism, a key source of foreign exchange.
The origin of the name "Nepal" is uncertain, but the most popular understanding is that it derives from "Ne" (holy) and "pal" (cave).
Bordered by China (including Tibet) to the north, and by India to the south, east, and west, Nepal is of roughly trapezoidal shape, 500 miles (800 kilometers) long and 125miles (200 kilometers) wide, with an area of 56,827 square miles (147,181 square kilometers), or slightly larger than the state of Arkansas in the United States.
Although Nepal shares no boundary with Bangladesh, a narrow strip of land, about 13 miles (21 kilometers) wide, called the Chicken's Neck, separates the two countries. Efforts are under way to make this area a free-trade zone.
The Himalayan arc extends about 1,491 miles (2400km), from Nanga Parbat (26,699 feet or 8,138 meters), the second highest peak in Pakistan, in the west, to Namche Barwa (25,149 feet or 7,756 meters) in Tibet, in the east. This region includes Nepal and Bhutan, as well as parts of Pakistan, India, and China. The geological process of forming the Himalayas began with the collision of the Indian sub-continent and Eurasia at the time of the Paleocene/Eocence epoch. This thickened the Indian crust to its present thickness of 41 miles or 70 kilometers.
Nepal may be divided into three areas: the mountain, hill, and Terai regions. These ecological belts run east-west and are bisected by Nepal's river systems. The lowest point is Kanchan Kalan, at 229 feet (70 meters) above sea level. The highest point is Mount Everest (Sagarmatha) at 29,028 feet (8,848 meters).
The mountain region is the highest in the world. Mount Everest is located on the border with China between Nepal and Tibet. The southeast ridge on the Nepalese side of the mountain is easier to climb, which is why many climbers enter Nepal. Eight of the world's highest mountains are located in Nepal, including Kanchenjunga, the world's third highest peak, and Annapurna I, II, III and IV.
The hill region (Pahad in Nepali) abuts the mountains and varies from 3,300 to 13,125 feet (1,000 to 4,000 meters) in altitude. Two low mountain ranges, the Mahabharat Lekh and Siwalik Hills (also called the Churia Range), dominate the region. The hilly belt includes the Kathmandu Valley, the country's most fertile and urbanized area. Despite its geographical isolation and limited economic potential, the region always has been the political and cultural center of Nepal. Elevations above 8,200 feet (2,500 meters) are sparsely populated.
The Terai Plains bordering India are part of the northern rim of the Indo-Gangetic plains. This region has a hot, humid climate.
Nepal has five climatic zones, broadly corresponding to altitude. The tropical and subtropical zones lie below 3,940 feet (1,200 meters), the temperate zone 3,900 to 7,875 feet (1,200 to 2,400 meters), the cold zone 7,875 to 11,800 feet (2,400 to 3,600 meters), the sub-arctic zone 11,800 to 14,400 feet (3,600 to 4,400 meters), and the arctic zone above 14,400 feet (4,400 meters). Nepal has five seasons: Summer, monsoon, autumn, winter, and spring. The Himalayas block cold winds from Central Asia in winter, and form the northern limit of the monsoon wind patterns.
About 25.4 percent of Nepal is covered with forest, of which around 9.6 percent consists of "primary forest" which is relatively intact. About 12.1 percent is classified as "protected," about 21.4 percent is "conserved," and about 5.1 percent is classified as "production forest." Nepal's 2000–2005 deforestation rate was about 1.4 percent per year.
Nepal has three river systems: The Koshi River basin in the east, the Narayani River basin (India's Gandak River), and the Karnali River basin in the west. All are tributaries of the Ganges River in northern India. Besides providing fertile alluvial soil, the backbone of the agrarian economy, these rivers present possibilities for hydroelectricity and irrigation. But building dams in Nepal is problematic because of the high risk of earthquakes. Deep gorges have hindered transport and communication networks, resulting in a fragmented economy.
Natural hazards include severe thunderstorms, flooding, landslides, drought, and famine depending on the timing, intensity, and duration of the summer monsoons. Environmental issues include deforestation (due to overuse of wood for fuel and lack of alternatives), with resulting erosion and degradation of ecosystems, contaminated water (with human and animal wastes, agricultural run-off, and industrial effluents), wildlife conservation, and vehicular emissions.
Kathmandu, with a population of 800,000, is the capital and largest city. The other main cities include Bharatpur, Biratnagar, Bhairahawa, Birgunj, Janakpur, Pokhara, Nepalgunj, and Mahendranagar.
Neolithic tools found in the Kathmandu Valley indicate that people have been living in the Himalayan region for at least 9,000 years. Ancient Indian epics such as the Mahabharata mention the Kiratas, the inhabitants of Nepal in the first millennium B.C.E. People who were probably of Tibeto-Burman ethnicity lived in Nepal 2,500 years ago. Ramayana, which refers to the era before Mahabharat, says Mithila (later known as Janakpur) was the birthplace of the goddess Sita. The presence of sites such as the Valmik ashram indicates the presence of Aryan culture in Nepal at that period.
Indo-Aryan tribes entered the valley around 1500 B.C.E. Around 1000 B.C.E., small kingdoms and confederations of clans arose. Siddhartha Gautama (563–483 B.C.E.), a prince of the Shakya confederation, renounced his royalty to lead an ascetic life and came to be known as the Buddha ("the one who has awakened").
By 250 B.C.E., the region came under the influence of the Mauryan empire of northern India, and later became a puppet state under the Gupta Dynasty in the fourth century.
From the late fifth century, rulers called the Licchavis governed the area. The Licchavi dynasty went into decline in the late eighth century and was followed by a Newar era, from 879, although the extent of their control over the entire country is uncertain.
By the late eleventh century, southern Nepal came under the influence of the Chalukya Empire of southern India. Under the Chalukyas, Nepal's religious establishment changed as the kings patronized Hinduism instead of the Buddhism prevailing at that time.
By the early thirteenth century, Arimalla was the first king of a dynasty whose rulers' names ended with the Sanskrit suffix malla ("wrestler"). There was a period of upheaval before these kings consolidated their power.
Thirteenth-century Nepal was pillaged by the Delhi Sultanate of northern India. King Jayasthitimalla united most of the country by the late fourteenth century, but in 1482 the kingdom was carved into three smaller areas: Kathmandu, Patan, and Bhadgaon.
Modern Nepal was created in the latter half of the eighteenth century when Prithvi Narayan Shah, the ruler of the small principality of Gorkha, united a number of independent hill states to form the Gorkha Kingdom. He conquered the Kathmandu valley in 1768. After Shah's death, the Shah dynasty began to expand into India. Between 1788 and 1791, Nepal invaded Tibet and robbed the Tashilhunpo Monastery. Alarmed, the Chinese emperor Qianlong dispatched a sizeable army which forced the Nepalese to retreat and pay heavy reparations. After 1800, the heirs of Prithvi Narayan Shah were unable to maintain political control, and a period of internal turmoil followed.
Rivalry with the British East India Company over the annexation of minor states bordering Nepal led to the brief but bloody Anglo-Nepalese War (1815–16), in which Nepal defended its present-day borders but lost territories west of the Kali River, including the present-day Uttarakhand state and several Punjab hill states. The Treaty of Sugauli ceded parts of the Terai and Sikkim to the company in exchange for Nepalese autonomy.
Factionalism among the royal family led to a period of instability after the war. In 1846, Queen Rajendralakshmi plotted to overthrow Jang Bahadur, a fast-rising military leader who threatened her power. The plot was uncovered and the queen had several hundred princes and chieftains executed after an armed clash. This came to be known as the Kot Massacre. Ultimately, Bahadur won and founded the Rana dynasty, leading to the Rana autocracy. The king was made a titular figure, and the post of prime minister was made powerful and hereditary.
The Ranas were staunchly pro-British, and helped the British during the Sepoy Rebellion in 1857, and in both world wars of the twentieth century. In 1923 the United Kingdom and Nepal signed an agreement of friendship, recognizing Nepal's independence.
In the late 1940s, emerging pro-democracy movements and political parties were critical of the Rana autocracy. China occupied Tibet in 1950, making India keen on stability in Nepal. To avoid an expensive military campaign, India sponsored Tribhuvan as Nepal's new king in 1951, and a new government, mostly comprised of members of the Nepali Congress Party.
In early 1959, King Mahendra issued a new constitution, and the first democratic elections for a national assembly were held. The Nepali Congress Party, a moderate socialist group, gained a substantial victory. Its leader, B. P. Koirala, formed a government and served as prime minister.
But King Mahendra dismissed the Koirala government and promulgated a new constitution on December 16, 1962, which established a "partyless" system of panchayats (councils) which the king considered to be closer to Nepalese traditions. As a pyramidal structure progressing from village assemblies to a Rastriya Panchayat (National Parliament), the panchayat system enshrined the absolute power of the monarchy.
King Mahendra was succeeded by his 27-year-old son, King Birendra, in 1972. Amid student demonstrations in 1979, King Birendra called for a referendum on the nature of Nepal's government—either reform the panchayat system or establish a multiparty system. The referendum was held in May 1980, and the panchayat system won a narrow victory.
In 1989, the "Jan Andolan" (People's) Movement forced the monarchy to establish a multiparty parliament, which came about in May 1991. The Nepali Congress Party won the country's first democratic elections, with Girija Prasad Koirala becoming prime minister.
In 1992, with prices spiraling as a result of the Congress Party's government policies, the radical left stepped up political agitation. Various groups set up a Joint People's Agitation Committee, and called for a general strike on April 6.
Violence broke out on the evening of the strike. The next day, two activists were killed, and later, police fired on a rally at Tundikhel in Kathmandu. Riots broke out leaving 14 dead.
In February 1996, a Maoist party (followers of the thought of Mao Zedong) pushed to replace the parliamentary monarchy with a new democratic republic, through a people's war, which led to the Nepalese Civil War. Led by Dr. Baburam Bhattarai and Pushpa Kamal Dahal, the insurgency began in five districts. The Maoists declared the existence of a provisional "people's government" at the district level in several locations. At one point, 70 percent of Nepal's countryside was under Maoist rule. More than 13,000 people died in the civil war.
In June 2001, 10 members of the royal family, including King Birendra and Queen Aishwarya, were killed in a shooting spree, allegedly shot by Crown Prince Dipendra. He temporarily became king before dying of his wounds. His brother, Prince Gyanendra, inherited the throne. Meanwhile, the Maoist rebellion escalated, and in October 2002 the king deposed one government and appointed another one week later.
In the face of unstable governments and a Maoist siege on the Kathmandu Valley in August 2004, popular support for the monarchy began to wane. On February 1, 2005, Gyanendra dismissed the government and assumed full executive powers, declaring a "state of emergency" to quash the Maoist movement.
In April 2006, strikes and street protests in Kathmandu forced King Gyanendra to reinstate the parliament and he agreed to relinquish sovereign power to the people. Using its newly acquired sovereign authority, on May 18, 2006 the House of Representatives unanimously voted to curtail the power of the king and declared Nepal a secular state, ending its time-honored official status as a Hindu Kingdom. On December 28, 2007, a bill was passed in parliament to amend Article 159 of the constitution – replacing "Provisions regarding the King" by "Provisions of the Head of the State" – declaring Nepal a federal republic, and thereby abolishing the monarchy. The bill came into force on 28 May 2008.
The Unified Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) won the largest number of seats in the Constituent Assembly election held on April 10, 2008, and formed a coalition government. Although acts of violence occurred during the pre-electoral period, election observers noted that the elections themselves were markedly peaceful and "well-carried out".
The newly elected Assembly met in Kathmandu on 28 May 2008, and, after a polling of 564 constituent Assembly members, 560 voted to form a new government, with the monarchist Rastriya Prajatantra Party, which had four members in the assembly, registering a dissenting note. At that point, it was declared that Nepal had become a secular and inclusive democratic republic, with the government announcing a three-day public holiday from May 28–30.
Nonetheless, political tensions and consequent power-sharing battles have continued in Nepal. In May 2009, the Maoist-led government was toppled and another coalition government with all major political parties barring the Maoists was formed. Madhav Kumar Nepal of the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist–Leninist) was made the Prime Minister of the coalition government. In February 2011 the Madhav Kumar Nepal Government was toppled and Jhala Nath Khanal of the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist–Leninist) was made the Prime Minister. In August 2011, the Jhala Nath Khanal Government was toppled and Baburam Bhattarai of the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) was made the Prime Minister.
The political parties were unable to draft a constitution in the stipulated time. This led to dissolution of the Constituent Assembly to pave the way for new elections to strive for a new political mandate. Then Chief Justice Khil Raj Regmi was made the chairman of the caretaker government. Under Regmi, the nation saw peaceful elections for the constituent assembly.
In September 2015, a new constitution, the "Constitution of Nepal 2015" (Nepali: नेपालको संविधान २०७२) was announced by President Ram Baran Yadav in the constituent assembly. The constituent assembly was transformed into a legislative parliament by the then-chairman of that assembly. The new constitution of Nepal has changed Nepal practically into a federal democratic republic.
In October 2015, Bidhya Devi Bhandari was elected as the first female president.
The movement in April 2006 brought about a change in the nation's governance: an interim constitution was promulgated, with the King giving up power, and an interim House of Representatives was formed with Maoist members after the new government held peace talks with the Maoist rebels. The number of parliamentary seats was also increased to 330.
Nepal is governed according to the Constitution of Nepal, which came into effect on September 20, 2015, replacing the Interim Constitution of 2007. The Constitution was drafted by the Second Constituent Assembly following the failure of the First Constituent Assembly to produce a constitution in its mandated period. The constitution is the fundamental law of Nepal. It defines Nepal as having multi-ethnic, multi-lingual, multi-religious, multi-cultural characteristics with common aspirations of people living in diverse geographical regions, and being committed to and united by a bond of allegiance to national independence, territorial integrity, national interest and prosperity of Nepal. All the Nepali people collectively constitute the nation. There are seven states.
The Constitution of Nepal has defined three organs of the government: executive, legislative, and judiciary.
The form of governance of Nepal is a multi-party, competitive, federal democratic republican parliamentary system based on plurality. The Federal Parliament consists of two Houses, namely the House of Representatives and the National Assembly. The President appoints the leader of the majority party in the House of Representatives as Prime Minister, who forms and chairs a Council of Ministers.
Powers relating to justice in Nepal are exercised by courts and other judicial institutions, in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution.
Namche Bazaar in the Khumbu region close to Mount Everest. The town is built on terraces in what resembles a giant Greek amphitheatre.
Nepal is among the poorest and least developed countries in the world with almost one-third of its population living below the poverty line. Nepal's workforce of about 10 million suffers from a severe shortage of skilled labor. The rate of unemployment and underemployment approaches half of the working-age population. Thus, many Nepalese move to India, the Gulf countries, and Malaysia in search of work. Nepal receives $50 million a year through the highly esteemed Gurkha soldiers who serve in the Indian and British armies.
Agriculture is the mainstay of the economy, providing a livelihood for three-quarters of the population and accounting for 38 percent of the GDP. Agricultural produce—mostly grown in the Terrai region bordering India—includes rice, corn, wheat, sugarcane, root crops, milk, and water buffalo meat. Industrial activity mainly involves the processing of agricultural produce including jute, sugarcane, tobacco, and grain.
The spectacular landscape and exotic culture of Nepal represents considerable potential for tourism, but security concerns relating to the Maoist conflict led to a decrease in tourism, a key source of foreign exchange. Nepal has considerable scope for exploiting its potential in hydropower. Prospects for foreign trade or investment in other sectors remain poor, because of the small size of the economy, its technological backwardness, its remote, landlocked geographic location, its civil strife, and its susceptibility to natural disaster.
Hilly and mountainous terrain in the northern two-thirds of the country has made the building of roads and other infrastructure difficult and expensive. There were just over 5,200 miles (8,500km) of paved roads, and one 34-mile (59km) railway line in the south in 2003. Aviation is in a better state, with 48 airports, 10 of them with paved runways.
Export commodities include carpets, clothing, leather goods, jute goods, and grain. Export partners include India, the U.S., and Germany.
Import commodities include gold, machinery and equipment, petroleum products, and fertilizer. Import partners include India, United Arab Emirates, China, Saudi Arabia, and Kuwait.
The citizens of Nepal are known as Nepali or Nepalese. The country is home to people of many different national origins. As a result, Nepalese do not equate their nationality with ethnicity, but with citizenship and allegiance.
The mountainous highlands are sparsely populated. Kathmandu Valley, in the middle hill region, constitutes a small fraction of the nation's area but is the most densely populatedn.
The Nepalese are descendants of three major migrations from India, Tibet, and Central Asia. Among the earliest inhabitants were the Newar of the Kathmandu Valley and aboriginal Tharu in the southern Terai region. The ancestors of the Brahman and Chhetri caste groups came from India, while other ethnic groups trace their origins to Central Asia and Tibet, including the Gurung and Magar in the west, Rai and Limbu in the east, and Sherpas and Bhotia in the north.
The Chhetri are largest ethnic group of Nepal, making up 15.5 percent of the country's population. They are predominantly Hindus and are of eastern Indo-Aryan stock. The word "Chhetri" is actually a corruption of the Sanskrit word "Kshatriya," describing the Indian warrior-ruler caste. This caste is below the priestly Brahman caste but above the merchant and farmer/craftsman castes that altogether make up Hinduism's four "clean" or touchable castes. The Nepali royal family belongs to the Thakuri sub-caste of Chhetris.
Other groups are the Brahman-Hill (12.5 percent), Magar (7 percent), Tharu (6.6 percent), Tamang (5.5 percent), Newar (5.4 percent), Kami (3.9 percent), Yadav (3.9 percent), other (32.7) percent, unspecified (2.8) percent.
The overwhelming majority of the Nepalese population follows Hinduism. Buddhists, Muslims, and Kirant make up most of the remainder. Differences between Hindus and Buddhists have become subtle due to the intermingling of beliefs. Both share common temples and worship common deities. Buddhists, who practice the Theravadan form of the religion, are mostly concentrated in the eastern regions and the central Terrai. Buddhism was more common among the Newar and Tibeto-Nepalese groups. Among the Tibeto-Nepalese, those most influenced by Hinduism were the Magar, Sunwar, Limbu, and Rai. Hindu influence is less prominent among the Gurung, Bhutia, and Thakali groups, who use Buddhist monks for their religious ceremonies.
There is a strong tradition of animism and shamanism, especially in rural areas. Spiteful witches and angry spirits are thought to inflict illness and misfortune. Shamans mediate between the physical and spiritual worlds to discover the cause of illness and recommend treatment.
Brahmin priests read Vedic scriptures and ensure wedding and funeral rituals are performed correctly. At temples, priests care for icons (which are believed to host the deities they represent), and are responsible for ensuring the purity of the temple. Buddhist monasteries train initiates in philosophy and meditation. Lay followers gain religious merit by giving money to monasteries.
In Hindu mythology, the Himalayas are where the gods live, especially Shiva. Pashupatinath, a large Shiva temple in Kathmandu, is among the holiest sites in Nepal and attracts Hindu pilgrims from all over South Asia. In the Kathmandu Valley, there are hundreds of Hindu shrines, many of which are constructed near rivers or at the base of pipal trees, which are considered sacred. For Buddhists, Nepal is the birthplace of Lord Buddha, and is home to a number of important Buddhist monasteries and supas, including Boudha and Swayambhu.
Hindus and Buddhists believe in reincarnation, a belief that holds that an individual's actions in life will lead to a higher or lower rebirth. The ultimate goal is to attain enlightenment, to stop the cycle of rebirth. Hindus cremate their dead, preferably on the banks of a river, as do some Buddhists.
Only men plow. Fetching water is considered women's work, as is cooking, care of children, and washing clothes, as well as collecting firewood and fodder. Men do the heavier agricultural work and often work in trade, portering, and other occupations outside the village. Women tend to work longer, have less free time, and die younger. Children and older people do a lot of household work. Women's status in Nepal has been steadily rising.
In Nepal, descent is through the male line. Arranged marriages are the norm, because marriages create bonds between families. The bride's family provides a substantial dowry to the groom's family. The groom's family gives clothing, jewelry, and personal items to the bride. Both families are expected to host a feast during the wedding celebration, which lasts three days. The cost of a wedding, especially to the bride's family, is high and often puts families into debt.
Polygyny, where a man has multiple wives, is illegal but occurs in the older generation and in remote areas. Child marriages, once considered auspicious, are now prohibited. Love marriage is gaining in popularity in the cities.
Landholding Hindu castes favor a domestic unit in which the sons of a household, along with their parents, wives, and children, live together, sharing resources and expenses. The old have authority over the young, and men over women. New daughters-in-law occupy the lowest position. The emphasis is on filialism over individualism. In urban areas, more couples opt for nuclear family arrangements.
Fathers are legally obliged to leave equal portions of land to each son, resulting in diminishing holdings. Daughters do not inherit paternal property unless they remain unmarried past the age of 35.
A few landlords have traditionally held most agricultural land. Civil servants, often paid in grants of land, remained absentee owners and collected taxes from tenant-farming peasants. Efforts have been made to protect the rights of tenants, but without the redistribution of land. The growing population has worsened land shortages; nearly every acre is farmed intensively.
Nepal's diverse linguistic heritage evolved from four major language groups: Indo-Aryan, Tibeto-Burman, Mongolian, and various indigenous language isolates. The 2001 census identified 92 different living languages spoken in Nepal. Nepali is spoken by 49 percent, Maithili (12 percent), Bhojpuri (8 percent), Tharu (6 percent), Tamang (5 percent), Nepal Bhasa (4 percent), Magar (3 percent), Awadhi (2 percent), Bantawa (2 percent), Limbu (1 percent), and Bajjika (1 percent). The remaining 81 languages are each spoken as mother tongue by less than one percent of the population.
Derived from Sanskrit, Nepali is related to the Indian language Hindi and written in Devanagari script. Nepali is the official, national language. Hindi is widely spoken, especially in the southern Terai Region. Many Nepalese in government and business also speak English.
Hindu castes and Buddhist and animist ethnic groups have condensed into a single caste hierarchy. High-caste Hindus, who tend to be wealthy and politically dominant, are at the top, followed by alcohol-drinking “matwali” castes, which include Mongolian ethnic groups. At the bottom are the poorest untouchable Hindu castes which have traditionally performed occupations considered defiling by higher castes. The Newars of the Kathmandu Valley have a caste system that has been absorbed into the national caste hierarchy. Caste discrimination is officially illegal but has not disappeared.
The culture of high-caste Hindus has been Nepal’s "prestige culture." Westernization is competing with the high-caste Hindu culture. The ability to speak English is a mark of prestige and an asset in the job market. In cities, most men and a majority of women wear Western clothes. Modern status symbols include motorcycles, cars, fashionable clothing, televisions, and computers.
Nepali culture is influenced by the cultures of Tibet and India, which borders Nepal to the south. There are similarities in clothing, language, and food.
A typical Nepali meal is dal-bhat—boiled dal, pulses (peas, beans and lentils) which have been stripped of their outer hulls, split, and made into a thick, spicy stew, served with rice and vegetables, and some spicy relish. This is consumed twice daily, once in the morning and again after sunset. Snacks such as chiura (beaten rice) and tea are consumed. Meat, eggs, and fish are considered a treat. In the mountainous region the staple diet is based on wheat, maize, millet, and potatoes. Most prefer eating with their right hand, though some people use spoons, forks, and knives.
A festive meal, like one served during a marriage celebration, is a treat. Some vegetarian preparations are: Baji (a preparation from flattened rice), Wauncha Tukan (green mustard vegetable), Bhuti (a preparation of white beans), Pharsi (pumpkin curry), Lainsoo (dried radish curry), Simpu (bran curry), Pahmaya (a curry of green pulses), Hamoh Kwa (a sesame seed curry), Chhou Kwa (bamboo shoot soup), Dhau (yogurt), Sakhah (brown sugar to accompany dhau), and Sisabusa (raw radish, raw peas, and fresh fruit pieces). Meat preparations may include Della (meat placed atop baji), Tahkugu Pukala (a big slice of fried meat), Cheekugu Pukala (small pieces of fried meat), Tahkha (jelly meat), Chhakoola (meat pieces in curry), Dayekala (meat curry), Hayenla (meat curry with ginger), and Gorma (white jellied meat).
A millet-based alcoholic drink known as Tongba and other cereal-based alcoholic drinks are popular, including chhaang and the distilled rakshi. There is also a separate Newari cuisine.
The customary greeting is to press one's palms together in front of the chest and say "Namaste" ("I greet the god within you"). Men in urban areas shake hands. Physical contact between the sexes is not appropriate in public. Hospitality is essential. Guests are offered food and not permitted to help prepare food or clean up. It is polite to eat with the right hand. It is insulting to point the soles of one's feet at someone, or step over a person.
Houses in rural parts of Nepal are made up of stones and clay.
Pagoda-style temples, Buddhist stupas, palaces, and multistory brick houses with elaborately carved wooden door frames and screened windows are found in Kathmandu and the nearby cities of Patan and Bhaktapur. Smaller temples and older residential buildings are falling into disrepair. When the British ruled India, the Rana rulers used Western architectural styles in palaces and public buildings.
Most houses in rural Nepal are made up of a bamboo framework with mud and cow-dung walls. These dwellings remain cool in summers and retain warmth in the winter. Village houses are clustered in river valleys or along ridge tops. Dwellings at higher altitudes are mostly timber-based.
Mothers provide most childcare, helped by older siblings, cousins, and grandparents. Neighbors may cuddle, instruct, and discipline children. Authority in households depends on seniority, therefore the relative age of siblings is important and children are addressed by birth order.
Rituals mark the child's development. There are rituals for the first taste of rice and the first haircut. When a girl reaches puberty, she is prohibited from seeing male family members.
Children are expected to work around the house. Both girls and boys are entitled to schooling, but if a family needs help at home or lacks money, only the sons are sent to school. It is believed that education is wasted on girls, who will marry and take their wage-earning abilities to another household.
Universities are under-funded. Nepalis respect degrees obtained abroad and many scholars study overseas or in India. However, some good scholarship has emerged. The political reforms of the 1990s have permitted a more open and critical intellectual environment.
The overall literacy rate is 53.74 percent (68.51 percent for males and 42.49 percent for females).
Nepali literature dates only to the nineteenth century with Bhanubhakta Acharya's adaptation of the Hindu epic, “Ramayana.” Government censorship led Nepali authors and poets to publish outside of Nepal until the 1930s, when Nepal's first literary journal, Sharada, created an outlet for literary expression. Nepali writers and poets include Lakshmi Prasad Devkota, Lekhnath Paudyal, Balkrishna Sama, and Guruprasad Mainali.
Musical genres from Tibet and India have had a strong influence on traditional Nepali music. Indigenous Newari music developed and flourished during the medieval era. The Malla kings were known for their interest in arts. Newari music is percussion-based, sometimes with flutes or shawm accompanying the intense, nasal vocal lines. Particular songs are played for each season, and each time of day. The songs narrate or depict the mood of the season or time. Each caste has its songs and bands. Women, even of the musician castes, are less likely than men to play music, except in traditional all-female wedding parties.
The sarangi, a four-stringed, hand-carved instrument is usually played by wandering minstrels.
There is pop, religious, classical, and folk music. Since the 1960s, Nepali rock, or rock music sung to Nepali lyrics, has become popular among youth. Nepali rap and Nepali reggae has blossomed with the advent of the music video industry. There are numerous heavy metal bands.
Traditional Nepali folklore retains a strong influence in society and its stories are widely acted out in dance and music. The cultures of the different ethnic groups are rich in their own ways. However, Newari culture is the most common culture in the capital city. Most of the festivals observed in the country are the Newari festivals. The Newar people are well known for masked dances which tell stories of the gods and heroes.
Football (soccer) is the most popular sport, followed by cricket and kabaddi. The Martyrs Memorial Football League is the national football league.
Television was introduced in the 1980s. In 2007 there were six television broadcasting channels. Other networks, particularly those that originate in India, are available with the installation of increasingly popular satellite dishes, although lack of electrification makes this difficult. Radio is listened to throughout the kingdom. As of 2000, there were 12 radio stations.
Nepal suffers from high infant mortality, respiratory and intestinal diseases are endemic, and malnutrition is widespread. Life expectancy is 57 years. Poverty, poor hygiene, and lack of health care contribute to this. There are poorly equipped and unhygienic hospitals only in urban areas. Rural health clinics often lack resources. Western medicine has social prestige, but many people consult shamans and other religious practitioners.
Environmental issues include deforestation (due to overuse of wood for fuel and lack of alternatives), with resulting erosion and degradation of ecosystems, contaminated water (with human and animal wastes, agricultural run-off, and industrial effluents), wildlife conservation, and vehicular emissions.
A joint border commission continues to work on contested sections of the border with India, including a 400 square kilometer dispute over the source of the Kalapani River. India has instituted a stricter border regime to restrict transit of Maoist insurgents and illegal cross-border activities. Approximately 103,000 Bhutanese Lhotshampas (Hindus) have been confined in refugee camps in southeastern Nepal since 1990.
Nepal has between 100,000 and 200,000 internally displaced persons as a result of the conflict between government forces and Maoist rebels. Nepal is the location for the illicit production of cannabis and hashish for the domestic and international drug markets, and is a transit point for opiates from Southeast Asia to the West.
Girls have been lured or abducted from villages to work as prostitutes in Indian cities and child laborers in carpet factories. Prostitution has spread AIDs. Boycotts of Nepali carpets have not addressed the social problems that force children to become family wage earners.
↑ Nepal Ethnologue. Retrieved May 26, 2018.
↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Nepal. International Monetary Fund. Retrieved May 26, 2018.
↑ Nepal votes to end monarchy CNN, December 28, 2007. Retrieved May 26, 2018.
↑ 4.0 4.1 Nepal votes to abolish monarchy BBC News, May 28, 2008. Retrieved May 26, 2018.
↑ The Carter Center, Activities by Country: Nepal. Retrieved May 26, 2018.
↑ Prachanda becomes PM, Nepal set for major change The Sunday Times, August 17, 2008. Retrieved May 26, 2018.
↑ Madhav Kumar Nepal elected new Nepal PM Rediffnews, May 23, 2009. Retrieved May 26, 2018.
↑ Nepal: Jhalanath Khanal elected new prime minister BBC, February 3, 2011. Retrieved May 26, 2018.
↑ Sushil Koirala wins vote to be Nepal's prime minister BBC, February 10, 2014. Retrieved May 26, 2018.
↑ Svati Kirsten Narula, Nepal just elected its first female president Quartz, October 28, 2015. Retrieved May 26, 2018.
Bista, Dor Bahadur. People of Nepal. Kathmandu: Dept. of Publicity, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, His Majesty's Govt. of Nepal, 1967.
Dixit, Kunda. A People War: Images of the Nepal Conflict 1996–2006 = Laḍāim̐mā janatā : Nepālako yuddhakā citraharu, 2052–063. Kathmandu: Publication Nepalaya, 2006.
Matthiessen, Peter. The Snow Leopard. Penguin nature classics. New York: Penguin Books, 1996. | 2019-04-26T12:43:28Z | http://web.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Nepal |
Forum Post: Americans Unite. Re register here at OWS forum with ART5 after your user name. Show unity under the law in defense of the Constitution. Protect and Empower Protesters with the fact they are defending the constitution, whether they know it or not.
This approach will gain wide support IF people are serious about seeing demands met and is the only possible strategy countering the potential co-opting of OWS by other interests perhaps sabotaging OWS's effectiveness. Then serving to justify things like mccain is involved with right now, SOPA, and the imprisonment issue of OHS origin.
The leaderless non accountability of OWS while not overtly defending the constitution, when very clearly every single demand they have is caused by violations of the constitution by various divisions of the federal government over the last 100 years; AND protesters depend on the constitutional rights for doing what they are doing under the OWS banner, is rather offensive to my sense of common logic in our society.
Enough! Compensate with understanding underlined with unity. You are the 99% and you are the leader. You have the authority to adopt any strategy that will work to meet demands and ruthlessly pursue that with reason, evidence and law. As a human of one nation under God you are permitted, indeed it is your genetic duty to express your instinctual compulsion to preserve the rule of natural law and assure survival IF you can. The US constitution happens to be the available tool for that.
Since it is fairly impossible to "overthrow the US government", you will end up simply apprehending the infiltrators and cease their treason under law by using article 5 of the US constitution, then restore constitutional government. Article 5 is your first and last constitutional right.
First thing, Occupy congress and provide formal notice that they are inviolation of the constituion, law and their oaths. We need to Occupy Congress and put them on notice with a petition of greivance. That starts the clock ticking on the 45 day contractual period of notice for them to begin to call state delegates for a convention to propose amendments.
This is a letter that actually cites the violations of law that congress is conducting at this moment having neglected, non feased and mal feased for so long we are seriously needing to engage remedy. This could be legitimately be used to Occupy Congress in constructive notice.
Then go to the states capitols. Find who understands that protests need to be organized upon states legislatures. Understand some legal aspects too. Here is a letter template, resolution form that can be sent to state legislatures asking them to work for an article V convention.
Article 5 is our first and last constitutional right. If we don't use it now, we will not have any rights. Freedom is not free. Unity is cheap compared to the demise of the nwo default with confused sheep, not free.
Educate yourselves about article V.
I'm in. This is the right track.
Article 5 NOW! Excellent! Unity around a concept of freedom and government accountability hard won by the Fremen of the English forests, then won again in the Revolutionary war, will be defended lawfully and peacefully in a revolution designed to be that way.
Article 5 is a lawful and peaceful revolution.
The key to this is peace and order. The ptb trying to shake us loose are doing everything possible to confuse us -hoping we will imagine that the laws that hold them accountable are null and void(they commit crime in full view rub our noses in it) hoping we will all clamor for abolishing the very thing that simultaneously protects us against them, AND holds them accountable. THE CONSTITUTION. Just because they are stomping on it does NOT mean we should throw it out!
OUR elected representIves took oaths to defend and uphold THE CONSTITUTION. We will hold them to that.
We MUST rally around article V and branch out from there.
Awesome BleeART5! Peace and order YES. Not like the chaos our infiltrated govenment is perpetrating. AGREEMENT is the key to our future. Simple agreement. Which agreement can we all make so that we have one to make NOW?
Excellent perceptions about the ptb trying to shake us loose from that which protects us. Our love of freedom, or rights and open accountable government, not to mention each fallen soldier fighting for them, or thinking they were.
THAT is something that needs to change. Soldiers need to have methods to peacefully, orderly, lawfully defend the constitution from domestic enemies.
yes the ptb are trying to confuse and distract us. Article 5 is a lawful and peaceful revolution. YES! They want us to think the laws our ancestors fought and died for are "null and void". Wrong!
The ignorant and lazy cause the rest to have their faces rubbed in the blatant treasons.
Yes!!!!!!!! By ignoring the constitution and defense of it we aquiese to the eventual removal of its authority.
EXCELLENT you are totally getting this. We need many more Americans like you in order to remain free.
I have been thinking that we can take this approach, along with, as many others as possible. The 3 r's took years to penetrate the general populations minds. Reduce, reuse, recycle. But now, we all have mandated recycle bins in our homes.
I am not sure, the people in general need to be "woken" up. I think they need to be conditioned. Can each OWS encampment get a fund to put up an advertisement in the local major city? If every city had a billboard that asked for good business practices, was easy to read, catchy and had children growing up for years seeing the slogan, then we could condition the response in the public to practice good business.
I ask this because we have been conditioned to accept that bad business practice is normal. We can change the laws. And when things calm down, "they" will sneak in and change it back, stealthy and slowly, over the years.
Starting now, we can 1. Change the laws, 2. Change our personal habits (buy local and organic) and 3. Rear our children with the belief that it is better to treat your employees, the planet and other nations, fair and justly.
Immediate results - laws changed.
Future results - our purchasing changes will put the bad business practitioners out of business. 3."Permanent" changes - conditioning the nation into expecting good business practices. Making that the new normal.
I'm In !!!!! This is real. Something we can all get behind.
Some new strategy has a place to gather conceptual opinion. To conduct an article 5 convention properly, the conditions must be improved to assure that it is fully constitutional. There is a poll here where you can leave your opinion and post in forums state by state.
Great link! Thanks. Yes, It's pretty obvious that information is required for democracy. Article 5 is the ultimate form of democracy for America, indeed the world. Media grip on the truth has to be broken first...that is clear.
In reading information regarding Article 5, I came across a phrase "The Greater Meaning Of Free Speech". This, I think, describes the heart of what Article 5 needs. It is vital that free speech have its greatest meaning within Article 5. But how do we break the chains of the mass media to get this information to the people?
Hmmmm, you found it. "The Greater Meaning Of Free Speech", yes information for democracy. Information for humanity. Being sure that speech vital for survival is shared and understood. That's what it's all about.
Right now it is vital for article 5 and Americans need to understand that they need to know the truth in order to begin to protect themselves from elite forces that are running away with the economy and dumping the constitution.
Basically the best way to effect protecting the environment for an article 5 convention is to revise the first amendment to include the greater meaning of free speech.
REV. Amendment I Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; Congress shall see that nothing abridges the freedom of speech and the primary methods or systems of it shall be first accessible for the unity of the people with its possible greater meaning through understanding one another in; forgiveness, tolerance, acceptance, respect, trust, friendship and love protecting life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Congress shall see that nothing abridges freedom of the press in its service to the unity of the people; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances or defense of this constitution.
People seem afraid to change the first amendment, but most of them have never really tried hard to use it. They don't know that it is broken. Free speech is abridged. Information vital for survival cannot be shared and understood.
This is a question which reasonably can be asked of any critic of the proposal to revise the first amendment. And until they come up with parents willing to ignore these things for their childrens futures, they should not interfere in anyway.
Which mother or father in this nation will ignore or pass up the real opportunity to assure their child will grow into a nation that holds high and honors understanding that can create; forgiveness, tolerance, acceptance, respect, trust, friendship and love, protecting their life, their liberty and their pursuit of happiness?
"Officially implemented, as a federal law recognized by all states, citizens would only have to gather a group with a common understanding based in facts, of information reasonably shown as vital, also showing how the presentation/perspective of such is currently lacking from the public information, satisfying the requsites public must have to invest in the creation of an understanding of the vital information from which can come; forgiveness, tolerance, acceptance, respect, trust, friendship and love, protecting life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Citizens with issues developed in this way, and a relatively small petition qualifying, would have a right to see compulsive state and federal control over network broadcasting licensure in order to compel adequate production funding and national broadcasting to effect the education of the public on given subjects."
Which is the best way I think to get power back to the people, with a necessary transparancy. It basically states that the only proof that is needed to show that any issue is prevalent enough to require action by the federal government on behalf of the people, is quite simply, that enough people congregate and put language to the same issue and bring it forth to the government. At which time the government must be compelled to behave with accountability to it's citizens. With mass media being the best way to reach the people, the government would need to have an exclusive percentage of media, a transparant state and federal government channel for this very purpose.
Simplicity itself. Funny how the simplest solutions work the best. The NWO has become insidiously proficient in using subterfuge to make peope think that politics are too complex for people to understand and take an active role in.
In deciding who and how many people bring these issues to the government, we will need some sort of system of fairness in place to help navigate the issues that doesn't end up in hierarchical or dictatorial leadership of the citizens and leaves the possibility open for anyone to be a part of the process so long as they show the ability to handle the responsibility of the task at hand. Perhaps some sort of meritocracy. This system, albeit more instinctual, is used by animals and species that live in large numbers, or communities, if you will. Meritocracy is somewhat like this but with human reason and rationale.
Okay, yes, you found the process that a citizen would have to engage in order utilize the greater meaning of free speech. It's important that it not be too easy because then media can complain that everyone would be using it and there would be no primetime for them to profit on.
Very important to be reasonable and show that the revision of the 1st amendment is not going to be the kind of thing that took their buisness away from them. When you can show that, their main complaint is diminished. Showing that the info is currently lacking on public media AND that it creates the needed undertstanding of a vital issue, fully justifies the burden on commercial media.
What I like about is this. Media now refuses to tell the truth about some issues. When the truth comes out, their malfesance and neglect become more onerous and destructive to public interest. Then the commercial media has to try and "one up" the public in order to save face. Oh man, talk about a tough pill for the PTB. HA!
Yes, In my dreams, I have grand visions of OWS marching down to and hijacking the tv stations, removing the crew and "cast" as in actors, then speaking to the masses about some serious $**t! Did you ever see the movie "Scrooged" where they hijack a tv show and Bill Murray talks to the masses about what Christmas and humanity should really be about? We could tell the masses who the Ruling Elite REALLY are, all the crimes against humanity, all the distortions of history. Oh man, I can just see the oligarchs faces. They'd scatter like rats on a sinking ship.
You know what? All they have to know is that Occupy is going for an article 5 and working on giving speech its vital meanings, and they are going to be thinking about "scatter".
I made this thread the other day to record support for the concept of preparation for an article 5 convention by making 2 amendments. One ends the campaign finance problem and the other ends the media problem.
Cool! This poll should be plastered all over the OWS website. Too bad there isn't a place on the site where simple polls could be placed, separate from the forum threads. It would allow OWS to take shape and get a clear direction by consensus, simply by virtue of how many people voted on each topic. The most important topics would rise to the top. Article 5, coming from the common sense point of view as well as people's deep desire to be heard and understood is certainly one of those that rise to the top.
Not only that, but another area could be put in place where people with expertise and other skills could be listed, and citizens could use a tallying vote so that when the time comes for the amendments and an Article 5 convention, the most suitable people will have been meritocratically voted in.
That's a good idea about a poll here on this site. If you presented that at the NYCGA they might be to be open to it because the site has little functional product besides loosely organized discussion of impermanent relationships. It brings many like minded people together, but how do they show that unspoken agreement beside posting in text, "YES I AGREE", it goes nowhere beyond the thread.
I tried to explain the site owner that it was going to be hard to get people to register at the site when there was basically nobody on the forum. Meaning the promotion for the site, custom designed for dealing with Article 5, needs to be done here.
"YES I AGREE", haha! So, assuming this site isn't set up this way, with little more than this forum, in that it intentionally wants it to "go nowhere beyond this thread", I wonder why it hasn't already set up some sort of voting area for possible strategies? It just seems like this would be a logical thing to do.
They could even select a few good issues and make "petition site" polls with links on the main forum page to see what people think about different strategies.
I'd like to see that for strategies of occupation styles and where to apply different, or why. Camping, sponsering homeless people, who end up there anyway, day protest only, such matters really are better based on publc opinion.
Article 5 Convention ~ Have you seen these guys? This is a group of Police Officers actively against the New World Order. I think they would jump at the chance to use a legal and nonviolent vehicle like the Article 5 Convention to stop the Ruling Elite maniacs. Could be worth getting in touch with.
You are soooooooo appreciated. What an awsome, conscious thing to do.
Awesome! Our constitution is something we can unify behind and dissolve every difference we have with regard to its meaning because it IS designed to be a societal tool to enable people to work together to meet their needs. Unconditional support for this concept IS going to save our nation, our rights, our freedoms and our futures.
+25... THank you for your post. I hope more peple avial themselves of the information you provided.
Your nations children will appreciate your unconditional, support for a reasonable, peaceful and lawful rebellion.
If I were a protester I would be talking to others with OWS right now wondering why the protests are not taking advantage of the obvious immunities that must be afforded to actions that seek to defend the constitution.
When protestors stand and read something like the below and cops are listening, it will be obvious they know the protestors ARE in the right, completely lawful AND acting in defense of the constitution.
The protesters wil properly shame them. If the protestors are peaceful and well behaved, making their point, the shame grows just for being there PRETENDING there is a reason to oppose or control.
loving this and loving you, Article 5 is the way.. but.. i won't re-register...sorry..
But, but, but, . . . then how will people know that you support article 5 unconditionally at a simple glance?
uhm. i dunno. but gawdoftruthart5 somehow just loses its power by over focusing. i suppose i could update my information... all i can do is the best i can do. Article 5 is clearly the big thing to focus on here...The golden solution..
Well, the drum bangers seem to have a certain power, something done just before war perhaps awakens a primordial fear in the hearts of authority. The absolutely need to have the best representation and guidence that is for certain. At least that which completely serves the purposes they stand for whether or not they can articualte that functionally or not. | 2019-04-25T10:31:36Z | http://occupywallst.org/forum/americans-unite-re-register-here-at-ows-forum-with/ |
31. 640 NTE together with Supplies and Transport units of Army Service Corps, supporting Field Workshop units of Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, two Pioneer Companies, Field Ambulance units of Army Medical Corps, Signal Units for communication and a Garrison Engineer were at Missamari and all these were under Colonel Vijh, Deputy Chief Engineer. Major Dhondy, the GE, was a jolly Parsi of Poona (now Pune).
32. The Officer Commanding of 759 Engr. Plant Platoon, was Capt. V V Soman, an Emergency commissioned officer of Second World War. He was a simple graduate and knew nothing about engineering work. So, he used to send me to Missamari to discuss progress of road construction. Col. Vijh was a bridge-addict and forced me to play bridge, as his foursome of bridge players were short by one. Though he bullied me for making wrong calls, anyhow I picked up the rudiments of the card game of bridge.
33. After working in NEFA for about one year, our unit pulled out to Range Hills, Kirkee, as part of HQ, 624 Army Troop Engineers, commanded by Lt Col JS Saund, a Sikh officer, who married an American lady and then migrated to USA after retirement. Major Dhaliwal, commanding 620 Electrical and Mechanical Engineers was our officiating Comdr. Engrs.
34. I had become a Lieutenant as Gazette notification of antedate of two years’ seniority was published. At this time, National Defense Academy (former JSW – refer para 8) got shifted to Khadakvasla with Major Gen. Habibullah as the first Commandant of NDA. Chief Engineer Southern Command, Poona had ordered 624 ATE to construct a gliderdrome to train cadets in gliding. I was sent to NDA, Khadakvasla, to execute the job.
35. ADC to the Commandant was Lieutenant (Navy) Bahl and film actress, Nutan was Bahl’s fiancée. Nutan used to attend Officers’ Mess parties and I saw Nutan dancing. Ultimately, they got married. Major L S Doss, of perhaps Madras Sappers, was a Squadron Commander. Anyway, after completing the required earthwork, which was inspected by Gen. Habibullah, I was permitted to pull out my detachment of troops back to Range Hills, Kirkee.
36. Sometime in October 1956, Headquarters, Southern Command Poona (Pune) gave 624 ATE, the task of extending Bhuj Civil aerodrome by about 600 yards to enable IAF fighter planes to land and take off because there were border skirmishes between Indian troops and Pakistani troops at the Rann of Kutch. We had to defend. An Infantry Brigade was given the task. It was commanded by Brigadier Ajit Singh Guraiya whose Brigade Headquarters were located at Ahmedabad.
37. Major Dhaliwal of 620 Electrical and Mechanical Company of Corps of Engineers, was our officiating Commander Engineers. I was again selected to execute this task. Our contingent of troops consisted of a Field Platoon of Bengal Engineers commanded by 2/Lt. Gupta, another Field Platoon of Madras Engineers under 2/Lt. Malhotra and an E&M Platoon from 620 E&M Coy of Corps of Engineers and a part of my Plant Platoon, under my overall command. We were about 150 strong.
38. When we reached Bhuj, we reported to the Station Staff Officer and he told us to go straight away to airport and camp there and discuss technical matters with the airport staff. Thereupon, we went to the airport, discussed the details of extension job required and camp-site where we were to stay.
39. In two jeeps, we officers accompanied by JCOs and senior NCOs, went to reconnoitre our campsite, living areas for other ranks, Officers’ Mess, JCO Mess, engineer plant and machinery parking area, vehicle parking area etc. before we moved in. I had a blueprint map supplied by Chief Engineer Southern Command. Having decided on what we are to do and also having decided on our working time, so as not to disturb normal civilian flights, we got on to our job.
40. Because of the fighting, Brigadier Guraya had established a TAC HQ at Bhuj, which was a tiny Princely State ruled by a Maharaja. Brigadier Guraya had deployed a Rajput battalion for the job of defending the Rann of Kutch.
42. Once the salt layer got broken, vehicles used to sink in the wet and slimy sand. We drove our jeeps following old track marks or by use of compasses at night. Vehicles often got bogged down in the salty sand and we had to retrieve by pulling with another jeep and pushing by manpower if required.
43. We completed our work of extending the runway within about a month’s time. We worked at the break of dawn and stopped work during flight times and resumed work in the afternoon. Dozers and scrappers were the earth-moving machines used. Finally, we laid PSP (Pierced Steel Plank) on the extended runway. Field telephone cables were laid by our men and we got telephone connection with Station Headquarters, Bhuj. Colonel Bose, Deputy Chief Engineer of Southern Command, came to inspect our work. When told that jet fighters of Indian Air Force from Jamnagar had already made successful landings and take-offs, he was pleased. Brigadier Guraya left to become Major General and the first Indian IGAR at Shillong. He took over from the last British IGAR, Colonel Fryer. Now, the post of IGAR has been elevated to DGAR and a Lt. General is overall Chief of AR.
44. While waiting for railway wagons to be placed for loading machineries, earth moving plants and other equipments we went to company locations of the Rajput Regiment facing the Pakistanis. Since the Pakistan Army was a part of Indian Army about eight or nine years back only, their company weapon system like the old .303 rifles, light machine guns, two-inch mortar guns were the same.
45. We teased the Pakistanis by firing a few rounds of our weapons and their immediate response was interestingly belligerent. So the whole night, there would be a sort of Diwali. But since we were inside well-covered bunkers, we were quite safe. It was my first real battle-experience with live rounds, LMG fire and mortar explosions.
46. Our detachment moved back to Kirkee triumphantly in February 1957. We had our regular Commander now. He was Lt. Col. K K Marcus. About five decades later in March 2004, Brigadier E J Kochekan Commander, 9 Sector, Assam Rifles, Kangla, Imphal sent a message to me and expressed his desire to meet me and that he would send an officer to convey me to Kangla. I agreed to the proposal of Brigadier E J Kochekan and went to Kangla Fort on the appointed hour and date.
47. I was ushered inside a waiting room for important visitors, since the Commander was rather busy. Within one or two minutes Brigadier EJ Kochekan came. We met and introduced himself as a nephew of Lt. Col. KK Marcus and told me that Lt. Col. KK Marcus was his uncle, being his father’s elder brother. I expressed surprise as to how a Marcus had a Kochekan as nephew. Brigadiers EJ Kochekan replied that one of the two ‘Ks’ in Col. Marcus’ name was his surname that is Kochekan. I, later on met Major General EJ Kochekan as GOC of a Mountain Division somewhere in Manipur. We used to talk for hours on everything from gardening, flowerpots, social conditions, politics (with restraint from his side), culture, sports etc. etc.
48. Whenever I was in Missamari (refer para 32), I used to or forced to play the card game of bridge. Colonel Marcus was a bridge addict. Since I had rudimentary knowledge of bridge, he compelled me to play. Through Colonel Marcus, I picked up Contract Bridge and after retirement from Army, I managed to represent Manipur State in All-India Bridge tournaments conducted by Bridge Federation of India.
49. The Adjutant of Col. Marcus was Captain Bhagwan Das, who was a local Major and Military Secretary to His Excellency Sir Chandulal Trivedi, ICS KCSI, the Governor of Bombay. The leftover ICS officers were His Excellency Sir Akbar Hydari KCSI, His Excellency LP (Lalan Prasad) Singh, ICS, who was Governor of all seven states (Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura, Mizoram, Manipur, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh). More about LP Singh will be told later.
50. Sir Chandulal Trivedi and Lady Trivedi were issueless. Since Captain Bhagwan Das was married to Sir Trivedi’s adopted daughter, he was in a roundabout way, a son-in-law. Capt (local Major) Bhagwan Das was their constant dining table companion in the Raj Bhawan. Major Bhagwan Das would always bring a bunch of all the Bombay newspapers with red, blue and green markings indicating that ‘reds’ were MUST READ, the ‘blues’ MAY READ and the ‘greens’ CASUAL GLANCE.
51. While Sir Chandulal Trivedi was glancing through the newspapers with red, blue and green markings, Lady Trivedi would bore her husband with complaints and insinuations on the Government of Bombay Presidency for not supporting the welfare efforts done by Lady Trivedi. They would quarrel on the dining table with Sir Chandulal Trivedi murmuring and grumbling. And sometimes Lady Trivedy would walk out. But Major Bhagwan Das had to remain on the dining table till His Excellency Sir Chandulal Trivedi got up.
52. Capt. Bhagwan Das when posted as Adjutant of 624 ATE, used to call me ‘Bob’ perhaps shortened from Bhuban. The Governor of Bombay Presidency had a summer resort on the hill ranges of Kirkee. Captain Bhagwan Das used to take me in his old Studebaker car to Raj Bhavan, Kirkee and take Raj Bhavan tea and snacks at the bounty of H E Sir Chandulal Trivedi, ICS the Governor.
53. By early 1959, I was promoted to Captain and posted to Technical Development Establishment (TDE) Vehicles, Ahmednagar. TDE (Veh) was headed by Colonel Soli Jambusarwalla of the Corps of Electrical and Mechanical Engineers as Chief Superintendent and very soon, I was joined by Captain Santosh Kumar Sarkar in the Testing and Proving Section.
54. Captain SK Sarkar is the grandson of Sir Jadunath Sarkar the famous historian of India. He married Reba Bose, daughter of Brigadier Bose, Commandant of CME. Brigadier Bose was the same Colonel Bose, who came to Bhuj to inspect my work as Deputy Chief Engineer of Southern Command. Sarkar and Bose families have become our life-long friends. On retirement, perhaps in 1961, Brigadier Bose became the first Director of Indian Institute of Technology, Powai.
55. Army officers, particularly the Infantry, were referred to and called colloquially as ‘pongos’ by Air Force officers, with whom we often liaise and co-ordinate our tasks, like the extension of Bhuj Airfield and trial landings by IAF jet fighters (para 40). I have not heard a Naval officer calling us Army officers as ‘pongos’, simply because Navy peoples were mostly in the high seas. Also we hardly had opportunity to meet them, on docks and harbors.
56. On being asked what they meant by ‘pongo’, they simply raised their eyebrows and replied that it was derivative of a kind of bird which could not fly – strange for bird which could not fly. I imagined, if or whether the word ‘pongo’ is a derivative of penguin, a biggish bird with little wings, which walked only. In fact, even if a penguin flaps its little wings very violently and fast, the lift force emerging from her wings will be too less to support her nearly ten kg weight.
57. Chambers Dictionary meaning of ‘pongo’ is a monkey or an ape or services slang for foot soldiers. Anyhow, the term as referred to the Army, seemed to have a derisive connotation for a tribe of peoples, which believed in tradition, culture, heritage, history, pride, custom and what not, and thus we are proud to be ‘pongoes’. Now, let me tell you some stories of the Army of early days, which may not be prevailing now.
(a) Naga insurgency since 14 Aug 1947 (one day before Indian Independence) as Naga independence was declared by AZ Phizo, the Naga rebel leader at the instigation of Mr. Charles Pawsay (later Sir Charles Pawsay). Naga insurgency is still maintained at low level of conflict even now. However, it has lost its sting, because the Nagas had participated in Indian democracy for decades now. (b) Junagadh, a tiny state in Kathiawar (Gujarat) though surrounded by States which had already joined India, did accede to Pakistan by its ruler, Nawab Sir Mahabat Khan Rasul Khanji. Subsequently, because of the noise made by the majority public of Junagadh and by the rulers of neighboring states, particularly the Jam Saheb of Nawanagar, and the Indian Army’s show of strength on the border of Junagadh in September 1947, the Nawab fled with his family in a tiny private aircraft belonging to the Nawab to Karachi and the State was ultimately merged into India in November 1947.
(c) Imitating India’s action in Junagadh, Pakistan carried out a full-scale invasion of Jammu and Kashmir on 22 Oct 1947 in the guise of tribal raiders. Maharaja Hari Singh forsook his wavering stand and promptly sought for India’s help. There was, then a Ministry known as Ministry of State (now extinct), which was also under Sardar Bhallabhai Patel, the then Home Minister. Sardar Patel sent Shri VP Menon, Advisor to the Government of India, Ministry of States to meet Maharaja Hari Singh in J&K.
(i) VP Menon hurriedly flew in and got the consent of Maharaja Singh to sign both the Instrument of Accession and the Standstill Agreement and reported the matter to Lord Mountbatten, the Governor General and Viceroy, who refused to send Indian Army without signed and written documents of Instrument of Accession and Standstill Agreement.
(ii) Immediately, VP Menon flew again with all the documents and got the Maharaja’s signatures. In this manner, one day was lost.
(iii) On the next day, IAF transport planes started landing troops with Indian Army. Major General Kulwant Singh’s Division landed at Srinagar Airfield and fanned-out to drive the intruders out who were firing small arms to IAF transport planes but without damage. It was a close shave for India.
(iv) Pandit Nehru then consulted Lord Mountbatten, the Governor General about the illegal invasion by disguised Pakistani soldiers. The Governor General advised him to refer the J&K issue to the United Nations Organization. A few days passed, before the complaint by India to UN Security Council could be lodged and admitted.
(v) In the quick counter attacks by Indian Army, the areas of Gulmarg, Baramullah, Akhnoor, Chhamb etc. were recovered.
(vi) Naturally, cease-fire was clamped by UN Security Council and in the bargain India lost about one-third the original areas of J&K to POK (Pakistan Occupied Kashmir) and to the Chinese.
(d) Hyderabad continued to be a thorn in the neck of India, with the Nizam wanting to be independent. So ‘police action’ on Hyderabad was undertaken by the Indian Army led by Major General (later General and Chief of Army Staff) Jayanto Nath Choudhuri in 13 Sept 1949. Military administration of the State was set up on 18 Sept. after the surrender of Hyderabad State Forces. Capt. Hartnet of NCC, Imphal and later Commanding Officer of 1st Bn. of Manipur Rifles belonged to Hyderabad State Forces.
(e) Realizing that India will not tolerate European colonial enclaves, the French willingly gave up Chandarnagar and got it merged into West Bengal and Pondicherry (now, Poducherry) became an Union Territory with a Council of Ministers under a Lieut. Governor, sometime in early 1950s.
(g) Despite all these happenings, the Portuguese stuck on to their Goa, Daman, Diu, Dadra and Nagar Haveli enclaves. Sometime in 1961, Indian Army rolled into these enclaves and chucked out the Portuguese forcibly.
(h) The Indo-Pakistan war of 1965, in which Indian troops crossed the Ichogil Canal and made incursions inside Pakistani territory.
(i) The 1971 war for liberation of East Pakistan, now Bangladesh. Here again, Indira Gandhi foolishly handed over some 93,000 Pakistani troops including Lt. Gen. Niazi. India could have used these POWs as our bargaining point.
(j) The Kargil War with Pakistan (June-July 1997) (I hope the months and year are correct). Here again Prime Minister AB Vajpayeeji’s train and bus link with Pakistan was a wrong policy. India should not have any diplomatic and other links with Pakistan, who are exporting Talibans to India. Indeed, all nations of the world should cut-off trade, commerce and diplomatic links with Pakistan. They are creating problems to Europe, America, Australia, Afghanistan, Iraq etc. Pakistan should be completely isolated and boycotted.
59. So, even Indian Army of independent India had fought ten wars during the last fifty years (1947-1997) in addition to sending troops to UN contingents all over the world. Therefore, reference to battalion or regimental commanders, as old men was or is still appropriate.
60. Going back to para 57, when the Infantry battalion was being inspected by the GOC, the first thing to do was introduction of all officers and JCOs of the unit by the overused and misused Commanding Officer to the General. At this crucial moment he forgot the name of 2/Lt. Gopal Singh and introduced the officer as 2/Lt. Gulab Singh, in order to give the impression that he knew all the names of his officers and JCOs. Anyway, Gopal sounded like Gulab. The young subaltern shook hands with the VIP without a word of protest.
*The essay is written by H Bhuban Singh. | 2019-04-21T09:02:01Z | http://manipuronline.com/edop/essays/reminiscence-of-an-old-soldier%E2%80%94-2/2011/02/22 |
Hello, I’m presenting a slide show of collaborating with survey centers to conduct survey research.
The first question you should ask yourself when you are thinking about conducting a survey is, surveys are hard to do well and they are expensive. So, always ask yourself, is there existing survey data that I can use to answer my research question? Or, is the research question appropriate for survey research? And, finally, do I have an appropriate level of funding to conduct the research that I’m interested in doing. After you have reached a conclusion or would like to discuss these issues with someone, then you should seek out an experienced survey professional, who are often housed within survey centers.
The first question that I posed at the beginning that you should ask yourself—is there an existing source of data to answer my research question? In other words, do I actually need to conduct a survey or can I just go get existing data to answer the question I’m interested in knowing more about. Good places to find existing survey microdata and documentation of those survey systems can be found at ICPSR at the University of Michigan. The web address for the ICPSR is on the screen. Also, IPUMS at the University of Minnesota, and the National Bureau for Economic Research, NBER, also has many datasets and very good documentation of those datasets.
Survey centers can help you find and analyze these data sources as well if you are unable to find what you want or would like to know if there is existing data. So, survey data centers often don’t just collect survey data but they are often able to point you in the right direction of finding existing data and also help you analyze that data, because analyzing survey data often takes specific skills that are not universally available to folks and it would be useful to work with people who know survey data and [Cuts off].
The second question I posed at the beginning—is your question appropriate for survey research? Is my research question appropriate to the methodology for survey research? Some work well and others do not. I’ve traffic-lighted using green and yellow and red. The green worked well, the yellow somewhat more difficult, the red not likely to be answerable by surveys. Examples of questions would be, What proportion of the population has visited the dentist in the past year? This is something you could ask someone and theoretically they should be able to get a good response to the question of Did you visit a dentist in the past year?
Questions that may be a little harder to answer with surveys, but still possible is Why did a person visit the dentist in the past year? How does behavior influence the likelihood of a cavity, crown, or root canal or dental emergency? So, asking questions about health behaviors that may be associated with those types of procedures or those types of need often are very hard to ask people about. For example, how often they may drink soda or how often they may eat food that has high content of sugar or how often do they brush their teeth, and do they floss and what types of tools do they use for oral hygiene. These are all health behavior issues that need to be, or information collected on, to understand how behavior influences outcomes.
The next question is, What proportion of the population is in need of dental services? This gets harder as you may want to define need as real needs, as someone who actually has a cavity and needs it filled, or someone who has the perceived need that they know that they need to go see a dentist but have not been able to go in perhaps due to the expenses associated with going to see a dentist. So, you really need to understand what need is, and if need is a perceived need you can ask about it. If it is a clinical need, it gets harder to know without doing a clinical examination and that may be out of the realm of a survey.
The next questions are very hard to answer using surveys, if not impossible, and that is why they are in red, What proportion of the population has a cavity and does not know it?, What proportion of the population has gum disease?, What proportion is at risk of experiencing serious pain due to an unmet dental need in the next year? All of these would require clinical examination of some sort, not that it is impossible to do within the survey realm, but it’s very expensive if you are going to have a clinical examination associated with your data collection.
Next question that I posed at the beginning is—do I have the appropriate level of funding to conduct a survey? To do a survey well is more expensive than most people think. I often use a guideline of a minimum of $50,000 is generally needed and cost only goes up from there.
I would consult a survey center about the costs of various components you are thinking of. I have seen survey costs range from anywhere from $20 per completed survey to over $2,000 for completed survey. This cost variance depends on the types, modes, you are willing to use, for example, web or mail intercept surveys where you just take people who are available to you and you don’t care about having a representative sample of the population on the low end, to a survey that has a biomarker collection associated with it and also sending those specimens off to labs to have them processed and get the data back and make that all part of the existing survey system and combining that with the answers on the survey that the respondent had.
Those can be very, very expensive. And as we talked about earlier, some of questions that are much harder to be answered by survey research may involve a clinical exam which would drive that price up even higher.
Researchers are often tempted to get surveys done cheaply by using graduate students and ignore their own time. In general, I would resist this because the quality of the work is often not reproducible and suffers, and science is based on the idea of replicability. And, you need to make sure that your survey is up to the scientific standards and has the appropriate documentation. So, it is best to work with people who have experience conducting surveys and documenting those surveys in order to make sure your survey will make a contribution to the scientific literature.
Basics on collecting survey data, it’s important to remember that we can ask people about things they are likely to know. Which of the following will people be able to provide a valid answer to, do you think? Again, I have put these in green and red. Do you have dental insurance coverage? People should be able to answer that, although there is, there are issues with knowing whether or not someone has dental insurance. They may confuse it with health insurance, in general, but people are fairly accurate with these kinds of questions.
Questions that people typically aren’t good at answering will be, What is your premium for your dental insurance? or What is your deductable? Perhaps someone who has reached their deductable or has used their deductable would know, but people who don’t or haven’t would not. And so, this becomes a question that you won’t get answered accurately by everyone and it turns out to not be a very easy question to get answers through survey data or survey collections.
How much did your last dental visit cost in total? That may not be something they know. They may know, though, what their total out of pocket expenses were for their last dental visit. You could ask them about that, but they may not know the total, especially if they have insurance and the total could vary by what was billed to the insurance company versus what would have been billed to the individual who doesn’t get the discount that the insurance company does. So it is a very confusing concept. But most people could probably give you an idea of what the out-of-pocket expenses were for the last dental visit or the last dental visit of their children or spouse.
During the last year, were you told you had a cavity or needed a crown, or root canal? There again is a good example of a question that most people would be able to give you an answer to and the [inaudible].
Survey centers can help you set up processes in addition to the questions that people can answer, that you can ask people that they can answer that we just talked about. Survey centers can also help you set up the processes to link respondents to other sources of information; for example, results from a clinical exam, x-rays, digital image, or claims data themselves.
Survey centers can also help you collect biomarkers such as DNA, weight, blood, such as draws or spots, blood pressure, and urine, and for the specimen we can have those sent out to a lab to be processed and put those data back on the survey. That, combined with data [and prepare that for analysis.] Cut off. On slide 7.
So, why should you engage a survey center? Surveys may look simple, but many things look simple when you are looking at it from the outside. But survey centers know how to engage potential sources of error. They’ve been through the process before, they know how to anticipate the problems that you are going to have and face, and they know how to minimize them and their potential impact, and also the potential impact of those errors on scientific inference. Survey centers know how to create the appropriate survey documentation and methodology reports, which are essential reference materials when writing up results for scientific audiences. These materials are absolutely essential to have as you’re writing journal articles and/or reports based off your data and drawing scientific inferences.
Survey centers also know how to look and analyze existing sources of survey data. We can do that in conjunction with the survey we conduct for you or we can do that as a whole study in and of itself; that is, just the study of existing sources or we can compare some of the items that you would have on your survey that are also on other surveys to look to make sure that we are getting similar answers and that your survey, that we, that survey centers helped you conduct is valid.
Survey centers can perceive the problems that you will have and provide you with the appropriate counsel to make an informed decision about the trade-offs and there’s always trade-offs in surveys. You need to have someone help you make those decisions about whether you should contact people 16, 17, 18 times on the telephone to get a response or should you replace that person who hasn’t responded yet with a new telephone number and call it. It gets very, very expensive to re-contact folks and at some point, you need to say, okay, I’m going to enter a new piece of sample and try to contact that person. Of course, because you have a non-respondent, your response rate, your total number of people sampled who participate in the survey, will go down. And, at some point, you need to make those kinds of informed decisions, and people at survey centers can help you do that and understand how that’s likely to impact your final research and your final analysis as you write it up, to make a scientific contribution.
We have established processes and protocols that have been scientifically tested and improved for over 80 years of scientific survey research. And, most survey centers have experts who can help you [make the best decisions for your specific research design.] Cut off. On slide 8.
So, when should you engage a survey center? You should contact a survey researcher or survey center as soon as you can and as soon as you are thinking of conducting a survey. If you are applying for a grant, for example, or asking for funding from a foundation, you want to make sure to get a realistic process before submitting it. The reason you want to do this is because a) it makes your grant application look stronger to those on the review panel who will be able to know what the real cost of the survey and doing it well will be; and also it allows you to make sure you have enough money, you’ve asked for enough money for the grant or foundation proposal to actually conduct a high quality scientifically rigorous survey.
Most survey centers are more than happy to talk with you at the foundation stages to building a budget and understanding what that budget should look like and needs to look like in order to answer your research question.
And, that brings us to how to get pricing from a survey vendor. You can meet with us to discuss the ballpark figure and costs and trade-offs of various designs. You can informally request pricing from several survey vendors. Often they will comply; not everyone will for various reasons. But, you’ll be able to get some vendors who will certainly supply you with some ballpark cost figures. And then, also, you can go through a formal request for proposal process in which you send vendors a [cut off].
There’s different types of survey centers that you should know about. There are those that are based at universities. There’s an association called the Academic Association of Survey Research Organizations. The web link is here. And, there are several survey centers within academic homes within universities. There are those that do Federal government contracting, primarily, such as the one I work for, which is NORC at the University of Chicago. There are those that predominantly do market research, for example, Gallup which you may have heard of. There are some that do a mix of market research, and federal, state, and government work, and a very good source on a lot of different survey centers and one that potentially is by you, in your neighborhood, is the AAPOR Blue Book, as it is called. It used to be a blue book but now it is a web reference, but the cover on the web is still blue. And, you can find it at this web link. AAPOR is the America Association for Public Opinion Research, and is the main scientific body that oversees survey research. And these are the vendors of which, that are members of AAPOR.
So, what survey centers can do for you. This is what survey centers are very good at thinking about that you may not be because you are someone who just wants to use surveys to answer your research questions but not an expert in designing and understanding surveys. Survey centers can design a sample and a sampling plan and know how to design an efficient sample in an optimum allocation of sample based on the resources and constraints that you provide for the survey centers. So, it is very important for you to engage with someone who knows how to do that early on so that you understand how much sample you are going to need, what’s the best way for you to draw your sample, and what are the various constraints and/or trade-offs.
Survey centers are also very experienced with IRBs and if you are doing Federal contracting work, Office of Management and Budget applications as well. So, both IRB and OMB packages, putting them together and getting them approved and knowing how to do that can save you a great deal of hassle and time and knowing what the IRB and OMB is interested in and writing an appropriate response to any issues that may come up is something that survey centers know how to do very well.
Survey centers also know how to help you with instrument development. They know how to develop questionnaires, scales, whether you want to measure mental health or behavioral health issues. We have tools, we know how to do it, and we can tailor it to your specific purposes.
We also can help you select modes of surveys and this could be an in-person survey where we actually knock on people’s doors. It could be through telephone, where we call people on the telephone, and the telephone could be cell phone or landline telephone. We also do web surveys and mail surveys. We also like to mix all these things together and try to contact people in a variety of different ways in order to increase our participation among the respondents, offering them a variety of ways to respond to the survey.
We also know how to develop the operational procedures which are necessary to conduct high end survey research, such as dialing landlines and cell phones, mixing survey modes; for example, doing a survey that can be done either over the web or mail or both or other variety of modes as well, such as telephone and in-person. And, also the collection of paradata, such as the number of phone calls to elevate your response rate, such as how many attempts did you make to a specific number, the amount of time to complete phone interviews, and the number of surveys mailed out to a phone number, you also make be making may be more than one mailing, more than one attempt to get them to respond to the survey.
You want to keep track of all that information so that you have it and can use it in your analysis to understand maybe what the difference was between the people who responded early, the people who responded later, to understand the people who you didn’t get any response from, the people you did get responses from, to understand in a computerized instrument how long it took people to answer certain survey questions relative to other survey questions. Some questions are much more difficult to answer and take people longer periods of time. The computer automatically records this [in your analysis.] Cut off. On slide 11.
What else can the survey centers do for you? We can help develop best design for your research question so that you optimize the design. We also know how to conduct interviewer trainings. We can train interviewers if we’re conducting a telephone or in-person survey to understand and lead people through the instruments. We can obviously interview the respondents and provide the interviewers to do that. We can prepare the data. We prepare data sets for analysis by editing inconsistent data and imputing missing data. And, if people refuse or don’t answer, we can replace those values using statistical modeling techniques that are common within the survey research field. We can also develop coding schemes for open-ended responses that you may have in your survey. This helps a great deal so that we can take our experience in doing this kind of work to help you get to an analytic data file very quickly.
We also know how to conduct disclosure limitation editing and review the data for threats in confidentiality. So, we can make sure that you have a safe data set in which you can share with others or create a public use file, and it will not threaten the privacy of any individual respondent on the data file. We know how to edit the data file to make sure to take off the sensitive items, certainly personally identifying information, and other pieces of information which may pose a threat to re-identification.
One last slide of what survey centers can do for you. We can link data to other sources of data, such as claims, x-rays, digital images, enrollment data, environmental sources of data. We can prepare methodology reports for you in great detail, allowing you to document everything, the process of which how we did everything so that when you go through the report writing process and you write your book or journal article, you have reviewers asking questions—well, did you conduct your interviews in Spanish and English, and you can’t remember, we have written the methodology report so that you can go back and cite the reference and find out, yes, we did conduct the survey in both Spanish or English.
We also collect file markers. We can help you set up file marker collection protocols and we can also set up labs to process the specimens and put that data back on to data files and then give it to you prepared for analysis.
We also know how to include within our documentation the appropriate metadata and documentation that follows the Data Documentation Initiative if you would like, which is a unified way of presenting survey data documentation.
We know how to conduct analysis including the appropriate handling of an analysis of complex survey data which, due to the nature of the sample designs in most surveys, it’s not adequate to just open up SAS or SPSS or R or Stata or other statistical software and begin working with the data file as those software default settings generally speaking, the data were not collected as part of a complex sample design and in most cases survey data are collected as part of a complex sample design and that sample design needs to be taken into account and those software packages can take it account. You just have to show them how to using survey procedures and we can show you how to do that and we can write up procedures for how to do that and put examples into the documentation as well.
We can evaluate the quality of the data. We can investigate anomalies in the data and we can write up results and reports and help you write up research papers of the data that can be put into the public [or the professional literature.] Cut off. On slide 13.
We, survey centers are here to help and we look forward to assisting you in both collecting and analyzing survey data. Survey research centers are service-related organizations that are in the business of helping you conduct your research, and we know how to do our surveys very, very well. And, we can assist you in attempting to gather the information you need to answer the research question you have.
If you have a research question for which you would like to conduct a survey and there is no existing data that can be used to answer your survey question, and you have potential sources of funding available to you, we would very much look forward to working with you, and we can also help you identify some of those potential sources of funding as well, if you would like to discuss that with us, as survey centers do have experience in applying for the work.
If you are just not sure, not sure about the answers to these questions and would like to talk to an expert in trying to help you understand these questions, survey centers are generally happy to spend time with you and develop your ideas and try to find the best procedure for you to move forward to answer your research questions. So, thank you very much and we look forward to hearing from you soon. | 2019-04-23T17:52:06Z | https://www.nidcr.nih.gov/grants-funding/grant-programs/behavioral-social-sciences-research-program/collaborating-with-survey-centers-to-conduct-survey-research |
Although originally produced by the firm of Gooderham and Worts, Rich & Rare Canadian whisky became an established Hiram Walker brand, distilled in Walkerville, Ontario. During Prohibition the Walker plant was purchased by one Harry Hatch. With a partner, Hatch already owned Gooderham and Worts and the two companies were soon merged. Then in 1987, the business, by then called Hiram Walker & Sons, passed into the hands of Allied Lyons, a British firm. But that was not the end of its corporate identity changes. A few years later, in 2005, the French conglomerate, Pernod Ricard took over the company and it was not long before they divested some of the Hiram Walker brands, including the aptly-named Rich & Rare.
The Sazerac Company of New Orleans, now the owner of the brand, bottles Rich & Rare at its facility in Frankfort, Kentucky. The whisky itself continues to be distilled, matured, and blended in Canada. Recently, Sazerac launched a richer and rarer version in the U.S. calling it Rich & Rare Reserve. Again this is a whisky that has been distilled, aged, and blended in Canada then shipped to Frankfort for bottling.
Where R&R is sweet and creamy, R&R Reserve shows a lot more influence of spicy rye grain and oak barrels. Its sculptured bottle and gold crown cap are reminiscent of Crown Royal, Canada’s best selling whisky, but beyond the packaging there is little resemblance to Crown Royal. R&R Reserve is a fine whisky in its own right and definitely takes the already buttery mouth-filling qualities of R&R up a notch.
Nose: Maple syrup, creamy caramel and rich dark fruits with sweet rye spices, fresh water plants, a mild oakiness and lemony rose petals.
Palate: Sweet, rich and creamy with a syrupy body. Quite peppery with hot tingling rye spices, including ginger and cinnamon sticks. Develops lots of oaky tones with some gentle tannins in the middle. Not as fruity as the nose, but elements of dark fruit remain as do oranges which complement a growing citric pithiness. Suggestions of lemony yellow roses linger throughout, although way in the background, along with a somewhat earthy maple syrup. It almost feels as if there are three distinct layers – sweet fragrant butterscotch, clean oak, and robust white pepper. Measured against the standard of Rich & Rare this is bigger, fruitier, hotter, oakier, more complex and definitely not as sweet.
Finish: Longish and hot, with just hints of flowers.
Empty Glass: Hints of dry wood – and little else.
$13.00 at liquor stores in the U.S.
Rich & Rare is reviewed here.
Is this eventually coming to Ontario?
Not sure John. I picked it up in the U.S. – it’s just been released down there.
I’m drinking it right now(first taste test).. Been drinking R&R for 5 years… This distinct full bodied blend is an exceptional and quite surprising upgrade from the standard R&R- which is wonderful in it’s own right. Reserve R&R rivals other very expensive labels and I will be purchasing it from now on.. The spicy, tingly, long-lasting flavor with lasting depth definitely let’s you enjoy great whiskey that is affordable at the same time. Well Done!!!
Please assist in identifying the holding years from barrel to delivery of blends.
I find the Reserve R & R to definitely rival the much more expensive CR!
Very smooth and no carryover taste from the night before!
As far as I know, R&R Reserve is made from whiskies that have aged for different periods of time. That’s why you can taste some bright youthful notes and some more mature complex ones in the same whisky.
Excellent blended whisky. Prefer it over the regular R&R. It is better priced than 40 Creek and Crown and yet taste just as good. Just bought a case tonight.
This Canadian whiskey is pleasantly blended. I just bought it for the first time and upon gazing at the beautiful bottling I opened the golden cap to be smacked in the face with a very pleasant caramel syrupy smell with hints of flowers and rye. I tasted a hint of spice and wood flavors while drinking it a smooth caramel sweet and thick syrupy flavor was left over and very enjoyable. I definitively prefer this over the regular Rich and Rare bottle. I also think this is a top contender for crown royal and other expensive whiskeys.
I cannot find reserve where i live in Nebraska. I love r&r and would like to try the reserve, but cannot find it. Does anyone know where to find it?
If you can’t find it locally it might be available on line.
Best value out there. I have become a big fan of Canadian Whisky, and this one will become a staple.
R&R Reserve is delightful. Just recently tried it & I’ve stocked my shed with it. Living in the south, I was baptized in bourbon, but there is no way to ingnore the smooth Canadian whiskys. R&R Reserve doesn’t give the ferocious headached that 40 Creek gives me & my friends, so this is one of our favorites. In order: Crown, Classic 12 & R&R Reserve. Well done to the makers of this fine whisky & thank god for Canada.
Having enjoyed many a canadian whiskey, I must say that this is a fine whiskey at a bargain price. This has quickly become my favorite, surpassing Crown and is half the cost!
We just began selling it in Colorado. Look for it! This is a wonderfull whisky, and very suprising shelf.
Canadian whisky does not appreciate much in value so even if it is old, you are likely better off to open your bottle and enjoy it than to try to sell it. The year of distillation should be on the tax strip. If it is not there then there is really no way to say exactly how old it is. Sorry.
Probably. You’d have to check at a liquor store to be sure.
where can I get it in Prince Edward Island?
Unfortunately, I think it is still limited to the US.
I was looking for a decent inexpensive whiskey and I found a bottle of R & R Reserve for $10.99. I decided to try it out fearing it would taste like crap because of the price. Instead, the whiskey is very good having a sweet aftertaste and I usually dont like to shoot whiskey but this is wonderful! Later Crown hello R & R!
I have a miniature bottle of the above – Could you please let me know if is has a monetary value.
Generally speaking, old Canadian whisky does not go up much in value. Unless you can find someone who collects minis I doubt you would get more than a couple of dollars for it. Sorry for the bad news.
This is the best tasting Whiskey for the money on the planet, as close to Crown as you can get. I was wondering how long does it take to get the rebates, I have sent in 3 envelopes so far and ready to send another, havent gotten one back yet its been well over a month?
Sorry, I have no idea. I write about whisky, but I do not make or sell it. Glad you agree that this is good whisky.
I have no idea why they use plastic but I could guess: Plastic is much lighter than glass so people who spend their days moving bottles on and off of store shelves have less chance of injuring their backs or of dropping a case and breaking it. It also probably saves packaging and shipping costs and keeps prices lower. Plastic is also environmentally friendly and believe it or not some of these big companies really do think about that kind of thing. These are guesses, take your pick.
Drank canadian mist for years, never bought another bottle after i drank r&r! Need to try the reserve.
I am looking for used whiskey barrels to re-purpose. I have interest in potting plants to patio furniture. I am in N.E. Washington State. It is not cost effective to haul out of Kentucky or Carolinas. I am hoping I could find Canadian bbls in BC or Alberta. Any help?
Sorry. I write about whisky but I don’t make or sell it so I am not able to help you locate barrels.
Work in liquor store in Louisville,KY & have been asking Crown drinkers to try the R&R Reserve.They are all coming back saying they prefer the R&R Reserve,even without the huge price difference.I prefer Kentucky straight bourbon whiskey,but I did buy a bottle of this stuff& I have to admit that it is pretty damn good.
Hi, Yeah, I don’t stick with one brand when there are so many good ones out there. Lots of great Canadian whiskies and lots of great bourbons too.
Hey – I’m interested in trying some Canadians but I’m not very knowledgeable when it comes to them.Can you recommend some? Thanks.
Absolutely. Go to this url and try anything with 4 or 5 stars to start. Generally only review whiskies that I enjoy so raally any of them are worth a try.
I am not seeing this on the shelf in Oregon! I have got dozens of folks drinking R&R. I have enjoyed it over 20yrs now!!!
Sorry Bill, I am not in the loop on distribution. Perhaps try another liquor store, or maybe you’ve done that already.
wow. just got my first taste of r+r reserve. this is great stuff.
we went from brand to brand for a log time but when we found R@R we have stayed. we really enjoy the flavor. have been drinking it for the past three years. we put out shots of R@R and Crown Royal for friends and family we found we like the R@R better Thanks R@R we will continue to be customers for years to come.
I have been enjoying r&r for many years. Used to only like Jack Daniels, but R&R has been better. Problem is now it is had to get in the St. Paul, Minnesota area and across the river in Wisconsin. Are you stopping distri in this area?
I am a writer and I do not make or sell whisky so I don’t really know when distribution changes. Sorry.
Davin, I just found this recently in Ohio. I actually didn’t buy it UNTIL I read your review of it. After reading your recommendation of this, I got a fifth, and I recently started my SECOND bottle of it!! It’s HALF the price of Crown, and tastes BETTER!! Plus, upon an unexpected trip to Tampa for a family emergency, I found out that it’s available there too!! Thanks again for your great reviews. I really like the fact that you review whiskies of ALL price ranges, as I drink on a budget. When it comes to Canadians, lower price doesn’t always equal lower quality!!
This stuff is incredibly smooth compared to regular R&R and also crown. Take it from a Texan “skip crown and go for R&R Reserve.
Amen, Matt!! R&R Reserve is my go-to Canadian sipper. Plus, the price point is GREAT. In Ohio, it’s $11 per fifth….
to put it back on the shelf! Wow what a surprise, I’m an old geezer who is now hooked on cheap booze not by necessity but by choice! Almost embarrassed!
This is my favorite alcohol over any other drink. I used to like r&r and monarch canadian before I bought r&r reserve. I sold a few r&r reserve to some 40+ year old people who drank for years, and they never seen r&r reserve or an r&r glass bottle, and they loved it. R&r reserve also does not give me hang over like certain liquors like jack daniel’s, vodka, and other spirits. I sure wish they made Monarch Canadian Reserve. But nothing beats r&r reserve. I get wasted and never have hang overs from any Canadian Whisky. Canadian Whisky all the way.
I have NEVER gone wrong with most Canadian whiskies that I’ve tried so far. I tried the R&R Reserve, after reading Davin’s review of it, and I haven’t had any of that ‘Royal’ whisky since!! Also tried the higher-aged CC varietals, and for me, there’s nothing less.
Canadian Whisky is some of the best & certainly SMOOTHEST spirit that I’ve ever had.
Yeah, that’s some GREAT whisky, eh?!
I have never like whiskey much, ran out of my favorite liquor. Digging through my cabinet I find a bottle of R&R Reserve, completely expecting it to be just tolerable, OMG, it is my new favorite!
Where can I buy it in Quebec city?
I just sipped a few r&r and cokes again because its what my best friend and I drank when we went out on the weekends 40 years ago. It still tastes as great as at did way back then. I really thank you for the memories. I’m going to look up my friend and see if he would like to have a few on me. I hope his wife will let him escape from reality for a few hours(lol). Thank you very much again. It reminded me of the good old days and I really enjoyed remembering that. Sorry about being so maudlin. (p.s. If my friends dad is still above dirt I’m going to ask him to come along with us. Thanks again, Rick in Michigan.
I have been drinking R&R for decades…noticed the Reserve at a gas station while out of town and immediately bought it. Turns out it was a mistake in the order…I wish they’d make more mistkes. Can’t find it around Lansing, MI.
I have an unopened, US Internal Revenue label sealed bottle of Rich & Rare. It is in a glass bottle that is square on the sides and rectangle on the ends. The side label is numbered D702437. Can you tell me the year and value of this bottle of whiskey?
I am not sure when it was bottled. These old bottles do not increase in value so it is worth about the same as a new bottle today. Sorry to disappoint you.
This is my husband’s ONLY drink..wondering if this is barrel cured? I would love to purchase something with R&R on it or in it for a surprise birthday or anniversary gift. Please let me know. Thanks!
Yes, it is aged in barrels.
Best to contact your local liquor store or check e-Bay if you’re looking for R&R memorabilia.
Just decided to play with this a bit, at the price point, I’d recommend it! I made a standard Sazerac with it and it really pops when you sub the New Orleans standard Peychauds Bitters with something more floral like a Celery bitters. Big and sweet and pillowy with enough rye to hold up.
Happened across R&R Reserve the other day in the canadian section of my liqour store in OHIO. Very very impressed, for the price it may be one of the best blends in OHIO. I keep mine under my bar and in the freezer, I’m having one now with a sip of coke chaser. Beautiful. Its my new go to whiskey.
What a pleasant surprise. I just tried R & R. This is smooth sipping whisky. I have been a scotch drinker for 55 years. I saw a little man face down on the floor in the whisky isles yesterday. It turnout out he was tagging bottles of Rich & Rare. He said he had been marketing it for nearly 80 years and drinking it longer. I will be looking for it and R & R reserve. The price is moderate and the taste is great.
Just purchased my first bottle of Rich and Rare Reserve. I have been a fan of Crown Royal for years and always liked to try different brands of Canadian Rye. R & R will find a permanent spot in my liquor cabinet. This is the real deal. Price and Taste. Sorry Crown, but I’ve got plenty of bags to keep my fishing reels in.
My father is an avid crown fan, and I followed his tastes when I started drinking whiskey. I had tried dozens of Canadians when a friend who runs a liquor store convinced me to buy R&R reserve. The price scared me because it was so low, but I was way wrong. It’s seems more dimensional and complex than whiskeys that cost double and triple its price. It has earned a permanent spot on my shelf.
I developed my taste in Canadian whisky from my father, who was a big Seagram’s VO fan, but when I was in graduate school and couldn’t afford that I discovered R&R and have been drinking it ever since–about 30 years. My problem is that when I’m traveling around different part of the country I can rarely find it.
R&R is my favorite, but now that I’m gluten free I have to know if there is gluten in products. Can you tell me if it’s made of wheat, rye or barley? I can have corn, so I’m hoping its corn.
According to UDSA, there is no reliable test to tell if there is gluten in whisky. Best to discuss with your doctor or nutritionist.
You can be sure there is at least some rye in it.
I like it — it is smooth — it is inexpensive (which, I confess, was a criteria in selecting it in the first place) … it tastes good (very important for me) … and it happily eases me (slowly and softly) into exactly where I want to be in the first place … This is JUST what I want … R&R Whiskey makes me feel precisely how I want to feel, with just the right flavor, with just the right taste, with just the right … quiet, slow experience to experience exactly what I want to be at this point in time … It is good — slow — and smooth … it is what I wanted and asked for for this moment. Thank you for a perfect experience … it is transient nirvana.
Just happened to buy some cheap whiskey for some “Hot Toddies” and picked this R&R Reserve $12.89 with tax).
Made one and decided to take a quick sip and to my surprise, I was blown away.
This rivals most whiskies 5 times the price.
Across from the scotch. I was getting tired of being beat up by scotch prices. Very good product.
I was a big fan and lover of Crown Royal until I was introduced to R&R Reserve about 3 years ago in NC. I buy R&R Reserve by the case now. No im not an alcoholic but I entertain a lot and my “Crown friends” including my own brother and mother thought it was Crown. Status thing I guess. But as they drink their cocktails I then tell them they are drinking R&R Reserve. I live in south Alabama and now when I go into the ABC Store they are out sometimes. And it really ticks me off. I guess they are selling more since I advertise it so much. I pay $24.00 per 1.75L plus our 10% sales tax verses $54 for Crown Royal.
My absolute go to! The best out there for the price. Smooth and very tasty!
Rich and Rare Reserve is the best Canadian Whiskey out there so far as I’m concerned! The price is good and to me it tastes better than Crown Royal. I won’t buy anything else!Very smooth rich flavor.
Just wanted to let you know, I volunteer at a nursing home where one of the female residents just turned 102! Her one request was a “shot of whisky”. Being a Brandy drinker myself I was at a loss so asked her what her favorite kind was so I could bring her some ( after medical staff clearance of course!) She said, in her little teeny 102 year old voice- ” not a shot, a PINT” and giggled!!! She said she didn’t have a favorite cuz they couldn’t ever afford it! Well today I got clearance and picked her up the R&R Reserve on advice from my favorite liquor store employee- I’m off to see what she thinks and hope to give her a special treat and day!
R&R Reserve is my favorite wisky. It’s cheap and really good. Other cheap whiskies have aweful after tastes or something that makes me cringe. R&R Reserve is amazingly smooth. I drink it straight or mixed with any flavor of unsweetened sparkling water. | 2019-04-26T13:23:50Z | http://www.canadianwhisky.org/reviews/rich-rare-reserve-40-alc-vol-80-proof.html |
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